MSP calls on Kingdom Centre owners to '˜step up'

'˜Step up' '“ that's the message from MSP Jenny Gilruth to the owners of the Kingdom Centre.
MSP Jenny Gilruth says she has been ignored by the six Mars Pensions Trustees shareholders.MSP Jenny Gilruth says she has been ignored by the six Mars Pensions Trustees shareholders.
MSP Jenny Gilruth says she has been ignored by the six Mars Pensions Trustees shareholders.

The MSP spoke at the Scottish Parliament last week, discussing Mars Pensions Trustees, which owns the Kingdom Centre.

Speaking during a debate on fair work, the MSP stated: “Mars Pensions Trustees have six active officers listed on the Companies House website. But only one organisation is described as ‘an active person with significant control’. That’s actually another company, called ‘Food Manufacturers’ – of which their only ‘active person with significant control’ is ‘Effem Holdings Limited’ – another company.”

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Ms Gilruth added: “The issue in Glenrothes is that no one actually knows who owns our town. That creates a feeling of worthlessness for business and employees who can’t see the fruits of their labour being invested in the place they work.”

The town’s MSP said her appeals to the six shareholders of Mars had been ignored.

“Enough is enough,” she said. “We cannot sustain a position whereby faceless investors run our town. Look at the downward spiral of businesses leaving Glenrothes – we need a plan to attract new jobs. We need Mars to step up.”

A spokesperson for LaSalle Investment Management said: “We are responsible for handling all stakeholder relationships for the centre, on behalf of our clients, and are regularly meeting with our retailers via both our onsite and offsite teams. We understand and appreciate the important role the Kingdom Centre plays within the community and we are committed to working closely with all local stakeholders.”