▁make - up , ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁surrounding ▁wh oles ale ▁and ▁manufact uring ▁w are h ouses ▁now ▁operate ▁as ▁cre ative ▁ven ues , ▁gall eries ▁and ▁art ▁stud ios . ▁ ▁Linked ▁to ▁the ▁Tol bo oth ▁stood ▁the ▁T ont ine ▁Hotel ▁and ▁its ▁Assembly ▁Ro oms , ▁designed ▁from ▁ 1 7 3 7 ▁by ▁architect ▁All an ▁D reg horn ▁ ▁with ▁adapt ations ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 1 ▁by ▁architect ▁William ▁Hamilton ▁of ▁St ▁Andrew ` s ▁Square . ▁The ▁T ont ine ▁ ▁was ▁the ▁exchange ▁centre ▁of ▁early ▁merc ant ile ▁business ▁and ▁the ▁foc al ▁point ▁of ▁political ▁and ▁social ▁gather ings . ▁A ▁number ▁of ▁artist ▁paint ings ▁over ▁the ▁centuries ▁dep ict ▁Glasgow ▁Cross , ▁the ▁Tol bo oth ▁and ▁T ont ine . ▁In ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁T ont ine ▁was ▁placed ▁the ▁e quest rian ▁statue ▁of ▁King ▁William ▁III , ▁ ▁ere cted ▁in ▁ 1 7 3 4 ; ▁now ▁s ited ▁at ▁C athedral ▁Square . ▁ ▁Glasgow ▁Cross , ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁T ont ine , ▁was ▁the ▁starting ▁point ▁of ▁the ▁regular ▁passenger ▁and ▁mail ▁coach es ▁to ▁Edinburgh ▁and ▁to ▁London . ▁ ▁Tol bo oth ▁Ste e ple ▁ ▁Stand ing ▁at ▁the ▁foot ▁of ▁High ▁Street ▁is ▁the ▁Tol bo oth ▁Ste e ple , ▁built ▁in ▁ 1 6 2 6 ▁at ▁what ▁was ▁the ▁meeting ▁point ▁of ▁the ▁main ▁streets ▁of ▁Glasgow ▁at ▁that ▁time . ▁The