Perth business owners unaware of emergency talks on state of high street

Business owners in Perth city centre say they're non the wiser about an emergency meeting to discuss the state of the high street.

Local politicians are heading up an event at the Royal George Hotel tonight for traders following recent closures by Gap and the Disney store.

There's also uncertainty around the future of Beales after it entered administration.

Coffee House manager Kayleigh McDonald said she's not been told about tonight's talks.

"I didn't hear anything until now. I've not heard anything else," she said

"I would have went if I'd been given notice. I would've been able to put my two pence in and say the way we want the high street to go.

"It would have been nice to take part."

The manager of a jewelers who declined to speak to Tay News also confirmed they were not aware of the event, while another said they had only received an invitation yesterday.

It's been set up Perth and North Perthshire MP Pete Wishart and John Swinney, MSP for Perthshire North.

Mel Walker runs an outdoor clothing store in the city centre. She confirmed she hadn't been contacted directly about the event but was aware through local media.

She has doubts over what the meeting will achieve.

"It's not that long ago we watched this process when McEwans closed and we had a great drama in the town," she said

"We had one of these meetings shortly after. It will be interesting to see if there will be any more concrete measures taken."

But organisers are insisting traders were notified.

MP for Perth and North Perthshire Pete Wishart said: "It has been very heavily advertised both on social media and traditional media.

"What we've seen so far is a lot of people getting in touch to ask for details of the event and indicate that they were coming along."

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