Glasgow's George Square is festooned with all things Games including a store. Photo / Greg Bowker
"People Make Glasgow", the marketing campaign proclaims, welcoming athletes, fans and officials to Scotland's largest city.
And a good portion of Glasgow's people seemed to be enjoying an afternoon shopping on Style Mile as the city prepared for the opening of the Commonwealth Games, beginning with the opening ceremony on
Thursday. They strolled down Argyle and Buchanan Sts and under new flags featuring the colours of the Commonwealth. It was a Sunday afternoon but it was as busy as Queen St at Christmas.
While difficult to judge whether the gathering crowds were amplified by the event, the Games did have a distinct presence, nowhere more so than at George Square in the city's centre which is covered by the Games' official merchandise superstore, one temporary structure in a city with few of them.
Reopening in time for the Games after construction issues resulted in a prolonged legal battle, the Glasgow Tower offers views for 32km on a good day. There has hardly been an abundance of those in the build-up to the Games and, as our guide Jean explained, the locals hope that the weather will change.
"It will be good to get some nice days when the Games are on," she said. "Then the fans will want to come back."
