10 PHOENIX BUILDINGS

Ten historically important buildings rescued through renovation projects

1. Govan Town Hall Govan Town Hall was designed by architects Thomson and Sandilands and completed in 1899. Its elaborate Beaux-Arts design was inspired by Sandiland’s training in Paris. It fell into disrepair in the 1990s but with its 13m-high roofs and abundance of small rooms, it was identified as an ideal film and television facility. During renovations, handwritten minutes from meetings in the 1930s and 40s were discovered. It’s now home to Film City Glasgow and media companies.

2. The Clydeside Distillery Chairman Tim Morrison’s own great grandfather helped build the Queen’s Dock which was crucial to Glasgow’s whisky export trade. In what Tim describes as ‘an emotional coincidence’ he quickly realised that there was a bigger story to tell and the distillery became about so much more than whisky.

3. Merchant City Once home to Glasgow’s fruit, veg and cheese markets, this is one of the city’s oldest quarters, dating back to 1750. The area fell into disrepair in the 1960s. Glasgow City Council stepped in, and after a major regeneration project that began in the 1980s, it is now filled with trendy shops and restaurants, plus a gin spa and underground casino. It’s also home to historic landmarks such as the Tolbooth Steeple.

4. Hutcheson’s Hall Built between 1802 and 1805, this Grade A listed building was originally a hospital. It lay empty from 2008 to 2014 after it suffered storm damage. However, renovations took place in 2010, which involved replacing the roof and repainting the building’s exterior. It is now the home of Hutcheson’s City Grill, offering a selection of steak and seafood in opulent surroundings.

5. Britannia Panopticon Known to locals as the ‘Pots and Pans’, the world’s oldest surviving music hall has nearly all of its original features from the 1850s. Despite being a chicken farm during WW2 and then lying derelict, this historical gem has prevailed, largely thanks to Judith Bowers, founder and director of the Britannia Panopticon Music Hall Trust. Today the venue recreates historic music hall shows, featuring comedy sketches, silent films and newsreels.

6. Gartnavel Chapel – Calman Cancer Support Centre This wee hospital chapel was built in 1904-06 but fell into disrepair in the 1990s when it became surplus to NHS requirements. Work to turn it into a cancer support centre included repair and conservation of the surviving original features, including the stained glass and choir stalls. There’s also a peaceful sensory garden outside.

7. Tobacco Merchant’s House An A-listed building designed by architect John Craig for himself in 1775, this classically-styled house is the last of its kind in the Merchant City. It became the home of tobacco importer Robert Findlay, then lay derelict for a decade before being restored and renovated in 1995. It’s now home to the Glasgow Building Preservation Trust and the Scottish Civic Trust.

8. Kirkhaven Originally a church, then a hostel for homeless men, this A-listed neo-Greek-style building was once described as ‘one of the most handsome and comfortable in the city’. Built in 1858 with an impressive entrance portico, it suffered a major fire in 1996. It was left empty until 1998 when the Glasgow Building Preservation Trust began restoration work. Today the site incorporates the old church and former Wellpark School, creating the Wellpark Kirkhaven Enterprise Centre.

9. Castle Milk Stables Part of the historic Stuart Estate, this multiaward-winning building is a rare example of a grand late Georgian stable block. Now a thriving community hub after lying derelict in the 1990s. Despite losing its roof and distinctive dome, locals were adamant that it should be saved. It underwent renovation and opened in 2007, providing office space for the local housing association, a nursery and more.

10. Pollockshaws West Station Not a grand example of architecture but worth mentioning for the sheer community spirit that brought it back to life. Opened in 1848, it’s Glasgow’s oldest surviving railway station. Even though the line and station remained open, two of the buildings fell into disuse. Local charity South West Community Cycles secured funding to renovate the buildings and open a repair shop where they fix youngsters’ bikes for free and offer low-cost cycle hire.