Art school principal resigns

THE principal of Glasgow School of Art has resigned after months of turmoil over the fire that destroyed the building in June.

Professor Tom Inns quit after it emerged the GSA had occupied part of the building “for some time” before the fire, in what was hailed as a breach of fire safety that could affect an insurance settlement if the insurer was unaware of the GSA office.

Glasgow School of Art was reportedly using an area known as the Janitor’s House inside the main building, on the opposite side of the corridor from the site office of Kier Construction.

A Glasgow School of Art spokeswoman said: “”Kier had a fire plan in place to mitigate risk in the building that had been reviewed by the GSA, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Glasgow City Council building control prior to sign off by GSA.

“GSA made sure there was 24/7 manned security.”

Experts said that neither office should have been established in the building, in line with health and safety guidelines.

A senior member of the GSA’s school of architecture said the institution should not have been able to take partial possession of the building when it had not effective fire protection.

Gordon Gibb said: “Look at the industry guidelines. No-one should be able to use a building until it is safe as a completed building.

“You cannot occupy a construction site which is inherently dangerous.”