December 12 2019

The Egyptian Halls in Glasgow has been recognised as being among the seven most endangered buildings in Europe after finding itself on an ignominious shortlist of 14 at risk buildings compiled by heritage organisation Europa Nostra.

Draped in scaffolding for the past decade the A-listed landmark was designed by Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson has been mired in a long-running dispute between its owners and the city council over public funding for its restoration.

Now the Alexander Thomson Trust have until March to make the case for a spot in the final seven which, if successful, would see the Union Street site will play host to a delegation from Europa Nostra who would review its current condition and will work with relevant parties to help break the logjam.

The society recently revealed the results of an open competition to reimagine the historic warehouse as an art gallery, community centre, museum or school.

An online petition urging action from Glasgow City Council has drawn over 1,000 signatories after the authority threatened enforcement action.

21 Comments

#1 Posted by Partick Bateman on 12 Dec 2019 at 12:53 PM

This really needs a US Senate style hearing where everyone involved in the whole fiasco, or at least the ones still alive, can get publicly hauled over the coals for their abject failures to act.
I think blaming private owners will in the long run get us nowhere as we know what motivates them and we have to accept that as a fact of life.
It's really current and previous Councils and Governments that need to answer questions. This isn't one bad decision but 40 years of consciously deciding not to do anything, all the time lying to the public.

#2 Posted by DEREK SOUTER on 12 Dec 2019 at 15:12 PM

Patrick, here and now can i state for the record the owners have been calling for a CPO Review since 2002. And go skim through on www.egyptianhalls.co.uk

Why has GCC’s “it will only delay your scheme by a few months” become 300+ months and TEN times the original £3M cost?

http://www.egyptianhalls.co.uk/assets/files/2409-2019%20-GCC's%20Feb%201998%20CPO%20Amendment%20will%20cause%20a%20300+%20month%20delay-WHY!.pdf

AND

Why did the 1996 Egyptian Halls CPO fail?

http://www.egyptianhalls.co.uk/assets/files/1609-%202019%20UPDATED%20Egyptian%20Halls%20Briefing%20Note.pdf

AND

A Request to Review the failure of Joined Up Government is requested again

http://www.egyptianhalls.co.uk/assets/files/%20The%20Egyptian%20Halls-%20A%20review%20of%20the%20Failure%20of%20Joined%20up%20Government%201998-2018%20.pdf

#3 Posted by DEREK SOUTER on 12 Dec 2019 at 15:14 PM

And link to the 2011 petition with over 8,000 signatories that was just plain and simply shelved/ignored/sidelined by in no particular order GCC, HS, Culture Minister, Finance Minister- them all!

http://www.egyptianhalls.co.uk/assets/files/E-HALLS%208000+%20PETITiON%20SUMMARY%202011.pdf

#4 Posted by DEREK SOUTER on 12 Dec 2019 at 15:16 PM

For a simple summary of Facts V Falsehoods
log to

http://www.egyptianhalls.co.uk/assets/files/0304-2019%20The%20Egyptian%20Halls%20FACTS%201980-2019.pdf

#5 Posted by David on 12 Dec 2019 at 15:50 PM

Derek Souter,
You are now a participating factor in the continued deterioration of this building. It has been in your possession for many years now, either develop it or sell it to someone who has the funds to do so. Your continued obsession with bringing up past difficulties is only allowing the building to become even more dilapidated. The time for discussion and debating is over, the redevelopment must get moving before it is too late. And I don't know why your company expects the government, local or national, to heavily subsidise a private venture, a hotel is not a public building such as a gallery, museum or library. Quite frankly, there is very little public sympathy for you or your company. If anything happens to this building on your watch, the Scottish public will never forgive you, and you will have to live with a beloved building being lost under YOUR responsibility. Act now or sell up to someone who can.

#6 Posted by Partick Bateman on 12 Dec 2019 at 16:20 PM

Thanks for the reply. And it's heartening to see how angry you are about this.
I'd be a lot happier if this whole issue was removed from GCC and passed to the Government. I noticed a story in the Courier back in 2017, where you asked the Culture Secretary to get involved. Did you ever hear anything back on this? Or anyone else from the Government for that matter?
I also think this is a much wider problem that just Egyptian Halls. We need a better solution for protecting our historic buildings and given recent history in Glasgow, I'd prefer to see that done at a national level.

BTW - The names Partick, not Patrick. No offense taken.

#7 Posted by Chris on 12 Dec 2019 at 18:30 PM

Well said, David.

#8 Posted by Billy on 12 Dec 2019 at 18:46 PM

Whoever is responsible for the delays need to find new employment..Too much dithering and not enough getting on with bringing the building back into use. Is it only Glasgow where this happens?

#9 Posted by Daniel on 13 Dec 2019 at 05:47 AM

#5 totally agree.

#10 Posted by DEREK SOUTER on 13 Dec 2019 at 11:37 AM

David

More than happy to answer any questions once you have looked at the web site/downloads.

Partick

Various Culture Ministers have been asked to tour /inspect for the past 17 years, all have been tooooooooooo busy. And in fact 2002-2004 then First Minister McConnell asked GCC's Lord Provost to explain the scheme delays. GCC DRS then failed to tell their own Lord Provost the truth!!! All on file, all being ignored by GCC-Scot Govt.

#11 Posted by modernish on 13 Dec 2019 at 11:43 AM

Dear Mr Souter,
Cough up to repair YOUR building or step aside and let someone else clear up the mess you've left at your backside.
Ideally before another winter takes it toll.
Best wishes

#12 Posted by David 2 on 13 Dec 2019 at 15:11 PM

Let's stop regurgitating historic tit for tat and face the facts;

The building is privately owned, and is crumbling to bits. Within a few years it will need to be demolished (maybe that's the owner's end game?) unless something is done.

The owner needs to either secure the buildings future himself or sell it. End of story.

Scandalous.

#13 Posted by Darren on 13 Dec 2019 at 18:32 PM

Funny that. Derek claims to have loads of evidence which is how those alien abductees present their case...
Sell up Derek it's past embarrassing. The council trying to improve the public realm have left the area at your scaffold - how much money for you make off the adverts? - and it's a midden of cracked slabs and beggers. Well done!

#14 Posted by David 2 on 13 Dec 2019 at 22:51 PM

CPO NOW!!!...or I guarantee the current owner will let this building ROT

#15 Posted by 3CPO on 14 Dec 2019 at 10:07 AM

Can the GCC City Urbanist get involved and broker a solution?

#16 Posted by IndyNoo on 14 Dec 2019 at 10:12 AM

This is the problem with Glasgow. Whereas other users think that investment solves everything - here you have a magnificent building falling into disrepair due to the incompetency of the Local Government and the greediness of the owner. Take it off their ill-equipped hands and let someone from Edinburgh sort out this mess. Shocking.

#17 Posted by David on 15 Dec 2019 at 23:10 PM

#16, someone from Edinburgh? Yes because projects there are always delivered on time and on budget...a really competent bunch.

#18 Posted by Egbert on 16 Dec 2019 at 10:31 AM

#5 Hear hear.

#19 Posted by monkey9000 on 16 Dec 2019 at 12:22 PM

I wish this section had GIF compatibility

#20 Posted by Drumchapel McCabe on 16 Dec 2019 at 14:58 PM

Send them back to Egypt

BTW the names Drumchapel

#21 Posted by IndyNoo on 18 Dec 2019 at 07:49 AM

"#17, someone from Edinburgh? Yes because projects there are always delivered on time and on budget...a really competent bunch."

Perhaps not always - but they certainly seem to care more about nationally important buildings in Edinburgh than in Glasgow. This decay and stubbornness would not be allowed to happen - it is an absolute travesty and all parties need to get their act together, lest we are sure to see another convenient fire.

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