'You won't find Starbucks here': Trader on positive Barras evolution

The Herald Scotland

4 days ago

The shop owner over the road? He's a talented poet she reveals when pointing out that people drawn to the East End are either 'salt-of-the-earth or arty'.
Oh, and the Italian place nearby? That's where she was first introduced to a cappuccino that would flame a lifelong love affair with all things coffee.
There's a lot to take in. But then again, it's hardly surprising that running a family business which has stood strong on London Road for 65 years makes for a cracking collection of stories.
Pictured: Anne Shiels and Cathie MacSween at work in the Loch Fyne Shellfish Bar at the Barras (Image: Robert Perry)
'My dad's line of work was carpet stores, and he had no background in how to procure, cook or store shellfish before my Papa bought the shop for him to run' Millard says of her father, Allan, a man whose passion and eccentric flair was the beating heart of the Loch Fyne Shellfish Bar until his death in January this year.
'They had to learn all of that very quickly, and when they did, they got up to some wild stuff in here.
'Don't ask me how, but there used to be a windmill in the shop, and a hula bar, and at one point it was set up with a sound system playing noises to make it feel like you were experiencing a shipwreck.
'In essence, my dad was a bit of a frustrated entertainer, so he used the business as a stage which was pretty good for getting customers in.
'Yes, that started with the shellfish, but it was also because of Dad. He was so good with kids that he unknowingly established the next generation of customers, and the next, and the next.'
This multi-generation customer base means that these days, even while The Barras Markets adapts and evolves into a thriving foodie hotspot on the streets adjacent to them, Millard and her team still serve cups of mussels and garlic sauce to children who will devour them faster than a pick and mix, having learned the habits from their parents, or grandparents.
They're open Thursday and Friday too, which gives regulars the chance to stock up on what they need for the week, or just pop in for a natter before the weekend crowds descend.
Asked how she has noticed footfall change over the years, Millard continues, 'I feel like there are very distinct eras when it comes to The Barras.
'You know, the 60s were different to the 70s which was different again to the 80s.
'I would say across those decades were the high times, it was chocka: and we were huge.
'So many places benefited from the area being absolutely full. We used to have six members of staff on a Saturday and between eight and ten on a Sunday.
'We now have three on a Saturday and four on a Sunday which shows you the sheer volume of people we were getting in.
'Then, in the 90s, the market sort of went into the doldrums.'
Though a strong community of shops and traders still worked in the area, Millard recalls a dip in energy and the buzz surrounding The Barras, which would later be remedied by the development of two key assets that attracted crowds back to the East End once more.
'The first big things to bring about changes for The Barras were events and food.
'There was St Luke's which opened around 2015 and meant that more people were coming to the East End for gigs.
'And Norrie Innes had BAaD where the A'Challtain Seafood restaurant opened in 2016.
'I think everyone was a bit unsure as to whether people would come rather than stay in Merchant City, where there were a lot more established food businesses.
'But they did.
'People started to invest in The Barras because they could see that there was more happening.
'The sheds were repainted, upgrades were made, and the events started.'
As explored by The Herald this week in our Barras Reborn series, recent years have seen an enormous transformation for the market, which has stealthily become one of the best places to eat in Glasgow thanks to a refreshingly different blend of world cuisine and independent vendors.
'Back in the 60s, when my dad started the shop, you would have bacon rolls and chips or…bacon rolls and chips,' Millard continues.
'I remember when US v Them, which is now Thomsons, opened, I could have cried with happiness because I'm a massive coffee fan, but also because for me that was the first really noticeable change. Now there's so much diversity.'
As the custodian of one of the area's longest-established food businesses, Millard firmly believes that these changes are for the better and that through a carefully curated lineup of vendors, the Barras management team is succeeding in keeping the original market spirit alive.
'You won't find Starbucks here, or a Subway, which is fantastic.
'I would fight like hell if that happened because it would be the beginning of the end for this age.
'There's a guy doing gyros, which are hugely popular, and my 14-year-old nephew, who works in the shop, will go to spend £9 of his salary for the day on one at lunchtime.
'You might think that's insane, or a rip-off, but it's a bloody good lunch.
'It's so tasty, and the quality is there.'
'It's like when Scran, who are amazing, opened on London Road and were charging prices that were essentially in line with the West End for morning rolls.
'My father would have been the first one to say that would fail, but it didn't because there's a completely different clientele.'
As to what the future holds for the area, Millard - who previously pursued a career in events management before taking over the family business – feels that 'without a shadow of a doubt' there's more room for festivals and celebrations like the annual Hong Kong Market or the 'brilliant but bonkers' Moulin Rouge night.
'This is the kind of place that can stomach it. It's not twee, it's not trite, but it's so quirky that within reason almost anything would work here.
'But you never want to get so big that you lose the essence of what makes this area special.
'We need to keep that alive, and if we can avoid the multi-national chains moving in, then I think we can do that because so many of the characters who make the place special are still here.
'And when they retire, then hopefully they'll pass it on to one of their family members who is going to have just as much character.'
Pictured: The shop celebrates its 65th anniversary this year (Image: Robert Perry)
At Loch Fyne Shellfish, the next generation of savvy business brains is already rolling up their sleeves to help run the family shop, with Millard's nephews and nieces all pitching in to assist with everything from social media content creation to weekend shifts behind the counter.
And, as they inch closer to the official 65-year anniversary mark in November, there are some well-earned celebrations of life around the market past and present on the horizon, with staff members from across the decades invited to join in.
Looking back on her own journey with the shop, Millard says, 'One of our regular customers who has been coming in with her family every week for years recently said to me: 'You're so like your dad, not just in looks but in mannerisms and your voice'.
'And I thought, oh, I suppose I am. In this environment, I feel like I've almost become him.
'My husband, Jonathan, calls me Susie Shellfish because that's all I've known all my life. It's been a constant right from when I was growing up.
'There are loads of new stallholders at The Barras, but the ones at Danny's Donuts or Jim 'Woodcraft' McCallum still know me as Wee Susie.
'I love it that. It's part of my DNA, and this place is home to me.'