A war of words has erupted following claims “empty promises” have set a Moray business back four years.
Iain Emslie, owner of A2B Cabs in Elgin, gave up half of the yard where his taxis are kept in 2012 for flood defences on the understanding it would be resurfaced once it was complete.
But now the authority has told him they will only repair the potholed concrete to a condition “no worse” than it was four years ago.
Last night Mr Emslie explained he has been left out of pocket by having to pay thousands of pounds worth of rent for the whole of the Chanonry Spur yard – while only having access to half of it.
And now the business owner has been left trying to fund the £12,000 repairs and new fencing he believes he was promised four years ago.
Mr Emslie said: “I’m just looking for what I was promised. I’ve tried to bring it up with the council and the contractor but they’ve just washed their hands of it now.
“The yard isn’t in any worse condition than it was four years ago but if I had access to it then I would have had the whole jing bang done by now.
“I’ve got to find the money for it now. Why should I if I was promised it? I’ve spent it on new vehicles and ramps inside since then.
“When they came to me I was happy to let them use it because I knew what it meant to the town to have the work done. This is just empty promises though.”
Mr Emslie’s anger has been made worse by seeing neighbouring firms on the estate, who also gave up their space for the works, having their yards resurfaced.
A small section of the weathered concrete, estimated by the business owner at about a sixth of the yard, has been repaired by contractors to plug a nine-inch gap.
Yesterday Mr Emslie accepted he had no written agreement for the work to be done but repeatedly insisted a verbal arrangement was made.
A Moray Council spokesman said: “The arrangement as far as we are concerned was that the yard would be reinstated to a condition no worse than it was when construction work on the flood scheme started – but that did not include resurfacing the whole yard.”