GLASGOW should build a statue in honour of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the city's world-famous architect and designer.

By Russell Leadbetter and Rebecca Gray

GLASGOW should build a statue in honour of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the city's world-famous architect and designer.

The call is made today by Andy Scott, one of Scotland's leading sculptors whose works include Rise, which adorns the Glasgow Harbour development, and The Heavy Horse, which overlooks the M8 in the city's East End.

Mr Scott said he was surprised that though Glasgow took pride in Mackintosh's works, from the Glasgow School of Art to the House for an Art Lover, it had not yet raised a statue to him.

"He was an immense figure in his fields and I think Glasgow should consider building a statue," he said.

"Considering the benefits the city has generated from him, there's almost a poetic justice that some kind of a fixed memorial to the man be built.

"The Mackintosh tourism market they're beginning to tap into now is terrific, but to give him some sort of profile would be a lovely idea."

If it went ahead, he said, it could be erected in George Square, or in Buchanan Street, near the Lighthouse, home to the Mackintosh Tower and the Mackintosh Centre.

"A George Square statue would be great given its high profile ... you could really show him off.

Mr Scott, who studied at the School of Art, said: "I spend my whole life walking around and thinking, 'Now, what you need there is a statue of so-and-so. But it struck me that in Glasgow, of all places, there's nothing that commemorates the man.' "The fact that it hasn't been done yet is probably down to the fact that no-one has thought of it.

"About 15 or 20 years ago, a friend of mine did a little ceramic portrait of Mackintosh, but as far as I know, nothing has ever been done in full-scale bronze.

"Over the last couple of months I tried my hand at a hobby project, a wee bust of him, and the more I worked on it, the more I thought It's about time something more ambitious was done on him'."

Mr Scott added: "It's early days yet and it's just an informal idea at this stage. I've not even given it a costing.

"It's just a case of trying to get the ball rolling. When you consider his legacy to the city, you think that something should be done.

"If anybody deserves an honour like this, it's Mackintosh. There's still an enormous degree of interest in him and his works."

Mackintosh was born in Glasgow in 1868 and died in London in 1928.

Mackintosh 100, a Homecoming Scotland programme to showcase the lasting legacy of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, was unveiled last month, and will feature more than 100 events including exhibitions, workshops, talks and tours.

George Square's current statues include Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns and Queen Victoria, but also some people who have largely been forgotten by history, including chemist Thomas Graham, who coined the term dialysis nearly 150 years ago, and James Oswald, a Glasgow MP in the early 19th century.

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VICKY RYAN, 18, student, Glasgow: It would make sense for there to be a statue of Charles Rennie Mackintosh - after all, he did a lot for this city. His work has brought loads of tourists to Glasgow which is a great thing.	LISA ANDERSON, 19, sales assistant, Glasgow: It's a bit stupid there isn't a statue already. If you look about George Square you don't really know who most of the statues are of, yet Mackintosh is very well known.	CHRIS MILLER, 24, accountant, Cumbernauld: There should be a statue of Mackintosh as he is a well-known figure in Glasgow and his designs have brought a lot of visitors to the city. It sound like a great idea.	STEVEN HEEPS, 27, accountant, Glasgow: A statue would be well worth the money as a lot of good has come from his designs. It would be another great attraction for visitors.