logo
The Chip launches hiring drive ahead of major renovation

The Chip launches hiring drive ahead of major renovation

Glasgow Times09-07-2025
The Ubiquitous Chip, affectionately known as The Chip, is hiring 20 new members of staff to join its team at the much-loved Ashton Lane venue.
The overhaul has been designed to preserve the distinctive character of The Chip while giving it the attention it needs after more than 50 years of serving Glasgow.
Will Allen (Image: Supplied) The restaurant will undergo a refresh of the main and mezzanine dining areas, an extension and upgrade of the kitchens, and the introduction of a seven-day service across the restaurant and bars.
To support the new era in The Chip's 53-year history, the team will prioritise beefing up the kitchen staff.
Read more:
Celtic transfer target Balikwisha absent from Antwerp training
This includes new sous chefs, chef de partie, and commis chefs, with recruitment focused on supporting creativity and consistency in the venue's numerous dining areas.
Several front-of-house staff will also be hired, including a new bar manager.
The bar manager will be in charge of all three bars and will aid the transition to full seven-day service.
They will also oversee the Wee Bar expansion, which will see a new speakeasy-style area created, providing guests with a more intimate social setting.
For more information, go here https://tinyurl.com/5dh8v9x5.
Will Allen, the general manager, said: "The kitchen is the engine room of The Chip.
"We're working hard to make sure the new layout supports quality, creativity, efficiency and the kind of environment chefs and front of house staff want to work in.
"This is a great opportunity to be part of a team that blends legacy with ambition.
"There aren't many kitchens like it in Glasgow."
Head chef Doug Lindsay, who has led the kitchen for more than 20 years, has played a key role in shaping the new spaces to meet the demands of a busy service while maintaining the venue's signature standards.
The restoration has been carefully planned to preserve the unique character of The Chip while modernising its facilities.
All existing staff—around 40 people—have been retained and will be temporarily redeployed to sister venues during the closure.
The Ubiquitous Chip has earned two AA Rosettes and an AA Notable Wine List Award.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Sneak peek at works underway at Glasgow's Ubiquitous Chip
Sneak peek at works underway at Glasgow's Ubiquitous Chip

Glasgow Times

time23 minutes ago

  • Glasgow Times

Sneak peek at works underway at Glasgow's Ubiquitous Chip

The much-loved restaurant, located in Ashton Lane in the West End of the city, is now more than halfway through a multi-million-pound restoration project. Closed since July 5, doors are scheduled to reopen in mid-September, with an 'enhanced visual appeal, fresh menus and extended opening hours'. (Image: Ubiquitous Chip) PicturedL The Ubiquitous Chip on Ashton Lane is undergoing a multi-million-pound restoration project Will Allen, general manager, said: 'The Chip has always been a place full of life – and over the years, that life has left its mark. 'This restoration is about caring for an establishment that locals and visitors to Glasgow hold dear. 'We're ensuring it's ready for the decades, generations and many more memorable moments to come within its walls.' Pictured: The Chip's new glass roof seen from the terrace (Image: Newsquest) The most significant investment in the building is a new glass roof above the main restaurant, allowing light to flood into the space below. While this has been installed, the many colourful artworks adorning the walls of The Chip have been carefully stored and protected. They will return to their places alongside several new pieces, which will not be unveiled until the reopening. Alasdair Gray artwork at the entrance way, not previously visible, has now been uncovered, with a heavy velvet curtain in place of a door also allowing for easier access and better 'flow' on the restaurant floor. There's no need to worry about the colourful fish in the koi pond, a beloved feature of the restaurant space, as the team have been keeping a close eye on them while work is carried out around their home. Pictured: The new extension at 'The Wee Pub' will be available for private dining and events (Image: Newsquest) Elsewhere, after purchasing the neighbouring William Hill betting shop, a new space has been transformed into an extension of the 'Wee Pub' area. This will offer extra seating and can also be hired for private dining and events. In a first for The Chip, the extension will also house a TV Screen while the walls will be used to showcase the work of up-and-coming Scottish artists. Pictured: A significant investment has been made in The Chip's kitchen spaces (Image: Newsquest) These aesthetic changes and renovations will be obvious to regulars upon their return. Less visible, however, will be the results of significant investment into extending the venue's kitchen areas, making them better fit for purpose. This will ensure 'everything runs smoothly' and 'help everyone to have a better time'. Pictured: The Brasserie space will remain largely unchanged (Image: Newsquest) The Brasserie area will remain largely unchanged, but with new furniture, upholstery, and a freshly polished floor. Next door, the Upstairs Bar has already been repainted, with plans to expand the number of seats available. READ NEXT: 'Time to say goodbye': Coffee shop closes after five years READ NEXT: The story behind why city landmarks are being lit purple, red and white this weekend Pictured: The Upstairs Bar has already received a fresh lick of paint (Image: Newsquest) From the roof terrace, customers will be able to take in the full effect of the building's new glass roof, which provides a clear view into the restaurant below. 'While these changes will bring fresh energy to the space, The Chip will remain instantly recognisable to those who know and love it,' Allen continued. 'We know it's important that we keep everything that makes this place special – the atmosphere, the people, the design – and give it the love and attention it deserves to enrich its journey for the future.' Although the team is delighted to talk us through the restoration works, details of new menus and other 'surprises' have been kept under wraps for now. Further updates are due to follow in the coming weeks. Ronnie Clydesdale founded the Ubiquitous Chip in 1971 with partner Ian Brydon. Both contributed £500 to the venture; Ronnie's share was his redundancy from the Black & White whisky bond, where he was a manager. Entirely self-taught, he pioneered the trend for using local, seasonal Scottish produce and was the first to put the provenance of his ingredients on the menu. Pictured: The West End venue is scheduled to reopen next month (Image: Newsquest) The restaurant was initially located in Ruthven Lane before moving to Ashton Lane in 1976. It has welcomed many famous diners and even served Princess Margaret lunch and Mick Jagger dinner on the same day. Other famous faces include Michael Keaton, Billy Connolly, Kylie Minogue, Keira Knightley and Lewis Capaldi. In 2022, it was bought over by the Metropolitan Pub Company, a subsidiary of Suffolk-based firm Greene King.

Scotland's pro youth set-up can't just be about cashing in on kids
Scotland's pro youth set-up can't just be about cashing in on kids

The National

timea day ago

  • The National

Scotland's pro youth set-up can't just be about cashing in on kids

The organisation's members, one of whom took to X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday after Miller had completed his record £4.7m transfer to Serie A side Udinese in Italy, are right to be proud of how well their youth set-up functions despite the myriad challenges they face in the modern game. 'Lee Erwin, David Turnbull, Allan Campbell, James Scott, Jake Hastie, Reece McAlear, Dean Cornelius, Chris Cadden, Bailey Rice and Max Johnston,' their social media manager posted. 'A conveyor belt of talent.' Clubs in Scotland have found it increasingly difficult to bring through young footballers who are capable of featuring in their first team in recent years due to the far-reaching implications of Brexit. Read more: Their English counterparts are no longer able to bring in the best prospects from mainland Europe so they turn to up-and-coming starlets from these shores instead to fill their age-group squads and snap them up, due to a shamefully outdated FIFA compensation system, for nominal fees. The chances of Aberdeen, Celtic, Dundee, Dundee United, Hibernian, Hearts, Kilmarnock, Livingston, Rangers and St Mirren making a tidy amount on a kid they have scouted, nurtured, supported and given extensive competitive game time to are diminishing with every passing season due, through no fault of theirs, to the reduced quality which their managers have at their disposal. The worrying trend has put the future of many academies at threat of closure. Why would a club continue to pump millions of pounds into youth development every year if they are not producing any goalkeepers, left-backs, midfielders, wingers or strikers who are capable of making the difficult step up to senior level and are operating at a considerable loss as a result? Motherwell, though, seem to have somehow bucked a trend. How much money have they banked from the hard graft and expertise of those who are charged with working with their aspiring professionals? It is a substantial eight figure sum. How important has that cash been to Motherwell? It has been absolutely invaluable. It has probably enabled them to continue to operate without, like so many of their top flight rivals, needing the benevolence of a wealthy sugar daddy. There is, incredibly given how many major clubs are fan owned these days, still an unease about punters holding any sort of power in certain quarters of our national game. The Miller cash, however, will enable them to thrive not just survive for some time going forward. One study that was published this week showed that Motherwell had pocketed a cool €11.68m and spent just €593,000 in the transfer market in the last five years. Only Aberdeen and Celtic had fared better than them. They are, then, an example to all. (Image: Craig Foy - SNS Group) The rise of the Scotland internationalist, who has delighted Steelmen with his skill, vision and maturity, has underlined that our leading clubs can still, despite larger and richer English clubs plundering their top talent the minute they turn 16, benefit from investing in the grassroots game. It is to be hoped the new cooperation system – an innovative scheme that has been, after extensive consultation with clubs and coaches, devised by SFA chief football officer Andy Gould and SFA head of elite men's strategy Chris Docherty – which is currently being rolled out will increase the number of hopefuls who make it in the paid ranks here in the seasons to come. Miller is, as well as being an exceptional footballer, a pleasant, articulate, grounded and confident lad. He is a credit to both his parents and Motherwell. Being a part of the Club Academy Scotland system has clearly been an overwhelmingly positive experience for him. That has been the case with the majority of his contemporaries. Am I alone, though, in being slightly uncomfortable about this increasing commodification of children? Is the pro youth set-up simply about cashing in on kids? Is there something slightly sinister about teenagers being treated purely as economic assets? It is not at all difficult to understand why directors see pound signs flashing when a special player emerges. It can be the difference between their club breaking even and plunging into the black and can save jobs. Still, the cold-bloodedness of that business model does leave many concerned individuals a little uneasy. Read more: Scottish football doesn't exactly have a great track record when it comes to the wellbeing of youngsters. An independent review into allegations of child sex abuse in the game here found that protection procedures were 'not fit for purpose' and recommended extensive changes as recently as 2018. There can be no complacency on that front. What, too, happens to the boys who are not quite good enough to be offloaded in a megabucks deal? Are they deemed surplus to requirements? Could more of an emphasis not be placed on developing defenders, midfielders and attackers who can just represent their clubs? Does absolutely everything have to be about filthy lucre? Motherwell have started the season encouragingly under their new manager Jens Berthel Askou and drawn with Rangers at home and St Mirren away. But their starting line-up in Paisley last weekend didn't feature a single player who had been reared at their academy. Luca Ross came on for the last four minutes but that was it. Maybe more of an emphasis could, by them and others, be placed on bringing through players who can spend years, not just a season or so, turning out for their local team. Maybe there would be fewer sides without a single Scot taking to the pitch if there was a change of strategy.

Scotland's pro youth set-up can't just be about cashing in on kids
Scotland's pro youth set-up can't just be about cashing in on kids

The Herald Scotland

timea day ago

  • The Herald Scotland

Scotland's pro youth set-up can't just be about cashing in on kids

'Lee Erwin, David Turnbull, Allan Campbell, James Scott, Jake Hastie, Reece McAlear, Dean Cornelius, Chris Cadden, Bailey Rice and Max Johnston,' their social media manager posted. 'A conveyor belt of talent.' Clubs in Scotland have found it increasingly difficult to bring through young footballers who are capable of featuring in their first team in recent years due to the far-reaching implications of Brexit. Read more: Their English counterparts are no longer able to bring in the best prospects from mainland Europe so they turn to up-and-coming starlets from these shores instead to fill their age-group squads and snap them up, due to a shamefully outdated FIFA compensation system, for nominal fees. The chances of Aberdeen, Celtic, Dundee, Dundee United, Hibernian, Hearts, Kilmarnock, Livingston, Rangers and St Mirren making a tidy amount on a kid they have scouted, nurtured, supported and given extensive competitive game time to are diminishing with every passing season due, through no fault of theirs, to the reduced quality which their managers have at their disposal. The worrying trend has put the future of many academies at threat of closure. Why would a club continue to pump millions of pounds into youth development every year if they are not producing any goalkeepers, left-backs, midfielders, wingers or strikers who are capable of making the difficult step up to senior level and are operating at a considerable loss as a result? Motherwell, though, seem to have somehow bucked a trend. How much money have they banked from the hard graft and expertise of those who are charged with working with their aspiring professionals? It is a substantial eight figure sum. How important has that cash been to Motherwell? It has been absolutely invaluable. It has probably enabled them to continue to operate without, like so many of their top flight rivals, needing the benevolence of a wealthy sugar daddy. There is, incredibly given how many major clubs are fan owned these days, still an unease about punters holding any sort of power in certain quarters of our national game. The Miller cash, however, will enable them to thrive not just survive for some time going forward. One study that was published this week showed that Motherwell had pocketed a cool €11.68m and spent just €593,000 in the transfer market in the last five years. Only Aberdeen and Celtic had fared better than them. They are, then, an example to all. (Image: Craig Foy - SNS Group) The rise of the Scotland internationalist, who has delighted Steelmen with his skill, vision and maturity, has underlined that our leading clubs can still, despite larger and richer English clubs plundering their top talent the minute they turn 16, benefit from investing in the grassroots game. It is to be hoped the new cooperation system – an innovative scheme that has been, after extensive consultation with clubs and coaches, devised by SFA chief football officer Andy Gould and SFA head of elite men's strategy Chris Docherty – which is currently being rolled out will increase the number of hopefuls who make it in the paid ranks here in the seasons to come. Miller is, as well as being an exceptional footballer, a pleasant, articulate, grounded and confident lad. He is a credit to both his parents and Motherwell. Being a part of the Club Academy Scotland system has clearly been an overwhelmingly positive experience for him. That has been the case with the majority of his contemporaries. Am I alone, though, in being slightly uncomfortable about this increasing commodification of children? Is the pro youth set-up simply about cashing in on kids? Is there something slightly sinister about teenagers being treated purely as economic assets? It is not at all difficult to understand why directors see pound signs flashing when a special player emerges. It can be the difference between their club breaking even and plunging into the black and can save jobs. Still, the cold-bloodedness of that business model does leave many concerned individuals a little uneasy. Read more: Scottish football doesn't exactly have a great track record when it comes to the wellbeing of youngsters. An independent review into allegations of child sex abuse in the game here found that protection procedures were 'not fit for purpose' and recommended extensive changes as recently as 2018. There can be no complacency on that front. What, too, happens to the boys who are not quite good enough to be offloaded in a megabucks deal? Are they deemed surplus to requirements? Could more of an emphasis not be placed on developing defenders, midfielders and attackers who can just represent their clubs? Does absolutely everything have to be about filthy lucre? Motherwell have started the season encouragingly under their new manager Jens Berthel Askou and drawn with Rangers at home and St Mirren away. But their starting line-up in Paisley last weekend didn't feature a single player who had been reared at their academy. Luca Ross came on for the last four minutes but that was it. Maybe more of an emphasis could, by them and others, be placed on bringing through players who can spend years, not just a season or so, turning out for their local team. Maybe there would be fewer sides without a single Scot taking to the pitch if there was a change of strategy.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store