I can’t quite believe it has been ten years since the Commonwealth Games came to Glasgow.
I remember feeling an immense sense of pride as Scotland welcomed a whole host of international visitors with open arms.
Therefore, it should come as no surprise that when we found out the Games will be returning to the city in 2026, I immediately felt a burst of excitement.
But the announcement has been met with a wave of criticism from a range of important stakeholders, and it’s certainly not gone unnoticed.
There is no doubt it will help position Glasgow and the country as a whole as an attractive spot for international investment in the years prior to the Games, but at what cost?
This is the question that business owners, public service workers and Glaswegians alike have been asking recently, and it’s left me wondering whether or not the news has been as welcomed as perhaps it once was.
It’s no secret that in recent years Glasgow has transformed into a largely service based city that relies heavily on tourism and the gig economy.
While the shift has helped the city carve out its name as an international leader in the events market, it has also brought a range of challenges, including precarious employment, stagnant wages and rising living costs for locals.
For example, it’s been widely reported that workers who have played key roles in supporting Glasgow’s global events face low wages and underfunded public services.
This was highlighted just last year during the UCI Cycling Championships, when Glasgow Life employees went on strike demanding better pay and conditions.
And what’s more, critics argue that investments in the city’s infrastructure for events such as the Games are largely focused on making Glasgow more attractive to tourists and investors, while basic needs for people living in the city such as public services and wage increases are neglected.
Some political commentators have complained that the city’s workforce and residents have been getting used to being treated as secondary to the larger goal of promoting Glasgow on the world stage.
And it’s not just critics in Glasgow, but also those further afield who are concerned about the overall impact the Games could have.
Organisers of the Edinburgh Fringe have voiced their concerns about the Games overlapping with the first week of their 2026 festival, leaving both events in a tight spot as they compete for essential resources like accommodation and transport.
Lyndsey Jackson, Deputy Chief Executive of the Fringe Society, went as far to warn that the Games could push costs for those attending or taking part in the Fringe to unsustainable levels, therefore “undermining” one of the country’s most iconic festivals.
With that said, Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Government have committed £5 million to cultural programmes, as well as infrastructure improvements, in the lead up to the Games, however there is still little clarity on how this will help mitigate the financial pressures felt in Edinburgh during the overlap with the Fringe.
While the Games will give Glasgow the opportunity to shine once again on the global stage, the city council has a duty to ensure the benefits of it are felt by everyone in the city – not just big businesses and international investors.
In order to do so, organisers need to prioritise workers, ensure better living standards for people in the city and create inclusive opportunities for the events that Scotland has been home to.
In the end, I have no doubt the Commonwealth Games will undoubtedly bring much-needed economic activity to Glasgow.
However, the real success of the event will depend on how well it serves the people who call the city home.
People make Glasgow and by putting them first, the city can ensure that the Games leave a positive and lasting legacy for all.
I’m still just as excited – but we have a lot more work to do this time around to get it right for everyone.
Heat pump hope in Stirling
A Swedish heat pump specialist has launched its first Scottish showroom in Stirling.
The news isn’t just a big milestone for the company, Aira, the local economy with the creation of 30 new jobs and for Scotland as a whole in terms of international businesses investing in our country. It could be the boost Scotland needs to see an increase in uptake in the technology.
There seems to be much trepidation from Scottish homeowners on making the switch from gas boilers to heat pumps going by the uphill battle the Scottish Government has faced to meet targets. Only just over 2,000 heat pumps were installed under its Home Energy Scotland initiative last year.
Financial watchdog, Audit Scotland, warned heat pumps need to be installed in homes at a much faster rate to meet current targets of 25,000 per year.
I think there is much to be done to explain the benefits of heat pumps and show Scots how they work. Anecdotally, I’ve been told that while many homebuilders have made great strides towards switching to heat pumps, it can sometimes take a bit of buy in from homebuyers.
You can learn more about how a heat pump works in Aira’s showroom. The company is the top provider of heat pumps in Scandinavian countries so perhaps their business model is just what Scotland needs to encourage more of us to make the switch and demonstrate the benefits.
It Made Me Laugh
Robot snake slithers into Dounreay
A site in Caithness is set to be explored by a seven metre-long snake robot.
It will slither its way through Scotland’s largest nuclear clean-up and demolition project, Dounreay.
It was previously the UK’s centre of fast reactor research and development but it is in the process of being decommissioned – a task that must be approached with caution.
The tech, developed by University of Nottingham, will allow the safe exploration of a part of the site that hasn’t been accessed in more than 40 years.
A pack of robot dogs have also previously been used to inspect it.
While nuclear radiation is absolutely no joke, the thought of a robot snake and a pack of robot dogs on the prowl did both tickle me and leave me slightly terrified.
It Made Me Weep
Glasgow’s manufacturing blow
In my previous two columns I have commented on the risk of job losses within Scotland’s manufacturing industry, at Mitsubishi Electric in Livingston, Alexander Dennis in Larbert and Harland & Wolff in Fife and Lewis.
Unfortunately this week, it’s Glasgow’s turn.
Car parts manufacturer, Albion Automotive has announced it will close on 4 October leaving 100 jobs at risk.
I’m not sure how much more bad news the industry can take and I feel for the skilled employees who have been left in limbo.
Manufacturing has been an important industry for our economy so it is worrying to see it suffer blow and blow.
