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The best of Glasgow
Written by: Anita Lišková & Todd Shaw
Photo by: allphoto
images
From a declining industrial center, Glasgow has been transformed
into a forward-looking city and one of the hippest spots in Europe.
Architectural styles abound, as well as a burgeoning cultural sector,
while some of Scotland's most beautiful mountains, glens, and lochs
are easily accessible.
Omar Sattar
director of asset management, Orco Property Group
Favorite hotel: Langs Hotel, 2 Port Dundas Place,
tel.: +44 141 333 1500
Opposite Royal Concert Hall.
Favorite restaurants: Cafe Mao, 84 Brunswick St Merchant City,
tel.: +44 141 564 5161
- Asian fusion cooking at its best
Cafe Gandolfi, 64 Albion St Merchant City, tel.: +42 141 552
6813
- quality Scottish cuisine
Favorite night club: Sub Club, 22 Jamaica St, tel.: +44 141
248 4600
Favorite attraction: AArchitecture - Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Glasgow
University in West End.
Best-kept secret: 5pm.co.uk
Internet site offering excellent deals on dining throughout
the city.
Favorite shops: House of Frasers , 21-45 Buchanan St, tel.:
+44 141 221 3880, Department store
Slaters Menswear, 165 Howard St, tel.: + 44 141 552 7171- for
a wide range of suits and prices
Advice: Merchant City area in general offers a large array
of shops, restaurants, bars and clubs. It's a popular residential
area in the city center for professionals and students. |
Lenka
Stárková
entrepreneur
Favorite hotel: Travel Inn,
187 George Street, tel.: +44 870 238 3320
- clean and very centrally located
Favorite restaurant: Cafe India, 171 North Street, tel.:
+44 141 248 4074
- it has the best curry in town
Favorite night clubs: Sub Club, 22 Jamaica St, tel.:
+44 141 248 4600
- for dancing the night away
Horseshoe Bar, 17-19 Drury Lane, tel.: +44 141 229 5711
Favorite attraction: Glasgow Science Centre, 50 Pacific
Quay, tel.: +44 141 420 5000
The tower at the center, it has a fantastic view over
the entire city.
Best-kept secret: Riverside Club, 33 Fox Street
- great venue with lots of different types of music nights,
from ceilidh dancing to hip hop
Favorite shop: John Lewis, City Centre, 97 Argyle St,
tel.: +44 141 353 6677
It has everything you could want!
Advice: Try to stay in a central hotel, as getting
a taxi after a late night out is impossible.
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Václav Rout
owner, Kilt
Favorite hotel: The Pipers' Tryst Hotel, The Piping Centre,
30-34 MacPhater Street, tel.: +44 141 353 5551
- hotel with a pleasant atmosphere located in a reconstructed
17th-century church
Favorite restaurant: Corinthian, 191 Ingram St., tel.: +44
141 552 1101
- near Royal Exchange Square
Favorite night club:Tiger Tiger, The Glasshouse, 20 Glassford
Street, tel.: +44 141 553 4888
Favorite attraction: Celtic Connection - The biggest winter
festival of Scottish music in the world, taking place in
Glasgow every year in late January and early February.
Favorite shop: Buchanan Galleries Shopping Centre, Buchanan
Street, tel.: +44 141 333 9898
Right after London, Glasgow is the best place for shopping.
Advice: Glasgow has the best clubs and night life in Scotland,
so don't hesitate to enjoy yourself. |
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Basic facts
Location: West-central Scotland, United Kingdom
Dialing Code: 44
Population: 611,440 (city); 1.7 million (metropolitan
area)
Religion: Church of Scotland majority, Presbyterian
and Catholic faiths also represented
Time zone: GMT (GMT + 1 from last Sunday in March
to last Sunday in October)
Electricity: 240 volts AC, 50Hz
Average January temp: 3.5° C (38° F)
Average July temp: 14.5° C (58.5° F)
Annual rainfall: 889 mm (35 inches)
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Prices
· 1.0-liter bottle of mineral water: GBP 0.80
· 33-cl bottle of beer: GBP 1.25
· Financial Times newspaper: GBP 1
· 36-exposure color film: GBP 4.99
· city-center bus ticket: GBP 0.55-1.05
· adult football ticket: GBP 18-22
· three-course meal with wine/beer: GBP 15-45
1 British Pound Sterling (GBP) = CAD 2,25; CZK 45,24; EUR 1,45; USD 1,80;
(Currency conversion rates as of press time.)
Source: http://www.cityguide.travel-guides.com
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Where on the web?
For further information, we suggest the following websites dedicated
to Glasgow:
www.cityguide.travel-guides.com/cities/gla/BusinessServices.asp - prime contacts /links for anyone seeking to do business in
Glasgow.
www.scottishlaw.org.uk/scotlaw/usecitiesglasgow.html - a good
overview of things to do and see in and around the city.
www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/europe/glasgow/ - the folks
at Lonely Planet turn their eyes to "the most Scottish of
cities".
www.glasgowguide.co.uk/info.html - a portal page for links to
Glasgow, as well as a discussion board.
www.virgintrains.co.uk/destinations/glasgow/overview.aspx - a
stylish site on travel tips to and within Glasgow, run by Virgin
Train lines.
Business etiquette
· The business atmosphere is a little more relaxed than in cities
such as London, although normal standards of business attire apply
and punctuality is important. Most companies operate during standard
business hours of Monday-Friday 0900-1700.
· Clients are usually well entertained by their Glasgow hosts,
most likely taken to lunch in a restaurant or pub - depending on
the formality of the business meeting - or to a restaurant in the
evening. It is not usual for clients to be invited to one's home.
Source: www.cityguide.travel-guides.com
Business profile
· One of the engines of the industrial revolution, Glasgow is
today spearheading developments in the IT and service sectors.
Currently, 84% of the city's working population is employed in
service activities, with 9% in the manufacturing sector (nearly
half of which is in engineering) and 7% in construction.
· Glasgow is generally recognized as the Britain's call-center
capital and is developing an ever stronger profile in areas of
high technology, accounting services, and technology-based financial
operations. It has one of the most advanced fibre-optic telecommunications
networks in Europe and ISDN connections are readily available.
Glasgow is also the commercial, retail, leisure and educational
hub for half of Scotland's population. The workforce is increasingly
multi-lingual and includes a high number of university graduates.
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