THE FUTURE of city charities and businesses may be under threat after landlords move to increase rents, in one case by 400,000 per cent.

City Property has forced charity Glasgow the Caring City to vacate its Castlemilk warehouse by Friday as it could not afford to pay new rental rates set down by the firm.

The charity, which helps thousands of city residents every year with food, clothing and training, had previously benefitted from a symbolic peppercorn rent of £1 a year.

However City Property - an arm's length firm of Glasgow City Council - said they must pay an annual rent of at least £4000, forcing staff to look elsewhere for a base.

Ross Galbraith, manager at the 17-year-old charity, said: "We're caught between the devil and the deep blue sea here, as we don't have anywhere to go .

"We are just desperate for a new premises.

"We've enjoyed a good relationship with the council, but the problem is with City Property who don't seem to realise what charities like ourselves are doing for Glasgow. All they seem to see if the bottom line, the financial aspect. We are never in a position to pay high rents.

"We are delivering a frontline service across the whole of the city, in partnership with the council, supporting the citizens of Glasgow.

"It doesn't seem to be embraced at all by City Property.

" We are just days away from vacating our premises and City Property still haven't told us what standard they want the place to be in."

Meanwhile on High Street, several businesses have also been informed their leases will be terminated and some are facing rent hikes of up to 20 per cent.

McCune Smith cafe owner Daniel Taylor has described City Property as "unsupportive" and said he will have no choice but to pay the extra cash as he cannot close down his business.

He said he was given six weeks notice that his rent would go up and added: "It is completely unjustified given the state of the street.

"It's unbelievable. I'm put over a barrel. I don't have any option but to accept the rent increases and the new lease.

"It hasn't been a process of negotiation - they haven't given any forewarning of it."

City Property said Glasgow the Caring City chose not to renew their lease at 12 Linn Park Industrial estate, and added: "We do not comment on the commercial terms of any leases we have."

With regards to McCune Smith cafe and other High Street businesses, the spokesman said: "Under standard procedures City Property are negotiating a number rent reviews with commercial tenants across its portfolio. Mr Taylor is one of a number of tenants who are having their current rents reviewed in line with market levels."

He also added Daniel was due to have a rent review last year however due to "limited scope" it was delayed until this year.

The spokesman said: "Our officers continue to have regular contact with this tenant and a meeting was recently held to further discuss the lease renewal process.

"A proposed rental increase was discussed and Mr Taylor has agreed to give this some consideration."

As reported by the Evening Times last week, the company kicked out the Ruchill Furniture Project from its Chapel Street base and said founders had been illegally occupying the site for years.

Greater Maryhill Foodbank was also forced to leave its premises on the same street due to rent arrears, while the Afro-Caribbean centre on Osborne Street was forced out in April over mounting debts of more than £60,000.