Glasgow Forum: new years day in glasgow ,whats open ?

I haven't spent New Year at home for 10/12 years or so however absolutely agree there won't be much open at all on New Years Day. The other thing worth mentioning is that dining may also present a challenge if you were planning to visit restaurants - the few which will be open will probably require reservations.

If you are staying in a hotel that may be your best option for dinner if you make advance booking.

Hi, there are not an awful lot of options on the 1st and I completely agree with Purple Celtic that if you have already planned to hire a car on the then touring would be a good idea.

If you make it to Loch Lomond (20 miles outside Glasgow) there is a traditional dip in the water by many of the locals in the morning and the Loch is lovely( and very cold) you can drive up either side of the Loch into some nice countryside.

Feel free to contact me if you want any details about this.

If you get stuck for somewhere to eat and don't want to stay in your hotel, as long as you don't have children with you, then eating at one of the casino's may be good option for you,at least two of them only require some decent id for you to become a member straight away.

I am not advocating gambling but the food is usually OK and at least they will be open.

You will find things improve very much by the 2nd and the Concert Hall in the centre resumes its seasonal programme along with other venues across the city.

Have a great trip.

There will be no public transport on 1st or 2nd of January so hiring a car will be your best bet- just make sure the car hire desk is open!!

Not true about the public transport not operating.

On the 1st it will be VERY limited but there will be local buses, only trains are likely to be the National Express ones and so will be very limited and extremely busy. There will be trains running on the 2nd but it'll be a bit like a Sunday. Train services in the Strathclyde area tend to be better than elsewhere over the Christmas/New Year period, for example there is normally a service on Boxing day.

thanks for all your help.so do none of the big stores open on jan 1st, how about all the bars, cinema,etc in the city centre ?

Hi Dandydons,

All of those old westerns where the opening scene was a ghost town with balls of desert scrub rolling through it in the wind is very close to what Glasgow is like on New Years Day.

There may be some stores open for the start of the January sales but these will mainly be stores selling large items of home ware.

No chance of the cinema what so ever on the 1st as far as I am aware, and the bars that do open have limited opening hours on the 1st although some of the hotels will be open as they will have guests to cater for.

If you like Chinese or Indian food there are some excellent restaurants that will likely be open and I am sure other posters will advice you which of these are the best ( I have my own favourites and tend to stick with these).

Hopefully you will get enough ideas and information to have a really good start to the year and I am sure you will get enough organised.

Not that I am bragging to the other Glasgow posters for fear of my life but I shall be arriving in the Caribbean on the 1st of Jan. Ha Ha Ha

Not that I am not recommending the winter in Glasgow it is just that we have had an exceptionally cold and wet summer this year.

I take it from your question about bars that you are not brining any children with you ?

About 90% of the population of Glasgow will have been boozing until 5 am. There's a reason why both the 1st and the 2nd are bank holidays in Scotland, and that's to allow the population an extra day to sober up.

The stores that are open on Jan 1st won't likely do so until noon. The one thing I do know that's open on new year's day is the carnival at the SECC (irn-bru-carnival.com/carnival_attractions.ht…).

You can get info on Glasgow's Winterfest events at www.winterfestglasgow.com.

According to their website Xscape will be open on the 1st.

www.xscape.co.uk/snow/braehead/opening-times/

A bit outside Glasgow but lots of facilities.

There are certainly a few pubs that are open for some time in the west end.