Glasgow Barrowland market
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The Barras (more properly The Barrowland market) is a major street and indoor weekend market in the East End of Glasgow, Scotland. The term "barra" is Glaswegian dialect for "barrow", relating to the market's early years, where traders sold their wares from handcarts. Barrowland is sometimes used to describe the district itself where the market is located, which is actually officially known as Calton.
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[edit] History
One of Glasgow's most famous institutions, The Barras was founded by James and Margaret McIver in the interwar years. Several of the smaller 1921-era market halls still bear the McIver name, although the main Barrowland Ballroom building was rebuilt after a fire in 1958, reopening in 1960. The ballroom has become a world famous musical venue (see main article).
The original building opened in 1934 in a mercantile area east of Glasgow's city centre. The Barrowland building includes large street-level halls used for the weekend markets, with a sizeable weatherproof dance hall above. The front of the building is decorated with a distinctive animated neon sign.
[edit] Location
Because of its location on Gallowgate - the main thoroughfare from the city centre to Parkhead and Celtic Park, Barrowlands is also notable for its large concentration of public houses and shops devoted to fans of Celtic Football Club. Baird's Bar is one of the best known Celtic-oriented pubs, literally next door to the Barrowland Ballroom building.
[edit] Crime
Although still very popular with visitors and Glaswegians alike, many secondhand goods traders have either retired or moved to the cheaper and more lucrative weekend car boot sales, reducing the feel of the Barras. A large number of traders selling counterfeit DVDs and CDs or smuggled tobacco have also moved into the street market area. Strathclyde Police, Glasgow City Council's Trading Standards Department, and H.M.Customs regularly conduct raids, but the traders are often back in business within hours. One trader who was confronted by a TV crew investigating counterfeit computer games displayed a banner on his stall the following week, proudly proclaiming "as seen on TV".
Bill Aitken, one of Glasgow's seven regional MSPs, said of the trade "What was once the preserve of wide boys operating out of the Glasgow Barras Market has now been largely taken over by serious criminals" [1].
Some regard the Barras as a prime source for illegal goods or services and often resent the authorities' attempts to control the street hawkers. Despite its historical significance, Glasgow City Council has hinted its distaste for the market as a whole, and has controversial plans to route the East End Regeneration Route close to the Barras site, rendering certain thoroughfares no-parking zones.
