Just as things were starting to look like they were kicking into gear again for Scotland’s hospitality industry, I’m worried the wheels are going to come off in our biggest city thanks to a new policy.
With Glasgow City Council agreeing to the introduction of increased parking fees and extended hours, due to come into force in April, I can’t help but feel business, and its custom, is not being prioritised.
New rules will see paid-for parking in controlled areas extended from 6pm to 10pm, seven days a week. On top of this, charges will increase for the public and workers, as well as residents and businesses with parking permits.
New measures are at risk of driving away vital trade from the City Centre, but also other key areas of commerce like the West End, Tradeston and the Barras.
Glasgow, too, has potentially set a precedent for other local authority areas across the country looking to fundraise in the absence of a council tax hike, not long after it appeared matters were improving within local economies.
To say councillors don’t have their finger on the pulse with this issue is an understatement.
In a recent column, just last month, I wrote about how restaurant groups Six By Nico and Buzzworks were giving the industry reasons to be cheerful.
Last week I touched on the rise of staycations and new figures from the Moffat Centre at Glasgow Caledonian University and the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions (ASVA) show visitor numbers to Scotland’s tourist attractions were up 17.2 per cent last year.
When it is so clear there is a trend for keeping things local as the overall economic climate bites hard, why are Glasgow City Council implementing policies that, seemingly, look designed to discourage people from entering the city?
Namely, in my opinion, the prioritisation of meeting climate targets is the key driver for the introduction of this new edict.
Soon off the back of the implementation of a Low Emissions Zone (LEZ) in the City Centre, this latest news further compounds the misery being experienced by restaurants, cafes, pubs and bars across the city.
And it’s not just the hospitality and nightlife sectors that will bear the brunt, entertainment venues such as theatres, cinemas, comedy clubs, sporting venues and concert halls will suffer, too.
Green policies are all well and good and climate change is something to be taken very seriously, but it feels like changes are being rolled out back to front.
Asking people to negate their vehicles in exchange for public transport requires the network to be far more efficient than it currently is.
It’s 2024 and it feels like the connect network in Glasgow is stuck in 1984. Orwellian the situation is not, as improvements have been made to the look and feel of the famous Subway circle, ScotRail has updated its fleet many times over the years and electric buses have been a great innovation.
However, when these services only reach so far, only certain areas benefit from the connectivity and economic boost that comes with them.
God forbid you live or run a business any further north of the city than Cowcaddens, more westerly than Partick or as far south as Shawlands. And don’t get me started on the transport options east of the city.
A significant sum of money will find its way back to council coffers from this, make no mistake. I only hope it is re-invested properly to improve the lives of Glaswegians in every corner of the city.
However, I fear things will only get worse before they get better.
Making wholesale changes to the way a city functions takes time and it appears acting radically or investing any more imagination, time or money than is required is not on Glasgow City Council’s agenda.
For now, people will muddle through as they always do, but there is only so long punters can be expected to foot the bill for a lack of innovation from those within the City Chambers.
Gridlock: Why Scotland’s wind power success is costing us millions
The UK and Scottish governments are keen to boast about the volume of renewable energy we produce in the UK, with lots of it within Scotland.
In fact, 2022 was a record-breaking year, with 40 per cent of the country’s energy being produced through renewables like wind and hydro. However, I was shocked to read that the National Grid paid a record £275.3m to Scottish wind energy generators in subsidies last year.
The payments known as constraint payments are paid to energy firms to purposefully reduce the amount of energy they produce when supply outstrips demand.
This is because the power network simply cannot cope at times with the volume of power produced, so the National Grid must subsidise the energy providers for its inability to store and harness the power generated. Madness if you ask me.
The Renewable Energy Foundation (REF), say a sizeable chunk of such payments found its way north of the border last year. The Moray East windfarm, located offshore in the Moray Firth, received nearly £43 million last year in constraint payments. Over 50 per cent of it is managed by Ocean Winds, a joint venture company operated by Madrid-based EDP Renewables and the French energy provider, Engie. The other stakeholders are London-based, Diamond Green LTD and the Chinese state-owned operator, China Three Gorges.
REF called the system a ‘national scandal’ while the National Grid say they are exploring ‘a range of options’ to reduce constraints on the network.
In my mind it is another example of a lack of proper infrastructure within the country. One that is costing us dearly.
It Made Me Laugh
Sizzling support for square sausage supremacy
From National Sickie Day to International Pillow Fight Day, we seem to have a national day for everything.
These ludicrous marketing ploys may sometimes raise an eyebrow, but I did laugh at the latest from Ayrshire butchers, We Hae Meat, who have declared the world’s first National Square Sausage Day on 25th March.
The day will be dedicated to honouring the shapely cut Lorne sausage – a popular Scottish delicacy up and down the country.
The business is inviting families from across Scotland to join in on the inaugural celebration by enjoying a square sausage breakfast, lunch or dinner on the day, because 25 is a ‘square’ number.
They’ve certainly put some thought into this one, with International Indigestion Day falling on the following day.
It Made Me Weep
Papa John’s slices through Scottish jobs
Pizza chain, Papa John’s, has confirmed it will close 50 restaurants across the UK with Scottish sites at risk.
The US-based company has more than 450 restaurants across the country with 28 Papa John’s locations in Scotland.
The company says the decision is prompted by efforts to realign investment in better performing locations, at the cost of underperforming stores. It coincides with a period of reported record global sales for the final three months of 2023, hitting more than £1 billion during the quarter.
With results like that it’s disappointing to see businesses withdrawing from Scotland and jobs lost, whatever way you slice it.
