GLASGOW has been disproportionally hit by the lack of workers returning to offices following the switch to homeworking due to the pandemic, but could aid its recovery with a focus on homes in the city, according to a report.
In a report to go before members of Glasgow City Council's neighbourhoods, housing and public realm policy committee later today, it was revealed that even in the past quarter of this year city centre businesses were being severely impacted by the slow return to office and student numbers and also retail skills shortages.
It also came at a time when city venues had the Vaccine Passport scheme to put into place.
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The latest snapshot for the past three months focuses on critical issues continuing to affect city centre businesses.
According to the report, office occupancy rates are currently less than half of the UK average, while transport occupancy rates currently around 65-70% of pre-pandemic levels.
The report on the City Centre Recovery Plan for 2022 to 24 highlighted the ongoing Covid-19 mitigation measures impacting many parts of the nighttime economy and hospitality sectors which were last to reopen after lockdown and also the vaccine passports management and enforcement.
A deserted city centre during lockdown.
George Gillespie, executive director of Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability, explained in the report, which councillors will hear later today, about the circumstances the city faced.
Mr Gillespie wrote: "The impact of the pandemic on Glasgow city centre business sectors was immediate and severe, with the inter-local authority travel ban, working from home guidance, and extended restrictions on the city of Glasgow all combining to result in a disproportionately negative effect on the metropolitan core."
It led to the Glasgow Economic Recovery Group recommending the formation of a new task force to guide a response to the specific issues being faced by the city centre business community. The City Centre Task Force (CCTF) was subsequently formed last November.
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The taskforce found that the city as disproportionately affected due to a number of reasons that are unique to Glasgow including reliance on the regional workforce, impact of pandemic-related Stay Local campaigns on inter-local authority travel and public transport usage, low residential population.
Footfall has been slow to return for cities and Glasgow in particular
Working from home guidance and the slow trend towards office return affected the city and and the report said this continues to impact negatively on core city centre service sectors like retail and the night-time economy.
The ban on international travel which has had a significant impact on hotel sector and the visitor economy generally. Glasgow experienced the longest and harshest public health restrictions in Scotland.
The pandemic has also served to accelerate trends that were already evident in city centres. The growth of digital retail expanded in the last 18 months as consumers were unable to visit high streets or malls.
The report said there was a greater need to develop a mixed-use urban centre has been magnified. This will reduce reliance on any one sector and deliver the experiential offer increasingly demanded by the consumer and investment markets.
Key priorities for the recovery plan were revealed. These are maximising activity and footfall along with the employment and business development opportunities across all sectors; from the experience economy to financial services, to innovation, digital technology and the creative economy
It is also a priority to maintain and enhance the city centre so that it attracts people to work, stay, invest, visit and learn while also embedding climate mitigation and adaptation from the climate plan.
There are also short-term recovery interventions through to longer-term recommendations which support the repurposing of the city centre with Mr Gillespie adding: "Glasgow’s urban core must be a place that continues to grow its residential population, encourage visitors and provide a framework for business to respond flexibly to the opportunities that arise as the need for and use of buildings changes."
The committee will be urged to refer the recovery plan to the City Administration Committee next month for formal approval.
Last week plans were announced for a new car free zone in Glasgow city centre has been announced by council leader Susan Aitken as part of a long-term strategy to "give public spaces back to the people".
A core area restricted to public transport will be created within the next five years, stretching from George Square to pollution hot spot Hope Street across Argyle Street and up to Cathedral Street.
The council leader said £30bn will be spent over the next ten years to help achieve an ambitious target of 'net zero living' by 2030.
She said the council had already taken some "tough decisions" around pollution and congestion including Scotland's first Low Emissions Zone (LEZ) and said it wanted to take this a step further.
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