Winter Gardens to close for £5m repair programme

One of Glasgow's most popular venues for weddings and events is to close because of safety concerns.

The Winter Gardens on Glasgow Green needs at least £5m worth of repairs and will shut indefinitely at the end of the year.

Glasgow City Council said it was working on ways to ensure the adjoining People's Palace museum stays open.

A council spokesman said it had not been accepting bookings for 2019 at the gardens for some time.

BBC Scotland understands it is therefore unlikely that any weddings will be affected.

All existing bookings until the end of the year will still be honoured.

On a previous occasion when the gardens were closed, the council made arrangements to move scheduled events to another location.

The council said the building was not currently dangerous but it said repairs would be necessary to ensure its future.

A spokesman said: "The Winter Gardens will unfortunately have to close at the end of this year, due to concerns about the safety of the structure beyond that point.

"We are currently working on options to allow the People's Palace to remain open independently of the gardens.

"At this stage, we do not know how long the Winter Gardens will remain closed.

"However, we estimate that investment of between £5m and £7.5m will be required to make it safe for public use."

The council said it was examining how both the People's Palace and the Winter Gardens were used.

The spokesman added: "The aim is to secure a sustainable, long-term future for an iconic building in one of the city's most loved spaces.

"A full report of the plans will be submitted to elected members and the relevant committee in due course."

There is no problem with the People's Palace building itself but the gardens are used as a fire escape. That means alternatives may need to be found.

Set on Glasgow Green, the People's Palace and Winter Gardens, which opened in 1898, are popular with locals and tourists alike.

The palace tells the story of Glasgow and its people from 1750 onwards through variety of artworks and artefacts.

Its attractions include comedian Billy Connolly's legendary banana boots and a single end display which recreates the cramped conditions many families endured in the 1930s.

The adjacent Winter Gardens is filled with exotic palms and plants and houses a popular cafe.