Andrew Burns

Anderson’s glee as Jenners axe 115 jobs

By The Basa ⋅ May 14, 2005 ⋅  Email this post ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment

Almost everyone in the city with a brain at least the size of a peanut knew that when House of Fraser took over Jenners there would be jobs going down the drain. Sad news indeed for the city and the poor people losing their jobs after possibly 20 or 30 years of service.

The blame for the sale was put squarely on the Council’s shoulders when Robbie Douglas Miller expressed his frustration and concern at the reduction in footfall in the city centre, blaming the growth in out-of-town shopping developments and the difficulty shoppers have in accessing Edinburgh.

Of course the Council is responsible for giving planning permission for these developments whether or not there were bungs taken. The car-nazi’s in power also make it almost impossible to drive into the city center, especially for disabled people.

Now we have begun to really see initial results of the Jenners sale, it is worth looking back to what Donald Anderson says about these poor 155 people losing their jobs:

Thu 17 Mar 2005
“good news for Edinburgh” and a “shot in the arm for Princes Street”.

“This sort of smart deal is the way forward. This is good news for Princes Street and the city.”

Fri 25 Mar 2005
“This is definitely the way forward”

“I have been aware that discussions with a number of developers have been taking place for some time. I want to do everything I can to lend it my support.”

In Anderson’s ranting letter to the Evening News on 23rd March he states that “this council is planning for the future” - but whose future is it planning for Mr. Anderson, certainly not the future of the 115 people who will loose their jobs in Jenners.

Although I have very little nice to day about Tory MSP and Evening News columnist Brian Monteith, in fact the only good thing Monteith does for the city is that he leaves it to go on holiday sometimes. However, he rightly pointed out in his column on 18th March that:

Only last year, his [Anderson’s] council admitted that his policies of approving so many out-of-town shopping malls had badly affected Princes Street. The council has said there won’t be any more. Too late, Cllr Anderson.

Then we have the absurd parking restrictions in and around George Street and St Andrew Square that his council has had to relax. Too late, Cllr Anderson.

I only hope that the people of Edinburgh vote for themselves and their city at the next election and not out of some historical value of a political party.

115 jobs to go at Jenners as new owner swings axe

Random Posts you may have missed

• June 22, 2006 -- Dick Dastardly’s Planning Dept admit failing to have a plan
• March 24, 2005 -- A lot of money for crap
• May 30, 2006 -- Director, trees and forests
• March 6, 2006 -- Is your park a dog toilet too?
• May 13, 2005 -- Tom Ponton under fire again

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