Bishopbriggs is a nice place to live for most folk. It’s a town of about 23,700 people just north of Glasgow, with its own train station, library, leisure centre and retail park. It’s in East Dunbartonshire, not Glasgow, so you pay council tax to a different council. Police figures put recorded crime in both of its wards below the Scottish average.
Last checked: 26 October 2026.
Living in Bishopbriggs: An Honest Area Guide
Bishopbriggs is a town on the north edge of Glasgow. National Records of Scotland counts it as part of the Greater Glasgow built-up area, and its mid-2020 estimate has 23,680 people living in the town. About one in five (22%) were 65 or over and about one in six (17%) were under 16, so it’s a mix of families and older residents.
Buying here costs more than the Glasgow average. But if you want a town with a station, a retail park, a leisure centre and a canal path on the doorstep, it does the job. Weighing it up against other places? Our best areas to live in Glasgow guide compares the city’s areas by budget, and the moving to Glasgow guide covers the practical side.
Is Bishopbriggs in Glasgow?
No. Bishopbriggs is in East Dunbartonshire, a separate council area from Glasgow City. The postcode is G64 and the address is often written “Bishopbriggs, Glasgow”, but the council that runs it is East Dunbartonshire Council. That means its own council tax, its own schools, its own libraries and its own bin service. You’ll find Glasgow City Council’s rules, permits and forms don’t apply here.
Bishopbriggs has two council wards, and the Police Scotland and population figures below use them. We checked where places fall using postcode lookups. Bishopbriggs South takes in the station, La Vita and The Avenue on Kirkintilloch Road at the Cross, Woodhill Road and Auchinairn. Bishopbriggs North and Campsie takes in Bishopbriggs Library, Kenmure, Meadowburn and the retail park. The boundary runs through the Cross itself, so the library is in the North ward and the station is in the South. It also takes in Torrance and Balmore, and the Campsie villages of Lennoxtown and Milton of Campsie. So the North ward is wider than the town itself.
Council tax
East Dunbartonshire’s council tax for 2026/27 is £1,751.67 a year for a Band D home. Glasgow’s Band D is £1,706 (see our Glasgow council tax bands guide), so you’d pay about £46 a year more in Bishopbriggs for the same band.
| Band | 1991 value | 2026/27 charge |
|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £27,000 | £1,167.78 |
| B | £27,000 to £35,000 | £1,362.41 |
| C | £35,000 to £45,000 | £1,557.04 |
| D | £45,000 to £58,000 | £1,751.67 |
| E | £58,000 to £80,000 | £2,301.50 |
| F | £80,000 to £106,000 | £2,846.46 |
| G | £106,000 to £212,000 | £3,430.35 |
| H | Over £212,000 | £4,291.59 |
Source: East Dunbartonshire Council. Water and waste water charges are extra, and the council doesn’t set them.
Is Bishopbriggs Safe? Is It a Nice Area?
Here’s what the police figures say. Police Scotland publishes recorded crime for every council ward, though it calls the figures management information and says they aren’t directly comparable with official statistics. So treat the comparison as a rough guide.
In 2024-25, the last full year Police Scotland has published for wards, we added up the crime groups 1 to 5 in its ward workbook and divided by the National Records of Scotland mid-2024 ward populations. Here’s what came out.
| Area | Crimes recorded | Per 1,000 people |
|---|---|---|
| Bishopbriggs North and Campsie | 658 | 34 |
| Bishopbriggs South | 282 | 18 |
| East Dunbartonshire | 2,641 | 24 |
| Glasgow City | 52,406 | 81 |
| Scotland | 299,111 | 54 |
Source: Police Scotland ward workbook 2024-25, National Records of Scotland mid-2024 estimates.
Both wards sit below the Scottish rate. South is about a third of it, and North is about two thirds. Put the two together and it’s about 27 per 1,000, a touch above East Dunbartonshire as a whole and about a third of Glasgow’s rate. The order is the same for April to December 2025, the latest months Police Scotland has published.
The North ward figure covers more than the town. It also includes Torrance, Balmore and the Campsie villages, and it’s the ward that holds the retail park. Shoplifting is its biggest single type of crime, with 133 of its 658 crimes. The figures don’t say where they happened. Serious assaults were 15 in the North ward and 1 in the South ward, with 1 robbery in North and none in South. These are crimes recorded across a whole ward, so they say nothing about any one street.
The usual sense applies anywhere. Lock your bike, keep valuables out of the car and stick to busier, well-lit routes when you’re walking home late.
Rent and House Prices
Citylets, which we use for Glasgow rents, doesn’t print a G64 figure in its quarterly reports, which only list postcode districts with plenty of lettings. So here are the Scottish Government’s numbers for the whole East Dunbartonshire council area instead. They come from the Private Sector Rent Statistics, published in November 2025, and cover the year to September 2025. They’re averages of mostly advertised rents, so a new-build will cost more and an older flat less.
| Home size | East Dunbartonshire | Greater Glasgow |
|---|---|---|
| 1 bed (per month) | £688 | £865 |
| 2 bed (per month) | £941 | £1,094 |
| 3 bed (per month) | £1,321 | £1,403 |
Source: Scottish Government. Greater Glasgow is one of the rental market areas it reports on.
So renting in East Dunbartonshire comes out cheaper than in the Greater Glasgow area, by about £177 a month for a one-bed and £153 for a two-bed. It’s a council-area average, so Bishopbriggs itself could sit higher or lower. Our Glasgow trains guide has fares if you’re weighing rent against a commute.
Buying is a different story. The UK House Price Index, which uses Registers of Scotland sales data, puts the average East Dunbartonshire home at £273,891 in August 2026. That’s up 4.3% on the year. The City of Glasgow average was £194,382 and Scotland’s was £198,397.
| Home type (August 2026) | East Dunbartonshire | Glasgow City |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £536,703 | £498,117 |
| Semi-detached | £308,878 | £304,427 |
| Terraced | £227,042 | £249,994 |
| Flat | £157,717 | £163,643 |
Source: UK House Price Index, August 2026. Council-area averages, not Bishopbriggs alone.
Detached homes are what pull the East Dunbartonshire average up. Terraced homes and flats average a bit less than in Glasgow City. The figures cover Bearsden, Milngavie, Lenzie and Kirkintilloch too, so check what similar homes in Bishopbriggs have actually sold for before you set a budget.
Getting Around
By train. Bishopbriggs station is at Arnold Avenue, G64 1PE, run by ScotRail, with trains into Glasgow Queen Street. National Rail lists it as having some step-free access to all platforms and no lifts, with bicycle storage. Trains to Queen Street run about every half hour and take 6 to 8 minutes, and a single was from £3.00 when we checked National Rail’s journey planner for a Tuesday in late October 2026. Times and fares change, so check the ScotRail train times page on the day.
By bus. First Bus lists services 88, 88A, 88C, 89, 89A and 89B at its Bishopbriggs Cross stop. Check First’s timetable page for times.
Places to Eat and Drink
Most of it is on and around Kirkintilloch Road at the Cross. It’s mainly family restaurants, not a long run of independent cafes, so don’t expect Finnieston. Here are five places, each one from its own website.
La Vita
A family-friendly Italian at 185-187 Kirkintilloch Road. It’s open noon to 10pm every day, has a children’s menu and takes bookings through its site. There’s a daytime menu, an a la carte, a cocktail menu and a takeaway menu.
Mahony’s Steakhouse
At 181-183 Kirkintilloch Road, just along from La Vita. It opened in 2017 and says it’s Glasgow’s first open fire grill steakhouse. The menu has dry-aged grilled steaks, Turkish-style lamb and chicken skewers and Italian pizza. It opens at 4pm Monday to Wednesday and at noon Thursday to Sunday.
The Avenue
A bar and restaurant at 177 Kirkintilloch Road, G64 2LS. It opened in 2013 and does handmade burgers, fresh fish and Aberdeen Angus steaks, with wine, cocktails and craft beer at the bar. It opens at 10am Monday to Saturday (noon on Sunday) and the table booking is for dining only, so you can’t reserve a table for drinks.
Delhi Darbar
An Indian restaurant at 4 Woodhill Road, G64 1JL, with dine-in, collection and delivery. The menu has butter chicken, lamb curry, tandoori grills and biryanis. Its site books tables by phone and doesn’t list opening hours, so ring first.
I-Chai
A Chinese restaurant at 100 Auchinairn Road, G64 1NQ. It does dim sum starters, Szechuan beef and lemon chicken, and caters for vegetarian and gluten free diets. Its site shows dinner Tuesday to Sunday, with lunch from Wednesday to Sunday.
Shopping
The retail park most folk mean is Strathkelvin Retail Park, G64 2TS, in the North ward. Its landlord, Derwent London, says it’s anchored by B&Q and Marks & Spencer. It also lists Aldi, Benson for Beds, Boots, Currys, Halfords, Home Bargains, Iceland, Matalan, Next, Nike, Pets at Home, Poundland and Sports Direct. Burger King, Costa and Tim Hortons are there too, and Derwent says it let units to Card Factory, Greggs, Mountain Warehouse, Superdrug and Tapi Carpets in 2025.
The M&S is a Simply Food store, so it’s for groceries rather than clothes. The B&Q is open 7am to 8pm Monday to Saturday and 9am to 6pm on Sunday.
Things to Do
The canal. The Forth and Clyde Canal reaches Bishopbriggs from Kirkintilloch. East Dunbartonshire Council says the 18km Thomas Muir Heritage Trail follows the canal towpath between Kirkintilloch and Bishopbriggs. Scottish Canals says the towpath is free, open all year and part of the John Muir Way, and that dogs are welcome if kept under control. It warns that the path is often only 1m wide and can be wet and uneven. The same canal carries on through Maryhill, and our Maryhill guide covers that end.
Parks and sport. The council lists Bishopbriggs Public Park and Huntershill Playing Fields among its regional parks. The Leisuredrome at 147 Balmuildy Road, G64 3HD, has a main pool, a teaching pool, a gym, fitness classes, a flume and a soft play area. It’s open 6.30am to 10pm Monday to Thursday and 8am to 5pm on Saturday. Huntershill Sports Hub is at 35 Auchinairn Road, G64 1RU, and is run by the same trust, East Dunbartonshire Leisure and Culture.
Golf. Bishopbriggs Golf Club on Brackenbrae Road, G64 2DX, is an 18-hole parkland course, and its visitors page takes tee time bookings online. The searches for a driving range usually mean Bishopbriggs Golf Range on Crosshill Road, G64 2PZ. That’s a separate business from the club. It uses Top Tracer shot tracking, says it’s been going since 1988 and is run by PGA professionals. A basket costs £2.50 for 15 balls, £5.50 for 50, £8.50 for 100 and £10.50 for 125, and club hire is £2 for an adult and £1 for a child. It’s open 9.30am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 5pm at the weekend.
The library. Bishopbriggs Library is at 170 Kirkintilloch Road, G64 2LX. It’s open 10am to 8pm Monday to Thursday, 10am to 5pm on Friday and Saturday, and closed on Sunday. It has free wifi and free computers, a Local Studies area and a Thomas Muir exhibit, and it runs Bookbug and a Minecraft Club.
Bishopbriggs Crematorium
If you’re looking for the crematorium, here are the plain details. Bishopbriggs Crematorium and Memorial Gardens is on Crosshill Road, Bishopbriggs, G64 2PZ, and is part of the Westerleigh Group. East Dunbartonshire Council has called it the first crematorium to operate in East Dunbartonshire.
The chapel has seating for 120 people, with more standing room in the entrance. There are 80 parking spaces, an overflow car park and 7 accessible spaces, with electric charging in the main car park. The site says it’s fully accessible for anyone with reduced mobility, and it has toilets, baby changing and a waiting room. Services can be live streamed. You can reach the team on 0141 674 3737.
Schools and Families
Schools here are run by East Dunbartonshire Council, not Glasgow City Council, and catchments go by address. Check yours on the council’s site before you sign a lease or make an offer, and read its page on placing requests if you want a different school.
Secondary. Bishopbriggs Academy is on Wester Cleddens Road, G64 1HZ. Education Scotland doesn’t list a current inspection report for it. Turnbull High School is the Catholic secondary, on St Mary’s Road, G64 2EF. Education Scotland’s report of December 2023 rated it very good for leadership of change, learning and teaching, wellbeing and inclusion, and raising attainment. It had a roll of 650 then.
Primary. The council’s list for the Bishopbriggs area has Balmuildy (Stirling Drive), Meadowburn (Lendale Lane), St Helen’s (Wester Cleddens Road), St Matthew’s (Park Road), Thomas Muir (Kirriemuir Road) and Wester Cleddens (Wester Cleddens Road). St Matthew’s was inspected in October 2025 and rated very good for both learning, teaching and assessment and raising attainment and achievement.
For exam results and what leavers go on to do, use the Scottish Government’s Parentzone Scotland school information dashboard. It has a dashboard for each secondary school, so you can look up Bishopbriggs Academy and Turnbull High yourself.
Is Bishopbriggs a Nice Place to Live? The Verdict
Bishopbriggs is a good fit if you want a quieter town with a station into Glasgow, a leisure centre, a canal path and a big retail park close by. Both wards have recorded crime below the Scottish rate, and Turnbull High and St Matthew’s Primary both have very good inspection ratings.
It’s not the cheapest option. Council tax is a bit above Glasgow’s, and the average home in East Dunbartonshire costs well over the Glasgow City average. The eating out is mostly family restaurants on or near Kirkintilloch Road, and bigger nights out mean a short train to Glasgow. And if you’re after a lively tenement area with lots of independent cafes, you’ll find more of that in Glasgow’s own areas.
Want to compare? Bearsden is the other East Dunbartonshire town we cover, and Robroyston is the nearest area over the border in Glasgow City.
Bishopbriggs FAQs
Is Bishopbriggs a nice place to live?
For most folk, yes. It’s a quiet town just north of Glasgow with a station, a leisure centre, a library and a canal path. Recorded crime in both wards is below the Scottish average, though council tax and house prices are higher than Glasgow’s.
Is Bishopbriggs a nice area?
Yes. Police Scotland’s 2024-25 ward figures work out at about 18 crimes per 1,000 people in Bishopbriggs South and 34 in Bishopbriggs North and Campsie, against 54 for Scotland. The North ward also covers Torrance and the Campsie villages.
Is Bishopbriggs safe?
The figures put both wards below the Scottish average, but they’re management information and not directly comparable with official statistics. Use normal sense with bikes and cars, and stick to lit routes at night.
Is Bishopbriggs in Glasgow?
No. It’s in East Dunbartonshire, a separate council area. It has its own council tax, schools, bins and library service, even though the postcode is G64 and the address often says Glasgow.
How long is the train from Bishopbriggs to Glasgow?
About 6 to 8 minutes to Glasgow Queen Street, with trains about every half hour and singles from £3.00 (National Rail’s journey planner, October 2026). Check ScotRail on the day.
How much is rent in Bishopbriggs?
There’s no Citylets figure for G64. The Scottish Government’s average for East Dunbartonshire in the year to September 2025 was £688 a month for a one-bed, £941 for a two-bed and £1,321 for a three-bed.
What postcode is Bishopbriggs?
Bishopbriggs is G64. The station is G64 1PE and the library is G64 2LX. Lennoxtown and Milton of Campsie, in the same ward, use G66.
Is there a crematorium in Bishopbriggs?
Yes. Bishopbriggs Crematorium and Memorial Gardens is on Crosshill Road, G64 2PZ, and is run by the Westerleigh Group.
Written by Lewis McGuire. Last updated October 2026.
