More smoke and mirrors at The Mack

Taxpayers’ give £10m to art school but none goes on repairing fire damage

None of the £ 10 million of taxpayers’ money given to Glasgow School of Art after a devastating fire in 2014 was spent repairing the damage done by the blaze, we can reveal.

Insurance money paid for the restoration of the fire- damaged west wing of the iconic Mackintosh building, with millions of pounds given in public donations and government support going to refurbish the undamaged east wing and help fund a campus expansion plan announced two years after the blaze.

The art school is facing mounting pressure after a Sunday Post investigation last week exposed how insurance money repaired the fire damage despite supporters being urged to donate to “restore The Mack”.

A £ 5 million payment from Westminster was given to the art school to help buy Stow College as part of the campus plans but another £5m meant to help repair the Mackintosh building was never handed over because the art school could not convince the Treasury it was needed.

How e v e r, the Scottish Government did give the art school £ 5m, originally promised to rebuild the world-famous building in Glasgow designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

Then Fi r s t Mi n i s t e r Alex Salmond promised the money four days after the blaze in 2014 when the Scottish Government announced “funds raised to restore the Glasgow School of Art’s firedamaged Mackintosh building to

its former glory will be matched by the Scottish Government.”

However, on Friday, the Scottish Government said the money was spent refurbishing parts of the building untouched by the fire.

MSPS yesterday joined growing calls for a public inquiry to establish exactly how and where the money was raised and spent.

Claire Baker, Scottish Labour’s culture spokeswoman, is to write to the government demanding answers over the donation.

She said: “I welcome The Sunday Post’s investigative work on this issue and I am writing to the Scottish Government to demand a full explanation of the money they committed.

“Whether intended or not, the clear impression given at the time was that £ 5m was for restoration costs, and the Scottish Government needs to explain why its support was diverted to other work and, given recent events, if it is still confident it was an appropriate use of public money.”

About 10% of the historic building was destroyed after a student’s art project ignited on May 23, 2014, including the famous wood-panelled library.

On May 27, 2014, Mr Salmond said: “The Mack is an extraordinary building. It is an architectural gem and the artistic heart of Glasgow. It can and will be restored, and everything that can be done must be done to deliver this.

“That is why the Scottish Government is committed to providing an appropriate level of financial support and we will, in the first instance, provide up to £ 5m match- funding for the GSA’S Mackintosh Building Fire Appeal.”

A press release added: “This funding will be in addition to any longer-term funding requirements for building recovery and restoration, and which will be supported

‘

Whether intended or not, the clear impression given at the time was that £5m was for restoration costs

by the Scottish Government and its agencies following full evaluation of insurance liability.”

Last week, The Sunday Post revealed how a global fundraising campaign, stressing the need to restore the fire- damaged Mackintosh building, was under scrutiny after the school collected around £50m from insurers.

At least £ 20m was donated to help the school but, two years after the fire, management announced a huge expansion plan aimed at increasing the number of students – many from overseas and paying