Merchant City

The Merchant City District is one of Glasgow’s most distinctive urban quarters, known for its historic warehouses, lanes, markets and long-standing association with arts, culture and independent businesses. As part of the wider City Centre Strategy and DRF programme, regeneration efforts focus on improving connectivity, enhancing public realm, supporting active travel and fostering a vibrant mix of cultural, commercial and residential uses.

A major catalyst within current regeneration is the transformation of Candleriggs Square, a 3.6‑acre site at the heart of Merchant City that had remained derelict for more than two decades. This mixed use redevelopment is now reshaping the area with new homes, offices, retail, community amenities and public space, marking a once in a generation opportunity to revive a central piece of the district’s urban fabric. The square’s redevelopment is already progressing.

One of the most significant completed elements of this regeneration is The Social Hub Glasgow, the first of its kind in the UK and a key anchor of the Candleriggs Square vision. Delivered as a four star hybrid hospitality development, it combines hotel accommodation, student living, extended stay rooms, co‑working spaces and leisure facilities within a 20,000‑square‑metre complex. Backed by a £90 million investment, its opening marked a major milestone in the £300 million regeneration of the Candleriggs site, bringing renewed activity, footfall and connectivity to the Merchant City.