Barras Market

The Barras is a Glasgow institution, which sells lots of different things from proper barras to small temporary stores and more well established shops, some indoors and others outdoors.
It seems to have a funny reputation, for example the people who sell sports socks and secondhand stuff, but there are legendary seafood stalls, a huge sweetshop, bookstalls and vintage clothes as well as selections of CD’s, DVD’s and old furniture and kitchenware. You may spot the working artist who paints and sells his wares, or perhaps visit one of the many cafes which do everything from fried ‘things’ to candyfloss or homemade cake.
There are several zones in the Barras, an antiques market, McIvers and Marketland, as well as Barras Art and Design– all are a little different in character.
I like the Barras and enjoy spending time browsing the aisles and the different sections of the market, a pleasant way to spend a few hours at the weekend.

I’m not sure how to rate this place. The only way I can describe it is that if you’re not from Glasgow, you probably won’t understand the appeal of The Barras. It’s damp, it’s scuzzy, it’s a wee bit smelly, and filled with all sorts of odd characters, and retro in a rather twee, uncomfortable way. But something about it feels so familiar and comforting. Think of your nan’s brown sofa and her naff porcelain ornaments, but complete with the smell of 40 years of ciggie smoke, and you’ve got the wares of The Barras. It’s reminiscent of The Good Ol’ Bad Ol’ Days, and most of the goods on display are either counterfeit, broken or stolen. It’s almost like stepping back in time to the 50’s (probably on account of all the lovely wee old people that still frequent the cafes), but with a chunk of 90’s gaudiness thrown in. So in other words, you’ve got wee Gladys and Betty in their blue rinse and their beige mac, sitting having scones in the tea room, which is located next to a rack of knock off Mercedes emblem earrings and flashing phone charms while ‘Ebeneezer Goode’ repeatedly blasts over one of the stall’s PA’s. You either have a tolerance to this uniquely Glasgow setting or you don’t.
In the late 90’s/Early 2000’s, there was a large influx of teenagers that would hang around the market looking for bargains that they could take hame and show off the next day at school (I know, I was one of them).
So if you wanted to fit in with the cool kids, this was the place to go for your trademark Lacoste trackies, knockoff Fred Perry polos and flashing rave gumshields for the boys, and Berghaus, sugar dummies and Chanel belly rings for the lassies. It even applied to your uniform. Where else could you find neon tongue studs, those little rhombus diamanté earrings that every wee lassie in Glasgow seemed to own in 2001, those hideous brown plimsoles to match your equally hideous brown lattice patterned tights, Playboy earrings and a knock off Louis Vuitton handbag, all in one place? The Barras, that’s where! Unfortunately, times change, as do the trends, and nobody really wears this stuff anymore for fear that they may be christened with the title ‘Wee Jakeball’. Even though the 90’s is back, nobody seems to want to be THAT ironic. In this age of selfies, F21 and KUWTK, here isn’t really a market for gaudy metallic flashy tat and badly sewn on designer logos anymore, and it’s a shame, but that’s the way it is.
You will not leave this place empty handed. They’ve actually got some decent vintage shops (be prepared to haggle, especially if you’re a tourist, they’ll jack up the price) and plenty of sweetie, food and toy stalls. The best thing about going here is definitely all the banter and trademark Glaswegian chirpiness.
The hot donuts fried in lard are good too.

I don’t even know how to rate this place.
On the one hand, it has serious echoes of old splendor. The Man and his dad told me all about going there and getting freshly made doughnuts (WHUUUUUUT) and broken Tunnocks, painting the picture of a vibrant market which yeah sure also sold knock offs and stolen things but was still a proper market.
Now? Well, The Man had been wanting to take me here for ages so on our Glasgow day out it was the first stop. Parts of the «market» had been arranged like those illegal vendors you see in Italy and France who put their wares on a sheet so they can grab and run when the coppers come. Some people were treating it like a car boot sale, selling their old junk.
The inside space was sparse and filled with stall holders and shoppers who were probably mostly in their 50s and up.
It’s a shame, really, because these kinds of markets are brilliant. In an age where we all go on about «street food» and Borough Market is foodie/​tourist/​shopper heaven, old markets like the Barras should be vibrant. But it’s just not.
I think if you grew up coming here and viewed it in a sentimental light you may still see its benefits. But for me? Well, it’s a bit like watching the Neverending Story for the first time as an adult. Get me?

The Barra’s market has lost it’s way over the last 10 or so years getting worse every year. This is the sort of place that you have to be aware of your surroundings before entering as there are known pickpockets that work the place. The street’ smell of urine, littered with broken buckfast bottles and used needles. Full of counterfeit cd/​Dvd stalls and several guys selling fake cigarettes, There are always lookout posts at all the entrances for the police. This is a market to avoid at all costs.

What can you say about the market that celebrates its own dodginess to the point of eccentricity? Tis an odd wee place where everything is cheap as chips, be they antiques, knock-​offs, handmade cosmetics, cakes, kilts and seafood. It’s a strange wee mish-​mash of stalls, with nothing in any particular order.
I have such fond memories of accompanying my parents to this wee place, getting whelks and mussels and rooting around for bargains. Although the Barras is much the same as I remember, the number of interesting market stalls is dwindling and giving way to much more tat than was there previously. It’s quite sad that the market is diminishing so, but if rumour is to be believed, the Barras is going to get a boost through Glasgow City Council’s Calton Improvement Project, which will span the next 15 years. I would personally love to see the Barras have a face lift, but keep that strange old charm it’s so famous for. Bringing back the fresh produce and the butchers would be amazing, especially if it’s free range and organic! It would draw a new crowd in and give the old market a much needed boost.
Surprisingly, while other parts of the market are in decline, the DVD bootleggers are still doing well! I’d have thought with the advent of internet piracy, they’d just vanish! It’s sort of strangely impressive — not that I approve. I’m curious as to who still buys bootlegs. Tis a mystery!
Anyway, if you’re up for a wee bit of nostalgia and mystery shopping, a genuine Glasgow experience, and especially if you fancy picking up a wee carton of mussels, pop down here. It’s not as scary as people might lead you to believe!

Bought my first tennis racket at the Barras in 1978 when I was 12 yrs old.
Came in a bag with two balls for a bargain price of £2. It was hanging in a stall, just above some VHS tapes of soft porn.
Smashed those 2 balls against a wall in Toryglen for a year, every day, an hour a day. There’s probably ball marks this day.
Came to America and joined the tennis team in High School. The Andy Murray movie ends here as it turns out that I had been swinging my backhand without changing my grip. Translation: I was horrible.
I have to give thanks though to the Barra’s for helping me start my dream at such an affordable price. If the racket would have been £1 more, I probably would have walked away with the VHS tape.

It’s pure mental… yip, that about covers it. Any place that sells anything from knock off ‘genuine’ clothing, cigarettes, meat pies to Tupak posters, pipes and antique everything, for me falls into the ‘mental’ category alongside my old PE teacher, scotch eggs and x mas shopping.
If your looking for something… anything, i reckon the barras is a decent shout.

The Barras is Glasgow’s own flea market, although for me to describe it as such is to glamourise it somewhat. So please, don’t raise your expectations — sit tight and enjoy the ride.
The Barras is open on Saturdays and Sundays, and has for decades beena site where people bring their trade and wares to sell them off at cheap prices. The area reamins virtually unchanged, with interesting graffitti and an air of decay over the place. But to pass by its golden arches is a romantic experience that can’t be matched.
Traders here sell knock off DVD’s, sweets, some products of questionable origin and sometimes, the contents of their attic. Inside, there are some antiques dealers who range from organising their stock well to having ornaments lying around in a somewhat shambolic nature.
But I love it all and lap it up. There are some total treasures to be found in the Barras, and some traders have existed here for years. I love the stalls which sell old antiques, gorgeous baroque inspired jewellery, old magazines, comic books, music and toys. If you decide to bypass all the fry up joints and burger vans, there is also a delightful little tearoom inside, with an antique shop selling high quality goods around it.
So yes, there are some dodgy characters who hang about here, and the dance music is blaring out at 12 in the afternoon. But as is the case with most markets of this description, there are some hidden gems if you raid hard enough to uncover them. Seek, and ye shall find treasure!

I’ve found that tourists enjoy a trip to the Barras more than most of Glasgow’s other sights. Indeed while its popularity with locals may have dipped in recent years, a trip here remains a true Glaswegian experience.
Offering a range of stalls selling everything and anything, the ramshackle market oozes traditional Glaswegian swagger; so much so that tourists should perhaps come equipped with a phrase book for the city.
Were it not such an important place in Glasgow’s history, then there’s little doubt the Barras would have bitten the dust a long time ago. Plenty of the stock here is counterfeit (this is where I used to visit in the early 90s to buy copied games for my Atari ST) and, I’m sure, knocked off, but police generally seem happy to turn a blind eye.

‘The Barras’
There are so many stalls here selling so many things. but. it’s just too dodgy!
There are alot of rarities here that are sure to please the type who like a rummage around, but I prefer a good old online search on ebay any day of the week without the risk of violence.
There is a certain charm about the place though, to be fair. The raw honesty that accompanies some of the knocked off goods continues to tickle and amuse.

Currently under threat, The Barras is notorious in Glasgow, for all the right reasons. A strange mixture of established and fly-​by-​night stalls, it can be intimidating, and it is possible to get dodgy stuff, although this is changing. It used to be fun to watch the incredibly complex dealings of certain traders– and the sudden appearance of the police would lead to some more fun.
Elsewhere, they have food shops, stalls specialising in the sort of goods that you see on Shopping Channels, although sold with much more charm and at a lower price. It is one of the last places where old fashioned market trading flourishes, and even if you don’t want to spend, it is worth a visit for the nostalgia and drama.

As much as I’ll sound like a snob here, it’s always good to see how the other half live.
The Barras Market in Glasgow is legendary for flouting the law and providing all manner of stolen and counterfeit goods to the fine people of the city. There isn’t a great deal you can’t get hold of in this place, and lets be honest, if you’re willing to go there and purchase their wares, you’re no better than they are for selling them.
It amazes me that this place is so overlooked, I think it is tolerated by Glasgow Council simply because it’s part of Glasgow’s people and it’s history. And because it gives the cops something to do on a Sunday morning.
On my first visit I witnessed what I can only describe as a token Police raid, and I must say it was impressive to see just how quickly the young rascals can melt into the background. The first indication you get is the local dickers starting to twitch and look uneasy when they sense something is wrong (although this could be down to the withdrawal symptoms they are having from their mandatory smack habit). Then, like a Palestinian terrorist fleeing from an indiscriminately aimed barrage of proportional Israeli retaliation, they give a shout to their pals, turn and leg it, mopping up any incriminating items on the way. In come the cops, a slap on the wrist here, a wag of the finger there, and they’re off, job done. It’s almost comedic to stand and watch.
It’s probably worth avoiding the «meat» from the butcher. This guy is overly keen to give you a bargain price, which makes me suspicious. My mate bought some sausages off him once, which on closer inspection looked more like the reproductive organs of a goat than a pork filled treat. Tasted good though.
I wouldn’t buy the towels either. While getting a whiff of a Chinese sweat shop every time I dried off would certainly stimulate the appetite, I would prefer to be ignorant of the plight of my towel’s maker.
Saying that, even though this place is a hotpot of local crime and skullduggery, I’ve never felt threatened or uneasy whilst there, and I would urge any resident or visitor of Glasgow to pay a visit, if nothing else you may come away with a bargain, or get a cheap dinner for the kids.

The Barras is an unashamedly tacky weekend market that has become a Glasgow institution over the years. There are many many stalls selling everything including less than genuine designer handbags, games consoles, clothing, sport socks, books and my favourite thing of all: freshly made hot sugar donuts.
If you look a little closer, you will discover that there is more to The Barras than meets the eye, including some hidden away vintage and antique shops towards the back. There are plenty of hidden gems to be found here and it’s the perfect place to soak up some real Glasgow atmosphere with plenty of characters to keep you amused.

The last time I visited the Barras Market, police raided a nearby stall, leaving the seller to hotfoot it, and produce a performance of Usain Bolt proportions.
It was a moment which perfectly encapsulated the absurdity of this Glaswegian landmark. What’s on offer may have declined over recent years, but rest assured you’ll still be able to find a copy of The Devil Wears Prada for that special someone.
If that’s not enough, the patter is worth your time alone. Indeed, even the most linguistically-​challenged tourists soon come to terms with the constant ‘two furra pound’ chants.
You might love it, you might hate it, but you absolutely have to try it.

Best thing about the Barras was the fellow selling underwear with the sign
«As Recently Featured on Crimewatch»

The recent newspaper headline «21arrested in Barras raid» says it all. The Barras is a large indoor and outdoor market, now famous for dodgy characters, knock-​off goods and Glaswegian banter. It’s been running for years and every time you go, there is a good mix of wheeler-​dealer neds, bemused normal people and joyous tourists.
There are so many stalls, inside and out, that you could find literally anything. From «adihash» tracksuits, to first edition classic novels, from a pound of mince, to a plam reader, it’s all here.
Keep your wits about you, and your money somewhere safe. Those lacking in street smarts really stand out and I always adapt my walk from one akin to a particularly timid pigeon to that of a rapper with one leg shorter than the other. I let my eyes glaze over and I adopt a half-​nonchalant, half-​ready for aknife fight expression.
It’s great fun…

What can I say about a visit to the Barras, it’s an experience that most Glaswegians who don’t mind living a bit dangerously have undertaken at least once in their lives.
It’s been a couple of years since I’ve been to the Barras but over the few visits up to that point I noticed that there was more and more cheap tat, genuine stolen branded clothes and goods (some genuinely stolen and advertised thus to reinforce authenticity and some genuine fake), and non-​duty paid tobacco products.
There is less and less of the Barras that used to appeal to me, stalls selling genuine second hand things, as opposed to stolen, like old furniture (I got a 50’s drinks cabinet here for £20) and piles of random brick-​a-​brack (old door handles, pub mirrors and coat stands before reclamation yards became all the rage).
If you live in Glasgow and have a free Sunday afternoon you should visit the Barras at least once; if you’re visiting and have a spare hour, it’s only a 10 – 15 minute walk from the city center, go along but don’t look like a tourist and don’t take anything valuable with you or someone will try and sell it back to you on your way out.

Urg, I hate the Barras. I’m quite sure in it’s time it was a bustling marketplace and a joy to visit; however with the passage of time it has clearly fallen foul to the same plight as the rest of the area.
The market is open on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the year and is now most widely known for being the place to go if you want bootlegs or knock off goods.
I don’t feel safe there, I don’t even feel safe driving through the area. It’s busy enough but don’t expect to find much of quality there.
For completeness, you should note that the nearby shop leave a lot to be desired too.

The barras used to be great, you could find everything and anything but the market management kept putting the rent up and up and up till the point that regular people just couldn’t afford it. So its all gansters and rich market stall chain type places now which is sad because it was great in its prime.
Christmas eve is still great, although it is getting worse. Its open until midnight and the marketholders are hilarious because its a time of year they really enjoy because its always busy! But like i said, even that is getting worse.
Its sad to see a place that was once amazingly good, go down the tubes because of rising rents :(

Les Barras, ce sont les puces de Glasgow. Un peu l’équivalent de Clignancourt à Paris, mais en plus bordelique je trouve. On entre dans le périmètre par de grandes arches métalliques marquées Barras, telles des enseignes de cirque.
En effet, on se retrouve au milieu de baraquements qui fourmillent de trésors. On y trouve tout et n’importe quoi. Si vous passez par Glasgow, allez y faire un tour. C’est pittoresque, il y a beaucoup de monde. Populaire et très vivant.

The Barrowland Market, affectionately known as ‘The Barras’ is part indoor, part outdoor market situated in the East End of Glasgow. Open on Saturdays and Sundays, a trip to the Barras used to be a tradition for anyone visiting the city.
It’s like a huge car boot sale without cars. Masses of stalls in two large halls, plus associated street traders means you could spend a day there browsing the bargains. Today there’s perhaps not so many bargains to be had, as more and more of the stalls are given over to specialist traders, but still lots of second hand goods of all description. Has recently acquired a bit of a reputation for stalls selling dodgy dvds and the like.
Part of the Barrowland complex is the famous Barrowland Ballroom, a well respected concert venue.