Undoubtedly, the Union Street fire on Sunday 8 March was the defining event of Q1. The loss of Victorian architecture, coupled with the closure of Glasgow Central Station and its ripple effects on businesses, commuters, and visitors, made March a particularly challenging month. The city’s response, however, demonstrated resilience and community spirit, with focus now turning to the longer-term plans for the site and support for the local business community.
The footfall data is of course, skewed by the impact of the fire. January saw a seven per cent increase on footfall from the previous year, however both February and March saw a fall.
The city has proven to be remarkably resilient. The day after the fire, footfall fell by 60 per cent from the previous year. However, just two days after Glasgow Central Station reopened to full capacity, footfall levels were above the same day the previous year. ScotRail confirmed that passenger numbers on the day the station reopened to full capacity, Wednesday 25 March, immediately returned to normal levels, with 120,000 using the station.
This resilience should be the legacy of the Union Street fire. Glasgow is a city that continually bounces back and despite all the challenges, it continues to strive forward.
Whilst we have much work to do on the site itself and supporting the businesses still within the no-access zone, I am very encouraged by the response to the fire and the collective focus on getting the city back up and running as quickly as possible.
Digging deeper into the data flags some stubborn issues.
Public transport remains a concern for most regular visitors to our city.
Clearly train passenger numbers were impacted by the closure of Central Station, however the broad picture is still concerning. In Q1 of 2019 train passengers were at 13m, whereas in 2026 numbers sit around 10m, 70 per cent of the pre-pandemic levels. Whilst we have seen a steady increase in train passengers over the previous three years, it is still a worrying trend that we haven’t yet reached the pre-pandemic figures.
Comparable cities such as Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and even Edinburgh have all closed the gap much quicker than Glasgow. We can’t ignore that these cities have had much stronger investment in their inner-city transport, and it is critical that if we want to continue to attract investment from major employers that progress in the Clyde Metro should be treated as critical across this year and beyond.
This need for investment is best shown through car traffic, which despite all the additional costs for car users (such as LEZ fees, car parking charges and rising fuel costs) is continuing to grow. January 2026 saw a 23 per cent growth in road traffic from the previous year. This highlights the high demand for people wanting to come into our city centre despite a lack of faith or trust in our public transport system.
A wider pattern is emerging of strong and growing weekend footfall, with stagnant weekday. The impact of working from home which emerged during the pandemic has changed how the city centre is used. Whilst the model is here to stay, we do need to consider its impact on the economy. Having a city centre more focused on a weekend economy than a weekday has many pros and cons which need to be considered by businesses and how the city presents itself to investors and visitors.
International travel remains a big focus for 2026. With the Commonwealth Games, and a host of major music events laying ahead, it is both culturally and economically vital the city is able to take full advantage of these events.
Glasgow Airport has announced a number of new routes, including direct links to the US and Canada, which presents an excellent opportunity to attract more visitors across the first half of this year. 2025 data shows tourism numbers remained stagnant from the previous year, a near 20 per cent below the pre pandemic levels, so it is a critical year for the city to help close that gap.
We also have clear evidence that Glasgow is very much a summer destination. Over the last four years, over double the number of visitors came to our city in the summer months than the winter ones. This is important for how the city presents itself and how our businesses deliver. Across the hospitality, retail and leisure sectors we need to have a clear focus on appealing to these tourists. Such arrangements as later opening hours and outdoor operations should not just be encouraged but supported by the Council to reflect the economic reality of the city.
Spend remains an area of concern, but Glasgow is not alone in facing challenges in this area. Whilst spend is down compared to 2025 and 2024, it hasn’t fallen as fast as other cities or the UK average. Whilst it is not cause for celebration, it does present further evidence of the city's resilience.
Overall, I am heartened by the recovery from the Union Street fire. The resilience of our city is remarkable and whilst support is still required for those businesses most impacted by the fire, to see footfall return as rapidly as it has, demonstrates the importance of the city centre as a cultural and economic asset. However, the long-term challenges remain a concern.
We now need to look ahead. We know Q2 and Q3 will be critical for the city. We want to prepare for future growth whilst addressing the long-term challenges such as empty retail and hospitality units, poor public transport and increasing the residential population.
