Glasgow councillor sorry for Rangers fans comment during Ibrox pub debate

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A Glasgow councillor has apologised to Rangers fans for a comment she made during a debate over plans for a pub near Ibrox.

Councillor Eva Bolander, SNP said sorry if she had “caused offence' after she suggested Gers fans were supportive of the boozer. the comments were made while councillors considered an appeal from ex-Rangers star Scott Arfield against a decision to reject his bar plans.

The former footballer had hoped to open a new bar in a former bookies on Copland Road but it was knocked back by council planners.

Councillors on the city’s planning review committee upheld that decision yesterday (Tuesday). During discussions, Cllr Bolander, a former Lord Provost, said she was “concerned” about the “sort of people who seem to be clearly declaring themselves as being Rangers supporters also saying that this is a very good thing”.

“I think that is problematic,” she added.

Cllr Thomas Kerr, Conservative, who had spoken in favour of the plans, said Cllr Bolander seemed to “insinuate that Rangers supporters were backing this application”.

He added: “Can I just check that is what she had said? Because if it is I have a serious concern about that, given the issues we face in this city regarding football and everything else.

“I have a serious concern if that is the attitude of an elected member on this committee.”

Cllr Kerr said he has previously faced “a number of threats” and he believed the comments were “totally unfair”. “I can look at an application on its own merits despite how I might feel about football, politics or whatever else,” he added.

“There have been plenty of applications for the opposing side in regards to football that I have supported.”

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He asked Cllr Bolander for an apology. She said: “I can absolutely withdraw that comment if that was causing offence to anyone. I deliberately did not name anyone in my comments.

“I’ve heard far worse in this committee before, albeit under a previous chair. If I caused offence in that respect to Cllr Kerr, I do apologise.”

Cllr Kerr responded: “I appreciate that, Cllr Bolander. Given the sensitivities around this issue, I just wanted to make that very clear.

“I have had a number of threats with regards to this issue before.”

Councillors were split on whether to grant permission for Arfield’s plan, with four votes each way. The scheme was then rejected on the casting vote of planning review committee chairman, Cllr Ken Andrew, SNP

There were concerns over the impact on neighbours as well as issues with waste storage. Cllr Andrew had wanted to continue consideration of the appeal due to a lack of “clarity” on a “number of issues”, but his suggestion was not supported.

He said a noise impact assessment provided with the application had been “declared by our own officers as inadequate”. More detail was needed on waste storage, he added.

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