Queen’s Park Glasshouse campaigners call for public ownership guarantee after £14m Winter Gardens pledge

The campaign to save Queen’s Park Glasshouse has welcomed major investment in Glasgow’s Winter Gardens, while calling for the Southside landmark to remain council-run, free and fully accessible to the public.

Save Queen’s Park Glasshouse campaigners | Photo by Laura Vroomen

Campaigners fighting to secure the future of Queen’s Park Glasshouse have renewed their calls for investment in the building after the Scottish Government pledged up to £14 million towards restoring the People’s Palace and Winter Gardens.

The announcement comes just weeks after the Queen’s Park Glasshouse was given a reprieve from its planned August closure, following a campaign which gathered more than 13,000 signatures.

While Glasgow City Council has now said the Queen’s Park building will not be sold and will remain open and free for the time being, its longer-term future is still being worked out. The council is exploring the possibility of a partner, tenant or tenants taking over its operation.

Save Queen’s Park Glasshouse wants the council to go further, retaining responsibility for running the building as well as keeping it in public ownership.

Responding to the People’s Palace announcement, the campaign said:

“Save the Queen’s Park Glasshouse campaign welcomes the Scottish Government’s announcement of funding towards the refurbishment of the People’s Palace and restoration of the Winter Gardens. This architectural treasure and showcase of working-class culture and heritage deserves every penny that can be found for it. The Winter Gardens has been closed to the public for far too long.

“Save Queen’s Park Glasshouse Campaign now urges Glasgow City Council not just to meet the pledges it has already made, but to go further and guarantee that the Glasshouse will remain in council ownership and operation, open and fully accessible to the public.

“This is the model being adopted for the People’s Palace and Winter Gardens, and we are delighted that the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council recognise its value.

“Glasshouses serve their communities in so many important ways. With investment and restoration, Queen’s Park Glasshouse can provide a rich architectural and botanical space and a unique sensory and learning experience – a place of wonder, wellbeing and enrichment in Glasgow’s Southside.”

Where does the campaign stand now?

The future of Queen’s Park Glasshouse has been uncertain since June, when Glasgow City Council announced plans to close it in August as part of efforts to make savings in its parks budget.

The announcement prompted a major campaign across Govanhill and the wider Southside, with residents gathering signatures outside the Glasshouse, holding demonstrations and organising public meetings.

Campaigners argued that the Glasshouse is much more than a collection of plants. As well as being a historic building, it provides a warm and free indoor space, accessible toilets, opportunities for learning and somewhere for people to meet without having to spend money.

Its submission to the council includes testimony from local residents about using the Glasshouse with their children, meeting other parents there, taking school groups to learn about plants and finding somewhere warm and peaceful during difficult periods.

The campaign’s petition, which attracted more than 13,000 signatures, was heard by councillors on 13 August.

At the meeting, council officials confirmed that the Glasshouse would not be sold and would remain open and free to the public while work continues to find a sustainable future for it. The council also said it would seek funding to restore the building to an “excellent standard” and reinstate its distinctive dome.

A cross-party amendment committed the council to a public and transparent consultation, publication of feasibility studies and investment requirements, identifying potential sources of funding and meaningful community engagement.

Councillors also agreed that any future use of the building should maintain public access, with a report on its future expected within six months.

That means the immediate threat of closure has receded, but the question of who ultimately runs the Glasshouse remains unresolved.

The campaign has consistently called for it to remain a publicly owned, publicly managed and freely accessible community asset, and for no long-term decision to be taken without meaningful public consultation.

A Southside landmark

Queen’s Park Glasshouse has been part of the Southside for more than a century. Originally built as part of Glasgow’s horticultural infrastructure, its growing houses produced plants and flowers for parks across the city. It later developed into a public attraction after people pushed to be allowed inside.

Over the decades it has housed tropical plants, fish, birds, reptiles and insects, as well as a café and children’s soft play. It has also hosted weddings, music, festivals, exhibitions and community events.

The campaign argues that investment could allow the Glasshouse to play that wider role again, as a place for horticulture and learning as well as culture, community events and everyday use.

Campaign continues with sold-out fundraiser

Campaigning and fundraising are continuing while the Glasshouse’s longer-term future is decided.

On Sunday 13 September, People In Glasshouses, a fundraising night of comedy and music, will take place at The Rum Shack on Pollokshaws Road.

Hosted by comedian Josie Long, the event features Paul Black, Kim Blythe, Kathryn Joseph, Amanda Dwyer and Raheil Ahmad, with more acts to be announced. Tickets across all categories have already sold out, with waiting lists now open.

For now, Queen’s Park Glasshouse remains open and free to visit. But having succeeded in stopping its immediate closure, campaigners are now turning their attention to what happens next – and pushing for a long-term commitment to keep the Glasshouse in public hands and at the heart of the Southside.