11 hours Ago By [email protected] (Sean Murphy)
We recently told you about plans by one of the city centre's best loved hotels to create an exciting outside the entrance, adding what would be, a wee touch of "Riviera-inspired" glamour to the area. announced its first-ever outdoor champagne experience, in partnership with luxury champagne brand, Veuve Clicquot, taking shape on the corner of the entrance outside this spring. As always, we applaud the attempt to brighten up an area of the city centre that more than needs it.
However, thanks to the spot's slightly dodgy reputation, our readers were, let's just say, a little sceptical about the location. While the hotel's Champagne Central, which overlooks the interior of the station, is rightly considered one of the city centre's most glamorous options for a glass of bubbly, the street corner outside is perhaps a different matter. Readers flocked to the comments to offer their opinion on the chosen placement.
One posted: "Fair play to the hotel for trying but this has disaster written all over it." The facts that the road next to it is used as a pick up point for rail replacement buses, and that the taxi rank across the street is one of the busiest in the city, were cited. One person described the location as the "most polluted road in Glasgow", before someone else quipped: "Sitting quaffing a £20 glass of champagne whilst breathing in the fumes of the taxi rank and bus replacement coaches.
" Others were a bit more passionate in their response: "Riviera?! Terrace?! It’s a manky street corner where the view will be mainly passing traffic, and the 'fragrance' will be a heady mix of p**h and bin juice! Available on the four days a year it’s not pouring, blowing a gale or freezing." Others pointed to the propensity for a wee stramash or two to take place in the surrounding area. "It's right next to where all the dafties hang around," one person pointed out, and a second wrote: "What are they going to do with the neds? Are they going to ask them not to use the street?" A third wrote: "Omg have you seen the state of that area with all sorts at least it will be like going to a boxing match when another fight breaks out.
If you sat their your fizz would get stolen." Someone else quipped: "Just imagine sitting there with a £150 bottle of champagne and some mad j**kie comes up and asks you for 74p because that's what he's short on his bus fare." Finally, a few could see the funny side, with one joking: "Fabulous.
You can nip over to the Alpen Lodge for a spot of aprés ski while you’re in the Riviera." As much as we agree that the placement is a little bizarre, and understand the strong sentiment around this particular street, we love any excuse to see the city centre given a wee spruce up and hope that the hotel team have success in bringing the pop up to the area, transforming at least one spot that badly needs a wee boost. With Sexy Coffee opening at the other corner, Gordon Street Coffee already being there and all the new businesses across the way on Hope Street, it could still be a success and we wish the team all the best.
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