Glasgow

Categories: Glasgow | Cities in Scotland

For other uses, see Glasgow (disambiguation)

Glasgow (or Glaschu in Gaelic) is Scotland's largest city and unitary council, situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands. People from Glasgow are called Glaswegians. Glaswegian is also the name of the local dialect, commonly known as the Glasgow Patter (see Dialect, below).

The city was formerly the "Second City of the British Empire" in the Victorian era, it established itself as a major Atlantic trading port, and was the World's pre-eminent shipbuilding centre, building many revolutionary and famous vessels such as the Cunard liners Queen Mary and the QE2, and the Royal Yacht Britannia.

The city grew in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to a population of over one million people, peaking at 1,088,000 people in 1931, however with population decline mainly due to the large scale relocation of people to new towns like East Kilbride and Cumbernauld on the outskirts of the city, and successive boundary changes the current population of Glasgow is 629,501, based on the 2001 census (although the offical population of Glasgow City Council is 577,869). Approximately 1.1 million people live in the Greater Glasgow conurbation, a 15 mile radius from the city centre, known as the city of Glasgow and the Greater Metropolitan area. The surrounding region of Strathclyde (from the Gaelic for "valley of the River Clyde") has a population of over 2.6 million, over half of the whole Scottish population.

Known as the commercial capital of Scotland, the City of Glasgow is a bustling, cosmopolitan city. Glasgow is the third most popular foreign tourist destination in the UK, after Edinburgh, the Scottish capital, which ranks second, and London the UK capital. The city also boasts the UK's largest and most economically important commerce and retail centre outside of London.

The City

The city's name comes from the older Gaelic glas cu (compare modern Gaelic Glaschu), meaning green hollow. The "dear green place" (Glaschu) has been misquoted as a Gaelic translation for the city, but this was actually Daniel Defoe's description of the city when he visited in the early 18th century; he also claimed that Glasgow was "the paradise of Scotland and one of the cleanliest and best built cities in Britain." Another writer of the time said of the River Clyde: "I have never seen before any river which for natural beauty can stand competition with the Clyde. Never did a stream glide more gracefully to the ocean or through a fairer region." At that time, the city's population numbered approximately 12,000, and its structures largely consisted of attractive, compact wooden buildings, none of which remain today.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms shows Glasgow's patron saint, Saint Kentigern also known as Saint Mungo, and includes four emblems — a bird, a tree, a bell, and a fish. The emblems represent miracles Saint Mungo is reputed to have performed. The motto of the city is Let Glasgow Flourish and this is part of the arms. The motto is derived from Saint Mungo's original sermon: Let Glasgow flourish by the preaching of the word and the praising of thy name. The original version is inscribed on a bell made in 1637 which states Lord let Glasgow flovrichse throvgh the preaching of thy word and praising thy name.

Local children are taught to remember the arms using the following verse:

Here's the bird that never flew

Here's the tree that never grew

Here's the bell that never rang

Here's the fish that never swam

The motto was more recently commemorated in a song called "Mother Glasgow" by Hue and Cry, a popular musical group from the nearby town of Coatbridge.

Geography and Climate

See also Main Article Geography of Glasgow

Glasgow is located on the banks of the River Clyde, in West Central Scotland.

Climate

Glasgow weather is typical of Scottish weather and often unpredictable.

The summer months (May-Sept) can be fine and sunny and quite mild. The winds are generally westerly, due to the warm Gulf Stream. The warmest month, on average is July, averaging over 20°C. However, it can be very changeable, and normally a few degrees colder than southern England. Mornings can be damp and misty, or 'dreich' (a Scottish word for damp and drizzly) and by afternoon sunny and warm.

Spring (March to May) is fairly mild and is a wonderful and popular time to visit Glasgow. Though there are some rainy and windy days. Many of Glasgow's trees begin to flower at this time of the year and the parks and gardens are filled with spring colour.

Winters in Glasgow are long and damp with few sunny days (though surprisingly warmer than other countries on the same latitude as Glasgow due to the effects of the Gulf Stream). The winds can be chilling and cold, though severe snow falls are infrequent and do not last. December, January and February are the wettest months of the year but can be sunny, if not warm!

Average Tempertures

Source: weather.com

Demographics

Population Density

Due to council boundary changes since the last census in 1991, there are three distinct definitions for the population of Glasgow in the 2001 Census: the smallest is the new Glasgow City Council Area^[1] (which lost the district of Rutherglen to South Lanarkshire Council), the City of Glasgow Locality Area^[2] (formerly Glasgow District Council Area) and the Greater Glasgow Metropolitan Settlement Area^[3] (including surrounding localities).

Source 2001 Census

Compared to Inner London (22,438 people per sq mile), Glasgow is half the density of the English Capital.

History

See main article History of Glasgow

The area of Glasgow has long been used for settlement due to the River Clyde providing a natural area for fishing. The Romans later settled in the area, however Glasgow proper was not founded until the 6th century by Saint Mungo when he established a church in what is now Glasgow Cathedral.

Glasgow grew over the following centuries, being granted the status of a city, with its Cathedral and the founding of the University of Glasgow providing religious and educational status. It was not until the 16th century that Glasgow became prominent in world affairs. The city became a hub of trade to the Americas, especially in the movement of tobacco and sugar. The industries of Scotland produced cotton, coal and iron which were exported. Shipbuilding became a major industry on the Clyde, building many famous ships. By the end of the 19th century the city was known as the "Second City of the Empire" and was producing most of the ships and trains in the world. During this period most of the city's architectural and civic buildings were being funded by its wealth.

The 20th century showed a great decline in the city's fortunes, especially with two world wars and the Great Depression. The city's industries became uncompetitive, leading to high unemployment, urban decay and poor health for the city's inhabitants.

However, by the end of the century there had been a significant resurgence in Glasgow's economic fortunes, with financial companies moving to the city, as well an increase in tourism. The latter due to the legacy of the city's status as European City of Culture in 1990, and the its thriving artistic community. The regeneration of inner-city areas has led to people moving back to living in the centre of Glasgow, although there are still pockets of relative deprivation.

Main Districts

Glasgow was historically based around Glasgow Cathedral, the old High Street and down to the River Clyde via Glasgow Cross.

City Centre

The City Centre is bounded by the High Street to the East, the River Clyde to the South and the M8 motorway to the West and North which cut a swathe through the Charing Cross and Anderston areas in the 1960s.

Shopping & Theatre District

The City Centre is based on grid system of streets on the north bank of the River Clyde. The heart of the city is George Square site of many of Glasgow's public statues and the Glasgow City Chambers, home of Glasgow City Council. To the south and west are the shopping precincts of Argyle, Sauchiehall and Buchanan Streets. The main shopping malls are Buchanan Galleries and the St Enoch Centre, as well as the more specialised, designer malls; Princes Square and the Italian Centre. The London-based department stores, Selfridges and Harvey Nichols are planning to open in the city, further strengthening Glasgow's already impressive retail portfolio, which forms the UK's largest and most economically important commerce and retail sector after London's West End. The layout of the shopping district of Buchanan Street, Sauchiehall Street and Argyle Street has been termed the "Golden Z" and in October 2005 retail locations in the area were sought after to the extent that Buchanan Street was reported to have the 7th highest shop rental fees in the world ^[4].

The city centre is home to Glasgow's main cultural venues: The Theatre Royal (home of Scottish Opera), The Pavilion, The King's Theatre, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow Film Theatre, RSAMD, GoMA, Mitchell Library, the Centre for Contemporary Arts, and The Lighthouse Museum of Architecture, Design and the City.

It also boasts Europe's tallest cinema, the 18 screen Cineworld (formerly the UGC Cinema) in Renfrew Street.

Merchant City

To the east is the commercial and residential district of Merchant City, which was formerly the residential district of the wealthy City Merchants in the late 19th and early 20th Century. Latterly, due to growing industrial pollution levels, the area fell out of favour with residents, who mostly moved to the newly developed West End and Southside districts.

However, in the late 1980s and 1990s, the area has been rejuvenated with luxury city centre apartments and warehouse conversions. Many new cafes and restaurants have opened. The area also contains the old Tolbooth, The Tron Theatre, The Trades Hall, and the City Halls.

Finance District

The new International Financial Services District is located along the Broomielaw overlooking the northern banks of the Clyde. With a reputation as an established financial services centre, coupled with comprehensive support services, Glasgow continues to attract and grow new business. Of the 10 largest general insurance companies in the UK, 8 have a base in Glasgow - including Direct Line, AXA and Norwich Union. Key banking sector companies have also relocated to commercial property in Glasgow - Abbey, HBOS, National Australia Group Europe and the Royal Bank of Scotland.

The West End

Glasgow's West End refers to the bohemian district of cafés, bars, boutique hotels, clubs and restaurants in the hinterland of Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow University, BBC Scotland's Headquarters, Glasgow Botanic Gardens and the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre. The district includes the upmarket residental areas of Hillhead, Partick, Kevindale and Hyndland. The spire of Sir George Gilbert Scott's Glasgow University main building (the second largest Gothic Revival building in Britain) is a major local landmark, and can be seen for miles around, sitting atop Gilmorehill. The University itself is the fourth oldest in the UK, after Oxford, Cambridge and St. Andrews. Much of the city's student population is based in the West End, adding to its cultural vibrancy and unique identity.

The area is also home to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Hunterian Museum, Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena, and the Museum of Transport, which is to be rebuilt on an old dockland site at Glasgow Harbour. Glasgow is Europe's fastest growing conference and events destination, and the SECC is the UK's largest exhibition and conference centre. A major expansion of the SECC facilities at the former Queens Dock by Foster and Partners is currently planned, including a 12,000 seat arena, and a 5 star hotel and entertainments complex.

The area is well served by bus, rail and the the Glasgow Subway, which is the easiest way of travelling to the City Centre and the Southside.

The East End

The East End is home to the famous Glasgow Barrowland market, popularly known as 'The Barras', and Barrowland Ballroom music hall, Glasgow Green, and Celtic Park, home of Celtic football club. Much of the original sandstone tenements remain in the East End.

The Glasgow Necroplis cemetery was created on a hill above the cathedral of St Mungo in 1831 and is Glasgow's equivalent of Paris's 'Pere La Chaise'. Routes curve through the landscape uphill to the tall statue of John Knox (62 metres high) at the summit, with some tombs designed by local architect Alexander 'Greek' Thomson. The design creates a dramatic skyline of obelisks, pinnacles and statues in memory of Glasgow's wealthier inhabitants. It was described by James Stevens Curl as 'literally a city of the dead'. The main entrance is approached by a bridge over what was the Molendinar Burn towards an impressive set of classical mausolea. The bridge, designed by James Hamilton, is known as the Bridge of Sighs because it formed the route of funeral processions.

The new Scottish National Indoor Sports Arena, a modern replacement for the Kelvin Hall, is planned for Dalmarnock. If the 2014 Commonwealth Games bid is successful, the area will house the Athletes Village, adjacent to the new indoor sports arena.

The Southside

Glasgow's Southside, sprawls out south of the river to the upmarket suburbs of Giffnock and Newton Mearns, covering areas including The Gorbals, Shawlands, Pollokshaws, Nitshill,Pollokshields, and Queens Park.

Although predominantly residential, the area does have several notable public buildings. Charles Rennie Mackintosh's Scotland Street School Museum, the world famous Burrell Collection in Pollok Country Park, the National Football Stadium Hampden Park in Mount Florida and Ibrox Stadium home of Rangers. Pacific Quay on the south bank of the River Clyde, opposite the SECC, is home to the Glasgow Science Centre and the new Headquarters for BBC Scotland, and SMG which are relocating there to a new purpose built digital media village.

In addition, several new bridges across the River Clyde are planned or being built including The Finnieston Bridge and 'Neptune's Way' in Tradeston.

The Southside also includes many great parks, the best being Queens Park and Bellahouston Park, and several golf clubs, including the championship course at Haggs Castle.

Architecture

Unlike Edinburgh, very little of medieval Glasgow remains, the two main landmarks from this period being the 14th century Provand's Lordship and Glasgow Cathedral. The vast majority of the city as seen today dates from the 19th century. As a result, Glasgow has an impressive heritage of Victorian architecture, the Glasgow City Chambers, the main building of the University of Glasgow, designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, and the Glasgow School of Art, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, being outstanding examples. Another architect who had a great and enduring impact on the city's appearance was Alexander Thomson, who produced a distinctive architecture based on fundamentalist classicism that gave him the nickname "Greek". He was described as a "quiet, stay-at-home Victorian behind whose buttoned-up facade there seethed a kind of stylistic corsair who plundered the past for the greater glory of the present".

The buildings reflect the wealth and self confidence of the residents of the "Second City of the Empire". Glasgow generated immense wealth from trade and the industries that developed from the Industrial Revolution. The shipyards, marine engineering, steel making, and heavy industry all contributed to the growth of the city. At one time the expression "Clyde-built" was synonymous with quality and engineering excellence. There are two buildings in Glasgow that resemble the Doge's Palace in Venice: Templeton's carpet factory at Glasgow Green and the Stock Exchange. The allusions to Venice, another great sea-faring trading city, seem appropriate.

Many of the city's beautiful buildings were built with red or gold sandstone, but during the industrial era those colours disappeared under a pervasive black layer of soot and pollutants from the furnaces.

Tenements were built to house the workers who had migrated from Ireland, the Scottish Highlands, the islands and the country areas in order to feed the local need for labour; these tenements were often overcrowded and insanitary, and many developed into the infamous Glasgow slums, the Gorbals area being one of the most notorious.

In recent years many of these buildings have been cleaned and restored to their original appearance. Others were demolished to make way for large, barrack-like housing estates, and high-rise flats. The latter were built in large numbers during the 1960s and early 1970s; and indeed, Glasgow has a higher concentration of high-rise buildings than any other city in the UK. At 31 storeys, the Red Road flats in the north of the city were for many years the highest residential buildings in Europe. These housing estates, known as "schemes", are widely regarded as unsuccessful: many, such as Castlemilk, were heartless dormitories well away from the centre of the city with no amenities ("deserts wi' windies", as Billy Connolly put it), and their establishment led to the split up of long established community relationships. Many of the high-rise developments were poorly designed and cheaply built and became magnets for crime. Over time many have become as bad as the slum areas that they replaced. On 7 March 2003 the Glasgow Housing Association took ownership of the housing stock from the city council, and has begun a programme of demolishing the worst of the high-rises.

Modern buildings in Glasgow include the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. Along the banks of the Clyde are the Glasgow Science Centre and the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, whose Clyde Auditorium was designed by Sir Norman Foster, and is affectionately known as the "Armadillo". Zaha Hadid has won a competition to design the new Transport Museum, which will move to the waterfront. Shopping centres include the Buchanan Galleries, the glass pyramid of the St Enoch Centre, and the upmarket Princes Square.

Given the history of high rises in Glasgow, the council's policy of allowing new tall buildings has attracted some controversy. The 39-storey Elphinstone Place mixed-use skyscraper in Charing Cross, will be the tallest building in Scotland, and is scheduled to begin construction in late 2005 [5]. Much development is taking place along the banks of the Clyde. Glasgow Harbour, which neighbours Partick is one of the largest residential developments. The second phase was unfavourably compared to the Red Road flats [6], but was granted planning permission.

Culture

The city has many amenities for a wide range of cultural activities, from curling to opera and from football to art appreciation; it also has a large selection of museums that include those devoted to transport, religion, and modern art. The city even has the largest public reference library in Europe in the form of the Mitchell Library. The city has hosted many exhibtions over the years, including being the European Capital of Culture 1990, National City of Sport 1995-1999, UK City of Architecture and Design 1999 and European Capital of Sport 2003.

Sport

Glasgow has a long sporting history, with the world's first international football match held in 1872 at the West of Scotland Cricket Club's Hamilton Crescent ground in the Partick area of Glasgow. The match was between Scotland and England and resulted in a 0–0 draw.

Football

The city is home to Scotland's largest football stadia: Celtic Park (60,832 seats); Ibrox Stadium (50,411 seats); and Hampden Park (52,670 seats), which is Scotland's national football stadium. Glasgow has three professional football clubs: Celtic and Rangers, which together make the Old Firm; and Partick Thistle; A fourth club, Queen's Park, is an amateur club that plays in the Scottish professional league system. It had two other professional clubs in the late 20th century: Clyde, which moved to Cumbernauld, and Third Lanark, which went bankrupt.

The history of football in the city, as well as the status of the Old Firm, attract many visitors to football matches in the city throughout the season. The standard of the national stadium has enabled the European football governing body UEFA to hold the final of the Champions League competition at Hampden Park three times, most recently in 2002. The Scottish Football Association, the national governing body, and the Scottish Football Museum are based in Glasgow.

Rugby

Glasgow also boasts a professional rugby team, the Glasgow Warriors, which plays in the Celtic League alongside teams from Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

In the Scottish Club leagues, Glasgow Hawks was formed in 1997 by the merger of two of Glasgow's oldest clubs: Glasgow Accademicals and Glasgow High Kelvinside (GHK). Despite the merger, the second division teams of Glasgow Accademicals and Glasgow High Kelvinside re-entered the Scottish Rugby league in 1998.

Venues and Other Sports

Major international sporting arenas include Kelvin Hall and Scotstoun Sports Centre. In 2003 the National Academy for Badminton was completed in Scotstoun. In 2003 Glasgow was also given the title of European Capital of Sport.

Smaller sporting facilities include an abundance of small outdoor football pitches, as well as golf clubs such as Haggs Castle and artificial ski slopes. Between 1998 and 2004,the Scottish Claymores American football team played some or all of their home games each season at Hampden and the venue also hosted World Bowl XI.

Befitting its strong Highland connections as the City of the Gael Baile Mòr nan Gàidheal, Glasgow is also one of five places in Scotland which hosts the final of the Scottish Cup of Shinty, better known as the Camanachd Cup. This is usually held at Old Anniesland. Once home to numerous Shinty clubs, there is now only one senior club in Glasgow, Glasgow Mid-Argyll, as well as two university sides, Strathclyde University and Glasgow University

2014 Commonwealth Games Bid

Glasgow is currently bidding for the Commonwealth Games in 2014, to be based around a number of exising and new-built sporting venues across the city, incuding; a revamped Hampden Park with a Commonwealth Games village planned for the East End. This will be Glasgow's first bid for the Games, and would be Scotland's third Games. The previous two were held in Edinburgh in 1970 and 1986.

Although London has just won the 2012 Olympic Games, because the Home Countries are classed as separate nations within the Commonwealth, this should not adversely affect Glasgow's bid.

Religion

The city is a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic community with diverse religions.

Cathedrals

The city boasts four cathedrals:

• Glasgow Cathedral (Church of Scotland)
• St. Andrew's Cathedral (Roman Catholic)
• St. Mary's Cathedral (Scottish Episcopal)
• St. Luke's Cathedral (Greek Orthodox)

Other Churches and religious buildings

• Caledonia Road Church designed by Alexander "Greek" Thomson
• Queen's Cross Church home of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society
• St Andrew's Church
• St. George's Tron Church
• St. Vincent Street Free Church designed by Alexander "Greek" Thomson
• Renfield - St. Stephen's Church
• Wellington Church
• Glasgow Central Mosque

Glasgow also has St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art which is the only religious multi-faith museum in the world.

In addition, a new £10m Sikh Temple is planned for Glasgow's Charing Cross District, due to open in 2007

Religious Rivalry

See also the main article: Religious rivalry in Glasgow

Some sectarian rivalry still exists among certain sectors of the population. Nowadays this is largely limited to the sporting rivalry between the supporters of Celtic and Rangers. Practically all Rangers supporters are nominally Protestant, while the majority of Celtic supporters are nominally Catholic.

Politics

See also the main article: Politics of the City Of Glasgow

Glasgow has a long history of supporting socialist ideas and politics. The city council has been controlled by the Labour party for 30 years. Its socialist roots spring from the city's days as an industrial powerhouse, and continue through the previously mentioned levels of relative poverty among some Glaswegians. In the 1920s and 1930s the city's strikes and revolutionary fervour caused serious alarm at Westminster, with one uprising causing tanks to be sent onto the city's streets.

Later, strikes at the shipyards gave rise to the "Red Clydeside" tag. During the 1930s, Glasgow was the main base of the Independent Labour Party. Towards the end of the 20th century it became a centre of the struggle against the poll tax, and then the main base of the Scottish Socialist Party, a major left wing party in Scotland.

Dialect

See also Glasgow Patter

Glaswegian, otherwise known as The Glasgow Patter is a local, anglicised variety of Scots.

Glaswegian is a rich and vital living dialect which gives a true reflection of the city with all its virtues and vices. It is more than an alternative pronunciation; words also change their meaning, e.g. "away" can mean "leaving" as in A'm awa, an instruction to stop being a nuisance as in awa wi ye, or "drunk" or "demented" as in he's awa wi it. Canna means "can't". Pieces refers to "sandwiches". Ginger is a generic term for carbonated soft drink, generally in a glass bottle (A boatal a' ginger). Then there are words whose meaning has no obvious relationship to that in standard English: coupon means "face", via "to punch a ticket coupon".

A speaker of Glaswegian might refer to those originating from the Scottish Highlands and the Western Isles as teuchters by the keelies. A (rather old-fashioned) Glaswegian insult is hieland, which means "awkward" and is Scots for "Highland". Example: that wean's got an awfu hieland wey o haudin that knife meaning "that child has a very awkward way of holding that knife".

The TV series Chewin' the Fat and Rab C. Nesbitt capture the humour of the Glaswegian patois and sensibilities while Billy Connolly has done a lot to make Glaswegian humour known to the rest of the world.

Education

Glasgow is also a major education centre with four universities within ten miles of the city centre: the 15th-century University of Glasgow (which has one of the highest ratios of students who continue living at home), the "redbrick" University of Strathclyde, the concrete Glasgow Caledonian University, and the University of Paisley; as well as teacher training colleges, teaching hospitals, the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Glasgow School of Art, and 10 other further education colleges.

Glasgow is home to a student population in excess of 168,000, second only to London in the UK, the majority of them living in the west-end of the city, near Glasgow University's main campus on Gilmorehill.

Economy

Glasgow is the largest economy in Scotland and is at the hub of the metropolitan area of West Central Scotland which has a total population of over 2.6 million. The city itself sustains more than 410,000 jobs in over 12,000 companies. Around 53,000 jobs have been created in the city since 1995 - a growth rate of 16%. 25% of the residents in the greater Glasgow area commute to the city every day. Maunufacturing industries such as shipbuilding and heavy engineering have been gradually replaced by a modern mixed economy, supported by public and private investment and a flexible workforce.

Glasgow's economy is now dominated by service sector industries such as finance and banking, public administration, education, healthcare, hotels and tourism. Between 1998 to 2001, the city’s burgeoning financial service sector grew at a rate of 30%.

The city retains a strong link to the manufacturing sector which forms the fourth largest manufacturing centre in the UK, accounting for well over 60% of Scotland’s manufactured exports, with particular strengths in shipbuilding, engineering, food and drink, printing, publishing, clothing and textiles as well as new growth sectors such as software development and biotechnology. 20% of the UK’s biotechnology sector is based in and around Glasgow, which is the UK’s third largest Biotechnology centre after Cambridge and London. Glasgow also forms the western part of Silicon Glen which produces over 30% of Europe's PC's, 80% of its Workstations, and 65% of its ATM's. A growing number of Blue Chip companies are also basing major operations or headquarters in Glasgow, including BT, Abbey, National Australia Group Europe, Royal Bank of Scotland, HBOS, Scottish Mutual Assurance, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Barclays Bank and Lloyds TSB. These names rub shoulders with the more well established firms operating in the city, which represent more traditional sectors of Glasgow's economy, including; Diageo, Allied Domecq, William Grant & Sons, Pernod Ricard, AG Barr, Tennent Caledonian Breweries, Whyte and Mackay, Justerini and Brooks Whisky, House of Fraser, Hilton Group, MacFarlane Group, HarperCollins, John Menzies, BAE Systems, Thales, Linn Systems, Rolls-Royce Aero Engines, Albion Automotive, Scottish Power, British Gas, Maersk, CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, Caledonian MacBrayne, Stagecoach Group, First Group, Loganair, Flyglobespan, Air Scotland, BAA, Imperial Chemical Industries, Armitage Shanks, Weir Group, Arup and Aggreko Engineering. Glasgow-based Scottish Power is one of three Scottish companies to be included on the Fortune Global 500 rankings.

Over the last two decades Glasgow has radically improved to become an attractive city to live, work and play. Major corporate developments have helped promote its reputation as a leading centre for business and commerce.

Glasgow is the third most popular foreign tourist destination in the UK, after Edinburgh, the Scottish capital, which ranks second, and London the U.K. capital. The city also boasts the UK's largest and most economically important commerce and retail district after London's West End. It also has two international airports and two major national railway terminals which provide train services throughout the United Kingdom. Glasgow is one of Europe's top 20 financial centres and is home to many of Britain's leading businesses. Glasgow today is an important part of the British economy.

Media

See main article Media in Glasgow

The city is home to large sections of the Scottish national media. It hosts BBC Scotland as well as Scottish Television. The Scottish press publishes various newspapers in the city such as the Daily Record and The Herald. Scottish editions of newspapers such as The Sun and The Times are also printed in the city. SMG plc or Scottish Media Group is a Glasgow-based media conglomerate with interests in Television, Radio, Cinema, Advertising and Publishing. ITV plc is believed to own a significant stake in SMG. Amongst others, SMG owns and operates Scottish TV and Grampian TV, Virgin Radio, Pearl & Dean - who sell cinema advertising - , and Primesight who sell outdoor advertising sites such as billboards.

Various radio stations are also located in Glasgow Scottish Radio Holdings or SRH dominates commercial radio in Glasgow with 9 digital radio stations including: Clyde One and Clyde Two (which reach 1.1 million listeners), WestSound Radio, and Real Radio amongst several more. In 2004, SMG plc sold its 27.8% stake in Scottish Radio Holdings to the broadcasting group EMAP for £90.5m.

Transport

See main article: Transport in Glasgow

Glasgow has a large urban transportation system, mostly managed by SPT (Strathclyde Passenger Transport), the only Passenger Transport Executive in the UK outside of England. SPT, is formed and financed out of the 7 councils in the Greater Glasgow area including Glasgow City Council. It has responsibility for local trains, the subway, certain ferries and buses.

The city has many bus services, mostly provided by private operators since bus deregulation in 1986, however SPT fund services where there is public need but no service. SPT also own and run the main bus station in Glasgow, Buchanan Street Bus Station which is a terminus point for many long distance bus and coach services as well as local journeys. A number of controversial 'bus corridors' have been invested in by Glasgow City Council focusing on main bus routes with real time bus information, and bus priority measures at a large cost. Glasgow Corporation, the municipal transport operator, is as a result of bus deregulation now privately owned by First Group, who operate a vast bus network in Glasgow including its twelve 24 hour 365 days a year services. In 2005 however, it has been asked by authorities to explain its poor service quality and maintenance issues. Other large operators in Glasgow are Arriva and Stagecoach with a number of smaller operators catering to individual districts including First Stop Travel and many others.

Glasgow has the largest urban rail network in the U.K bar London with rail services travelling to a large part of the West of Scotland. All trains running within Scotland are run by Scotrail, who own the franchise as determined by the government. This company is part of the First Group that runs the majority of bus services in the country. There are two main railway terminals which provide train services throughout the United Kingdom: Central Station and Queen Street Station. Local trains within Glasgow are however run by First Scotrail to their specification and requirements of SPT who provide rolling stock, in the distincive SPT colours of Carmine and Cream, or Blood and Custurd as it is commonly referred to! As well as the passenger trains SPT also run entirely the only dedicated underground metro system in the UK outside London; the Glasgow Subway (affectionately known as the 'Clockwork Orange' due to its single, circular line and the garish orange colour of the trains). The Subway is best for visiting the West End, with its University, museums and galleries. A single ticket is £1, and a return £2, however after 0930 a day ticket can be purchased for £1.70.

A number of ferries used to link opposite sides of the Clyde in Glasgow. However these have steadily disappeared, mainly due to developments like the large number of bridges and tunnels including the Erskine Bridge, Kingston Bridge, and the Clyde Tunnel, which links Govan and Partick. The only two remaining crossings are the Renfrew Ferry in Renfrewshire, and the Kilcreggan Ferry in Inverclyde, both run by SPT but outwith the city boundary. The paddle-steamer PS Waverley, the last sea going paddle-steamer in the world, still provides services from Glasgow City Centre, mainly catering to the pleasure cruise market. A regular service by Pride of the Clyde waterbus services links the City Centre with Braehead Shopping Centre and the UK's largest IKEA store in Renfrewshire, some 30 minutes downstream.

The city also has two international airports both outwith the boundary: Glasgow International Airport in Paisley, Renfrewshire and Glasgow Prestwick International Airport in Prestwick, Ayrshire.

The city is also well connected to other cities. The main M8 motorway allows road transport to Edinburgh, as well as to connecting motorways that lead throughout Scotland and to England. It is currently proprosed to extend the M74 motorway from its current end point of London Road in the East End of Glasgow through to the Centre of the City to provide the west of Glasgow, the M77, Renfrewshire and the airports a better connection with the South, and England. It is also proproded to re-name the motorway as the M6 should this occur. This should also relieve traffic congestion on the M8 at the Kingston Bridge, however the road is currently subject to a number of enviromental objections, as it has done since the first proposal in the 1970's.

Suburbs and surrounding district

See: List of places in Glasgow, Scotland

Famous Glaswegians

See: List of famous Glaswegians

Twinned cities

Glasgow has been twinned with various cities around the world including:

• Turin, Italy
• Nuremberg, Germany
• Rostov-on-Don, Russia
• Dalian, China
• Havana, Cuba

See also

• List of famous Glaswegians
• List of places in Glasgow, Scotland
• Culture in Glasgow
• Media in Glasgow
• Sport in Glasgow
• Religious rivalry in Glasgow
• Photographs of Glasgow
• Timeline of Glasgow history
• Glasgow Fair holiday

Footnotes

1. ^ The offical population of Glasgow City Council unitary authority.
2. ^ The City of Glasgow locality, as defined by the [2001 Census]. Localities are sub-divisions of 2001 Settlements that are based on 1991 Locality boundaries.
3. ^ The Greater Glasgow Settlement Area or Metropolitian Area was created from groups of neighbouring urban postcodes grouped so that each group of postcode unit contains at least a given number of addresses per hectare and the group contains at least 500 residents and includes the following localities: Airdrie, Bargeddie, Barrhead, Bellshill, Bishopbriggs, Bothwell, Busby, Calderbank, Carfin, Chapelhall, Clarkston, Clydebank Coatbridge, Duntocher and Hardgate, Elderslie, Faifley, Giffnock, Glasgow, Holytown, Howwood, Johnstone, Kilbarchan, Linwood, Milngavie, Milton, Motherwell, New Stevenston, Newarthill, Newmains, Newton Mearns, Old Kilpatrick, Paisley, Renfrew, Stepps, Uddingston Viewpark and Wishaw.

External links

• Glasgow pubs Customer ratings and reviews of pubs in Glasgow
• An interactive walk around the city through the eyes of Glaswegians
• Glasgow's East End — Glesga Pals
• History of Glasgow's West End
• Redevelopment of the Gorbals

• Glasgow Architecture - a walk about town
• Glasgow City Council
• Glasgow Dialect
• Scottish vernacular dictionary
• Glasgow Museums
• Animated and in-depth debate regarding Glasgow's ongoing regeneration
• Hidden Glasgow — Photographic History and Urban Exploration site
• Images of Glasgow- Mitchell Library Collection
• TheGlasgowStory Popular History site in words and pictures
• Glasgow Survival — A humorous look at Glasgow's ubiquitous "ned" culture [Warning: Strong Language]
• The Open Guide to Glasgow
• GlasgowGuide — An open guide to glasgow
• The Glasgow Gang Culture Website
• Glasgow Scotland with Style
• WikiTravel article on Glasgow
• Glasgow City Council pages
  • History of Glasgow
  • Twin Cities
  • Famous Glaswegians
• grid reference NS595655
• Glasgow Directory
• Glasgow Cathedral
• 'Glasgow Shinty' Scotland's Oldest Sport in its Greatest City
• Hidden Glasgow
• Glasgow Hotels
• Glasgow Architecture.

Sources

• Glasgow Cathedral history

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