A recovery fund should be set up to help small businesses get back on their feet following the Union Street blaze, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has said.
Around 30 small businesses, including hair salons, cafes and barbers, were impacted by the fire in Glasgow with several premises completely destroyed and all equipment lost.
FSB has called for support similar to the £5 million offered to businesses affected by the Glasgow School of Art fire.
It said there should a fire recovery fund for small businesses, business rates relief and support for firms needing to relocate.
Hisashi Kuboyama, FSB’s Glasgow development manager, said:
“The business owners affected are feeling devastated, but they are resilient and very keen to rebuild and restart. We need to do all we can to help them do that.
“We are asking Glasgow City Council to look at a range of measures, including hardship rates relief, to support the large number of businesses who are being affected.
“Given the scale of damage and disruption, it is important the Scottish government also stands ready to offer financial support should the impact prove to be long term.”
Asked by journalists if a fund will be set up, Scotland first minister John Swinney it was “very much” an option being looked at. He added:
“We’re in the early days with the recovery. There is going to be a bigger recovery operation to be undertaken. It will affect the city centre and the government will very much be a part of that.
“I don’t want to be prescriptive at this stage because I don’t know what the extent of the disruption will be and what the circumstances will be but we’ll engage to address that with Glasgow City Council.”