Latest news with #CitizensTheatre
Daily Record
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Look who it isnae as Still Game star Boabby heads for West Lothian theatre stage
Gavin Mitchell who's best known as Boabby the Barman is heading to Bathgate A Bathgate audience will get the chance to question a Still Game star when he takes to the stage in the town later this month. Look Who It Isnae – An Audience with Gavin Mitchell, will see the 60-year-old actor offer up behind-the-scenes stories and insight from his years of working in theatre, film, TV and radio. Gavin is instantly recognisable thanks to his role as the acerbic Boabby the Barman in the hit Scottish sitcom TV series. Hailing from the north of Glasgow and an area he describes as the 'lovely fishing village of Springburn', Gavin first got into acting almost accidentally through a dare with one of his pals. 'A good mate of mine Iain Muir and I didn't know what we were going to do in life,' Gavin admits. 'He was a joiner but hadn't finished his apprenticeship. I did casual theme painting at the Citizens Theatre and he was doing casual joinery work. "We had the skinny, peely-wally look, with black hair, and Iain was asked to be an extra in the next show. He told me he didn't want to do it, I said' What? I'd love to do that'. So, he said if you do it, I'll do it and we shook hands on it. "So that's how it started and from there on in I learned on the job, I was at the Citizens for four or five years. I was working with Glenda Jackson and Rupert Everett and people like that.' There was a very significant development in the mid-90s when Gavin and the other actors who would eventually find national acclaim as the characters in Still Game, were thrown together for the first time. 'I worked with Ford [Kiernan] and Greg [Hemphill} on a sketch show in 1996 called Pulp Video and that's sort of where the Still Game characters first started. Greg and I played old men in a couple of the sketches, then out of boredom while we were waiting about we just started talking like two old men and making each other laugh, Ford thought there was something in it and wrote a couple of sketches. "Jane McCarry [Isa] was in Pulp Video as well and Sanjeev {Kohli - who played Navid] worked on it as a writer. I was Winston originally. We all kind of met then, almost 30 years ago.' Although the last Still Game television show was recorded around seven years ago Gavin admits he is still often called a pr**k by passers-by, an term often-used by Jack and Victor when greeting Boabby in The Clansman. 'It's always done with a fondness,' he said. 'It's kind of weird as Still Game only took about two weeks out of my year. Despite the fact I'd been acting for about 15 years before that and all the work I've done since, I've done all sorts, but I'll always been known for Boabby.' Gavin has taken on a variety of roles over the years, from film, telly and radio right through to opera. He's been playing Humphrey Bogart's role in Cassablanca on and off for 15 years, a role he will revive again at this year's Edinburgh Festival. But before that, what can the audience expect when he takes to the stage in Bathgate? 'The show will inevitably talk about Still Game but it will also be about the other side of things,' Gavin revealed. 'How I got there, the people I've worked with throughout the years – including becoming friends with Robin Williams and things like that. There will be loads of anecdotes and stories from over the years. 'I have clips from shows and ads that have never been seen in this country. I have questions that are sent in from celebrities, some I know, some I don't. I've had questions from Chesney Hawkes, Amy McDonald, Susan Boyle and Midge Ure. But my favourite part of the show is the second half when the punters in the crowd get to ask me questions, because you never know what you're going to be asked and what way it's going to go, it's kind of unpredictable.' Look Who It Isnae – An Audience with Gavin Mitchell is at the Reconnect Regal Theatre on Friday, June 27.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lockerbie: Remembering the victims of Flight 103
Almost 40 years on, it seems surprising there are still new stories to tell about the Lockerbie disaster. The destruction of Pan Am 103 in the skies above the small Dumfries and Galloway town on 21 December 1988 is one of the most chronicled events in recent British history. A bomb exploded in the plane's cargo hold, causing the Boeing 747 to break up at 31,000ft as it flew from Heathrow to New York. All 259 passengers and crew on board were killed, along with 11 people in Lockerbie who died when the plane fell on their homes. It remains the biggest terror attack to have taken place on British soil. Coverage tends to focus on anniversaries, but the past six months have brought two big-budget television dramas and later this year a play about the town's response to the disaster will debut at Glasgow's Citizens Theatre. Now, a BBC Scotland documentary aims to tell some of the less well-known stories about those who died on the flight, and about those they left behind. Among the victims on the plane was Tim Burman, a 24-year-old banker who was flying to New York to spend Christmas with his girlfriend, Rose Grant. Tim was the youngest of four and the only boy. His three sisters - Rachel, Tanya and Fiona - remember him as an "arty, sporty" brother who was keen on the environment and loved running in the Scottish hills. Tanya says: "He genuinely was easy-going and fun, really good fun". Rose, who Tim met while he was on a gap year in Australia, says: "I enjoyed his sense of humour, his style, sense of adventure, ability to get on with everyone. They all mourn his lost potential. His sister Tanya says: "He's both the brother we had, but also a victim of Pan Am 103." Rose believes Tim and his death created a huge bond between them all. "Tim is everywhere in the conversation and the mannerisms of Rachel, Tanya and Fiona," she says. "Our connection is held together by him still." Olive Gordon was 25 and a hairdresser from Birmingham. She had bought a last-minute ticket on Pan Am 103 and was planning on enjoying some shopping in New York in the run up to Christmas. "She was just yapping. She said 'I'm going to America tomorrow. Going to buy stuff'. She loved shopping," her sister Donna says. Donna describes Olive as "very bubbly, very full on. You just would not forget her if you knew her". Olive was one of nine siblings. "I have always asked 'why her? why my sister?'" her brother Colyn says. "And it's something that you sort of battle with. And I'm still battling with it, a little bit. Well, not a little bit, a lot." Her family believe she would have been in business now, something involving hair and beauty. "She would probably be an influencer right now," Donna says. William MacAllister, known as Billy, was a 26-year-old professional golfer from Mull. He was heading to the USA for a romantic break with his girlfriend Terri. Her friends say Terri was hoping Billy was about to propose. Fellow golf pro Stewart Smith worked with Billy at a course in London and remembers his friend as a natural comic with a zest for life. "He was a very funny guy. Great sense of humour, great sense of fun," he says. "He had moved to Richmond Park, so I went across and worked with Billy. Imagine living in London in the mid-80s when you're mid-20s, both of you. "We had some great times." Back in Mull, family friends have put a memorial bench on the course at Tobermory, where they say Billy played every day after school and every weekend from the age of 12. They remember him as "some guy". Family friend Olive Brown says: "Every December I do have a wee sad moment, thinking he's not here. All that potential, enthusiasm and ability got caught short." Colyn and other members of Olive Gordon's family visited Lockerbie in the days after the disaster. It was a shocking scene. "I remember the crater, this huge hole, and these little bits all over the place. It just had this smell. My God, my sister was found here. Somewhere here," he says. In the weeks that followed, members of the local community came together to wash, press and package up the belongings of those who had died on the plane. The Lockerbie laundry has become a symbol of the kindness shown by the people of the town. They treated the dead and their families with love and care while coping with their own immeasurable trauma. Colyn says: "Just thinking about it now makes me emotional. Because these people, they don't know you, they've never met you. But the way they treated you is as if they were family. "The people of Lockerbie showed how humanity works. How to display compassion, to display love. I'll never forget them. "I don't know if it's quite macabre to say this but I've always said I am glad that's the place that my sister's life was ended. Because of the type of people that live in this place." The events of the night of 21 December 1988 have resonated across the decades. In 2001, a Libyan intelligence officer, Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi, was convicted of the bombing and 270 counts of murder, following a trial in front of three Scottish judges sitting in a special court at Camp Zeist in the Netherlands. His co-accused, Al Amin Khalifa Fhimah, was found not guilty. Suffering from terminal prostate cancer, Megrahi was released from prison in Scotland on compassionate grounds in 2009. He was returned to Libya and spent the next three years living in a villa in Tripoli before finally succumbing to his illness in 2012. Ten years later, Libyan Abu Agila Mas'ud Kheir Al-Marimi, known as Masud, was taken into American custody after being removed from his home in Tripoli. He is awaiting trial in the USA, accused of building the bomb that destroyed Pan Am 103. Today, the town of Lockerbie remembers the disaster in its own, quiet, way. Pupils from the secondary school can apply for a scholarship to spend a year at Syracuse University, in memory of 35 students from there who died in the bombing. There is a memorial garden on the edge of the town, as well as plaques in Sherwood Crescent and Park Place, the two sites where most of the plane came down. Nearby Tundergarth Church, which overlooks the field where the nose cone was found, is also a site of remembrance. But more than anything, the Lockerbie bombing victims are remembered by those they left behind. Every year in Tobermory, members at the golf club play for the cup which carries Billy MacAllister's name. And his friend Stewart has a special reason to remember him. "He had a big impact on my life really because, had Billy not enticed me to go and work over at Richmond, I would probably have not got to know my then girlfriend, who became my wife. My life would have been a very different one from what it became," he says. "What a shame he didn't get a chance to go on and fulfil his potential." For Rose, Tim's early death has shaped the course of the past four decades for all those who loved him. "I think the gift that Tim's given us is to live our lives. I always feel that I owe that to him. Get out and do it." Olive's death has had the same effect on Colyn and their siblings. "Olive would have wanted us to live a good life, a full life. Like how she lived. Having a good time." Lockerbie: Our Story will be available on the BBC iPlayer from 22:00 on Monday 2 June and will be shown on BBC Two at 21:00 and BBC Scotland at 22:00 on Tuesday 3 June. First look at new BBC and Netflix Lockerbie drama Lockerbie bombing: The ultimate detective story? Timeline: Lockerbie bombing
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Lockerbie: Remembering the victims of Flight 103
Almost 40 years on, it seems surprising there are still new stories to tell about the Lockerbie destruction of Pan Am 103 in the skies above the small Dumfries and Galloway town on 21 December 1988 is one of the most chronicled events in recent British history.A bomb exploded in the plane's cargo hold, causing the Boeing 747 to break up at 31,000ft as it flew from Heathrow to New 259 passengers and crew on board were killed, along with 11 people in Lockerbie who died when the plane fell on their homes. It remains the biggest terror attack to have taken place on British tends to focus on anniversaries, but the past six months have brought two big-budget television dramas and later this year a play about the town's response to the disaster will debut at Glasgow's Citizens a BBC Scotland documentary aims to tell some of the less well-known stories about those who died on the flight, and about those they left behind. Among the victims on the plane was Tim Burman, a 24-year-old banker who was flying to New York to spend Christmas with his girlfriend, Rose was the youngest of four and the only boy. His three sisters - Rachel, Tanya and Fiona - remember him as an "arty, sporty" brother who was keen on the environment and loved running in the Scottish says: "He genuinely was easy-going and fun, really good fun".Rose, who Tim met while he was on a gap year in Australia, says: "I enjoyed his sense of humour, his style, sense of adventure, ability to get on with everyone. They all mourn his lost potential. His sister Tanya says: "He's both the brother we had, but also a victim of Pan Am 103."Rose believes Tim and his death created a huge bond between them all."Tim is everywhere in the conversation and the mannerisms of Rachel, Tanya and Fiona," she says. "Our connection is held together by him still." Olive Gordon was 25 and a hairdresser from Birmingham. She had bought a last-minute ticket on Pan Am 103 and was planning on enjoying some shopping in New York in the run up to Christmas."She was just yapping. She said 'I'm going to America tomorrow. Going to buy stuff'. She loved shopping," her sister Donna describes Olive as "very bubbly, very full on. You just would not forget her if you knew her".Olive was one of nine siblings. "I have always asked 'why her? why my sister?'" her brother Colyn says. "And it's something that you sort of battle with. And I'm still battling with it, a little bit. Well, not a little bit, a lot."Her family believe she would have been in business now, something involving hair and beauty."She would probably be an influencer right now," Donna says. William MacAllister, known as Billy, was a 26-year-old professional golfer from Mull. He was heading to the USA for a romantic break with his girlfriend friends say Terri was hoping Billy was about to golf pro Stewart Smith worked with Billy at a course in London and remembers his friend as a natural comic with a zest for life."He was a very funny guy. Great sense of humour, great sense of fun," he says."He had moved to Richmond Park, so I went across and worked with Billy. Imagine living in London in the mid-80s when you're mid-20s, both of you."We had some great times."Back in Mull, family friends have put a memorial bench on the course at Tobermory, where they say Billy played every day after school and every weekend from the age of 12. They remember him as "some guy".Family friend Olive Brown says: "Every December I do have a wee sad moment, thinking he's not here. All that potential, enthusiasm and ability got caught short." Colyn and other members of Olive Gordon's family visited Lockerbie in the days after the disaster. It was a shocking scene."I remember the crater, this huge hole, and these little bits all over the place. It just had this smell. My God, my sister was found here. Somewhere here," he says. In the weeks that followed, members of the local community came together to wash, press and package up the belongings of those who had died on the plane. The Lockerbie laundry has become a symbol of the kindness shown by the people of the town. They treated the dead and their families with love and care while coping with their own immeasurable says: "Just thinking about it now makes me emotional. Because these people, they don't know you, they've never met you. But the way they treated you is as if they were family."The people of Lockerbie showed how humanity works. How to display compassion, to display love. I'll never forget them."I don't know if it's quite macabre to say this but I've always said I am glad that's the place that my sister's life was ended. Because of the type of people that live in this place." The events of the night of 21 December 1988 have resonated across the 2001, a Libyan intelligence officer, Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi, was convicted of the bombing and 270 counts of murder, following a trial in front of three Scottish judges sitting in a special court at Camp Zeist in the co-accused, Al Amin Khalifa Fhimah, was found not from terminal prostate cancer, Megrahi was released from prison in Scotland on compassionate grounds in 2009. He was returned to Libya and spent the next three years living in a villa in Tripoli before finally succumbing to his illness in 2012. Ten years later, Libyan Abu Agila Mas'ud Kheir Al-Marimi, known as Masud, was taken into American custody after being removed from his home in is awaiting trial in the USA, accused of building the bomb that destroyed Pan Am 103. Today, the town of Lockerbie remembers the disaster in its own, quiet, from the secondary school can apply for a scholarship to spend a year at Syracuse University, in memory of 35 students from there who died in the is a memorial garden on the edge of the town, as well as plaques in Sherwood Crescent and Park Place, the two sites where most of the plane came Tundergarth Church, which overlooks the field where the nose cone was found, is also a site of more than anything, the Lockerbie bombing victims are remembered by those they left year in Tobermory, members at the golf club play for the cup which carries Billy MacAllister's his friend Stewart has a special reason to remember him."He had a big impact on my life really because, had Billy not enticed me to go and work over at Richmond, I would probably have not got to know my then girlfriend, who became my wife. My life would have been a very different one from what it became," he says."What a shame he didn't get a chance to go on and fulfil his potential."For Rose, Tim's early death has shaped the course of the past four decades for all those who loved him."I think the gift that Tim's given us is to live our lives. I always feel that I owe that to him. Get out and do it."Olive's death has had the same effect on Colyn and their siblings."Olive would have wanted us to live a good life, a full life. Like how she lived. Having a good time."Lockerbie: Our Story will be available on the BBC iPlayer from 22:00 on Monday 2 June and will be shown on BBC Two at 21:00 and BBC Scotland at 22:00 on Tuesday 3 June.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Celebrate 850 years of Glasgow—here's what to see and do
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). Glasgow is famously friendly — and famously rainy, with some 170 drizzly days each year. But the grey weather comes with an upside: this city pours its heart and soul into its cultural pursuits. After all, when there's little chance of lolling around in the sun, you may as well start an art movement, a band or a restaurant. The household names to have come out of Glasgow are legion — from designer-architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh, football manager Alex Ferguson and singer Lulu to actor Peter Capaldi and comedian Frankie Boyle — and you'll find some of the UK's best theatres, music venues and museums here. Walking around the city centre, Glasgow's prosperous past is evident: its grand Victorian banking halls, civic buildings and merchants' homes serve as towering sandstone reminders of its 19th-century status as the second city of the British Empire. Once, more than half of Britain's tobacco was landed on the River Clyde and a fifth of the world's ships were built here. Its decline was painful, with the late-20th-century shutdown of shipbuilders, coal mines and steelworks resulting in mass unemployment. Though the city still ranks as one of the UK's poorest, Glasgow has undergone decades of regeneration. One example is its celebrated Citizens Theatre due to reopen after major refurbishment this year. Many attractions lie inside the curled arms of the M8 and M74, which run close to the historic centre. However, it's worth branching out to the West End, where you'll find Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, one of the city's finest, as well as the Botanic Gardens and the Mackintosh House. This is a city that rewards exploration on two feet, allowing you to change your plans on a whim and follow the sound of live folk music or the smell of Scottish beef sizzling on a grill. You'll find most Glaswegians keen to pause for a chat, too; be ready to get waylaid for a good old 'blether'. Merchant City Tour: A UNESCO City of Music and home to numerous superb small venues, Glasgow has music tour takes in some of the top musical sites, telling tales of famous names and infamous gigs. You'll see the two-centuries-old The Clutha, a bar that's hosted everyone from Woodie Guthrie to Frank Zappa, and Barrowland Ballroom, a venue that counts Oasis, Metallica and LCD Soundsystem among its past performers. Clydeside Distillery: Opened on the waterfront in 2017, this distillery turns out fine Lowland-style whiskies, including Napier, matured in sherry casks for a sweeter finish. You could take a straightforward one-hour whisky tour, but why do just that when there's a chocolate-and-whisky tour on offer? You'll sample five different drams, each paired with a chocolate made by artisan producer Sugarsnap. Glasgow Street Art Tour: This guided 90-minute walk offers insight into the city's character. It includes political and historical works by locally based artists like Smug and Rogue-One — the latter's depictions of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Billy Connolly are a highlight — and a legal graffiti site on the Clyde Walkway, where artists have free rein as part of a pilot scheme. Burrell Collection: If you only have time for one of Glasgow's many free-to-enter museums, don't miss the collection amassed by shipping magnate William Burrell. Gifted to the city in 1944, its 9,000 objects include The Red Ballet Skirts by Edgar Degas and a bronze cast of The Thinker by Auguste Rodin. The Burrell Collection is set within Pollok Country Park, where you can also see ginger-coated Highland cows. Mackintosh at the Willow: Designer- architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh was born in Glasgow in 1868 and pioneered the distinctive Glasgow Style, a form of art nouveau. He also designed many buildings in the city, including this tearoom on Sauchiehall Street. As well as serving cream teas, it houses an exhibition about Mackintosh and a shop selling cards, glassworks and jewellery in his style. Glasgow Necropolis: Sprawled across a hill beside Glasgow Cathedral (the city's oldest building), this Victorian cemetery is home to 3,500 tombs, many incredibly ornate. Wander amid the graves of merchants, shipowners and politicians to find the Celtic cross designed by Mackintosh. The Social Hub: On the edge of Merchant City, straightforward hotel rooms are mixed with extended-stay accommodation, with everyone coming together on the open-plan ground floor to dine in the classy cafe. Bedrooms are simple, but the best have far-reaching views of the city. The Address Glasgow: This 1920s building with a neo-classical facade is in the heart of the centre, close to train stations and many of Glasgow's best restaurants — try Sugo for pasta. No two bedrooms are alike; the pouting red lips behind reception nod to the fun artworks you'll find throughout. Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel: This five-star spot on one of Glasgow's finest Georgian squares has bedrooms decorated in dark marble and cosy tweed. There's a spacious spa, with Scottish island-themed hydrotherapy pools and thermal suites, and the on-site restaurant Iasg ('fish' in Gaelic) serves sustainable Scottish seafood, including smoked salmon and Cumbrae oysters. Royâ: You'll be tempted to order every dish you see landing on nearby tables at this homely Middle Eastern restaurant in the city centre, from the fiery red mouhamara dip dotted with pomegranate seeds to the charred corn ribs crumbled with feta. Alongside the many vegan and vegetarian options, there are also meat kebabs. Brett: Nab a seat at the chef's counter of this intimate restaurant on Great Western Road and you'll realise why it's worth the 25-minute walk west from the city centre. Dishes have a decidedly Michelin air — the restaurant's sister venue, Cail Bruich, currently holds one star — and include the likes of monkfish served with bergamot, wild garlic and fermented fennel. Gamba: Occupying a warm and welcoming basement on West George Street in the city centre, this elegant restaurant serves Scottish seafood with a twist — from scallop sashimi to classics like lobster thermidor. Settle in with its well-chosen wine list and extensive whisky selection. The Hidden Lane: Duck down this colourful lane off Argyle Street, in Finnieston, to find bespoke jewellery at the studios of Heather McDermott and Fiona Hutchison-Barr; sustainable fashion at House of Black; and pick and mix at Simba's Sweets. You can refuel with homemade cake at The Hidden Lane Tearoom. Foodies by SDX: Small producers can struggle to get a look in on city high streets, which is why the Scottish Design Exchange gives the best homegrown brands a chance to appear in its shop window. Its food-focused store in Buchanan Galleries stocks a range of local produce, from hot sauces and honeys to crisps and oatcakes. Monorail Music: Glasgow has a selection of record shops to root around in. One of the best is central Monorail Music, loved by collectors for its curated selection of LPs and regular small gigs and events. Assai Records is another vinyl specialist and its Sauchiehall Street store includes a rack of Scottish music. King Tut's Wah Wah Hut: Opened in 1990 and beloved since, this intimate music venue on central St Vincent Street invites you to squish down a bit, get cosy in the crowd and stand within guitar-swinging distance of the stage. Often one of the first venues played by emerging artists, this is a place to discover the next big thing, having hosted everyone from Pulp to Biffy Clyro. Devil of Brooklyn: The interior of this city centre cocktail bar, located in a former banking hall, is a mix of hanging plants, flickering candles, neon-red ceiling lights and a marble fireplace. The grand, historic setting is teamed with a very current drinks list, featuring all manner of homemade ingredients as well as unusual vermouths and liqueurs. The Pot Still: This long-standing whisky joint in the heart of Glasgow claims to serve more than 1,000 different drams, and staff take pride in finding every customer their perfect match. Prime spots are the red-leather banquette seats or bar-side, where you can rest an elbow while scanning the bottle-lined walls. Shop for one-offs: The city's markets are the best places to unearth a bargain. Established in 1921, The Barras in the East End is open every weekend and good for antiques and vintage fashion, while the twice-monthly Park Lane Market in the suburb of Shawlands is the place to go for artwork, jewellery and handmade clothing. Hear Grassroots music: Discover new names at the city's smaller venues. For folk, head along to the relaxed sessions at The Lismore, in Partick; for jazz, visit the city centre's The Butterfly and the Pig, a Georgian townhouse with a small basement stage that hosts students from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Head for Dennistoun: Duke Street is the main drag of this up-and-coming easterly suburb. It's home to an enticing food scene, including Tibo for brunch and the family-run institution Coia's Café. Pubs take over at night: both Redmond's and The Palais Bar have craft beer, live music and great cocktails. Published in the March 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
National Geographic
19-03-2025
- Entertainment
- National Geographic
Celebrate 850 years of Glasgow—here's what to see and do
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). Glasgow is famously friendly — and famously rainy, with some 170 drizzly days each year. But the grey weather comes with an upside: this city pours its heart and soul into its cultural pursuits. After all, when there's little chance of lolling around in the sun, you may as well start an art movement, a band or a restaurant. The household names to have come out of Glasgow are legion — from designer-architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh, football manager Alex Ferguson and singer Lulu to actor Peter Capaldi and comedian Frankie Boyle — and you'll find some of the UK's best theatres, music venues and museums here. Walking around the city centre, Glasgow's prosperous past is evident: its grand Victorian banking halls, civic buildings and merchants' homes serve as towering sandstone reminders of its 19th-century status as the second city of the British Empire. Once, more than half of Britain's tobacco was landed on the River Clyde and a fifth of the world's ships were built here. Its decline was painful, with the late-20th-century shutdown of shipbuilders, coal mines and steelworks resulting in mass unemployment. Though the city still ranks as one of the UK's poorest, Glasgow has undergone decades of regeneration. One example is its celebrated Citizens Theatre due to reopen after major refurbishment this year. Many attractions lie inside the curled arms of the M8 and M74, which run close to the historic centre. However, it's worth branching out to the West End, where you'll find Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, one of the city's finest, as well as the Botanic Gardens and the Mackintosh House. This is a city that rewards exploration on two feet, allowing you to change your plans on a whim and follow the sound of live folk music or the smell of Scottish beef sizzling on a grill. You'll find most Glaswegians keen to pause for a chat, too; be ready to get waylaid for a good old 'blether'. Glasgow's street art can be explored best on a guided walking tour. Photograph by Hemis, AWL Images What to see and do in Glasgow Merchant City Tour: A UNESCO City of Music and home to numerous superb small venues, Glasgow has music tour takes in some of the top musical sites, telling tales of famous names and infamous gigs. You'll see the two-centuries-old The Clutha, a bar that's hosted everyone from Woodie Guthrie to Frank Zappa, and Barrowland Ballroom, a venue that counts Oasis, Metallica and LCD Soundsystem among its past performers. Clydeside Distillery: Opened on the waterfront in 2017, this distillery turns out fine Lowland-style whiskies, including Napier, matured in sherry casks for a sweeter finish. You could take a straightforward one-hour whisky tour, but why do just that when there's a chocolate-and-whisky tour on offer? You'll sample five different drams, each paired with a chocolate made by artisan producer Sugarsnap. Glasgow Street Art Tour: This guided 90-minute walk offers insight into the city's character. It includes political and historical works by locally based artists like Smug and Rogue-One — the latter's depictions of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Billy Connolly are a highlight — and a legal graffiti site on the Clyde Walkway, where artists have free rein as part of a pilot scheme. Burrell Collection: If you only have time for one of Glasgow's many free-to-enter museums, don't miss the collection amassed by shipping magnate William Burrell. Gifted to the city in 1944, its 9,000 objects include The Red Ballet Skirts by Edgar Degas and a bronze cast of The Thinker by Auguste Rodin. The Burrell Collection is set within Pollok Country Park, where you can also see ginger-coated Highland cows. Mackintosh at the Willow: Designer- architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh was born in Glasgow in 1868 and pioneered the distinctive Glasgow Style, a form of art nouveau. He also designed many buildings in the city, including this tearoom on Sauchiehall Street. As well as serving cream teas, it houses an exhibition about Mackintosh and a shop selling cards, glassworks and jewellery in his style. Glasgow Necropolis: Sprawled across a hill beside Glasgow Cathedral (the city's oldest building), this Victorian cemetery is home to 3,500 tombs, many incredibly ornate. Wander amid the graves of merchants, shipowners and politicians to find the Celtic cross designed by Mackintosh. Charles Rennie Mackintosh designed the room that today holds afternoon tea at Mackintosh at the Willow. Photograph by Robert Ormerod Glasgow's best hotels The Social Hub: On the edge of Merchant City, straightforward hotel rooms are mixed with extended-stay accommodation, with everyone coming together on the open-plan ground floor to dine in the classy cafe. Bedrooms are simple, but the best have far-reaching views of the city. The Address Glasgow: This 1920s building with a neo-classical facade is in the heart of the centre, close to train stations and many of Glasgow's best restaurants — try Sugo for pasta. No two bedrooms are alike; the pouting red lips behind reception nod to the fun artworks you'll find throughout. Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel: This five-star spot on one of Glasgow's finest Georgian squares has bedrooms decorated in dark marble and cosy tweed. There's a spacious spa, with Scottish island-themed hydrotherapy pools and thermal suites, and the on-site restaurant Iasg ('fish' in Gaelic) serves sustainable Scottish seafood, including smoked salmon and Cumbrae oysters. Where to eat Royâ: You'll be tempted to order every dish you see landing on nearby tables at this homely Middle Eastern restaurant in the city centre, from the fiery red mouhamara dip dotted with pomegranate seeds to the charred corn ribs crumbled with feta. Alongside the many vegan and vegetarian options, there are also meat kebabs. Brett: Nab a seat at the chef's counter of this intimate restaurant on Great Western Road and you'll realise why it's worth the 25-minute walk west from the city centre. Dishes have a decidedly Michelin air — the restaurant's sister venue, Cail Bruich, currently holds one star — and include the likes of monkfish served with bergamot, wild garlic and fermented fennel. Gamba: Occupying a warm and welcoming basement on West George Street in the city centre, this elegant restaurant serves Scottish seafood with a twist — from scallop sashimi to classics like lobster thermidor. Settle in with its well-chosen wine list and extensive whisky selection. Royâ's menu includes fried pastries, corn ribs, mouhamara, naan bread and watermelon spritzes. Photograph by Robert Ormerod Where to go shopping The Hidden Lane: Duck down this colourful lane off Argyle Street, in Finnieston, to find bespoke jewellery at the studios of Heather McDermott and Fiona Hutchison-Barr; sustainable fashion at House of Black; and pick and mix at Simba's Sweets. You can refuel with homemade cake at The Hidden Lane Tearoom. Foodies by SDX: Small producers can struggle to get a look in on city high streets, which is why the Scottish Design Exchange gives the best homegrown brands a chance to appear in its shop window. Its food-focused store in Buchanan Galleries stocks a range of local produce, from hot sauces and honeys to crisps and oatcakes. Monorail Music: Glasgow has a selection of record shops to root around in. One of the best is central Monorail Music, loved by collectors for its curated selection of LPs and regular small gigs and events. Assai Records is another vinyl specialist and its Sauchiehall Street store includes a rack of Scottish music. After hours King Tut's Wah Wah Hut: Opened in 1990 and beloved since, this intimate music venue on central St Vincent Street invites you to squish down a bit, get cosy in the crowd and stand within guitar-swinging distance of the stage. Often one of the first venues played by emerging artists, this is a place to discover the next big thing, having hosted everyone from Pulp to Biffy Clyro. Devil of Brooklyn: The interior of this city centre cocktail bar, located in a former banking hall, is a mix of hanging plants, flickering candles, neon-red ceiling lights and a marble fireplace. The grand, historic setting is teamed with a very current drinks list, featuring all manner of homemade ingredients as well as unusual vermouths and liqueurs. The Pot Still: This long-standing whisky joint in the heart of Glasgow claims to serve more than 1,000 different drams, and staff take pride in finding every customer their perfect match. Prime spots are the red-leather banquette seats or bar-side, where you can rest an elbow while scanning the bottle-lined walls. The Devil of Brooklyn bar occupies a former bank in the city centre. Photograph by Robert Ormerod Like a local Shop for one-offs: The city's markets are the best places to unearth a bargain. Established in 1921, The Barras in the East End is open every weekend and good for antiques and vintage fashion, while the twice-monthly Park Lane Market in the suburb of Shawlands is the place to go for artwork, jewellery and handmade clothing. Hear Grassroots music: Discover new names at the city's smaller venues. For folk, head along to the relaxed sessions at The Lismore, in Partick; for jazz, visit the city centre's The Butterfly and the Pig, a Georgian townhouse with a small basement stage that hosts students from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Head for Dennistoun: Duke Street is the main drag of this up-and-coming easterly suburb. It's home to an enticing food scene, including Tibo for brunch and the family-run institution Coia's Café. Pubs take over at night: both Redmond's and The Palais Bar have craft beer, live music and great cocktails. How to do it Getting there & around Trains run to Glasgow Central on the West Coast Main Line, with Glasgow also has an international airport, with flights across the UK. Average journey time from London: 5h45m. It's almost entirely possible to get around Glasgow on foot, although the When to go Glasgow's climate is famously wet, but the spring and early summer months (April to July) are the driest. May has the highest number of sunshine hours (almost 200) and the lowest rainfall, while July is warmest, with average highs of around 19C. December is the wettest and coldest month, with average lows of 1C. Wrap up warmly and winter can be a fun time to visit: the More info: Glasgow: The Autobiography. £12.99 Scotland Beyond the Bagpipes. £9.99 This story was created with the support of Visit Glasgow and Visit Scotland. BA Holidays has three nights at the DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Central from £239 per person, including flights from run to Glasgow Central on the West Coast Main Line, with Avanti West Coast offering direct services from stations including London Euston, Milton Keynes, Birmingham New Street, Crewe and Lancaster. Fast trains from London take as little as four and a half hours, while from Birmingham it's four hours and from Lancaster two also has an international airport, with flights across the journey time from London: almost entirely possible to get around Glasgow on foot, although the Subway can also be useful — it runs in a circle, from the city centre to the West End and back. Visitors are best off buying a paper ticket for each journey. To reach the Burrell Collection, it's a 10-minute ScotRail train journey from Glasgow Central to Pollokshaws climate is famously wet, but the spring and early summer months (April to July) are the driest. May has the highest number of sunshine hours (almost 200) and the lowest rainfall, while July is warmest, with average highs of around 19C. December is the wettest and coldest month, with average lows of up warmly and winter can be a fun time to visit: the Celtic Connections music festival is held in January and the Glasgow International Comedy Festival showcases Scottish stand-up talent every March.. £12.99£9.99 National Geographic Traveller (UK). To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click Published in the March 2025 issue of(UK).To subscribe to(UK) magazine click here . (Available in select countries only).
