Life in Glasgow
As Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow is big enough to contain a wide range of attractions, while being small enough to navigate easily. It also has great travel links to other cities in Scotland and the UK. Glasgow’s West End, home to our Gilmorehill campus, is named the 20th coolest neighbourhood in the world (Time Out, 2023).
Music, culture, sport and socialising are all important here. In fact, Glasgow has been named:
- the UK’s first UNESCO City of Music
- European Capital of Sport for 2023
The name Glasgow translates to ‘dear green place’ in Gaelic. The city has more than 90 parks and gardens to explore, and it’s also on the doorstep of many of Scotland’s most visited attractions from castles and beaches, to outdoor activities and spectacular scenery.
Shopping
Glasgow is one of the top shopping destinations in the U.K. So you’ll never find yourself short of shops to visit.
Opening hours
Most shops in shopping centres, such as the Buchanan Galleries and St Enoch Centre are normally open Monday through Friday from 10:00am till 7:00pm, on Saturdays from 10:00am till 6:00pm, and Sundays from 10:00am till 6:00pm.
Most Post Offices will normally open from 9:00 till 5:30pm on weekdays and from 9:00 till 12:30pm on Saturdays, and all close on Sundays.
Bank branches will generally open on weekdays from 9:00 till 5:00pm; only some branches are open on Saturdays, and all are closed on Sundays.
Supermarkets are generally open from 7:00am till 10:00pm in residential areas, and some hypermarkets are open 24 hours.
Most smaller shops in town are normally open Monday-Friday 0900-1730 and Saturdays 0900-1800. Some close on Sundays.
A few pointers with shops
Customers are expected to pay the price marked on the article; there is usually no question of bargaining. People are very strict about queuing and waiting for their turn. As part of a drive to reduce the use of single use carrier bags and to encourage customers to reuse them or to opt for durable carrier bags. All shops in Scotland must charge a minimum of 10 pence per carrier bag.
Shopping Centres in and around Glasgow:
Other guides to shopping in Glasgow:
Faith
The Interfaith Chaplaincy
The University of Glasgow is well served with places for worship, prayer and reflection. You can find these on the Campus Map, including the University Memorial Chapel, the University Interfaith Room, the Veterinary School quiet room, the Turnbull Hall (which serves as the Roman Catholic Chaplaincy), and the Seminar Rooms at the Dental School.
The Chaplaincy provides spiritual support and facilities for students and staff of all faiths and none. Chaplains/Advisers have been appointed from the Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Humanist and Hindu faith communities. They are members of the Scottish Interfaith Council or members of Action Together of Churches in Scotland.
The University Memorial Chapel is a sacred space, open to all for prayer and times of reflection. There is a variety of services and events available, including a ten-minute service conducted by staff and students each day at 8:45am during semesters.
For further information, including a list of places of worship for various religious denominations, please refer to the Chaplaincy web pages.
Other Useful Links
- Equality and Diversity Unit
- Equality and Diversity Policy
- Religion and Belief
- Interfaith Chaplaincy Faith and belief guide (PDF)
We also have a list of Places of worship in Glasgow for a variety of Religions including Buddhist, Christian, Catholic, Sikh, Muslim and more.
Settling in Socially
The University has a wide range of Social, Cultural, and Sports Clubs which colleagues can join.
Participating in a Network or a Community of Practice (CoP) can also be a great way to connect with colleagues doing similar roles or who share similar interests and/or access informal learning and development.
Other services
There are also a few other services that you may find useful while visiting Glasgow.
Telephones
There are two types of public telephones in the UK: some are operated with coins, and others with calling cards or credit or debit cards. Both can be used to call direct to anywhere in the U.K. or any country to which Direct Dialling is available.
Pre-paid international calling cards are available from many companies and they can be bought from local newsagents.
Buying a mobile phone in the U.K can be confusing as there are many different competing companies and deals. There are two main types of deals available:
Pay as you go- you can obtain a free SIM card to use with your own phone or purchase a phone with a SIM card which you can 'top-up' as needed with credit to use for calls and texts.
Pay monthly- This is a contract where you are usually offered a free phone as part of the package. There is a set monthly payment covering an established allowance in terms of call minutes, number of texts, and internet access (if compatible with your handset), and the contract binds you for 12-24 months.
Post offices
Post office opening hours are: Monday to Friday, 09:00am till 5:30pm, and Saturday from 9:00am till 12:30pm, but some branches can vary.
The Post Office offers services including post and courier services, as well as travel money. For sending mail or parcels overseas, postage rates are calculated based on weight, size and service required.
Electricity
The electrical current in the UK is 240 volts at 50 cycles. If you come from a country which operates on a different voltage, you should ensure that you are equipped with the appropriate transformer. Alternatively, you may consider not bringing any electrical appliances if you are unsure, and instead purchasing electrical devices in Glasgow, where you can find a wide range of options to purchase them, from department stores and specialist shops to discount stores.