Royal Exchange Square is a public square in the City of Glasgow in Scotland. The square is situated at the junction of Queen Street with Ingram Street. It is also easily accessible from Buchanan Street, through two prominent archways on the West side of the square.The square is a landmark that attracts many visitors due to the central building which houses the Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art, (also known as the 'GoMA') and the humorous Duke of Wellington statue.
Along the sides of the square are lots of open air cafés and restaurants. The Square is lit up with a large overhead net of lighting between the Gallery of Modern Art and surrounding buildings. The lighting was originally only activated around the Winter season as part of the city's Christmas decorations, but due to being highly favoured by the citizens of Glasgow it remains, to this day, as a permanent feature.
At the Queen Street entrance there is a statue of Duke of Wellington which usually has a traffic cone placed on his head. This was originally a joke by youngsters, but it is now encouraged by the public to leave the cone intact. The statue has become a representation of simple Glaswegian humour and is favoured by many citizens and tourists who have seen it. However, some tourists have conveyed disappointment upon visiting the statue to discover that the cone has been taken down.
The building (formerly Borders) that sits adjacent to the GoMA is currently under development and refurbishment to accommodate a new retail unit. Rumours from March insinuated that All Saints and Abercrombie & Fitch had looked into a lease for the building - dividing it into two retail units. The window covers have been unveiled to reveal suspended rows of vintage sewing machines, white painted exposed brickwork and reclaimed furniture. These interior details have been found in previous All Saints branches, and are very fitting with the brand. The Ingram Street and Mitchell Lane branches have now closed and are likely to move into the building on Tuesday 11 May 2010.