| Comment | I get this sentiment and hear it a lot but the council doesn't directly decide what happens with empty units. Retailers will only move in if the value proposition is good enough for them. And a public realm programme like this can definitely boost the chances of new retailers moving in.
Sauchiehall Street (despite what people will tell you) is still a valuable proposition for retailers. It's a main pedestrian thoroughfare and sees tends of thousands of people walking down it every day. Putting the fires at GSA & Victorias aside, which were definitely the major cause for the street's recent woes, I suspect having these plans on the books but not actually happening may have actually dampened retailer interest for the past few years. The idea of setting up shop *just before* a major 1-2 year public works programme could be a significant deterrent for retailers, especially those bigger brands that do their due diligence and would plan to spend big on store fronts, upkeep, etc. Once the works are completed, I'm quite confident the street will be in a very good position. |
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