Leaders of Scotland’s largest city's council have responded to concerns over the condition of a "jewel in the crown" thoroughfare.
The council set out the target timetable of completion of works on one of the city’s most famous shopping streets which have impacted trade and footfall in an exclusive article by deputy business editor Scott Wright.
It comes after Gillian Stewart, chair of the British Council for Offices in Scotland and a director of Michael Laird Architects, highlighted the condition Sauchiehall Street and the general safety of the city centre.
“Currently, it is not great,” Ms Stewart told The Herald, when asked to comment on the current state of the city.
“I am proud to live and work in Glasgow, but the lack of care or consideration for people in the city centre is just woeful.”
A spokesman for Glasgow City Council gave a timeline on the expected completion of the Sauchiehall Street project and the steps the authority is taking to address concerns over the condition and cleanliness of the area.
The spokesman said: “We expect the vast majority of the work on Sauchiehall Precinct to be complete ahead of Christmas with tree planting due to take place in the spring.
“Both the contractor and council officers continue to engage with local businesses on the progress of the works, which will create a far more attractive environment for people to visit and shop when complete.”
Read Scott Wright’s latest exclusive article here
European giant acquires Scottish family-owned transport firm
A major food transport and logistics player has acquired a Scottish family-run firm.
The acquisition makes the company part of a European giant that said the move “strengthens the group's territorial coverage”.
Langdons announced the acquisition of the transport and logistics company Long Lane Deliveries in a transaction that is part of STEF Group's growth strategy “as a European pure player in the food supply chain”. It said it “strengthens the group's territorial coverage and its service offering dedicated to food manufacturers, retailers, and out-of-home foodservice”.
Read business correspondent Brian Donnelly's article here
Scottish car dealership takes turnover through £1 billion
Family-owned car dealership business John Clark Motor Group raised its turnover to more than £1 billion last year, its latest accounts reveal.
The company, which has sites across north, east and central Scotland, increased its turnover to £1.0299 billion in 2023 from £914.3 million in the previous year.
It flagged “strong trading positives” in spite of “significant adverse used car market pricing changes” in the later part of 2023. John Clark Motor Group sold 13,428 new vehicles last year, up from 11,308 in the prior 12 months.
Read business editor Ian McConnell's story here
SPECIAL SERIES
'Cut-throat' cosmetic care 'not a nice industry to be in'
Skin Deep: Inside Scotland's Beauty Industry – find all articles in the series by Kristy Dorsey and Helen McArdle here
Along with the rest of the UK, demand for aesthetic medical treatments in Scotland has exploded in recent years and with that so has the number of practitioners and clinics offering both surgical and minimally invasive procedures.
Estimating the exact size of the industry is challenging due to a lack of comprehensive data but it is generally agreed that the UK market is worth billions of pounds, with some estimates placing its value at £3.6 billion in 2021. That figure is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of around 8.4% through 2026, reaching £5.4bn.
But as illustrated by the sudden collapse in July of high street chain SK:N, this booming sector is also a highly competitive industry where business success is far from guaranteed.
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