Disquiet over gun shop near school understandable, says Sturgeon

The First Minister has told MSPs she can understand the “deep disquiet” being caused by the opening of a gun shop close to an Edinburgh primary school.

It has been reported that firearms dealer Edinburgh Rifles and Sporting Goods is to take over a premises near South Morningside Primary School in the capital.

Local MSP Daniel Johnson raised the case at First Minister’s Questions at Holyrood, calling for an “apparent loophole” in the law to be closed.

“Having been in touch with the police, they can take no action because their locus is over who can be a firearms dealer, not where those businesses locate.

“The council has no locus because it’s the police who regulate firearms, and indeed on that basis they would have more interest if someone was to open a fast food joint rather than a gun shop.”

Mr Johnson called for regulation over “not just who can operate these businesses, but where they operate”.

Ms Sturgeon said she did not have details of the specific case, but she could “absolutely understand” the issue causing “deep disquiet”.

“In general terms that’s not something that I would feel instinctively comfortable with,” she said.

“I also agree with him (Mr Johnson) that we shouldn’t see gun shops as just the same as all other shops for very obvious reasons.”