Glasgow has the best nightlife in Scotland - there’s no doubt about that - with hundreds of pubs (many of which in the city centre now have a late-night license) and dozens of nightclubs spread in every corner of the city.
But doesn’t it feel like there’s something missing? There really was a certain something back in the day that made Glaswegian nightlife what it was.
It was fun. It was ruckus. It was Glaswegian.
These new clubs don’t seem to get that, instead opting to emulate these European superclubs or be strict moneymaking operations that care little for the actual Glasgow nightlife scene.
That’s why today we’re looking back at the very best nightclubs Glasgow had in the 80s, 90s, and 2000s.
1. Volcano
As featured in Trainspotting, Volcano wasn’t in fact in Edinburgh - but in Partick, and was a long-standing favourite of Glaswegians. It was previously known as Cinders Disco, then Raffles before being purchased by Colin Barr in 1989. | Trainspotting (1996)
2. The Arches
The Arches were an institution in and of itself back in the day - many Glaswegians will remember waking up after a night at The Arches with a sore jaw and a massive hangover prior to its closure in 2015. | One More Tune DJs
3. The Garage
Love it or hate it, everyone in Glasgow has been to The Garage at least once since its opening in 1994. It’s a rite of passage really. | Google Maps
4. The Tunnel
There was The Arches for sweaty nights of 'taps aff' tunes, and then there was The Tunnel, Glasgow’s first superclub for Judge Jules, shiny shoes and multi-coloured Ted Baker shirts. | Supplied