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  "path": "/news/glasgow-central-fire-fury-vape-shops",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-10T01:10:22.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "a row of historic buildings in central Glasgow were destroyed by a fire",
    "wreaking transport chaos",
    "Revealed: The British city with a staggering 54 vape shops on just two streets",
    "Shop owners selling illegal vapes set to face jail and £10k fine in fresh crackdown",
    "Thousands of barbers and vape shops raided as more than 900 arrested in record high street crackdown",
    "pushing through plans to give Britons the power to block enterprises like Turkish barbers and vape shops",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nCalls are growing for a national crackdown on Britain's \"wild west\" vape shops after a row of historic buildings in central Glasgow were destroyed by a fire which started in one.\n\nOn Sunday afternoon, what started as a small blaze in a vape shop ripped through the city's Union Street, eventually collapsing multiple buildings and wreaking transport chaos.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nIt has since emerged that the premises had an application to become a takeaway shut down over exhaust and air quality concerns - before a vape shop with no name opened up there just months ago.\n\nWitnesses to the blaze said there was a \"huge bang\" before smoke started pouring out of the shop.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\nThat prompted speculation over whether lithium batteries inside the e-cigarettes may have prompted the fire.\n\nNow, MPs, MSPs and councillors have raised serious concerns over vape shops across the country.\n\nGlasgow councillor Ruairi Kelly has demanded a review into selling and storing e-cigarette batteries.\n\nWhile Glasgow MSP Patrick Harvie questioned whether vape shops \"should be allowed to operate so close to critical infrastructure like major transport hubs\".\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nAnd independent MP Rupert Lowe has now called for a national crackdown into the shops.\n\n\"These vape shops are clearly operating in the Wild West - we need a national crackdown,\" he said.\n\n\"Ensure that they are all operating legally, fairly, to all required regulations and with proper immigration checks. The British people are not stupid. We can see what's going on.\n\n\"Not just vape shops. Turkish barbers. These awful 'candy' stores that are all over London. All of it.\n\n### BRITAIN'S VAPE SHOP EPIDEMIC - READ MORE:\n\n\n\n\n  * Revealed: The British city with a staggering 54 vape shops on just two streets\n  * Shop owners selling illegal vapes set to face jail and £10k fine in fresh crackdown\n  * Thousands of barbers and vape shops raided as more than 900 arrested in record high street crackdown\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\"As we saw in Scotland, there can be devastating consequences. Dangerous consequences. It is awful what has happened there. Awful.\"\n\nThe Government is pushing through plans to give Britons the power to block enterprises like Turkish barbers and vape shops from cropping up in their areas.\n\nIt is also planning to force vape shops to obtain a licence to sell these products.\n\nRobert Jenrick MP warned last year that \"weird Turkish barber shops\" and \"dodgy vape shops\" were \"chipping away\" at British society.\n\nIn 2024, more 750 Turkish barber shops cropped up across Britain, leaving many suspicious they could be a front for money-laundering or other illicit purposes.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nIn 2025, hundreds of these shops were targeted by the National Crime Agency as part of Operation Machinize, which aimed to tackle high street crime.\n\nThe owner of the unnamed shop in Glasgow, who gave his name as Arslan, told The Sun he did not want to talk about the fire.\n\nArslan said he only bought the premises two weeks ago and was not there at the time of the fire.\n\n\"I am in grief at whatever has happened,\" he said. \"It's a hurtful and disappointing accident.\n\n\"Whatever it is that happened, it shouldn't be happening. I am so upset and I don't want to talk about it.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nA massive crowd-funding drive has been launched to help the businesses destroyed by the fire - which has raised more than £100,000.\n\nAlessandro Varese, 33, lost both the Blue Lagoon chip shop, the Sexy Coffee cafe and an office.\n\n\"God knows when we'll be able to open,\" he said. \"But everybody’s got to rally together now, the council, fire brigade, all the stakeholders need to come together and do everything we can to establish what happened.\"\n\nMake-up artist Sam Hendry, 32, said she was unable to sleep and cried for 24 hours at the loss of her S'AMUSE studio, which was also claimed by the inferno.\n\nGlasgow Central Station, which backs on to the hollowed-out buildings, will remain closed on Monday and is likely to be closed on Tuesday following a large fire, Network Rail has said.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards:The GB News Editorial Charter **",
  "title": "'We see what's going on!' Fury erupts at Britain's 'Wild West' vape shops after devastating Glasgow fire"
}