LOCALS and businesses in Glasgow have expressed their frustration at the “mess” they say is being made of the redevelopment of one of the city’s most famous streets.
The £5.7 million regeneration of Sauchiehall Street – which was once known as a destination across Scotland – began in September 2023 and was initially due to conclude in the summer of 2024.
However, it was pushed back and back and is now set to be completed by May 2025.
One business owner on Sauchiehall Street, who asked not to be explicitly identified, said that the fact the construction work had stretched over two Christmas periods meant their takings were standing at just one-eighth of what they would have expected.
Other independent businesses who spoke to The National also expressed certainty that the redevelopment works had negatively impacted on their turnover – and concerns about the length of time it was taking.
“People are not coming this way so this whole industry, this whole business is going down right now because of the construction,” one business owner told The National. “This shop, next door, opposite, up the block, all these shops are having issues with sales.”
He added: “Would I go as far as saying Sauchiehall Street has been a disaster? I wouldn’t go quite so far.”
However, members of the public who spoke to The National had no such qualms.
One man called the £5.7m revamp of Sauchiehall a “total disgrace and a waste of public money”. Others called it a “nightmare”, a “mess, “chaos”, or, more diplomatically, “a bit underwhelming”.
Locals pointed to apparently unfinished groundwork in parts of the street that are, according to the work schedule, already complete.
“I really don't know what they are doing,” one exasperated Glasgow resident said, while others said they believed the recent works had actually made the area "worse".
Among the older people who spoke to The National about their experience with the street, one common theme was that its heyday is now long gone.
“Nobody wants to come to Sauchiehall Street now. People avoid it now. I know they do.”
But another theme that emerged – if a lot less frequently – was a burgeoning sense of optimism. Perhaps, people hoped, things could yet improve.
“If we come back in May, then we can say whether this was worth it,” one person said.
“It looks like it’s better quality stonework. Hopefully it’s an improvement and it lasts better than [the previous work] did,” another said.
“The work that’s been done looks really good,” a third said. “I’d actually forgot how wide the street is.”
A Glasgow City Council spokesperson said: “Work on the final stretch of this project – between Renfield Street and West Nile Street – began this week and will be complete in April, with the work in Cambridge Street and on Sauchiehall Street between Rose Street and Renfield Street to be finished in the coming weeks.
“When complete, the works will have delivered an improved environment on these streets, making them more attractive for everyone who lives, works and visits there and a key contributor to reducing flood risk in the city centre.
“Forthcoming investment in this part of the city centre – at sites such as the former Marks & Spencers and Littlewoods stores – will see continued regeneration there. We very much appreciate the patience shown during these works, and supported businesses there through a reduction in their non-domestic rates.”
