Gamba: flying the flag for independent restaurants in Scotland

Glasgow’s independent restaurants are worth shouting about says Gamba boss Derek Marshall. He’s been flying the flag for independent restaurants in Scotland for over a quarter of a century at what is now the city’s longest-established seafood restaurant.

Said Derek: “Independents are a strong string to Glasgow’s hospitality bow. They add to the character of a city. Who, as a tourist, wants to go to all chains? Not that there’s anything wrong with chain restaurants. There’s room for everybody.

“There’s a lot of angst and worry among all restaurant owners in the city awaiting the impact of the hike and extension of the parking charges with talk of it closing businesses, and this is of concern to me too. The latest survey by the Scottish Hospitality Group makes for grim reading. But I’m trying to remain as upbeat as possible. My hope is that customers won’t abandon us long term and that things will calm down and they’ll continue supporting local businesses. Nobody wants the dining-out landscape to become unrecognisable and lose its character.”

The struggle is real for independent restaurants

Independent restaurant owners have a lot to juggle, with no parent company to fall back on, and it’s great to see so many still going strong when you Google ‘best restaurants Glasgow’.

Said Derek: “Rising food costs, energy bills, rocketing staffing costs and staff turnover etc. make it a constant balancing act, trying not to pass all of this onto the customer while maintaining the standards an independent restaurant must. It’s also worth remembering that 20% of the price that my customers pay goes straight to the government in VAT after a tax break for hospitality businesses introduced during the pandemic was scrapped in April 2022.

“But, and despite record closures in the fallout from Covid and many independent businesses going to the wall, Glasgow, along with lots of other UK cities, has a thriving independent restaurant scene and my customers are always telling me that they enjoy the personal touch and feel good knowing that they’re supporting local business into the bargain.”

Why do customers enjoy independent restaurants like Gamba?

A survey by American Express last year asked 2,000 UK restaurant goers to reflect on their visits to independent restaurants like Gamba, bistros and cafes over the last 12 months. It found that 72% said the frequency of their visits had either remained the same or increased, despite tougher economic conditions.

The study likewise revealed a willingness for people to seek out new dining experiences and cuisines that summer – with 19% saying they planned on visiting new independent restaurants local to them in the coming weeks.

Over a quarter (26%) said they eat out at independent restaurants two or three times a month – showing how highly customers value them, with 61% saying they like to show support for small businesses during tough economic times. More than half (59%) said they enjoy the personalised service.  While over three quarters (79%) would recommend a restaurant to friends and family, with six in 10 (59%) stating they would likely spend more when next visiting.

Independent restaurants bouncing back from Covid

There were more than 10 closures every day in the year to September 2023, according to industry data, which revealed the number of licensed premises (including pubs and bars)  in the UK fell by 3.6 per cent from 103,682 to 99,916.  This marked the first time the total has dropped below 100,000, according to figures from AlixPartners and CGA/NielsenIQ.

But Derek is optimistic about the future of independent restaurants and remains committed to keeping Gamba at the top of its game.

“While we’re a long way off getting back to pre-covid levels, some weeks, we’re not that far off. I and all the other independent restauranteurs must continually re-imagine and create to keep up the momentum and despite some decisions I made last year, my commitment, passion for simple seafood cooking and the independent restaurant industry and Scottish hospitality remain strong.”

By Jason Caddy