Glasgow city centre will always reign supreme in retail wars

For London, multiple the thrill of a solitary, early morning walk by ten, at least.

Perhaps it’s growing up in a small village but I still feel like a tourist in Glasgow, despite spending most of my life here.

The chance to do whatever you want at (almost) any time with every cultural and leisure pursuit on your doorstep. 

Even a late night grocery shop feels like a small act of rebellion. With no cinema until at least the age of 15, I’m easily pleased.

Growing up, a trip to Glasgow to spend the saved up pay packets from Saturday jobs in Chelsea Girl and What Every Woman Wants was one of life’s highlights. It happened only a couple of times a year.

Other journeys from the Highlands to the bright lights were made to catch the train from Glasgow Central to our holiday destination, usually Blackpool but occasionally London or Spain (my father worked for British Rail so travel was free). 

The giant Irn Bru sign flashed enticingly above Union Street as we raced from Queen Street, two small suitcases in tow, to make our connection south.

Moving on from my nostalgia trip, Glasgow city centre is still my choice for retail therapy, even if window shopping is the only form the purse will currently allow.

Ahead of a summer holiday I drove to one of the out-of-town shopping centres or malls as we journalists have become accustomed to writing, sometimes simply to avoid repetition in a sentence.

They rose to prominence as retailing in city centres grew expensive due to rents while land on the outskirts could be bought for less.

Many stores were old and in need of modernisation, this too would have been very expensive.

READ MORE: Demolition looms for Glasgow city centre building 

Multiple shops under one roof, affording protection from weather and more often than not bringing the bonus of free parking.

Improvements in road networks, including motorways, in and around our urban areas allowed consumers to drive quickly, and often with less congestion, to out-of-town shopping areas.

But have we lost something of the occasion of shopping in that shift? 
I recall being amazed that people in Glasgow wore their Sunday best for a Saturday saunter down Sauchiehall Street to bag a bargain or two.
There was something very soulless in that trip to that out-of-town ‘mall’.
It felt like a world apart from the experience of shopping in Glasgow city centre.
Yes, it’s a bit rough round the edges, the streets could be (a lot) cleaner and like most town centres there are many vacant units. 

However, it is reassuring that Glasgow still seems to be the favoured choice of most major brands.

Last year, designer Vivienne Westwood moved out of Princes Square to a bigger, street facing unit next to The Ivy restaurant.

It was a ringing endorsement for a city which maybe evokes a little of her rebellious, punk spirit.

Princes Square continues to attract major retailers and there are now few units unoccupied. 

READ MORE: More street level shops, better lighting and more green spaces plea for Glasgow city centre

While out-of-town centres do similarly attract major high street names the stores themselves don’t quite measure up in terms of the range they offer.

Sauchiehall Street has already benefitted from visual improvements in the lower stretch through the Avenues Programme and major plans are afoot for Buchanan Galleries as part of the gradual evolution of the city centre to one that has less reliance on retail.

Landsec’s £800million vision is to replace the Galleries with “an exciting, new, net zero mixed-use urban district in the heart of Glasgow city centre, blending world-class shopping with places to work, live and play.”

There are plans to triple the amount of green space, prioritising walking, cycling and public transport.

READ MORE: Glasgow live music venue up for sale 

Earlier this week the firm published the findings from the first stage of a public consultation, which has indicated that people want more green spaces, street level shops and restaurants and better lighting in the city centre.

The next stage aims to draw out further views from the public and community to inform a phase one masterplan which will be put forward for planning permission early next year.   

Landsec says the project has the potential to generate significant economic benefits for the city with  9,500 permanent jobs created in the city centre. 

While the city centre is currently home to a growing figure of just over 20,000 people, the city lies behind competitor cities such as Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham in terms of the numbers living and moving to live in the centre of those cities.

It is common in European cities to find family homes and children’s play parks a stone’s throw from major shopping streets and the effect is probably to create  safer and more visually appealing centres.

Population density is now considered crucial to the success and sustainability of city centres but it’s important to get the balance right. 

A friend who has a flat above one of the main city centre streets bemoaned the loss of Sauchiehall Street’s Marks & Spencer last year – for her occasional posh lunch –  and fears the loss of more of her amenities.

The news, last week, that Cineworld is facing financial difficulties that could see the loss of Europe’s highest cinema is a further blow.

While more people living in Glasgow city centre is likely to make it a nicer placer for all of us to visit, we mustn’t forget that most people come for the shopping.

The ‘Style Mile’ might look a little greener in the future, but I hope that doesn’t change.