Rare Glasgow quality is clear after Union Street fire

Despite the challenges that continue to beset the city centre, some of which had been staring commuters and shoppers in the face at Union Corner for many years, it was possible to feel that Glasgow was getting back on its feet following the difficult post-Covid years. The city was buzzing with office staff and shoppers, and the thrum of a vibrant night-time economy was discernible once more.

In the hours and days after the fire, it was tempting to think that all the good progress of recent years had been lost. Yet for the many people who strive every day to make Glasgow a better place, and whose work is often overlooked by the city’s many critics, the idea of giving up is simply not an option. In fact, it seems to make them all the more determined.

Among the most optimistic business figures regarding the future of Glasgow is Mike Grieve, owner of the celebrated Sub Club on Jamaica Street, widely recognised as one of the most influential venues on the UK’s clubbing scene. By rights, Mr Grieve would be entitled to feel somewhat weary about the fate of the city, having steered the Sub Club through some massive challenges, from the forced closure of the club around the turn of the millennium following a fire in the premises next door to the dark days of lockdown during the pandemic.

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But Mr Grieve, who has been involved at the Sub Club since the early 1990s, remains upbeat about the future of the city and the role that the night-time economy plays within it.

Mr Grieve heads the night-time economy subgroup of the Glasgow City Centre taskforce which was set up to create a new “vision” for the sector following the challenges that arose from the pandemic. Its work over recent years led last week to the establishment of a Night-Time Economy Commission for Glasgow, which will seek to drive forward the city’s night-time economy by drawing on best practice from cities such as Berlin, Amsterdam, and Philadelphia. In what is seen as a crucial development, the city council will also fund the appointment of a dedicated night-time officer who will be responsible for the “well-being” of the night-time economy.

In an exclusive interview with The Herald, Mr Grieve acknowledged the undoubted short-term challenges that the Union Street fire has brought. But he emphasised that people and businesses in the city are putting up a show of “resilience”.

“The focus I would have about this and, just from talking to other people who operate in the city, is the resilience thing,” Mr Grieve said. “The community and people are getting together and coming out of the other side of this because that is how the hospitality industry works.

“It’s all about people, after all. People will pull through this.”

(Image: Newsquest)

Demolition work has now started at the fire-hit site on Union Street

While Glasgow seems to have become a punchbag for proud citizens who have despaired at the deterioration of its fabric in certain areas over recent years, it is important to note that there are people working hard behind the scenes to address the big issues the city faces. Glasgow City Council certainly has its critics - many people are unhappy with its traffic restriction policies and feel more should be done to improve the appearance and safety of the city centre. But Mr Grieve said it should be acknowledged that investment is being made to boost the public realm, the fruits of which will be seen in the long term.

“Obviously there's been efforts [such as] the Avenues project going on around Argyle Street,” he said. “This stuff causes disruption and has caused disruption in various parts of the city, but it's a drive to improve that city centre experience. That's the point of it - it's all about creating a renaissance in the city centre.”

Returning to Union Corner, hopes have been widely expressed for Glasgow to seize the opportunity that - in the most unfortunate of circumstances – has emerged to build something new and inspiring in a location at the beating heart of the city centre.

Naturally, opinions are varied, although there does seem to be some consensus that any new building should reflect the architectural heritage of the site, with plenty expressing opposition to the idea of creating a structure that is too modern in style. “No glass boxes,” has been a popular refrain on social media in recent days.

There have been interesting calls from commentators and architects to incorporate a new structure into the wider footprint of Central Station and the historic Grand Central Hotel where Gordon Street meets Hope Street, and we have seen some support for the suggestion that Central could perhaps be transformed into a high-end retail and hospitality destination along the lines of St Pancras in London.

After the trauma of recent days, the prospect of building something bold and bright that can truly revitalise a part of the city centre that had fallen into decline in the years before the fire has been heart-warming to see. Of course, there are many deep and complex challenges to overcome at the site before architectural plans can begin to be drawn up. Those who have followed the fortunes of the Glasgow School of Art, which has been hit by two major fires in recent years, will know only too well the difficulties that can follow incidents such as these.

But there is certainly nothing wrong with being optimistic and hopeful that something good will one day emerge from the ashes. It will be fascinating to see what comes next.