Brighter future for historic hall?

The Langside Hall Trust was set up two years ago at the suggestion that council operator Glasgow Life was interested in passing the building on.

There are plans to turn the area around the hall into a civic square, providing a focal point for Shawlands as part of the £3.3 million Town Centre Action Plan.

Now, Trust chair Isobel Barrett is hopeful that the grade-A listed building is moving closer into the hands of the southside community.

She told The Extra: “These things take time, but the hope is that we can get Heritage Lottery funding, because the building is A-listed.

“We’re desperate to find out what the community wants from the building, and Glasgow Life want further evidence from the people who use it.”

There have been suggestions to turn the building — currently used by community, health and exercise groups — into a cultural space, a pop-up cinema and even a heritage resource with a section to allow locals to trace their roots, as well as providing further office space.

The Trust has been granted funding to bring in Community Enterprise, who will host a consultation event on October 20 .

Consultant Sarah Forster said: “Our role is to find out what the community want to see there and generate more ideas and support for the Trust’s hopes for an asset transfer.

“The open day is an opportunity for the community to come along, say what they like and what they don’t, and how the hall could work in the future.”

The event will run 1-3pm and 7-9pm, and anyone unable to attend can share their thoughts by contacting [email protected].

Chair Isobel added: “We’re continually meeting with Glasgow Life, and hope to have the results of this survey back by December.

“We have six directors on the Trust, but we’re also looking for co-opted directors from the community, and anyone who can contribute particular skills can contact me at [email protected].”

Community ownership could be the latest chapter in the Langside Hall building’s lengthy history, as it was built as the Glasgow branch of the National Bank of Scotland in 1847 — on Queen Street.

The building was moved to the edge of Queen’s Park stone by stone in 1901, although an original glass dome ceiling was unable to make the journey.