TROPICAL STORM
Council deny MP’s claim that heating was shut off during work at attraction
A ROW has broken out over indoor plants at a tourist attraction after it shut for building works and it was claimed the heating was turned off.
The People’s Palace museum in Glasgow’s east end closed on December 30 along with the adjoining Winter Gardens, with the former expected to reopen at Easter.
MP Paul Sweeney raised concern for the gardens’ exotic plants after claims the heating had been switched off and all active maintenance halted.
He said the move would be considered “an appalling act of civic vandalism”.
But Susan Aitken, the SNP leader of Glasgow City Council, accused the Labour MP for Glasgow North East of “making things up”.
She tweeted: “The heating will stay on. The most important species have been moved to other glasshouses and the remainder will be maintained as required.”
Sweeney replied: “Not according to a senior official in the parks department I spoke to today.
“The heating has been turned down to a ‘minimal level’ and they said they won’t be maintaining remaining plants as none are regarded as of ‘horticultural value’.” Sweeney said the council had not briefed their own councillors on plans for the attraction and accused bosses of “a total lack of transparency”. The future of the Winter Gardens remains unclear, with the cost of necessary repairs estimated at between £5million and £7.5million. The council said the sealant used to secure windows in the Victorian glasshouse – where the museum’s fire escapes are located – needs to be replaced. A pane of glass fell into the public area of the building in 2016. Responding to suggestions the heating had been turned off, Glasgow City Council said: “We have not turned the heating off in the Winter Gardens and have no intentions of doing this. “We want to reassure any concerned citizens that we have already moved the plants of significant horticultural value, as previously agreed, to our other glasshouses across the city and will continue to maintain any remaining plants.”