Glasgow Vape Shop Fire: Unregistered Business Owed Taxes, Investigation Reveals
The vape shop at the centre of the devastating fire in Glasgow city centre was not registered to sell vapes and had paid no business taxes, it has been revealed today. The extraordinary blaze began in the store on Sunday afternoon, leaving a landmark Victorian building in ruins and shutting Scotland's busiest railway station, Glasgow Central.
Origin of the Fire and Business Details
According to a witness who ran into the shop soon after the fire began, the flames started on an adapter charging system which was full of chargers under the counter. The fire spread through the store at 105 Union Street, then into the historic B-listed Forsyth House building next door and around the corner onto Gordon Street.
Now, the Daily Mail can confirm the business in the store was called 'Junaid Retail', trading as 'Scot's World', and was noted as having occupied it since August 2024. The business rates bill for 2025/26 was returned to Glasgow City Council, with respondents claiming the owners had 'gone away'. However, landlord Afton Estates confirmed Junaid Retail was still the occupier, so the council updated the billing address to the company's registered office in Hamilton.
Tax and Regulatory Failures
No payment for business rates has ever been made by the company, and the account was therefore transferred to the council's debt recovery partner. Additionally, there is no registration for the address on the Scottish Government's Register of Tobacco and Nicotine Vapour Product Retailers. Businesses selling vapes must enrol on the register under law, with failure to do so potentially leading to fines of £20,000 and even up to six months in prison.
The register, intended to enforce age-restriction laws, has no record of 105 Union Street, in one of several revelations first reported by investigative website The Ferrett. According to a report by the publication's co-editor Karin Goodwin, the Union Street business was sold a fortnight ago to another owner under the same company name.
Owner Statements and Council Response
The Ferret visited the business's registered address in Hamilton, where a similar shop to the Glasgow one was found selling vapes and rolling papers as well as DIY tools. This store put the website in touch with a man called Ajaz Sarwar, who claimed to be the owner of the Union Street shop until it was sold two weeks ago.
Mr Sarwar claimed he was told he would get one year of business rates relief before he would have to pay, but once this grace period had ended he was 'struggling badly' and the shop 'was not making enough money' to afford the payment. He also said he did not think vapes were included in the regulations for registering – and it was only for the sale of tobacco.
Glasgow City Council said enforcement officers visited the shop about 15 months ago to check it was complying with age restrictions, and it passed the test. A spokesman told the Mail today: 'Our enforcement on the sale of nicotine products focuses on under-age sales and illicit tobacco. We proactively visited these premises in November 2024 to undertake a test purchase to ensure compliance with age restrictions on the sale of nicotine products.'
Political Reactions and Safety Concerns
Maureen Burke, Labour MP for Glasgow North East, yesterday called for an urgent review of vape shops in the city, saying an audit was needed to prevent a 'repeat' of the blaze. She said: 'Given the large quantities of products containing lithium batteries, vape shops pose a greater risk of fire; therefore, it is essential that appropriate fire safety measures are in place.'
At Holyrood, Glasgow Scottish Conservative MSP Annie Wells also urged ministers to work with councils on a review of the rules on vape shops 'to protect public safety'. First Minister John Swinney said: 'There is an obligation on any business owner, and particularly an owner of a vape shop, to make sure that their business is safe. And we may well be looking at the implications of that failure on other adjoining buildings.'
Aftermath and Station Impact
Some train services at Glasgow Central resumed today after the fire, but the main part of the station will remain shut for the rest of the week. Network Rail said it will not be possible to open the upper part of the station this week due to the 'high level of instability' of the facade of the fire-damaged building in Gordon Street.
Assessment work needs to be carried out to determine the safety of the building, and experts will then be able to assess whether there has been any damage to the high-level station. The fire service reduced its presence at the scene this morning, though three appliances and one high-reach vehicle remained at the corner of Union Street and Gordon Street.
After a full site assessment, the low-level station, which is below the main concourse of the high-level station, reopened for train services from this morning. The incident has sparked broader concerns about vape shop safety and regulation across Scotland.
