Welsh Language Advertisement Causes Confusion in Glasgow

Residents in Glasgow expressed confusion upon encountering an advertisement displayed by an energy firm, which was written in the Welsh language. Pádraig Durnin observed the sign in Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city, and subsequently shared an image of it on the social media platform Bluesky. His accompanying caption read: “Some corporate outreach to the southside of Glasgow’s Welsh-speaking community.” Scottish Power, the parent company of SP Energy Networks, issued a statement expressing its hope that “the people of Glasgow enjoyed their brief introduction to the beauty of this wonderful language”. The advertisement, which provided instructions for what to do during a power cut, was also presented in English. However, the company indicated its intention to ensure that its bilingual signs are displayed in appropriate locations in the future. The text on the sign stated: “Os bydd toriad pwer, ffoniwch ni ar 105, dim ots i bwy rydych chi’n talu eich bil.” This message translates to: “In a power cut, call us on 105, no matter who you pay your bill to.” Mr. Durnin further commented: “Broke: Govanhill is turning into Little London Bespoke: Govanhill is turning into Little Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.” Other social media users similarly reacted with humor, with some contributing their own responses in Welsh, such as bendegedig (fantastic) and dwi’n caru hyn (I love this). An individual also asserted – a claim that BBC Wales has not been able to substantiate – that nearly two decades prior, a post office located in Aberdeen featured a window display in Welsh for a duration of four years. Nevertheless, a straightforward explanation likely accounts for this unintentional cultural overlap. This explanation is that Scottish Power serves 3.5 million customers, a figure which encompasses thousands of individuals residing in north Wales. The company concluded its statement by extending its best wishes for the health of Glasgow in Welsh, signing off with: “Iechyd da!”