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THERE ARE SO MANY

WAYS TO LOVE

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Contents

6 Fashion pages

spring pastels

12 West End Live

with Greg Kane

15 Mother’s Day gifts

16 Writers Reveal

meets Sally Magnusson

20 Cover to cover

22 Top Things

24 Getting to know

artist Neil Slorance

28 Shop local guide

32 WIN! At Rainbow

Room International

33 NEW! Poke bowls

at Wudon

34 Bar Review

The Lismore

35 Spring menu at

Square Bar & Restaurant

37 Restaurant Review

The Cran

38 Sweet Liberty

40 Business:

Going it alone

45 20th Anniversary

for Independent

Mortgage Store

46 Accountancy Matters

with Murrison & Wilson

47 Legal Matters with

Mitchells Roberton

48 Empowerment pants

and you

50 Health Matters

53 Mum’s Notebook

54 Interiors article:

Natural accents

59 Bold as brass

61 Statement storage

66 Wee Kitchen Shop

interview

FRONT COVER Necklace & Scarf,

Pink Poodle

THIS PAGE Top, Nancy Smillie

Ring & necklace, Cassiopeia


contributors

Suzanne Martin

Editor

Gregor Reid

Photographer

Terri Craig

Make-up Artist

Nicola Maule

Writer

Michele Gordon

Writer

Susan Robertson

Writer

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Publisher: Westender Magazine

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the data in this publication is accurate, neither the

publisher nor its editorial contributors can accept, and

hereby disclaim, any liability to any party to loss or

damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from

negligence, accident or any other cause.

Westender Magazine does not officially endorse any

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in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any

form – electronic, mechanical, photocopying,

recording or otherwise – without prior permission of

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SPRING

PASTELS

Images Gregor Reid


Dress, Solo

SHoes, Charles clinkard

Bracelet, pink poodle

Bag, Daniel Footwear



Dress, Ruby woo

belt, liquorice tree

boots, daniel footwear

opposite page

slip, silks

necklace, cassiopeia


jumper, jasmine. jeans, solo.

trainers & BAG, daniel footwear. necklace, pink poodle

opposite page - dress, cos. knecklace, liquorice tree

model iona dodd @ Coloursagency.com MUA terri craig, terricraig.co.uk

stylist jacki clark, jackiclark-stylist.co.uk photography gregor reid, gregorreidphotography.com



LIVE

March

Siobhan Wilson & Pronto Mama

Saturday 3rd of March 7pm

Paisley Arts Centre, paisley.org.uk

My brother’s always harping on

about how good Pronto Mama are so

I thought it about time I did some

digging to find out what’s what. It

seems my brother has good taste.

Pronto Mama are a six-piece

alternative indie rock and roll

outfit from Glasgow, known for their

distinctive jazz-influenced songs,

unconventional time signatures

and infectious pop melodies. Their

debut Album No Joy has just been

released on Glasgow Kelvin College's

Electric Honey record label 'The most

successful student-run label in the

world' (Uncut), and is an eclectic

collection of intricately crafted

surprisingly memorable songs.

Siobhan Wilson is one of the best

of the current crop of high calibre

Scottish Songstresses. She is

blessed with natural beauty and such

an angelic voice, but there's also a

hint of the mischievous about her

too. A powerful combination.

Choice Tracks:

Pronto Mama 'Sentiment'

Siobhan Wilson 'Terrible Woman'

Los Pacaminos

Wednesday 7th March 7pm

Òran Mór, oran-mor.co.uk

Cowering under their Stetsons this

motley crew from London play good

fun Tex Mex music usually to high

spirited adoring mobs who flock to

see them in large numbers.

At first I didn’t quite understand why

so many people came to see them, that

is until they played the 80s hit Tear

Your Playhouse Down. Strange choice

I thought, but all became clear when

no other than Paul Young (yes, the

first line of Band Aid’s Do They

Know It’s Christmas 80s icon Paul

Young) peaked out from under his

Boss Of The Plains hat to rapturous

hollers from the audience. He has

been celebrating his passion for this

type of music with Los Pacaminos

since 1992. He is not centre stage

in this band (it’s presented more as

a collective) but he is a founding

member. Have your salt and lime at

the ready.

Choice track: Los Pacaminos

‘Don’t Make Me Wait Señorita’

The Secret Sisters

Friday 30th March 8pm

Cottiers, cottiers.com

The Secret Sisters are an Americana

singing and songwriting duo from

Muscle Shoals, Alabama consisting

of vocalists Laura and Lydia Rogers.

They've worked with T Bone Burnet,

Jack White and have toured with the

likes of Willie Nelson, Loretta Lynn,

Ray LaMontagne and Brandi Carlile

which all seem like the perfect fit

for their 50’s style country sound.

The duo's music has been compared to

The Everly Brothers and Delta blues

and they've also had a song featured

in the hugely successful film The

Hunger Games. As with most sibling

vocal acts their voices are a perfect

match making them a real joy to

listen to.

Choice Track: The Secret Sisters

'He's Fine'


by Greg Kane

April

Eric Bibb

Tuesday 13th April 7pm

Òran Mór, oran-mor.co.uk

Eric Bibb is a 67 year old American

acoustic blues singer/songwriter from

New York who now lives in Sweden and

makes his records in France. Speaking

of which, his new record "Migration

Blues" is release number 41 for him! Of

it he states: "With this album I want to

encourage us all to keep our minds and

hearts wide open to the ongoing plight

of refugees everywhere. As history

shows, we all come from people who, at

some time or another, had to move."

Eric Bibb is a soulful and righteous

man playing passionate righteous

music.

He's really at his best when he's

playing live in front of you so I'm

going to this one.

Choice track: Eric Bibb

'This Land is Your Land

Lucy Dacus

Friday 20th April 7pm

The Hug & Pint, thehugandpint.com

Lucy Dacus is a 22 year old indie

starlet from Richmond Virginia, USA.

She was raised by parents who were

both musicians, one a piano teacher

the other a Springsteen loving

guitarist. They've definitely had an

influence with her 2016 debut album

No Burden exhibiting a use of melody,

harmony and poise that belies her

youth. To my ears there's some early

Chrissy Hind and Jeff Buckley in her

sound and attitude with a sprinkling

of alt-country in there to boot.

One critic described her as 'able to

make strong music about her weakest

moments ... Dacus is a master of her

own destiny who likes to make you

think she's as surprised as anyone else

that she could possess such power.'

I'll second that.

Choice Track: Lucy Dacus 'Night Shift'

Tears For Fears

Monday 30th April 6.30pm

SEC Armadillo,

You need look no further than Tears

For Fears for all that encapsulates

pop music in the 80s. Roland Orzabal

and Curt Smith, the two boys from

Bath conquered the world with their

infectious synth pop records selling

over 30 million albums in the process.

They successfully released a greatest

hits album last year which included a

couple of new songs which hopefully

will spur them on to make another

album of new music again soon.

On the back of a celebrated tour of the

US last year the band are out on their

first UK tour in 18 years and if you

want the full 80s experience make sure

you get there early to catch support

act Alison Moyet as she's received

very favourable live reviews over the

last year or so.

Choice track: Tears For Fears

'Head Over Heels'


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For You Mum…

…because we love you. Thoughtful gift ideas for the woman who’s

always there no matter what. From the small and interesting gifts

to some lovely jewellery to wear – go on, spoil her!*

*Mother’s Day falls on Sunday 11th March in 2018 – you’ve been warned, no excuses!

Mother’s Day Mug

£13.99, Cassiopeia

Sloemotion Sloe Gin Truffles

£14.99, Liquorice Tree

Sterling Silver Designer Necklace

£65, Spirito

Silver Plated Pearl heart Bracelet

£32.50, Nancy Smillie Shop

Posh Eggs Book

£12.99, Concept 65

West End Suppliers

Cassiopeia, 165 Hyndland Road

0141 357 7374 cassiopeiaonline.co.uk

Liquorice Tree, 431 Great Western Road

0141 339 0648 liquoricetree.com

Concept 65, 65 Hyndland Street

0141 357 0268 trouva.com/boutique/

concept-65-in-g115ps

Nancy Smillie, 53 Cresswell Street

0141 334 4240 nancysmillieshop.com.com

Spirito, 317-319 Crow Road

0141 337 3307 spiritogifts.com



Writer’s Reveal

meets Sally Magnusson

WORDS LORAINE PATRICK

An English translation of an ancient Icelandic memoir provides

the inspiration for the debut novel from writer and broadcaster,

Sally Magnusson. Loraine Patrick discovers how the popular news

presenter unleashed her imagination to tell this remarkable tale of

pirate raids, tragedy, and survival.

‘I

t was a real effort to leap off the tree and

stop hanging onto the branches of truth

or fact,’ says Sally Magnusson, colourfully

describing the challenges she faced in writing

her first novel in snatched bursts away from

her very busy and very public life.

Facts are Sally’s currency as an already

successful non-fiction writer, and as a

broadcaster and journalist – regularly

bringing us the news on Reporting Scotland.

‘It was intensity in bursts,’ she laughs, ‘rather

than a thousand words a day in a steady

and stately fashion! The idea of shutting

yourself away for six weeks to write is an

absolute dream because that liberation of the

imagination was definitely not something that

happened overnight for me,’ she says frankly.

But lets rewind a bit here. I am meeting Sally

to discuss her newly published book The

Sealwoman’s Gift which has been described

as a remarkable feat of the imagination. Sally

has taken an incident in Icelandic history,

little known outside that culture, and created

an incredibly moving story of love, loss,

resilience and redemption.

In 1627 Barbary pirates raided the coast of

Iceland abducting some 400 of its people,

including 250 from a tiny island off the

mainland called the Westman Islands. They

sailed to North Africa and were sold into

slavery in Algiers. Although the raid itself is

historically documented and looms large in

the collective memory, little is historically

known about what actually happened to the

women and children.

‘Growing up I was aware in a vague sort of

way about the raids, in the same way that

here in Scotland we are historically aware of

Culloden and Bannockburn. I didn’t really

have a true understanding of the period until

I read an English translation of memoirs from

a clergyman called Reverend Ólafur Egilsson.

I was staggered by the story he told – his

whole family were abducted and sold into

slavery.’

It was the fleeting mentions of Ásta, the

Reverend’s wife that really got to Sally. ‘I was

so interested in everything that she went

through yet there were only brief glimpses

in the memoir of her. It was a period of time

when women everywhere were largely silent.

Not much was said about the fact she gave

birth on a slave ship, she lost her 11-yearold

son in the slave market (he was the first

one to be picked by the local governor) and

she was left with two little children. We don’t

know historically what happened to her


but that’s where I tried to imagine what it

was like as a woman and a mother in these

circumstances.’

Mother of five grown up children, Sally’s

family and Icelandic heritage are well known.

Her late father Magnus was the long time

presenter of Mastermind. He was also a

successful translator of Icelandic sagas.

‘I grew up being immersed in this amazing

storytelling tradition. It was only as I got older

I understood my father had been working on

the greatest medieval literature in the world.’

Sally’s late mother Mamie – subject of her

best selling book Where Memories Go which

chronicled her battle with dementia, was also

a journalist. Storytelling was part and parcel

of the Magnusson household.

A lot to live up to then when it came to putting

pen to paper. ‘I had very high standards of

what I wanted to achieve with this book,’

Sally reflects. ‘My degree was in English

literature so not only did I have a very good

idea of what was required of a novel I had

huge expectations of what a novel had to

be. I found it difficult to make it as good as I

wanted and I went through umpteen drafts

trying to wean myself away from checking the

accuracy all the time.’

But Sally has certainly pulled it off with fellow

authors and critics alike singing its praises.

She is looking forward to promoting it at this

years Aye Write Festival, a gathering she

holds dear. ‘I think per head of population we

have more book festivals in Scotland than

anywhere else,’ she says ‘there is something

very special about being in an auditorium

with other people who share a love of

Competition!

We have two signed copies

of The Sealwoman’s

Gift to give away. Visit

westendermagazine.com and

click on competitions by the

30th of April 2018.

books. It’s a wonderful feeling being in an

environment where you can enthuse about

words with other people who enjoy writing.

I am less comfortable about saying “look at

me! Come and buy my book!” But that is now

part of the business and I take it on the chin.’

She hopes readers get a flavour of two

very different worlds, 17th century Iceland

and the intensely contrasting experience

of 17th century Algiers. ‘It must have been

extraordinary for captive Icelanders to step

off that slave ship and find themselves

in a place so different to their homeland.

The contrast in culture, climate, religion and

social mores couldn’t be greater.’

Ultimately it is the human story that really

sets this book apart. Ásta, the heroine is

strong and feisty and Sally hopes readers like

her. ‘It’s really a story about marriage,’ she

concludes. ‘How do you tackle a relationship

you have lost for many years? How do you

deal with going back to a situation that made

you happy once but now no longer does?

How do you find yourself within that? These

aren’t just questions for 17th century Iceland

or Algiers but questions for all time.’

Aye Write Festival is on 15-25 March

ayewrite.com

Sally Magnusson is appearing at the

Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on 18 March.

The

Sealwoman’s

Gift

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1

BY BRIAN TOAL

WESTENDER’s

COVER TO COVER

A book about Glasgow by a Tory politician from

Edinburgh? It’s a bold venture, I’ll give you that.

Michael Fry stood as a Tory politician in Maryhill in

the not too distant past, and although he didn’t lose

his deposit – no mean feat in itself – he was never

going to set the heather alight.

Glasgow –

A History of

The City

by Michael Fry

Nevertheless, he has recently

been converted from unionism to

independence, and this adds an

interesting flavour to his latest

book. Having already written about

Edinburgh very successfully, he has

now focused his razor-sharp pen and

witty observations on what is, let’s

face it, a far more interesting subject

matter.

Fry is a very knowledgeable and

experienced journalist, having written

for a range of newspapers, and

this is brought to bear in what is a

thoroughly engaging book. Fry has

adopted an interesting approach

in his treatment of this dear green

place as the chapters are arranged

thematically, where most historians

would have taken a chronological

approach. This is highly effective

as names, events and places

come around several times but in

different contexts, which helps the

reader to develop a much deeper

understanding of how these players

fit in to the bigger picture.

As Glasgow was the second city

in the British Empire, mainly due to

her trade and industry, it will come

as no surprise that these areas

take up large portions of the book.

However, Fry clearly explains the policies and politics which drove this

trade and fuelled these industries, providing detailed backgrounds

of the main movers and shakers and what motivated them. For most

Glaswegians, or even for incomers like myself, many of these names will

be familiar, albeit from statues in George Square or university buildings.

Nevertheless, Fry’s thematic, layered approach really helps to bring

these people to life and by the third or fourth time the reader comes

across one of these names, their importance is firmly established.

The last few chapters felt weaker. We get a quick romp through

Glaswegian literature and art in a matter of pages – perhaps more

fitting in a separate book entirely – and the preponderance of notes

suggests most of the commentary has been borrowed. It would be

too much to expect Fry to have read all the books he mentions or

to have seen and pondered deeply the range of art covered in these

chapters, but perhaps he could have allowed other voices to speak

for him. Labour politicians take a lot of flak, unsurprisingly. And with

one whole chapter on women, some of our beloved Westender readers

may feel this does not do justice to what is after all the majority of the

population of Glasgow.

Still, it’s a really interesting book and well worth reading.


When Breath

Becomes Air

by Paul Kalanithi

2

This is not a brand-new book

but it’s one which several friends

have raved about, and having

just finished it, I understand

why.

It’s a memoir begun when

the author, once a brilliant

neurosurgeon, is diagnosed with

terminal lung cancer. He dies not

long after completing the book

and the afterword by his wife is

touching and inspiring, just like

the rest of the book.

The first half of the book deals

with the writer’s journey through

university where he studied

literature, which is why this book

reads so well despite having been

written by a doctor!

He switched his focus to

neuroscience and neurosurgery as

he was fascinated by questions

of life and death. The second half

deals with his struggle to fight

lung cancer and how this affects

his relationship with his wife

and with his colleagues as he is

determined to operate until it

becomes impossible.

Knowing that the author died

– we are told on the first page

– may seem like a plot spoiler

but it allows the reader to focus

on what is important in Paul’s

journey towards death and the

important messages we learn

from his struggle.

It’s anything but a litany of

symptoms and complications.

The subtitle of the book is ‘What

makes life worth living in the

face of death?’ We will all have

different answers to that very

difficult question, but in the

meantime, we should ‘suck out

all the marrow of’ every day we

have.

It’s been a long wait – 17 years

since the His Dark Materials

trilogy – but at long last the

prequel has arrived.

Fans of Pullman’s His Dark

Materials trilogy, fiction which,

like most good fiction, transcends

genre, age and taste, will relish

the details of Lyra’s early life from

her birth and mysterious origins

to her arrival at Jordan College

in Oxford. The heroes of this first

instalment – Malcolm and Alice

– are fascinating characters in

their own right and are more than

simply plot devices to deliver

baby Lyra to safety. Pullman’s

deftness of touch deals with

puberty, complex emotions and

the dangers of the adult world.

The centre of all religious power

is Geneva, the birthplace of

Calvinism and predestination,

and Pullman exposes the sinister

machinations of the religious

authorities and their seemingly

endless tentacles and minions,

but at the same time letting

us see the good in the world in

the form of ‘salt-of-the-earth’

characters who are very much

rooted in the natural world –

boatwrights, carpenters and

innkeepers – all of whom are

brave and make sacrifices for the

greater good.

Deep knowledge of the natural

world is a precious commodity in

this world and in Pullman’s too,

where the gyptians’ prescience

is crucial to the survival of our

heroes. The book is awash with

Biblical allegory, as well as nods

to Lewis Carroll (hence Alice as

one of the main characters) and

many other allusions which an

alert reader will spot. Welcome

back Lyra. Thank you, Philip.

La Belle Sauvage –

The Book of Dust One

by Philip Pullman

3


Top Things To Do

in the West End

by Tracy Mukherjee

With spring well and truly upon us, it appears

that the West End has finally awoken from its

winter slumber. That pesky snow and ice is

thankfully a long, forgotten memory and the

daffs and crocus are once again dotting our

gardens and parks. So what can we look forward

to in the way of events in March and April?

A bountiful bouquet of springtime splendour,

that’s what!

Top for Spoiling Mum

Sunday 11th March marks the annual Mother’s

Day celebrations. There are plenty of amazing

florists to send mum a floral tribute big enough

to sink the Tall Ship, but why not go a little

left field with your gift idea? Blythswood

Hotel Cinema Club continue their regular

movie selection combined with afternoon tea.

For Mother’s Day there is a choice of either

Mamma Mia or Miss Congeniality. Get the tissues

ready for Meryl’s rendition of Slipping Through

My Fingers. Blub.

Blythswood Square

Cinema Club Mother’s Day Screenings

Sunday 11th March, 12.30pm and 2.30pm

w:phcompany.com

For an interesting gift that will keep mum happy,

whilst at the same time ensuring free tailoring for

you into the bargain, you might consider buying

classes from the team at Sew Confident. From

beginners sewing classes through to sewing

underwear and quilting, mum can learn in a fun

and social atmosphere. There is even the option

to join the Sew Naturale class which combines

machine doodling with life drawing! You might

find yourself booking two spaces, so you too

can find your way around a sewing machine,

saving yourself the effort of putting trousers and

curtains in to be professionally hemmed.

Sew Confident Mercat House 19, 1103

Argyle Street, Finnieston G3 8ND

w:sewconfident.co.uk

Top for Bookworms

It’s back. Aye Write, Glasgow’s book festival

returns in March with over 200 authors taking

part in the annual event. Venues including

The Mitchell Library and Glasgow University

will be hosting events such as Alex Gray and

Leigh Russell’s Crime Is A Serious Business'.

With Scandi Noir fiction riding high in

popularity at the minute, why not attend Simon

Cox and Raguar Jonasson’s The Reykjavik

Connection? All literary genres are covered

in the festival: health and wellbeing, nature,

poetry, biography to name but a few. And as

well as hearing from the horse’s (or rather the

author’s) mouth you might consider some of

the participation events. There is an extensive

list of lectures and seminars on topics such as

knowing your character, what you need to know

about dialogue, or merely giving writing a go!

And continuing to encourage our younger

readers and authors of the future, Wee

Write returns with family days organised at

the Mitchell: from Toddlers Tales, to Greek

mythology, gaelic reading sessions, to a little

Harry Potter hocus pocus. This is a festival that

makes you proud to be a Glaswegian, promoting

the art and beauty of the written word.

Aye Write, 15th-25th March

w:ayewrite.com

Top for Easter Holiday Fun

Easter just isn’t Easter without an Easter egg

hunt. From 30th March until 2nd April The

National Trust in conjunction with Cadbury

are organising hunts for all budding chocolate

detectives. In Glasgow, this will be at the

Tenement House. Follow the clues, solve the

puzzle and win a chocolaty treasure!

Easter Egg Hunt, Tenement House,

Buccleuch St, Glasgow, G3 6QN,

Fri 30th Mar-Mon 2nd Apr, 1-5pm

w:whatsonglasgow.co.uk


Top Things To Do

in the West End

For kids who may be unable to enjoy an egg or

two this season, why not come along and support

the annual Easter Egg Run on the 1st of April

in aid of The Royal Hospital for Sick Children.

Always an incredibly emotional and joyful event,

over 1,000 bikers ride through the streets of

the city in a colourful, noisy convoy in aid of the

Hospital. The bikers make a donation or are

sponsored for this incredibly worthy cause.

Easter Egg Run 2018, Sun 1st Apr

w:glasgowchildrenshospitalcharity.org

Running weekends throughout the school

holidays, the innovative Puppet Animation

Festival is back for its 35th year. The UK’s

biggest performing arts festival for children is

taking place at venues across Scotland. In the

west, the hub for the action is Maryhill Burgh

Halls. Aimed at children 0-12 years, there are

also sensory storytelling performances. Puppet

making, stop motion animation, workshops,

theatre and film; how much more fun can school

holidays be?

Puppet Animation Festival

31st Mar-8th Apr, Maryhill Burgh Halls

w:maryhillburghhalls.org.uk

Top for Comedy

It’s no surprise that the Glasgow Comedy

Festival is the first comedy festival of the year,

with trailblazing comic talents exuding an air of

'watch and learn' to our Aussie/South Africa/

English, sorry Edinburgh comedy festival rivals.

The 1st festival was in 2003, following the Stand

Comedy Club approaching the council with a

comedy festival proposal. 16 years later, the

overwhelming success of the festival is clear

to see: 40 venues, 400 shows over 18 days.

As well as the big guns Ed Byrne, David Baddiel,

Phil Jupitus plus Comic Relief Live, the festival

prides itself on nurturing home grown talent.

As such, venues such as Dram, the Hug and Pint

and QMU have superb performances on offer,

easily competing with talent in the larger venues.

The programme is immense and too extensive

to feature here, but with a huge presence in the

west at e.g. Cottiers, Oran Mor, The Tall Ship,

as well as obviously at the Stand, you won’t be

stuck for options. If you fancy a go yourself, the

festival has organised The School of Stand up,

a pre-festival event with seminars on how to

perfect the art. With so much to choose from,

better get booking. Prepare to be entertained.

Glasgow International Comedy Festival

8th-25th March, various venues.

w:glasgowcomedyfestival.com

Top for Heavenly Music

St. Bride’s Episcopal Church community in

Hyndland are in the midst of restoring their

beautiful church organ. Built by William Hill and

Son in 1865, 150 years serving the congregation

has taken its toll on this beautiful instrument.

In 2017 a full restoration project commenced.

On Sat 28th April, in aid of the restoration, a

glorious organ recital is being held. St Brides

are delighted to announce that Henry Fairs,

international recitalist and associate head

of organ studies at the Royal Birmingham

Conservatoire will be performing. The recital will

include music by Bach, Rachmaninoff and Elgar,

to name but a few. Following the concert, you are

invited to an informal wine reception. The event

is free, however all donations to the restoration

of the organ would be gratefully received.

As such an integral part of St Bride’s Church,

the organ is also a stand-alone item of historical

importance. Once restored, what a wonderful

resource for the wider community of Hyndland.

St Bride’s Organ Recital featuring

Henry Fairs, Saturday 28th April

7.30pm, St Bride’s Episcopal

Church, 69 Hyndland Road G12 9UX

w:stbridesglasgow.wordpress.com/organ


The

Graphic World

of Neil Slorance

WORDS NICOLA MAULE MAIN IMAGE GREGOR REID


Dungeon Fun Front Cover &

‘Hope from the Dirt’ Acrylic on Canvas,

2008 © Neil Slorance

‘D

‘ ungeon Fun is brilliant, it has really cool

drawings.’ Words shared by my

13-year-old son on handing him the

comic book by the artist Neil Slorance and

writer Colin Bell. I had returned from an

interview with Slorance at his studio and with

my son’s love of the medium I presumed I

victoriously stumbled across a volume that he

might not have heard of. It seems not.

‘Yeah I know those comics. I met [Slorance]

at Glasgow Comic Con last year,’ he adds.

This was the annual event at the Royal

Concert Hall – a gathering of comic creators,

artists, writers and their fans, set to return

once again in June of 2018.

This artist/writer collaboration unfolds in

an award-winning series of four, full colour

books. It centres on a female protagonist,

‘a story of a girl and her sword,’ it begins –

and a warrior crusade for justice. That girl

is Fun Mudlifter, raised by trolls in the moat

of a castle who on gathering a sword that

plummeted from the sky adventures beyond

the moat for the first time. It’s a ‘coming of


age story,’ Slorance describes and is hugely

funny or ‘witty,’ as my son adds. I should not

really have been surprised that he had heard

of Slorance, with over 11k Twitter followers

and a Wikipedia page written about him he

is not a small name in the world of comics,

comic books and illustration. The Dungeon

Fun stories in particular are hugely popular

resonating with all ages and with international

appeal. Jason Symmons, comic book buff

and retailer describes them as, ‘just that, fun!

Really accessible to anyone and can be read

on a number of different levels.’

It is not the only time Bell and Slorance have

collaborated together. In 2011 they created

the webcomic Jonbot v’s Martha and in 2014

they again came together on a strip for Titan

Publications, Dr. Who: The Twelfth Doctor

with Peter Capaldi drawn in true Slorance

style, an accessible childlike ‘cutesy’

charm of oversized heads and large eyes –

a seductive draw for all-ages of comic fan.

Hope from the Dirt is an early work on canvas

that shows an obvious liking for the simplistic

strong lines and form of his characters, a

vibrant palette of persuasive colour and a

subject matter that emotes compassion in the

viewer – a work that pre-dates his move to

illustrating full time but echoes the sentiments

of drawings to follow.

I met with Slorance in his studio in the West

End’s Hidden Lane – a wonderful light fills

his space allowing for great conditions

to draw and paint. ‘The Dungeon Fun

pictures were drawn digitally but I use pen

and watercolours for some of my works,’

he tells me. There is a series of self-published

travelogue comic books in pen and ink

– drawings of his travels to Barcelona,

Bordeaux, Berlin and more recently The

Canada Issue. These are, ‘done in the style

of a journal comic and details all the people

I met, places I saw and stuff I got up to.

I realize this sounds like a comic version of

someone showing you their boring holiday

photos but without spoiling anything there’s a

good bit more to it and I’ve put a lot of myself

into it,’ he adds.

Modern Slorance is another largely

autobiographical publication, a collection

of short stories about things that interest

him, ‘there’s bits about video games, board

Summer Pines, Glenelg © Moy Mackay

Modern Slorance © Neil Slorance

games, also some diary stuff about dating

etc.,’ he explains. There are also some

more political pieces, live drawing for the

BBC at the last general election, for the

Independence referendum with STV online

and currently Slorance contributes a full

colour newspaper strip every Saturday to The

National newspaper.

Symmons has his own view of Slorance,

‘Interestingly a lot of his stuff is reminiscent

of older comics in terms of format and

presentation, one-page stuff like The

Broons.’ I on the other hand cannot pretend

to know a great deal about the history or

medium of comics and comic books – until

now, my experience has been limited to

quickly scanning copies for content and age

appropriateness before purchase – having

a friend who can inform on these matters

has been very helpful! Yet, I was and still am

enthusiastic about my children reading them.

Experience has showed me that it’s a way

in for the reluctant reader – not a new idea,

but still one which often finds resistance in

mainstream education.

Comics are essentially stories told through

sequential images, initial introduction to this

format is perhaps the picture book, ‘some

kids need a little bridge between picture

books and reading,’ Slorance adds and

I would agree, they are a wonderful and

pretty obvious progression. I would also


‘Han and Chewie’ Watercolour

2015 © Neil Slorance

argue that one of the added benefits is that

it encourages the reader to slow down –

the pictures provoke a requirement to digest

the words and scene before moving on. Not

only do we think in words and pictures but we

live in such a visual, fast moving landscape,

slowing the mind down and comic books as

a way by their very nature that facilitates this

happening, is perhaps hugely beneficial to

humans of all ages.

For me, I finished my first comic book

by reading Volume One of Dungeon Fun.

I may not have elevated any ‘coolness’ in

the eyes of my son but my interest in his

large box of comics has sparked a new type

of conversation and one that may very well

develop into a shared interest.

Slorance shares his studio with other

makers – RE:Craft and Lady Shinjuku,

and is open to the public Thursday to

Sunday 12-5pm or by appointment.

A range of Prints and Cards by Slorance

and other makers are for sale and you will

often find Slorance working in the studio

– according to one of his Instagram post’s

he sometimes brings baking in too!

Studio 1, Hidden Lane, 1103 Argyle Street,

Finnieston G3 8ND

neilslorance.com

Twitter: @neilslorance

Win! Cut & Colour

with Luke

Luke left the Big Smoke last November to

head for Glorious Glasgow and

Kennedy + Co Hairdressing couldn’t be

happier… London’s loss and our gain.

Trained – Vidal Sassoon Academy in London

and further education with L’Oreal and Wella

on all the latest trends.

Favourite Service – Love meeting new

clients and bringing out the best in individuals

to boost their confidence through precision

cutting and using the latest flattering colour

techniques.

Inspired By – Creative people, music and

fashion.

Favourite Product – Without doubt Olaplex

– the patented technology prevents damage

and relinks broken bonds providing real

structural repair…what’s not to like?

Top Tip – Trust me! I want the best for your

hair as much as you do. I’m here to look

after your hair and have the professional

knowledge to achieve optimum results.

WIN! A Bespoke Consultation, Cut and

Colour at Kennedy + Co Hairdressing

with Luke worth £120. Go to

westendermagazine.com by the

30th April 2018 to enter.

Kennedy + Co Hairdressing

436 Dumbarton Road, West End

0141 339 1555

Book online 24/7 @ kennedyhair.co.uk


Gray’s Deli keeps it local and Scottish

Right Under Your Nose

supporting West End food and drink artisans

WORDS TRACY MUKHERJEE IMAGES GREGOR REID

Supermarket food shopping isn’t always

top of our ‘to do’ list. As much as my

regular visits to genuinely good

supermarkets allow me to buy everything

I need for the week, there are other little

markets that I find genuinely inspiring. A walk

around the West End ‘super markets’ delivers

a variety of alternatives to our weekly visit

to the bigger outlets. So were our West End

street a virtual supermarket, how would it

look? Trolley bag in tow, let’s shop!

First Aisle – Fruit and Veg

Roots & Fruits

Always the first aisle we hit let’s head to

the fruit and veg section, or Roots, Fruits

and Flowers in our case. With two handy

stores, on Great Western Road and Argyle

Street, there is bound to be one near

enough for your grocery shop. Following

the huge success of the Kelvinbridge outlet,

the Finnieston store opened in 2011. The

company pride themselves on sourcing

local, ‘environmentally conscious’ produce.

Their fresh fruit and vegetables are delivered

several times a week, so you know what you

see hasn’t been sitting for weeks on end.

To cap it off, Roots and Fruits’ flowers are

something special and not just for marking

major life events. The florists note that they

are inspired by country gardens – such that

their gorgeous flower arrangements look wild

and natural but are the epitome of class too.

Andersons

The Queen Market Drive outlet has been

serving the community with gorgeous fruit,

veg and flowers since 1918. 100 years on and

in the midst of refurbishment, it’s still the best

wee greengrocers in Kelvinside.

Next Up – Fish and Meat

Wilson’s Catch of the Day

A real find for quality produce is Wilson’s

Catch of the Day. Established in 2015 in

Finnieston, the produce here is as fresh as

it comes, barring braving the waves in a

dinghy. The brain child of chef, fishmonger


Supermarket shopping. It’s part of our regular chores,

with variety and accessibility to products from every

part of the globe. But just sometimes it’s nice to

consider the little guys, the alternative super markets

right here on our West End streets.

and proprietor Stuart Wilson, the team head

out daily to coastal fish markets to select

the freshest seafood available: lobster, crab,

oysters, monkfish, salmon; even swordfish.

The list is incredible. And yet, fish isn’t the

only thing on the menu. Wilson’s also do a

great free range selection of poultry from

traceable farms and game from ethical

estates. With knowledgeable staff on hand to

advise on sauces and menu ideas, when they

talk about one stop shops, they are talking

about this SUPER market!

Andrew Reid Butchers

20 years in the Kelvinbridge shop, a West End

institution with the best Italian sausages and

steak burger around.

The Delicious Deli Counter

Gray’s Deli

How do you possibly choose one deli in

the West End – THE delicatessen capital

of central Scotland? You simply can’t.

To begin with, which kind of deli are we

talking about? The Italian choice is vast,

so it might be worth looking at a store that

promotes Scottish produce. Gray’s Deli in

Broomhill is a true campaigner for Scottish

fayre. As well as a great selection of Baikhous

artisan bread made in Renfrewshire, superb

Glasgow based Ed’s Bees honeys, Crowdie

cheese and of course sumptuous smoked

salmon, this gorgeous little shop stocks

the best produce in the world (well, it is

Scottish!).

George Mewes Cheese

In terms of cheese, look no further than

George Mewes on Byres Road. This

cheesemonger stocks world class British

and continental artisan cheeses. After 25

years as a chef, Mewes found his great

passion for cheese and stocks some major

award winners. The staff are more than

happy to guide you in which accompanying

jams, truffles and honeys might match your

originally selected mouth-watering cheese

board.


A draft you want to catch at Vino Valentino

Scherezade

This lovely little market on Bank Street has

simply stunning Middle Eastern cuisine:

falafel, hummus, baba ganoush and baked

aubergine…delicious.

Globetrotting – World Food

Solly’s African Village

With ne’er a wonky trolley wheel in sight,

isn’t this fun? Where do we begin in the

wonderfully multicultural community that is

Glasgow’s West End? Solly’s African Village

of course. Established in 1992, the Great

Western Road store has food from Kenya,

South Africa, Nigeria, the list goes on. From

Afro-Caribbean meats, fruits and groceries

to an incredible array of spices, Solly’s also

have exotic sea food – snapper, shark and

octopus. And what does every village need?

A hairdresser and gift shop, both on site.

Lupe Pintos

Slightly further down Great Western Road

and we come to my favourite world foodcome-deli

store, Lupe Pintos. Founders

Doug Bell and Rhoda Robertson had spent

a year long journey across America and

Mexico immersing themselves in the cuisine

before opening their Edinburgh store in 1991.

Ten years later and the Glasgow branch

opened, becoming a West End institution.

The tiny shop stocks every possible hot

sauce, chilli, refried bean, tortilla combination

this side of Mexico City. With three

cookbooks and as organisers of the annual

Chillifest, the Pintos team are hot, hot, hot!

KRK

KRK in Woodlands stands out as the place to

go for South East Asian ingredients. A store

packed full of every spice, rice, flour and

Indian breads, even my Indian mother-in-law

loves this place.

Here Comes Cake

Kember & Jones

Arriving at our bakery section, there is a

definite front runner who supplies many

of the other delis in the west. Kember and

Jones use four simple basic ingredients for

all their bread: flour, yeast, salt and water;

no preservatives enzymes or other additives.

From here ingredients can be added to make

wholemeal, malted granary, rye and raisin as

well as my favourite, sourdough. To kill two

birds with one stone, the deli counter stocks

champion chutneys and charcuterie for that

oh-so-yummy sandwich when you get home.


Cottonrake Bakery

This very popular little spot, opened in 2010,

is regularly queued around the block. And

no wonder: croissants, Portuguese custard

tarts, brownies and lemon meringue pies.

I don’t think I need to elaborate. Point made.

It’s Wine O’Clock

Vino Valentino

Finally arriving at wines and spirits, the old

trolley bag is straining under the weight of

our West End goodies. Slightly hidden off the

beaten track, take a trip to Vino Valentino.

Just off Byres Road in Chancellor Street,

you won’t regret taking the time to find it.

Passionate champions of Italian vineyards,

the team’s wines are personally sourced in

Italy. Stocking bottles of wine, of course, but

the real USP here is that many of their wines

are draft, therefore you can sample before

you buy. Leaving here you may need another

shopping trolley.

The Cave

15 years in Kelvinbridge, 400 craft beers,

unique liqueurs and top of the range spirits,

The Cave has all bases covered.

Shopping? Done (as Gordon Ramsay

would say).

Roots, Fruits & Flowers 451-457 Great

Western Road & 1137 Argyle Street

Andersons 92 Queen Margaret Drive

Wilson’s Catch of the Day

71 Houldsworth Street

Andrew Reid Butchers

401 Great Western Road

Gray’s Deli 305 Crow Road

George Mewes Cheese 106 Byres Road

Scherezade 47 Bank Street

Solly’s African Village

381-383 Great Western Road

Lupe Pintos 313 Great Western Road

KRK 286 Woodlands Road

Kember & Jones 134 Byres Road

Cottonrake 497 Great Western Road

Vino Valentino 6 Chancellor Street

The Cave 421 Great Western Road

Mother's Day at SPiRiTO

317 - 319 Crow Road, G11 7BU

0141 337 3307

www.spiritogifts.com

32 | Westender www.westendermagazine.com

Magazine Promotion

RRI

T

by John Parker

he first step to spring-cleaning

your hair is to get a good trim from your

hairdresser. A good trim will freshen

up your locks and get rid of any split-ends,

reducing the risk of hair breakage and making

your hair feel and look instantly healthier.

The next step is to try to stay away from

heated styling tools to give your hair a break

and avoid causing further damage. If you do

need to use any heated styling tools, always

use a heat protection spray and when using

flat irons, make sure they are clean and

any dirt or grime has been wiped off them

prior to being used to stop bacteria being

spread onto your hair. Cleaning your brushes

regularly is also important to get rid of old

hair and any residue from products that can

make your hair greasy.

To get your spring clean started book in for a

trim with one of our stylists at Rainbow Room

International Great Western Road and get

your hair looking and feeling good in no time!

follow – Rainbow Room GWR

Rainbow Room International

607 Great Western Road G12 8HX

0141 337 3370

rainbowroominternational.com

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makeover in their Great Western Rd

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Westender www.westendermagazine.com Magazine Promotion | 33

Images I Gregor Reid

new poke bowls at

So who’s heard of the latest Poke

Bowl food trend (pronounced POH-keh)?

Ubiquitous in Hawaii as a nutritious

lunch, starter, or light main course, it’s

versatility is gaining attention around the

globe. Wudon on Great Western Road are

ahead of the curve in the West End and have

launched their own range of poke bowl treats.

WUDON

on warm Japanese boiled rice. Or, Poke Tofu

Mein: tofu, tomato, carrot, sweet corn and

edamame with peanuts, flavoured with a

peanut dressing on cold ramen noodles.

Passionate about bringing fresh, nutritious

Pan Asian dishes to the foodie West End,

Wudon can’t wait for Westenders to try them.

A poke bowl consists of sushi grade

marinated fish, seafood, or tofu combined

with vegetables and packed with either hot

chilli or kimchi sauces or salty soy, tossed

over warm rice. Really, it’s a satisfying bowl

of deconstructed sushi.

Take your pick from Wudon’s offering of Poke

Salmon: raw salmon, avocado, crab stick,

cucumber, and edamame mixed with kimchi

sauce on warm Japanese boiled rice and

topped with seaweed. Poke Prawn (above

image): king prawns, seaweed, edamame,

fresh chilli and coriander, served with a

wedge of lime in sesame and soy vinigarette

!

Special Offer*

20% off each Poke Bowl at

Wudon till the end of April

2018. Quote WESTENDER

when ordering.

*Ts&Cs apply.

Wudon


0141 357 3033

wudon-noodlebar.co.uk

#


@

The

Lismore

Reviewed by

Emily Donoho

In a corner of Partick where pubs come and

go faster than Theresa May’s cabinet, the

Lismore has withstood changing tastes and

demographics since it opened 1996. It looks

like it’s been there forever. The woodwork

inside is oak in rich browns, with leather

benches framed by old ropes from ships

and tables made from the tops of whisky

casks. The pub’s artwork looks to island life,

abstract collections of materials from the

Highlands and Islands: turf, bird eggs, fish,

boats, fishing nets, while the stained glass on

the windows was specially commissioned,

depicting the Highland Clearances.

The island of Lismore, from where the pub

takes its name, was one of the last places to

be cleared.

You notice something Victorian about the

Lismore – a step back in time to a place

where pubs were for socialising, not eating a

posh meal, watching television, or listening to

music on a PA turned up to 11.

There is music, but it’s live. The Lismore has

hosted Irish and Scottish traditional music

sessions for years, bringing in some of the

best musicians in the city. The sessions run

roughly three times per week – Monday,

Tuesday, and Thursday (double check, the

days can vary). On Sundays, they have bands

playing a variety of genres, anything from jazz

to folk to funk.

The pub is unusual in that it has two bars, the

front one where the sessions live, and up a

couple steps, the back one. There’s even a

small bar in the back, which is useful if you’re

visiting on a packed night and don’t want

to battle the hordes to get to the main bar.

Image I Gregor Reid

The back bar rarely gets deafening, so if

you’re looking for a place for a quiet chat, you

can find a nook or a cranny.

The Lismore hasn’t quite jumped on the

real ale bandwagon. They have one guest

cask ale and Deuchars IPA on the handpumps.

The bar staff when we were there

didn’t know what ale they had on (it was

Greenmantle Century), but the beer itself

had been well-kept. Nonetheless, they keep

an extensive range of beverages on tap,

including Heverlee, Tennant’s, Caledonian

Best, Punk IPA, two Drygate lagers, Estrella,

and Magners for the cider drinkers.

At its heart, though, it’s a whisky pub –

not surprising from a bar so devoted to

the Highlands and Islands – and it has a

lot of whiskies. You can have the usual

suspects, the ten-year MacAllans, Highland

Parks, Laphraoigs, and so on, but for the

adventurous (and financially solvent) whisky

drinker, there are 18 year Dalmores, a 21-year

Glengoyne, an 18 year Bowmore, and many

more.

The homage to Highland and Island history

is inescapable for male patrons. The urinals

are devoted to George Granville, Colonel

Fell, and Patrick Sellar, all notorious for their

brutal and callous role in the Clearances, with

plaques suggesting men relieving themselves

‘pay them the respect they deserve.’

It certainly invites a dialogue about history.

The Lismore

206 Dumbarton Road G11 6UN

0141 576 0102

facebook.com/LismoreBar


@

resh, local and seasonal produce is the

cornerstone of Broomhill’s newest eatery

– The Square Bar and Restaurant.

spring

F

A favourite dish on their spring menu is

proving to be the lamb shank, champ

potatoes, and seared turnip with rosemary

jus. Just the kind of slow-cooked comfort

food Westenders need at this changeable

time of year. And with select steaks coming

from Byres Road’s award winning Rodgers

Butchers, all 40 day dry aged cuts are

proving popular with diners.

THE SQUARE

‘Provenance is very important to

Westenders,’ says Square Bar owner, Luke

Tracey. ‘West End foodies believe, like me,

that Scotland’s produce is the best in the

world and want to know our seafood, meat,

and vegetables are as local as possible and

dishes are created by our talented chefs with

seasonality in mind.’

With Mothering Sunday on the way (11th

March!) and a fantastic money off offer on

your food bill, there may be no better time

to book in early and treat someone special –

there’s even free on-site parking. A West End

nirvana indeed!

Special Offer! Enjoy 20% off your

food bill at The Square Bar &

Restaurant from the 19th of February

to the 30th April 2018*. Simply quote

Westender when you phone to book,

or when ordering.

*Discount excludes any drinks bill.

The Square Bar and Restaurant

6-8 Norby Road, Broomhill G11 7BN

0141 337 6988

thesquareglasgow.com

Images I Gregor Reid


gregorreidphotography.com

PORTRAITS CORPORATE

FASHION

@

The Cran


Reviewed by

Roberto Parrucci

Reaching The Cran on a cold winter

night, I’m struck by its laid back,

comfortable atmosphere with wooden

benches and old armchairs covered with

blankets in tartan patterns. On the naked

brick walls there’s a remarkable piece of

wood hanging, one of those your dog would

find upon an empty Scottish beach. Opposite

the entrance, a series of framed artworks

also serve to brighten the space.

My eye is immediately caught by the counter,

stocking various big pots of appealing food.

A quick glance at the daily’s board and I opt

for a haggis samosa (don’t be fooled, it’s

vegan haggis we’re talking about here) and

a vegan stovie (yes, it’s possible to recreate

the meaty all-round texture, but cruelty-free).

To wash all the food down I opt for the green

machine, a smoothie with broccoli, celery,

spinach, banana and pineapple. This should

be enough to stave off any midday hunger

pangs.

Delving into the haggis samosa, served

with a slightly spicy apple puree on the side

that goes hand in hand with the balanced,

generously stuffed vegan filling, I have the

immediate impression this food hasn’t

lingered long in the counter. It’s fresh, crusty

and an extremely succulent starter.

Sampling the vegan stovie, served with

oaties on the side, this traditional Scottish

recipe is revisited with loads of lentils, beans,

mushrooms, potatoes and carrots. Halfway

through I’m knocked down. The stovie is so

creamy and filling that it immediately gives a

sense of appeasement to my empty stomach.

With this bonanza for foodies, I quickly feel

satisfied having eaten my fill.

Luckily, a few sips of the most refreshing

of smoothies bring me back to normal and

I discover some space for a sweet treat, a

lavish chocolate caramel cake.

The Cran aims to be a crossroad for crafted

food, drinks, arts and work. The food at

the counter is partly in-house made, partly

provided by Face-plant Foods, a wellestablished

plant-based kitchen, providing

the best of stews, curries and soups.

With desserts provided by an artisan

Glasgow-based baker, The Cran makes it

even easier for you via their Instagram stories

for the latest updates on the menu. Artisan

traders can also set-up a pop-up shop

here, present their products at tastings and

showcase their arts and crafts (from jewellery

to vintage clothing, ceramics and plants).

The Cran aims to serve as a community

space, a venue for events and workshops.

The philosophy of this wee pearl is to try

and shop as local as possible. Have you

ever met a cow in Glasgow? Well, next time

you sink into the Cran’s creamy cappuccino,

rest assured it’s a weegie cow’s milk you’re

tasting.

The Cran

994 Argyle Street G3 8LU

0141 237 3435

thecran.co.uk

Image I Gregor Reid


Guilty Pleasures from Westender’s American in Glasgow

Nothing makes a person

feel more loved than a

homemade gift taking

time and effort – even

better if it tastes

amazing!

Image I Gregor Reid

y Liberty Vittert


CREAMY

BLUeBERRY CLOUD

Is spring here yet? I wish I could say it was, but it

is just as dreary outside as those miserable winter

months. But as always, Liberty is here (or rather

the sugar from the grocery store), to perk up those

coffers. This isn’t your Mama’s meringue – this baby

has a zest (pardon the pun) for life with a gorgeous

zing of lime woven into creamy layers covering a

puffy and chewy meringue laced with pistachios.

Perfect for Mother’s Day, or just a rainy Monday.

K

Shopping List

150g + 50g icing sugar

10 egg whites

½ tsp cream of tartar

½ tsp sea salt

80g pistachios

300g blueberries

300mL double cream

2 limes

1 tsp vanilla

L

Method

1. Turn oven to 100 degrees Celsius

and line a baking sheet with parchment

paper.

2. In a large mixing bowl (hopefully

electric or skip the gym that day), whisk

the egg whites until frothy. Add the

cream of tartar.

3. When the egg whites are soft peaks,

add 75g of icing sugar, and when the egg

whites are hard peaks, add the further

75g of icing sugar and the salt.

4. Scoop out the egg whites onto the

parchment paper in 6 large circles using

a spoon to create swirls. Sprinkle the

chopped pistachios on top.

5. Bake the meringues for 5 hours. Turn

off the oven and allow to cool keeping

the meringues in the oven. Trust me.

6. Whip the double cream, juice of 1

lime, and zest of 2 limes in a mixer,

adding the 50g of icing sugar and

vanilla.

Top your meringue clouds with cream

and blueberries.

PAPYRUS

SPECIAL

OFFER

20%

off*

bakeware

& baking

accessories

Mar-Apr'18

*Exclusive offer for

WESTENDER readers

at Papyrus,

374 Byres Road


Many people in the

West End dream of

opening their own

business – whether it’s

a personal passion, or a desire to

work for themselves that drives

the move. Loraine Patrick speaks

to three locals about what it

takes to make it as a sole trader.

There are lots of perks to working for

yourself – just ask Alice Kirk, founder

of Isabella’s Wardrobe on Crow Road in

Broomhill. Alice set up on her own business

10 years ago after working for a commercial

arts seller. She chooses her own hours,

enjoys increased freedom and lots of job

satisfaction

‘You have a great deal more flexibility’, Alice

confirms. ‘This business is a very personal

one – customers want to see me in the shop,

so I close on a Sunday and Monday to make

sure I can be here the rest of the time. Other

benefits of working for yourself are that you

are not answerable to anyone else. You make

your own decisions. It’s great fun and it is

very social – I now know lots of ladies in the

West End.’

The shop started with Alice’s own love of

labels and Isabella’s Wardrobe has become

the West Ends go to spot for bagging a

designer bargain. ‘I don’t source stock,’ says

Alice, ‘customers come to me with pieces to

sell. I am like a matching service and know

my customer’s style and tastes. We are a

consignment shop – I don’t pay for stock –

when items sell the client gets paid. It’s a

good business model.’

A few doors along is The Wee Kitchen Shop

at 304 Crow Road. Run by cabinetmaker

Greg Bowers, he believes when you work

for yourself that it’s vital to find something

you are passionate about. For Greg, after a

long career in the building and preservation

trade it was about bringing all his skills and

creativity together. Greg picks up, ‘There

was nothing worse than always having to

be the bearer of bad news. When I worked

in preservation I always had to apologise

to clients – wet rot, dry rot, it was always

expensive to fix. The kitchen is the heart of

the home and brings together my furniture

making, property development and

restoration skills.’

Opening the shop was also a lifestyle choice

– Greg wanted to be around to see his


B.Y.O.B

(Be Your Own Boss)

WORDS Loraine Patrick IMAGES Gregor Reid


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children grow up. ‘Not being a contractor and

having to be at a building site from eight in

the morning means I can have that time with

my family. I can help out in the morning when

my wife goes to work and I can spend time

with my kids.’

There are downsides to being your own

boss though and Greg is particularly hard

on himself. ‘My mind is always connected –

work never really stops. Evenings, weekends,

and holidays – I never switch off. The main

issue though is working on a Saturday.

I live to spend time with my family so working

weekends is not ideal.’

Owen Bisset, owner of gift and lifestyle

store Concept 65 agrees it’s about finding

a balance. Owen has no problem with

shutting shop when he needs to. ‘It’s really

important not let your business engulf your

life. My customers know I have no problem

booking holidays but I always make sure I

combine work and play. I buy for the shop

when I’m abroad and have a good network

of contacts, particularly in Paris, so I always

have something unique to offer my customers

here in the West End. I don’t buy at UK trade

shows anymore as there is too much overlap

with other shops in the area.’

Concept 65 (formerly Owen Bisset Boutique)

on Hyndland Street stocks an eclectic mix of

homeware, gifts and jewellery. For Owen it

was always the aim to be his own boss. ‘I can

express my creativity freely with the shop.

I worked for a similar company when I

finished art school but always wanted the

freedom to do my own thing as I have quite a

quirky style.’

Owen is clear he wouldn’t let his business

take over his life – and is a very relaxed boss

to himself. ‘It’s a very weird conversation

I have with myself,’ he laughs. ‘I probably

do need to be harder on myself – I have no

one to whip me into shape. Things like my

timekeeping are not always great but my


customers know that. Actually my friends are

harder on me than I am!’

Like Greg and Alice, Owen agrees you never

fully switch off when you are a sole trader –

his business is the first thing he thinks about

when he wakes up and the last thing he thinks

about before going to sleep. Six years into

his business it’s been a steep learning curve

but good fun. ‘I would recommend anyone

thinking about becoming self employed just

to go for it – but you must be prepared to

work hard.’

Concept 65, the Wee Kitchen Shop and

Isabella’s Wardrobe have all found their niche

in the West End. But it has taken time. Alice

says it took around eight years to develop her

market and build up to the quality of stock

she now has. ‘I knew what I wanted to sell but

it took me a wee while to find the customer

base. Nowadays I get lots of high value

pieces and I have the market to sell them

on. Authenticity has never been an issue,

I am careful who I take stock from and there

is always assistance out there in verifying

pieces. Business is thriving in what is a

competitive market and I just want to keep

doing what I am doing.’

‘There is always going to be a place for

bricks and mortar shops like these,’ Owen

concludes. ‘People want to see and try

before they buy. If I am still here in a year then

I am doing something right!’

Isabella’s Wardrobe, 318 Crow Road

The Wee Kitchen Shop, 304 Crow Road

Concept 65, 65 Hyndland Street


Happy 20th Anniversary

Independent Mortgage Store

Paul McGowan loves life on the ever

changing Byres Road – lucky, since

he’s been at No.93 since he set up the

Independent Mortgage Store 20 years ago!

‘We opened on the 28th April 1998,’ says

Paul. ‘From the moment we opened the

doors we have been busy. Laura Carson,

my office manager, has worked with me the

whole time which is very rare in this industry.’

Gerry Hughes joined early in 2017 as a Senior

Mortgage and Protection Broker – bringing

35 years of industry expertise with him.

company small and strong with a great bond

to our loyal clientele.’

Mortgage interest rates have of course

peaked and troughed over those years. On

the 2nd November 2017 the Bank of England

raised the base rate from 0.25% to 0.5% - the

first rate rise in over a decade. It is likely to

rise twice more over the next three years,

according to Bank of England governor Mark

Carney. Paul’s team are currently ensuring

that their existing clients are on the best and

lowest rate possible to keep their costs down.

Paul adds, ‘We are literally a small family

unit that has bonded together. The benefit

to our clients is that they have had the same

team looking after them over the decades. In

many cases when we meet clients to review

their mortgage it’s like meeting up with an

old friend and catching up with their news.

It’s the overriding benefit to keeping the

WIN! Independent Mortgage Store,

in conjunction with Two Fat Ladies at

The Buttery, are offering one reader a

three course meal with a bottle of house

wine, plus a welcoming glass of fizz, for

four people*. To enter simply ‘like’ their

Facebook page and state what anniversary

they are celebrating by 31st May ‘18. *Ts&Cs

apply.

Are you now one of the estimated four million

people still languishing on the higher variable

rate? See how much you could potentially

save, call the Independent Mortgage Store.

Independent Mortgage Store

93 Byres Road G11 5HW

0141 337 3393

independent-mortgage-store.co.uk


Magazine Promotion

Accountancy

Matters

by Bruce Wilson & Simon Murrison

Are you missing out on a

company tax cash rebate?

You could have tax relief hidden in your

company. Since 2000, HMRC’s

Research & Development (R&D) Tax

Credit legislation has been in place but many

companies are still missing out. Perhaps the

title R&D is misleading. Forget ‘white coat’

syndrome it’s not all about laboratories.

In fact the criteria can apply to almost any

SME business.

How is the R&D Tax Credit calculated?

For an SME sector an enhanced deduction of

130% plus 100% of original cost giving 230%

deduction from profits.

How can I find out if I qualify? ‘Take My

Free Audit’ by calling Murrison & Wilson

today to discover the tax relief hidden in

your company.

What businesses meet R&D Tax Credit

criteria? A business that has gone through

growth, transformation or change should

consider applying.

Demonstrate you’ve taken a commercial risk,

with a level of appreciable improvement or

scientific improvement on internal and client

based projects and you can apply.

For a free consultation, plus fixed and

competitive fees, get in touch now on

0141 290 0262, email info@muwca.

co.uk, or visit muwca.co.uk for our

free tax guides.

An example is a company enhancing a

factory floor process that directly improved

business, it ticks the R&D box.

The R&D Tax Credit is only available to SME

companies. By definition a company with

under 500 employees, turnover under €100M

and assets of under €86M.

Even if a company is making a loss you can

still apply. The enhanced deduction can be

surrendered to HMRC for tax back. This

could be a welcome boost to your business.

Murrison & Wilson Chartered Accountants

10 Newton Terrace G3 7PJ

0141 290 0262

info@muwca.co.uk

muwca.co.uk

Westender www.westendermagazine.com Magazine Promotion | 47

Legal Matters

Wheels of Fortune

Words from Donald Reid, chairman at Mitchells Roberton:

The narrow streets and heavy traffic prevalent in the West End make

the advice below from my colleague very apt. Cycling is definitely a

dangerous pursuit. I prefer jaywalking myself.

Cycling is great. Great exercise.

Great for the environment. Great fun

for all ages. The UK excels at a

professional level. Why are cyclists not

universally adored as saviours of the world

and applauded daily by other road users?

Probably because – Newsflash – bicycles are

traffic. And lots of cyclists pretend otherwise.

Too many cyclists ignore basic rules

like having operational lights. Too many

ignore red lights and/or choose to cycle

on pavements (‘shared use’ pavements

excepted).

There is no question that cyclists are

vulnerable road users. In a collision with

a vehicle, they will come off second best.

A car driver’s insurance should provide

cover if they injure a cyclist or damage their

property. But no law says cyclists must have

insurance. So what happens when the cyclist

causes an accident?

No doubt, leisure / weekend cyclists consider

the risk small enough to manage. Perhaps

some think their car insurance will cover them

(it doesn’t). But what about all the commuting

cyclists? Typical cycling insurance annual

premiums are £30. Basic membership of

cycling bodies often includes third party

insurance for about the same price.

The message to cyclists is clear. Take out

insurance. Don’t lose your (lycra) shirt

for £30.

If Paul Neilly can help

please contact him on

0141 552 3422, or email

pdn@mitchells-roberton.

co.uk.

An uninsured cyclist with no assets or income

will not be worth suing. The Motor Insurers

Bureau offers no indemnity for uninsured

cyclists. But the injured driver or pedestrian

might have to pay a solicitor to find out the

two-wheeled miscreant is made of straw.

Alternatively, if a cyclist does have

recoverable assets or income, they could

lose their home or be made bankrupt if they

cannot settle the injured party’s losses.

Insured cyclists are probably in the minority.

Mitchells Roberton Solicitors

& Estate Agents

George House

36 North Hanover Street G1 2AD

0141 552 3422

www.mitchells-roberton.co.uk


Empowerment

In the wake of the #MeToo campaign,

the idea that women should support and

rally behind each other has been dominating

mainstream conversation. But while women

are finding their voices and speaking out

about traumatic experiences for – in many

cases – the first time, others are focusing on

how to take that idea of empowerment and

turn it into a tool to serve women throughout

their lives. That’s where MsMissMrs, a Firhillbased

social enterprise steps in.

‘There’s not a lot we can do to control how

other people behave, but we can do a lot

to manage ourselves,’ says operations

manager Louise McAllister. MsMissMrs

– which launched in 2013 before moving

…and superhero pants

WORDS Hannah Westwater MAIN IMAGE Gregor Reid

into its current hub last year – runs selfempowerment

programmes for women who

have been through trauma. The ASDANaccredited

‘Get SET’ (Self-Empowerment

Tools), written by organisation founder Sylvia

Douglas, consist of one workshop a week

over eight weeks. Over 200 women have

completed the programme so far.

‘The idea behind MsMissMrs is about

building resilience so that we’re able to

navigate our way through life’s obstacles,’

Louise explains. ‘We want to create a

community of women coming together

and supporting each other. In this day

and age we’re quite isolated from each

other, whereas we used to have these big


communities – we’d watch our mother or

grandmother or great-grandmother, we’d

see how they managed their lives and their

relationships. Nowadays, women don’t have

that experience. So we wanted to create

a hub bringing women together to share

experiences.’

The workshops aim to challenge the ‘negative

voices in our heads that tell us we’re not good

enough’. Women are invited to participate

in guided discussions about self-esteem,

setting boundaries, self-awareness and

cultivating healthy relationships – life skills

which can be forgotten through hard times or

which mightn’t have been taught to us at all.

With a focus on self-care, Sylvia and Louise

are keen to emphasise that despite its

new buzzword status, they mean it in the

most practical sense of the term. ‘A lot of

people think it’s putting moisturiser on, but

it goes a lot deeper than that. Self-care is

not a reward,’ Sylvia says. ‘It’s you giving

yourself permission to say, “I am responsible

for taking care of myself”. Your GP

appointments, your smear tests, your dental

check-ups, all of that. ‘It’s about mental

health, physical health and social wellbeing.’

Sylvia, who grew up in care units, was

inspired by her own experiences to

establish the social enterprise. Now also

training other organisations to deliver the

programme she designed, she says it was

only following her own recovery that she

realised the importance of prioritising ones

own wellbeing. She adds, ‘You get to a point

where you’ve been through so much in your

life that you don’t tend to believe you deserve

good things. It’s almost like dimming your

own light – society doesn’t benefit, your

family doesn’t benefit, and most importantly

you don’t benefit. I thought it would be really

great to have a women-only space where you

could look at the fundamentals of rebuilding

yourself.’

launching new four-hour one-off workshops,

aiming to cater for women who are unable

to commit to the eight weeks of workshops

offered on the programme.

‘Most of the women who do our courses have

been through trauma, but I actually think

most women have. We’ve all got… stuff,’ says

Louise when considering the new intake of

women for these shorter workshops. ‘I’m

so glad women are talking but we need to

ensure we have the tools to navigate these

issues in the community on a daily basis.’

There is no referral system as such, she says,

but women hear about MsMissMrs through

local partners like GPs and other groups who

are prominent in women’s recovery.

As well as supporting women, the social

enterprise does preventative work with girls.

Having developed a 72-page workbook,

they encourage 11 to 13-year-old girls to

think about difficult communication, setting

boundaries, self-esteem, body image and

stress – and discuss it with their peers.

They’ve been working with Knightswood

Secondary School and have received an

enthusiastic response. ‘We talk to young girls

and they’re so tired already,’ says Sylvia. ‘You

can’t underestimate the impact social media

and those daily comparisons have. But really,

I don’t think there’s an age limit on the book.

These issues follow you.’

Moving forward, MsMissMrs want to make

their self-awareness programmes as

accessible as possible to any women who

might benefit from their services, as well as

reaching more girls with their workbook. Until

then, it’s clear that the hub will stay full to the

brim with support, laughs, empowerment –

and pants.

msmissmrs.co.uk

MsMissMrs is largely funded by the sale

of their signature ‘empowerment pants’ –

ethically-manufactured underwear designed

with the idea of women-as-their-ownsuperheroes

in mind. Over 3,000 pairs have

sold to date. The revenue generated from

these is partly why the organisation is now


Health Matters

GP Dr. Pamela Leggate, of Glasgow West Medical Practice,

discusses concerns around Autism and Asperger’s

Syndrome. Find how to access information, courses and

the help available.

Autism is a complex lifelong

developmental condition that can

cause a range of problems

with communication, behaviour and

understanding. Around 70% of people with

Autism have a coexisting learning difficulty.

It is more common than you might think with

around 1 in 100 children having some degree

of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It is four

times more common in boys than girls.

So what might cause concern that a child

might be autistic? Parents will sometimes

notice something not quite right from as early

as 12 months old, but it is usually around the

age of two years old that it becomes more

obvious. Affected children may have delayed

speech and will not compensate by gesturing

or pointing. They may not look you in the eye

and may prefer to play alone rather than with

other children. They might find pretend play

difficult. There may be repetitive behaviours

or speech. Autistic children can become very

distressed if their routine changes.

If you are concerned, you can find a

screening questionnaire at M_CHAT.org

(modified checklist for autism in toddlers).

Screening tests are not diagnostic but can

alert you that there might be a problem so

that you can ask your health visitor or GP

about a formal assessment. Depending on

the severity of the condition some children

may not be diagnosed until they start

school or later. Children with Asperger’s

syndrome (a milder form of ASD) may have

normal intelligence, but just be a bit socially

awkward. Some people reach adulthood

before they realise they are ‘different’.

So what causes Autism? The straight answer

is that we don’t really know. The condition

often runs in families so there may well be

a genetic cause. I’ve had a few patients

(mainly fathers I have to say) who have

children diagnosed with autism who then

think maybe that would actually explain a lot

about the problems they have had throughout

life! In Glasgow we do have an adult autism


assessment clinic but predictably, there are

long waiting lists for the service.

A few years ago there was a panic that

vaccines might cause autism. This has

since been proved not to be the case and

in fact the doctor who was responsible for

the research has since been struck off for

falsifying results. The most recent theory

is that autistic children’s brains develop

differently with a surplus of synapses (extra

connections in the brain). You would think

that a higher number of connections would

be a good thing but it seems to lead to

miscommunication between brain cells and

difficulties with processing. It is likely that

there is no single cause for autism but a

mixture of factors.

Anyway, enough of the science…how can we

help children with autism? Having recognised

the condition, there is a lot that can be done

to help. Special educational support can

go a long way to improve communication,

language and social skills. This might involve

a multidisciplinary team with speech and

language therapists, occupational therapists

and educational psychologists. Behavioural

issues can be improved in the same way

as other children with positive parenting

techniques. Ask your health visitor about the

Triple P programme available for all parents,

not just parents of autistic children. This aims

to encourage by recognising and praising

good behaviour. You can find out more

or even access the programme online at

triplep-parenting.uk.net.

Occasionally medication is used for things

like anxiety, depression, poor sleep or

obsessive compulsive disorders which can

affect people with autism. There is no cure

and autistic children will grow into autistic

adults. The earlier we can recognise the

condition and put supports in place, the

better the outcomes. Some adults with

Asperger’s syndrome will be able to live

independently, work and lead relatively

normal lives while others will require support

from parents or carers in the long term.

Finally, there is a school of thought that

suggests Asperger’s syndrome is not an

illness but a variant of normal. People without

Asperger’s are referred to as ‘neurotypicals’.

Adults on the autistic spectrum can have

lots of positive qualities and can be highly

intelligent. Mozart and Einstein are said

to have been autistic. Susan Boyle has

confirmed that she has Asperger’s syndrome.

Dan Aykroyd and Tim Burton are also on the

autistic spectrum. So don’t despair. We all

have potential for greatness in our own way.



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as seen in


Endmum’s

West

notebook

by Michele Gordon thelanguagehub.co.uk

Idon’t know about you but I am really looking

forward to spring this year. After all the bad

weather we have had in recent months I

think we finally all deserve a bit of sunshine.

I do like spring for many reasons: the days

become longer and you can actually leave

the house and return in daylight, the air

smells somewhat fresher and it is lovely to

see nature blossoming everywhere. It also

makes people more cheerful in general and

less stressed and grumpy. What is not to

like? It is of course also the time when many

of us celebrate Easter although you could

be mislead to believe that Easter actually

starts on the 27th of December as advertising

campaigns and the retail sector in general try

to get us into the mood earlier…successfully?

I’m not sure. Don’t get me wrong, I do like a

chocolate Easter egg or two, but when I am

still digesting chocolate Santas I do need

a break!

This year, Easter marks the beginning of

the spring school holidays which means

children get an extra day with Good Friday

on the 30th of March being a holiday.

For many the school holidays are an

opportunity to head off on a quick holiday

either abroad or on a holiday closer to home.

If you chose not to do either you can still

find sufficient entertainment to keep the kids

entertained.

There are quite a few activities on over the

holidays. I very much like the sound of the

events over the first holiday week at Maryhill

Burgh Halls as part of the Puppet Animation

Festival (puppetanimationfestival.org).

Between the 24th March and 14th April there

will be various events in Scotland for children

up to the age of 12 years, including puppet

making workshops, or animated films in

English and Gaelic.

If you are more in search of outdoor activities

you could check out the RSPB Scotland

sessions as part of the Kelvingrove Art

Gaellery and Museum timetable. These

activities run on Saturdays and Sundays

from 1-4pm and only ask for a donation of £1

toward the costs (whatsonglasgow.co.uk).

Children learn about local nature and animals

living in Kelvingrove Park.

Should you be heading toward the Botanic

Gardens for a stroll make sure to stop at

the ‘Books at the Botanics’ book fair in the

Hopkirk building It will run throughout the

Easter weekend with lots of bargains to be

had for any book lover.

If your children are more into sport, then look

up some of the sports clubs like Broomhill

Sports Club (broomhillsportsclub.org.uk).

Sports camps often use schools to distribute

their holiday activity flyers, so look out for

your child’s school bag at the end of March to

see what’s on.

Many museums like the Riverside Museum

or the Tall Ship also put on holiday activities

for children (thetallship.com). And if none of

these above activities take your fancy or you

have tried all of them before the holidays are

over, you can always come to The Language

Hub. This year, we will be running weekday

activities from the 3rd to the 13th of April

for children and adults alike. Not all of them

involve language learning so make sure to

check out our website for more details.

This leaves me to wish you all ‘Frohe Ostern’

and many happy egg hunts. I hope we will all

enjoy some lovely warm spring weather and a

relaxing break.


Homes & Interiors

by Susan

Robertson

© Hoos

Fashions change with moods and seasons,

Susan Robertson explores one of the key

interiors trends for 2018 and how we can

take inspiration from this into our West End

homes.

Natural

Accents

As global communication raises awareness of the world

around us, we’ve seen an ever-growing movement

towards sustainable products, consideration about our

environment and the products we choose to surround

ourselves by have obvious influences in trends across

fashion and interiors.


© Hoos

Some of the key interiors trends for this year can be

grouped under the theme of touching nature. This is

particularly in relation to materials. Perhaps linked

to a desire to connect with nature, and a desire to feel

more connected with the impact and value of our

decisions.

This manifests itself this year in the move towards

carefully chosen tactile products and materials. This

is not to say we’ve yet reached the stage where things

are all entirely biodegradable or plant-based in their

production of course, but the trend is a nod towards

paring back to the bare bones of our surroundings and

respecting and celebrating a raw connection with our

environment in terms of how things touch and feel.

So, we’re seeing more use of marble and stone in

different colours and formats. Think mortar and

pestles and heavy marble tables. Rather than the

restrictions we’ve had previously, there are now more

colours being used in stone than just the traditional

milky whites and you can see deep, dark greens and

black onyx, or soft pale mineral stones in accessories

and furniture. These heavy, solid materials are multilayered

and feel rich, luxurious and real.

Pair these heavy stones with raw concrete – dark

textured grey concretes are wonderful floorings.

Or we’re also seeing a mixture of takes on this from

soft, smoothed off pale grey or white concrete or

chunky, textured bubbly raw effects coming through

in bold accessories like vases, candles and bowls.

This almost has a natural industrial feel to it all, but

it’s much softer than that. Add to the heavy stones and

concretes, soft natural wooden accessories and it’s

a really lovely theme. Either use the very palest of

wooden accessories, hugely smoothed off to bring a

real softness to a room, or go more rustic with dark,

chunky wooden bowls and occasional furniture to

contrast with dark rough concrete and rich smooth

marble.

And these all understandably work well with colour

palettes from nature. Crisp whites and soft greys set

this off beautifully on walls and fabrics. Layer up

fabrics and textures to add different levels of softness

and stay neutral but warm in the tones you pick. Warm

pale chocolatey tones, deep olive greens or pale musty

beige work well on multi-surface areas. Highlighting

with accents of vibrant rusty orange work well for

me too in this. But stay away from the feature walls

and bring these touches into unusual places in dark

corners, painted furniture or printed floor cushions

or curtains.

Don’t forget to pay attention to all the senses when

creating a room and an ambience. Lighting should

be soft but clear. Pooling light in different areas

rather than one central position. And remember the

dual benefit of some lovely scented candles. Shearer

Candles on Byres Road has some excellent ranges

for this theme. Go for their natural wax candles for

lovely fruity or herby fragrances, or they also have jar

candles in varying sizes and fragrances. These have a

nice matte glass look to them which works really well


Homes & Interiors

against the natural woods and stones of the themes.

We’re spoilt for choice in the West End to add that

elegant fragrance to your room.

Think about the art you pick for your walls. Keep it

minimal but be really creative. Touches of fresh green

plants look fantastic. Use natural wooden shelves

staggered across white walls, and dot them with

bright green plants in chunky grey pots, allowing the

leaves to drape and link across from shelf to shelf.

This creates a really natural feature to pull everything

together. Huge aged mirrors look wonderful with

this, have a look around salvage and architectural

suppliers for some of these, or for really battered old

picture frames that you can put up on a white wall

with nothing in it. Finish it all off with bold flourish of

colourful fresh flowers as a further nod to nature and

bringing the outside in.

Hoos 715 Great Western Road hoosglasgow.co.uk

07788 480 421

Shearer Candles 388 Byres Road 0141 357 1707

shearer-candles.com




The Store Interiors, 26 Munro Place, Anniesland, Glasgow, G13 2UP

0141 950 1333 | www.thestoreinteriors.co.uk

Email: sales@thestoreinteriors.co.uk

TheStore - HIS - Emma.indd 2 07/12/2017 09:48

Jun/Jul 2016

Aug/Sep 2016

Free

Image I Gregor Reid

Free

Image I Gregor Reid

ADVERTISE WITH US

The Store Interiors, 26 Munro Place, Anniesland, Glasgow, G13 2UP

0141 950 1333 | www.thestoreinteriors.co.uk

// Glasgow’s best FREE bi-monthly mag

Email: sales@thestoreinteriors.co.uk

// Great editorial features: fashion, dining out,

health & beauty, what’s on, local authors

& artists, interiors & more

// Massive potential business audience

// 12,000 copies per edition

For more info or to advertise

email: suzanne@westendermagazine.com

for a media flyer, or call: 07905 897238

westendermagazine.com

TheStore - HIS - Emma.indd 2 07/12/2017 09:48


Reseal Service | Professional Tile Installation | Waterproof Bathrooms

The no.1 Tile Installation and Restoration

Specialist in Central Scotland

We are a fully insured, reliable family run business with over

40 years combined experience. We use the best and most up to date

products and materials and pride ourselves on our attention to detail

and excellent customer reviews.

BEFORE AFTER BEFORE AFTER

Our Reseal Service can restore your tiles by carefully

removing all of your existing grout and sealant using

non-abrasive chemicals and high precision diamond

technology. Specialist chemicals are used to wash

your tiles to remove soap scum, body fat, mould and

mildew. Antimicrobial grouts and sealants are then

professionally applied

Our Reseal service includes;

// Sealant Applications

// Bonded Bath & Shower Seals

// Chemical Sealants

// Re-grouting

// Two-part Sealants

// Waterproof Tanking Systems

FROM ONLY

£150

SUPPLIED

& FITTED

Bonded Bath and Shower

Seals – Our unique and

most popular product.

T / 0141 611 9534 M / 0781 782 8681

E / info@resealscotland.co.uk W / www.resealscotland.co.uk

Homes & Interiors

Bold as Brass

One of the latest looks for 2018 is the strong elegant

touch of warm coloured metal. Brassy, coppery tones

add a touch of glamour to any room. Simple, neutral

tones are brought to life with a touch of brass, and

there’s a wealth of options in the West End.


LSA Metallic Tealight Holder,

£20, Spirito

Matt Brass Glove Wall Lamp,

£108,

Annie Mo's

Wall Clock,

£139,

The Store Interiors

Brass Sprinkle Spoon,

£14, Hoos

Copper Heart Bottle Stopper,

£12, Spirito

Annie Mo's, 212 Great Western Road, 0141 331 0333, anniemos.com

Hoos, 715 Great Western Road, 07788 480421, hoosglasgow.co.uk

Spirito, 317-319 Crow Road, 0141 337 3307, spiritogifts.com

The Store Interiors, 26 Munro Place, 0141 950 1333, thestoreinteriors.co.uk



Homes & Interiors

The days of the functional flat pack are

behind us. How we arrange our daily

lives and store our precious memories

doesn’t need to be a purely practical

process, it can also be an aesthetic

enjoyment. Susan Robertson picks up

inspiration from around the West End.

Storage

Statements

by Susan Robertson

Keep an eye out for

beautiful solutions the

next time you mosey

around the West End!

This is a time where we have accumulated over

the last few dark months, perhaps there are still

a few extra pounds around the waist, but in this

fortunate society we live in, there will likely be some

extra toys kicking around, some extra kitchenware

bought in haste for festive guests, and a lot of gifts

received needing to find its place in our home.

It’s also a time of taking stock, clearing out, planning

and thinking forward to the upcoming year – the

time of year we tend to pause to give a thought to

organising our lives, and our homes. So, as we pick

and choose what items to keep in our homes, it’s

useful to think of how and where to store them.

The storage question can be part of the decision

process too. If there are things that will never see the

light of day because they’ll be stashed at the back of a

cupboard for years, perhaps it’s worth rehoming them

elsewhere.


The Rug Company, Wizlet,

Farrow and Ball


0141 337 7043

farrow-ball.com

—

Umbrella Stand,

Nancy Smillie

53 Cresswell Street

0141 334 4240

nancysmillieshop.com

—

Wine Holder,

Nancy Smillie

53 Cresswell Street

0141 334 4240

nancysmillieshop.com

—

Four Drawer Blue Cabinet,

The Store Interiors

26 Munro Place

0141 950 1333

thestoreinteriors.co.uk

Earning yourself a few extra bob via

ebay can take the edge of a clear-out, or

adding stock to one of the many great

charity shops along Dumbarton or Byres

Road will always add value for someone.

Think big first. Depending on the

space you have in your home, make the

boldest statement you can make with

furniture. Glasgow’s tenements of all

sizes are great for furnishing as the high

ceilings and large windows create a

sense of space and great opportunity for

using big furniture pieces. But keep the

number of items as few as possible but

as beautiful, bold and functional as you

can get to create a wow factor that also

has a purpose.

Tables often waste space, unless in

a dining room or kitchen where it

provides only that function, avoid

furniture for it’s surface use alone.

Go for a big storage unit or a chest of

drawers, or a large cavernous trunk

so that you can create spots to display

ornaments, or put down your coffee,

and at the same time maximise that

surface space with a bold design

statement and plenty space to store away

all your boxes and files underneath.

These big pieces are a great opportunity

to make a bold statement that you can

really build a room around. Depending

on your budget, you could really invest

in a special piece here – perhaps an

antique, and if you have something

specific in mind, try and get some

pictures online so that local dealers can

keep an eye out for you.

Or you could source a new, high quality

item locally, there are some great pieces

available at The Store, or Nancy Smillie

among others. Or indeed upcycle some

solid furniture sourced through charity

shops and painted in bright colours, or

cleaned up and sections highlighted in

designed self-adhesive paper.

Think carefully about what you would

like to store away too – do you want

drawers for paperwork or photos, or do

you need shelves for spare blankets, or

open cupboards for boxes. Make sure

you err on the side of too much, rather

than too little space. You’ll need some

leeway to add to collections further

down the line. If you find a way to marry

the practicality of the storage you need,

with a really strong design statement,

it can create a great focal point and it’s

well worth spending some time and

thought on sourcing the right piece.

And also, don’t forget about the smaller

items. It’s worth thinking about those

irritating, high traffic areas where

clutter often collects and seeing if you

can you create practical and beautiful

solutions. This can really help reduce

stress levels by stopping cycles of daily

dumping grounds. Having a think about

some practical and beautiful solutions

for things like shoe storage, umbrella

stands, coats and scarves is really worth

the time. Going through the process

of identifying these key areas for your

home means you can keep an eye out for

beautiful solutions the next time you

mosey around the West End shops and

boutiques.


With over 35 years experience Power-Lite can

offer a wide range of services including

Joiners – Electricians – Plumbers

Painters and Decorators – Plasterers

Quote

'Westender

Magazine' for

10

%

all new work

undertaken

OFF

We can install fully fitted kitchens, bathrooms

including wet rooms, wet floors, electrical test and

inspections, full re-wires, PAT testing and also all

decorative work throughout a property.

T. 0141 954 5151 M. 07836 700 754

W. power-lite.com E. allan@power-lite.com

12 Jordanvale Avenue, Glasgow, G14 OQP

READERS

OFFER!

FREE

Gas Certificate

PAT Test

Legionella

Assessment

Are you a Landlord?

Thinking of Letting?

Changing Agent?

When you quote

Westender

“ Problem Solved”

Call or email for a free market appraisal

E: glasgow@zoneletting.com T: 0141-333-0990 W: www.zoneletting.com

SERVING: GLASGOW • EDINBURGH • LONDON


Westender Magazine

Interiors & All Trades

Keeping your home working for

you. Whatever you need whenever

you need it – find reliable local

tradespeople here.

West End

Handyman

✓ all trades

✓ fast & reliable

✓ local & accessible

✓ reasonably priced

✓ no job too small

part of

Call Radek

07810 728 025

Painter & Decorator » Plaster Skimming

Ames Taping & Coving » Period Windows

Hand-painted Kitchens

Call Frank – 07906 395341 / 0141 945 3975

francisscullion@yahoo.co.uk

We’re your local experts in all

aspects of painting and decorating,

interior, exterior and specialists in

hanging designer wallpapers.

for a Free No Obligation Quote

call Kevin on 07984 880199

or Derek on 07525 202102

or email us at

bespokedecor@yahoo.co.uk

T: 0141 321 1012

2/2 1758 Great Western Road,

Glasgow G13 2TL

Traditional Roofing,

Leadwork and Building

Specialists

CITB Registered

Call 0141 429 8484 Email info@tmcm.co

Web www.tmcm.co


Before

Do you have cornice

in need of repair?

After

www.reproplaster.co.uk | Tel: 0141 7761112

Visit our showroom at Period House, 5 Campsie Road, Kirkintilloch, G66 1SL

Experts in the repair of ornamental plasterwork | Comprehensive product range also available

With over 25 years’ experience,

we offer a wide range of plumbing,

gas & building services.

➤ Central heating installations

➤ Gas installations & repair work

➤ Landlord gas safety certificates

➤ Plumbing & emergency repair work

➤ Bathroom/kitchen installations & upgrades

➤ Specialists in renovation & building projects

➤ All trades supplied

➤ Gas Safe registered

Quote ‘Westender Magazine’

for a 10% discount off new

boiler installations.

0141 301 1180 | 07949 092 475

www.bsmithplumbing.com

info@bsmithplumbing.com


Magazine Promotion

Wee Kitchen Shop

Beautiful Custom Made Contemporary & Traditional Kitchens

There are many ways to approach the

creative process – mood boards and

Pintrest being two. When a young

Glasgow couple approached Greg at The

Wee Kitchen Shop clutching images cut

from interiors magazines, it acted as a

spring board towards their dream kitchen.

‘I love the contrast of the painted finish of

the frame Shaker doors against the white

worktops, walls and mantel,’ says Greg.

‘The couple chose Farrow & Ball’s Hague

Blue and it creates real drama in this light

airy space. The cool tones used elsewhere

are then warmed up with the light oak floor

and antique brass finished handles.’

Working in the older properties of the West

End can cause some practical design issues

– but these are just the challenges Greg

loves to resolve creatively.

Accented open space above the sink was

created by hanging antique finished cast iron

shelf brackets supporting danish oiled rustic

oak planks. Whilst a custom-made mantel

surrounding the range cooker incorporates

storage and cornicing to harmonise with

the existing original features. Beauty and

practicality: isn’t that the design mantra? It’s

Greg’s, that’s for sure.

SPECIAL OFFER: 30% off Silestone,

Corian & Granite worktops ordered

before 30th Apr ‘18! Please call ahead

for a FREE consultation appointment

at The Wee Kitchen Shop premises.

The WEE Kitchen Shop

304 Crow Road, Broomhill G11 7HS

0141 334 4747

theweekitchenshop.co.uk

info@theweekitchenshop.co.uk


‘hello’

next step


Be where you want to be. Corum’s property knowhow

gets you there. Contact Corum West End today.

Contact us on

0141 357 1888

Visit our website

corumproperty.co.uk

Corum West End

82 Hyndland Road, Glasgow G12 9UT the best sellers

WebMarApr18

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