Save Our Steps!
Situated at the top of Glasgow's bustling Buchanan Street, the Royal Concert Hall steps have long offered Glasgow's residents and visitors a place to meet, eat their lunch or simply watch the world go by.
This popular public space is now under threat. Glasgow City Council has granted outline planning permission to demolish the steps and replace them with a new combined "focal point" entrance to the Buchanan Galleries shopping centre and the Royal Concert Hall.
Access to the Concert Hall for people with mobility problems should certainly be improved. But this could be done without getting rid of the steps and building an enormous Buchanan-branded doorway to the shopping centre!
This plan is part of a larger scheme to expand Buchanan Galleries, which would also involve building a multi-storey car park on top of Buchanan Bus Station!
Vibrant public spaces like the Concert Hall steps are a vital part of city life. They are where we feel like citizens, not consumers or workers. They don't make anyone money - they just make us happy.
For far too long Glasgow City Council has put commerical interests above the public interest. They turned George Square from a much-loved civic space into a run-down venue for private enterprise.
But other Council-backed plans to insert private interests into precious public spaces have been defeated, such as the scheme to build a nightclub in the Botanic Gardens and a £20-a-head adventure course in Pollok Park.
The people of Glasgow are citizens first and consumers second and it's time our elected Council was reminded of this.
And the good news is, there's still time to Save Our Steps.
For the latest developments see Patrick Harvie MSP's campaign page or join our Facebook group. If you'd like to help with the campaign contact Marie Campbell.
