Leith Business Association

Furniture and design specialists Clive Christian have seen profits fall by £500k at their Edinburgh store prompting the closure of the Haddington Place store, as reported on the Business 7 website on 17 July:

Company blames trams for sales fall

The dip in sales has co-incided with extensive tram works on Leith Walk - the company's Glasgow store has not seen a comparable drop, suggesting that it has been the tram works, rather than the recession which has been instrumental.

As MUDFA works are still ongoing on Leith Walk, and Picardy Place can expect massive Infraco works in the coming years, Clive Christian has made the decision to close their Edinburgh store.

Graham Bell from the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce commenting on the closure suggested that business closures were 'inevitable' and that 'businesses have to put up with the pain if they want to reap the rewards'.  Such comments are crassly insensitive to the impact business closures have on the lives and livelihoods of those affected. The comments from Michael Dixon, chairman of the Edinburgh branch of the Federation of Small Businesses were much more considerate.

The article also comments on the re-commencement of the Infraco works, suggesting that traders had 'voted' for a longer period of works: a statement which is simply wrong.  The decision was made by tie, not the traders.  The decision is also take out of context, taking no account of the adverse impact which the alternative, shorter works would have had.