'Living ruin' plan for Springburn Winter Gardens nets £1.1m

Plans to restore Scotland's largest glasshouse as a "living ruin" at the heart of the local community have taken a step forward after £1.1m in funding was secured. Springburn Winter Gardens closed in 1983 following a huge storm, and the building has remained derelict ever since. However, funding from the the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund has now been confirmed, which the community trust for the glasshouse say will enable them to stabilise the building and then slowly bring it back into use. Longer term plans involve turning the structure into a hub for arts and culture, which could include a performance space, allotments and a café/bar. The glasshouse first opened in 1900 and became a popular site with multiple generations of locals, known for concerts, exhibitions and displays of exotic plants. However, the decaying site became better known in recent times as a symbol of Springburn's perceived decline. Sarah Robinson Frood has been working on the restoration plans via her Innovate Rural company, and believes the new funding grant can - quite literally - secure the building's future. She explained: "On a basic level it's going to make it accessible again and stop it falling down.