Monday August 17th 2026
Cleansing convenor Chris Mitchell is encouraging businesses to use the council’s cleansing services
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Catherine Hunter
Glasgow City Centre businesses are being urged to switch across to the city council for their commercial waste uplift in a bid to “reclaim the lanes”.
The GMB trade union launched its campaign last year which calls for the city centre’s back streets to be cleared of commercial waste and deep-cleaned as part of a regeneration programme.
It also asks for stricter enforcement to ensure businesses, including shops, restaurants and take-aways, keep rubbish secure and have it lifted quickly.
Now, cleansing convenor Chris Mitchell is encouraging businesses – particularly those surrounding Sauchiehall Lane near Elmbank Street – to use the council’s cleansing services.
The latest pictures and videos of Sauchiehall Lane show a filthy street, overflowing bins, rubbish and food waste dumped alongside them.
Local business owners have also told how they have been facing these issues for more than 15 years, and they have been struggling to get private contractors to collect their waste.
There are also concerns that the amount of rubbish lying around is impacting business and poses a public health hazard.
Chirs Mitchell, GMB, said: “We are back again where we started with our first campaign for Reclaim the Lanes but as you can see behind me it has actually got worse.
“I have been talking to a number of business owners who have had enough with the rubbish that has been dumped and not collected by private companies.
“These businesses have quite clearly told me that they want to move to Glasgow City Council’s commercial department which suits me because that is where my members work.
“I have told them we provide a far cleaner, better and reliable service than you are seeing just now. I feel sorry for these businesses, the smell is absolutely horrendous, and they have told me that they are losing customers because of it because it is a very busy thoroughfare.
“I am hoping that out of good nature and a bit of human compassion that we get this sorted for them.
“Everybody is entitled to go with whatever waste provider they want but it is quite clear that some of it isn’t working.
“If you walk down this lane you can quite clearly see the disrepair it is in, the lids are off them, pigeons and seagulls are pecking in them, there’ s vermin, the wheels are off them.
“We have got a brilliant commercial waste team that will give you a brand new bin and will clean up the mess around them. It will be a far better and more reliable service than what you are seeing just now.”
Glasgow City Council says they have been investigating the issue.
A spokesman for the council said: “We are aware of issues at this location and our environmental health team has been investigating.
“Two businesses that use the lane for bin storage have been served with fixed penalty notices due to their unsatisfactory containment of waste.
“The lane is privately owned and it is the responsibility of those who have been served enforcement notices to ensure this location is brought back to an acceptable standard.
“Enforcement officers also visited food premises in the area to ensure they had commercial waste contracts in place and one outlet was instructed to make appropriate arrangements.
“We will continue to be active in the area to ensure businesses are compliant with the standards expected of them.”
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