A spotlight on some of the businesses ‘The Hydro Effect’ turned Finnieston into city hotspot
Hydro turns 5
THE Eagles have announced they will return to the Hydro for their 2019 world tour.
The band will play the venue again on July 4 and they are just some of the big acts lined up for the next year.
Aussie superstar Kylie will actually help the venue celebrate its fifth birthday as she takes to the stage on Sunday.
The original Jersey Boy Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons is due to play the venue on November 29, while Paul McCartney is making his Scottish comeback at the Hydro on December 14.
Take That are taking over the venue for several nights next April to treat fans to their greatest hits as they celebrate 30 years. FIVE years on and you just have to look at how Finnieston has changed to see ‘The Hydro Effect’.
The West End area has become the destination for a night out with at least 48 new bars and restaurants cropping up since the Hydro opened on September 30, 2013.
The venue’s chief executive Peter Duthie, who exclusively revealed to The Evening Times on Thursday that the Hydro has contributed half a billion pounds to the city’s economy, said: “People are quite up front about ‘The Hydro Effect’ in Finnieston. I think 48 bars and restaurants have opened since the Hydro opened.
“We obviously got the Radisson RED hotel which just opened earlier this year. There are another two hotels which are going to be starting to get built this year, beside the multistorey car park. All of those things are based on the success of the Hydro.”
There are over 1,000 hotel rooms for concert-goers to choose from which are just a five-minute walk from the Hydro.
This year, Radisson RED opened their 174-room hotel complete with rooftop bar.
Michael Weston, curator at Radisson RED Glasgow, said: “Radisson RED is always at the heart of the action. The Hydro is an iconic, world-renowned venue and to be located only 200 metres away has had a massive positive impact on business. Not only is RED ideally placed for music-lovers in need of a great night’s sleep, but also a great night out.”
For many going to the Hydro to watch a show, it can be a real experience. Concert-goers will not only pay for the ticket, they will book a hotel room and a meal – and that is something the area’s businesses are reaping the benefits of.
Peter McKenna, chef-owner of The Gannet, said the Hydro has had a positive impact on his business which opened months before the venue.
He said: “We are growing in line with the Hydro and I never knew business before.
“We didn’t know what to expect when we opened up in Finnieston. It wasn’t anything like it is now. We were hoping it was going to be a good neighbourhood and to be honest we were quite ignorant of the Hydro. We didn’t know until we started work on the Gannet.”
He added: “The Hydro is incredible. It is one of the best music venues I have ever been to. I’m an avid fan of going to gigs and it is a credit to the city.”