St Enoch Centre and Buchanan Galleries plans mark end of an era for Glasgow city centre

Just nine years later, the Buchanan Galleries would open its doors at the top end of Buchanan Street - barely a five minute walk from the St Enoch Centre.

The latter was built on the site of the old St Enoch Railway Station - demolished in 1977 alongside the hotel - and offered dozens of shops, as well as the stunning glass roof.

Buchanan Galleries, meanwhile, transformed the north section of the street, with more than 80 shops open to customers.

The next two decades were a time when it was impossible to walk 10 steps through the two shopping centres, Argyle Street and Buchanan Street, without passing another HMV, JJB Sports and Gamestation, when the area buzzed during the Boxing Day sales and queues formed outside the newest shops.

But internet shopping has transformed high streets across the UK - and Glasgow is no exception. Now a new era beckons for the city centre.

The owners of the St Enoch Centre have submitted plans to redevelop the shopping centre, creating 1700 homes, a hotel and office space - a process which will take place over the next 15 to 20 years.

Meanwhile, bulldzoers could move in at the top end of the street and flatten the Buchanan Galleries. Like the plans for the St Enoch Centre, the site would be cleared to make room for shops, offices and accommodation.

Work, expected to take a decade, could start in 2023.

The Glasgow City Centre Taskforce (GCCT) is reviewing the state of the three main city centre streets - Sauchiehall Street, Buchanan Street and Argyle Street - with a view to making this area more modern, vibrant and sustainable.

The council wants to bring more residents into the city centre, which could see the population double in size in the next 15 years.

The days of non-stop rows of shops and city centre shopping centres appears to be coming to an end.