This structure was once the O2 ABC, Glasgow’s only mid-size music venue that has seen the likes of Paolo Nutini, Lewis Capaldi, and Arctic Monkeys play on its stage.
The building has played an important role in Glasgow’s social culture since 1875. It has been a cinema, dance hall, ice rink, and even a circus.
Its inside was destroyed during the Glasgow School of Art fire in 2018 and has been derelict ever since.
The council has now issued a dangerous buildings notice to the owners for it to be demolished by 9 December which is now taking place.
However, campaigners are calling for the framed art deco structure to be saved.
They’re arguing it is an important part of Glasgow architecture, originally designed by CJ McNair, and should be salvaged for its cultural and historic significances.
The idea would be that whatever is put in its place, which looks likely to be student accommodation, that the building design is shaped around this front.
The entire site is set to be completely stripped.
The building has played an important role in Glasgow’s social culture since 1875. It has been a cinema, dance hall, ice rink, and even a circus.
Its inside was destroyed during the Glasgow School of Art fire in 2018 and has been derelict ever since.
The council has now issued a dangerous buildings notice to the owners for it to be demolished by 9 December which is now taking place.
However, campaigners are calling for the framed art deco structure to be saved.
They’re arguing it is an important part of Glasgow architecture, originally designed by CJ McNair, and should be salvaged for its cultural and historic significances.
The idea would be that whatever is put in its place, which looks likely to be student accommodation, that the building design is shaped around this front.
The entire site is set to be completely stripped.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Really historic, I really like it. I love the vibe of the old and the new coming together.
00:05It's a shame, it's a beautiful art deco building, it was a concert hall for really good gigs like Fugazi, all these classic bands.
00:15I think it's not only architecture, it's also culture and it's historic as you say it.
00:19And walking around I see a lot of buildings that are either shut down and not being taken care of, so it's a shame.
00:27Honestly, you see worldwide that people use these buildings as they are and they turn it into something new without demolishing them.
00:33It's a shame we're going to lose a beautiful historic building and a venue.
00:38The venue would supply customers to all the streets after the gigs, nice and sleazy.
00:43Business on Suggy Hall Street is right down.
00:46And yeah, it's just a shame, it's just typical of Glasgow to not take care of its beautiful buildings and just sell the property on to developers.
00:54Especially nowadays that we're so focused in short videos, phone, everyone individually enjoying music and art.
01:02I think that community spaces, communal spaces, especially if they're historical, they should be taken care of.
01:09Like I'm saying, this band called Fugazi, they're a classic band.
01:13Bands like Tortoise, so many gigs of really good bands and artists.
01:21Bands like Meshuggah, nightclubs, I spent a lot of time in there just with cheesy nightclubs.
01:28So it was a nightclub venue for students but it was also a very good venue for gigs.
01:35It was also a cinema back in my childhood, it was a beautiful building.
01:39Yes, I'm actually staying at a hostel and its facade is still the old one but the interior is renovated.
01:44It's beautiful and I think it gives character to the city in a world where everything seems to be the same.