By Gillian McKenzie
IT’S been at the heart of entertainment in Scotland’s biggest city for well over a century, attracting the big names of the day – from Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland to Ocean Colour Scene and Rudimental.
Now Sauchiehall Street’s credentials as Glasgow’s entertainment hub are set to be reinforced after restaurateurs and bar and nightclub owners backed a plan to create the city’s first Business Improvement District (BID).
It’s not a new concept.
BIDs have operated in the States for more than 30 years, with New York’s Times Square perhaps one of the most famous. And there are currently about 20 in place across Scotland, with a similar number again in development.
The idea is simple.
Business owners join forces to invest in improvements – over and above those provided by the authorities – to enhance the local area.
The Sauchiehall Street initiative has centred on the entertainment sector, with bar, restaurant, club and casino operators getting behind the scheme.
Its main objective is to position the street as the “undisputed premier entertainment destination in Glasgow”.
A comprehensive marketing campaign, designed to promote the diversity of venues on Sauchiehall Street, will swing into action once the BID scheme gets underway in April; and there are plans to spruce up the appearance of the street.
It’s encouraging to see operators investing in the long-term future of their businesses – and the area in which they operate.
I for one hope they reap the benefits.
