John Cumming
On Monday morning, I made my way through Glasgow city centre as I do most days, before catching the express train through to Edinburgh.
The route was slightly different. Ordinarily, I’d pass under the iconic Central Station clock – where generations of people have greeted and said goodbye to loved ones – before passing through the station’s great iron gates and the spot where Neil Young once busked, unassumingly, at the height of his fame, before walking down Gordon Street and onto Buchanan Street.
That morning, though, a sense of sadness lingered over the city, with firefighters continuing to douse what was left of the building on the corner of Union Street.
This incident is a bitter blow for the city, and it comes at a time when it felt like Glasgow’s fortunes were beginning to turn in the right direction. The fire on Union Street is, in many ways, a physical manifestation of years of underinvestment in a city that has had to fend largely for itself. Scotland’s economic fortunes are inextricably linked to Glasgow’s successes and failures. It is therefore vitally important that politicians at all levels work at pace to get the city back on track.
Glasgow is witnessing a revival. While major challenges persist, the tone of the discussion about the state and direction of the city has been shifting in recent years.
Just look at the view as you cross the Kingston Bridge, from where emerges a horizon dotted with the logos of major financial services companies like Barclays, J.P. Morgan and Santander. Between them are cranes and an increasing number of tall buildings, indications of investment and economic renewal in action.
This story of recovery is also reflected in the data, with the latest EY Attractiveness Survey showing that in 2025, Glasgow became Scotland’s leading city for foreign direct investment for the first time in five years.
For decades, Glasgow has been neglected and undervalued by governments in London and in Edinburgh. Despite this, the city continues to be an engine of the Scottish economy. A place where jobs are created, art is produced, and innovation occurs. In short, when Glasgow does well, the rest of Scotland benefits immensely.
The city council has rightly been making this point in the days following the devastating fire, articulating a compelling case for Scottish and UK government intervention.
This matters on the site of the fire itself, which risks being left in limbo without action from national government. There is also a strong argument for the architectural restoration of the site to be in keeping with its surroundings. However, this will require a concerted effort and investment from politicians, as well as a commitment to work in partnership with developers to get this right.
The case for investment extends well beyond this particular site. If our political leaders are serious about growing the Scottish economy, then Glasgow must be a focus of their attention.
The current settlement for the city is completely unsustainable. The city council is directly responsible for critical national transport infrastructure such as the Clyde Tunnel, and nationally important cultural assets including Kelvingrove, the GoMA and the Burrell Collection, with next to no support from government. No other local authority has to bear this burden, and yet the city continues to be the cornerstone of the Scottish economy.
Glasgow is resilient. It is a city which has recovered and reinvented itself before, largely under its own steam. It is now time for ministers in Westminster and Holyrood to deliver a fair deal for Glasgow, one that will ultimately benefit people in every corner of Scotland.