city centre has seen a huge reduction in visitors amid a row over dirty streets, according to a "damning” report. have also reportedly slumped by £60 million as retail and fashion have been hit hard by the cost of living crisis. The legacy of the pandemic and home working is also believed to be badly affecting businesses.
A report by Glasgow Chamber of Commerce shows a year-on-year decline in footfall in 2024, with 410,000 fewer visitors in May compared to the same month last year. The report also shows a sales decrease in April of this year of 12.3%, the equivalent of £60m, compared to last year, reports the .
The year-to-year decline is 2.4%, or £237m. According the Chamber of Commerce, Glasgow is performing behind Edinburgh and Manchester.
Of the ten sectors listed, six were in decline compared to April last year. The business "feedback" section of the report mentioned ongoing concerns such as "cleansing, maintenance & hygiene". Susan Aitken, the SNP council leader in Glasgow, has been accused of failing to deal with cleanliness issues, with one trade union boss describing the city as "filthy".
Labour councillor George Redmond blamed the SNP council: "The recent report showing a huge decline in footfall in the city centre is damning evidence of the SNP's mismanagement. As one of the largest retail cities in the UK, it's clear that Glasgow businesses seeking support have been met with silence. "This is a critical time for change; we cannot allow the city centre's clean.