One might think, what makes a cool neighbourhood? Well, it’s a place with booming culture and nightlife, delicious and affordable food, as well as an overall sense of community and belonging. And this year, the West End in Glasgow is the place to be, as it was named one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world by Time Out.
The publication surveyed 12,000 people in their home cities and looked at new openings, food, drink culture and “factors including community and social ventures, access to open and green space, and thriving street life”. This year, the communities and local neighbourhoods around the world have become even more global than before, with lots of community spots, as well as more cafes, bars and restaurants one can count off the back of their heads.
Deservingly, Glasgow’s West End was named one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world, ranking 20th on the list. What is more, Glasgow was named one of the “most exciting places to be” in the UK. The West End is apparently where our city is at its best this year, and we should probably thank all the local businesses on Great Western Road (which was named the coolest street in the UK last year, by the way) and Byres Road for that, as well as iconic spots such as Glasgow University and Kelvingrove Museum & Art Gallery.
From secondhand bookshops to trendy restaurants and cafes, West End has it all. Not to mention the Glasgow Botanics, which hosts the biggest Halloween event in the UK, GlasGLOW, which kicks off on October 27, taking us to the Ghostbusters dimension.
And what about Ashton Lane, an adorable wee side street with fairy lights over it and plenty of things to do. Cosy up in a beer garden with fire pits at Brel, catch a movie at an independent cinema or attend its seasonal street parties. We love it!
While Shawlands was the coolest neighbourhood in Glasgow last year, West End is back once again reclaiming its title.