ALAN Crossan believes the Clutha could act as a catalyst for the regeneration of the riverside and Briggait area.

The 61-year-old bar owner hopes to rebuild it in the coming months.

But he says the opening will happen in stages - and he wants to take on board the views of customers to avoid upsetting people.

Alan has been backed by the Secretary of State Alistair Carmichael, who has given his "wholehearted support" for a regeneration project for the Clyde Street area, and Alan's Clutha Trust Charity.

Alan says his "hands are still tied" on moving to the next stage at the moment while talks with the insurance company McLarens continue.

He says they have offered him £300,000 to reinstate it but Alan claims they are not taking into account the full loss of business.

He said: "It's now 11, 12 months and it will probably be a year-and-a-half in total that the Clutha is shut.

"And they are trying to give me money for six months. So that might have an impact on what we do for reinstating it."

Alan, who also owns the George Hotel in Millport, is working on ideas for the Clutha.

He said: "What I'm thinking of doing is putting a temporary solution in place - using the Victoria and doing something round the back of the Clutha.

"But I've not got the plans for that yet.

"The problem I've got is the Clutha itself - there's absolutely no doubt it will open again and it will be similar to what it was before but it will never be the same.

"It just can't be. You've got the bit at the back where everybody was killed. Can you imagine standing there and drinking again? It just doesn't seem right.

"Half the people were saying open it again like it was, a lot are saying don't open it again.

"It's hard to please everyone."

In future Alan would like to see the beer garden between the Clutha and the Victoria covered with a roof and used as a gig venue.

He wants to install a wood fire oven for making pizzas in the kitchen of the Victoria and will then consider opening the Clutha.

He said: "I said at the time it happened the building itself doesn't matter. The important thing about the Clutha is the people. It's the people who matter.

"In the Clutha it's the people who make it."