And thus, 2025 comes to an end. At Bell HQ it’s been genuinely exceptional. We hired Calum as our first full time reporter; we had investigations picked up in national news which helped shape the debate on how our street furniture is politicised; we published features that moved, informed, and connected readers; and we had a damn good time doing it. So much so, we thought we'd round up some of our favourite stories from the past 12 months.
And, dear readers, absolutely none of it would have been possible without your support. Free and paid members alike, you helped spread the word, showed us how to keep improving, and, best of all, took us past 1,000 paying subs — proof Glasgow wants the kind of local high quality journalism we’re trying to do.
Here’s to 2026, when we aim to grow, bring out even more investigations, data pieces, historical journeys and enlightening features, and meet you all again at some fun events. Enjoy the bells tonight.
The last days of Thomas Hays Pet and Aquarium Corner (October 2025)
When Debora Bottino emailed The Bell pitching to write about the pet shop Thomas Hays Pet and Aquarium Corner, the answer was a swift “yes”. The corner unit had been gathering dust, it seemed, long before it shut for good earlier this year. What emerged from Debora's quest to understand the end of Thomas Hays was a story about changing times, elderly shopkeepers and a failure to keep up with new standards — to the detriment of the animals on sale.
Nonetheless, the story was met by readers sharing memories of buying zebra parrots from the shop and gazing in through the large windows as children. "This article alone is worth the monthly subscription," one reader wrote in the comments.
Debora Bottino
The tragedy of Best Kebab (September 2025)
There’s no way Robbie would toot his own trumpet like this, but we’re convinced this is one of the best features to come out of Scotland in 2025. You'll probably be acquainted with the bright yellow frontage of infamous takeaway Best Kebab, or have seen the tormenting of its owner play out on social media.
But what is the story of this city centre spot? How did it become notorious? Who is Mr Best Kebab, the man who chases weans with knives? Who are the bandits determined to break his spirit? Through a series of visits to one of Glasgow's most tragic eateries, Robbie slowly uncovered his story.
Robbie Armstrong
Who Polloksed up the Southside’s station names? (October 2025)
We think Michael Hattenschweiler’s debut article weds some of the things we take most seriously and do well at Bell HQ: local history, personal and shared experiences, and infrastructure debates. Add all those together with a pinch of incredulity and you get this fun and informative piece that must surely be shown to city planners before any other changes to Glasgow’s railways are made. Readers matched Michael’s passion for the topic in the comments. So all round, a key piece for The Bell this year.
Michael Hättenschweiler
It’s aye pulling ye back (September 2025)
Photographer Kirsty Mackay penned us an exceptional essay about moving back to Glasgow after 30 years down south. Despite its highly personal angle, this a universal piece touching on hope, nostalgia, being a newcomer and homecomer at the same time, and wondering who belongs to Glasgow. We were lucky enough that she even shared some of her exceptional photography. Check it out.
Kirsty Mackay
Thanks for reading The Bell. You can start 2026 as the best possible version of yourself, all tuned into Glasgow's goings on and whatnot. The easiest and cheapest way to do that is by signing up to The Bell for free. You'll get a Monday briefing and a weekend read, quite similar to the type of thing you've just made it through 2,000 words of. How about it then?
The ghosts of Glasgow (May 2025)
The companion piece to Kirsty Mackay's is Moya's essay about leaving Glasgow which doubles up as a historical examination of the city's connection to slavery and heavy industry. It's a feature about the stories we tell about ourselves and what happens when the truth contradicts our sense of self.
Moya Lothian-McLean
We’re Scotland’s economic powerhouse. Why doesn’t it feel like it? (March 2025)
Glasgow is a rich city. So why doesn't it feel like it? This was the question we asked data genius James Gilmour to investigate and boy did he come up with the goods. Maps galore demonstrate that areas just outside the city's borders, like Giffnock and Bearsden, have become akin to tax enclaves while Glasgow itself isn't seeing the fruits of its economic strength. Much to ponder.
James Gilmour
As a paying supporter of The Bell, it's your sacred right to comment, and we urge you to exercise it frequently. What did you make of The Bell's 2025? What were your favourite stories? What do you want to see more of? We'd love to hear from you in the comment section.
Bonnie Blue’s ‘bang bus’ breezes into town (September 2025)
A lot of The Bell's original news reporting can be found in our weekly briefings. This edition, produced in the middle of a frenetic but successful September for The Bell, is a prime example. There’s a dispatch from a full council meeting, reporting on Bonnie Blue’s infamous ‘bang bus’ as it came to Ibrox and Glasgow Uni, a small section on unsavoury ‘manosphere’ characters, a club night in a Govan working man’s hall, and a recap of our reporting on the people behind the lamppost saltires, which was picked up by national press. It’s nice to reflect back on a specific Monday morning, remembering how busy it was, but realising that all that work bore juicy fruit.
The Bell
Jim MacNee’s wife got sick. So he taught pigeons to play football (June 2025)
There are so many of Robbie’s features that could make this list. His tale of two friends separated by the motorway who reunited 50 years later; his unlikely profile of a modern artist-turned paedophile hunter; and who can forget his trials on the Paisley party train? But this story about Jim McNee, the man who can be seen setting up a miniature football pitch, recruiting city pigeons as players, and kicking off doo fitba, was joyful, moving, and a great insight into the creative ways we often deal with grief.
Robbie Armstrong
Is Rangers going MAGA? (May 2025)
This was Calum’s first piece for The Bell. Baptism by fire and all that. He was at first quite apprehensive of going into the [ahem] bears’ den on Paisley Road West to find out whether the phrase seen on hats and unfurled on a banner in the stadium, Make Rangers Great Again, was part of a wider political movement within the fanbase. What ensued were robust discussions, surprise revelations, and really unsettling iconography involving Donald Trump and a vintage Rangers jacket. The story finishes with a satisfying hint as to the identity of the blue caps seller — a cunning piece of investigative journalism masterminded by Moya.
Calum Grewar
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