Shut for four years... but ‘useless’ council chiefs delay opening of Burrell Collection
SIX OF ITS HISTORIC HIGHLIGHTS
COUNCIL chiefs have been branded ‘useless’ after it emerged that the world-famous Burrell Collection will not reopen on schedule after a £66 million refurbishment.
Former Lord Provost of Glasgow Alex Mosson also condemned the ‘excuses’ given by the city council for the delays.
The council’s museum operator Glasgow Life has quietly slipped a new reopening date of 2021 onto its website after originally telling the public that next year was the date.
The collection, in Pollok Park, has been closed since 2016 to allow more space to be created for the artworks donated by shipping magnate Sir William Burrell.
Mr Mosson said: ‘The only word I can think of that sums up this council is useless. They could not run a menodge. I’ve been told they are giving the weather as an excuse, saying they do not want to open in the middle of winter. They are saying they want to wait for the sun in 2021. All I can say is that they may be in for a long wait.’
Glasgow Life insists there has been no delay as a result of construction work on the building. It also claims the project will be delivered ‘on time and on budget’.
Yet the 2020 reopening date has now been put back until the following year, apparently because poor weather may put off visitors.
A spokesman said: ‘The reopening is a significant milestone for Glasgow and a huge opportunity to position it not only as one of Scotland’s greatest cultural assets but equally [as] one of the great art museums of the world.
‘We’re developing a reopening programme that will allow us to engage fully with the diverse audiences the Burrell is intended for.
‘This will include preview events for our key partners, stakeholders and the community before we reveal it to the wider public.
‘We’re planning for spring 2021 to avoid the winter weather and to provide the best possible experience for all of our visitors while ensuring the collection receives the fullest recognition of its cultural importance to the city.’ At the same time, Glasgow Life confirmed it has not yet reached its fundraising target of £66 million, though it is ‘confident’ it will.
Mr Mosson said: ‘The excuse about the weather is, frankly, ridiculous. People have been visiting the Burrell in winter for more than 30 years.
‘This council has made so many blunders, the delayed reopening of this artistic jewel is just one more.
‘They mishandled the closure of the People’s Palace. And they are scaring people away from the city centre on Sundays by charging drivers for parking for the first time. This latest decision merely sums up my opinion of the people who run the City Chambers these days. They are useless.’
Bridget McConnell, chief executive of Glasgow Life, said: ‘Our plans are on track and I am really looking forward to seeing the building shine in the spring sunshine just two years from now.’
Sir William, born in Glasgow in 1861, started buying artwork in his teens and continued throughout his life. At its peak, his hobby cost him, on average, £20,000 a year – equivalent to around £2.4 million today.
He also set up the Glasgow International Art Exhibition in 1901.
‘This council has made so many blunders’