Style Mile: Buchanan Street ready for big changes

But a walk down the famous thoroughfare is all you need to show even it is not what it once was.

Some big names going out of business and others scaling back their high street presence has left the street with many vacant units.

READ MORE:Spotlight on Glasgow's Style Mile: Can Argyle Street be revived?

While it was not so long ago that new units were being built to accommodate all the names who wanted a piece of Glasgow’s retail action, now there is a surplus of floor space.

From the top to the bottom, between the two big draws, Buchanan Galleries and Frasers, there are no fewer than 14 empty shop units, 18% of the 77 available units on the street.

Like the other two ‘Golden Z’ streets, Sauchiehall and Argyle, it is some of the bigger units that are empty.

At the top of the street the demise of the Arcadia Group has had an impact with Burton, Top Man and Top Shop leaving unused space over two floors.

The three-storey, old Virgin Megastore site is again empty and further down the street clothing giant Gap pulled out during the pandemic, leaving a large void.

READ MORE: Spotlight: Sauchiehall Street small traders fear for the future as big names exit

Towards Argyle Street, the street has retained most of its designer names, with Hugo Boss, Michael Kors and Ted Baker among those still catering for the style conscious city shopper with a few more pounds to spend.

And Frasers still has many luxury brands in one of the city’s last remaining large department stores.

Argyll Arcade and Princes Square also add to what Buchanan street has to offer.

And top restaurant The Ivy moved in in recent years, taking over an old bank building.

Streets just off the main attraction, like Gordon Street, Royal Exchange Square, Queen Street and along Ingram Street have benefitted from the footfall in Buchanan Street.

While the main street is home to some of the biggest names in retail and top designer brands small independent traders exist not too far away.

They are concerned about declining footfall.

Geek-Aboo, is a gaming and comic shop, a self styled ‘geek and nerd’ merchandise outlet.

The owner said: “We have been trading in Queen Street for 8 years and have noticed a steady decrease in footfall long before the start of the pandemic.

“We believe this is due to the increasing number of businesses closing in the city centre to concentrate online or in shopping centres.

“We understand the council is keen to decrease the number of vehicles in the city centre but as a result it draws people to shopping centres outwith the city centre which all offer free parking.

“Removing free parking on Sundays has without doubt had a huge impact on visitors too, the city council need to be doing more to encourage higher numbers to the city centre, at the moment they are doing the opposite while at the same time charging astronomical and unjustified rates to local independent businesses.”

Eurasia Crafts / Osiris Eurasia Crafts: “We have been part of Glasgow since 1972, moving from the West End to the city centre in the early 90’s when we opened Osiris.

“As a result of increasing council rates we were forced to merge the stores just a few years ago.

“We love retail and we love welcoming new and longstanding customers in to our unique store, however even making deliveries to our store is becoming increasingly difficult with road closures, diversions and very much limited parking on Queen Street. “Our delivery issues are mirrored by our customers who for many it is becoming less and less appealing to visit the city centre as more of the shops they have visited for years are no longer open.”

The big idea for Buchanan Street is the proposals to transform Buchanan Galleries.

After less than 25 years, Buchanan Galleries is to be demolished and replaced with new streets and a mixture of retail, residential and leisure facilities.

David Heaford, managing director of Landsec, said of he plan: “Our vision is to replace the existing shopping centre with an exciting new mixed-use urban neighbourhood in the heart of Glasgow city centre, blending world-class shopping with places to work, live and play.

“Our plans will seek to extend the city’s iconic and accessible grid layout, support the city’s net zero ambitions and be informed by the needs and views of local people, visitors and businesses.”

The plan is a decade long transformation but which time the entire city centre will be completely different.