As I touched on recently in my column, Scotland’s events industry has gone from strength to strength, so it was no surprise to see that the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) boss, Pete Duthie, is looking to double the capacity of the Glasgow venue.
The proposal, which has been agreed in principle by the city council, comes after the chief executive said the venue was turning away “blockbuster” events as they were unable to accommodate them.
To think that we’re missing out on hosting global events is disappointing, especially when you think of the events we have successfully held in the past, alongside the obvious cash boost that each one brings into the local economy.
Just last week, Scotland’s sports minister suggested the Commonwealth Games could make a surprise return to Glasgow in 2026, with other potential hosts having ruled themselves out of the running. You don’t need me to tell you that the event was a great a boost to the city.
However, a lot has changed since 2014 when we last welcomed the festival of sport, with the OVO Hydro having only just opened its doors less than a year earlier. Fast forward to today and the 14,000 plus capacity venue hosts more than 140 events annually.
The SEC plans are to build another conference centre on the east side of the current campus, allowing Glasgow to hold two conferences of scale at the same time, ensuring we can attract those larger events that we’ve had to sadly turn away in the past.
It all seems too good to be true, so what’s the catch? The proposal comes at an estimated cost of £80million, with the SEC Chief Exec admitting that he’ll need support from the Scottish Government and rely partly on public funds.
He’s hoping though that the expansion to the current campus will lead to private investors coming on board. Hoteliers would be an obvious example, looking to add to the current list of hotels already surrounding the space.
Interestingly there are 1,500 rooms provided by hotels such as Raddisson Red and the Crowne Plaza, to name a few, but if the campus was to hold larger scale events, the area would certainly need to double its accommodation capacity too.
The rise of Finnieston is also evidence that investing in areas such as Glasgow’s River Clyde side can have huge positive effects, with a boost in housing and amenities like bars, restaurants and shops, not to mention the increase in jobs available.
In fact, UKHospitality Scotland has already announced support for the proposed SEC project, acknowledging the positive benefits for those within the hospitality industry, who will reap the rewards of an expansion to the campus and an increase in those visiting Glasgow.
So, what do we do? Yes, putting ourselves in the frame for hosting the Commonwealth Games, even a slimmed down version, would also have a similar positive effect, however, I’d suggest caution with this one.
We must ask ourselves both why are other cities ruling themselves out the running for the games, and where would Glasgow get the money from, when the city is often lambasted for not having cash to cover simple public amenities.
You only have to look at the last city which held the Commonwealth Games for a cautionary tale on overstretching itself to host the event, with Birmingham Council having now effectively claimed itself bankrupt.
In my mind, the more prudent investment would be to spend public money on an upgraded events campus on the Clyde.
The SEC is already a financial driver for Scotland, currently welcoming more than two million visitors in a typical year – if we were to double this, the positives completely outweigh any negatives, in my opinion.
Yes, there is major investment needed, however as Pete Duthie says, the project will quickly pay for itself, generating significant Gross Value Added (GVA), which in turn will drive tax revenues.
There will be no quick decision by the sounds of it, but I hope instead of competing for medals, the best performance should be saved for competing in the global events market instead.
Employment on the rise, but still trailing the UK
Now in the world of business editorial, it almost seems like every piece of good news tends to arrive with just a smidgeon of insight that leaves a bad taste in your mouth.
This past week it’s certainly been the case with the latest employment stats for Scotland, which has revealed that the number of Scots in work is on the rise, but still lagging behind the rest of the UK.
The figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) highlight that over 2.6 million people across Scotland during the three-month period of December, January and February, were in work, but, despite this positive, it highlights an increase of just 0.5 per cent from the previous quarter’s stats.
With almost three out of four Scots in employment, it’s clear that the right steps are being taken, with job roles being available across our diverse range of industries for people of different skillsets and backgrounds – however it’s difficult to not shake the feeling that more could be done.
Yes, Scotland noticed an increase in average monthly pay for payrolled employees, growing at a faster rate than our UK counterparts, however, challenges such as higher Scottish tax rates, inflation and Brexit are once again the main concerns flagged.
Admittedly the margins of difference between the Scottish employment rate (74.2%) and the UK employment rate (74.5%) seem minute, but we need further focus from our governing bodies to help us rise to the top, showcasing just how successful I believe our nation can truly be.
It Made Me Laugh
Scotch Pie success recipe passed down
That ‘recipe for success’, the magic formula that has all the ingredients to benefit your business, may be a metaphorical myth but an Inverclyde butcher has taken this idea quite literally.
As part of a deal between two leading independent butchers, McCaskie’s Butcher and Café has recently purchased the brand and intellectual property of the legendary Angus business, Pirie’s, following the retirement of its current owners.
The purchase interestingly includes the secret recipe for Pirie’s five-times world championship winning Scotch Pie, alongside a generation-old secret recipe book that ultimately made Pirie’s a big success.
The famous recipe is looking to be respectfully unchanged by McCaskies, who will continue the legacy of this Scottish savoury sensation for generations to come – so good news is if you’re a fan.
It Made Me Weep
Brewdog’s forest hopes wilt in extreme weather
It’s almost a given now that multi-national businesses need to make a large sustainable pledge to help reduce their carbon footprint, due to consumer conscience.
However, it’s been a challenging week for bad news magnets Brewdog, whose ‘Lost Forest’ plot to plant more trees to offset their carbon footprint has had a disastrous start. The controversial craft beer giant lost nearly 50,000 saplings planted in Aviemore – almost half of all trees planted as part of the scheme – due to extreme weather conditions.
It just goes to show that you can have the best idea or intentions but unless it’s foolproof or weatherproof, it’s sometimes out of your hands if that idea will grow to be a success or not.
