Cash plea to save city's historic buildings

Over the past 30 years Glasgow Building Preservation Trust has saved dozens of important buildings from the wrecking ball.

The organisation was set up in 1982 to take on the redundant Briggait Fish Market which was threatened with demolition. It now has a new lease of life as the Wasps Artist's Studio.

However, despite the efforts of the Trust, not all buildings can be saved.

As told in the Evening Times last month, the council-owned Springburn Public Halls had to be demolished after it was found to be unsafe.

Springburn MSP Patricia Ferguson hit out at Glasgow City Council, which she said had allowed the building to become dilapidated.

Other buildings saved by the work of the Trust include St Francis, St Vincent Street and Kirkhaven churches, St Andrew's in the Square, Castlemilk Stables, Pearce Institute and Hutchesons' Hall.

It is currently trying to raise the cash needed to restore the historic bandstand in Kelvingrove Park.

The organisation's director Anne McChlery, said: "The reason we are usually asked to get involved is because the building is on its last legs in terms of its use or has some chronic problems that have to be addressed.

"Our drive is to give the buildings new life and to make them sustainable again.

"If there hadn't been an organisation like us in the city we would undoubtedly have lost some of these buildings.

"There are about 120 buildings at risk in Glasgow which are all worth saving and have a lot of potential to offer but they will all take a lot of money to put right again."

Trust chairman Pat Chalmers describes the organisation as part of the "toolkit" helping regenerate the city.

She said: "Like all successful cities across the world, Glasgow understands that retention of our historic build environment is pivotal to our sense of place and contributes to making Glasgow a beautiful and vibrant place to live, work and visit."