International Financial Services District facts for kids

Quick facts for kids International Financial Services District
Sgìre Seirbheisean Ionmhais Eadar-nàiseanta  (Scottish Gaelic)
Current logo of the IFSD
Part of the IFSD as viewed from West Street, 2011
General information
Status	Complete
Type	Multiple buildings containing office space
Location	Broomielaw
Town or city	Glasgow
Country	Scotland
Coordinates	55°51′24″N 4°15′45″W / 55.85677°N 4.26241°W / 55.85677; -4.26241
Current tenants	Direct Line Group Chubb, Atkins Credit Suisse, Direct Line, Barclays, BNP Paribas, JPMorgan Chase, NFU Mutual, Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase, SWIP, esure, HM Revenue and Customs, Scottish and Southern Energy, Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, Department for Work and Pensions, Aon
Groundbreaking	2000–2001
Construction started	2001
Completed	2003
Opened	2003
Renovated	2018–present, new buildings under construction
Cost	£1 billion
Client	Scottish Enterprise
Owner	Scottish Enterprise, Glasgow City Council
Management	Scottish Government, Scottish Development International, Skills Development Scotland, Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, Glasgow Economic Leadership, BT and numerous, financial institutions, property developers and investors
Grounds	3 million sq ft (across multiple buildings)

The International Financial Services District (IFSD) is a special area in Glasgow, Scotland. Its name in Scottish Gaelic is Sgìre Seirbheisean Ionmhais Eadar-nàiseanta. This district was created to attract big international financial companies. It also helps existing Glasgow businesses grow.

The IFSD has over 3 million square feet of office space. It started in 2001. People sometimes call it "Wall Street on the Clyde". This nickname compares it to the famous financial area in New York City. The IFSD is one of the top 40 financial districts in the world. It is even ahead of cities like Brussels and Dublin.

Today, the IFSD is a major hub for international business in Glasgow. It also helps Scotland's economy a lot. Big companies like Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase, and Barclays have offices here. In 2023, the special marketing for this area ended. Now, it is part of Glasgow's wider city promotion.

How the IFSD Started

For a long time, the old harbour area of Glasgow was not used much. Many buildings were empty. This area was near Glasgow's main business district.

To fix this, Scottish Enterprise and Glasgow City Council worked together. They planned to create a new space. This space would be for financial services companies. Their goal was to create 28,000 jobs. This was very important for Glasgow's economy. A lot of money was invested to make the area perfect for these businesses.

What Defines the IFSD Area?

There is no exact border for the IFSD. It generally covers about 1 square kilometre of the city centre. This area is bordered by the M8 motorway to the west. The River Clyde is to the south. Hope Street is to the east, and Bothwell Street is to the north.

Because of its size, people sometimes call it the Square Kilometre. This is like the "square mile" in the City of London. The more popular nickname is Wall Street On Clyde. The district has also grown. It now includes areas on the south bank of the Clyde. This happened after new buildings like Buchanan Wharf were built.

IFSD's Impact on the Economy

Since 2001, the International Financial Services District has grown a lot. It is now a big part of the Economy of Scotland. By 2023, new buildings like 1 Atlantic Square and Buchanan Wharf were finished.

Many large international companies have offices in the IFSD. These include:

• Aon
• Arthur J Gallagher
• Ashurst and New Galexy
• AXA Business Insurance
• Bank of Scotland
• Lloyds Banking Group
• Barclay's Bank
• BNP Paribas
• Morgan Stanley
• JP Morgan
• British Telecom
• Clydesdale Bank
• Eaton Corporation
• First Data Corporation
• HML
• HSBC
• Hymans Robertson
• NFU Mutual
• the Royal Bank of Scotland
• Santander
• the Student Loans Company
• Tesco Bank

Key Buildings and Companies

Many important companies have offices in the IFSD. Here are some of the main buildings and their tenants:

Completed Buildings and Their Tenants

Offices of Morgan Stanley at the corner of Douglas Street, part of the IFSD

The Cuprum building, a modern development in the IFSD

Getting Around the IFSD

The IFSD is easy to reach by different types of transport.

Train Stations

Five railway stations connect the IFSD to other parts of Scotland and beyond:

• Anderston station
• Charing Cross station
• Glasgow Central station
• Glasgow Queen Street station
• Exhibition Centre station

Subway Stations

The IFSD also has two Glasgow Subway stations. The Glasgow Subway is the third oldest underground railway in the world!

• Buchanan Street Subway
• St Enoch Subway

Road Connections

The nearby M8 Motorway connects the IFSD. This motorway runs through Central Glasgow. It links the city to Edinburgh, Livingston, Glasgow Airport, and other towns.

Walking and Cycling

The Tradeston Bridge, built in 2009, makes it easy to walk or cycle across the Clyde. This bridge connects the IFSD to the Tradeston district. Before the bridge, people had to walk about 800 metres (870 yards) out of their way. They had to use the George V Bridge instead.