A new opening in a landmark location will add to the late-night entertainment mix in the city centre. Kong makes its debut tonight, taking over where One Up was on Royal Exchange Square, previously operated by Lynnet Leisure Group.
It’s part of a redevelopment plan for other properties that will stretch into the new year. I spoke to Gavin Boyle, operations manager for Kong, shortly before the doors opened for the first time. 
“It’s exciting last-minute preparations” he said, “I’m just on my way to get a haircut and that will be the first time I have sat down. The reaction has been great from anyone that has visited the place so far. It looks spectacular and we will be ready to go”.
The venue is open from 8pm tonight. What can we expect? “We have the big main bar at the front that will be open all day until 4am. Then a smaller bar that we’ve styled to be what reminds me of a high-end London cocktail lounge, it’s a really sharp looking room.
“Then we have the club at the back that will be open for this weekend as a full late night venue.”
“We’re sticking to an over-21 policy for the club. We think there is a demand at the moment from an older crowd that we can cater for. If you look around late-night options elsewhere in town it has become very young. We want to offer something different, with a full refurbisment of the venue and premium drinks brands.” 
We’ve had over a decade of innovation in restaurants, fresh thinking from bars while the night-time economy stayed stagnant. Glasgow folk have always enjoyed getting dressed up for a night out, and Kong aims to bring something new to the city centre.
“I think when you speak to people about what’s missing in the city centre, it’s a late night venue like this which caters to an older crowd. We will have the best pitch in town, overlooking Royal Exchange Square.” 
Kong will take over what was the 29 roof garden, previously used as a wedding venue. That space will open in the spring and there will be a kitchen offering added to the menu to coincide with that.
Kong essentially has the same footprint as One Up when it opens. “There are further plans to develop Bread and Butter, Chippy Down the Lane and 29 but that will be after Christmas.” Chippy Doon the Lane at 84 Buchanan Street is set to reopen as a seven night a week late night venue called Hide & Seek.
Asked whether this redevelopment is part of an acquisition, Gavin said: “it’s not Lynet anymore”.
Put together with other developments expected in the new year and you can see evidence of a manifesto to bring new energy to Glasgow entertainment, in a major shakeup of hospitality in the city centre. The return of the big night out on the town.
Edinburgh boutique hotel brand House of Gods are currently on onsite transforming the former Peckham’s delicatessen building on Glassford Street. There will be 31 bedrooms, a bar and brasserie on the ground floor and then a hidden late night cocktail bar that will extend underneath the street. Expect design notes from the Orient Express and the Palace of Versailles to match their existing extravagant property.
Nearby, Revolver hostel will open on Virginia Street later this month, complete with a rooftop event space, gym, sauna and hot tub. There will be a 14-seat fine dining experience with a rotating tasting menu and a street food restaurant on the first floor. 
From the reception you will be able to look out the window and spot a low-key doorway further up the street, where you can move through a tunnel of lights to a speakeasy margarita bar, connected to El Santo, serving Latin American small plates, with an opening date in February. 
Meanwhile, Argentinean influenced restaurant Gaucho will serve steaks on West Nile Street from January 2022 and celebrated Indian food restaurant Mowgli Street Food will open in spring next year.
Several hospitality figures have suggested to me that high-end seafood and sushi brand Sexy Fish, part of Caprice Holdings and The Ivy Collection will open on Buchanan Street when what was the All Saints store is refitted. A PR Manager for The Ivy Collection told me “I am afraid we are unable to share a comment”.
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