City centre residents are gaining support for a bid to turn an undeveloped space into a community park, the Glasgow Times can reveal.

Members of the Merchant City and Trongate communities have formed Merchant City Park Ltd, and hope to use the Community Empowerment (Scotland) 2015 Act to acquire the land at 69-97 Ingram Street.

Bev Lyons, of The Showbiz Lion, lives on High Street.

Speaking exclusively to the Glasgow Times, she said: "I think the park would be nice idea.

"You don't want a big carbuncle of creating shadows across the cityscape, making it congested. You want the area to be as scenic as possible within the city centre.

"I think it's nice to keep as much green space as possible in the city centre. After all, we are the Dear Green Place.

"Anywhere that brings residents together, and where they can sunbathe or play would be great.

"There are a lot of flats in the city centre so it's about making the life of city centre residents qualitative."

Georgia Hill, who lives on Ingram street, told The Glasgow Times: "Yes, I think it should be made into a park. As a car park I think they charge a fortune for parking.

"On a warm sunny day when you want somewhere to sit George square is always busy.

"I think it will make people who live in Merchant City have someone else to sit on their doorstep who don’t have a garden."

Mark James, also a resident on Ingram street, said to have a community park would help with people's mental health and wellbeing.

He said: "In the city centre, although there are so many people, it can be nice to feel like there is a community for residents.

"A park would be nice just to come and relax in, to foster a sense of belonging that other people may have in other more suburban places.

"We all need somewhere to recover as lockdown is lifted and the weather gets better, and I think it would be pretty life changing for people in the area."