A campaign to invite Glaswegians and day trippers to Glasgow city centre will begin on Monday 26 April, reminding people that the area is now ready to welcome back visitors to enjoy its wide range of attractions, which so many have missed during lockdown.

The #LoveGlasgow campaign supports those sectors that are being allowed to open at this time. It will remind people that it is safe to travel to and get around the city centre, while enjoying its fantastic shops, restaurants, bars, and walking trails, as well as its outdoor and creative spaces like parks, gardens, museums and galleries.

The popularity of the city centre is underlined by its status as the most successful retail destination in the UK outside of London’s West End, with many residents of Glasgow and surrounding areas in West and Central Scotland traditionally enjoying a day out there.

Local businesses that have been closed during lockdown are ready to open and welcome visitors as the economy reopens and moves towards normality.  Businesses are encouraged to take ownership of the campaign by using #LoveGlasgow on their own social media channels and a handy industry toolkit has been prepared to help businesses communicate their own welcome messages.

Businesses are encouraged to take ownership of the campaign by using #LoveGlasgow on their own social media channels and a handy industry toolkit has been prepared to help businesses communicate their own welcome messages.

The campaign is being financed by Glasgow City Council through the Scottish Government’s City Centre Recovery Fund. It is a flexible, highly-targeted campaign utilising a mix of media channels including digital, TV and radio. The #LoveGlasgow promotional film can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/embed/KGb8RdnYxI8?rel=0.

The return of tourism and events will be central to the renewal of the city as it recovers from Covid-19.  The Glasgow Tourism and Visitor Plan contains immediate short-term actions by key partners Glasgow Life, VisitScotland, Glasgow City Council and Scottish Enterprise, aimed at helping to profile local businesses and stimulating the visitor economy.

Glasgow Chamber of Commerce chief executive Stuart Patrick said: “Our aim is to attract people from the catchment areas immediately outwith Glasgow into the city now that travel restrictions are starting to relax and non-essential retail and parts of leisure about to reopen.  This is the population of outlying council areas who traditionally depend on Glasgow city centre for their shopping and leisure experiences. 

“We know people in general are desperate to restart a normal lifestyle as much as possible and we must now maximise this potential footfall by satisfying a perception of the city centre as a safe place to visit, and to have the freedom to enjoy spending the high levels of savings we are told many have accumulated during lockdown. 

“To this end, we continue to engage with the Scottish Government and call for the expansion of its short-term road maps leading to a further reopening of the city centre economy.”

Anne Ledgerwood, General Manager of St. Enoch Centre and Chair of the City Centre Retail Association, said: “Glasgow city centre’s retail offering is unrivalled and so is the people of Glasgow’s love for shopping, so, here at St. Enoch Centre we are looking forward to a  busy few weeks ahead as people return to the city centre and begin shopping in person again. 

“Although we have not been able to open our doors for the past few months, retailers at St. Enoch Centre and across the city centre have been busy working behind the scenes to prepare a safe and welcoming return to shopping for all. 

 “We have a number of exciting retail and leisure openings coming up over the next few months and cannot wait to welcome back shoppers, new and old.”

Glasgow City Council and its partners in the City Centre Task Force (CCTF) are working on actions which will support the city centre’s recovery as we emerge from lockdown, maximising its attractiveness for visitors and businesses.  More information on the CCTF is available at: https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=26871.