Introduction

This evening, I am reporting on Shawlands in Glasgow Southside. This follows the suburb being ranked as the 6th best place to live in Scotland by a national newspaper.

News of the ranking did raise an eyebrow. In fact this morning I was accosted by a local councillor who described the place as “a dump”. However, on reflection, Shawlands is a vibrant community with potential and much to offer residents.

Information on Shawlands

Population is about 8,500 and the name translates as ‘woodlands’. This name is from Old English, not Gaelic.

History: Close by was fought the Battle of Langside in 1568. Mary Queen of Scots was defeated and escaped to England where she was executed in 1587.

Transport: Well served by rail, bus and road. Only three miles from centre of Glasgow.

Recreation: Queens Park with various recreational facilities is adjacent.

Glasgow viewed from Queens Park

Housing stock: Late 19th/early 20th century tenements appear to predominate.

Parking: Very challenging. However, there is easy access by public transport.

Shopping: Shawlands is extremely well endowed with a wide range of shops, bars, pubs, restaurants and food outlets. It is noticeable that very few retail units are vacant or boarded up.

Socio-economic demographic: Possibly low-middle income including young persons entering the housing ladder for the first time.

More information from images below.

Centre

MORE INFORMATION

The publication Visitors’ Guide to Scotland includes sections on towns, cities and history plus much more. The ISBN is 978-1-9161332-0-4. This book is also available via Kindle.