Iconic British restaurant brand The Ivy is opening a new location in Glasgow

Whether you’re into its particular style of dining or not, there’s no denying that The Ivy is a British institution. The restaurant group has been serving up posh nosh for more than a century, having opened its doors in London’s West End in 1917. Having firmly established its place in the capital’s dining scene over its first 100 years in business, the group expanded outside of the Big Smoke in 2017 and now has dozens of brasseries and cafes across the UK and Ireland.

Now, Glaswegians looking to get dolled up for a fancy meal out can rejoice, because plans have been approved for a second Ivy in the Scottish city.

Glasgow City Council has granted planning permission and listed building approval to transform the banking hall on St Vincent Place into one of Glasgow’s biggest hospitality venues. While only minor alterations will be made to the building’s facade, the multi-million pound investment will fund a complete revamp of its interior which will soon be home to two restaurants – The Ivy and Ivy Asia – with a total of 466 covers. Outdoor seating is also included in the plans.

The former Clydesdale Bank is a Category A listed building, meaning it is considered historically and architecturally significant, having been designed by John Burnet Senior 1870s in a Venetian renaissance style. The place mostly recently operated as Virgin Money, but it has been vacant since the branch’s closure in 2023.

The Ivy Collection’s latest project is reminiscent of its Buchanan Street location – its first and only site in Glasgow today – which also renovated a former bank building.

While we don't yet know what dishes will feature on the menu, if the Buchanan Street location is anything to go by, expect Ivy classics like fish and chips, shepherd’s pie and traditional afternoon tea. 

A planning statement from the group aimed to allay concerns about the preservation of the historic building, saying that construction ‘can be accommodated within the building without too many significant interventions and will result in an enhancement of the character of the building and its preservation’.

The Ivy’s St Vincent Place site is set to open later this year.

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