First of all, thank you to everyone who has signed and shared our petition so far — we now have over 550 signatures, along with the backing of every neighbouring business. That support shows just how strongly Falkirk wants to see this site cleaned up, made safe, and opened up for family and community events.

Where we are now:
We have received two replies from Falkirk Council — one from Property Services, one from Environmental Health. Both acknowledged our concerns, but so far no department has taken responsibility for action.
The yard is still full of rubbish and debris, despite assurances it was addressed. It is also used daily by the public as a pedestrian route, meaning the health and safety risks are real and ongoing. Disturbingly, a discarded syringe and needle were found by my 4-year-old daughter while walking through the space.
Environmental Health also wrongly suggested to McGill’s (the landowner) that our venue was leaving waste there — this is untrue, and we are asking for that misrepresentation to be corrected.
What we are pushing for:
✅ A Planning Enforcement Notice (Section 179) requiring the landowner to clean up and secure the site.
✅ A site safety review with the Fire Service and Building Standards to restore emergency access.
✅ Clarification from Waste Services on how the current refuse problem will be dealt with.
✅ A multi-party meeting involving the Council, McGill’s, Falkirk Delivers, local businesses and ourselves to agree a safe, managed future use.

What we are offering:
Rock Bottom has committed to funding and organising waste clearance for any community use.
Falkirk Delivers has agreed to act as a neutral steward to prevent misuse.
McGill’s would retain ownership and control, but would be publicly recognised as a sponsor of community and family events.
Next Steps:
We are escalating this with councillors, MSP Michael Matheson and MP Euan Stainbank.
If the Council continues to avoid action, we will pursue enforcement through formal complaints, the Ombudsman, and legal options.
We will also continue to work with McGill’s directly, as our proposals reduce their liability (the site is already open to the public) and create a safer, more positive use.
 
💬 What you can do:

Keep sharing the petition — numbers matter, and every signature strengthens the case.
Contact your local councillors and MSP to tell them you support this campaign.
Share your experiences — if you’ve seen issues with waste or safety on the site, let us know.
Together, we can turn the old bus station yard from an unsafe dumping ground into a safe, vibrant community space for families and events.

Thank you again for standing with us.

— Ondrej Rafaj & the Rock Bottom team


Our response:

Dear Mr Raffan and Ms McKenzie,

Thank you for your recent responses regarding the former bus station yard beside our premises, Rock Bottom (FK1 1XG). While I appreciate your engagement, I must clarify several important points.

Condition of the Site
The yard is still extensively overrun with rubbish and debris. Photographs taken this week will be attached for reference. The site remains unmanaged, despite assurances of corrective action.
Ongoing Public Use and Liability
The yard is fully open and used daily by the public as a pedestrian thoroughfare. This means that McGill’s, as landowner, already bears responsibility for incidents on the site. This is not hypothetical: my 4-year-old daughter recently discovered a discarded syringe and needle while walking through the yard. This underlines the reality that unmanaged waste here is not only unsightly, but an active and dangerous public health hazard.
Enforcement Powers
Neither Property Services nor Environmental Health have denied that the Council has statutory powers under planning and amenity legislation, including Section 179 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997. The risk is that the site is left in a “vacuum of responsibility” while the amenity, health and safety concerns remain unaddressed.
Misrepresentation of Responsibility
I also need to correct a serious misunderstanding: I have seen correspondence from Environmental suggesting to McGill’s that Rock Bottom may have left rubbish on their land. This is incorrect. No waste from our operations has been placed on McGill’s property. The suggestion appears to stem from a failure to consult the Land Registryregarding where McGill’s ownership begins. I would ask that this misrepresentation is formally corrected to McGill’s without delay.
Community Support
This is not an isolated complaint from Rock Bottom. A petition has already gathered 550 signatures and has the full backing of all neighbouring businesses. The level of support demonstrates that this is a community-wide issue of amenity, safety and regeneration in Falkirk town centre.

https://www.change.org/p/save-falkirk-bus-station-for-the-community
Constructive Solution
As outlined previously, we are willing to work with McGill’s and Falkirk Delivers on a managed agreement which:

Limits vehicle access to emergency, refuse and supply vehicles;
Allows occasional community/family events under controlled, insured and stewarded conditions;
Places responsibility for waste clearance and insurance with Rock Bottom or event organisers, not McGill’s;
Provides McGill’s with public recognition as a supporter of community regeneration, while retaining full ownership and control.
Next Steps Requested

A planning enforcement case reference and officer contact for the Section 179 assessment;
Confirmation of a site safety review with SFRS and Building Standards;
Clarification from Waste Services on planned clearance or enforcement;
Confirmation that Environmental will correct the record with McGill’s regarding waste responsibility;
Agreement to a multi-party site meeting with all relevant stakeholders.
We are not seeking to create difficulty for McGill’s, who blocked access originally in response to misuse. Our aim is a safe, tidy and community-positive solution. If voluntary cooperation cannot be achieved, we will continue to press for the Council to exercise its enforcement powers, and if necessary, explore longer-term measures such as servitude or CPO in the public interest.

Copy of a letter we have received from Mr Raffan has been attached

Kind regards,
Ondrej Rafaj