Glasgow's Chinatown, in Cowcaddens, 2003. The design features a traditional Chinese pagoda entrance using materials imported from the Orient.
The £600,000 Chinatown project involved the conversion of an existing city centre warehouse into a Chinese shopping mall comprising fifteen shop units and a large restaurant. The shops include cash and carry outlets where Chinese shop owners can buy food and stock for their businesses. Financed by Chung Ying Investments, the complex opened in 1992.
The Chinese community in Scotland, originating from both Mainland China and Hong Kong, numbers just over 10,000 people, with the most significant population in Glasgow. The Chinese Development Community Partnership provides support services for the Chinese community in the city.
The first Chinese restaurant in Glasgow was the Wah Yen in Govan Road, opened by Jimmy Yih in the late 1940s. As eating out became more fashionable and tastes broadened, Chinese food increased in popularity, providing employment opportunities for immigrants. Many went on to start their own businesses or work in the professions.
Reference: Illustrations vol 48, p 9
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning
Keywords:
cash and carry, Chinatown, Chinese, Chinese Development Community Partnership, Chung Ying Investments, immigrants, immigration, pagodas, restaurants, shopping centres, shops