Yahoo Finance Amazon scrambling to stay in Scotland warehouse after court upholds eviction
Amazon is battling to avoid being turfed out from one of its warehouses in Scotland, in a move which could wipe out 300 jobs and hit the US titan's ability to deliver across the region.
The retail giant lost its appeal to get an eviction notice from its landlord overturned, putting its future at the 300,000 square foot site at risk.
It had been arguing that it was entitled to a year's notice from the landlord, M7 Real Estate, instead of the six months it was given back in February.
The court, however, ruled that the notice period was fair and legal.
A spokesman for Amazon said it is continuing business as usual and will appeal. M7 declined to comment.
It is thought the dispute stems from the amount of rent that Amazon has been paying for the facility. The firm is in negotiation with its landlord over a possible rent hike.
Around 300 people are employed at the facility, which is part of Amazon's network of distribution sites across the UK. The warehouses do not serve particular locations, but instead supply certain types of products, be it white goods or pantry items.
This would mean that any fallout from Amazon's eviction from the Gourock property in Inverclyde would not only affect Scottish customers.
Amazon has just one other fulfilment centre in Scotland, which has different tenancy protection rules to the law in England.
The Federation of Small Businesses has been arguing for a government review of Scottish rental law.
On Wednesday its director of devolved nations, Colin Borland, said the likes of Amazon could look after themselves but added: "For small businesses, we think we should at least examine the possibility of having a standard lease for leases under a certain annual rental value."
