Buchanan Street property could be taken over by 'prominent leisure operator'

Empty upper floors of a building on one of Glasgow’s busiest shopping streets could be taken over by a “prominent leisure operator”.

The site owner and applicant, Landsec, which also owns Buchanan Galleries, is in “advanced” talks with a company over a lease for listed properties at Buchanan Street and Bath Street.

It has asked Glasgow City Council for permission to subdivide the upper floors, and for the mezzanine and first floor to have a leisure use. The potential operator has not been revealed.

Plans to turn the upper floors into serviced apartments had been approved in September 2022 but that scheme has not progressed and the consent has now lapsed.

They had previously been partly occupied by a restaurant, Vapiano, which closed in 2019. The new application, on behalf of Landsec, states the firm is in “advanced discussions with a prominent leisure operator”.

It adds the change of use would “secure a long-term tenant that positively contributes towards the vibrancy of the city centre and both Bath Street and Buchanan Street during the day and evening”.

The applicant also believes occupation of the unit, at 2-10 Bath Street and 229-235 Buchanan Street, by a leisure operator will “contribute positively to this part of the city centre”.

“Implementation of the proposals will enable a sizeable investment, generating jobs and footfall, all to the benefit of the wider city centre’s vitality and viability,” the plans add.

Access to the new leisure unit would be from Bath Street, using an existing but unused entrance. New stairs and a lift would be installed to improve access to the upper floors.

According to the application, it is “widely accepted that the inherent value of city/town centres lies in their place as a point of interaction and exchange in which commerce, work and leisure are intertwined”.

It continues: “As such, sufficient flexibility to support alternatives – but still footfall generating – uses within the city centre and wider network of centres is strongly supported.”

The applicant also believes the proposal will have “a positive impact upon the wider environment by introducing an active use to the vacant upper floors of the building and generating a substantial number of new jobs”.

“Without the conversion of the unit to leisure use it is predicted that this unit would remain vacant for a further period which would be to the detriment of the vibrancy of Bath Street and Buchanan Street.”

The plan approved in 2022 had been for 74 serviced apartments.