Dear readers, January is officially over, it’s all sunshine and rainbows from hereon in. Also, for those who celebrate, a happy Imbolc/Candlemass to you; we at The Bell are embodying the spirit of the Celtic goddess Brigid, responsible for all things inspiration and creativity. It also means we are halfway between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox. Hurrah!
Welcome to the 700+ new members who joined our ranks last week. We’re very excited for you to read our journalism and hope you get as much from it as we put in. We promise not all stories we cover are as sad as the CCA’s closure, or as highly-charged as the Iranian professor’s family ties. More on those below. But first, here’s your Monday briefing.
Glasgow in Brief
🏛️ The Egyptian Halls, which has lain empty for over three decades, could become a hotel under new plans. Glasgow City Council has paved the way for a preferred developer to buy the building, Edinburgh-based property firm Ediston. First though, GCC will need to use its compulsory purchase powers (CPO) to acquire the building from its current owner — no simple feat. Almost a year ago, a council committee gave approval to investigate use of CPO powers to acquire the building. The council then listed the building for sale as a potential development opportunity, subject to planning consent and CPO. Ryden described the building as a “unique architectural and historic asset”, further stating its “repair, repurposing, and future active reuse are strategic priorities for Glasgow City Council”.
It’s taken a year to reach this next step of finding a preferred bidder following three development proposals, but there remains a sizable hurdle in their way: current owner Union Street Developments and Union Street Properties — both companies belonging to Dundonian businessman Derek Souter. Souter feels sidelined by GCC’s manoeuvres, to say the least; last week he published a mammoth 120-page document responding to the attempted CPO. But his disputes with the council go back some way. Souter’s company, Union Street Developments, first acquired a stake in the building in 2000, and has been locked in disputes with the council and Historic Environment Scotland almost ever since. Prior to Souter acquiring the building, a CPO was first attempted all the way back in 1996, to attempt to force an obstinate Hong Kong-based owner to sell. Engineering reports previously showed that the “continued decline in the overall building fabric has arisen through a prolonged lack of occupation and ongoing maintenance”, according to the council.
Ediston would seek planning permission to convert the ground floor, which is currently home to shops, as well as the first floor, into “leisure uses”. Meanwhile, the upper floors (which have been vacant since 1980) would become a hotel. This Thursday, Glasgow's contracts and property committee will decide on whether to grant “preferred developer” status to Ediston. The category A listed Egyptian Halls was built between 1870–72, designed by Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson. It’s been on the buildings-at-risk register since 1990. “By their very nature CPOs are lengthy and complex. But it's important for Glasgow's past — and its present and future — that we get this process right and bring this incredible building back to the heart of city life,” councillor and built heritage convenor Ruari Kelly said.
🛏️ Now, we all know that The Bell likes to tastefully tease out just the right amount of drama in its reporting. But, in some stories, the opposite is the case. Others want to create drama where there is none. Back in October, when Calum reported from Homeless Project Scotland, the city’s vocal and controversial night shelter, they were live-streaming the council’s decision on whether or not to grant a planning application that would allow it to operate. (They’ve been operating without permission for over two years now). When councillors voted against the application, passionate and abrasive Colin McInnes shouted “refused!”, declaring that this was the council trying to shut them down. He neglected to mention that councillors only refused because they had more questions for HPS, and so encouraged them to submit a fresh application within the next six months. The charity has now done so and will hope that this new application flies through without drama. If it doesn’t, expect more fireworks from McInnes.
🌳 Let me ash you a question: what’s your favourite tree in Glasgow? The world’s best arboreal advocate, David Treanor, who’s clearly twigged the power of the press, has been barking at newspapers for months now. His favourite? The 1850s Argyle Ash, spruced up by arborist Treanor, which won the UK Tree of the Year competition back in September in a public vote. Now, the European branch of the competition is up for grabs, and the Argyle Ash, which sits alone in front of a sandstone tenement, is rooting for a win. Voting is now open, if you want to help PR genius Treanor as he pines for the ash to win yet another blooming award. Log your vote here.
Stories you might have missed
🏥 Deaths of two more patients at Glasgow hospital under investigation | The Guardian
🗣️ Chair who oversaw scandal-hit Glasgow hospital breaks silence | The Times, £
📽️ Documentary Everybody to Kenmure Street wins Sundance Film Festival award | STV News
🤝 Glasgow homelessness crisis fears spark call for extraordinary meeting | Glasgow Live
🔉 Student survivors of gender-based violence feel 'dismissed' by Glasgow University’s handling of complaints | Glasgow Live
⛴️ Six-month delivery delay adds £12.5m to MV Glen Rosa ferry costs, taking total cost to £197.5m| BBC News
💰 Rutherglen private school to close as watchdog probes missing accounts | Daily Record
🎶 New music drops dramatically at BBC Radio Scotland after late night shows axed | The Times
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Read/listen/watch: Cado Belle at the Third Eye Centre, 1975
As Calum reported over the weekend, in a previous life, the CCA was once the Third Eye Centre, founded by the Scottish writer and playwright, Tom McGrath. When it opened its doors at the Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson building on 350 Sauchiehall Street in May 1975, it quickly became renowned as an avant-garde hub for counter-culture and arts. Scottish rockers Cado Belle became a sort of unofficial house band, as seen in this video from the Third Eye’s inaugural year. Maggie Reilly would go on to collaborate with Mike Oldfield in Moonlight Shadow in 1983. The CCA is dead; long live the CCA.
We also rec:
Glasgow Community Sauna on BBC One’s Saturday Morning Live; from 50 mins 30secs (ten points if you can spot Robbie).
Catch up and coming up:
- Well, last week was a busy one. First off, we reported on a petition which was gaining considerable traction that called on Glasgow Caledonian University to expel a senior professor who’s the son of a senior Iranian politician. It inspired some robust takes on the story, shall we say. Reader ‘KE’ suggested that, even if GCU was inclined to fire Hadi Ardeshir Larijani, there are legal reasons stopping them from doing so:
“Any higher education in the UK requires to comply with employment law. You can't simply sack someone in the UK on the basis of what family they belong to (without evidence of their own conduct bringing the employer into disrepute)?”
Debates also focussed on the moral question of whether this man should be punished for the sins of his father, and if silence on the ongoing murderous crackdown on Iranian protestors counts as complicity with the Iranian government’s actions.
- Then, the CCA closure unfolded. If you haven’t already seen our reporting, live as it happened plus an insider follow-up, catch up now. It’s terrible news for the art scene in Glasgow, and theories on why it closed, ranging from ‘woke’ activists to a conspiracy to destroy the 34-year-old institution, abounded. We try not to deal too much in theories. So, we hope to bring clarity and dissect what went wrong at the CCA. Get in touch if you know anything: editor@glasgowbell.co.uk
- This weekend, Robbie i a’ coimhead air eachdraidh agus àm ri teachd sgoiltean Gàidhlig ann an Glaschu — The Bell is going all Gaelic. Or all things Gaelic schools in Glasgow, at the very least.
Headline of the week:
Glasgow public toilets could be turned into unique city centre holiday home
POTW:
This picture of the week, a fine and moody landscape of the Science Centre and the Waverley steamer, was sent in by reader Neil.
“Always enjoy looking at it when I cycle past from across the river but it always makes me laugh that this 80 year old sea going beauty sits in front of the millennium Glasgow tower which has been plagued with issues - [the latter is] due to reopen this Spring!”
On closer inspection, the Science Centre’s website says that an “update” on the operating schedule is due in Spring. Let’s not hold our breath.
If you’ve taken a snap, send it in: editor@glasgowbell.co.uk (landscape preferred)
Re:view: Rura at the Concert Hall, Celtic Connections
Scotland’s trad/folk scene is in rude health right now, and one of the groups leading the sonic charge is Rura. They first performed at Celtic Connections in 2010, winning the Danny Kyle award the following year. Last week, they were performing at the Royal Concert Hall for the first time, with stellar support from Irish/Manx/Scottish quintet Ímar. Rura were exceptional as ever; their sound — made up of fiddle, Highland pipes, flute, guitar, and bodhrán — somehow encapsulates timelessness, tradition and modernity, all at the same time. The only point of criticism is how unsettling it was to watch footstomping folk while sitting in the comfy seats. The band clearly agreed, and encouraged the crowd to rise to their feet countless times throughout the show. It does beg the question: why wasn’t the gig — at least partially — standing in the first place? Either way, Rura remains a band at the peak of its power.
Glasgow Calendar: The Show Must Go On, Pro Wrestling
Live pro wrestling promises “storyline, non stop action and DRAMA!” At the Gallowgate’s Iron Girders gym, Saturday, 7 February. Tickets from £16.96.
Other dates from your diary:
- The Music Of John Martyn, 7 February
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