Ex-Glasgow Life chair in save our venues call
THE former chair of Glasgow Life has called on all venues to be re-opened as soon as it is safe to do so. Archie Graham, a former deputy leader of Glasgow City Council, has put forward a motion asking councillors to back the re-opening of all 171 venues.
He also asks that any plans to close venues are halted and that the council should demand funding from the Scottish Government to protect facilities.
The Glasgow Times launched the Save our Venues campaign after we revealed that more than 70 venues were on a list of those not yet re-opening.
The list included libraries, community centres, football pitches and golf and bowls centres across the city.
Glasgow Life lost more than £40 million in the last year as a result of closures due to lockdown.
Glasgow City Council agreed to underwrite a £100m income guarantee for Glasgow Life allowing it to open around 90 venues but that meant still almost 80 would remain closed.
Mr Graham, who was chair of Glasgow Life when Labour was in control at the council, aid in the motion: “All 171 Glasgow Life venues should re-open as soon as it is safe to do so, subject to sufficient funding from the Scottish Government.”
He added: “The services provided by Glasgow Life venues are crucial for, in particular, the least well-off and most deprived communities in the city” and “the venues themselves are important in supporting local high streets.”
It concludes: “All 171 venues should re-open as soon as funding and Scottish Government guidance allow, any plans to close buildings and venues should be immediately halted and (the council) resolves to write to the Scottish Government demanding further funding to protect these valued and necessary community facilities.”
The SNP in Glasgow has said no services are planned to close.
Susan Aitken, leader of the council, writing in the Glasgow Times, said: “I know just how cherished so much of what Glasgow Life delivers is to citizens, both the actual services and where they are delivered from. And I understand the uncertainty and concern the impact of and re-emergence from Covid is generating.
“But to be clear, the closure of services is not on our agenda, politically or operationally. The impact fallout from the pandemic may be with us for some time but we will ensure our communities and our heritage do not pay the price.”
Most of the 60-plus Glasgow Life venues that are not yet scheduled to re-open are earmarked for what is labelled ‘People Make Glasgow Communities’ asset transfer programme.
Among those are 20 of the venues where Glasgow Life state “Interest has been expressed in exploring new operating models for this facility through People Make Glasgow Communities.”
In a handful of venues, including Alexandra Park bowls and golf, St Mungo Museum, Glasgow National Hockey Centre, Maryhill Tennis, Scotstoun Campus – Outdoor Hall there are discussions with a third party regarding taking on the operational management.
A spokesperson for Glasgow Life said: “The global pandemic continues to have an impact on everything we do but we continue to discuss with Glasgow City Council options that would support the reopening of more of the venues Glasgow Life previously operated.
“Income remains very low and the number of people we can welcome into venues is restricted by social distancing. The £100m safety net provided by Glasgow City Council is being used to the full to re-open more than 90 venues.”