The news last week that the First Minister is encouraging businesses to adopt a hybrid approach to working as of today, was a breath of fresh air for retailers across the nation.
With more people heading back to the office, and therefore a higher footfall in our towns and cities, there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon, however, retailers are not out of the woods just yet.
After missing out on £5.8billion due to lost sales over the last two years, and one in six shops lying vacant, according to the Scottish Retail Consortium, there is a lot of ground to be made up to restore our iconic cities to their former, bustling glory.
As a result, retailers are calling on the government for more assistance during this period of adjustment.
While other Covid regulations such as plastic screens, socially distanced queuing and barriers appear to be staying with us indefinitely, retailers have been asking for further concessions to encourage shoppers back to the high streets, with suggestions such as temporary discounts on public transport or free parking being made available.
But is this all a little too late?
With retail and food giant, Marks & Spencer, pulling their store out of the iconic Art Deco style building they have called home since 1935 on Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street, this adds another boarded-up building to the 36 already on the famously mispronounced street.
The city’s ‘Style Mile’ is beginning to miss its key element: style.
M&S bosses blamed the closure, along with 30 others across the UK, on ‘changing shopping habits’ but Glasgow City Council thinks this decline of the famous shopping district is down to ‘major changes in retailing’, and maybe they are right.
Controversial plans that were released last week to demolish Buchanan Galleries and replace it with a ‘mixed-use urban neighbourhood’ has had a mixed reaction.
The development would include a new mixed-use retail, office, leisure, and residential quarters with better access across the city and boosting links between Queen Street station and other public transport.
The news of these plans has made a few people question if Glasgow needs more offices, when so many across the city are empty, however experts reckon this development could be ‘the future of Glasgow’ and Glasgow’s Chamber of Commerce have ‘welcomed with open arms’ the prospect of private sector investment.
The plans would also bring approximately 850 construction jobs with it for every year of construction with the potential for 9,500 permanent jobs after completion.
The £1billion addition to the economy annually also wouldn’t go amiss.
But Buchanan Galleries isn’t the only Glasgow shopping destination in line for a make-over.
The St Enoch’s Centre is currently part of a £50million ‘masterplan’ that would see the complex become 1700 new homes, even more offices and a hotel.
The ‘future proof’ concept has yet to be approved and a decision will be made via a committee in spring this year, however, plans for the former Debenhams roof have already been unveiled.
The first CGI images of a rooftop restaurant were released last Tuesday and, although this has not been given the go ahead, is an interesting first look at the ‘Glasgow of the future’ that could be a reality.
Multimillion pound projects such as these look great on paper, and in CGI, however large-scale redevelopments take time and, judging by the ghost town that is Sauchiehall Street, it doesn’t appear to be something we have a lot to spare.
Investment into existing businesses and encouraging young, hungry entrepreneurs to open new and exciting shops in the unused units would be a hugely beneficial course of action.
I discussed last year the initiative by Moray Council, offering free shop space as part of a pop-up scheme to encourage business owners to ‘trial’ their local high streets, and I am looking forward to finding out the results.
Investment into Glasgow is a positive step in the right direction, but perhaps the Scottish Government should be taking inspiration from these smaller councils and look to protect our existing businesses in the present, not just discuss plans for the future.
Rail rise derails confidence
No matter how often you take the train, the increase in train fares is always a surprise.
Whilst many are still working from home or reverting back to a hybrid model and are therefore no longer relying on rail travel as heavily, the costs still have an impact on our economy, affecting tourism, hospitality and retail across the nation.
Rail ticket costs have increased by more than a third in the past decade and Scottish fares, both peak and off-peak, are shooting up by another 3.8 per cent.
To put this in perspective, a season ticket on the busy commuter line between Edinburgh and Glasgow will go from £355.67 per month to £369.17, an increase of £162 per year.
Interestingly, petrol prices have only gone up around 8 per cent over the same time period, making train travel the less economical way to travel.
This news follows the announcement from earlier this month that ScotRail will be closing ticket offices and reducing opening hours across the network.
It’s not been a good month for the comms team at ScotRail, that’s for sure.
So many people rely on our train services and despite these increased fees, customers are not getting more for their money. In reality, consumers are actually paying more and getting less.
Dutch firm Abellio will be handing over the rails to a public run operation at the end of March, and with this comes ScotRail’s ‘Fit for the Future’ plan for public transport, including cutting 300 rail services per day from the timetable.
These developments don’t exactly encourage people to opt for the greener way to travel.
Simply put, it’s cheaper and more convenient to just take the car.
It Made Me Laugh
Now this takes the biscuit!
It tickled me to read that former Rangers goalie Nicky Walker is set to take on the role of Managing Director at Walker’s, one of Scotland’s most popular shortbread producers.
It’s quite a career change, however it turns out Walker’s is a family business, and since hanging his gloves up, Nicky has been following in his father’s footsteps for more than 25 years.
Walker played for Scotland, including two international caps, as well as multiple Scottish teams before retiring 20 years ago. Now Nicky will be leading the business as his uncle passes the reins over to him and other family members.
I think it’s safe to say the iconic Scottish brand will be in safe hands.
It Made Me Weep
I was shocked to read that Crown Estates Scotland (CES), the government body which leases Scotland’s seabed, have announced a rent increase which is claimed to be around 95 per cent.
Farmers will also pay 1.5 per cent of their production turnover.
CES claim this places them on a playing level field with other commercial users, however with so many other factors affecting these businesses, it makes you wonder if this is the right time and decision.
With Brexit and Covid, these businesses are already experiencing increased costs and losses and with salmon being one of Scotland’s biggest food exports, this could cause great damage to the fishing industry.
Aquaculture brings jobs and money to some of the country’s most remote communities, and I believe this increase should be tabled until an independent review into the regulation of salmon farming is conducted.
