On Glasgow’s Buchanan Street — one of Britain’s most celebrated shopping streets — there is a building that stops people in their tracks. Not because of its window displays or its brand names, but because of the architecture itself. Princes Square, at number 48, is a Victorian masterpiece: a soaring multi-level atrium of ornate ironwork, peacock Art Nouveau detailing, and warm stone that transforms the simple act of shopping into something genuinely pleasurable. This is Glasgow’s most beautiful shopping destination, and it has been consistently reinventing itself since its conversion from courtyard to covered arcade in the 1980s. Here is everything you need to know about Princes Square in 2026.
What Is Princes Square?
Princes Square is a multi-level shopping, dining, and entertainment complex at 48 Buchanan Street in Glasgow city centre. Originally built in 1841 as an open courtyard surrounded by commercial buildings, the space was enclosed and dramatically redeveloped in the 1980s to create the stunning covered arcade that exists today. The result is one of Scotland’s premier shopping destinations — not the largest, and not the one with the highest footfall, but the one with the most character, the most beautiful interior, and the most carefully curated mix of fashion, food, and entertainment.
The building is Category B listed — meaning it is considered a structure of special architectural or historic interest. This listing protects the extraordinary Victorian fabric of the building while allowing the interior to evolve with new tenants and uses.
Princes Square occupies five floors, spread across a dramatic central atrium. Natural light floods through the glazed roof. Cast-iron balustrades, elaborate ironwork panels, and peacock motifs in the Art Nouveau style run throughout the interior. Standing on the ground floor and looking upward is one of Glasgow’s great architectural experiences — a reminder that commerce, at its best, doesn’t have to sacrifice beauty.
A Brief History of Princes Square
The site at 48 Buchanan Street has a long commercial history. The original courtyard building from 1841 served as a commercial space in various configurations through the 19th and early 20th centuries. By the post-war era, it was underutilised — a fragment of Victorian Glasgow out of step with the era’s preference for new development.
The transformation came in 1987, when the courtyard was enclosed and developed into its current form. The architectural vision was ambitious: rather than demolish the Victorian fabric and build something new, the developers worked with the existing structure, adding the glazed roof, installing the ironwork balconies and stairways, and commissioning the peacock Art Nouveau decoration that now defines the building’s character. The conversion was completed in 1987 and was widely recognised as a landmark in sympathetic commercial redevelopment.
Since opening in its current form, Princes Square has undergone several rounds of tenant refreshment and management change, but its core identity — premium, curated, beautiful — has remained consistent. It is today considered one of Glasgow’s most important retail addresses.
The Architecture: What Makes Princes Square Special
To understand why Princes Square is worth visiting even if you have no intention of shopping, you need to appreciate what was achieved architecturally.
The Atrium
The central atrium is the building’s defining space. Five floors of galleries rise around a ground-floor central area, all connected by a grand staircase and overlooked by ornate cast-iron balustrades. The glazed roof above floods the space with natural light — a crucial design decision that prevents the building from feeling enclosed or oppressive despite its considerable height. In the winter, when Glasgow’s light is thin and grey outside, stepping into the Princes Square atrium feels like discovering a pocket of warmth and brightness.
The Peacock Motif
The peacock is the building’s leitmotif, appearing in ironwork panels, decorative elements, and the general vocabulary of the building’s Art Nouveau aesthetic. The peacock motif — associated with beauty, pride, and careful display — is an appropriate emblem for a building dedicated to fashion and style. The decorative ironwork is intricate and handsome; look closely at the balustrades and panels as you move through the building.
The Grand Staircase
The central staircase, rising through the atrium, is one of the building’s most photographed elements. Sweeping and generous in scale, it provides both a practical route between floors and a theatrical element that encourages exploration. Many visitors come to Princes Square specifically to take photographs of the staircase and atrium — a practice the building’s designers clearly anticipated and designed for.
Shopping at Princes Square
Princes Square’s retail offer is deliberately differentiated from the broader Buchanan Street shopping environment — which features the full complement of UK high street names — in favour of a more curated, premium, and interesting mix.
Fashion and Clothing
The building has consistently attracted fashion brands that want a premium setting to match their positioning:
- & Other Stories: Opened in December 2024 on a 10-year lease — a statement of long-term confidence in Princes Square as a destination. The H&M Group brand offers Scandinavian-influenced women’s fashion across clothing, shoes, bags, and beauty products. The Princes Square store is one of & Other Stories’ most significant Scottish openings, occupying a prominent space in the building’s lower floors.
- Vivienne Westwood: The late Dame Vivienne Westwood’s brand continues under her team’s direction, and the Princes Square boutique offers the full collection — including Westwood’s extraordinary tailoring, distinctive accessories, and the anarchic-meets-aristocratic aesthetic that made her one of fashion’s defining figures. A Vivienne Westwood purchase from Princes Square is a Glasgow souvenir with genuine cultural weight.
- Belstaff: The British heritage brand — famous for motorcycle jackets worn by everyone from Steve McQueen to celebrities of the present day — has a significant presence in Princes Square. Belstaff’s leather jackets, knitwear, and accessories are beautifully made and genuinely long-lasting. This is shopping for pieces you’ll keep for decades.
- Kurt Geiger: The UK’s leading luxury footwear brand, with an extensive collection of shoes, boots, and accessories. Princes Square is the premium setting Kurt Geiger’s positioning demands.
- French Connection: Contemporary fashion with strong design credentials at a more accessible price point. A useful anchor in the building’s mix.
Note: retail tenants change over time. Check princessquare.co.uk for the current occupancy list before your visit.
The Whisky Shop: Scotland’s Spirit
The Whisky Shop in Princes Square deserves special mention. As a specialist whisky retailer — one of the largest in the UK — it provides access to an extraordinary range of Scottish single malts, blends, and world whiskies in a setting that makes exploration a pleasure. If you’re looking to take a bottle of Scotland home with you, or simply to learn more about the bewildering variety of Scotch whisky available, this is the place to start.
The staff are knowledgeable and unstuffy — tell them what you like (peaty or smooth, sherried or coastal, classic or experimental) and they’ll guide you to something you’ll enjoy. Rare and limited-edition expressions are stocked alongside approachable everyday drams. Prices range from around £30 for entry-level bottles to hundreds of pounds for aged rarities and distillery exclusives.
For more on Glasgow’s extraordinary whisky scene, see our dedicated guide to whisky tasting experiences in the city.
Dining and Drinking at Princes Square
Princes Square is not just a shopping centre — it’s a genuine food and drink destination, with multiple restaurants and bars spread across its floors. This integration of dining with retail and entertainment is a deliberate strategy that positions Princes Square as a place to spend several hours rather than a place to visit for twenty minutes.
Zibibbo: The Building’s Newest Restaurant
Zibibbo is Princes Square’s most recent and significant dining addition. Occupying 3,516 square feet across the ground floor, the restaurant and bar creates a statement space with an impressive tiled bar as its centrepiece — visually dramatic and immediately Instagrammable in the best way. The space accommodates up to 120 guests across its main floor and a mezzanine level available for private hire events.
The concept blends bar, restaurant, and lifestyle shop — a combination that reflects contemporary food and drink retail trends, where the lines between hospitality and retail are increasingly blurred. Zibibbo offers a menu that draws on Mediterranean — particularly Italian — influences, with cocktails and a wine list to match. It is already becoming a popular destination for both pre-shopping drinks and post-cinema meals.
Wider Dining Options
Beyond Zibibbo, Princes Square offers a range of dining options across its floors — from casual café settings ideal for a mid-shopping coffee and cake to more formal restaurant experiences suitable for a leisurely lunch or dinner. The building is a full day-to-evening destination: breakfast before shopping, lunch in the middle, cocktails before a film, dinner after. The full programme of restaurants and cafés is available on the Princes Square website.
Everyman Cinema: Glasgow’s Most Glamorous Screen
The Everyman Cinema in Princes Square is one of the building’s most important tenants and one of Glasgow’s most distinctive entertainment experiences. The Everyman chain — which operates boutique cinemas in premium locations across the UK — brings its signature format to Princes Square: armchair seating, food and drink service to your seat, and an atmosphere that makes a visit feel like a special occasion rather than a commodity experience.
What Makes Everyman Different
The traditional cinema visit in the UK has become a fairly functional experience — raked seats, popcorn, dark rooms. Everyman reimagines this:
- Armchair seating: Deep, comfortable armchairs with footstools and side tables — the kind of seating you’d choose for a long evening at home, transplanted to a cinema screen. The experience of watching a film in an Everyman armchair is genuinely different from conventional cinema.
- Table service: Food and drink are served to your seat before and during the film. The menu includes wine, cocktails, beers, hot food (pizza, sharing boards), and more. You can order before the film begins via the Everyman app and have everything waiting when you settle in.
- Programme: The Everyman shows a mix of mainstream new releases and independent/arthouse films, alongside event cinema (opera, ballet, theatre broadcasts), classic film screenings, and special events. The programme is more eclectic than a standard multiplex.
- Scale: Everyman screens are smaller than multiplex screens, creating an intimate atmosphere that suits a wide range of films.
Everyman Glasgow at Princes Square is particularly popular for date nights, and deservedly so. Booking in advance via the Everyman website or app is strongly recommended for weekend screenings. Members of the Everyman membership scheme receive discounts and advance booking benefits.
Events at Princes Square
Princes Square is an active events venue throughout the year, with a programme that adds further reason to visit beyond shopping and dining.
Fashion Events
The building’s premium retail mix makes it a natural venue for fashion events: brand launches, seasonal collections previews, personal styling events, and fashion shows utilising the dramatic atrium as a catwalk. These events are typically open to the public (though some are by invitation for VIP customers) and offer a glimpse into the fashion industry’s relationship with Glasgow’s confident style culture.
Christmas at Princes Square
Princes Square’s Christmas transformation is one of Glasgow’s finest festive experiences. From late November, the building installs an elaborate Christmas tree and decorations that make full use of the atrium’s extraordinary height and architecture. The tree — always a statement installation rather than a conventional Christmas tree — becomes a social media phenomenon and a genuine attraction in its own right. Combined with the shopping, dining, and Everyman Cinema, Princes Square in December is a full-day festive experience that takes the ordinary Christmas shopping trip and makes it something special.
Glasgow generally throws itself into Christmas with considerable enthusiasm, and Princes Square is one of the focal points of that enthusiasm. Book dining reservations well in advance if you’re visiting in December — the building is extremely popular throughout the festive season.
Year-Round Events
Beyond the festive season, Princes Square hosts events throughout the year — check the calendar on princssquare.co.uk for what’s happening during your visit. Product launches, pop-up activations, and occasional performances in the atrium space make the building more than a static retail environment.
Princes Square vs Other Glasgow Shopping Destinations
Glasgow’s shopping scene is extensive, with several major destinations that visitors might consider. How does Princes Square fit in?
Princes Square vs Buchanan Galleries
Buchanan Galleries, at the top of Buchanan Street, is Glasgow’s largest shopping centre — a functional, modern mall with anchor stores including John Lewis and a full complement of high street brands. It serves its purpose very well for mainstream shopping. But it makes no claim to architectural distinction. Princes Square and Buchanan Galleries are simply different things: one is a shopping mall, the other is a shopping experience. If you have limited time, Princes Square offers more for the visitor seeking something distinctive.
Princes Square vs The Style Mile
Glasgow’s “Style Mile” — the roughly mile-long loop around Buchanan Street, Argyle Street, and the surrounding area — encompasses many of the city’s retail destinations. Princes Square sits at the heart of this area. A productive Glasgow shopping day might take in Buchanan Street’s full range, dip into the Argyll Arcade (Glasgow’s remarkable 1827 jewellery and antiques arcade, the UK’s oldest indoor shopping centre), pop into Princes Square for lunch and a film, and end with early dinner in the Merchant City. These destinations complement each other.
The Argyll Arcade — A Historical Comparison
Just off Argyle Street, a short walk from Princes Square, the Argyll Arcade deserves a visit in its own right. Built in 1827, it is the UK’s oldest indoor shopping arcade — a glass-roofed passage lined with jewellers and antique dealers that has been doing business continuously since the Tobacco Lord era. Compared to Princes Square’s Victorian grandeur, the Argyll Arcade feels intimate and slightly timeless. It is particularly worth visiting if you are interested in antique jewellery, Scottish gemstones, or watches — the concentration of specialist dealers here is unrivalled in Glasgow.
Practical Information
Location and Getting There
Princes Square is at 48 Buchanan Street, Glasgow G1 3JN. The building is on the pedestrianised section of Buchanan Street, making it easy to approach from either end of the street.
- From Glasgow Central Station: 5-minute walk north along Buchanan Street.
- From Glasgow Queen Street Station: 3-minute walk south on Buchanan Street.
- Subway: Buchanan Street Subway Station is directly at the building’s northern end (30 seconds walk). St Enoch Subway Station is at the southern end of Buchanan Street, a 5-minute walk. See our full guide to getting around Glasgow for subway details.
- Parking: There is no on-site parking at Princes Square. The nearest car parks are NCP Buchanan Galleries (on Killermont Street) and Q-Park Oswald Street. For driving information and parking tips, see our car hire and driving guide.
Opening Hours
- Monday–Saturday: 10:00am – 6:00pm (some stores and the Everyman Cinema open later)
- Sunday: 11:00am – 5:00pm
- Restaurants and bars: Individual venues have their own hours, generally extending beyond retail closing time
- Everyman Cinema: Open daily with screenings from mid-morning through late evening. Check the Everyman website for the current schedule.
- Late-night opening: The building sometimes operates extended hours for special events and in the run-up to Christmas. Check the website for current times.
Accessibility
Princes Square is fully accessible via lifts connecting all floors. The building’s older structure means accessibility was retrofitted rather than built-in, but the team have made the building as inclusive as possible. Contact the centre management via the website if you have specific accessibility requirements — they are responsive to individual needs.
Planning a Perfect Day at Princes Square
Princes Square works best when treated as a destination rather than a stop. Here’s how to make a full day of it:
- Morning (10am-12pm): Arrive at opening for the best browsing experience before it gets busy. Start in the atrium and take a moment to appreciate the architecture properly — look up, look at the ironwork, walk up the staircase slowly. Visit & Other Stories and Vivienne Westwood. Browse the Whisky Shop (it’s never too early to plan a whisky purchase for later). Stop for a mid-morning coffee at one of the building’s cafés.
- Lunch (12pm-2pm): Take a table at Zibibbo for a proper lunch — the tiled bar is the place to sit. Alternatively, take advantage of one of the other dining options. Glasgow has excellent lunch deals and pre-theatre menus that extend to retail destinations like Princes Square. Allow time to relax and appreciate the room.
- Afternoon (2pm-5pm): Continue browsing. Visit Kurt Geiger and Belstaff. If you’re serious about a whisky purchase, return to The Whisky Shop for a conversation with the staff. Check the Everyman programme for an early evening screening.
- Evening (5pm-late): Drinks at Zibibbo bar as the shopping floors wind down. Evening screening at Everyman with food and wine served to your seat. Dinner afterwards at one of Princes Square’s restaurants, or head to the nearby Merchant City for the full range of Glasgow’s evening dining options. For full coverage of the Merchant City, see our Merchant City guide.
Why Princes Square Matters to Glasgow
Princes Square has been part of Glasgow’s retail landscape for nearly four decades, but it feels less like a shopping centre and more like a piece of the city’s civic fabric. It is a place where the physical fabric of Victorian Glasgow — the craftsmanship, the ambition, the pride in good materials and beautiful design — has been preserved and repurposed for contemporary life. It is proof that the Scottish commercial spirit, at its best, understood that beauty and utility are not opposites.
Glasgow takes its shopping seriously — the city has been described as the best retail destination in the UK outside London, and there is genuine substance to that claim. Princes Square sits at the top of Glasgow’s retail hierarchy not because it is the biggest or the cheapest, but because it offers something rarer: an experience that combines great shopping with genuine architecture, serious dining, and entertainment in a single building that is itself worth visiting.
Come for the fashion. Stay for the architecture. Drink the whisky. Watch a film from an armchair. Glasgow’s most beautiful shopping destination awaits.
