A prominent figure on the Glasgow nightlife scene is spearheading a new campaign to revive the beleaguered city centre.

Mike Grieve, owner of the long-established Sub Club, is leading a new partnership between the private and public sectors which will devise recommendations to attract more evening visitors to the city centre, following a protracted decline in footfall.

It follows the publication of two reports which set out a range of challenges facing the Glasgow night-time economy, which continues to feel the after-effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, including the impact of hybrid working, inadequate transport provision, the cost of living crisis, and the decline in the look and feel of the city. Businesses have also been affected by an increase in socialising at home and in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Glasgow, such as Shawlands, Strathbungo, Dennistoun, and the west end, amid concern over a lack of taxi provision and safety in the city centre.

The Night-Time Economy Group, part of the City Centre Taskforce, will help shape the response to the reports, which were published by Glasgow Caledonian University’s Moffat Centre and the Progressive Partnership, an Edinburgh-based market and social research specialist.

It will seek to find ways to convince people who have turned their backs on the city as a social and leisure destination to return.

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Speaking to The Herald, Mr Grieve acknowledged that Glasgow has big challenges to overcome in the short-term, including the disruption from works to improve the public realm in areas such as Sauchiehall Street and the environment around rail and bus stations. He also highlighted the impact of changes to consumer behaviour which have arisen following the pandemic.

But he signalled a determination to change the narrative about the city centre.

Mr Grieve, who chairs the Night Time Industries Association in Scotland, said: “My perspective is that it has all got to be about positive actions going forward. Sure, you need to be aware of the things that are wrong. But the focus has to be on the things that we can put right and what initiatives we are going to be bear that are actually going to help.

“I have an overarching positivity about that, but it is starting from a low point in a lot of ways. Obviously, there are issues in the city centre which have held it back over recent years. [But] I’m very encouraged that a lot of people that are involved in the City Centre Taskforce are very focused on what they can do to rejuvenate the city centre. I think there is a lot of positive energy around which, by and large, I don’t think has been heavily reported.”

The group will bring forward a series of recommendations in early 2025, which are expected to include consideration of a new night-time manager to promote the sector and the needs of revellers. Marketing campaigns to promote the city centre to different audiences and lobbying for transport improvements will also be on the agenda.

The latter will be crucial in shaping people’s perceptions of the city. Mr Grieve said: “Last festive season, there was a lot of noise about how difficult it was to get home from the city centre, [with] taxi problems and all the other things that contributed to that. I think that actually led to people being fearful of coming into the city centre at night because they were scared they weren’t going to get home.

“Meanwhile, a lot of taxis were knocking off early because they didn’t have any fares. Perception is a real issue here and I think it is really important that we articulate the positivity around what transport options are available.”

He observed that while rail services for taking people into Glasgow is “okay”, the provision of return journeys late at night is “really non-existent”.

Mr Grieve said: “These are issues that are not going to get solved overnight but the bus services have improved at night. There was a concerted effort from the bus companies to try and improve that. Positive messaging is the thing here. We just need to get people to understand that, actually, you are not going to get stuck in the centre of Glasgow. The key thing is getting people to look forward to a 'night up the toon', as they used to say, rather than being fearful of it.”

Councillor Angus Millar, convener for City Centre Recovery and co-chair of the City Centre Task Force, said: “Glasgow’s night-time economy remains a major contributor to the city’s prosperity. It’s also hugely significant for the city’s reputation and appeal, its culture and its very sense of itself.

“But while some areas outwith the city centre are now thriving with their own distinct nightlife offer, our historic core is experiencing change and challenges. That’s why the City Centre Taskforce is moving into a longer-term, more strategic phase and the night-time economy is a priority focus area. We’re delighted to have Mike and his group lead that.

“It’s crucial that we have an accurate picture of what’s happening in the city centre of 2024, a massively different city centre to even just five years ago.

“These reports give us a better understanding of the challenges which are within our gift and those structural shifts we all need to adapt to.”

Stuart Patrick, chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, said: “A collective understanding of both the challenges and opportunities is essential to transforming the future of our night-time economy. This sector is influenced by a broad array of factors, making detailed research crucial for guiding effective policymaking and ensuring the industry’s resilience and adaptability.

“This partnership is especially promising, as it's driven by leaders within the industry, helping us to reimagine and reshape a vital component of Glasgow’s economy.

“We all want to see a vibrant and successful city centre and this group will support the city's economic growth ambitions.”

Mr Grieve said: “I’m really positive about Glasgow’s night-time sector because people will always want nightlife. But it’s undoubtedly going through intense change and the future for some parts is uncertain.

“The City Centre Taskforce and the group I’m leading shows the commitment from people across all sectors to guiding Glasgow through that change and responding to the challenges.

“There are things beyond our control, like the cost-of-living impacts. Similarly, there’s things which businesses, service providers and policy makers can do to get more people back into town, like better and more coordinated marketing or later transport provision.

“These studies give us a better understanding of the changes evident in Glasgow’s night-time economy and how the city as a whole responds.”