Living in Merchant City
There are so many neighbourhoods to choose from in Glasgow, but few of them can offer a more vibrant, more iconic or more exciting way of life than Merchant City. Steeped in history yet decidedly 21st century, it's home to a stunning collection of property options, ranging from converted warehouses and historic buildings to swish new apartments in high end developments.
The first thing you tend to notice about life in Merchant City is the closeness of everything that the centre of Glasgow has to offer. Trendy bars, opulent restaurants and chic stores are right on the doorstep, so you will always find plenty to see and do. And it's worth noting that the meandering waters of the Clyde are to be found just to the south, so a pleasant walk will always be close to hand.
If you like to spend time browsing the high end fashion and jewellery stores, this is undoubtedly the neighbourhood to choose. Many famous names from the world of couture have established outlets in the area, helping to raise Glasgow's profile as an international centre for retail therapy. There is a higher concentration of such stores here than anywhere else in the UK outside of London.
With such a wonderful selection of houses to rent in Glasgow, many would-be tenants will understandably want to be a little choosy. Merchant City has a unique atmosphere, thanks in part to the sense of history that pervades the whole neighbourhood. This is a part of the city which created a great deal of wealth in the past, and which was home to vast houses, wide streets and bustling workshops, shipyards and factories which formed the backbone of the city's industrial past.
A haven for lovers of the arts
Many of the most famous landmarks in Glasgow are within a short walk of any part of Merchant City. They include George Square, home to a number of celebrated statues and monuments, and the Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art, which features works by the likes of David Hockney and Andy Warhol. The neo-Gothic St Andrew's Cathedral is just to the south in Clyde Street.
Getting out of the city is easy for people living in Glasgow Harbour and Merchant City. Glasgow has two main rail terminals, both of which are just a short walk away. Both Glasgow Central and Glasgow Queen Street offer regular routes to the rest of Scotland and south into England, including direct trains to London Euston, Birmingham New Street and Manchester Piccadilly.
For many locals, finding your way around Merchant City on foot is a piece of cake, thanks to the convenient grid layout of the surrounding streets. Even newcomers start to get their bearings in no time at all, so it's easy to become assimilated almost as soon as you move in. No matter where you might be walking to, the chances are it won't be difficult to find.
The Merchant City neighbourhood is around three miles from the main Gilmorehill campus of the University of Glasgow, so students may find it to be the ideal location. Even closer to home is the University of Strathclyde in Richmond Street, just a short walk from here. Founded in the 1790s, it has a student body of more than 21,000, drawn from all over the UK and beyond.
As you might expect from a neighbourhood that's regarded as a centre for shopping and leisure, you'll find several state of the art gyms and health clubs in and around Merchant City. Out in the fresh air, joggers and cyclists enjoy the iconic views offered by the local streets, especially perhaps those in the south of Merchant City, where the views of the River Clyde are particularly pleasing to the eye.
How would you like to live in a symbol of the new city?
Many of the newer housing developments here are extremely prestigious, and they represent the rebirth of an area that was once a symbol of the city centre's decline. These days, the stylised new buildings and the tastefully converted older structures stand as testament to a city that is enjoying a remarkable regeneration. Here, both old and new Glasgow are there for all to see, so anyone looking for flats to rent in Glasgow will be impressed by the quality of the properties in question.
Although Merchant City itself is quintessentially urban, one of the finest green spaces in the whole of Glasgow is just a short walk away for local residents. Glasgow Green is the oldest park in the city, and it provides a vital sanctuary for people in the heart of the metropolis. It's home to a number of impressive landmarks, including the 43-metre high Nelson Monument.
The city offers a high standard of healthcare to local residents, and there are several excellent hospitals within easy reach of Merchant City. They include Glasgow Royal Infirmary, which is located just east of the University of Strathclyde and West Glasgow Ambulatory Care to the west in Dalnair Street. The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Govan is also just a short car journey away.
If you like to live close to the heartbeat of a city, there is every chance that you will fall in love with Merchant City. This is a neighbourhood that is both typically Glaswegian and pleasingly cosmopolitan, and it has a great selection of property options to choose from. To find out more, have a chat with the experts from Citylets at the earliest possible opportunity.
