Rennie Mackintosh building in Glasgow to be turned into Catholic museum
A former school designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh is set to be sold by Glasgow City Council and turned into a Scottish Catholic museum.The Bishops' Conference of Scotland is expected to take over the old Martyrs' School on Parson Street in Townhead if a £250,000 deal is backed by councillors this week.It is planning to invest £1.75m in the 19th Century A-listed property to create a "public museum of Scottish Catholic archives to house artefacts and artworks", according to a council report.Although it is not the highest bid, council officials have recommended it for approval "given the overall merits".
They said the unconditional offer of £250,000 had the "benefit of certainty, being a cash offer and not being subject to any suspensive conditions".Two other bids met the same criteria but were for commercial letting of workshop space, with some public exhibition space, and their occupation was "not guaranteed".
'Architectural and cultural significance'
Ruairi Kelly, the council's convener for housing and development, said the plan was "great news for an important piece of Glasgow's built heritage"."Without marketing this building, we would not have found such a positive outcome that not only secures investment but opens it to the public," he said in a social media post.The three-storey school building was designed for the School Board of Glasgow by Charles Rennie Mackintosh while he was an assistant at architectural firm Honeyman and Keppie and was completed in 1898.It is of "considerable architectural and cultural significance, being one of the earlier buildings attributed to Mackintosh", the council report added.Used as a school and college until the early 1970s, the building has since been an arts centre and council offices.The Bishops' Conference of Scotland's plan for the property also includes some office space, and "proposes to link the subject to their existing ownership on the opposite side of the street" (St Mungo's RC Church).Marketing of the building began in October last year after it had been sitting empty for "a considerable time". Five compliant bids were received by the closing date in March this year.The council report added: "It is proposed the subject will undergo a sensitive restoration and will have the prospect of a meaningful future as part of its local community."Reporting by Local Democracy journalist Drew Sandelands.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
42 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Savings, shares, houses and inheritance... this is how Rachel Reeves plans to mount a series of damaging tax raids on Middle England: DANIEL HANNAN
We are reduced to eating the seed corn. There is no other way to describe hiking taxes when they are already at a 70-year high, when the economy is flatlining and when the Government is adding more than £100 billion a year to our national debt. Raising taxes even further is an act of desperation. It is a way for ministers to get their hands on a chunk of revenue at the expense of maiming the private sector and, in due course, getting less revenue while impoverishing ordinary workers.
Rhyl Journal
an hour ago
- Rhyl Journal
Luxury UK car makers hit by ‘multiple geopolitical headwinds'
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said companies such as Aston Martin, McLaren and Morgan are having to cope with volatile trading conditions, decarbonisation rules and production cost pressures. The study found the total turnover of the UK's high-value, small-volume manufacturers in 2024 was more than £5.5 billion, with around nine in 10 of their vehicles shipped overseas. They were responsible for just 4% of the UK's car production, but accounted for 12% of its value. In excess of 15,000 people are employed in high-skilled, well-paid jobs by the companies, the SMMT found. The report stated: 'The UK's small volume manufacturers face a series of challenges … (which) threaten competitiveness and growth.' SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: 'Britain's luxury, performance and niche vehicle makers are exemplars of automotive design, engineering and manufacturing – and a quintessential British success story. 'Government rightly recognises the importance of these high-value and iconic brands to the UK economy and, amid multiple geopolitical headwinds, the industry is looking to work together to ensure the sector can not just survive but thrive. 'A successful sector would deliver the economic growth, well-paid jobs and exports that Government craves, helping keep Britain firmly on the global automotive map.' Industry minister Sarah Jones, said: 'Our luxury automotive manufacturers are iconic British brands recognised worldwide, and this report rightly highlights the huge contribution they make to the UK economy. 'We're ensuring our carmakers go from strength to strength as we deliver our Plan for Change, and we've already secured landmark trade deals with the US and India, which will cut tariffs for the sector and create new export opportunities. 'Our modern industrial strategy will set out a long-term plan to support our manufacturers, including by creating the right conditions for increased investment, bringing growth, jobs and opportunities to every part of the UK.' The UK-US trade deal was confirmed in a call between Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump on May 8. It included American tariffs on UK cars being 10% for the first 100,000 vehicles exported. Mr Trump had previously set the tariff rate on car exports to the US at 27.5%.
Glasgow Times
an hour ago
- Glasgow Times
Luxury UK car makers hit by ‘multiple geopolitical headwinds'
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said companies such as Aston Martin, McLaren and Morgan are having to cope with volatile trading conditions, decarbonisation rules and production cost pressures. The study found the total turnover of the UK's high-value, small-volume manufacturers in 2024 was more than £5.5 billion, with around nine in 10 of their vehicles shipped overseas. They were responsible for just 4% of the UK's car production, but accounted for 12% of its value. In excess of 15,000 people are employed in high-skilled, well-paid jobs by the companies, the SMMT found. The report stated: 'The UK's small volume manufacturers face a series of challenges … (which) threaten competitiveness and growth.' SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: 'Britain's luxury, performance and niche vehicle makers are exemplars of automotive design, engineering and manufacturing – and a quintessential British success story. 'Government rightly recognises the importance of these high-value and iconic brands to the UK economy and, amid multiple geopolitical headwinds, the industry is looking to work together to ensure the sector can not just survive but thrive. 'A successful sector would deliver the economic growth, well-paid jobs and exports that Government craves, helping keep Britain firmly on the global automotive map.' Industry minister Sarah Jones, said: 'Our luxury automotive manufacturers are iconic British brands recognised worldwide, and this report rightly highlights the huge contribution they make to the UK economy. 'We're ensuring our carmakers go from strength to strength as we deliver our Plan for Change, and we've already secured landmark trade deals with the US and India, which will cut tariffs for the sector and create new export opportunities. 'Our modern industrial strategy will set out a long-term plan to support our manufacturers, including by creating the right conditions for increased investment, bringing growth, jobs and opportunities to every part of the UK.' The UK-US trade deal was confirmed in a call between Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump on May 8. It included American tariffs on UK cars being 10% for the first 100,000 vehicles exported. Mr Trump had previously set the tariff rate on car exports to the US at 27.5%.
