The Old Fruitmarket

Glasgow is full of great music venues and the Old Fruitmarket is one of my favourites. Situated in the middle of the Merchant City, in the same complex as the City Halls, it’s a space that is exactly what it says on the tin: until the 1970s it was a Fruitmarket and the hall retains lots of period charm. This includes a lovely vaulted ceiling and original signs for the various companies that sold their wares at the market.
The hall itself holds around 1500 standing and is just the right size to maintain a certain amount of intimacy whilst also having a great atmosphere. I’ve been to a few gigs here set out cabaret-​style and while snug it was a great experience. My one tip would be not to stand or sit under the balconys as they are pretty squeaky and it can be distracting during quiet songs. Not what you really want during a heartfelt ballad!
Each year the Old Fruitmarket acts as one of the main venues for the Celtic Connections festival, and it was for one of these gigs I made my most recent visit. My friend and I had gone along to see the amazing Rhiannon Giddens, and as usual at the Old Fruitmarket it was a great experience. The staff were friendly and efficient, we had a great view even though we ended up about ²⁄₃ of the way back, the sound quality was excellent, and, of course, the Glasgow crowd was up for a good time. All the facilities are also great, including a well stocked bar. Usually at concert venues your only option is a pint of Carling or something equally as distasteful, but the Old Fruitmarket has a decent selection including beers from the Drygate brewery.
The venue is also available for event hire and I imagine it would be a great place for a ceilidh or wedding reception. Overall, a lovely space with plenty of charm that’s well worth a visit.

The Old Fruitmarket is, without a doubt, in my top 5 favourite music venues
You’ll find it hidden away within the City Halls venue, where it’s been restored over the years to show the space in its original glory.
Above the bar, wrought iron supports hold up an awesome balcony where you get a super view of the main stage.
I’ve been to many gigs in here — it’s the perfect intimate venue where there’s also enough space to dance (not me obv!). There’s always some great Celtic Connections events held here.
Great place! Can’t wait for my next gig here!

One of my favourite but seemingly least used spaces in Glasgow.
Looking forward to spending another Hogmany here.

I’d been to the Old Fruitmarket just once before, for a Laura Marling gig. I remember it being a good size but cosey enough just to have the intimate feel a gig should. This time I was headed back for something entirely different. — 1940s dancing! And so it was that, at the tail end of the Merchant city festival, we learned some old time dancey moves. Suffice to say, I was terrible but it was fun to get dressed up and dance. The Old Fruitmarket was the perfect venue. It totally captured what I imagine the Barrowland Ballroom felt like in its hey-​day! It was nice to pop upstairs to the balcony and watch the other dancers, all of whom were significantly better than us! Drinks weren’t all that cheap but it’s such a beautiful venue that it’s best to just enjoy it. At one point, we ordered gin and tonics and instead, we were given gin and soda water. But, it was loud so perhaps the barstaff just misheard the order! The Old Fruitmarket is a great and versatile venue! I look forward to my next visit!

I would love to come here during the day, with no one else around.
This place feels old and looks spectacularly cool. I am assuming it was indeed formerly a fruit market? It has cool old school store names written on the upper level, great colourful lights, a cobbled floor. It’s just a really cool venue.
Gig wise it’s a bit less fun as the place gets packed to the point of being incomfortable, it takes absolutely ages to get anything to drink at the bar (I would suggest a separate table for serve yourself water!), and the people on the upper level seem keen to lean over and spill their drinks on unsuspecting punters below.
I had fun here, but would have much preferred if it was seated or at least a little less crowded.

Tucked away in the heart of Merchant City is a truly remarkable venue. Stepping into the Old Fruitmarket is truly awe-​inspiring as you gaze upon the interior of the structure. It has retained most of its unique period charm with its high vaulted wooden ceiling; cast iron archways, columns and balcony; and original greengrocers’ signs hung along the balcony. Colourful stringed lights garnish this wondrous room. However, most people don’t actually know it’s there! It’s truly a hidden gem encompassed by the City Halls, which is home to the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. The Old Fruitmarket is separate from the City Halls, but is part of Glasgow’s Centre for Music. Exciting events have been held here ranging from theatre, comedy, banquets, and a variety of music gigs. It is truly a multifaceted facility that provides an amazing ambiance, no matter the event.
I first experienced the Old Fruitmarket during the Glasgow Jazz Festival, which was the perfect backdrop to a wonderful music genre. The acoustics of the venue is really great for live music. I was fortunate enough to get a sneak peak of the behind-​the-​scenes look as they were setting up the venue, conducting artists sound-​checks, and listening to the concert from both the floor of the Old Fruitmarket and the control room. Overall, it’s an awesome experience that shouldn’t be missed.
Don’t forget… before gigs or performances, you can grab a few drinks at the Bazaar Bar in the City Halls.
As I stared up at the unique interior of the Old Fruitmarket, the wheels in my head began turning, as ideas for incredible events and parties flooded my mind… this is a truly spectacular venue sure to make any event as memorable and special as ever…

went to a comedy show, lovely venue, loads of charm. bar is pricey though.

The Fruitmarket is such a beautiful venue — cobbled floor, wrought work all around and an atmosphere of unforced laidback. The gigs I’ve seen here have been mostly folk or jazz but I have seen rock bands too and the acoustics and vibe treated them just as well.
A huge amount of Glaswegians have never heard of this spot, which is such a shame but also a treat as it means it can be a haven but also showing it to people for the first time.

I’ve been a few times to the Old Fruitmarket for Celtic Connections gigs, initially before the renovation and a couple of times afterwards.
The building is magnificent, with sweeping staircases and grand ceilings. The Fruitmarket venue itself is huge and steeped in history, and the renovation has indeed done it justice.
The last two times I’ve been I’ve been standing in the balcony, which can be uncomfortable and with poor visibility unless you’re fast enough to get a spot leaning on the railings. However, you’re allowed to take drinks in and the staff are very fastidious at taking away empty cups, keeping the place tidy and mostly clear of spillages. The queue for the bar during the intervals was, however, not for the faint hearted!
Overall a good venue, but a seat might be preferable!

The Old Fruitmarket is a gorgeous venue in the heart of Merchant City, that you may not yet have discovered. I went here for a jazz concert, and the combination of the musical talent and the atmospheric surroundings was quite amazing. There were round tables scattered across the floor, in a jazz café style, which created a lovely ambiance that complemented the musical backdrop.
The lighting was low and the walls were decorated with fairy lights, which was a charming touch to this beautiful big building. With its original wooden beams and cobbles, this place reeks of history and is a truly amazing venue for any occasion.

Although this is often lumped together with the City Halls, the Old Fruitmarket is a genuine find. Never mind that I met the love of my life there (it would get five stars if she were still talking to me, I guess), there is something so stylish, yet surreal, about this venue that it ought to be used far more often.
It has cobbled floors, and old signange around the walls: an upstairs, a long bar, an atmosphere of cool and finesse. Most often used for Celtic Conections, it has also become the Glasgow home of High Tease, the top burlesque night: this is the perfect venue, as its glamour seems to match the glamour of the show.

I’ve been to the Old Fruitmarket for a couple of comedy performances which it worked very well for. As the large hall where seating can be arranged and the balcony created a good atmosphere. I have also been to a gig which was good too although not your usual place for such a thing. Building is lovely being the old converted ‘Fruitmarket’. Bar expensive though.

A great location and superb atmosphere. I visited the venue for a jazz performance a while back and will be looking forward to visiting it again.

This is a gorgeous venue in the mercant city in a building that was indeed the city’s fruit market in the past. It retains all of its old charm with high ceilings, a balcony and tables arranged in a cabaret style. It’s the perfect location for jazz concerts, fashion shows, comedy performances and live music. Many of the original features have been retained and it has excellent acoustics. It has a very relaxed and informal atmosphere and is a frequently used venue during the city’s music festivals, such as Celtic Connections and the summer jazz festival. Definitely somewhere to check out.