| Comment | The underlying difference is that Govanhill has just had one of the city's biggest public realm projects delivered: https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/scw
The cycle lane is central feature (and means local businesses have increased passing trade liable to make a short stop and spend money), but it also meant new paving the full length of Victoria Road and several side streets closed off and turned into civic space. The result is much more space for cafes and shops to have activity outdoors, and more space for people to mill around at their own pace. People can also just sit and chill at many of the new seating areas.
It's easy to underestimate the impact that simple interventions like this can have.
Duke Street by comparison is a traffic sewer. Cars are parked on the pavement and at corners at all junctions, making it an unpleasant, unsafe place to walk. The pavement and road surface is also a mess. Traffic comes and goes via *all* of the side streets along its length through Dennieston.
Sure, lots of people do shop and eat on Duke Street, and it has some great places already, but it has a self imposed "ceiling" caused by the state of the public realm. It's not unique: look at Partick along Dumbarton Road, or sections of Maryhill Road. |
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