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May Jun 2022 Westender

Lifestyle magazine for the West End of Glasgow

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2 | www.westendermagazine.com

EKSTRAORDINÆR SINCE 1952

ICONIC DESIGN BUILT TO LAST

Turn your ideas into reality with

free advice from our interior designers.

SCAN TO FIND

YOUR NEAREST STORE

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Cover Image By Gregor Reid Photography

6

www.westendermagazine.com | 3

13

28

Contents

Regulars

4 Editor’s Letter

Arts & Community

6 Yardworks Festival

20 Cover To Cover

24 Zipslide the Clyde

Out & About

10 West End Live

13 Restaurant Review:

GaGa Kitchen + Bar

Fashion & Beauty

16 Summer Wardrobe Edit

22 WIN! At Rainbow

Room International

Westender Living

28 Project Dream Team

37 Get The Look

24


4 | www.westendermagazine.com

Editor’s

Letter

Image © Gregor Reid Photography

Warmer weather and being outdoors

just can’t come soon enough.

A feeling compounded by the fact

I’m living in my lounge as I type this page,

having succumbed to Covid. The outside

world feels like a construct I may have dreamt

up as I spend another night on the sofa.

But in person events are back and I

don’t know about you, but I need them.

I need people. So as soon as we heard

the Yardworks Festival was back for 2022,

Nicola Maule popped along to SWG3 and

Yardworks Gallery to find out more – read

what she found out on Page 8 and mark

the weekend in your diary. An actual event

people, not an online zoom thingy!

And while we’re talking about festivals,

Greg Kane has found another, the Riverside

Festival celebrating electronic music, also on

in June. Greg’s music listings have moved to

a glut of riches since the start of the year so

check out his top picks on Page 10.

However, few sectors have suffered

like charities have and Spina Bifida

Hydrocephalus Scotland has been no

exception. If you want to amp up the fun

while generating much needed cash for a

great charity, then why not zipslide across

the Clyde for SBH Scotland (Page 24)?

I will if you will!

Suzanne Martin

/westendermagazine

/westendermag

/westendermag

To advertise call Suzanne on 07905 897238, or email suzanne@westendermagazine.com

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.


www.westendermagazine.com | 5

Family run restaurant

in Jordanhill

AA Rosette award 2022

Modern Scottish food

Inside and outside dining

Monday – Closed

Tuesday – Saturday

Lunch 12noon – 2.30pm (last booking)

Dinner 5pm – 9pm (last booking)

Sunday 12noon – 5pm (last booking)

Contact Details

0141 959 9666

info@theprancingstag.co.uk

www.theprancingstag.co.uk

1a Ashwood Gardens, G13 1NX

Crow Road

The Prancing Stag

Railway Line

Ashwood Gardens

Jordanhill Station


6 | www.westendermagazine.com

Acta Non Verba © Prefab77

paint I draw I inspire

WORDS NICOLA MAULE


Anew gallery space opened in

Glasgow’s West End almost a year

ago, which is always exciting news,

particularly in these recent times where

people’s connection to others, and the

inspiration and potential of the arts to enrich

that connection accelerated even deeper to

the virtual world of the flat screen.

Yard Life is a fixed, white space within one

of the railway arches adjacent to SWG3 on

Eastvale Place that plays host to the graffiti

and street art community. Brought into the

world by the team behind the internationally

respected Yardworks Festival, which once

again returns to SWG3 this coming June,

the gallery is open to the general public with

a rich programme of upcoming exhibitions.

Some incredible artists, who many will

have seen at Yardworks over the years will

have their work hung on the interior walls –

pieces that hold the same vibrant energy,

humour and imagination that goes into their

outdoor work.

Taking creative expression out of its

natural place and environment and into the

gallery space may not be a new concept.

A space for large-scale prints, tiny objects,

scrawled illustrations, aerosol masterpieces,

and art of all shapes and forms that places

sole focus on artists with street art and graffiti

roots, perhaps is.

Following the first Scottish solo exhibition,

A Slice Of Life by Prefab77, aka Peter

Manning in early spring

– an artist renowned for

his large-scale street

murals as well as

print and cut art,

the Yard Life Gallery

will open a mixed show

that will feature a

collection of prints by

many emerging and

renowned names in

graffiti, street art and

design from around

the UK. Select works

from Prefab77’s

exhibition, which

unveiled a series of

allegorical portraits,

proudly antiestablishment,

visually beautiful,

a creation of a modern

www.westendermagazine.com | 7

fable of gangs, goddesses, and groupies will

remain in the gallery for this next exhibition,

which opens and runs from mid-May.

The majority of the collectable work in

the show will be limited to small editions of

6 prints only and will highlight a variety of

printing techniques, unique hand-finished

details, and additional highlights such as

embossing stamps, custom-designed

stickers, and certificates of authentication.

Artists such as the London born,

and Glasgow based Molly Hankinson with

her particular interest in the representation

and celebration of women and other

marginalised genders will bring her strikingly

bold and beautiful imagery with its bright

and considered colour placement and use

of continuous line to the walls of the space,

alongside other contributing artists such

as Siguel, Ross McCrae, Chelsea Frew

and Frodrik.

Over the month of June this show

will evolve into the Yardworks exhibition,

which will include a large body of work by

international and local artists taking part in

the Yardworks Festival on the 18th – 19th

June at SWG3. The team behind Scotland’s

leading multi-disciplinary arts venue have

confirmed that their outdoor space will

once again be transformed into a concrete

playground where colour, creativity and

collaboration collide. Since its inaugural

edition in 2017, Yardworks Festival has

attracted the global

elite of the street

art and graffiti

scenes with 2019’s

artist list alone

featuring names like;

Smug (Australia),

Does (The

Netherlands),

Insane51 (Greece),

Saturno (Spain),

Mr Baker (Germany),

Balstroem (Denmark),

Welin (Denmark),

and, from the UK,

Voyder, RogueOner,

Mark Worst, Gent48,

Ziner, Bonzai,

SledOne, Soda,

Curtis Hylton and

Philth. For local

artists, it’s a chance

At Arms Length © Molly Hankinson


8 | www.westendermagazine.com

to learn from the best, meet their heroes,

and get inspired by what people are doing

elsewhere.

On this June weekend, visitors will be

welcomed once again into the Galvanizers

Yard as urban artists from across Glasgow,

the UK and Europe come together to paint,

draw and inspire. For the audience, it’s a

weekend of witnessing murals being created

live, from scratch, in front of you while

enjoying a range of delicious street food and

drinks. There will also be child-friendly art

workshops and activities on offer throughout

the weekend for even the youngest of

aspiring artists. While visitors to the gallery

can expect to see a celebration of urban arts

ranging from custom-painted art on miniature

toy trucks to original paintings, rebellious

needlecraft artwork and much more.

Yardworks Festival has always had

something for everyone – both street art

enthusiasts and those who don’t know it

yet. From a 200-metre graffiti maze and

Mia McGregor’s wildly popular Cubes

installation (both of which were a favourite

with kids and adults alike); to a talk from

internationally revered author, photographer

and subway artist Martha Cooper and the

commissioning of a huge, classical-artinspired

mural by PichiAvo, that can still be

seen today in the Galvanizers.

With the summer sun (fingers crossed),

it heralds good times and a welcome

opportunity to stray from the computer

screen and the world of online meetups

to a local space to relax, be inspired, eat,

socialise, and enjoy all that this festival has

to offer.

The gallery will be open to the public

Wednesday to Saturday from 12 – 6pm

and over the full Festival weekend.

Tickets for Yardworks Festival via:

ticketweb.uk

To purchase from the gallery walls:

yardlife.tv


www.westendermagazine.com | 9


10 | www.westendermagazine.com

LIVE

May

Larkin Poe

Sunday 1st May 7pm

SWG3 swg3.tv

Hailing from Georgia, USA, Larkin Poe

are sisters Megan & Rebecca Lovell.

They started making American Roots

Rock music back in 2010 and their

version features strong Southern

Harmonies, heavy electric guitar riffs

(Rebecca) and slide guitar (Megan).

They are often touted as 'the little

sisters of the Allman Brothers'.

These are two very proficient

musicians, be it on guitars or

singing tight harmonies. Over the

years the sisters have been invited

to collaborate with a who’s who of

musical royalty including T Bone

Burnett, Elvis Costello, Steven Tyler,

Jackson Brown, Keith Urban and Don

Henley. At Larkin Poe, expect a night

of sleazy Southern Blues fronted

by two compelling and undeniably

accomplished siblings. Megan’s the

oldest, so you don’t need to ask.

Choice Tracks: Larkin Poe

'Holy Ghost Fire'

Pinegrove

Tuesday 10th May 7.30pm

QMU qmunion.org.uk

When I first previewed this band in

2016 they played to a few inquisitive

folk at The Hug And Pint. Now they’re

playing to thousands of fans at the

QMU! Slowly but surely is the way

to grow a band for it to have any

chance of sustainability in the music

business and Pinegrove have grown.

Formed in 2010 and hailing from New

Jersey, USA, their sound is centred

around singer/songwriter Ewan

Stephen’s Hall and drummer Zach

Levine with the remaining musical

roles taken up by hired guns. This

2022 iteration of Pinegrove play the

same considered, thoughtful indie

rock that first got them noticed 10

years ago. It really is beautiful

modern music.

Their 2022 album '11:11' is out now on

Rough Trade Records.

Choice tracks: Pinegrove ‘Alaska'

Ian Sweet

Monday 25th May 7.30pm

The Hug & Pint thehugandpint.com

What fun, giving yourself a stage

name, creating a flamboyant persona

in order to live out all your creative

fantasies. Caryn Elaine Johnson

picked 'Whoopi Goldberg', Joan Wasser

calls herself 'Joan As Police Woman',

Sheena Mary McDonald plumped for

'Horse', Ella Marija Lani Yelich-

O'Connor goes by the name 'Lorde'

(for understandable reasons).

But Californian female indie rock

musician Jilian Medford must have

deliberated long and hard to come

up with the stage name 'Ian'. In full,

'Ian Sweet'.

But this gives you a hint of the

understatedness of the music 'Ian'

produces. It has real beauty in its

purity and simplicity, which belies

her musical training at the predigious

Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Another find for me.

Choice track: Ian Sweet ‘Sword'


www.westendermagazine.com | 11

by Greg Kane

June

Riverside Festival

2nd, 3rd & 4th June 2pm

riversidefestivalglasgow.com

The annual outdoor electronic music

festival takes place in the grounds of

the iconic Riverside Museum and The

Tall Ship on the banks of the River

Clyde. This year’s highlights include

Ayrshire’s own Bemz and the ever

inventive Róisín Murphy.

Choice track: Róisín Murphy

'Overpowered' Bemz 'M4 Freestyle'

Hang Massive

Saturday 11th June 7pm

Òran Mór oran-mor.co.uk

Anyone for some handpan music?

Stresses and strains of daily life

getting to you? Need something to

sooth your soul and bring you some

inner peace? Then try listening to

Danny Cudd and Markus Offbeat’s

band, Hang Massive. They both play

the Hang, a new-age percussion

instrument made up of two round metal

shields joined at the rim.

They shape the global handpan music

scene, with their take on it blending

dream-like acoustic melodies with

upbeat electronic sounds. Formed in

2010, they were one of the first acts

to become known for playing the Hang

and quickly became 'the epitome of the

Hang'. That’s a top business card tag

line right there.

Don’t expect their tunes to be 'instant'

though as most of them are over eight

minutes long and take a while to get

going, but it’s all for the better as

it’s more handpan beauty for us to

zone out to.

Choice Track: Hang Massive

'Warmth Of The Sun's Rays'

Chris Smither

Thursday 16th June 8pm

Cottiers Theatre cottiers.com

I look forward to becoming a wizened

old musician who’s still able to get

up onto a stage well into his 70s with

decades of experience behind him and

still manage to enthral an audience.

I’ll have endless tour stories to tell,

be able to draw from the hundreds

of songs I’ve played over the years…

it’ll be brilliant!

77 year old American folk/blues

singer, guitarist and songwriter

Chris Smither is living my dream.

His poetically crafted songs have

been covered by the likes of Bonny

Raitt and Emmylou Harris. He has a

beautiful finger picking technique

and a warm, comforting voice.

A new find for me, I’ve enjoyed

listening to him over the last few

days. Isn’t it amazing that music can

still find new audiences even after

all this time.

Choice track: Chris Smither

'Leave The Light On'


BROOMHILL DRIVE

12 | www.westendermagazine.com

BROOMHILL

SQUARE

BROOMHILL DRIVE

CROW ROAD

DUMBARTON ROAD

YOU ARE

HERE

MERKLAND

COURT


www.westendermagazine.com | 13

@ GaGa

Kitchen + Bar

Reviewed by Amy Glasgow

/theglasgowdiet

Having already made a name for herself

at her Southside Kopitiam, it’s no

surprise that Chef Julie Lin’s latest

venture, GaGa Kitchen + Bar, has been the

talk of the town since opening in December.

Taking over the former Six Degrees North,

GaGa brings cocktails and south east Asian

flavours to Glasgow’s West End.

The food menu is small and concise,

something I’ve grown to appreciate as a diner

– I always feel a menu with too many options

means a lower quality meal. Here, the dishes

are separated into different price brackets,

which correlates to the size of the dish

– the smaller the price tag, the smaller the

dish, and vice versa. The suggestion from our

server was to order two dishes per person,

depending on the size. Naturally, we ordered

far more than that.

We kicked the meal off with Taiwanese

popcorn chicken with lime leaf and kewpie

mayo, and prawn toast with chilli oil and

kewpie mayo, and what a way to kick things

off. I had heard tales of the greatness of

the prawn toast, and I can honestly say it

lived up to my expectations. The bread was

crisp and crunchy, the prawn filling inside

flavoursome and sweet, and I personally

cannot get enough of that crispy chilli oil.

I’d take everything bathed in the stuff.

The popcorn chicken was similarly

delicious, with super tender, juicy chicken

thighs surrounded by a light but crisp batter.

These two plates might have been the

smallest we ordered, but they were mighty,

and were my favourite of the meal.

For our larger dishes, we opted for the

pork belly malay curry, and the Taiwanese

style shin of beef stew. I can tell you now

– if you’re having some small plates, you do

NOT need two of the bigger dishes because

the portions are super generous. I mean,

I’m glad we tried them both but I essentially

had to be rolled out of the place because

it was far too much food. Of the two we

ordered, the pork belly curry is the one I

would order again. The meat was super soft,

although if you’re not a fan of fattier cuts this

would be one to avoid. The fat melted away

and the meat was flavoursome, as was the

coconut malay curry it sat on. I would have

picked up the plate and drank the sauce out

the bowl if I hadn’t been in public!

The Taiwanese beef was lovely and tender

too, but I felt the broth it sat in could have

done with a touch more flavour, and the

steamed jasmine rice we ordered on the side

seemed a bit overcooked, but those are the

only small negatives I have for an otherwise

delicious meal.

The service throughout the meal was

fast and unobtrusive, and given the volume

of food we ordered (plus the delicious Tipp

Topp cocktail I enjoyed), the value for money

is pretty damn good. GaGa is a welcome

addition to the West End and one I reckon is

here to stay.

GaGa Kitchen + Bar

566 Dumbarton Road G11 6RH

0141 334 9407

gagaglasgow.com


14 | www.westendermagazine.com

The Apeirogon

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Tel: 07518 948 407

email: Furlongtrisha1@gmail.com

CALL OR WHATSAPP 07801 656 128 / INFO@MANDIMOORE.CO.UK

The Rehab Hub Glasgow new satellite clinic

in the West End (every Thursday)

Sore stiff back? Hips pain? Knees not feeling

great or Foot Pain? Book with SJ MSK

& Biomechanics Specialist Podiatrist

Podiatry Clinic (Full Core Podiatry) /Injury &

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ADVERTISE WITH US

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For more info or to advertise

call: suzanne@westendermagazine.com

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Westender www.westendermagazine.com Magazine Promotion | 15

Parkinson’s

Disease –

Tremor

Dominant

Welcome to the final article in our

series about different types of

Parkinson’s and what you can do to

start getting more control over your condition

and regaining independence.

Tremor Dominant Parkinson’s Disease

Basically, this means that your tremors

affect you more than slowness of movement

or stiffness. Frustratingly, dopamine

replacement therapies can be quite variable

at treating this type of tremor.

The Right Kind of Exercise for Tremors

In order to get the most out of your brain and

your exercise sessions, we need to get you

focusing on forced use – easy tiger, this isn’t

about injuring yourself by doing too much!

It simply involves multi-tasking, and focused

effort. Basically, we want to get you working

hard in the right way.

A great exercise to start with is called a

Stop Squat. For this, stand in front of a chair,

as if you are going to sit down on it and have

your feet slightly wider than hip width apart.

√ You are now going to do a squat by

pushing your bottom towards the back of the

chair, only go as far down as is comfortable

√ On the way down do a big and strong push

forward with your hands out in front of you

(as if you’re telling someone to stop with your

hands)

√ On the way back up give a strong push

from your legs and a powerful ‘snatch back’

with your hands

Fraser Simpson MSc, Chartered Physiotherapist

CALL NOW on 0141 530 2092 to book

a free Discovery Phone Call with one

of our Expert Therapists and find out

if we can help.

Don’t be surprised that your tremor

is a bit worse during the exercises, it’s

with consistent practice that people find

a reduction in their tremor. Unfortunately,

we can’t make it go away, but with the right

exercises and practice we can help you

manage your tremor better and keep you as

active and independent as possible.

**Disclaimer – please don’t hurt yourself with

these exercises, we need to see you and

assess you to give you specific advice on

how best to exercise within your capabilities

to get the most out of your life with PD. This is

for information purposes only.

E-mail: enquiries@simpsonphysio.co.uk

NOW to request your FREE e-Book

Parkinson’s Disease: a How-To guide

to help you start taking back control of

your life

Simpson Physiotherapy

0141 530 2092

simpsonphysio.co.uk


16 | www.westendermagazine.com

As summer approaches, let Elena

share some tips on how to avoid

that overstuffed, over crushed case

of the panic stricken over packer.

The

Wardrobe

Edit

I'm Elena the

Closet Stylist

and I've pulled

together a

ten piece capsule summer

wardrobe, plus shoes and

bags, and will show you

seven holiday day looks and

seven night looks. This type

of minimal packing is really

fun, it challenges you to be

more creative with what

you have, creating looks you

might not have tried before.

Slim Fit Pleated Vest

£55, COS

Pleated Skirt

£79, COS

Red Swimsuit

£49, COS

One Shoulder Swimsuit

£50, Arket

Linen Wrap Dress

£90, & Other Stories


www.westendermagazine.com | 17

Belted High Waisted trousers

£75, & Other Stories

Oversized Linen Shirt

£65, & Other Stories

Oversized Straw Bag

£48.30 (On Sale), Warehouse

White Linen Shorts

£35, Arket

Orange Square Toe Sandal

£34.29 (On Sale), Warehouse

Denim Shorts

£45, Arket

Suedette Soft Pleat Clutch

£30, Accessorize

Red Drawstring Dress

£29.99, H&M

Leather Quilted Sliders

£49.99, H&M


18 | www.westendermagazine.com

Your day look …

Bring accessories which don't take up too much

space; belts, shoes, a small bag for evening, and of

course jewellery. Accessorising a look is the fastest

and simplest way to really change it up and make

it look way more pulled together without really

carrying too much in your carry on.

The

Wardrobe

Edit

One Shoulder Swimsuit,

£50, Arket

Oversized Linen Shirt

£65, & Other Stories

Leather Quilted Sliders

£49.99, H&M

Denim Shorts

£45, Arket

Oversized Straw Bag

£48.30 (On Sale), Warehouse

Visit westendermagazine.com for the rest of The Closet Stylist's

curated looks from this capsule wardrobe.

Follow Elena @the_closet_stylist

Stockist List:

Accessorize Buchanan Galleries. Arket arket.com. COS Princes Square Shopping Centre.

H&M Buchanan Galleries. Warehouse House of Fraser. & Other Stories stories.com.


www.westendermagazine.com | 19

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If you see condensation in your windows, your friendly local

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20 | www.westendermagazine.com

1

The Long,

Long Afternoon

by Inga Vesper

BY BRIAN TOAL

WESTENDER’s

COVER TO COVER

Set in the late Fifties in twee, suburban California,

this novel is a murder mystery with a stylish twist.

Joyce Haney, devoted wife, mother of two, the

epitome of the post-war American idyll of plenty (if

you’re white) suddenly disappears leaving a pool of

blood in the kitchen.

When the maid, Ruby, arrives

she finds the older daughter hiding

in the trees and the younger

daughter with the neighbour.

Has Joyce been murdered?

Abducted? Injured? What can

a young black woman in Fifties

America do about a crime in

suburbia?

Even when she looks after the

abandoned daughter for all of

ten minutes and tries to comfort

her, Ruby is the target of vile

language and threats for daring

to act ‘above her station’. As the

police become involved, we slowly

begin to learn more not only

about the seemingly perfect life of

Joyce Haney but also the seedy

underbelly of suburban American

women who are bored, stifled and

restless.

Mick Blanke is the lead

detective on the case, and, as

is standard in detective novels,

he has a complicated back story

and has transferred from New

York following a scandal. This

puts him in the unique position

of being an outsider observing

suburban California, whilst at the

same time being deeply mistrusted

by colleagues and witnesses

alike. Vesper admits that Blanke

started out as a pastiche of pulp

detective novels – he reminds me

of Mike Hammer – but she goes on to say that ‘trashy as these

novels are, they contain some amazing pacing and writing and

are a great training tool for budding crime writers’. Vesper has

taken the template of these pulp detective novels and fleshed

it out into not only a fast-paced murder mystery with all the

twists and turns you would expect in this genre, but also a

damning indictment of sexism and racism in America at the time.

Of course, these are problems which no longer plague America

and it’s interesting to see how far society has progressed since

the Fifties.

Ruby is saving for college and entertains the idea of being a

detective herself. She certainly has the brains and the dogged

determination to succeed, but can a young black woman with

no prospects, no mother, a job which pays a pittance and from

South Central L.A. possibly crawl out of her circumstances and

create a new future for herself? This is the American Dream, is it

not? Therefore, the $1000 reward for information leading to the

apprehension of the murderer would come in handy, and that

becomes Ruby’s mission. I thoroughly enjoyed this and Glasgow

is richer for having Inga Vesper amongst us.


www.westendermagazine.com | 21

111 Places in

Glasgow That

You Shouldn’t

Miss

by Tom Shields

2

Tom Shields is a Glaswegian

writer needing no introduction,

and this third edition of his

guide to interesting stuff in

Glasgow has been recently

revised with new additions as

well as old favourites.

I love a list and giving me

111 places to visit in Glasgow

was a challenge I readily

accepted. I’ve lived here since

1990, yet many of the places

I’d heard of but never been

to. This book opens your eyes

to things you walk past every

day. How many times had I

walked by the amazing frieze in

La Belle Place near Kelvingrove

Park, or the King Edward VIII

post-box on Great George

Street? I especially liked the

roll and square sausage tour.

Never let it be said that I’m

not thorough in my research

for you, dear reader. The mural

tour and the Tardis tour were

great fun too.

Some of the wit and

humour we’ve come to

know and love from Shields’

diaries comes across here,

albeit briefly as each item

only has a page. The text is

accompanied by excellent

photography by Gillian

Tait, a native of Edinburgh

(cue pantomime boos),

and the stunning pictures

really augment Shields’ pithy

prose.

Over the past few weeks

I’ve been visiting places I’ve

often walked past but never

entered, as well as ventured

to parts unknown – even to

the South Side. Whether new

to Glasgow or born and bred,

this guide will enlighten and

delight in equal measure.

This is not a self-help book,

but it will help. We’ve all been

exposed to charlatans who

simply tell us to ‘think ourselves

happy’ or ‘manifest what

we want from the universe’.

You may detect a somewhat

sceptical tone, but believe me,

I’m open to persuasion.

I believe in a smorgasbord

approach to life, taking from

the buffet whatever helps.

This book explains the science

behind our expectations,

illustrating through many

helpful and fascinating

examples how we can improve

our physical and mental health,

the performance of our brains

and how happy we are.

You can’t think yourself

thinner or happier or younger,

but you can significantly

change your neural pathways

and health outcomes simply

by expecting your health to

be good.

Robson deals in detail

with the placebo effect and

the nocebo effect and how,

even when we know that

something is a placebo or a

nocebo, they can still make a

marked difference to our health

and wellbeing. The ritual of

taking a tablet actually helps.

I originally bought this book

because I was interested in

the application of these ideas

in an educational setting,

and indeed, there are some

startling revelations about

how we can improve the

performance of our young

people simply by making

them believe that they will

perform well.

Positive thinking is hardly a

new idea, but what Robson has

achieved in this compelling,

easily digestible book is to

provide a rigorous scientific

basis for what we instinctively

knew to be true.

The Expectation Effect

by David Robson

3


22 | www.westendermagazine.com

RRI

A

by John Parker

t Rainbow Room International we are

getting ready for summer in all our

salons! There’s no better feeling than

having fresh summer hair and we expect to

see many clients coming into the salon to go

lighter and brighter for the season.

With the festival period approaching we

will also see a boom in hair styling and have

some fantastic electricals in the salon for

you to take advantage of. This includes GHD

Gold Styler Straighteners, GHD Platinum+

Straighteners, GHD Tongs and the GHD

Unplugged – the perfect tools for helping

you achieve textured beachy waves or soft

voluminous curls! Try the GHDs on your hair

and ask for advice on hair products that will

compliment the finished look.

In the next few weeks we will also be

holding a Creative Day for our Rainbow

Room International teams at the Academy.

A day where our teams will come together to

learn from each other and take part in some

activities. It will be a fantastic day of learning

and bonding and we will also get to watch

our Artistic Team in action showcasing their

creative work. It will be a day of inspiration

where our team will learn new techniques to

bring back to the salon!

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 30th Jun ‘22.

Rainbow Room International

607 Great Western Road G12 8HX

0141 337 3370

rainbowroominternational.com

ADVERTISE WITH US

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For more info or to advertise

call: suzanne@westendermagazine.com

for a media flyer, or call 07905 897238

westendermagazine.com


Westender www.westendermagazine.com Magazine Promotion| 23

Mary Sewell of Not Just Travel – the West End’s Personal Travel Consultant

Time To Travel

with Not Just Travel

Summer is almost here! Restrictions

continue to ease and even more longhaul

destinations are opening up.

One of my favourite destinations, Australia,

is now allowing international travellers

(with certain requirements) which means we

get to see our loved ones after a long two

year separation, or simply enjoy a holiday in

this fantastic country.

Australia has so much to offer with

something for everyone: from glorious

beaches, amazing scenery, and of course

wonderful wineries. Honestly, wherever you

go in Australia you won’t be disappointed.

I have travelled to Australia a few times.

On one trip we decided to go to the vibrant

city of Perth which has fantastic restaurants

and lovely architecture. We took a leisurely

trip up the Swan River (you can get a train

back) and to Fremantle to visit the famous

market. This market has been there since

1897 and has lots of locals selling their wares

from books to handmade soaps – there was

an abundance of choice. To our surprise, we

found a Scottish woman who made square

sausage and Scotch Pies, which we had to

taste test and they were really yummy.

After a few days in Perth we drove down

to Margaret River and enjoyed the small town

feel with its craft breweries, quaint shops,

and wineries.

Margaret River also boasts some amazing

beaches which draws surfers from all over

Australia. I highly recommend doing a whale

watching boat trip. Now I’m not a fan of

boats, but this was worth feeling a bit wobbly

as we saw the whales close up, as well as

dolphins and flying fish.

Want to know more about Australia?

Give me a call and take the stress out of

planning your holiday down under!

Speak to Mary regarding your travel

plans by calling 07519 304320.

Or follow her latest Facebook offers

at facebook.com/marysewellnjt.

Not Just Travel

07519 304320

marysewell.notjusttravel.com


24 | www.westendermagazine.com

Zipslide the Clyde

for Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Scotland

One of the many sectors falling

victim to the pandemic were

charitable organisations and their

ability to fundraise. Many charities are

completely reliant on the public to keep them

afloat and when covid hit, it was a fatal blow.

Luckily Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus

Scotland (SBH Scotland) have weathered the

storm and are back with a bang… or should

I say a zip? More on that later. Back to the

organisation…

Spina Bifida occurs due to a fault in

the spinal column forming properly during

pregnancy. This causes damage to the

nervous system. Hydrocephalus is a

neurological condition whereby cerebrospinal

fluid (CSF) cannot drain properly. The buildup

of CSF then puts increased pressure

on the brain which can cause cognitive or

physical problems.

In 1965 the charity was created by

parents for parents and their children.

In order to acknowledge and meet the

needs of their children who had varying

degrees of disability, a national organisation

WORDS TRACY MUKHERJEE

was formed to ‘speak with one voice’ and

advocate for those needs from a perspective

of personal knowledge and understanding.

Even today, that sense of unity is paramount

to the organisation. Clare Cogan Turner,

Communications Manager at SBH Scotland

says ‘We always like to think of ourselves

as a family – being there for children, young

people and adults through all the stages in

their life, whenever they need us.’

And like so many charities, the pandemic

was a frightening time. Clare explains, ‘If the

past couple of years have taught us anything

it’s that the future is uncertain. And there

is nothing more terrifying to a charity than

financial uncertainty when over 3,500 people

rely on you for help. We are the only Scottish

charity with a remit to specifically support

the rare, complex disabilities of spina bifida

and hydrocephalus. For the families and

individuals who need us we are a lifeline.’

SBH Scotland offer an incredible bespoke

service, uniquely catering to each member.

Specialist staff who work across Scotland

provide a lifetime commitment of information,


www.westendermagazine.com | 25

support and projects to all those affected

by spina bifida, hydrocephalus and allied

conditions. Every year information on the

website is accessed over 55,000 times and

the Scotland-wide services are available to

over 4,000 children, young people and adults.

The services include a helpline, workshops,

individual and family support, home and

hospital visits, youth clubs, health check

clinics, one to one key workers and respite.

The organisation’s vision is clear,

‘Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Scotland

seeks to increase public awareness and

understanding of individuals with spina bifida

and/or hydrocephalus and allied conditions.

It aims to support all those affected to

identify their needs and to empower them to

make informed choices and decisions.’

Receiving little statutory funding,

fundraising is vital to the organisation.

It costs over £1 million every year to provide

extensive specialist services, the financial

support coming almost solely from people

getting involved, alongside the generosity

of trusts and the goodwill of volunteers.

Social events, grant making bodies and

sponsorship, all go towards raising the

money required each year.

Relying on sponsored challenges does

however have its benefits… zipslide days!

Having been put on hold for the past few

years due to Covid, the SBH Scotland

Zipslide the Clyde appears to be one of the

first back on the Clyde. In the three years

prior to Covid, 500 people had completed the

zipslide with the charity. This year the hope is

for 250 supporters to participate at the event

in September, aiming to raise £40,000 for

SBH Scotland.

Clare says ‘This year we’re launching off

aside Glasgow’s Riverside Museum which

has never been done before! We are looking

for people who not only love adventure but

those people who also realise they’ll be

making a positive difference in the lives of

our families. This is a fantastic opportunity

for those who’ve wanted to take part in this

amazing event over the past couple of years

– It’s finally back!’

And the monies raised? What can we see

it going towards? ‘We provide support in a

number of ways including 1-2-1 support in

homes, hospital and at schools, healthcare

transition support, health check clinics,

finance and benefits advice, social and

support groups for all ages across Scotland,’

says Clare. ‘The latter is always classed

as one of the most important things we do

as the groups create a network of support

for families which allow them to create

friendships and importantly feel like they’re

never alone.’

A day out on the Clyde, racing towards

Govan with the Waverly, OVO Hydro and

Science Centre in view. Oh, and raising

money for a simply outstanding charity to

boot. So why not get your friends or work

colleagues together and make a day of it all in

aid of SBH Scotland?

To find out more about SBH Scotland

and how to sign up now for the zipslide

challenge in September visit

sbhscotland.org.uk/zipslide


26 | www.westendermagazine.com

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS

Book space in the Jul/Aug 2022

Westender by Thursday 26th May.

Out in West End locations from Friday 17th June.

// 13 Years in the West End

// Glasgow’s brilliant FREE bi-monthly

magazine

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out, health & beauty, what’s on, local

authors & artists, interiors & more

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Westender www.westendermagazine.com Magazine Promotion | 27

Small Business

Matters

Let’s introduce you to Jane Grant,

Chartered Management Accountant and

a founder and Co-Director of Ammu. Jane

firmly believes to help the Scottish economy

flourish we must support the people running

small businesses as they are the ones

creating jobs and training our future business

leaders.

Jane has supported hundreds of

businesses of all shapes and sizes.

She knows anything a big business with

multiple departments can do, so can a small

business. This is down to revolutionary

cloud accounting technology like Xero and

affordable apps like Futrili and Syft that

integrate within any business.

If you ask Jane what holds business

owners back and how they can move forward

she will tell you two things that matter: data

and culture.

Jane explains why both matter:

‘When you hear the problems business

owners are facing running a business it

informs you of the type of culture they have.

Getting under the hood and looking at the

data flowing through the processes and

systems reveals where the blockers are.

You can examine the information, gain clarity,

and fix the problems. When you understand

your business and have a clear vision you

begin to develop a positive workplace culture.

With everyone in the right seat with clear

roles and responsibilities your business will

stop stagnating and start moving forward.’

Jane will leave you with one last point:

‘Small business owners no longer have to

rely on gut instinct and Gaviscon, instead the

data has the answers.’

If recent events have made you think

differently about your business and you

need expert advice our team of Chartered

Accountants and Chartered Management

accountants can help.

Ammu Chartered Accountants

Get in touch today: visit ammu.uk or call

our Glasgow office on 0141 290 0262,

or our Ayrshire office on 01292 388 031

Ammu Chartered Accountants

10 Newton Terrace G3 7PJ

0141 290 0262

8 Miller Road Ayr KA7 2AY

01292 388031

ammu.uk


28 | www.westendermagazine.com

Homes & Interiors

BUILDING

by Suzanne

Martin A–Dream

Team

Sometimes what’s required is not a simple garden

tidy up. Just sometimes, with investment of time

and finances, what can be achieved can change

the way people live in their outdoor spaces. Now.

How to find the ‘can do’ people to make a dream

come true…


www.westendermagazine.com | 29

From Left to Right: Liam McIntyre with a plus one, Kim Hope and Melanie Russell

You’ve finally decided the property market is

crazy and not cooling down. Step away from

those property portals now! You need more

space but the thought of extending and living,

let alone working, in a building site gives you

the fear. Fear not. Another option you may not

have considered is at hand.

Melanie Russell of Outside In Garden Rooms

has assembled her very own dream team

– if you’re of a certain vintage you could even

go so far as to call her the Hannibal of her very

own A-Team – if that reference means nothing

to you, stop reading now, it’s time for school.

Alongside Kim Hope of Hope Groundworks

and Liam McIntyre of Thornbridge Sawmills

Anniesland, Mel is in the business of

transforming unloved and unused garden

space into bars, gyms, home offices, teenage

hang outs, yoga studios, crafting spaces...

the options are endless.

And while the room itself is Mel’s baby,

what can be brought to the project can be as

expansive as the client’s wish-list.

‘Kim and I regularly attend site visits

together,’ explains Mel. ‘If the client needs a

complete garden transformation it’s essential

we both look at the project as one and present

that cohesive vision to our clients. Once the

design phase is agreed, we project manage

each other into the process.

‘For example, Kim’s team will clear the

site creating appropriate levels in advance

of the Garden Room being installed. Hopes

then follow behind to complete the landscape

transformation which ensures the client has

a seamless project with no trades stepping on

other toes or damaging the others hard work.


30 | www.westendermagazine.com

Specialists in garden makeovers,

driveway installs and experts in all

aspects of groundworks for both

commercial and domestic projects

GARDEN MAKEOVERS

– Paving & Patios

– Walls & Brickwork

– Decking & Fencing

– Lawns

– Driveways

GROUNDWORKS

– Foundations

– Ground screw foundations

– Drainage

– Retaining walls

– Excavations

Tel: 07909 091 213

hopegroundworks.co.uk

or find us on

www.outsideingardenrooms.co.uk

0141 370 6102 / info@outsideingardenrooms.co.uk


www.westendermagazine.com | 31

Homes & Interiors

‘Thornbridge supply all the on site

construction materials throughout the process

therefore again, solid project management is

something we’re all fiercely proud of. So we all

need to know where we’re at with regards to

timings, without that cohesive approach, our

projects simply wouldn’t run as smoothly as

they do.’

Kim takes over, ‘Hope Groundworks

services to the client could be something

simple like clearance and levelling of an area

along with foundation works for a garden

room, right up to designing and carrying out

a full garden makeover. Working closely with

the Outside In team we co-ordinate our diaries

to tie our groundworks and landscaping in

with the room install to make the process as

seamless for the client as possible, Our aim at

Hope Groundworks is always to provide our

clients with a gorgeous garden that can be

truly enjoyed.’

The groundworks and landscaping required

on the project pictured was extensive, with

Kim and husband Ally brought in early to

meet the client. Working with the client at the

design stage meant the Hope Groundworks

team were able to realise the client’s

vision fully. This included a water feature,

checkerboard paving over real grass and a

brand new staircase leading to a sheltered

outdoor dining area with vertical planting for

privacy.

‘The client wanted wow factor and different

areas zoned for different purposes,’ Kim

continues. ‘And they absolutely love the

finished space – it’s beautiful and useable!

‘It’s my husband, Ally, and I who run the

business (with my mum also on our team)

we are very much a family affair. We were so

blessed to welcome our twins into the world

in October 2020 so since then we have been

enjoying life as a family of five (big brother

to our twins is our mad but very friendly

Rottweiler). Business wise we hope to continue

on the path we are on, grow organically and

one day get our kids involved in the business

to keep it in the family.’


32 | www.westendermagazine.com

Homes & Interiors

So where does Liam and Thornbridge

Sawmills come in? ‘Working through the details

of products for Mel’s projects and making sure

our service is top rate,’ says Liam, ‘and just

generally having a laugh when we can.’

‘For my branch in particular, we are very

driven to work the details, never assume, and

if we see a better option we bring it to the table.

Our involvement is in getting the right product

for the build, we leave the design and building

to the professionals. Getting involved at this

level makes our job more interesting.

Covid, closely followed by Brexit, has been a

challenge for all in the building supply business

however. ‘As a company we buy well and have

plenty of connections in Britain and Europe,

so we just about keep the supply going. However,

this year’s challenge is different. Trade

embargos could go on for months, maybe years,

and unfortunately prices will soar again.

‘However, I see these situations as being

beneficial sometimes to produce new market

ideas and new products. Like all businesses,

you can jog along with what you know but as

soon as that’s turned upside down, and if you

are forward thinking, you can diversify your

product range, create market disruption and

unveil new products.

‘This can be exciting if you have customers

like Mel and Kim who are open to new ideas.

Mel has been a whirlwind in the Scottish market

in recent times and has chosen to move with

sustainable new products, such as the IRO

cladding at grange used on the garden rooms in

this recent project. It requires real skill to install

but as can be seen – the outcome is brilliant.’

outsideingardenrooms.co.uk

hopegroundworks.co.uk

thornbridgesawmills.co.uk


Westender www.westendermagazine.com Magazine Promotion | 33

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Roofing Matters

I

asked Jamie at J.Shearer Roofing in

Jordanhill what sets his company apart

from his competitors. Straight away he

refers to his workforce and customer focused

approach. From their office staff, surveyors

and management team to their highly skilled

professional tradesmen.

His team are all hand-picked by himself

and his dad James who started the business

in 1989. ‘We are experienced professionals’

explains Jamie. ‘We aim to deliver an

unrivalled service and quality work. Our team

are reliable and dedicated meaning they turn

up on time and finish a quality job – leaving

the client to get on with their life and not

worry about leaks’

Having worked on older sandstone

properties with slate roofs on the South Side,

Jamie’s recent expansion into the West End

with identical property types has been a

smooth transition.

After opening the Crow Road office

18 months ago, the office team have now

settled in to the Jordanhill community.

With ongoing staff training necessary

for the upkeep of their top industry

accreditations and health and safety training

a priority – Jamie really has brought a winning

team and formula to the West End.

Call 0141 959 8989 to book

a Free Survey.

J.Shearer Roofing

478 Crow Road G11 7DR

0141 959 8989

jshearer-roofing.co.uk


34 | www.westendermagazine.com

Bespoke Residential and

Commercial Decorating Contractors

T. 0141 389 3287 | M. 07984 880 199

info@riversidedecor.co.uk | www.riversidedecor.co.uk

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Westender www.westendermagazine.com Magazine Promotion | 35

Legal Matters

It’s (still) never too early to

call your solicitor

In the mid-1990s, the Law Society of

Scotland ran a nationwide campaign on

behalf of the whole profession with the

memorable phrase: ‘It’s never too early to call

your solicitor’. Recent court decisions show

that this has never been more true if you are

considering a professional negligence claim.

Many people may have heard the term

‘time bar’, meaning a date by which you

need to take a specific legal action. Different

countries have different rules, and different

types of legal rights and claims may have

different time limits within the same country.

Generally, there are two types of ‘time

bar’: one that stops you insisting on

something, but the underlying rights remain

and might still be enforced later in some

cases (in Scotland this is called ‘limitation’

and personal injury claims are generally

subject to a three-year limitation period);

the other is when there is an abrupt end to the

matter and the right is completely lost after

that (in Scotland this is called ‘prescription’).

Over the last decade, the loss of a right

by prescription has been considered by the

courts, right up to the Supreme Court in

London, particularly regarding negligence

claims against professional people. These

professional negligence actions have

considered when the date of prescription fell.

Such claims needed to be raised within five

years of the ‘prescriptive period’ starting.

The question was: when did the clock start

and what started it ticking?

The simple view is the period starts when

the negligence is committed, but there

was a common (and wrong) view that the

clock would not start until the person knew

of the potential claim. In the recent cases,

there was rarely doubt when the alleged

negligence occurred but what was in dispute

was whether there was any delay in the

prescriptive period starting due to the state

of knowledge of the person harmed by the

negligence.

The issue is not a hypothetical one in

professional negligence. There can often

be a substantial delay in knowledge.

The foundations to your house may have

been badly designed, but the crack only

appears years later and it might take further

years to work out that it was caused by

negligent design. If your lawyer is negligent

when you bought your house, you may only

realise something is wrong with the titles

when you come to sell on decades later.

The recent court cases have underlined

that the clock starts ticking as soon as

someone can know that they have a ‘loss’.

This may be before they know why there is a

loss, or even before they suspect anything is

wrong – they may just think that the ‘loss’ is a

routine expense.

Conceivably a claim may prescribe before

someone even realises something is wrong.

More often a claim may prescribe quite close

to when the person realises something is

wrong. The outcome is that unfair results may

occur and there is new legislation to soften

the situation (but not remove it altogether).

Therefore, the advice in any situation where

something seems to have

gone awry is to seek legal

advice straight away.

If Mitchells Roberton

Partner, Joel Conn,

can assist you please call

direct on 0141 548 1771,

or email jmc@mitchells-roberton.co.uk

Mitchells Roberton Solicitors

George House, 36 North Hanover Street

0141 552 3422

mitchells-roberton.co.uk


36 | www.westendermagazine.com

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Homes & Interiors

Out In Nature

www.westendermagazine.com | 37

As well as welcoming nature in, this is the time of year to look forward

to lounging out of doors. In the West End outside space is at a premium

with many shared back garden spaces. Whatever space you have think

creatively. Can some lovely fresh basil and dill plants be potted up in some

glazed pots in the kitchen window? Or some mood lighting lift a dining

space on a patio or balcony? As always, our West End retailers are full of

creative ideas – as the outdoors moves in and our indoors moves out.

Kensington Sofa,

£825, Nancy Smillie Shop

Paris Lounge Set (4 pcs),

£699, West End Garden Centre

Pao Portable Lamp by HAY,

£129, Hoos Glasgow

Ferm Living Level Side Table,

£205, InHoos Glasgow

Green Easton Planters, from Small £9.99 to XL £34.99,

Hyacinth House Plant Emporium

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

Hyacinth House Floristry & Plant Emporium, 950a Crow Road, 0141 571 3517, hyacinthhousefloristry.co.uk

InHoos, 91-93 Great Western Road, 07788 480421, inhoos.co.uk

Nancy Smillie Shop, 53 Cresswell Lane, 0141 334 4240, nancysmillieshop.com

West End Garden Centre, 40-44 Peel Street, 07964 672211, westendgardencentre.com


38 | www.westendermagazine.com


Westender www.westendermagazine.com Magazine Promotion | 39

Image © Gregor Reid Photography

The Wee Kitchen Shop

Specialising In Beautiful Shaker Kitchens

Monica and Iain weren’t looking for

a new kitchen till the Great Flood

of 2021 happened – ok, it was a

small leak behind the washing machine.

The ravaging this persistent offender caused

to walls and wood however, did mean a

trained eye was needed. When the Cleveden

couple asked Greg from The Wee Kitchen

Shop round his previous experience working

with a wet and dry rot and damp proofing

company, sealed the deal for them.

‘I knew what I wanted design wise,’

says Monica. ‘And we’d seen the quality of

the kitchens in the showroom in Broomhill –

so already loved the look of what Greg

did. When he explained his background in

dampproofing we just knew the work would

be completed properly and not come back to

haunt us in months or years to come.

‘I also appreciated that Greg listened and

didn’t try to sell us his vision. I wanted the sink

moved away from the window with a small

window seat put in and Greg gave us exactly

what I was hoping for.

‘Greg did suggest more drawers than

cupboards, where possible, so we could

access the back and see what was in there

more easily – great as we get older. And he

also suggested an induction hob, which I

discounted at first, being used to gas.

‘However, I went round a few places

looking at appliances and couldn’t see what

I wanted. I’d been asking for more surface

area and realised that the induction hob would

actually give me that as I can put a chopping

board on it and use it as prep space when it’s

not in use, and I love it!

‘No matter how great I think Greg is

though, his team are exceptional. They are all

great tradespeople with a really high quality

of work – and tidy too. I’d have no problem

recommending any of them.’

FREE QUOOKER TAP:

On kitchens ordered by

Thursday 30th June 2022!

Call Greg for an appointment.

The WEE Kitchen Shop

304 Crow Road, Broomhill G11 7HS

0141 334 4747

www.theweekitchenshop.co.uk


40 | www.westendermagazine.com

We pride ourselves in providing

a prompt, reliable service

and are proud to have built a

reputation as a company that

you can trust.

Emergency repairs and planned

maintenance to full re-roofings

you will receive the same high

standard of service every time

for complete peace of mind.

We promise to provide the following

Professional, friendly team of

qualified tradespeople

Tradespeople hold CSCS cards

PASMA and IPAF trained

Photographic surveys

FIRST CLASS 5 RATED ROOFERS IN GLASGOW

FOR AFFORDABLE AND COMPETITIVE PRICES

120 CARSTAIRS STREET OFFICE 43 GLASGOW G40 4JD

tel: 0141 816 1800 info@vertex-roofing.co.uk


Westender www.westendermagazine.com Magazine Promotion | 41

with Western Lettings

Never Trust Anyone Who is

Rude to a Waiter

Wise folk say a person should be

judged not by how they treat a CEO,

but how they treat someone in their

service. As letting agents we understand that

we’re beneath waiters in the pecking order.

We’re more likely to contact you to make

you aware of a flooded bathroom than to

deliver some delicious food and drink.

We provide what is sometimes known as

a ‘negative service’.

Recently, the team at Western Lettings

received a roasting from one of our clients

when something bad happened. There had

been a short gap between tenants where

the landlord was liable for the council tax.

We’d done our duty and written to the council

explaining that they should send the bill

for the void period to our office. However,

they accidentally sent the bill to the wrong

address and it went unpaid. They escalated

it to a collection agency who traced the

landlord to his home address and sent him a

bill, including a 10% surcharge.

As soon as the landlord received the

letter from the collection agency, he called

Western Lettings. When Simon (not his real

name) first contacted us about the issue, he

was furious. He gave his name and advised

that he was very angry. He spent around

half an hour berating various members of

the team about how incompetent we were.

We immediately contacted the council who

admitted their error and agreed to refund

the £6 surcharge which had been added by

the debt collectors. We explained all this to

our client who continued to rail against us,

threatening to change agent the next time we

made such a terrible mistake. His anger never

abated and he followed up his calls with

several dismissive emails.

There can be no doubt that a bad thing

had happened. However, it was clear that

we’d not made an error. It is also true that

our client had suffered no losses. If he had

suffered any losses and a case could be

made that we had been at fault, we would

have paid compensation.

Why does any of this matter? It’s not

just that it’s important to be kind, but that

we should extend trust where it is due.

Like many professional agents, Western

Lettings can easily demonstrate that we

provide a transparent, friendly, and efficient

service. The major reason that staff turnover

in the sector is so high is because too many

people adopt the same attitude as Simon.

Don’t be like Simon. Be kind.

If you have a property to let, please

give us a call. We don’t do pushy sales,

so you can expect to speak to a friendly

and understanding adviser. Alternatively

have a trial of our free rental valuation

tool by scanning the QR code below.

Western Lettings

Craighall Business Park G4 9XA

0141 357 0436

westernlettings.co.uk

SCAN FOR INSTANT VALUATION


42 | Westender www.westendermagazine.com

Magazine Promotion

Image © Gregor Reid Photography

Property

Matters

with Walker Wylie

Estate Agents

The spring statement’s been released.

Rightmove has shared their House Price

Index. So, this all begs the question,

where is the spring market heading?

It’s no surprise Rightmove of all

companies is keen to tell us (in the boldest

way possible) that we’re about to experience

‘The Best Ever Spring Sellers’ Market’ but is

it simply a bold headline or have they hit the

nail on the head?

In a nutshell – they’ve hit the nail on the

head with this one.

Not only have prices hit another record,

with average asking prices in Scotland now

reaching £178,000, but we’ve also seen a

2.2% month-on-month increase in prices –

and supply is still behind demand by a factor

of 2 to 1. So yes, the market really does seem

poised for a record-breaking spring.

In fact, selling now means you’re twice

as likely to find a buyer in the first week

of marketing as you were in 2019. And it’s

completely verifiable in Glasgow with average

time-to-sell periods dropping across the

board (in some cases to within a single day!).

The biggest fly in the ointment of the

market, as we see things, is the lack of

property for onwards purchases. With many

keen to move but concerned about finding

/walkerwyliescotland

/walker_wylie

Where Is The Spring Market Heading?

a property for themselves. Our advice?

Put your house on the market anyway.

Getting it on the market means you’ll

be in a far stronger position to move on

the right property when it is available. And

according to the Rightmove stats, the supply

is increasing with stock levels rising by 12%

year-on-year.

The spring statement has offered some

respite from the cost-of-living increases that

we’re all experiencing but they may not go

far enough to take the sting out of increases

in the Bank of England Base Rate, and the

expected rise in inflation to a predicted 7.4%

average this year.

So now really is the time to take

advantage of this ‘spring bounce’ and the

extraordinary competition from buyers. Don’t

attempt to ‘play the market’. Move when it’s

right for you and sell while people are buying.

So, if you are thinking of making your

move – you’re definitely picking a healthy

time, and we’d love to hear from you.

Walker Wylie Estate Agents

148 Woodlands Road G3 6LF

0141 404 1333 / 07855 952298

walkerwylie.co.uk


www.westendermagazine.com | 43

• Buying & Selling

• Mortgages &

Re-Mortgages

• Life Insurance &

Protection

At Walker Wylie Mortgages

we are professional,

passionate, and committed

to providing top quality

in-house independent

advice in a friendly and

easy to understand manner.

• Holistic Financial

Advice

• Savings & Investments

• Pensions & Retirement

planning

• Inheritance Tax (IHT)

Mitigation

Walker Wylie Mortgages

148 Woodlands Road

Glasgow

G3 6LF

info@walkerwylie.co.uk

0141 404 1333

www.walkerwylie.co.uk

Walker Wylie Mortgages is a trading name of Holyrood Asset Management Ltd which is

authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority FCA no. 192637


44 | www.westendermagazine.com

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