Glasgow's major problems has been that her slums were more visible than those ofcities like Edinburgh, who had the good sense to keep her slums where few are likely to see
To the credit of the under-funded council. huge steps have been made in the inner city area. Bridgeton, home of the infamous Billy Boys and scene ofsome of the worst street violence of the thirties is now thriving, thanks greatly to the help ofthe Glasgow Eastern Area Renewal Project (GEAR). Similarly. Maryhill. to the west, has undergone large scale improvement.
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thankfully including small council estates with real houses. Even Priesthill, one of the less notorious but worst parts of the city is being
successfully reshaped.
The council‘s ambitious project for the Gorbals will perhaps be a watershed. If, in the future, the city can point to the Gorbals with pride, who knows what can be achieved.
sruoenrs ;
Despite containing the ancient University of Glasgow (founded 1451) the reputable and largely business minded Straihclyde University and
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eight major colleges — such as Glasgow College of Technology. Ouoon’s College, Glasgow Art School and Jordanhill - Glasgow is not generally perceived as a student city.
This is largely because 70% of the
city's thirty thousand students commute to their place of education
i from up to fifty miles away. Such ‘ students, who tend to disappear to
Rutherglen , Troon or wherever as
soon as lectures are over, retain links
with their home town and do not
participate in student life as such. By and large, students come from
the west of Scotland. Even with
Glasgow‘s improved image and the i fine standard ofthe two universities 5 especially. young people from
f elsewhere in the UK are not drawn
i tothecity.
One fortunate side-effect of this,
3 though. has been the creation ofa ; distinct student area in the city. the
like ofwhich does not exist
; elsewhere in Scotland. Hillhead. the
area adjacent to Glasgow University. contains the highest concentration ofstudents in
' Glasgow as is reflected in the
ambience of the area. The west end contains a higher proportion of ‘up-
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