With the St Giles Centre closing in just days, many are wondering how big the blow to shopping in Elgin will be.
The Northern Scot has listed what we know about the plans of all 15 tenants in Moray’s only shopping centre.
The St Giles Shopping Centre in Elgin – which closes on Monday.Picture: Daniel Forsyth.
Last Wednesday, we revealed that businesses had received letters telling them to leave the centre and remove all stock within two weeks.
In total, seven occupants have either confirmed they will stay in Elgin or are actively looking at alternative properties.
A further two have hinted that they would like to remain in Elgin if possible, but stopped short of confirming they were looking to open replacement shops.
However, one business confirmed it has no plans to stay in Elgin, with another describing a new store as a “very difficult” prospect.
Ashers Bakery, which currently occupies the main café downstairs in the St Giles Centre, has confirmed plans to maintain its presence in Elgin.
Ashers has pledged to stay in Elgin and protect jobs.
While their premises inside the centre will be forced to close, joint managing director George Ashers said a planned expansion on their High Street shop would protect Ashers’ 10 Elgin staff.
Sarita Thapa Tamang, the owner of independent beauty kiosk the Fab Brows Bar, revealed she was “totally shocked” to learn the St Giles would close.
She argued that tenants “were not given enough warning”, and feared she would lose her business and customers.
However, Sarita revealed that she is set to move to Elgin Nail and Spa at 77 High Street on Monday.
She also thanked on-site St Giles Centre staff and management for their help over the years, along with her customers.
The Fab Brows Bar has found a new location on the High Street.
Phone store Vodaphone said it intends to stay in Elgin after their store closes, and is actively looking for a replacement premises.
Moray School Bank, a charity offering school uniform, winter clothing, coaching and counselling to families in need issued an “urgent” appeal on social media after learning of the St Giles Centre’s closure.
The charity ran a pop-up shop in an upstairs unit which closed on Tuesday, January 14, and was forced to seek help from the community to help find a home for the stock stored there.
Ramsdens, which offers a range of financial services including pawnbroking and foreign currency conversion, confirmed that the business was “committed to operating in Elgin”.
The company were also considering a relocation elsewhere in Elgin, firm CEO Peter Kenyon confirmed.
Ramsdens has committed to staying in Elgin.
Independent business Box Brand, which moved into the St Giles Centre in October last year, has also now closed but has a move planned to another Elgin town centre premises.
Elgin’s Argos is set to close “at the end of this week”, a spokesperson has confirmed, with the St Giles closure leaving the company “with no choice” but to shut.
It is understood that a consultation is ongoing with the store’s 11 employees, with the chain currently looking into whether a replacement store in Elgin may be possible.
Booksellers Waterstones confirmed that their Elgin store will close at 5pm today (Friday, January 17).
Speaking to The Northern Scot, a spokesperson shared the firm’s “great regret” at being forced to close their Elgin store.
Argos indicated that they are considering a new store in Elgin.Waterstone’s is working to stay in Elgin, with staff offered interim jobs in Inverness.Gordon and MacPhail have confirmed they are looking to continue serving the community…Picture: Daniel Forsyth.
However, she also pledged that the company would “consider all options to remain in Elgin” and said all staff had been offered interim jobs in Inverness,” the spokesperson said.
Elgin whisky business Gordon and MacPhail closed their St Giles Centre shop on Friday, January 10, after less than year of trading.
The Moray business moved into the shopping centre temporarily to allow their long-time shop on South Street, which opened in 1895, to be transformed into a whisky experience.
Gordon and MacPhail was “evaluating all the options” and are “actively developing contingency plans to continue serving our community,” a spokesperson said.
Arts, crafts and books shop The Works is set to close tomorrow (Friday, January 17), the chain confirmed, with no plans to open a new branch in Elgin.
The Works has confirmed the closure of its Elgin store, with no plans for a replacement.
The five employees based in at the store will be “redeployed” elsewhere, a spokesperson added, however the closest stores are in Inverness and Aberdeen.
Subway franchise owner Liam Dalgarno confirmed that the branch will close and that opening another Elgin premises would be “very difficult”.
However efforts are currently underway to find alternative employment for seven employees.
WHSmith closed to the public on Tuesday (January 14), with the company stating it was “deeply disappointed” by the closure and would “lose its presence in Elgin”.
Moray clothing company Smadug, which runs a festive pop-up shop in the St Giles Centre every year, rents their unit beside Subway year-round.
The closing date for St Giles Shopping Centre is drawing near as shops are starting to appear empty. Picture: Daniel Forsyth.02 in Elgin has closed.EE is still considering his options.
Along with the shop, which opened for the last time on Christmas Eve, the owners used the unit for distribution and storage for online sales of their custom-designed t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, hats and accessories.
However EE, which is also set to close, did not confirm whether the chain is considering opening another store in Elgin.
Mobile network 02 closed their shop in the St Giles Centre on Wednesday, January 15, announced with a printed note displayed in their window.
The company did not respond to multiple requests for comment by the date of publication.