COP26: ‘We were expecting a big rush

BBC

Yasmeen Chowdhury runs the Chaiiwala restaurant in The Quay leisure development on the banks of the River Clyde.

You can see the Hydro and the COP venue from the massive complex which is full of restaurants, bars, a casino, cinema and bowling alley.

The business boost she was hoping for has not yet arrived and she is worried.

“We were hoping that business would really pick up. You know, tens of thousands of people from all over the world, it was really hyped up.

“We were expecting a big rush so we have overstocked and got extra staff in just to be on the safe side.”

But she said that on Monday, the first full day of the summit, business was not as busy as expected. “It was pretty quiet last night as well,” she said.

“At The Quay here, the management had come in and spoken to us saying that we are hoping for business to be super busy. Police came in too saying they had extra staff coming in from all over the country.”

But so far trade has been quiet. She is not sure why.

“I have no idea, maybe because of the road closures,” she suggested.

‘It’s a worry’

The main road, Paisley Road West is open and they should have easy access into The Quay.

Ms Chowdhury added: Maybe people are hearing the news and media saying roads are closed, don’t come near, don’t travel unless it is absolutely necessary. Maybe that is one of the reasons why they are staying away.

“It is a worry but let’s see how it goes, it’s only temporary.”

However, John Moore, who is the founder of the sandwich shop chain Piece, said his Finnieston outlet was doing well – largely because of custom from police officers and security officials work at out near to COP26 venue.

He told the BBC: “Our sandwich shop in the city centre is quieter as so many offices are closed there at the moment.

“Overall, the conference has not been bad for our business and we are more than happy to serve all the visitors who have come to Glasgow.”

Staff at his Finnieston shop reported on Tuesday that Colombian president Iván Duque Márquez’s security detail arrived at lunchtime to order 20 sandwiches, including its best-selling chicken Bahn Mi – a Vietnamese baguette made up of roast chicken, Asian slaw, pickled chillies, coriander and sriracha.

Apparently one of those orders was for the president himself, although he did not venture into the shop.

The Federation of Small Businesses said the summit appeared to be a boon for some food and drink businesses in the Glasgow area.

Andrew McRae, the organisation’s Scotland policy chairman, said: “We’re hearing from a number of firms that they’re trying to adapt to meet the demands of guests to Glasgow. But the benefits are less obvious if you’re a business that can’t sell your goods or services to those visiting Scotland’s largest city.

“Many independent businesses in Glasgow will be prepared to tolerate a certain level of disruption given the importance of tackling climate change.

“But visitors and decision-makers must meet them halfway. That means providing these firms with timely information about road closures. And guests to the city on either side of the security gates should try to use their spending power to give local firms a boost.”

Summit disruption

Scotland is hosting thousands of delegates for the two-week COP26 climate conference in Glasgow.

Many roads in the city will be closed until 15 November.

Transport Scotland is warning drivers to avoid the SEC area and to expect delays on the M8, as this will be the main route for delegates travelling to the summit.

The area around the SEC site will see the greatest impact, with more than 9,000 people living in Glasgow’s Finnieston, Anderston and Yorkhill areas affected by road closures, parking restrictions and security measures.

Transport in the city has also been disrupted and many tourist venues – including the Riverside Muesum, Gallery of Modern Art and Kelvingrove Museum – will be closed during the summit.

The COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow in November is seen as crucial if climate change is to be brought under control. Almost 200 countries are being asked for their plans to cut emissions, and it could lead to major changes to our everyday lives.

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Publish date : 2024-08-11 14:31:00

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