Homeless Project Scotland v the council

Glasgow in Brief

🚨 A long-running dispute between the council and a major homeless charity may (or may not) be resolved tomorrow. Homeless Project Scotland (led by the bombastic Colin McInnes) has been running its Glassford Street night shelter and soup kitchen since 2023 — without planning permission. Their application was originally rejected after the council cited locals’ fears of anti-social behaviour. It has continued to operate nonetheless.

Tomorrow, at the Planning Local Review Committee, this decision will come under review, and the stakes are high. McInnes has warned of people being left to sleep on the street if they are evicted from Glassford Street, and claims “lies and fabrication” have come from the council and their communications on the issue. In fact, the relationship between McInnes and the council could hardly be worse. Leading up to tomorrow’s meeting, McInnes has accused SNP and Green councillors (specifically Cllr Jon Molyneux) of “bias” in their attitude towards HPS. He has publicly demanded their recusal from the committee. 

Council leader Susan Aitken and Cllr Molyneux have responded by warning McInnes not to stray into defamatory or threatening territory, with the former writing that the accusations were “wholly inappropriate”. But both have said that, at this stage, they don’t intend to take further action. 

This is far from the first time McInnes has ruffled council feathers. Over the six years HPS has been in operation, he and his media team have repeatedly called out the council for what they see as failure to fulfill its obligation to house people struggling with homelessness. Opposition politicians regularly pose for photos with the passionate McInnes, who’s been known to march up to council offices with service users demanding their accommodation, according to a source. 

The Bell will be watching the decision tomorrow, bringing you a special report later on in the week as the fate of the city’s most outspoken homeless charity hangs in the balance. Current rumours suggest a middle ground is possible, where the decision is delayed another year to allow for further monitoring of crime in the area (read ‘kicking into the long grass’).

If you know more about this story, get in touch.

🍉 The first of three Glaswegians on the Sumud Flotilla detained last week by Israeli forces has been deported. Margaret Pacetta, 70, who describes herself as “an ordinary old granny from Glasgow”, was filmed in Istanbul Airport having been flown out of Israel on Saturday. In the video, she describes the “awful” conditions of the prison they were held in as well as alleges mistreatment regarding what she describes as her broken leg. Pacetta has been a longtime activist for Palestine. In 2006 she was shot with a rubber bullet in the village of Bil’in, which is 12km west of Ramallah in Palestine. 

Jim Hickey and Sid Khan, also from Glasgow, remain in Israeli captivity. Khan’s family told STV news that they haven’t heard from him since Wednesday evening, moments before members of the aid flotilla were detained. The Israeli Government has described accusations of mistreatment as “brazen lies” while the British Foreign Office said they are supporting a number of UK nationals being held by Israel.

🪨 In pub news, The Rock on Hyndland Road has temporarily shut after nearly 60 years to allow for a total redesign. Over the next month and a half The Rock team will “transform the outside and inside” of the pub and bring back the kitchen. The Bell knows the boozer from the first episode of BBC Scotland’s Two Doors Down, where it appeared as The Rook. (The post-production effects team were clearly handed an easy task, extending the curve of the ‘C’ so it forms an ‘O’.)

You may wonder why we’re featuring this tidbit in our briefing. Well, it’s more to make a prediction. Despite its flat-roof pub appearances, we predict that prices may well shoot up from their already not cheap level (we’re reliably informed that a glass of red wine and a pint of Guinness ran up to £13). The evidence we’re basing this on? The Rock is to reopen on 24 November as The Hyndland Rock. Are owners Mitchell and Butler positioning for an upmarket rebrand?

🌳 Will you be investing in Glasgow City Council’s new green fund? This new initiative aims to raise £1m to fund the installation of solar panels across the council’s estate, by borrowing from locals in the community. A second phase seeking another £1m will start next year for environmental improvements to “streetscapes” around schools and care facilities. 

It works by offering investors 4% interest on their funds over five years (£100 can generate £121 return). That’s slightly lower than what you could get from a retail bank, but here your investment is directly tied to green goals. The scheme is run by green finance startup Abundance who have previously worked with other councils on pilot schemes. To date, such community municipal investments have raised over £30m across the UK, and as of this morning, the Glasgow fund has raised £125,664.

We’re quite interested in the success of this scheme and whether it will raise the required sum. Get in touch if you’re investing or have opinions on it. Comment or email editor@glasgowbell.co.uk.

Stories you might have missed:

😮‍💨 Whistleblower challenges secrecy culture at Glasgow City Council (The Herald, £)

💸 Growing calls for Michelle Mone’s Glasgow properties to have income frozen (Glasgow Live)

🥐 Glasgow winner of Scotland’s Best Croissant set to open first physical shop (Instagram)

🐻 Rangers sack another manager (BBC)

📉 Head of collapsed laser firm with £64m deficit opens three new businesses (The Herald, £)

Read/listen/watch: “Grit”, Tina Sandwich

Glasgow-based Tilly O’Connor’s, A.K.A Tina Sandwich, new single “Grit” is a nostalgic throwback to late 1990s/early 2000’s teenage grunge infused with modern synth pop fun. They’ve played twice at 1990, the new venue in Broadcast’s old spot, since it opened in late August. It seems nineties style, sounds, and even branding is inescapable at the moment. In Tina Sandwich’s case, that’s a good thing.

Catch up and coming up:

• On the weekend, Natalie Whittle took us on another beautiful signature journey through the time and space of the Hamiltonhill Claypits, where she met those at the heart of making it the welcoming wildlife haven it is today. But, the future is a little less certain for some of its inhabitants.
• Last Wednesday, Calum and The Bell’s boffins had a long hard look at the Easdale brothers and their bus company McGill’s accounts. “Great public service journalism,” wrote Ben, in the comments. “Why do I feel this isn't the last we'll hear about this?” 

Late again: the Easdales’ and McGill’s ‘adverse’ accounts

Exclusive analysis by The Bell raises questions over bus company’s filings

The BellCalum Grewar

• This coming weekend, a debut piece for The Bell by the experienced journalist Gordon Cairns tells the strange story of a Ministry of Defence stronghold in the heart of Glasgow, the largest peacetime movement of UK Government employees, and how his own time there ended in less-than-ceremonious conditions.

Re:view: Raunak Raseeli, 10 Clarendon Street, G20 7QD

When I walked into Raunak Raseeli on Sunday evening I had the restaurant to myself. This triggered terrible flashbacks of the worst Indian meal I've had in my life in Alloa where my family was seated alone in a 200-capacity banqueting hall and served rubbery shrimps in tomato soup. But, ever adventurous, I committed and sat down at a table for two because a loyal reader had recommended this place. While deciding what to order, I heard the ‘ping’ of several food delivery app orders so my nerves were settled.

My co-diner and I opted for the lamb Hyderabadi biryani (what appeared to me to be a standard biryani but served with a very tomatoey gravy on the side), Kukad Raseeli (desi-style chicken on the bone), and a smoked aubergine and potato dish. We got some poppadoms with a very refreshing house chutney while waiting for the mains, it was minty and a touch bitter — quite unique. 

The biryani was good. The chicken was very good. The aubergine was excellent, smokey and succulent. The sort of dish that makes you wish you could cook aubergine like that but you just can’t. Pricing was more akin to a good value British curry house rather than the curry cafes of the Southside, which I think ever so slightly disqualifies it from true Humble Yum glory, but it’s a strong contender and somewhere I’ll no doubt return to. — Calum

Glasgow Calendar: Harvest Festival

As Calum is from the fertile plains of south Aberdeenshire, and has often missed the pagan-infused harvest celebrations they’d do in school around this time of year, let us highlight Glasgow’s homegrown fruit and veg fest Harvest Festival. You can swap your bounty, buy from local stalls, and maybe even get a spot on the in-demand workshops. 

Free | Saturday 11 October | 11am to 4pm | Civic House, 26 Civic Street, G4 9RH

Other dates for your diary:

• Deadline to submit to Great Big Glasgow Poem competition | Friday 10 October
• Crepe City giant sneaker market | Sunday 12 October | 4pm | SEC, Exhibition Way, G3 8YW