Central Glasgow Could Be Poised for a Revival

Scotland’s largest city has always been somewhat underrated. While its impressive architecture may not have the spectacular aesthetic appeal of its smaller neighbor Edinburgh, Glasgow more than makes up for its more workaday feel with cool — whether that be fashion, restaurants, music culture or even football. In recent years, the city has also thrived economically, with a 19.5% rise in productivity since 2020, a performance notably above the UK average.

But you might not know it from visiting the city center, which has struggled to recover from the pandemic, while Edinburgh has bounced back more quickly. In May 2024, foot traffic in Central Glasgow was still 18% lower than five years earlier, according to data from Glasgow’s Chamber of Commerce. While the area has since experienced a strong upturn, the recovery is still not complete — May 2025’s footfall came in 7% lower than May 2019. With less housing than many other UK city centers, limited prime office space, and a slow return-to-office, the central neighborhood continues to face headwinds.