Area Name:

Merchant City

Part of Glasgow:

City Centre (North of River Clyde)

Postcode:

G1

If you a young professional who likes the appeal of loft living or you enjoy the café culture lifestyle then the Merchant City is probably the place in Glasgow for you.

The Merchant City is bustling, busy and vibrant; home to many great restaurants, bars and nightclubs as well as a large number of the cities own glitterati who call the place home.

The Merchant City is ideal for the young urban professional or the professional couple who do not care much for green open spaces but prefer the cafe culture lifestyle and being at home in the heart of one of Britain's greatest cities.

A current over supply of accommodation particularly on the fringes of the Merchant City also means that the area has become increasingly affordable with some fantastic bargains available in even the more recent and prestigious developments.

Marks

9 (out of 10)

The area of Glasgow in the City Centre bounded by High Street to the East, Trongate to the south, Glassford Street to the West and Ingram Street to the north. Glasgow City Council maintain that the area extends as far to the west as Buchanan Street although this is a moot point.

The Merchant City lies slightly to the east of the main commercial heart of the city.

People who rent flats in the Merchant City are usually attracted to its City Centre location combined with its trendy Manhattan style feel.

The Merchant City has an appeal similar to a scaled down version of the Village or SOHO in Manhattan; the tall buildings are generally 4 to 6 stories in height; there is bustle, vibrancy to life mixed in with a little edginess and grit.

Whilst there are the vast open spaces of Glasgow Green a few hundred yards away it is not the proximity to the Park which attracts the young and trendy crowd to the area but its urban buzz.

The cafes spill out onto the streets and into the many urban spaces which create the unique architectural language of the area.

The quality and standard of the urban architecture in the area is unsurpassed with many dozen listed buildings of international renown.

This is being added to even today and in the areas recent history with the high standard of architecture being continued in the modern vernacular of steel and glass.

The Merchant City is particularly popular with young urban professionals who enjoy the convenience of walking to work and having their night life directly on their doorstep.

Like many parts of Glasgow’s city centre the area was largely uninhabited until the 1980’s. Accommodation is generally a mix of loft conversions, bespoke new build apartments dating from the mid 1980’s with a small number of traditional tenement flats thrown in.  

Marks:

9 (out of 10)

The Merchant City area scores high on amenity not simply because it is in the heart of the second best shopping city in the United Kingdom but also because of its rich mix of pubs, clubs and restaurants, theatre and varied nightlife.

Shopping is wide and varied; the Italian Centre and Princes Square are perhaps the main draws for the fashion conscious young professional.

There are a varied and large number of small boutique style shops and galleries which occupy the area.

Argyle Street provides mainstream retail appeal with a wide range of High Street names such as Marks and Spencer, Debenhams, HMV, Virgin, Next etc.

The Merchant City is also home to many of Glasgow’s best restaurants and nightclubs many of which remain open into the small hours of the morning.

If transportation out of the city is necessary there are great links either by rail from the adjacent Queen Street Station or Central Station by bus from Buchanan Street or by road from the Townhead M8 junction at the top of High Street.

The area is also ideal for students and lecturers who attend either Caledonian or Strathclyde University as both are within a 5 minute walk from the area.

Similarly Glasgow Royal Infirmary is a mere 10 minutes walk away to the north.

Schools are the main drawback of the area although this is not a consideration for the majority of the Merchant City's occupants.

Marks:

9 (out of 10)

The accommodation on offer is predominately one and two bedroom flats many of which are above retail accommodation.

There are several well known conversions in the Merchant City Area most notably the Glasgow Herald Building on Albion Street, The GPO Building (Post Office Building) on South Frederick Street and the more recent redevelopment of the Sheriff Court Building on Ingram Street by Persimmon Homes.

There are also earlier developments which have proved to be very popular such as the Ingram Square development from 1982 from Candleriggs to Brunswick Street.

As well as this there are also several bespoke developments such as the Todd Building and the Italian Centre on Ingram Street.

Some tenement properties are located on Bell Street which are typical of later Glasgow Victorian architecture.

Population:

The existing population of The Merchant City are predominately middle class working professionals who work in the city and appreciate the convenience of strolling into work.

The place is popular as a crash pad for those who work out of town or abroad as well as a mix of musicians, computer programmers, restaurateurs, architects, solicitors etc.

Most are attracted by the rich architecture of the area, a vibrant nightlife, good mix of restaurants, shops and bars together with its close proximity to the city centre and the well developed transportation links both to the city and beyond.

The area is becoming increasingly popular with students who prefer to live outside campus as is very close to both Strathclyde University and Caledonian University.

Parking:

Permits and meters. (The one way system can be confusing for the unsuspecting newcomer. Off street parking is limited and largely restricted to refurbishments or new builds)

History of Area

The Merchant City was originally the area where the rich textile merchants worked and stayed as they helped to develop Glasgow into a thriving commercial heart of the British Empire in the late 18th and early 19th Centuries.

In the earlier parts of the 18th Century the rich tobacco merchants had chosen to express their own individual tastes in a series of piecemeal developments of large detached houses alongside the Trongate.

After the War of Independence, the importance of the tobacco merchants dwindled along with their supplies of tobacco from America. It was the cotton merchants who came to prominence to fill their void after this date and it was their demand which prompted several developers to expand into an area to be known as Glasgow New Town.

From 1786 the Glasgow Buildings Company amongst others bought land to the West of the High Street which formed the main thoroughfare of Glasgow from its earliest beginnings as it linked the crossing point of the Clyde via the Saltmarket with the Cathedral to its north east.

Inspired by the developments of Edinburgh New Town, Glasgow's equivalent was more commercially orientated and privately funded than the civic equivalent in Edinburgh.

One of the main principals of the New Town layout is the closing of views or vistas. This is achieved by placing prominent public buildings at the end of the main streets thereby providing a strong visual focal point to the largely orthogonal street patterns created by the developers.

This is perhaps most clearly seen in Ingram Street which forms the main spine of the New Town and which terminates in Royal Exchange Square.

The architecture of the streets themselves are traditionally 4 storeys in height with shops or warehouses at ground level and retail units above.

As the rich merchants gradually moved out of the heart of the city in the mid 19th Century, the area became a prime storage repository and a large number of stores, bonds and warehouses were built within the area to accommodate much of the imported and manufactured goods which arrived from the nearby docks.

As these industries declined in the early parts of the 20th Century so did the status of the area. As the industries gradually relocated out of the city, the building stock gradually declined.

All this was turned around in the early 1980’s when the vibrancy of the area, its prime location in the heart of the city coupled with the rich and varied architecture created by the rich Merchants and which remained largely in tact was rediscovered.

A number of residential projects sprang up in many of the derelict warehouse sites. Regeneration still continues apace to this day.

Currently the area’s rich mixture of loft living and café culture combined with the many stunning works of architecture and a dash of some old style Glasgow tenement culture is an attractive proposition for many young professional singles and couples.

Local Council:

Glasgow City Council,

Telephone: 0141 287 2000

Website : http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/

Nearest Police Station:

Strathclyde Police,

50 Stewart St, Glasgow G4 0HY

Telephone: 0141 532 3000

Nearest Hospital:

Royal Infirmary, 84 Castle St,

Glasgow, G4 0SF

Telephone: 0141 211 4000

Website: http://www.nhsgg.org.uk/content/default.asp?page=s2_2&loc_id=14/

Nearest Library:

Bridgeton Library, 23 Landressy St

Bridgeton, Glasgow G40 1BP

Telephone: 0141 554 0217

Anderston Library, Berkeley Street,

Sandyford, Glasgow G3 7DX

Telephone: 0141 287 2872

Main Retail Area:

Argyle Street (mainstream retail), Buchanan Street (niche and designer), Italian Centre & Princes Square (Designer / boutique)

Nurseries:

Barras Nursery, 39 Calton Entry

Glasgow G40 2SB

Telephone: 0141 552 0708

Puddle Duck Nursery, 18 Cathedral Square

Glasgow G4 0XA

Telephone: 0141 552 7569

Beechwood Nurseries, Spectrum House,

19 Waterloo St, Glasgow G2 6AY

Tel. 0141 248 4404

Four Seasons Nursery, 3 Cadogan St

Glasgow G2 6QE

Telephone: 0141 248 9344

Primary Schools:

St Mungo's Primary School, 45 Parson Street

Glasgow G4 0PX

Telephone: 0141 552 3120

http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/Residents/GoingtoSchool/Findaschool/

St James' Primary School, 88 Green Street

Calton G40 2TG

Telephone: 0141 554 3272

http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/Residents/GoingtoSchool/Findaschool/

Golfhill Primary School, 13 Circus Drive

Dennistoun. Glasgow G31 2JR

Telephone: 0141 554 0041

http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/Residents/GoingtoSchool/Findaschool/

St. Aloysius, 45 Hill Street,

Garnethill, Glasgow. G3 6RJ

Telephone: 0141 332 3190 (Independent Fee paying school)

Website: http://www.staloysius.org/

The Glasgow Academy Colebrooke Street

Glasgow G12 8HE

Telephone: 0141 334 8558 (Independent Fee paying school)

http://www.theglasgowacademy.org.uk/

Secondary Schools:

St Roch's Secondary School, 40 Royston Road

Glasgow G21 2NF

Telephone: 0141 582 0270

http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/Residents/GoingtoSchool/Findaschool/

St Mungo's Academy, 235 Crownpoint Road

Glasgow G40 2RA

Telephone: 0141 582 0260

http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/Residents/GoingtoSchool/Findaschool/

Whitehill Secondary School, 280 Onslow Drive

Dennistoun Glasgow G31 2QF

Telephone: 0141 582 0290

http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/Residents/GoingtoSchool/Findaschool/

St. Aloysius, 45 Hill Street,

Garnethill Glasgow G3 6RJ

Telephone: 0141 3323190 (Independent Fee paying school)

Website: http://www.staloysius.org/

The Glasgow Academy, Colebrooke Street

Glasgow G12 8HE

Telephone: 0141 334 8558 (Independent Fee paying school)

Website: http://www.theglasgowacademy.org.uk/

Further Education:

University of Glasgow, University Avenue

Hillhead, Glasgow G12 8QQ

Telephone: 0141 330 2000

Website: http://www.gla.ac.uk/

University of Strathclyde, Cathedral Street,

City Centre, Glasgow G1

Telephone: 0141 582 0190

Website: http://www.strath.ac.uk/

Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road
City Centre, Glasgow. G4 0BA

Telephone: 0800 027 9171

Website: http://www.gcal.ac.uk/

Glasgow School of Art, 167 Renfrew Street,

Garnethill, Glasgow. G3 6RQ

Telephone: 0141 353 4517

Website:  http://www.gsa.ac.uk/

Stow College 43 Shamrock Street

Cowcaddens,  Glasgow G4 9LD

Telephone: 0141-332 1786

Website: http://www.stow.ac.uk/

Nearest Airport:

Glasgow International Airport (5.4 miles)

Abbotsinch, Paisley, PA3 2SJ

Website: http://www.glasgowairport.com/

Underground:

Buchanan Street Underground Station, Buchanan Street (0.3 miles)

City Centre, Glasgow

Website: http://www.spt.co.uk/subway/

Train Stations:

Argyle Street Station (0.2 miles)

35 Argyle Street, City Centre, Glasgow . G2 8AH

Glasgow Queen Street Station, North Hanover St (0.3 miles)
Glasgow, G1 2AD

Telephone: 0845 748 4950
Website: http://nationalrail.co.uk/stations/GLQ.html

High Street Station (0.2 miles)

High Street, Glasgow, G

Website:http://www.firstgroup.com/scotrail/content/travelinfo/station-info.php?stationletter=H

Glasgow Central Station (0.5 miles)
Gordon Street, City Centre,  Glasgow G1 3SL

Telephone: 0141 335 4352
Office Opening hours: 0730-1700 hours Monday – Friday

For train times, ticket information etc.:

First ScotRail – 0845 601 5929
Virgin – 0845 744 3366
GNER – 0845 722 5444

National Rail Enquiries 08457 48 49 50

Bus Station:

Buchanan Bus Station (0.3 miles)

Killermont St, Glasgow, G2 3NW

Telephone: 0141 333 3708

Taxi

Glasgow Taxis

Telephone: 0141 429 7070

Website: http://www.glasgowtaxisltd.co.uk/

Gallery of Modern Art, Royal Exchange Square
Merchant City, Glasgow. G1 3AH
Telephone: 0141 229 1996

http://www.glasgowmuseums.com/venue/index.cfm?venueid=3

People's Palace and Winter Gardens, Glasgow Green
Glasgow. G40 1AT
Telephone: 0141 271 2962

http://www.glasgowmuseums.com/venue/index.cfm?venueid=9

McLellan Galleries, 270 Sauchiehall Street
City Centre, Glasgow. G2 3EH
Telephone: 0141 565 4137

http://www.glasgowmuseums.com/venue/index.cfm?venueid=6

Provand's Lordship, 3 Castle Street
Glasgow. G4 0RB
Telephone: 0141 552 8819

Website: http://www.glasgowmuseums.com/venue/index.cfm?venueid=4

St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art
2 Castle Street
Glasgow,
G4 0RH
Telephone: 0141 553 2557

Website: http://www.glasgowmuseums.com/venue/index.cfm?venueid=13

Glasgow Cathedral, Castle Street,

Glasgow. G4

Telephone: 0141 552 8198

Website: http://www.glasgowcathedral.org.uk/

Area Landmarks:

Royal Exchange Square  from 1827 by Archibald Elliot II, David Hamilton and Robert Black

Ingram Street

St. David's Kirk 98 Ingram Street

Ingram Square

Hutchesons' Hall, Ingram Street by David Hamilton

Former Bank of Scotland 176, Ingram Street

TSB Headquarters, Ingram Street

Lanarkshire House, 191 Ingram Street

County Buildings, 40-50 Brunswick Street

Former Glasgow Herald Building, Albion Street

John Street Church, John Street

George Square

Nearby Landmarks:

Martyrs' School
Parson Street
Townhead, Glasgow. G4 0PX
Telephone: 0141 271 8301

Website: http://www.glasgowmuseums.com/venue/index.cfm?venueid=5

Barrowland Ballroom, 244 Gallowgate
Gallowgate, Glasgow. G4 OTS

Telephone: 0141 552 4601

Website: http://www.glasgow-barrowland.com/

244 Gallowgate
Gallowgate, Glasgow. G4 OTS

Telephone: 0141 552 4601

Website: http://www.glasgow-barrowland.com/

The Necropolis, Castle Street
(Main Gates are Behind St Mungo's Museum of Religious Life and Art)

Website: http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/Residents/Parks_Outdoors/Parks_gardens/GlasgowNecropolis/

Glasgow Science Centre, 50 Pacific Quay
Finnieston Glasgow. G51 1EA

Telephone: 0871 540 1000

Website: http://www.glasgowsciencecentre.org/

Armadillo, SECC,

Finnieston Glasgow G3 8YW
Telephone: 0141 248 3000

Website: http://www.secc.co.uk/

Tickets Website: http://www.secctickets.com/

Glasgow School of Art, 167 Renfrew Street,

Garnethill, Glasgow. G3 6RQ

Telephone: 0141 353 4517

Website:  http://www.gsa.ac.uk/

Eating Out:

Arta, 13-19 Walls Street,

Merchant City, Glasgow G1 1PA

Tel. 0141 552 2101

Website: http://www.g1group.co.uk/content/default.asp?page=s15

Corinthian, Ingram St

Merchant City, Glasgow G1 1DA

Telephone: 0141 552 1101

Website: http://www.g1group.co.uk/content/default.asp?page=s12

Bluu, 60 Trongate - Albion St,

Merchant City,Glasgow. G1 5EP

Telephone: 0141 548 1350

Website: http://www.bluu.co.uk/

Cafe Gandolfi, 64 Albion Street,

Merchant City, Glasgow. G1 1NY
Telephone: 0141 552 6813

Website: http://www.cafegandolfi.com/

Mao Cafe Bar, 84 Brunswick St,

Merchant City, Glasgow, G1 1TD

Telephone: 0141 564 5161

Website: http://www.cafemao.com/glasgow.html

Cafe Ostra, The Italian Centre, 15 John Street,

Merchant City, Glasgow, G1 1HP

Telephone: 0141 552 4433

Esca, 27 Chisholm St,

Merchant City, Glasgow, G1 5HA

Telephone: 0141 553 0880

Website: http://www.eatesca.co.uk/

Rab Ha's, 83 Hutcheson St,

Merchant City, Glasgow, G1 1SH

Telephone: 0141 572 0400

Website: http://www.rabhas.com/

Rogano, 11 Exchange Pl

City Centre, Glasgow G1 3AN

Telephone: 0141 248 4055

Website: http://www.rogano.co.uk/

L'Ariosto Restaurants Ltd, 92-94 Mitchell St

City Centre. Glasgow G1 3NQ

Telephone: 0141 221 0971

Website: http://www.lariosto.com/

Tron Theatre, 63 Trongate,

City Centre, Glasgow, G1 5HB