A BUSY road closed to traffic when fire ripped through a historic Glasgow theatre is likely to be shut for weeks.

A BUSY road closed to traffic when fire ripped through a historic Glasgow theatre is likely to be shut for weeks.

On Monday an inferno destroyed the Coliseum in Eglinton Street, causing the roof to collapse and wrecking the building's interior.

The blaze in the Gorbals landmark forced the closure of Eglinton Street, one of the busiest routes into the South Side.

The road is still closed between Cook Street and Norfolk Street - and Glasgow City Council says it is likely to remain shut for several weeks.

A spokesman said fire and police crews were still investigating the cause of the blaze and nothing could be done until their investigation ended.

Council bosses are trying to trace the owner of the Coliseum to find out what action he will want to take.

Privately, council insiders say the building is so badly damaged it is almost certain to be demolished.

However, that poses further problems for motorists, as the site is very close to the Subway, so talks will have to be held with Strathclyde Partnership for Transport.

Meanwhile, the 159-space Bridge Street car park is closed and SPT says it will stay shut until it is given formal permission to reopen it.

A city council spokesman said: "It is still too early to say when Eglinton Street will reopen.

"We will have to wait until the premises are handed back after the investigations have been finished.

"We have started the process of trying to make contact with the owner because what happens to the building will need to be discussed with him.

"However, it looks reasonably likely we are looking at a fairly extended closure of Eglinton Street - but it is difficult for us to say definitely at this stage."

The Coliseum was originally a theatre but was later adapted as a cinema before becoming the County Bingo Hall in the 1980s.

It has been derelict for the past decade.