Stop the demolition of Scotland's oldest surviving multi-storey car park!

Owners Arnold Clark want to demolish the Category B-listed Botanic Gardens Garage in the West End of Glasgow to put flats on the site. These highly destructive plans are now being considered by Glasgow City Council. To stop this from happening local residents have now launched a campaign to prevent the demolition - a public meeting will be held at Hillhead Library at 7.30pm on 9 August.

Built in 1912 by David V. Wyllie, with a striking coloured tiled frontage, it is known to be the oldest surviving custom-built garage in Glasgow, and research has uncovered evidence to suggest that it might also be the earliest listed multi-storey car park anywhere in Britain. The garage is one of the buildings included in the information about glasgow west end architecture on the Glasgow West End website.

Eva Branscome of the Twentieth Century Society said:

"This has confirmed our initial assessment that the building is indeed exceptionally rare if not unique within a UK-wide context. It is an important survivor from the earliest days of automobile history and a forefather of the multi-story car parks we know today. In light of the rarity of this building we are considering requesting that Historic Scotland assess this building for a possible upgrading to Category A."

Campaigners are asking that guidance from Historic Scotland on the demolition of a historic building be followed. The three tests that need to be met include an assessment of the building's importance, its physical condition, and the potential for alternative use.

Local resident and campaign supporter Gordon Barr said:

"It's national policy that no listed building should be demolished unless it has been proved that every effort has been made to save it - for example, there is a requirement to provide written evidence that the building has been advertised for sale without success before it could be considered for demolition. This has not been done here: these tests have not been met."

Sam Maddra, who initiated the campaign, commented:

"It is remarkable that this beautiful building has been in continual use as a garage from its opening ninety-five years ago until 2006. This is an amazing building from a time when there was phenomenal wealth in Glasgow and cars were still a real luxury - this is part of Glasgow's story. We should be proud of our history, and the council should do all that they can to preserve and celebrate it. We need to embrace our rich cultural heritage and think more creatively about what to do with buildings that can no longer be used for what they were originally built for. Even if this can no longer be a garage, this excellent structure could be adapted for many other uses. In London there is a Conran restaurant in a former parking garage, it is an immensely popular place to go to. We need to be doing this kind of thing here. Demolition should not be an option."

Public meeting on Thursday, 9th August 2007 at 7.30pm, in Hillhead Library, Byres Road. Invited speakers and film screening. All Welcome.

Save the Botanic Gardens Garage webpages at: www.myspace.com/botanicgardensgarage

Contact for Save The Botanic Gardens Garage press officer:
Sam Maddra or telephone: 0141 334 0855