Winter 2020

please pick up your WESTENDER and take it home
www.westendermagazine.com | 1
winter issue
WESTENDER
WE’RE BACK!

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WHERE
EXPERIENCE
MATTERS
WEST END
PROPERTY
EXPERTS
We might be the new kids on the
block, but we have more than 100
years of West End property
experience in our Byres Road
team. And with property, legal and
mortgage services under one roof,
we make moving easy.
Gavin Crowe
Partner
0141 227 8200
Angela Douglas
Branch Manager
0141 342 5571
Michael Begley
Mortgage Adviser
0141 342 5577
Book your free valuation
today at acandco.com or visit
us at 108 Byres Road.
PROPERTY
LEGAL
FINANCIAL

www.westendermagazine.com | 3
Cover Image By Gregor Reid Photography
Artist Michael Corr for The Graffiti Project. For more information visit:
swg3.tv/news/2019/september/first-minister-visits-swg3-railway-arches-to-view-latest-graffiti-project
6
16
Contents
10
Regulars
4 Editor’s Letter
Fashion, beauty & health
6 Running Therapy
15 WIN! At Rainbow Room
International
Shopping
10 West End Wanderland
Arts
16 Author Interview:
Graeme Armstrong
20 Cover To Cover:
Book Reviews
Westender living
26 West End Property
Market Update
31 Coorie In Interiors
26

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Editor’s
Letter
Well, that’s been tough. A week before
lockdown in March my phone
didn’t stop with advertiser after
advertiser cancelling their order as they
closed their shutters. We’ve all been
devastated but kept in touch and tried to
keep each other going over the long spring
and longer summer months.
Laterally, I’ve been feeling personally
lucky that lost business is all I have to feel
devastated about. To anyone reading this
who has lost a loved one, been very ill, or
has a business that’s closed down and isn’t
coming back – I am so desperately sorry.
Self-care seems too small a term to fix
the depth of hurt that’s out there right now.
But taking a few minutes to be in the moment,
enjoy a view, a freshly roasted coffee or a
turn around the local park can be just enough
to reset and guide you in a more positive
direction. Mike Findlay uses fitness and the
great West End outdoors as his therapy.
Mike writes about his experience with running
to improve mental health on Page 6.
We also acknowledge the joy to be found
in coorie-ing in on Page 31. Light those
candles, wrap up in a blanket, grab that hot
chocolate and beat back the winter blues
with Netflix binges and luxurious soaks in
the tub.
And here’s a shout out for you, my fellow
small West End business owner. I hear
you my peeps and I support you. Turn to
pages 10-14 for Tracy Mukherjee’s fave
local shopping spots this Festive season –
and support them too! If you can do one thing
this winter please shop locally. We depend on
it, literally.
Most importantly though, be kind to
yourself and those around you – never before
has community meant so much. This too shall
pass and we will make it, together.
Suzanne Martin
Publisher: Westender Magazine
Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that 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 advertising material included within this publication.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form – electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise – without prior permission of the publisher.

Westender www.westendermagazine.com Magazine Promotion | 5
Gaining back family time
Nutritional content? Tasty food?
Everyone round the table? What are
your priorities at family meal time?
Simon Partridge launched Simply Simon born
from a passion for great tasting and nutritious
food delivered to hard working West End
homes so he’s doing the graft not you!
‘Simply Simon is based around health
and wellbeing,’ says Simon. ‘We prepare
restaurant quality meals and deliver them
as meal prep. We have a number of services
including catering for dinner parties (normally
in person but we are doing virtual events
in the current situation), cooking classes
and weekly meal plans,’ Simon explains.
‘One of my meal plan clients told me that they
are “paying me to give them family time!”
I thought that really summed it up perfectly.’
Head chef at The Bothy West End before
moving to Arta and The Corinthian, it was
as Executive chef at Menzies hotel Simon’s
interest in the nutritional content of food was
roused. Asked to provide vast quantities of
healthy grub to visiting major rugby clubs
set to play the Glasgow Warriors, Simon was
presented with a menu to prepare. ‘While the
food delivered all of the required nutrients it
didn’t hit the spot on flavours,’ says Simon.
‘I met with the then head of Nutrition for SRU
and got talking as to how we could change
that and make it more of a dining experience
and not just fuel for athletes. This was the
seed that helped me grow my idea in to what
Simply Simon is now.
‘In the current climate people are
concerned about eating out and we can help
with that. Just because people are anxious
about dining out it doesn’t mean they don’t
want to enjoy the company of friends and
loved ones. We can draw up tailored menus
for people that suits their tastes, deliver their
chosen meals as meal prep to each member
of their group and they can then simply
reheat their food and dial in via whatever
media they use to have a great evening with
friends.’
From weekly meal plans delivered straight
to your fridge to hosting intimate virtual
dinner parties, Simply Simon caters for all.
Find out how Simply Simon can buy
you back some family time by visiting
simplysimonchef.com
Simply Simon Chef
07380 667077
simplysimonchef.com

6 | www.westendermagazine.com
WORDS MIKE FINDLAY
Running as
THERAPY
Nearly everyone’s mental health has had
a knock at some point during the
pandemic. Even the most positive of
us have had our moments, particularly with
changing restrictions and lockdowns.
The more cooped-up inside we are,
the more our mental health suffers. This
much we know.
It’s not surprising then that during these
Covid-19 times, many more Glaswegians are
pounding the streets and canal paths with
their trainers than ever before. And I have to
admit, I am one of them.
It seems ironic that a public health
crisis has provided the perfect opportunity
for runners in Glasgow to up their game.
But this is exactly what we are seeing. Take a
look down the Kelvin Walkway any day of the
week, and you would be hard pushed not to
notice the determined look of runners of all
ages and levels of fitness, come rain or shine.
The physical benefits of running are clear
– inches off the waistline and improvement of
the overall function of your heart – but we are
just waking up to how helpful running is for
boosting your mental health.
And the research tells us so: academics at
the University of Arizona compared the MRI
scans of runners’ brains to non-runners and
concluded that running affects the structure
and function of the brain, similar to taking
on a complex task like playing a musical
instrument.
Scientific evidence from the University
of Oxford shows that the post-run high
is brought about by a substance called
‘cannabinoids’ being present in the body
which is also present within marijuana. It can
present that high and calming influence over
you. Which is partly why running is good at
combating depression.
Beyond the hard science and closer to
home, there is a group of inspiring runners
in Glasgow who are seeing real results with
their members when it comes to beating the
Covid blues.

www.westendermagazine.com | 7
Glasgow FrontRunners (GFR) is one of
the city’s biggest running teams. It is part of
a global network of running teams that are
LGBT inclusive. People from all walks of life
run with the team – you don’t have to identify
as LGBT to join.
It is well known that LGBT people’s mental
health suffers disproportionately compared
to other groups in society. GFR has arguably
provided a lifeline for many during the
pandemic who have seen an improvement to
their mental health through running and also
the social aspects of the club.
Jo Jeffreys former President of GFR
comments, ‘When lockdown happened it
was clear that many of our members were
distressed about not being able to meet
up each week to run together. For many of
them, it’s the highlight of their week. We had
to think innovatively as a committee about
how we could keep the club going and at the
same time, paying attention to guidelines and
restrictions.
‘At the height of lockdown, when we
weren’t meeting at all, we set up a Facebook
group for members to share selfies on their
own individual runs. This was hugely popular
as it helped everyone remain connected.
It grew arms and legs and we then decided
to take it one step further and set up a “don’t
break the chain” running calendar to see how
many hours in the day we could have GFR
runners on the streets of Glasgow. We did
this a number of times as it was so popular.
‘A number of our runners managed to
complete their own marathons through
sheer grit and determination, which has
helped keep the club ethos going during the
pandemic.
‘Our members repeatedly tell us how
GFR is more than just a running club, it’s
a social network and community group.
Some of our members have been feeling
socially isolated and have suffered from
depression and if running itself and being
part of the club can alleviate that, then it can
only be a good thing.’
Cameron has been a member of GFR
for the last two years. He comments,
‘I have suffered from periods of anxiety and
depression all of my adult life. I have tried
medication and meditation, but nothing
seemed to work. I took up running in my own
time and saw some benefits to my mental

8 | www.westendermagazine.com
health immediately. My mood was lifted, and I
also began to sleep better.
‘Once I felt more confident as a
runner, I decided to join GFR. Now I am
a more serious runner, I have seen huge
improvements to my physical health and at
the same time I have seen the improvements
mentally. There is also a real added benefit
to running with the group and it’s a very
sociable and supportive bunch. Members
meet up outside the group, where we can,
and during the pandemic we have organised
a number of social events online including
quizzes and our AGM.’
Aye Run is another innovative running
initiative coming out of Glasgow.
It’s the brainchild of local all-round running
enthusiast, Sean Reid. Combining his
love of running with history and culture,
Sean organises running tours of Glasgow
which appeal to natives and tourists alike.
His runs take in everything from George
Square, the Cathedral, the Necropolis and
Glasgow Green – but also some ‘off-thebeaten-track’
sights looking at architecture
and statues and some of Glasgow’s ‘hidden’
street art.
What better way to stimulate and improve
both your physical and mental health by
running and learning something about your
home city at the same time?
Sean comments, ‘I have always been
passionate about the history of the city,
its stories, buildings and murals that pop up
all over the place. I wanted to do something
different with my runs that brought both
elements together and allowed me to share
my knowledge of Glasgow and its culture
with other people. Our runs are at a relaxed
pace and really are for everyone.
‘Our post-lockdown tours have attracted
more locals than previously. For me,
it’s really rewarding helping people from
Glasgow discover their own city, seeing them
astonished when they find out the hidden
history of a place they’ve walked past a
hundred times without a second glance.’
For more details visit:
glasgowfrontrunners.org
ayerun.com

Parkinson’s
Disease –
Specialist
Advice to Help
You Reduce
Stiffness and
Move Better
Living with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is
tough at the best of times. And, lets face
it, with COVID-19, now is definitely not
the best of times or the easiest to keep
active. You may well be frustrated as you
have stiffened up or lost some of your energy
over the last few months. You are not alone,
many people living with PD are struggling
with the same issues.
To try and help you reduce the stiffness
and regain some of your energy I wanted to
share some of the basics of How to Keep
Active The Right Way with PD. The principles
for these exercises are – Power, Effort and
Amplitude.
For many people PD is a bit like driving
your car with the handbrake stuck on. So,
to overcome the ‘handbrake’ any movement
you are going to do needs to be :-
Full of Power – to help increase the strength
of the movement you produce
High in Effort – to make sure you are
getting the most effective movement possible
Large Amplitude – Make it way bigger than
you think you need to.
An example of this would be walking, speed
up your walking by trying to take ‘quicker’
or ‘faster’ steps. What typically happens,
is that you get many more of your normal
small steps, but very little increase in speed
and you can often feel unsteady or worried
you might fall. So, instead of thinking ‘I need
to speed up’, I want you to concentrate on
Westender www.westendermagazine.com Magazine Promotion | 9
J FraserSimpson MSc, Chartered Physiotherapist
Call NOW on 07988 015190 to see how
we can help
taking large effortful and powerful steps.
Done properly you will see a real
improvement in the size of your stride,
which will also improve your walking speed.
This is just one example of how being able
to exercise the right way can help you live a
more independent and active life with PD.
One of my clients, who has been diagnosed
with PD, has very kindly recorded a video to
speak a bit about how we are helping him live
better with PD. To access the video please
go to simpsonphysio.co.uk/parkinsonsspecialist-glasgow
and scroll down to the
bottom of the page.
Visit simpsonphysio.co.uk for a FREE
Tips Report to Help you Start Taking Back
Control of Your Life with Parkinson’s
Disease, and fill in our online form.
Alternatively, call 07988 015190 now to
book an appointment with a specialist.
Simpson Physiotherapy
07988 015190
simpsonphysio.co.uk

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Walking in a West End
Wanderland
No need for a subway ride. The West End is THE
shopping destination this year.
Few of us will be sad to see the demise of 2020. But so
far, we are making it through and as true Glaswegians,
just getting on with it. If you are a small business owner
that ‘blitz mentality’ has just about got you through the
past 9 months. With Christmas coming, this should be
a time of economic growth. So with that in mind, where
should we spend our hard earned cash this Christmas?
Let’s consider our own back yard, support our
small business owners and shop locally.
WORDS TRACY MUKHERJEE
THE SPIRITO OF CHRISTMAS
Immersing itself in a glorious halo of festive
treats Spirito, Crow Road is a one stop shop
for home and gift ideas. Their line of super
cute Pot Candles combining Christmas and
nature come in either robin, reindeer or fox
and are evocatively scented with different
Christmas spices. Scented candles are in
abundance in this stunning gift boutique,
not to mention the most adorable range of
light garlands. The Starburst Chain lights
and fairy lit Table Robins are an oh-so-chic
alternative to the traditional Christmas tree.
There are many beautiful interior ideas
here with a nod to the pared back hygge
style of cosy furnishing without fuss. Spirito
has an outstanding range of home goodies,
everything to make your home a Snugglefest!
No place to go? Thank goodness.
COME IN FROM THE COLD AT COLAB
In one of my favourite bijou spots in
West Dowanhill Street, sits Colab Store.
This multifaceted space houses a cosy
coffee shop, event area and gift shop. At its
core Colab champions design, inspired by
co-owners Karen Haas and Peter Mulvenny’s
love of travel, art and design.
For a truly unique Christmas gift, Colab
is definitely worth the trip. Its glorious
apothecary ranges should ensure your skin
is in for a pamper not to mention moisturising
our dried out little mitts from the copious
hand washing. On which point you might
consider treating your hands to the decadent
Meraki hand creams, or indeed anything from
this truly sumptuous skin range.
East of Earl’s Onsen Range is also a
winner in the gift stakes: choose from hand

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SPiRiTO’s Starburst Chain Lights and Table Robin
balm, coordinating hand wash, bath salts,
and candles. What could be better than
soaking in your favourite aroma, fragrancing
your home plus treating your skin all in the
same heady scent? Don’t forget to check out
the lush range of Nuddy shea butter soap
bars too.
To lift our mood, look to brighter days
ahead with Colab’s range of sunglasses.
It’s an extensive collection with cool designer
vibes. But if we are honest we might have
to deal with a few showers before the sun
appears – isn’t that an analogy for our
current climate. Fear not, the super stylish
Blunt umbrellas come in Metro and Classic
styles. Come rain or shine plus a lovely cup
of Joe to boot, Colab has just the right gift for
Christmas with style.
CHRISTMAS UNDER THE STARS
A Hyndland stalwart Cassiopeia, Hyndland
Road opened the door to its gift and home
boutique way back in 2004. Being a mere
child at that time I clearly don’t remember…
ahem.
As the name suggests, Cassiopeia is all
about gifts that shine and will bring a sparkle
to your home. Owners Lyudmila and Mabel,
whilst stocking unique gifts from further
afield, love to champion local Scottish art and
design. Designer Jamie Frame’s Topographic
Wall Maps are a thing of beauty. Carved
from birch plywood and finished with natural
wood wax this gift will definitely bring a
smile come Christmas morning. Cath Waters
contemporary take on the Scottish landscape
is beautifully captured in her range of mugs
and coaster combinations. The Rupert
Balmire ceramics range elevate the humble
tea caddy or tumbler to a new level of design
heaven.
There is also a beautiful collection of
baby gifts too. The Beatrix Potter range has
everything from soft toys and bibs through to
purses and pencil cases. What parent of a tot

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Home Gifts Jewellery Baby
pets-cetera
everything a pet lover needs in the
heart of the west end
Toys
Accessories
Natural Treats
For cats, dogs &
little critters
NEW
all natural &
grain free!
165B Hyndland Road, Glasgow, G12 9HT
Tel: 0141 3577374
www.cassiopeiaonline.co.uk
79 Hyndland Street
Glasgow
G11 5PS
tel: 0141 334 0760

www.westendermagazine.com | 13
Meraki Pure Organis Hand Cream and Blunt Metro
Umbrella, both from The CoLab Store
couldn’t love a Beatrix Potter tooth and curl
box? That may just be the cutest sentence
I’ve ever written.
Whatever the age, from young to old
Casseiopia is the place for that very special
Christmas gift.
HOOS HOOS HOOS MERRY CHRISTMAS
Nordic style has become ever more present
in our design consciousness over the past
few years. Hoos Great Western Road is a
hygge wonderland… with a heady sprinkling
of local artisan design thrown in. Hoos is the
destination store for textiles, purity of style
and natural materials.
The Cowboy Dream Blankets by Icelandic
designer Anna Thorunn are made from
100% New Zealand wool and are inspired
by her memories of the beauty and majesty
of her homeland. Normann Copenhagen’s
outrageously cute Little Bird decorative
figures are a beautiful blend of smooth turned
wood with only a smidgin of detail – a little
beak. Coming in 6 different sizes, you can
add to your collection over time.
For kiddies, the love of natural materials
continues. In particular Wooden Story’s
range of unsurprisingly, wooden toys as well
as some knitted gems from Olesen Design
and Sophie Home are very special. These are
forever toys that will always be a favourite,
gracing a child’s shelf throughout the years.
Minimalist, natural, stylish. Hoos has your
designer Christmas all wrapped up.
LIQUORICE TREE CHRISTMAS
If you can’t get a special Christmas gift in this
great store, Santa’s workshop hasn’t made it.
Liquorice Tree has an expansive range of
gifts all year round, but at Christmas it ups
the ante. The downstairs Christmas shop has
become a destination venue for Christmas
decor. The range of Scottish Christmas
Topographical Map and Blade & Rose Leggings
from Cassiopeiast

14 | www.westendermagazine.com
Decorations are simply adorable. Who could
ignore a Bagpiping Santa bauble? Personally
I’m always a sucker for a Harris Tweed
Highland Cow.
Jewellery, scarfs, gloves… words to
bring a flut ter to any West End girl’s hear t.
The One Hundred Stars range of city map
scarfs are aux tres chic, whilst Pia Rossini
gloves may just be the cosiest hand
coverings this side of the Clyde. Where to
begin on jewellery? Designer, costume or
just for fun, watches, necklaces, the whole
shebang. The Shrieking Violet range of
pendants with real flowers are simply lovely,
whilst the Elie Beaumont classic watch face
is, if you’ll pardon the pun, timeless.
With the Joma range also stocking
children’s jewellery, these are a lovely
stocking filler each with a thoughtful little
message. Gifts too numerous to mention –
that’s literally Liquorice Tree.
AE FOND KISS UNDER THE MISTLETOE
Ready for the festive season with oodles of
Christmas stock – see FB video – this pocket
size gem on Queen Margaret Drive is such a
part of the West End fabric. With an in-house
design studio where commissioned artwork
and cards can be tailor-made for you,
Ae Fond Kiss really does provide a
personalised customer service. Small in size
but big in product range, the boutique has
an extensive collection of jewellery, gifts and
home decor delights. With purchases always
beautifully packed, size doesn’t always
matter.
DECEMBER AT DECADENT RIOT
New kid on Park Road Decadent Riot sits
quietly and unassuming in its new home.
But once inside it’s punchy, loud and
refreshing. Looking for a fun, ballsy gift for
a younger relative – or a tragic old hipster
like myself trying to relive their Glasgow Uni
days? This is the place. I love, love, love the
Cassette Coin Purses, fantastically funny
badges and eighties music memorabilia.
With fun jewellery, bags, hilarious cards
and some seriously funky home decor,
this little spot of muso-heaven is a must visit
for a super cool gift to impress.
So many possibilities within walking distance,
it’s easy to see why shopping locally makes
so much sense and not just because of the
fantastic products on offer.
I think what many of us realised this
year, especially during the spring lockdown,
was just how strong the West End is. Never
have we been more proud and invested
in our local community than we are now.
We are reliant on each other to get through
this. So let’s continue to invest our time and
resources in our families, friends, neighbours
and the myriad of small businesses that are
fighting to survive around us.
Merry Christmas!
Little Bird Collection by Normann Copenhagen, available at Hoos

www.westendermagazine.com | 15
RRI
C
by John Parker
hristmas is almost here, and we are
ready at Rainbow Room International
to welcome all our wonderful clients in
for their Christmas hair appointments.
Although Christmas hairstyling may not be
the same this year and Christmas events and
parties not as certain, it’s still very important
for us all to look after ourselves and our hair,
especially in these colder months where
going from wet and windy outdoors to
warm and cosy indoors can dry our hair out
considerably. During the winter months we
would advise you to think of booking a deep
conditioning treatment in addition to your
design cut to keep your hair as healthy as
possible.
There are great options for Christmas gifts
to treat the loved ones in your life to some
pampering products and Gift Vouchers are
a great stocking filler as well as a great way
to support the salon. With festive touches
in the salon we hope to spread some festive
cheer and put a smile on our client’s faces.
Our team are ready and excited for a busy
lead up to Christmas.
WIN! Rainbow Room International
are offering one lucky reader a hair
makeover in their Great Western Rd
salon. For your chance to win go to
westendermagazine.com and click
on competitions by the 28th Feb ‘21.
HOMEWARE | LIFESTYLE | FURNITURE
hoosglasgow.co.uk
715 Great Western Road, Glasgow, G12 8QX
Rainbow Room International
607 Great Western Road G12 8HX
0141 337 3370
rainbowroominternational.com

16 | www.westendermagazine.com
Writer’s Reveal
meets Graeme Armstrong
WORDS LENNY MCFADYEN
When we meet Azzy Williams,
the central character of Graeme
Armstrong’s debut novel, he is just
fourteen years old, and yet to become one
of the most prominent members of gang,
The Young Team.
In that window to his adolescence,
Armstrong shows us the hurtling inevitability
of gang culture that awaits not just Azzy,
but all the boys in The Young Team,
the overlooked youths of North Lanarkshire.
Having swapped stealing beers from home
for haggling with an ‘eld alky’ to buy them
alcohol from the off licence, Azzy and his
pals charge into the weekend, inflated with
attitude, dizzy on adrenaline and Buckfast,
and looking for trouble – guaranteed to
be found in their ‘enemies,’ the rival gang,
Too Boiz.
The Young Team, Too Boiz… they’re all
young boys living in poor postcodes, in a
hurry to grow up and it’s the street they
turn to for their training. As Azzy tells us
‘They don’t teach yi how tae survive oot oan
the streets in school...furget PSE, social
education...Yi learn fae yir pals, n the army
ae big cousins, brurs n elder wans who feel it
their duty tae lead and mislead yi tae the form
ae truth that the streets offer.’ An armour of
designer labels – Fred Perry, Lacoste and the
ultimate aspirational garment, the Berghaus
Mera Peak – go some way towards giving the
illusion of self-assurance.
Over the next few years, Azzy is drawn
into a life of violence, drug abuse and the
suffocating pull of gang culture loyalty.
Regular altercations with Too Boiz create an
escalating cycle of retaliation that steers the
story towards grave territory. In public Azzy
acts recklessly, while privately beginning
to imagine a different path. Teachers see
his potential, as does Monica, a former
girlfriend – and he sometimes sees it too:
‘A momentarily hate maself n the way A talk

www.westendermagazine.com | 17
n aw the time A’ve wasted.’ A post-festival
anxiety attack in his childhood bedroom,
and later in a car packed with his weed
smoking pals are vivid and affecting in their
bleakness. They’re also quietly hopeful
moments that reveal Azzy’s inner turmoil
taking siege, his growing resistance towards
conformity.
While The Young Team is fictional,
Armstrong’s own observations of gang
culture – having lived it and left it behind
– make this a compulsive read. You can feel
passion and fight from him on every page
to show us the insecurities and anxieties
crackling away under the exterior of these
young men; the heavy burden of masculinity
and all they misunderstand it to be; and the
complexity of existing in a perpetual cycle of
debts, from the financial to the moral.
Adjusting to Azzy’s street vernacular
is initially challenging. When you do, his
witty, beautiful observations on life and
his compassion for all – from his enemies
through to his mother – are poetic, his voice
lingering in your mind long after you’ve read
his story.
When did you decide to write The Young
Team? I began writing this novel in January
2013 in my first tough days of stopping
using drugs for the last time. On Christmas
Eve 2012, I went to church instead of out
with the young team with my mum for the
Watchnight service and went cold turkey
the following day. I had tried and failed
several times before, but this time was like a
Christmas epiphany. That was my moment
of transformation. The Young Team was a
constant companion and a reason to fight
and strive and just to keep going through
these hard times. Seven years later… it would
be a Times Bestseller. My faith stayed with
me as well. It has become an important part
of my life.
What was your writing process?
I wrote consecutively, star t to finish.
The Young Team was written as a
bildungsroman trilogy. Each novel
represented the succinct age periods, 14, 18
and finally 21. This was seen as a commercial
decision but really it wasn’t. The novels
were very long – the total words would have
been around 250K – a Lord of the Rings
length saga. I combined these into a single
novel and began to cut them back across
the five years of working independently and
seeking representation. Finding a literary
agent was the hardest part of the process.
Once I was signed, I continued to edit and
refine. After several months work, it was sent
out to publishers and was acquired quickly
by Picador at Pan Macmillan. The dialect
required particular effort in its crafting to
make sure it was a realistic linguistic portrait
that was both authentic and legible to the
outside world. The language of the novel
is incredibly important to me in terms of
representing my community.
How cathartic was it to write?
It was not as cathartic as people might think.
I was aware that I was creating something.
It wasn’t like it was a sudden release.
I’ve actually written a memoir style of events
and that was much more cathartic because
that was more of an outpouring. But The
Young Team took craft; it was hard work.
How do you think gang culture affects the
shape of self-esteem in such formative
years? Young men survive in these
communities by safety in numbers and I think
self-esteem is a big word that young men
wouldn’t consciously use or think about. I
heard a good quote once that in your teenage
years you want to be the same as everyone
and then in your twenties you want to be
different and I think that’s true.
Poor mental health is a theme affecting
many of your characters yet most are not
even conscious of their suffering in order
to take steps to get support. Do you feel
like any progress is being made here?
The themes of mental health and masculinity
are intertwined here. In the novel, we see
panic and anxiety, complex trauma response
and suicide hidden behind the hard shells
of characters, without any mention of
professional intervention. This was absolutely
my experience. There is a definite reticence
to seek professional help in communities like
this because of stigma and quite frankly the
outcome of seeking help. Often, if someone
presented at a GP with mental health
complaints, as some did, they were offered a
course of anti-depressants when, potentially,
they would have better suited talking
therapies, abstinence from substance abuse/

18 | www.westendermagazine.com
alcohol and focus on diet and exercise.
The holistic factors of overall wellbeing were
never considered. Lifestyle is fundamental
to mental health. Poverty is a massive driver
of poor mental health. Unless in direct crisis,
access to talking services typically takes
months. Young men self-medicate with
alcohol and street Valium – a direct factor
in our surge in drug fatalities in Scotland –
the so called ‘blue-death’. I know countless
young men who have committed suicide –
the latest one of my own young team in the
summer. It’s an epidemic, but without access
to treatment – it continues. If we break our
leg, we receive prompt treatment and physio
– but if we’re struggling with panic disorder or
depression – the treatment is patchy at best
and we’re ignored with lethal potential. Why?
At one point Azzy says of another lad
‘I felt heartfelt sorrow that we’ve put
that…mark on his face and doomed
him forever to think like this.’ You invite
understanding and compassion for all the
young men, even those in the rival gang.
I think that’s mandatory. It’s too easy to
make this a story of ‘we’re the good guys
and they’re the bad guys,’ whereas the
reality of territorial and recreational violence
is that there wasn’t good and bad guys;
they were just guys. When you look at it
from the vantage point of being beyond it
you realise that. Facial injuries become such
a brand on a young man. Someone with a
face injury is a victim of violence but people
assume – often wrongly – that they’re a
perpetrator of violence, in gangs or organised
crimes. It becomes a real challenge for these
young men to get a job or even just move on.
Azzy acknowledges his ‘maw’, who is
constantly worried about her son’s safety,
as the ‘true unsung hero ae this story.’
Bearing in mind your own journey, how did
your mother feel when The Young Team
was published? The Young Team isn’t a
book any parent wants their child to be able
to write from lived experience. My mother
witnessed that journey and descent firsthand.
Seeing her son come home covered
in blood after being seriously assaulted,
collecting me from police stations, attending
court and just daily life with someone who
is substance dependent is very challenging.
Without her support, I’d have left home at
sixteen and dropped out of education. My
fate would have been predictable. You can’t
undo the past, but I hope that my journey
in gaining both bachelor’s and master’s
degrees, living substance and alcohol free
and the writing of this novel are atonement.
She is absolutely the ‘unsung hero’. I stand
by these words – she never gave up on me or
accepted the life I had chosen for myself.
You acknowledge Trainspotting as an
influence for Azzy, and presumably for
yourself. What else inspired you?
Ken Loach’s Sweet Sixteen. I recently
spoke to Martin Compston which was really
exciting as he was one of my boyhood idols.
That was the first time we saw our lives
reflected on screen and seeing the emblems
like a blue Berghaus Mera Peak really spoke
to us. When I started to write this, Sweet
Sixteen was a film I really thought about.
What have you been working on this year?
I’ve had the summer off to focus on writing
but I’m returning to work. I’ve supported
myself for these last seven years by working
in the motor-sales. It’s long hours and
demanding but I’m convinced there’s a novel
in there somewhere! My next fiction offering,
Raveheart is based around rave culture –
definitely more Kevin and Perry Go Large in
tone than something like Beats. Following
this is the true story of my experiences
in gangs in memoir. The working title is
To Live and Die in LA-narkshire. This is a
different enterprise from The Young Team.
It’s challenging and darker, I think. Real life is
often more unbelievable. Long term, I would
love to return to university and take my PhD
in English.
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1
Hard Pushed
by Leah Hazard
BY BRIAN TOAL
WESTENDER’s
COVER TO COVER
‘Another night, another vagina.’ With one of the best
opening lines I’ve ever read, this enthralling book is
a (genital) warts and all account of life as a midwife
in Glasgow, from moments of joy to the depths of
despair.
The book is divided into
manageable chapters and
doesn’t have to be read in one
burst, although I read it in three
days and found it hard to put
down. Each chapter focuses on a
different patient or type of patient,
although Hazard is keen to point
out that the patients described
are often composite patients,
in order to protect
confidentiality.
The author made the transition
to midwifery following the birth
of her own children, and she
recounts the terror of learning
on the job, being thrust into the
heart of things, albeit supervised,
and the long, agonising shifts
where mental and physical
resources are stretched to the
limit. Hazard gains skills and
confidence and is soon able to
announce herself with the cheery
‘Midwife Hazard, at your cervix’!’
We are reminded of the oscillating
emotions the public servant,
one minute receiving a thank you
card, the next being shouted at
by a mother who places all of her
pregnancy complications squarely
at the door of the midwife.
We are told how the harsh
realities of what was witnessed
on the maternity ward continue
to haunt staff, even as they try
to ease themselves back into the
rhythms of family life.
We modern humans think we are so sophisticated, yet we
learn here that September is the busiest month for the maternity
ward as it’s nine months after Christmas parties, mistletoe
and cold nights. I found fascinating the depiction of the range
of mothers from a wide spectrum of backgrounds. We have
the chavvy Scottish teenager who won’t get off her phone,
the Chinese woman who is starving and has clearly escaped from
her traffickers, the Somali woman who is deeply scarred from
FGM. They all present very different problems, and moving from
one to the other on a busy twelve-hour shift demands mental
gymnastics in order to cater for the disparate needs of this
motley client group.
Towards the end of the book, Hazard begins to deal with the
paucity of resources on the wards, the cutbacks which lead to
blunter instruments, the lack of beds, the lack of consultants
and so on. She rails against the lack of focus on mental health,
whilst many fetishise food fads, the right muslin or googling every
detail of their pregnancy. ‘In one of the world’s wealthiest nations,
we can and should do better for our midwives and for our women.’
Indeed.

www.westendermagazine.com | | 21 5
Ness
by Robert MacFarlane
and Stanley Donwood
2
Ness is a very strange,
brilliant book. It’s part poetry,
part song, part novella,
a stunning combination which
explores an apocalyptic world
where the land comes to life
because it needs to come
to life.
The setting is on a salt-andshingle
island upon which rests
a ruined concrete structure
known as The Green Chapel.
In this structure there is a ritual
led by a figure known as The
Armourer, a ritual with terrible
intent, a ritual involving the
Song of the Bomb.
The Armourer is assisted
by The Engineer, The Botanist,
The Ornithologist and The
Physicist. Together they are
hatching terrible plans to
wreak destruction on the
earth. Moving inexorably
towards the Green Chapel are
five forms – more than human,
made of tidal drift, green
moss and deep time – where
they will finally converge and
become Ness.
It’s a glorious mixture
of the ultra-modern and
the archaic, reminiscent of
Russell Hoban’s Ridley Walker.
The sections of the book
are divided by hagstones,
which is a clever touch,
and Donwood’s illustrations
evoke the desolate, dreary
setting of Orford Ness in
Suffolk, a place redolent of
centuries of warfare, including
a recently decommissioned
atomic weapons research
establishment.
The book has been called
‘Gawain and the Green Knight
for the atomic age, a black
mass for dark times.’ It’s a
book to be read over and over,
aloud, and enjoyed. I’m sure in
years to come it will be viewed
as a modern classic.
This is a terrifying book
but must be read. We’re all
doomed. Yes, no matter what
we do, we’re all doomed.
However, you’ll be glad
to know that when and
how we’re doomed is still
within our powers to control.
So, a happy ending then.
The chapter headings ‘Heat
Death’, ‘Hunger’, ‘Drowning’
and ‘Wildfire’ are a flavour of
how we are killing our planet
and, by extension, ourselves.
The book is full of frightening
facts and figures and the notes
section is replete with scientific
studies to support the writer’s
arguments. The afterword is
the final nail in the coffin which
removes the last vestiges of
optimism within the book,
as two years after finishing
the book, he realised that this
optimism was misplaced.
So, why read such a doomladen
tome? It’s important
that we know what’s coming.
He argues that political
activism is the only way
forward – not different straws
or more expensive plastic
bags at the shops. Switching
to veganism will help,
but only if we all do it right
now. It takes eight pounds of
grain to produce one pound
of hamburger meat. Cut out
the cow and eat the grain.
It’s a no-brainer. The ice-sheet
in Greenland is losing a billion
tons of ice a day. Louisiana is
losing a football field of land
every hour.
But we won’t all suffer
equally. The first country to
industrialize and produce
greenhouse gas on a grand
scale, the U.K., is expected to
suffer the least from climate
change.
The Uninhabitable
Earth
by David Wallace-Wells
3

22 | www.westendermagazine.com
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24 | Westender www.westendermagazine.com
Magazine Promotion
Legal Matters
Pandemic pessimism
or pragmatism
When lockdown occurred in the spring
lots of us took the chance to have a
clear out, or do some gardening or
otherwise catch up on long forgotten tasks.
Despite the pandemic there was a kind of
optimism in the air that summer was coming,
covid would be conquered and we’d all get
back to normal by August.
Foolish, weren’t we? Now we’ve got new
restrictions with more threatened but this
time winter is coming fast with its long dark
nights and gloomy weather.
So why not indulge in pessimism this time
around? You might die. You might get ill.
You might become unable to manage your
affairs and your health. Who better to help
deepen your misery than your friendly
expensive lawyer?
Why not at least get organised for all
these terrible things that might happen to
you? Have you got a Will? Is it up to date?
Does it properly take account of your family
circumstances? What if your daughter’s new
partner turns out to be a bad egg? You don’t
want him muscling in on your grandchildren’s
money do you?
And shouldn’t you be getting a Power
of Attorney in place while you are compos
mentis enough to do so? Lots of people think
they have loads of time to do this only to put
it off one month too often. Then it could mean
a hefty guardianship application the cost
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is someone, usually a relative or close friend
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to make the right decisions on your behalf.
And if there is no one in your life who meets
that description then, believe me, that’s even
more reason to chat it all through with your
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Peace of mind is a precious thing. Attend
to these chores now and at least sleep
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Most people have lawyers. If you don’t then I
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Mitchells Roberton Solicitors
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George House
36 North Hanover Street G1 2AD
0141 552 3422
www.mitchells-roberton.co.uk

Westender www.westendermagazine.com Magazine Promotion | 25
Would you launch a new
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Regular readers of the Westender
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this year, he faced the ultimate business
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a global pandemic’.
Simon successfully completed the merger
and is now co-director of Ammu Chartered
Accountants with Jane Grant, formerly of
Amas a firm in Ayrshire.
Why merge during a pandemic?
Simon and Jane had plans to merge
before the crisis as it was clear their skillset
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on real time management information,
digitisation, funding and systems
improvements. Simon’s compliance-based
background and team of tax and payroll
specialists strengthen the offering to all their
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If anything, the pandemic encouraged
them to drive the merger forward, faster.
Businesses, struggling to adapt were crying
out for innovation and accountancy support
in a crisis.
The merger took place at a time everyone
was shifting how (and where) they did
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importantly clients together.
About
Ammu is a unique team of Chartered
Accountants, Management Accountants
and business specialists. Located here in
the West supporting and building strong,
long and lasting relationships to help our
business community succeed.
Visit www.ammu.uk for expert advice
on Digitisation, Funding, Compliance
and Tax Planning. Get social and
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Get in touch today
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Ammu Chartered Accountants
10 Newton Terrace G3 7PJ
0141 290 0262
8 Miller Road Ayr KA7 2AY
01292 388031
ammu.uk

26 | www.westendermagazine.com
up up & AWAY
the west end property market
With reports of house prices soaring following the
lifting of lockdown restrictions earlier this year, it has
been an extraordinary time for home buyers and sellers.
Loraine Patrick speaks to three West End property
professionals to find out what the picture has
been like in our area.
WORDS LORAINE PATRICK
Did lockdown get you thinking of
moving to a new house? Want space
for a home office, a garden or a move
out of mum and dads? You are not alone.
The 10-week pandemic enforced
hibernation earlier this year followed by
advice to work from home saw a pentup
desire for change on the home front.
Existing homeowners looked to trade up
for green space and a home office, renters
who after a few months back at mum and
dads desperately wanted their own space,
and there has been a rise in searches for
second homes in rural locations, places to
retreat to in times of short notice lockdown.
More specifically in the West End of
Glasgow where there’s long been high
demand for all types of housing stock, sales
immediately after lockdown saw multiple
parties bidding, dramatic closing dates and
some surprisingly high prices. Cameron
Ewer, Head of Residential Sales in Scotland
for property agency Savills puts the initial rise
into context.
‘In the three months since lockdown lifted
prices have risen about three per cent. There
have been cases where properties have
gone for much more than that but on balance
across all house types the increase is around
three per cent.’
Cameron goes on to explain what sets
the West End apart right now ‘is not just that
it’s locally acclaimed, we have seen a 70 per
cent increase in buyers looking up here from
London. Property here is more affordable
in comparison to other parts of the UK and
that includes Edinburgh, and our ability to
offer space and access to the countryside
all within an hour of the West End of the city
is unique. Not everyone is going for the full
escape to the country – it’s about getting
close to that without necessarily stepping
away from a city life. It’s about a balanced
city life and that is something Glasgow and
specifically the West End has to offer.’
Property in the area traditionally sells
quickly but right now West End houses
and flats are coming on and off the market

www.westendermagazine.com | 27

28 | www.westendermagazine.com
at speed. Alison Gourley is an expert in
property law at Solicitors and Estate Agents
Mitchells Roberton. She is acutely aware
of how fast lawyers need to react, getting
written offers out and being ready to respond
with the right advice. ‘We are getting phone
calls on a Monday morning about a property
going to market,’ says Alison. ‘It would be
launched on Wednesday, have viewings on
Thursday, Friday and Saturday and go to
closing date the following week. The whole
process is often even shorter than that.’
‘We have been snowed under with
business,’ she continues, ‘there still seems
to be a strong desire for people to get on
with their lives and make the changes they
had planned for. The housing market is one
of the biggest drivers of any economy and it
looks from our perspective like there’s still a
lot of activity going on. There is a big push for
people to get into their next house.’
Add to this a stamp duty holiday on
properties up to the value of £250,000 in
Scotland – which covers much of the West
End’s tenement stock – and you have all the
ingredients for an extraordinary period for the
market.
However, the pandemic may have
motivated people to change home but there
is caution from lenders. Aaron Reilly is a
Mortgage and Insurance Consultant with
brokers Scott Weir Mortgages. He says
the pandemic may have caused people
to re-evaluate their lives but that’s come
at a time lenders have a reduced appetite
because they are factoring in an increase in
unemployment and a downturn in property
values.
Aaron goes on to explain ‘the very high
demand for mortgages comes just as lenders
have less capacity because most of their
staff are working from home. Furthermore,
entry point mortgages or mortgages with
low deposits have all but disappeared.’
Aaron describes how the lending market has
changed since June. ‘Mortgages with 5 and
10 per cent deposits have been removed
and the entry point has been a 15 per cent
deposit. There are three or four lenders
offering restricted access to 10 per cent
deposit mortgages, but they are available
only to existing homeowners and only offered
for a day at a time to manage demand.’
So, with lenders trying to manage the
flow of applications and factoring in risk it’s
important for borrowers to shop around for
the best mortgage product available. Aaron
continues, ‘the rates on even favourable
mortgages – those with 15 or 25 per cent
deposits – are increasing on a daily basis.’
He advises using a broker if you want to or
need to move. ‘The difference in appetite
between one lender and another is huge
and there’s a lot to navigate in terms of how
lenders are viewing staff who have been
furloughed, self-employed, used a bounce
back loan or the income support scheme.
‘We are often able to help in cases where
mortgages have initially been refused.
Our knowledge and experience of the
lenders’ criteria mean there are lots of cases
where we have been able to go back to the
same lender and get the mortgage for our
client. Brokers are impartial and are going to
do what’s best for you.’
So, after an extraordinary year in the
property market what is the outlook for
2021? Our experts agree that people are now
motivated to change home and the market in
the West End will remain particularly buoyant.
Cameron fully expects these unprecedented
levels of demand to continue. ‘The imbalance
of supply and demand is driving prices
forward. There will be more attention to
pricing however and growth will perhaps level
off, but the volume of transactions will remain
because moves are happening because of
lifestyle not financial choices.’
A view echoed by Aaron who believes that
the outlook is sound. ‘I don’t think there will
be a shock to property prices in the West End
but I do think the market will settle and there
will be a slight correction. People who buy
here or trade up tend to be in occupations
unaffected by the pandemic such as medical
professionals, academics or teachers and
their outlook is pretty secure.’
Alison agrees, ‘these prices, the really
high figures – I can’t see them going
backwards. Buying in the West End is like
buying a good quality car and I think that is
something the West End has always had.
You look at Edinburgh and see flats going for
£600,000 – that is exactly where we could be
heading.’
savills.co.uk
mitchells-roberton.co.uk
scottweir.co.uk

www.westendermagazine.com | 29
LOOKING FOR A MORTGAGE
TO BUY A NEW PROPERTY?
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30 | www.westendermagazine.com
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Homes & Interiors
www.westendermagazine.com | 31
Coorie In This Winter
The nights have fair drawn in and with it our mood, so time once again
to coorie in. Take time each day to enjoy the small stuff and be in the
moment. What makes you smile, gives you ten minutes of comfort
or even a little splash of luxury on yet another wind and rain blasted
evening? Time to schedule in some simple pleasures.
Robin, Reindeer & Fox Pot Candles
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32 Westender | www.westendermagazine.com
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www.westendermagazine.com | 33
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34 | Westender www.westendermagazine.com
Magazine Promotion
The Wee Kitchen Shop
Specialising In Beautiful Shaker Kitchens
When Nathan and Emily mentioned
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info@theweekitchenshop.co.uk

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