A celebration of love at first sight

The Shawlands nightspot opened in 1996, but the building goes back almost 100 years to the Marlborough ballroom, established in 1920.

Michele Pagliocca, owner of The Shed, explained: “We recently launched a singles evening, Single ‘n’ Mingle, and were amazed to hear about the number of couples whose eyes first met across the dancefloor — so we decided to extend our birthday celebrations to recognise those who found love here.”

The club will open its doors for a special Marlborough Lovebirds event — and Thorntonhall man Eric Santi will be celebrating on behalf of parents Ivo and Vera, who married there on April 28, 1949.

Eric (61) said: “My parents would often talk fondly of how they married at the Marlborough. It’s a lovely story and I’m sure there are many out there with similar stories to tell.”

Michele added: “We also have three young couples who met and fell in love whilst working at The Shed and would like to hear from any old employees who met their future partner while working at our venue.”

One such couple are James and Amanda Walker, who married in December last year.

James (31) told The Extra: “We met there in 2004 — I was a chargehand and, on Amanda’s first night, she was on my bar.

“Amanda says it was love at first sight, but I thought she didn’t like me very much as she snapped at me at one point — she says it was due to nerves! The more we got to know one another, the more I knew we were meant to be.”

Fast forward six years, and James was proposing in a snow-covered Kelvingrove Park.

He added: “Amanda says that saying yes was the easiest decision she has ever had to make, and she knew from the startI was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

“Living in Springburn now means we don’t get over to Shawlands as much as we would like, however we have The Shed to thank for meeting one another and will always have fond memories of it.”

Do you have a love story to share? Get in touch at 649 5020 or [email protected].