A protest group has disrupted the grand reopening of The Burrell Collection following its five-year £69m revamp.
Glasgow Against Closures unfurled banners outside the main entrance to the museum in Pollok Park shortly after it opened its doors to the public at 10am this morning.
Banners and signage read things like 'Winter Gardens next restore the People's Palace', 'Save our community centres' and '£68m bung for the Burrell, pennies for the People's Palace' please.
The protest was marked by chants of 'millions for the Burrell, hee-haw for the rest' as members of the public walked by to enter the museum.
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Glasgow Against Closures say that while they are delighted to see Glasgow Life and Glasgow City Council investing in The Burrell Collection, they are also angered to see other city museums and cultural assets threatened with closure.
Fatima Uygun of Glasgow against Closures told Glasgow Live: "We've come here today to the Burrell to protest really the priority that's given to fantastic museums such as the Burrell while other parts of our historic culture and buildings heritage are left to rot.
"There's no plan for Glasgow, it seems like the big tourist attractions get all the money while so many heritage and historic buildings in our communities are left to rot, whether it's our community centres or whether our historic People's Palace and Winter Gardens in Glasgow Green, which had over 70,000 people signing a petition to save it. All ignored.
"It seems as if we don't protest, we don't win. We were really inspired by the Save Our Libraries campaign and their tireless fight week after week and didn't take the nonsense that there isn't enough money to heart. They protested and actually got their libraries reopened and invested in. So protest matters, and protest works."
Jim Monaghan of Glasgow against Closures added: "26 out of 27 of community centres remain closed, and we are seeing millions spent on this [The Burrell Collection]. To us that's shocking because the community centres are the very lifeblood of the city.
"Things like this are brilliant and we should have this in Glasgow, but community centres are what brings people together and are the heart of our communities and Glasgow Life are spending nothing on that.
"We celebrate this [The Burrell Collection], we want this for everyone. But the Museum Of Religious Life is still closed, the People's Palace and Winter Gardens is still closed as are some of our libraries and football centres. It's important to us that Glasgow invests in its culture and heritage but that it doesn't nitpick and go for the big tourist ones.
"This is great for the press and dignitaries to come and have their champagne receptions at the Burrell but it doesn't do anything for Govanhill or Ruchill."
On learning the protest was due to take place, a spokesperson for Glasgow Life said: “Of the £68.25m capital investment for The Burrell Collection, £33m has been funded by Glasgow City Council while Glasgow Life’s charitable status has enabled a very successful fundraising campaign which has raised £8m. The rest of the costs have been met by generous contributions from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and the Scottish and UK Governments, and reflects funding that would not have been available for projects other than The Burrell.
“From 2016 until 2022, during the period The Burrell Collection has been closed for refurbishment, Glasgow City Council has invested more than £89m in maintaining and upgrading venues and facilities managed by Glasgow Life, and this is over and above the £33m for The Burrell.
“The Council’s 2022/23 budget has also allocated an additional £1.75m to support the reopening of more community venues across the city, as well as St Mungo’s Museum and Provand’s Lordship. At the same time, the Council has committed £2.9m to support the restoration of the People’s Palace and Winter Gardens in the next financial year.
“This is positive and welcome news for Glasgow Life and represents a significant commitment to ensuring the people of Glasgow can continue to access our much-needed and highly valued services and venues in their local communities, whilst also ensuring a sustainable future for many of the city’s invaluable heritage assets.”
