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scallopboy · Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 5:37 pm Post subject:

Your planning applications can not harm me, my wings are like a shield of steel

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Did you call my pint a lass?

james73 · Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 1:39 pm Post subject:

1000 plan Botanics protest

UP TO 1000 people are expected to take part in a huge show of strength against
plans for a nightclub in a West End park.

They will turn out in force later this month to plant tiny flags across the Botanic
Gardens to hammer home to politicians the attraction belongs to the people
of Glasgow.

It's the latest demonstration by Save Our Botanics who are furious at the proposal
by Stefan King's G1 Group to build a restaurant, cafe/bar and club in one of the
city's best-loved green spaces.

Glasgow lawyer David Howat, chairman of Save Our Botanics, said today: "We
hope between 500 and 1000 people will take part, everyone planting their own
little flag.

"We feel very strongly that the Botanic Gardens is part of the common good'
and was given to the city of Glasgow for the benefit of everyone - which means
the council has no right to try and lease it to the G1 Group."

Mr Howat added that the flags, which will bear the Save Our Botanics logo, will be
cleared up afterwards as "we are acutely aware of the need to protect the
environment - that's why we are campaigning against this development."

The G1 Group want to spend £7million on the project with an underground nightclub
earmarked for a disused railway tunnel under the park.

Glasgow City Council granted Mr King a 99-year lease although it's understood
the terms of the agreement are currently being negotiated and the firm has yet
to submit a planning application.

The plan has sparked hundreds of objections and a 4000-name petition, which
was submitted to senior councillors last month.

James H
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Happiness ain't at the end of the road - Happiness *IS* the road...

james73 · Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 7:03 pm Post subject:

Plans for Botanic Gardens nightclub are ‘dead in the water’

Plans for a nightclub within Glasgow's Botanic Gardens are "dead in the water," The
Herald understands.

Leisure chain G1 Group has signalled its intention to walk away from the scheme.

The move follows a meeting this week with Glasgow City Council leader Steven
Purcell and comes on the back of a nine-month campaign by local activists and
cross-party political pressure.

It also follows increasingly hostile noises from the council's ruling Labour group
and local MSPs, with several figures openly breaking ranks and Mr Purcell understood
to have gone cold on the plans.

Doubts remain, however, over whether G1 will proceed with a plan to open a
bar on the site and it is still in discussion with the authority over that part of
the scheme.

But it has publicly stated that the project was only viable with the nightclub.

The withdrawal is due to be confirmed in writing within days, but was expected
by many after G1's managing director, Stefan King, failed to respond to the
council's final position regarding a lease, accusing it of changing its position.

The council demanded a shorter lease and insisted on a share of the profits
after the scheme fell into the remit of development and regeneration head
George Ryan.

The city council would neither confirm nor deny the move last night.

But a senior council source said: "Steven Purcell could have intervened in the
negotiating process but chose not to once it became obvious this wasn't the
best deal for the authority.

"It's difficult for something like this to proceed when the leader isn't convinced
any more."

Last night, those opposed to the scheme were celebrating at least a partial victory.

James H
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Happiness ain't at the end of the road - Happiness *IS* the road...

james73 · Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 4:14 pm Post subject:

1000 set to protest over Botanics club scheme

AROUND 1000 people are gearing up for a major demonstration against controversial
plans for a nightclub in Glasgow's Botanic Gardens.

Hundreds of protesters will plant tiny flags across the West End park in a bid
to assert their belief the gardens belong to the people of Glasgow and should
be safeguarded for future generations.

The protest is going ahead despite reports last week suggesting Stefan King's
G1 Group may be pulling out of the plan.

Members of pressure group Save Our Botanics are determined to thwart any
proposal to build a restaurant/cafe bar and club in one of the city's best-loved
green spaces.

James H
_________________
Happiness ain't at the end of the road - Happiness *IS* the road...

james73 · Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 6:54 pm Post subject:

Star hits out as 1000 join protest at Botanics plan

ACTOR Robert Carlyle was among more than 1000 people who staged a protest
in the Botanic Gardens to show their opposition to a plan for a nightclub in the park.

He was with his wife and children and spoke of his "anger" at the nightclub
proposal.

The star of Trainspotting and The Full Monty, who grew up on one side of
the gardens in Maryhill and now lives on the other side with his family in
Dowanhill, said: "My family and I use this park about three or four times a
week, but it's not about me, it's about the thousands of people who
regularly use the gardens.

"I am really interested in the history of Glasgow and it angers me so much
that anyone could try to claim ownership of even just one square foot of
this park; it belongs collectively to the people of this great city."

As they arrived at the gates of the gardens, a piper greeted the protesters,
while in the park the Kirkintilloch Kelvin Brass Band played as people
planted miniature flags in the plot of land where the proposed bar would be
built.

The bar and nightclub plan has met with vehement opposition across the
city since news of it emerged last year.

G1 Group, the leisure chain owned by Glasgow entrepreneur Stefan King,
initially wanted to spend £7m developing the site of a disused Victorian
railway station on the southern edge of the park into a nightclub and
cafe/bar.

Save Our Botanics, a group set up to oppose the scheme, has campaigned
against the move, but there have been reports Mr King is ready to
abandon the nightclub element of the plan.

However, it is not known if G1 still intends to create a bar on the site,
which is also opposed by Save Our Botanics.

James H
_________________
Happiness ain't at the end of the road - Happiness *IS* the road...

james73 · Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 12:32 pm Post subject:

£7m Botanics nightclub plan axed by city council

CITY council chiefs have vetoed plans for a restaurant and nightclub at the
Botanic Gardens.

Millionaire businessman Stefan King today described the decision as "a
great shame" after his G1 Group was told last night its £7million proposal
for a disused piece of ground in Glasgow's Great Western Road was being
rejected.

He had hoped to provide an underground nightclub for 400 people, a bar
and restaurant in a building identical to a former railway station which
stood on the spot.

The move had resulted in hundreds of objections from people who insisted
they did not want a nightclub in the famous gardens.

Glasgow City Council leader Steven Purcell told Mr King of the decision in a
letter after discussions with senior colleagues.

Mr King said today: "We very much regret that we have not been able to
come to a lease arrangement with the city council that is suitable to both
parties.

"It is a great shame this endeavour, which would have delivered a
fantastic asset for the city, is not proceeding."

Mr King added: "We have always had a very good relationship with
Glasgow City Council and we intend to continue working positively with the
council.

"This one just didn't happen. That's life."

Overjoyed campaigners, who have fought a long battle to stop the
development, today said the decision was a victory for "people power".

David Howat, chairman of pressure group Save Our Botanics, said: "I'm
absolutely delighted.

"This shows that if people feel really strongly and make their views known
then sometimes they will prevail."

Kelvin MSP Pauline McNeill said: "Credit is due to everyone who has been
involved in the campaign and I welcome this as the right decision."

The official confirmation of the plan being ditched comes weeks after
council sources claimed the nightclub element of the scheme was "dead in
the water."

James H
_________________
Happiness ain't at the end of the road - Happiness *IS* the road...