6 things you didn't know about the Barrowlands
1. The original Barrowland Ballroom looked like this
The Barrowland Ballroom first opened in 1934, by Margaret McIver. She also helped create the nearby Barras Market with her husband, James. The market celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2021 and is still a popular spot in Glasgow.
The original 2-storey Barrowlands building was destroyed by fire in 1958. It was lovingly rebuilt and reopened on Christmas Eve 1960. Today, the venue is still owned by the McIver family and remains one of Glasgow’s most iconic music spaces.
The famous neon sign is now a symbol of the city. However, the Barrowlands has always been a place full of music, stories and spirit.
2. Ever spotted the cartwheel on the ceiling?
As a homage to the Barras Market, the original building had a man pushing a wheelbarrow on the roof (try and spot this in the picture above!). The only remaining part of this iconic figure was the cartwheel of the wheelbarrow.
This was saved and placed on the roof of the main foyer when the building reopened in 1960. It has been there ever since. So if you’ve not spotted it before, keep your eyes peeled when you next visit.
3. It was originally built as a ballroom
As its full title suggests, the Barrowlands was first built for dancing. It only came to be a concert venue in 1983, when going to live rock and pop music concerts became more popular.
Its famous sprung dancefloor is made of Canadian Maple wood. But by 1988, the floor struggled to hold the weight of nearly 2,000 fans bouncing along to their favourite bands. To make it stronger, 18 steel pillars were added underneath. The work was done by a company that usually designed oil rigs no less!
4. Even the flooring sings
Much of the flooring in the first-floor foyer near the cloakroom and merchandise stalls is original and dates back to 1960. Some sections were replaced in 1988–89, but the retro feel was carefully kept. To do so, new vinyl flooring featuring musical instruments and stars was chosen. As well as a section of sheet music from the song cherished by Glaswegians - ‘I belong to Glasgow’ by Will Fyffe.
5. The Biffy Clyro lyrics on the stairs
In December 2014, Ayrshire band Biffy Clyro played 3 nights in a row at the Barrowland Ballroom. As a thank you to their fans, they performed songs from all 6 of their albums. Each night featured tracks from 2 albums, and fans voted for the songs they wanted to hear.
Over the 3 nights, the band played more than 80 songs. This astonishing achievement is now honoured with Biffy Clyro lyrics all the way up the Barrowlands interior stairs.
6. The lights
Before their gig in January 1985, Simple Minds installed lighting rigging at the Barrowland Ballroom to create a spectacular show. They left the equipment behind as a gift to the venue and to future artists. The band Big Country were the first to benefit.
Simple Minds also filmed the music video for their hit single 'Waterfront' at the Barrowlands, making the most of the venue’s iconic setting.
Plan your next visit and check out the latest gigs at Barrowland Ballroom.
Did you know that Glasgow's status as a UNESCO City of Music makes it one of 13 UNESCO sites in Scotland? In a world first Scotland's UNESCO sites have been brought together to form a trail. Discover more about each of these 13 wonders and the UNESCO trail at Visit Scotland.
Article last updated: October 2025
