Celebrating the Glasgow Fort

That the Parliament welcomes the launch of the British Land and the Federation of Small Businesses report, The True Value of Space Report; notes that the report highlights what it sees as the positive impact of British Land’s Really Local Stores programme; understands that it explains British Land’s approach to providing small businesses, start-ups and entrepreneurs with access to shopping centres and retail parks, including those across Scotland; considers that providing small businesses, start-ups and entrepreneurs with prime locations creates a fantastic opportunity to experiment and expand with very low risk; believes that Glasgow Fort retail centre directly supports 2,000 jobs, with over 65% of employees living within 5km of the location, supporting employment in areas with some of the highest rates of deprivation in Scotland; understands that, since 2020, it has supported over 200 people through meaningful employment support in partnership with the local skills centre, FARE, with over 50 people successfully securing jobs; notes that British Land uses the space at Glasgow Fort to support local groups, and congratulates it for supporting and encouraging new entrepreneurs to move into prime retail locations such as Glasgow Fort.