Glasgow councillors set to decide on the future of the iconic Barras
Today councillors will vote on a £27m investment for the legendary Barras area of Glasgow.
It’s been a unique part of Glasgow for years and now the Barras market could get the go-ahead a £27m funding boost in a bid to transform it into "must go" arts and events quarter.
A report by Glasgow City Council last week revealed plans for new venues and public spaces alongside the Barrowland Ballroom in the East end of the city; today councillors will vote on the issue at lunchtime.
Local authority bosses also want to encourage more artists into the area in a bid to transform it into a cultural quarter.
The report states: “These mean more opportunities for music and performance. In the wider area around the Barras, music-related outlets emphasise that music is one of the key and most popular elements emerging in the area.
“The area still lacks vibrancy when venues are closed or during the week when many businesses seem to operate from behind roller shutters, offering nothing to the street in terms of atmosphere and activity.
“Weekend markets and stalls are much quieter than they were in decades past. Few of these animate the streets of the area and there is little or no evidence of the development of cafes or coffee shops in the area.”
The reports adds: “The spatial distribution of the markets, entertainment venues and places to eat and drink in the area seems to suggest a very positive and growing collection of active uses although these do not necessarily operate in the public realm.
“Few of these animate the streets of the area and there is little or no evidence of the development of cafes or coffee shops in the area.
“Some businesses are closed during the week while others are closed at weekends. This suggests that an overall plan and agreement needs to be reached on how these diverse uses operate, when they operate and how synergy can be developed between them to help the Barras to be a more active and intensely used area.”