Will Glasgow's Sauchiehall Street ever return to its former glory?

A group aiming to return Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street to its former glory want the iconic location to be a place to celebrate the rich and diverse culture long associated with the area.

The street has been in steady decline for years, with multiple empty units, burnt-out buildings and dormant music venues contributing to its demise.

However, it’s hoped the street will be viewed as a culture and heritage district within the city centre once paving works are completed.

Many people could be forgiven for thinking little has changed on the newly refurbished section of Sauchiehall Street.

It remains a building site and there are fewer trees – the street’s halcyon days seem a long time ago.

Furthermore, the refurbishment of the pedestrian precinct has been delayed and prolonged. Some parts have even been dug up again and patched over.

There aren’t any overnight solutions for some of the street’s long-term problems.

Glasgow City Council has outlined grand plans for many buildings in the area over recent years but a lot of the ideas haven’t materialised.

Despite that, celebrating the street’s rich history and connections remains a top priority for many local residents and businesses.

Billy Garrett, director of culture, tourism and events at Glasgow Life, said: “From the Concert Hall to the Mitchell (Library), what we’ve got is a concentration of cultural institutions that is probably unique to Scotland.

“Everyone is leaning into this, there’s nobody sitting on their hands in terms of Sauchiehall Street. Everyone is really clear about the challenge, everyone is really clear about what needs to be done.”

Seonaid Daly, executive director at Glasgow Film Theatre, added: “When we’re bringing international visitors to GFT we want the place to look its best and we want to show off the beautiful buildings, so a construction site is not ideal.

“You just have to look up in Glasgow and you can see gorgeous architectural gems, so opening up the street makes it a much nicer place to be.”

This weekend, the group are hosting a giant ceilidh to engage local residents in an attempt to restore the fortunes of this once vibrant jewel in Glasgow’s crown.