Glasgow set to host 2026 Commonwealth Games

David Henderson
BBC Scotland Correspondent

Some in Glasgow relish the prospect of the
Games returning to the city.

A fortnight of sporting events will bring in
fans from all over the world.

Official figures show the 2014 Games attracted
690,000 visitors.

Between them, they spent 2.9 million
“visitor days” in Scotland.

A smaller 2026 Games might not achieve those
heady heights, but the effect would be similar.

So bars, restaurants and hotels stand to gain.

Stephen Montgomery of the Scottish Hospitality
Group predicts a great boost for Glasgow and excitement from hoteliers.

If done properly, he says, this will see
hotels fully booked for a fortnight, while the event is on.

But he says the visitor experience has to be
better than when Glasgow hosted the COP26 Climate Change summit, as travel
around the city faced major disruption.

Donald MacLeod, who owns the Garage nightclub
and campaigns for the city’s night-time economy, says bringing the Games to
Glasgow is “a no-brainer”.

With visitor numbers down, he says, Glasgow
needs it more than ever, and there’s an appetite for it, too.

But he says the city needs to lower the
barriers he claims are putting people off – the LEZ zone, big parking fees and
a lack of public transport.

In 2014, some parts of Glasgow felt a bit left
out.

So other businesses across the city will
wonder if these Games will bring disruption or opportunity.

And they’ll want to see the public purse
protected, so they’re not paying too much for the event.