BUSINESSES are queuing up to move into an old whisky warehouse in Glasgow which has undergone a major multi-million pound makeover.

Up to 10 tenants have signed leases for studios and offices following conversion work on the top floors of the post-war building overlooking the Forth and Clyde Canal.

Demand is high and bosses have decided to bring forward the entry date by several weeks from October to Monday, September 22, after a quarter of the new units were snapped up in advance.

The former seven-storey bonded warehouse which was opened by Highland Distillers in 1957 was relaunched two years ago as a commercial hub for creative industries such as artists, designers and freelance photographers after the first four floors underwent a £3million conversion.

More than 60 artists moved into the canalside building which also became the first permanent base for the Glasgow Sculpture Studios.

Now £1.5m has been spent renovating the final three top floors, which offer a total of 30,000sq ft of studios, offices and work space of various sizes.

Although final touches are being made 25% of the 38 units have already been leased at what is the largest cultural workshop in Scotland.

The imposing red brick building is managed by ISIS Waterside Regeneration.

It is part of the Glasgow Canal Regeneration Partnership which also involves Glasgow City Council and Scottish Canals which aims to completely breath new life into the canal by 2020.

ISIS development manager Gary Watt said: "The Whisky Bond is more than ­office and studio space, it's the centrepiece of our ambition to transform Speirs Locks into one of Scotland's leading centres for creative production.

"Since our first tenants joined us at TWB in 2012, this vision has quietly evolved into a reality, with the canalside neighbourhood now home to organisations including Scottish Opera, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the Glue Factory gallery.

"The launch of our new office space will allow the Whisky Bond community to grow and strengthen and we'll continue to support all our tenants."

gordon.thomson@ eveningtimes.co.uk