George Square reopening pushed back to end of October

Glasgow's landmark George Square will fully reopen later than anticipated, after the city council confirmed a slight delay to redevelopment plans.

Work to revamp the square began at the start of 2025, with a water feature, a raised lawn, sheltered seating and feature lighting among the plans.

It was expected to reopen in August 2026, but the date was knocked on to early September. The work is now expected to be completed by the end of October.

The short delay is being blamed on "a number of factors", including the discovery of uncharted underground services.

Glasgow City Council intend to reopen the square in phases, with a large event planned to celebrate the reopening of the western part of the square in September.

The local authority said the surrounding streets will be temporarily traffic-free, with families invited to enjoy activities for all ages.

David McEwan, the divisional director for property, city deal & major projects at the city council, said there had been unexpected "complexities" that construction teams had faced while working on the square.

He added: "Contractors have encountered various challenges, including the discovery of underground pipes, cables and other infrastructure that were not identified in any existing records – all of which required additional work to address.

"While it is now clear that this will mean that the full reopening of George Square will take place slightly later than originally planned, our focus remains on opening as much of the square as possible as soon as it is safe to do so."

The phased reopening of George Square is already underway, with the first section, along the north carriageway, coming back into use last month.

Work at the western end of the Square will then be completed at the end of August, with the family event taking place on the first weekend in September.

Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken said: "This will be a weekend where people can walk, play and start to get to know their new square, as the biggest section yet reopens."

Further sections will then be opened to the public when it is safe to do so, with the final fences expected to be removed by the end of October.

The Square's famous 11 bronze statues will return in early August, with restoration work on the Sir Walter Scott Monument nearing completion.

Aitken added: "People are going to see a lot of progress over the weeks ahead - with the statues returning next month, as well a lot of work on paving and planting.

"Rather than keeping the entire site closed until every element is complete, we will continue reopening sections in phases - allowing Glaswegians and visitors to start enjoying the new spaces as they are finished and ahead of the full reopening in October."