Merchants Hall interior

Image: © kim traynor Taken: 26 Mar 2012

"Glasgow is a city of business; here is the face of trade, as well foreign as home trade; and, I may say, 'tis the only city in Scotland, at this time, that apparently increases and improves in both. The Union has answered its end to them more than to any other part of Scotland, for their trade is new formed by it; and, as the Union opened the door to the Scots in our American colonies, the Glasgow merchants presently fell in with the opportunity; and though, when the Union was making, the rabble of Glasgow made the most formidable attempt to prevent it, yet, now they know better, for they have the greatest addition to their trade by it imaginable; and I am assured that they send near fifty sail of ships every year to Virginia, New England, and other English colonies in America, and are every year increasing." -- Daniel Defoe, A Tour Thro' The Whole Island of Great Britain, 1724-6 Apart from meetings of the Merchants Guild, the Hall is used for lunchtime music concerts and is available for hire. Wall panels in elegant gold calligraphy record members' charitable bequests down the centuries.

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