Glasgow Saltmarket 2016
Developing A Permanent Pop-up Offer, “Salt Market Start-Ups”
‘This is where Glasgow started.’ replied one trader when asked by our young TestTown finalists about the Saltmarket in Glasgow. A nod to the rich historic and cultural value of the area to the city centre. Originally known as the Waulcergait the area was associated with wool production and it was the fashionable place to live and work for 18th Century merchants. Like most areas in the UK and Ireland it has known its highs and lows over the years and like many present day High Streets spirits are currently quite low. These feelings are based on a very real issue where the vacancy rate for the area sits at 28%, greatly exceeding the city centre average of 13%.
“Based on the success of TestTown in bringing more visitors and interest to the area, Glasgow City Council along with other agencies, are now in the process of setting up a scheme titled ‘Saltmarket Start-ups.”
Invited and hosted by Glasgow City Council and shops owners City Property LLP, it was against this background that we brought 11 of our TestTown finalist businesses to Glasgow Saltmarket and the iconic Briggait in February 2016. TestTown was used to trial a more permanent pop-up offer in the Saltmarket. Based on the success of TestTown in bringing more visitors and interest to the area, Glasgow City Council along with other agencies, are now in the process of setting up a scheme titled ‘Saltmarket Start-ups.’ This will see a number of vacant shops transformed into a centrally managed permanent pop-up space with infrastructure, offering a variety of ‘meanwhile’ and ‘short-term’ lets. These will be specifically aimed at young and local businesses to explore what the future of the Saltmarket will be.
