Hi ho Silver(burn) away

Despite sounding like the name of a My Little Pony, a bad James Bond mission or an allergic reaction to metal the new shopping centre Silverburn opens in Pollok today.

Housing 95+ shops, dozens of eateries, coffee shops and "civic" garden spaces, the centre's owners are trying to focus on shopping as a destination, as a grand day out for the family.

"Scotland’s next generation of shopping destination is fast becoming a reality. Over a million square feet of new retail thinking just fifteen motorway minutes from the City Centre, in South Glasgow. "

Not my idea of a fun day out, I hate shopping, well unless its for books or junk at a jumble sale. But judging from the ever increasing number and size of out-of-town retail parks in Glasgow a lot of people disagree. Something I'm not clear on though is exactly what does "next generation of shopping destination" mean and what exactly is "new retail thinking"? From scanning their site, it appears the "next generation" involves trying to disguise the fact you are in a big out-of-town centre, by taking lots of ideas from real life cities - namely, lanes, squares and gardens to try and make it feel more intimate and less impersonal than the usual "buy, buy, buy stylee".

As with all big projects there will be good and bad. In the good, hopefully the Centre is going to bring a lot of employment to the area and it's 10pm closing time will probably come in handy now and again. (Late opening hours is something the city centre stores should try as it would bring a bit of non-drunken nightlife to the city.)

In the bad, there is the over dependence on the car. I know that there are new bus routes to get out there, but the people using these are not the Centre's main targets. I guess my main concern however is the effect on the local, already declining, shopping centres in Southside. These will have to learn to adapt to survive possibly by introducing a lot more one off specialist shops.

Anyway, Silverburn is here and I'm sure will be greatly successful. I'll withhold judgement until I've actually been to the place and checked out exactly how "new retail thinking" works. If it involves someone else going out, trying on and buying everything you need for you while you sit in a cafe with your feet up, then it might just get my vote. (But I doubt it)


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