Glasgow pub fears as last orders come early

The night-time economy in Glasgow is being undermined by inadequate transport provision and consumer trends that gained traction in the wake of the pandemic, city publicans have told The Herald.

And the owner of one long-established pub in the east end has warned the current cost-of-doing-business crisis may force the independents who create the character which the city is renowned for to exit the industry.

The Scottish hospitality industry has come under intense pressure in recent months as energy bills have rocketed and surging inflation has driven up the cost of food, drink, and labour, while consumers struggle with the ongoing inflationary crisis.

Business owners say those difficulties have been exacerbated by a shortage of taxi drivers after the number of licence renewals fell sharply following lockdown, plus the disruption arising from ongoing rail strikes. They say this is causing consumers to think twice about going out, and curtailing their evenings when they do.

Robert Alexander, whose family own the long-established Solid Rock Café and Rufus T Firefly in Glasgow city centre, said: “I think a lot of people have adapted to Covid and they are maybe going out earlier in the day and trying to get a train or a bus home.

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“You have got a shortage of taxis in Glasgow city centre. During Covid, a lot of people got out of driving taxis and went to work for Amazon, Morrisons or whatever, and have actually found that while the money is not quite as good it is steady [and] there is less hassle.

“That kind of steady pay cheque is maybe more attractive."

The licensed trade can also no longer count on the traditional post-work custom which dissipated after people began working from home, added Mr Alexander, whose family have owned the Solid Rock Café since 1987. He further lamented the general condition of the city centre, including the roads.

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“I’ve had four burst tyres in the last 13 months, and I don’t do a lot of driving,” said Mr Alexander, who joined the family business in 2001. “If I was a taxi driver or someone who drove for a living I’d be at my wit’s end.

“It just feels like there is a general lack of investment in the city as a whole. I know that budgets are tight; everyone is looking for a pay rise and the money has got to come from somewhere. But there is a bit of a lull I think, as a city. It is sad to see.”

Billy Gold, pictured, owner of the historic Glasgow east end pub the Hielan Jessie, said concerns over transport provision are forcing many people to think twice about going out. It is also having a knock-out effect on casual trade.

He told The Herald: “The bus service is unreliable, and it is very expensive. Private taxis are getting more and more expensive.

“So going out is becoming something that more and more people are really planning [ahead]. People are going out earlier and going home earlier.

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“I’m getting told that [businesses in] the night-time economy are feeling it because people are going home earlier. They are frightened they can’t get home because public transport is so spasmodic and taxis are so rare and hard to get.

“There has been a definite shift and there are less people going out casually. Your walk-ins are getting thinner and thinner on the ground. Habits are changing.

“People are still going out, but they are being much more circumspect about things. It is not the cost of going for a meal or going for a drink, but the practicalities. For some people that is the deciding factor.”

Mr Gold, whose pub has been owned by his family since 1985, said worries over transport are being felt particularly by older customers. Traditionally, pub staff would organise taxis to take such customers home, but that has become a lot more difficult since driver numbers began to fall.

Mr Gold said: “I run my own pub. I’m a hands-on guy, I’m behind the bar. I talk to people, and I see how hard it is for us to get taxis for some of the old yins.

“Without question, it has had an effect on the going-out sector.”

More broadly, Mr Gold fears the current cost crisis facing businesses will lead to an exodus of independent operators, which he said would limit choice for consumers.

“This is what really worries me: independent cafes, bars, restaurants, they are either contracting, cutting back their hours or shutting up completely,” he said.

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“If Scotland starts losing the independent restaurants, the independent pub owners… our city centres and high streets are going to be a lot poorer for that. And they [then] become less attractive to locals and visitors.”

Meanwhile, Mr Alexander said the next major challenge is the deposit return scheme, which is due to go live in August despite continuing concerns over how it will operate.

“It has all been very vague and thin on the ground in detail,” he said. “We are now six months out. For a lot of businesses it will take quite a lot of planning and logistics to get the systems in place to cope with this. Six months is not a long time for such a big change in how everyone is going to operate.”