Stranded clubbers 'drifting home'

Heavy snow caused problems on the roads in Glasgow

Thousands of club-goers have been making their way home after being stranded in Glasgow overnight by the heavy snow.

Various locations, including the Garage nightclub, Buchanan Bus Station and Central Hotel, were opened to 3,000 people who were stuck in taxi queues.

Police contacted bus and taxi firms to take the revellers home.

A Strathclyde Police spokesman said that the clubbers had begun leaving the city centre at 0800 GMT on Sunday.

He said: "Because of the weather conditions there were no taxis.

'Drifting home'

"We managed to get about 3,000 people accommodated in various locations, so they were in the warm and dry, which was something we had to do for safety reasons.

"There was no way we would have left people out on the streets overnight in those conditions.

"But they are now slowly drifting home."

The spokesman said that police in the city centre had directed people to various locations for shelter.

Officers had worked with staff at those locations to ensure people were not left out in the cold.

Were you stranded overnight in Glasgow? You sent us your thoughts.

Was out in Sauchiehall Street talking to every good looking random girl in the taxi queue which was going nowhere fast. Then word got around that everyone was welcome to go into the Garage nightclub for shelter. Went in and there were literally hundreds of late night revellers lying about and even sleeping on the floor. The heating was on full and the staff were genuinely welcoming. You would have thought some of them would have been annoyed about being held back like that, but they all made a huge effort and my congratulations go out to all of them. Now where is Santa...
Richard Grant, Bearsden

I was out in Glasgow last night and had a fantastic time before trying to endeavour home in the snow in my strappy toeless sandals and ended up in the Royal Infirmary with frostbite affecting my little toe. I will never wear strappy sandals again. This is a serious warning to all girls and some boys...
Anne Kelly, Kirkintilloch

My plonker of a boyfriend went out in Glasgow and still isn't home! Him and his pals were allowed to stay in the foyer of the fully booked Travel Lodge by Strathclyde Uni. They managed to get a bus as far as Port Glasgow this morning but are now stranded there! Think they might be walking to Largs!!!
Debbie Rodger, Largs

We left the ABC at 1 and decided the only way we could get home was the bus because our taxis all got cancelled. Waited in the bus station for an hour, bus came then we became stranded on a hill because the bus in front of us crashed. Waited an hour and a half for a snow plough but eventually got home at 5am freezing and with wet feet.
Sue and Sara, Glasgow

You'd think the city council had never heard of 'gritters' or 'salting' to walk through the southside this morning, it's ridiculous! Pavements are ankle deep, down there, seriously folks, you need a shovel to go anywhere!
Moneypenny, Glasgow

The police were very slow to do anything last night. Was in the taxi queue in Sauchiehall Street from 2am and eventually got a taxi at 4.30am - it was only at 4.15am that the police eventually realised that they were going to have to find somewhere warm for people to go. People were skipping in the queue and the police were very unwilling to help at first - they were lucky that there wasn't a riot. The most helpful advice I received from them was that I should have checked the weather forecast before I went out - cheers guys!
Iain Dougan, Glasgow

It would have been worth the air fare home to have witnessed the shivering clubbers, staring indignantly at the snow. Why do people in the UK insist on braving the cold in clothes that they wouldn't be warm enough sleeping in? Most of you are quite ill informed if you think you look good anyway. Why should bouncers have their tedious nights prolonged just because you people don't have any sense?
Ethan Smith, Tampere, Finland

I was at the Garage last night and we came out just after two in hope of beating the taxi queue, it had started to snow when we went in but having thought it wouldn't lie... Stood in the queue for an hour, I was one of the lucky ones with a warm coat and boots on! Still freezing! Eventually got a lift home from someone but my sister walked it to Cessnock! Think the police should have moved people in earlier to warmer places, and it goes to show that Glasgow city centre really should have somewhere warm and dry to wait for lifts/taxis home with warm food and drink etc!
Laura, Glasgow

At closing time in the Mishnish hotel, the bouncers started coercing customers to leave. However, upon opening the door to the horizontal-snow blizzard outside, no-one was willing to go. The large bouncers were red in the face trying to move the cowering pleading crowd who were huddled around the doorway, begging not to be sent home.
John, Tobermory

We are now on our fifteenth snowman and absolutely knackered, but it is very addictive! Its just knowing when the right time is to stop...
James Boylan and Louise Bailey, Glasgow

With regard to the comment about taxi drivers being wimps I am no wimp and have very good business sense. That's why I went home - there is always tomorrow.
George Sibbald, Glasgow

I was in town last night, but luckily I was wearing my thermals and boots! I walked home through the blizzard, and made it back in time for breakfast.
Billy Bob, Scotland

It never fails to astound me how little we care about our own health and wellbeing. We all like to look nice when we go out but in the colder months does it not make sense to at least wear a nice pair of boots and a warm coat with your vest top and mini skirt instead of strappy shoes and a jacket you could spit through??? Seems to me we don't think any further than next weekend or any deeper than how we look on the outside... when we get older and have abused our bodies like this over the years and can't leave the house without three layers of thermals and a home help maybe then will be the time to realise we should have looked after ourselves better. No point blaming doormen for putting people outside in the cold, it's not their fault people were more concerned about what lipgloss to wear than wrapping up.
Teresa Shields, Renfrewshire

I left Glasgow on the last train home and had no problem. The train services were running perfectly. What is all the fuss about?
Charlie Crags, Edinburgh

I'm a private hire car driver (private taxi). I like driving in the snow, last night I stayed out working all night and never got stuck once and I work Blantyre, Hamilton, Glasgow and all surrounding areas. I don't know why most of the taxi drivers went home, I had no problems.
Davy (fireballmcnailz), Blantyre

My girlfriend and I were at a gig in the Arches to see Martin Luther, who was amazing :-) But when we came out the snow was like a blizzard, we luckily walked home but freezing to St George's Cross. This morning we have been watching from our flat students in a top flat hitting people with snowballs and people being dropped off at 9am onwards.
Keith Jones, St George's Cross, Glasgow

I was in town last nite but I knew the weather forecast was for snow so I took my skis with me and made it home no problem -straight down Great Western Road without a car in sight!!! Simply super!
Sandra Ferguson, Balloch

Why are you wearing toeless sandals in the middle of winter?!?!?! Hardly a shocker that your feet are freezing. Wear something sensible and give the doorman a break!
Neil Murray, Aberdeen

We were attacked by hooligans with snowballs, when all we wanted to do was innocently make some snow angels and eat our pakora!
Heather Stevens, Glasgow

Well I had some wonderful service from Torrance cabs. They did their best to get me home safely through all that snow. I got a taxi at around half past 3 and was home by 4. Couldn't have asked for a better service.
M. Partridge, Glasgow

Perhaps this will teach people in Scotland not to go out clubbing in toeless footwear when it is still, essentially, winter...
Paul, Greenock

The doormen at The Corinthian were rude, obnoxious and thoughtless last night. We were absolutely frozen standing waiting outside for a taxi that never arrived and all they could do was tell us to shut it. Customer service, I think not.
Alexis Fletcher, Airdrie

I think most folk only have themselves to blame for being cold! If there's a risk of it freezing/snowing, then you should be clothed appropriately - it's no great expense to leave your jacket in a cloakroom, or wear sensible shoes. The advertising campaign for revellers to wrap up warm over the festive period obviously didn't have much effect in the case of these 3,000 people. I have little sympathy - they themselves are largely to blame!
A D, Glasgow

Was out in Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, at the ABC nightclub. Went in at around half eleven, no snow, relatively mild. Came out to a blanket of snow about 15cm deep at half three! Could not get a taxi home, trouble was brewing on the streets. Ended up walking to my office in Finnieston, and slept on my desk! Sore back this morning!
Steven Logan, Glasgow

I am from Turin, by the Italian Alps, and I can tell you guys here are not used to the snow. I left the club in Merchant City at 3am and after a fierce snowball fight I drove home slowly and safely. Taxi drivers were refusing to drive. Either wimps or not very good sense of business. If I had a private hire last night I would have made a fortune! Offered some help to a few girls that were struggling, especially the ones in the outrageous outfits. Received a handful of abuse in return. Obviously left them stranded in the snow with no shoes. Serves them right :-)
Will Barbero, Turin, Italy

I was very disappointed by one of the doormen at Arta nightclub, who insisted in putting clients out into the snow especially girls in toeless sandals. When told that our toes were freezing and I was only waiting for my lift to arrive his reply was "I don't care".
Lorraine Barrett, Glasgow