The feasibility of maintaining a Subway branch in Elgin after the closure of the St Giles Centre later this month has been labelled “very difficult” by its franchise boss.
Earlier this week The Northern Scot revealed that the Elgin shopping centre will close on January 20.
The franchise boss of the Elgin Subway branch says staying in the town will be “very difficult”.
It is understood that businesses have been told to vacate their units by that date.
Liam Dalgarno, who owns the Elgin Subway branch as well as locations in Nairn and Inverness, says that the sandwich chain would “ideally” stay in Elgin but a recent six-figure remodel of its unit within the centre makes that “very difficult”.
Mr Dalgarno said: “Ideally we would like to stay in Elgin but this is going to be very difficult trying to find a suitable location for a new store.
“We completed a remodel of the current store recently at a cost of £100,000 and with the business being taken from under our feet it will be hard to take this loss and find the funds to open a new store.
“The notice given to empty our unit is not enough time to arrange contractors and storage so we will have no option but to leave the equipment in the centre and again take this loss unless we get access after the January 20 date provided.”
Mr Dalgarno has not ruled out opening a new location in Elgin but added that doing so could take a “long time”.
Efforts to secure future employment for the branch’s seven staff members are also ongoing.
Mr Dalgarno added: “We have secured the employment of one team member who will move to our Nairn store and I am working with other local businesses to try and find alternative employment for my amazing team.”