A Glasgow shopkeeper is desperate to move store after two years of flood damage has left some areas of the shop unusable.
Samantha Cooper from 23 Enigma is worried her shop, which has been on High Street for nearly three decades, will have to close it's doors if a new location isn't found.
The 52-year-old spoke to Glasgow Live when the damage was first found back in 2021, however, she claims that City Property - an arms-length organisation of Glasgow City Council who own the buildings - have done very little to help.
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She told Glasgow Live: "Since we last spoke about the flooding they haven't answered our plea for a new shop.
"Even though High Street is back to 2017 levels of occupancy, half empty again.
"This is an unsustainable wasteful cycle. Our shop is rotting.
"It's common goods property of Glasgow that's rotting, not just my business.
"Our business is loved by locals so we would like City Property to find us another shop so we can help Glasgow flourish.
"We can't use the back shop due to the flooding from the ceiling and the historic damp on the back wall that City Property said they would fix.
"It's a shameful way to treat indigenous Glasgow businesses.
"This is what people come to big cities for, small independent shops, all the big corporates are dying because you can buy things online.
"But small independent shops, especially one with such a rich connection with old Scottish culture like we have, this is what pleases tourists, visitors and the young people looking for direction."
The business owner believes that the vital store, which is the oldest occult shop in the country, is truly loved by tourists and residents of Glasgow and it's closure would be detrimental to the city.
Samantha said: "We would like City Property to realise how important we are to the community.
"Before we were evicted from Ladywell in 2017 we had a 5,000 signature petition to save the shop. The shop was a beautiful asset to High Street.
"It is the oldest street in Glasgow and our shop is all about looking back into history for inspiration and healing. We need to be here."
She fears that the lack of support given by the management company, which owns around 2,500 commercial properties, could result in the historic area moving backwards rather than forwards.
The business owner said: "We came to High Street, a beautiful ancient street and we belong here.
"We came here 28 years ago when nobody cared about High Street. It was called the broken teeth of Glasgow, it was a hellhole, it's receding to that state again.
"Stores like us give the city its unique character."
The 52-year-old believes that the High Street can be the life blood for many of the public services that have faced funding cuts in the last few months.
However, if the neglect continues she thinks more pain will follow.
Samantha said: "City Property need to reach out to us, they've driven half the businesses away.
"In times like this when Glasgow City Council are facing hundreds of millions of pounds of cuts.
"These common good properties that were bequeathed to the city should making money for public services and feeding money into Glasgow charities."
A spokesperson from City Property said: “When the issues of water ingress and damp were raised with us, we visited our tenant on both occasions to inspect the damage and we provided advice at the time.
"The issues at this store were in fact caused by a build-up on condensation due to moisture gathering behind some tall storage cases. Mechanical ventilation has been offered to the tenant in the past, but the offer was not taken up.
"We would request that the tenant contacts us directly should they need to discuss this further and we will do our best to assist within the scope of our responsibility
“We’ve had ongoing communication with 23 Enigma regarding their request to move to a larger store. Whilst we’re unable to share commercially sensitive information; the tenant has been made aware of some outstanding issues that need resolved and the requirements that must be met in order for us to be able to consider a move.
"Should they wish further clarification on this, we would request that they contact us directly to discuss the matter”
As for the petition City Property are not aware of any petition in recent years and were therefore unable to comment.
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