Insurers will foot bill for art school repairs, says report
THE tax-paying public may not be responsible for the cost of repairs and restoration at Glasgow School of Art’s Mackintosh building after June’s devastating fire.
A report in The Insurance Insider has revealed that the construction market is facing a loss of about £100million from the blaze earlier this summer.
Travellers Syndicate 5000 have been named as the lead insurer on the “all risks” policy while Talbot and StarStone have also been named as carrying risk.
The policy was taken out in 2014 by contractors Keir after rebuilding work started following a previous fire that year.
A Glasgow School of Art spokeswoman said: “The shoring scaffolding on the east gable and south east corner of the building, which is a critical part of the work to make these areas safe, is less than a week away from completion.
“After this we hope very much that Glasgow City Council will reduce the size of the security cordon allowing people on Dalhousie Street and Sauchiehall Street to return to their homes and businesses.”
She added that there could still be additional fund-raising but the GSA’s focus “remains firmly on making the building stable and allowing local residents and workers to return”.
Both the Scottish and UK governments have offered their support in restoring the Mackintosh building.
A fire service investigation is currently under way but questions remain over the rapid spread of the flames during the blaze.
Despite this, sources say that the likelihood of legal action arising from these issues was “remote”.
The building had been due to reopen in 2019 after work had taken place for almost four years.
Glasgow North East MP Paul Sweeney added that it was “reassuring” that insurance will cover the majority of the capital cost of reconstruction.
It comes after the Evening Times revealed residents displaced by the fire are ‘preparing for the worst’ when they are finally able to return home next month.
Concerns have been raised that houses within the cordon could have been damaged or ransacked after their doors were kicked in by emergency services.
It is believed the doors were destroyed by firefighters ensuring that no one was left behind when the streets were evacuated. A subsequent security breach is thought to have then led to police kicking them in again.
Glasgow City Council drafted in vacant property management firm Orbis to board up the damaged doors who later billed tenants for the damage.
Residents are also facing increasing financial hardship as the £3,000 statutory payment the council made under the Housing Scotland Act 2001 has dwindled.
letters@ eveningtimes. co.uk or
on Facebook or Twitter
A provisional timeline of between the 21 August and 1 September has been given to residents as a possible ‘move in’ date but council bosses say no date has been set.
Adrian Nairn, of the Garnethill Displaced Residents Group, said there has been ‘rumours’ circulating that homes within the cordon have been looted.
He added: “No one knows what to expect. We’ve advised everyone to take pictures when they get in to make sure there is documentation of any damage.”
A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said: “We’re not aware of any break-ins. The council’s first priority is to get people back to their homes and businesses safely.”