The arrival of the very first pizza vending machine in Scotland back in November last year had to be one of the highlights of 2020 by bringing us freshly baked pizza in a matter of minutes- three to be exact. However earlier this year, The Pizza Machine, located on at the junction on Blackfriars Street and High Street, faced the possibility of removal after council planners decided it should never have been installed, but this decision has now been overturned.
The pizza vending machine can hold 96 fresh pizzas that are stored in a chiller and the pizzas are supplied by Inn on the Green, a restaurant on Milton of Campsie’s Crow Road. The Pizza Machine has become a popular place for those craving pizza at whatever time and has become a viral sensation since it opened.
The owners had applied for retrospective planning permission from the council, however in April, Glasgow City Council’s planning committee verdict did not grant permission. It was installed by Kristofer Maguire, the majority shareholder along with his brother Raymond and dad Kevin – who also own the Metropolitan Bar in the Merchant City, who have appealed the council’s decision.
According to the decision document from April, planners have refused permission on the grounds that it did not match the local authority’s development plan and were then brought before the planning local review committee on appeal on November 23.
Members of the committee learned that the pizzas would not be cooked on site before they are loaded into the machine which will support a variety of jobs maintaining it as well as delivering the pizza. While the vending machine will be open to everyone it is expected students will be among the main customers making the proposal a “valuable” facility since it is located outside student accommodation.
Following the discussion the majority of the committee agreed to grant the application subject to conditions.
The Pizza Machine, 170 High Street, G1 1QF