November 29 2023

A 200-year-old Glasgow Bar is moving on from the trauma of the recent past with plans to complement the ongoing transformation of the Briggait into a cultural hub. 

The Clutha Bar is to be demolished and replaced by a new venue sitting on top of a 300-seat basement theatre and incorporating a performing arts training centre. These cultural facilities will be paid for by 144 serviced apartments stacked above.

The plans coincide with the tenth anniversary of a helicopter disaster that killed 10, with the redevelopment set to house a memorial of ten guitars to remember those who lost their lives.

The Clutha Trust, a charity formed in the aftermath of the crash by owner Alan Crossan to raise funds for local causes, is behind the venture - trailed as the only way to secure the bar's future.

Speaking to STV Crossan said: "Where we are right now is a very prominent site in Glasgow and I have been approached by a lot of developers over the years who have offered me a lot of money for the site. It will cost in excess of £20m but there are investors out there.

"The current set up was always temporary. The Clutha is through there. It has never been opened since the accident and this was a temporary arrangement with the council.”

To ensure continuity of service Crossan envisages relocating his bar to a boat on the Clyde during the 18-month build. 

21 Comments

#1 Posted by Nope on 29 Nov 2023 at 10:11 AM

Even for a very loose outline proposal, this is grossly overscaled and seemingly oblivious to the site's context. I'd suggest Alan get a decent architect onboard to draw up something at least somewhat decent.

#2 Posted by John Russell on 29 Nov 2023 at 10:37 AM

#1 I agree yet another bland glass box

#3 Posted by Pat Lally on 29 Nov 2023 at 10:44 AM

Thats utterly awful.

The theatre is tokenism to a bland cash grab.

Have a rethink.

#4 Posted by Papa piers on 29 Nov 2023 at 11:05 AM

Please rethink this big block. It’s ghastly

#5 Posted by Falconhoof on 29 Nov 2023 at 11:45 AM

Angus Millar has gotta refuse this,if he's consistent.

#6 Posted by Fat Bloke on Tour on 29 Nov 2023 at 11:46 AM

Kite flying -- vapourware to try and push the tyre kickers into making an offer.

#7 Posted by RH on 29 Nov 2023 at 12:11 PM

That would destroy the wonderful skylights in the Briggart.

Have a rethink

#8 Posted by EM0 on 29 Nov 2023 at 13:20 PM

AWFUL! Scaling terrible and it makes no reference to the curved corner position! Please drastically rethink!!

#9 Posted by Whispering Andy on 29 Nov 2023 at 14:13 PM

Whisper it.......but I love it. Brings a bit of scale to an important gateway site on the waterfront.

Cue the shouty 'social housing' brigade, who sadly know more about the Delphonics than Economics.

#10 Posted by Jimbob Tanktop on 29 Nov 2023 at 14:55 PM

Fast forward two years: the huge glass block has been reduced in size by 30% to what was wanted all along and the theatre has been quietly shelved.

#11 Posted by Ghetto King on 29 Nov 2023 at 15:07 PM

What happened to "high density city centre living is where it's at" ?
I thought you would all be happy.

#12 Posted by town planner on 29 Nov 2023 at 16:26 PM

The Scottish groundscraper has now turned into an actual box.
This needs to be taller, more slender, and dare I say elegant with an interesting design. How about that?

#13 Posted by Shatner's Bassoon on 29 Nov 2023 at 16:29 PM

The Borg called, they want their cube back.

#14 Posted by Gordon on 29 Nov 2023 at 16:40 PM

As presented...very silly. Cracking site for a beautiful building. How we miss the likes of Carlo Scarpa!

#15 Posted by spike on 29 Nov 2023 at 16:47 PM

yes, this proposal needs a rethink for this prominent site

#16 Posted by Monica on 29 Nov 2023 at 22:45 PM

Why are designers not named?!? This site deserves better. I’m all for considered, decent development, but pray this is not given a green light.

#17 Posted by Pat Lally on 30 Nov 2023 at 10:35 AM

Correct Monica - name and shame the "designers" behind this.

#18 Posted by Lovely on 1 Dec 2023 at 09:47 AM

The site is not at all square so how does this very square peg even fit in that hole? Loving the pile on in the comments meantime- totally deserved.

#19 Posted by E=mc2 on 1 Dec 2023 at 13:25 PM

Is that not the Premier Inn at Charing Cross?

#20 Posted by GMan on 1 Dec 2023 at 15:51 PM

Glasgow looks like it's fast becoming a tribute act for the 80's pop chart band; Living in a Box. Not just cardboard to live in, glass too! What a blob to stick next to all that old stuff, makes the old stuff obsolete and ripe for a fire to build more glass or cardboard boxes.

#21 Posted by GMan on 1 Dec 2023 at 18:48 PM

Let's be obviously fair here, it bears no relation or connection to its neighbours in way of aesthetics, scale or detail. Its hardly Kingston Bridge, it's a dead railway bridge at that site, killed off in the days when industrial decline and the socially-changing loss of footprint brutialist transistion was boast-worthy to carry the prospect of an unfounded utopian future. As most of us know, it lies redundant like most of the disused infrastructure in and around Glasgow some 60-70 years 'down the line'. Not surprised this is being laughed at and in receipt of the criticism it deserves.

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