Campaigners call for action on Winter Gardens anniversary

Campaigners will gather in Glasgow Green tomorrow (Saturday) to throw the Winter Garden's a birthday party. The historic building is turning 124 years old but closed indefinitely in 2018 due to 'safety concerns'.

The group Friends of the People's Palace and Winter Gardens are using the special occasion to call on Glasgow City Council to restore and reopen the landmark.

They plan on wrapping the building with a yellow ribbon and are encouraging people to come along for cake and write a birthday card with a message to Glasgow City Council, which will be left on the fence.

The group has been campaigning for the historic building to be 'repaired, restored and re-opened’ since it was closed.

There will also be live music and cake to mark the occasion.

Elspeth King is the chair of the Friends of the People's Palace and Winter Gardens group and told Clyde News: “We are determined to see the building repaired, renewed, and restored so future generations can enjoy it.

"Last year we had a musical celebration in the sunshine. In 2020, we celebrated inside the museum with songs and a birthday cake. In 2019, the celebration was in West on the Green, as the Palace was closed as dangerous and in need of repair. Covid has kept it closed for most of the time since.

This year we will tie a giant yellow protest ribbon round the building. It hugs our neglected social history collection and utterly destroyed Winter Gardens. The ribbon represents drawings that shows our anger against Glasgow Life and Glasgow City Council.

"It affirms that the building and its collections belongs to the people of Glasgow and that those in power must take bold action to restore it to us. It is not for sale, not for reimagining and not for repurposing. The yellow protest ribbon represents our immediate demands that they open the doors for full access now."

A spokesman for the council said: “We are very clear in our ambition to restore the People’s Palace and Winter Gardens to its former glory and we are working hard to identify the funding required for renovations to progress.

“We are also renewing our efforts to engage with interested stakeholders on how the People’s Palace and Winter Gardens could be re-imagined as a future destination and visitor attraction.”

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