logo
'Sense of excitement building' over Glasgow's George Square work

'Sense of excitement building' over Glasgow's George Square work

Glasgow Timesa day ago

The leader of Glasgow City Council was filmed in the square as workers in the background were busy with preparations.
The square is currently sealed off with some viewpoints cut in the barriers to allow a little look.
(Image: Colin Mearns)
READ NEXT:Are refugees given priority for social housing in Glasgow?
In one of the sunniest and hottest days of the year so far, Aitken gave an update on the work going on.
In high viz clothing and a hard hat, she said work will soon begin on West George Street.
Aitken said: 'With the historic transformation of George Square well underway, we thought we'd give Glaswegians an opportunity to see the square as you'll never have seen it before.
'The statues have all been taken down, and they're away undergoing their expert restoration.
'Surfaces have been removed and our contractors are now excavating the site to test ground conditions ahead of the square's main construction and pavements on the perimeters will soon be widened.
(Image: Colin Mearns)
'In fact, as soon as next week, work's going to begin on the redevelopment of West George Street, creating a seamless flow between the wider centre and our new civic space.
'It's taken a long time to get to this point but now that Glaswegians can see this transformational work underway.
'I think there's a genuine sense of excitement building about it.
"So over the next year, we'll keep residents up to date with the progess we're making towards delivering the new George Square that we can all be proud of."
READ NEXT:Police called to protest at letting agent as tenants claim eviction threat
Work on the square is due to last for another year before the statues are returned and the Square reopened in the second half of 2026.
The work costing £20.5m is being carried out by Rainton Construction.
The video clip was posted on the City Council's X social media account.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

'Russian roulette': Councillor speaks on Glasgow road crossings
'Russian roulette': Councillor speaks on Glasgow road crossings

Glasgow Times

time11 hours ago

  • Glasgow Times

'Russian roulette': Councillor speaks on Glasgow road crossings

Councillor Robert Mooney, Labour representative, said disabled Glaswegians are treated as an 'afterthought' as many crossings don't have working rotating cones — a tactile device which lets visually impaired people know when it is safe to cross — or audible signals. He has warned that someone will be killed if action isn't taken to address the problem. The council's transport convener, Angus Millar, SNP, said the council is 'committed' to replacing or installing the cones across the city. 'That will be done on an ongoing basis as the funding is available,' he added. In late 2021, it was revealed that 403 of 890 signal-controlled junctions across the city did not have a tactile cone. By July 2022, the council said 150 did not have features like rotating cones. Councillor Mooney said crossing roads in the city is 'like playing Russian roulette' for visually impaired people. 'Russian roulette': Councillor speaks on Glasgow road crossings (Image: Newsquest) READ NEXT: I tried Glasgow's newest food and drink tour - my verdict He explained: 'I was up at Cathedral Street a few months ago, I couldn't see whether the green man was on. 'The tactile cone wasn't working. I'd waited for some amount of time, there was a bus stopped at the traffic lights. "I said to myself, 'the green man must be on', I walked out and a bus came in the next lane, stopped about an inch from me. 'If I'd walked out a bit later, I wouldn't be here today. Somebody is going to get killed if this isn't addressed.' He also said the council's accessible design forum has not met since October, but the redevelopment of the city's public realm is 'moving on at a massive pace'. Millar said the forum holds talks about 'general principles around design' and lessons are fed into the design of different projects, which are then subject to consultation. He added: 'Disabled people and others are engaged with on active travel projects. "We have, on active travel projects, a really robust process of engagement with the local community and all stakeholders, including disabled people and their representative groups.'

'Sense of excitement building' over Glasgow's George Square work
'Sense of excitement building' over Glasgow's George Square work

Glasgow Times

timea day ago

  • Glasgow Times

'Sense of excitement building' over Glasgow's George Square work

The leader of Glasgow City Council was filmed in the square as workers in the background were busy with preparations. The square is currently sealed off with some viewpoints cut in the barriers to allow a little look. (Image: Colin Mearns) READ NEXT:Are refugees given priority for social housing in Glasgow? In one of the sunniest and hottest days of the year so far, Aitken gave an update on the work going on. In high viz clothing and a hard hat, she said work will soon begin on West George Street. Aitken said: 'With the historic transformation of George Square well underway, we thought we'd give Glaswegians an opportunity to see the square as you'll never have seen it before. 'The statues have all been taken down, and they're away undergoing their expert restoration. 'Surfaces have been removed and our contractors are now excavating the site to test ground conditions ahead of the square's main construction and pavements on the perimeters will soon be widened. (Image: Colin Mearns) 'In fact, as soon as next week, work's going to begin on the redevelopment of West George Street, creating a seamless flow between the wider centre and our new civic space. 'It's taken a long time to get to this point but now that Glaswegians can see this transformational work underway. 'I think there's a genuine sense of excitement building about it. "So over the next year, we'll keep residents up to date with the progess we're making towards delivering the new George Square that we can all be proud of." READ NEXT:Police called to protest at letting agent as tenants claim eviction threat Work on the square is due to last for another year before the statues are returned and the Square reopened in the second half of 2026. The work costing £20.5m is being carried out by Rainton Construction. The video clip was posted on the City Council's X social media account.

Glasgow to introduce new tourist tax that's almost £5 a night – but locals won't be happy
Glasgow to introduce new tourist tax that's almost £5 a night – but locals won't be happy

Scottish Sun

timea day ago

  • Scottish Sun

Glasgow to introduce new tourist tax that's almost £5 a night – but locals won't be happy

Read on to see who has to pay the tax CASHING IN Glasgow to introduce new tourist tax that's almost £5 a night – but locals won't be happy GLASGOW City Council is set to introduce a new tourist tax at around £5 per night - but locals won't be happy. The visitor levy will be brought in from January 25, 2027 and will see people pay five per cent of the cost of a hotel room, B&B, AirBnB or hostels per night. Advertisement 3 Visitors staying in Glasgow will be hit with a five per cent tax on their accommodation per night Credit: Getty 3 It is expected to raise around £16million each year for the city Credit: Alamy It is expected to bring in around £16million each year for the city as visitors are set to be charged £4.83 on average. The money raised will be spent on public services, like street sweeping, investing in city landmarks, and improvements to parks, to improve the city for residents and visitors alike. Councillors approved the levy at the city administration committee yesterday morning. The tax will be in place for anyone staying at a hotel in the city - and this includes locals with a Glasgow postcode. Advertisement Speaking out against the tax following the decision was Reform councillor Thomas Kerr. The party also hit out on social media saying: "Glasgow City Council approves tourist tax - even for locals!" Mr Kerr added on X: "I've never believed a tourist tax was the right policy for Glasgow. "This tax risks pricing out families, hurting local B&Bs and deterring much‑needed tourism just as our city recovers. Advertisement "The council is skint, but penalising guests isn't the answer." Hitting back at Reform's comments, Scottish Labour's MSP fro Glasgow Paul Sweeney said: "I have only ever stayed overnight in a hotel in Glasgow once - it was for an assessment centre for the BAE graduate scheme. I didn't pay for it. Moment hardcore anti tourist mob surround Brit tourists in Majorca chanting 'go home' & telling Brit ex-pats to 'go to hell' "How many Glaswegians are staying over at a hotel in the city they live in? A completely ridiculous argument." Scottish Greens MSP for Glasgow, Patrick Harvie said: "Glasgow is a global city, drawing visitors from all over the world. Advertisement "But we have seen how over-tourism can damage communities, like in Venice and Barcelona, where the residents end up paying the price. "The tourist tax is vital to delivering sustainable tourism where local residents feel the benefit of our tourism and events sectors. "I'm delighted that Glasgow is continuing to benefit from Green policy in action." Advertisement In January, Edinburgh was the first council in Scotland to bring in a tourist tax, boosting city coffers by up to £50million. Labour leader of the capital's council, Jane Meagher, labelled the cash the 'single biggest injection of new funding this side of the millennium'.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store