VIVA GLAS-VEGAS
Call to put US-style roof over famous city street to lure shoppers back
GLASGOW must fight back to save its city centre, according to a top businessman.
James Mortimer, who owns entertainment venues in the city, thinks a roof level cover over Buchanan Street, such as the type on Fremont Street in Las Vegas, could help boost business.
A CITY businessman said it is time to fight back against out of town shopping malls to save the city centre.
James Mortimer, whose firm owns several entertainment venues, wants to put measures in place to win people back from places like Silverburn and Braehead.
He wants a roof level cover over Buchanan Street to make it more attractive in the winter and allow outdoor events in the street.
The boss of Lynnet Leisure, which owns the Rogano, and the Grill on the Corner just off Buchanan Street, said it was done in Leeds and helped transform its city centre.
Mr Mortimer said the retail heart of Glasgow needs to be protected.
He said: “We are all worried about Frasers.
“Previously I wanted to cover it all but that’s maybe not possible, but some sort of big cover is.
“We could come out a couple of meters and put a cover over the street. A big beautiful canopy.
“Something to link the street from St Enoch Centre to Buchanan Galleries. In the winter there can be events like when Frasers used to do outdoor fashion shows.”
Many streets in Europe have i nstalled canopies across their streets, some are for shade to keep the streets cool in the summer.
Malaga has a white sheeting cover of the main shopping street Calle Molina Lario and in Agueda in Portugal a canopy of colourful umbrellas was erected.
On Fremont Street in Las Vegas, a roof was erected in 1995 after the street was usurped as the main destination by nearby out of town casinos.
Mr Mortimer said the malls have been taking customers for years.
He said: “It is now time to fight back. We didn’t need Silverburn and the Fort. We already had Braehead, East Kilbride and the Forge.
“These places have taken 30 million people away from the city centre.
“Sauchiehall street is focused on entertainment. We need to preserve Buchanan Street as a shopping street.
“We need to get businesses and council together to find out where money could come from. Buchanan Street already has no traffic and a cover over it would be great.”