East Dunbartonshire Council is writing to the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government to request assistance following the announcement that publishing giant, Harper Collins, is to relocate from the area.
As a major employer in Bishopbriggs, this announcement, which follows just a few months after the announcement of the relocation of Aviva to North Lanarkshire, will have a severe impact on the local economy. There are many East Dunbartonshire residents employed by the company and local businesses rely on trade with Harper Collins and its workforce.
Over recent months Council officers have been involved in discussions with Harper Collins representatives over their future at Bishopbriggs and discussions had been based on redevelopment and a new planning application for activity continuing at the Westerhill site. However, the Council understands that the company has been unable to agree new terms with their current landlords, resulting in the announcement of plans to vacate their current premises in Westerhill in 2025, when their current lease expires.
Joint Leader of the Council, Councillor Andrew Polson, said, “The relocation of Harper Collins from Westerhill will be a considerable loss to Bishopbriggs and the wider East Dunbartonshire area. At our Council meeting last night we agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary seeking government support to assist the area and the local economy, which will be devastated by this decision. We will also write to our local MSP to see what assistance she can offer in what is a major blow to East Dunbartonshire.”
Joint Leader of the Council, Councillor Vaughan Moody, added, “This announcement comes as a shock given the discussions that have taken place to date and will be of significant concern to employees and local businesses in the area. We want to assure them that the Council will do all it can to gain Government support and assistance to mitigate the impact this will have on the local economy and the workforce, coming so soon after the Aviva announcement.”