Bar, restaurant and art gallery approved for Finnieston

A bid to open a bar and restaurant with an art gallery in Finnieston has been given the green light.

Glasgow City Council has approved a proposal to open ‘Wildhorse’ at 1095 Argyle Street, next to the entrance to the Hidden Lane.

The application, from Graham Suttle of No Gods No Masters, states the venue would include a café bar and restaurant, with an on‑site art gallery and private dining spaces.

“It will bring global experts in coffee, wine and food together under one roof, to offer a unique and aspirational addition to the economy of Glasgow.”

Plans also show the operating hours are expected to be from 8am to 1am, seven days a week.

They add: “A core element of the concept, both in the build and daily operations, is sustainability.

“To minimise waste and noise pollution, the majority of drinks, including wine, will be served from draught in reusable carafes, significantly reducing glass packaging.

“Our food policy is zero‑waste, with dishes developed using sustainable techniques and processes. We aim to bring awards and recognition to the city.”

An initial plan to convert the shops on Argyle Street into a restaurant had been approved in 2021.

One objection to the latest application was received from nearby business owner Tooran Hejazi, who claimed there was already “a significant concentration of restaurants, bars and hot food premises” near the site.

It added the new use would “intensify” traffic and parking pressure and late‑evening activity, and said planning policy should “seek to maintain a balanced and diverse commercial environment”.

“Further overconcentration of food and drink premises risks undermining that balance and negatively affecting existing businesses.”

Another plan to open a café and restaurant on Argyle Street has been refused. Sentry Management Ltd’s bid to convert a former pain treatment clinic at 1186 Argyle Street was rejected due to the “cumulative impact of food, drink and entertainment units within the street block frontage”.

A report from council planners stated planning policy requires that “no more than 20% of the number of units in a street block frontage, containing or adjacent to residential uses, should be in use as a food, drink or entertainment use”.

“The proposal would result in 50% of the units on the street block frontage being in such uses… the cumulative impact of having such a large number of food, drink and entertainment uses on a single street block will have an adverse impact on the residential amenity of neighbouring properties.”