Aidan Connaghan, now at the helm, told The Herald how he secured the Hillhead Sports Club site.
He said: “At just 23 years old, I’m the managing director of the company operating the café and sports bar at Hughenden Sports Club in Glasgow’s West End.
“My journey in hospitality began when I was 16, and over the next seven years I worked my way up through the industry. In September 2024, I joined David Maguire at 1051 GWR as a supervisor before progressing to general manager.
“David became my mentor, and together we submitted an interest in the lease for Café Source Too when it became available.
“After several months of negotiations and delays, we finally received the keys in March 2026. I was just 22 years old.”
He also said: “Taking on the venue at that age was a huge challenge. I had to earn the trust of club members, lead a brand-new team and completely transform the space on a limited budget.
“That meant getting stuck into every job myself. One of my longest days came when I spent the entire night hand-sanding the sports bar floor so it could be re-varnished in time for opening. If something needed doing, I did it.”
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Mr Connaghan added: “Before making any major changes, I spent time speaking to Hillhead Sports Club members to understand what they wanted from the venue. Their feedback shaped our plans to create a welcoming community space, rather than simply reopening what had been there before.
“Today, the upstairs operates as a lively sports bar featuring what we believe is the largest indoor sports screen in Glasgow’s West End at 180 inches.
“Downstairs has been transformed into a bright, welcoming café with its own dedicated entrance which it previously lacked.”
Looking forward, he said: “My ambition is simple: to create a venue that isn’t just for club members, but a hidden gem for the whole West End – a place where people can enjoy great coffee by day, live sport by night, and feel welcome every time they visit.”
A joint programme by the UK and Scottish Governments will help more than a thousand more oil and gas workers transition to jobs in clean energy, writes Gabriel McKay.
A pilot scheme in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire has already helped more than 400 North Sea workers to retrain, and the programme will now be expanded across Scotland.
A total of £6million has been provided by both Westminster and Holyrood and will give current and former oil and gas workers living anywhere in Scotland specialist training support, if they wish to transfer their high-value skills into fast-expanding sectors under the energy transition.
The scheme is also being expanded to provide training support in other growing sectors, including advanced manufacturing, life sciences and defence – where the skills and expertise of oil and gas workers are in demand.
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Eligible oil and gas workers in Scotland will be able to submit new applications for the scheme from today, via Skills Development Scotland’s Transition Training Fund website. Successful applicants to the scheme will receive careers advice and funding towards training courses for highly-skilled and in-demand roles such as in welding, electrical engineering, construction and more.
A busy Starbucks drive-thru in Hamilton has reopened after being closed for five months following a vehicle fire, writes Rose Moncur.
The Starbucks store at Hamilton Palace Grounds has welcomed customers back after undergoing repairs and refurbishment work following the incident in January.
Leading the reopening is newly appointed store manager Caitlin Murray, who was recently named UK Starbucks Barista Champion for 2026.
Ms Murray began her career with Starbucks at the age of 16 in Inverness and has spent more than a decade progressing through the company.
She later moved to Scotland’s central belt to gain experience in drive-thru operations and develop her management career.
The Hamilton store is operated by Scottish Starbucks franchisee OCO, which employs around 480 people across 23 locations.
