Our dear green ghost town: City firms warn Cop26 has hit trade

Business leaders urged Glaswegians to return to the city centre yesterday as shops and pubs claimed Cop26 had left streets deserted.

Warnings of travel disruption and fears of escalating Covid rates has been blamed for encouraging people to stay away and traders fear the influx of 25,000 delegates has not made up for the lost spending.

Transport officials had urged workers to work from home and avoid the city if at all possible during the summit, amid fears of road closures, packed public transport and mass demonstrations.

The city’s Chamber of Commerce said that with post-lockdown footfall still among the lowest of any British city, telling people to stay at home sent out the wrong message, and businesses confirmed those warnings have come with a cost.

Yesterday, Stuart Patrick, chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, called on the Scottish Government to do more to highlight routes into the city which were not closed or facing disruption and said business was down considerably for city centre restaurants and pubs.

He said: “Most of the delegates and supporters attending Cop26 have been eating in or near the conference centre where businesses have benefited but not so for those nearer the city centre.

“It is not too late for the Scottish Government to encourage regular customers back into town by suggesting routes which are not congested or by public transport.”

Robert Bowie, 53, manager of the Toby Jug pub on Hope Street, said he thought they would be busy with an influx of people from Cop26 but instead there hadn’t been many customers.

Bowie said: “Our normal customers have been scared away. We were told 100,000 people would be in town, and thinking: ‘Oh, great, we’re going to get a spin-off from that’ but it’s been the polar opposite.

“Hot on the heels of coronavirus and with Christmas and maybe more restrictions on the horizon, it’s a really difficult one.”

He blamed official advice for scaring customers away.

“People are not coming in because of what they’re being told rather than the protests themselves.

“I’m not blaming any one thing, it’s all the reasons. It being here, the protesters, the police blocking the streets.”

Lynn Girasole, 54, the owner of the Roast Cafe, on Argyle Street, was forced to shut early on Monday because of road closures and said she lost around £1,200 in trade despite expecting the cafe to be busy.

Girasole said: “We expected to be so busy, so we were kind of geared up that way. On Monday, we had no idea they would be blockading the entire road.

“It was quite unnerving actually and I had to close early because police were saying that anyone who didn’t stay in the area should get out.

“The indication they gave as well was that Tuesday would be a similar scenario, so I decided to keep the cafe closed. But I came in do some cleaning and everything was fine, so I think the messaging we have been given has been slightly confusing.

“We like the prospect of having people from all over the world and wanted to welcome people and be a part of it. It’s just a shame that you are treated like you don’t really matter or you can’t be trusted.”

But it was not just city centre firms which saw takings fall. Austin MacPherson, 30, who works at the Gentleman’s Barbers on Byres Road, said protesters are putting customers off and that he is losing around £100 a day.

Austin added: “The street has been quieter for the past week in terms of footfall – people don’t want to come around the area. They are struggling to get in, there are a lot of road closures round about. The protesters are also putting people off.

“It’s causing a lot of havoc and it seems they are getting in people’s faces. A lot of people don’t want to bother with it. Essentially, it’s about £100 a day I’m losing.”

Meanwhile, Nina Steele, 54, the leaseholder of the Park Bar, Argyle Street, said the pub was forced to close early on Monday because it was so quiet after the police shut off the street outside.

Nina said: “When you’ve been shut for 15 months, you want people coming into your pub. You don’t know what the winter is going to hold either. We closed at 10.30pm on Monday because it was so quiet, there was nothing happening at all.”

A number of Glasgow roads around the conference site remain closed until next Monday. The Clydeside Expressway – the main route connecting the city centre to the west – is closed and won’t reopen again until next Monday.

Parts of Finnieston Street, the Clyde Arc and Lancefield Quay, are closed until next Monday, while Congress Way, Finnieston Quay, Tunnel Street and Stobcross Road are closed until next Sunday.

Minerva Street and West Greenhill Place remain closed until next Saturday, while Congress Road is closed until the following Wednesday.