Glasgow Clan: Arena ambitions and a summer of uncertainty
Braehead Arena (Pic: Al Goold) A year out of operation because of the pandemic, and now plans for 2021-22 on hold - not the situation Glasgow Clan wanted to be in. The double whammy comes after the collapse of Intu Braehead, owners of the shopping centre which houses their ice pad, and the arrival of new owners, Global Mutual. Clan’s ambition is to run the arena - a move which makes sense given they are its main tenants. But it is a huge leap from running a hockey club to managing a multi-purpose arena - let alone one which isn’t quite fit for purpose. The shortcomings were all built-in to the original design - a foyer too small for any decent use, a bar impossible to access on busy nights, poor hospitality facilities, and behind the scenes, cramped facilities which don’t make it the venue of choice for many touring bands or shows given the better options available to them a few miles away in Glasgow. Rectifying all of that is going to take time and need serious funds - and, even then ...