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Paddy’s Market set to protest at council call-in meeting

Paddy’s Market traders are set to hold a protest outside the City Chambers today (Tuesday) at 1pm whilst a special call-in meeting takes place to debate the future of Glasgow’s 150 year old market.

Last month, the Council’s Executive Committee ratified a move which would see Glasgow City Council taking over the head lease from Network Rail who own Shipbank Lane and the Bridgegate where Paddy’s Market is situated.  The Council have stated that they wish to redevelop the area and let the units to arts and craft outlets.  However, the SNP and Green groups on the council have separately called the matter in which means that it has to be revisited by the original committee at the council. 

 Local SNP councillor, Craig Mackay said:

"Legitimate businesses in Paddy's Market provide employment for a significant number of people, and it's not the Council's job to put these out of business. Traders must be given the opportunity to negotiate new sub-lets with the council before their leases with Network Rail are terminated. This way they could remain in their premises rather than being turfed out on the street".

Paddy’s Market traders say they are determined to fight the council every step of the way to preserve not only the livelihoods of around 80 traders, but to ensure that this iconic part of Glasgow’s history and culture is preserved. The traders also plan to hand in a petition containing several thousand signatures of support for Paddy’s Market to remain open.

Paddy’s tenant, Patsy Woodward said:

“All we want is to be able to continue trading. We have for many years been urging the council to talk to us so that we can jointly make the place a more attractive area, however our requests have been ignored. Instead, they have mounted a smear campaign against the traders blaming us for crime and anti social behaviour which is clearly nothing to do with the people that work in Shipbank Lane. Closing Paddy’s has become a vendetta by some Labour Councillors for their own personal and political gain.

“Paddy’s people won’t sit back and allow the council to walk all over us and we will be there outside the City Chambers to make sure each and every Labour Councillor attending the meeting is left in no uncertain terms about how we feel and how the many people who rely on Paddy’s feel about the council’s plans.

“Some of the traders’ families have been at Paddy’s for four generations and many of our customers families have been coming here for generations also.  But its not just the old timers that shop at Paddy’s, we play a vital role in providing a warm and welcoming community for new immigrants and refugees as well as giving them a place to shop for affordable goods.”

The protest will take place at 1pm outside the City Chambers on Tuesday 28th October – members of the general public are invited to go along and show their support. Further information can be obtained by visiting www.savepaddys.org.

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