Work has started on what is being billed as ‘Scotland’s biggest hotel’ on a longstanding gap site in Merchant City.

The ‘hybrid hospitality’ hotel will be part of the Candleriggs Square site, that has been vacant since the old Goldbergs department store was demolished nearly 20 years ago.

It is part of a £300m development in the area which will include a build to rent development of 346 apartments.

The Student Hotel concept includes student accommodation, hotel rooms and rooms for longer stays.

It also has co-working spaces, meetings and event rooms and bars and restaurants.

The Glasgow hotel is the latest in the TSH group portfolio, adding to 15 that are currently open in Europe including in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Paris and Berlin.

The Merchant City will be the groups first Student Hotel venture in the UK.

Charlie McGregor, TSH founder and Chief Executive, said it was a personal moment for him seeing the start of construction work on the site.

He said he was born and raised in Scotland before setting up the company in 2006.

He said: “Today marks the first step of what will become Scotland’s largest hotel, bringing with it our pioneering hybrid hospitality model that will introduce something very different and very exciting to the UK market.

“On a personal level, I am thrilled that the first TSH in the UK will be in Scotland and that our brand is finally ‘coming home’.

“Candleriggs Square, in the very heart of Glasgow’s historic Merchant City, provides us with the perfect location. We are very pleased to be active partners of hugely collaborative effort to regenerate this magnificent part of the city centre. ”

Council leader Susan Aitken joined the developers at a ground-breaking ceremony at the site.

Glasgow Times:

Candleriggs Square is a joint venture between Drum Property Group and Stamford Property Investments.

Graeme Bone, Group Managing Director of Drum Property Group, said: “For the last 20 years, the site has lain neglected and unused, becoming an unattractive gap site in an otherwise vibrant and thriving neighbourhood.

“The development will return Candleriggs Square to what it always was – a bustling market-place full of life, vitality and interest and intrinsically linked to the rest of the city centre, bringing with it a significant and timely boost for both the local and national economy. ”

.Susan Aitken Glasgow City Council Leader, said: “Glasgow needs a city centre that is an attractive place to live, work, study, and invest and the regeneration of Candleriggs Square can play an important role in delivering those aims.

“The start of construction is very welcome, bringing new life to a key site that has lain vacant for a considerable time. We can also look forward to further stages of the development bringing economic and social benefit to the Merchant City’s residents and businesses.”