'We see what's going on!' Fury erupts at Britain's 'Wild West' vape shops after devastating Glasgow fire

It 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.

Witnesses to the blaze said there was a "huge bang" before smoke started pouring out of the shop.

That prompted speculation over whether lithium batteries inside the e-cigarettes may have prompted the fire.

Now, MPs, MSPs and councillors have raised serious concerns over vape shops across the country.

Glasgow councillor Ruairi Kelly has demanded a review into selling and storing e-cigarette batteries.

While Glasgow MSP Patrick Harvie questioned whether vape shops "should be allowed to operate so close to critical infrastructure like major transport hubs".

And independent MP Rupert Lowe has now called for a national crackdown into the shops.

"These vape shops are clearly operating in the Wild West - we need a national crackdown," he said.

"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.

"Not just vape shops. Turkish barbers. These awful 'candy' stores that are all over London. All of it.

"As we saw in Scotland, there can be devastating consequences. Dangerous consequences. It is awful what has happened there. Awful."

The 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.

It is also planning to force vape shops to obtain a licence to sell these products.

Robert Jenrick MP warned last year that "weird Turkish barber shops" and "dodgy vape shops" were "chipping away" at British society.

In 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.

In 2025, hundreds of these shops were targeted by the National Crime Agency as part of Operation Machinize, which aimed to tackle high street crime.

The 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.

Arslan said he only bought the premises two weeks ago and was not there at the time of the fire.

"I am in grief at whatever has happened," he said. "It's a hurtful and disappointing accident.

"Whatever it is that happened, it shouldn't be happening. I am so upset and I don't want to talk about it."

A massive crowd-funding drive has been launched to help the businesses destroyed by the fire - which has raised more than £100,000.

Alessandro Varese, 33, lost both the Blue Lagoon chip shop, the Sexy Coffee cafe and an office.

"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."

Make-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.

Glasgow 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.