Famed Glasgow venue Platform – formerly known as The Arches – has been acquired by The Lane7 Group, a company which specialises in ‘boutique bowling and competitive socialising’.
Headquartered in the North-east of England, Lane7 currently operates 20 sites across the UK and Europe, including long-standing venues in Aberdeen and Edinburgh.
The group also owns two LevelX sites, including one in Glasgow’s St Enoch Centre, that cater for futuristic ‘next gen’ gaming attractions.
Announcing the acquisition, Lane 7 stressed that for now it would be ‘business as usual’ for the 35,000sq venue in the railway arches underneath Glasgow’s Central railway station, with all 2025 booked events going ahead as planned.
“You’d be hard-pushed to find anyone in Glasgow and the surrounding areas who hasn’t attended an event at Platform or at its predecessor as The Arches,” said the company. “It’s a stalwart of the Glasgow cultural scene and we’re honoured to have secured an agreement with the Platform team.
“We’ve identified huge potential for Platform, its space, and its location in the pounding heart of central Glasgow. It’s a perfect addition to our portfolio of entertainment and hospitality spaces across Scotland, the UK and further afield.”
A spokesperson for Platform said: “We’re thrilled the future of Platform has been secured under new ownership. We’re handing over a much-loved space to the perfect new owners.
“The Lane7 Group is an organisation with soul. It has ambition and creativity and operates with integrity.
“We know they’ll have some very cool plans to make sure the venue remains a long-term fixture in the Glaswegian hospitality and night-time scene.
“We want to take this opportunity to thank every customer who we’ve had the pleasure of welcoming through our doors in recent years. We want them, and everyone else in the city, to give the Lane7 team a warm welcome.”
Lane 7 Group managing director Gavin Hughes added: “We know Platform has a number of pre-existing bookings, so we want to assure everyone there are no changes being made that will affect those bookings.
‘Those with thoughts on booking a space in the venue in the lead up to what we know will be a busy autumn and festive trading period should also know that Platform remains the best place in Glasgow to throw a party.”
The space on Glasgow’s Argyle Street, comprising six interconnected arches, dates back to 1879.
It gained global fame and notoriety in the 90s, when it first opened as a club and dance venue, hosting acts such as Underworld and Laurent Garnier.