10 Years Of The Fort: We meet the workers who make the mall

According to bosses, People make Glasgow Fort.

From the man who has overall responsibility for the retail complex to the granny who was brought up close by and now works as a shop assistant.

They all have a role to play each day to ensure shoppers come back to a mall that keeps growing since its launch 10 years ago this month.

More than 100 workers have been employed at Glasgow Fort since the cash tills first rang out in the ­autumn of 2004. Chris Riggall started off as a security officer.

The father-of-four from Glenboig, near Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, is now the hub's operations manager with a range of responsibilities such as security and cleaning.

The 49-year-old loves his job and says: "Every day there are new and different challenges which all help to keep my job interesting. We have a great team in place here which I'm very proud of."

Annee McBride played in the fields at Auchinlea Park which were later transformed into a sprawling shopping paradise which provides work for 2500 people - most of them locals - and has attracted more than 100million customers who have spent almost £5billion in the 90 stores since the Fort opened.

She is Easterhouse born and bred and got a job as a receptionist before being promoted to the Fort's retail support manager and says:

"I have had the opportunity to work on all sorts of projects and ­issues. It certainly makes every day interesting and I am delighted to have enjoyed a decade at Glasgow Fort."

Grandmother Liz Patterson is ­another from a group of just over 100 people who started working at the East End mall from the first day.

She manages The Perfume Shop and has seen business grow over the years. Her outlet was named the best performing perfume shop in Scotland.

The 52-year-old travels to Easterhouse each day from her home in Erskine and says: "I love working at the shop and I love being part of the Glasgow Fort family.

"There is a real sense of belonging here - I just love it."

So too does 33-year-old David B­yrne even though he was recently named by workers as "the manager you can't get rid of". He's had a varied career a the Fort since it opened.

David originally worked for the Virgin music store which became Zavvi and later HMV. He's now the manager of the Fort's EE mobile shop. He lives just a four-minute walk away and admits: "I've spent the bulk of my working life here at Glasgow Fort.

"There is a real community feel to the park which I'm happy to be a part of."

Supermarket giant Asda decided to open a non-food store at the Fort. The Asda Living outlet was the first in Glasgow and one of the first in Scotland.

The doors opened in 2006 and among the staff was Annemarie Kerahan. The 57-year-old grandmother who has always lived in the area is a sales assistant and is one of almost 20 who have worked there since the store launch.

She said: "My job is great as there is a lot of variety. Glasgow Fort is so handy for me personally and for work as it's just a five minute walk from home. I rarely go into town now and spend a lot of my time here."

Fort manager Phil Goodman has also been there since the first day and is in no doubt one of the main reasons why shoppers just keep coming back.

He said: "People are one of the most important parts of the ­Glasgow Fort success story.

"We have a loyal, committed workforce which makes the stores places our customers want to return to again and again.

"It is amazing the number of ­people we have had here for the ­entire decade.

"Personally, I feel the 10 years have flown in and I could not be more proud of the achievements we have secured together since 2004. Here's to another successful decade."

gordon.thomson@eveningtimes.co.uk