Alexander 'Greek'
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2010 MEDIA COVERAGE EVENING TIMES Tuesday February 9 2010 367,000 WEEKLY AUDIENCE IN PRINT AND ONLINE 11 EVERY DAY THIS WEEK DON’T MISS SATURDAY’S WORTH £1000 WIN £1000 OF IKEA VOUCHERS A VALENTINE’S TO BE WON TREAT FOR TWO TERMS AND TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY CONDITIONS APPLY n Talks on the Egyptian Halls’ future are advanced Deal close for A-listed landmark Egyptian Halls to get developer By GRAEME MURRAY THE owner of Alex- ander “Greek” Thom- son’s Egyptian Halls is in talks with four interested parties who could secure the n Derek Souter is future of the A-listed optimistic the halls’ landmark in weeks. future will be secure The identities of those of Union Street Proper- involved are being kept ties, said: “Everybody secret until a preferred wants to see the Egyptian developer is confirmed, Halls saved and it’s now but the firms involved are getting close to that.” believed to be “serious Dundee-based USP has and well-financed”. been involved with the The property’s owner halls for 11 years and has Union Street Properties invested £5.5million in says a winning firm could the building. be appointed in four to But because of legal six weeks allowing the issues over ownership, project to end 30 years of the company only took stalemate. full possession of the 136- Once a developer is year-old property last chosen, the historic halls year and began market- will be transformed into ing the halls to potential a 136-150-room hotel with developers. restaurant, bar and retail Mr Souter added: “All provision. parties know the dead- The firm also wants to lines and we are benefit- create a Mackintosh- ing from support from Thomson Mews linking Glasgow City Council, C h a r l e s R e n n i e Historic Scotland and our Mackintosh’s Lighthouse funders Dunfermline building with Thomson’s Building Society.” Egyptian Halls. graeme.murray@ Derek Souter, director eveningtimes.co.uk n OBO DY Kn OWs G L AS G OW B e TT eR 45p Wednesday June 9 2010 PICTURE SPECIAL PART 2 BREAKING NEWS Cops hunt EXCLUSIVE Hotel plan for derelict site gunman as shots fired A GUNMAN is on the run after a man was shot in a house in North Lanarkshire. Police descended on Inverkip Drive, Shotts, M after neighbours reported £18 TO hearing gunfire around 7.30am today. The victim, who was apparently shot at close range, was rushed to Wishaw Hospital. He is said to be in his early 30s. It is understood four shots were heard and one nearby resident said a man was seen running SAVE from a house. Police have cordoned off the area. HOSPICE CITY Campaign LENNON hits £15.5m AN Evening Times backed LINES UP campaign for a new Glasgow hospice has hit the £15.5million mark. By VIVIENNE NIColl Staff and patients CENTRE BELLAMY DERELICT Alexander Greek celebrated the Big Build Thomson building in Glasgow milestone, just £600,000 city centre is to be trans- short of the target. A formed into a 136-bedroom hotel. The new Marie Curie RETURN The owners of the A-listed Egyptian Hospice was officially Halls have signed an £18million deal that opened at Stobhill will end decades of stalemate and secure Hospital five months ago. SEE BACK PAGE the future of the 139-year-old halls. n PAGES 6-7 GEM full Story – pages 4, 5 PAGE 10 NEWS THE HERALD THURSDAY 10.06.2010 Pope visit to Glasgow is finalised Cancellation fears allayed as plans for Mass in Bellahouston Park go ahead GERRY BRAIDEN and THAT HAS A GREAT RESONANCE FOR DAVID ROSS 3COTTISH #ATHOLICS MANY OF WHOM REMEMBER THE WONDERFUL 4(% 0OPElS OPEN AIR -ASS IN DAY IN WHEN 0OPE *OHN 'LASGOWlS "ELLAHOUSTON 0ARK 0AUL )) SAID -ASS THEREn HAS FINALLY BEEN OFFICIALLY CON 4HE BISHOPS SAID THEY FIRMED ALLAYING FEARS THE ENTIRE EXPECTED MORE THAN HALF OF THE "RITISH VISIT WAS IN JEOPARDY DUE #ATHOLICS WHO ATTEND TO SPIRALLING COSTS MOST OF WHICH 3UNDAY SERVICES ACROSS 3COTLAND WILL BE PICKED UP BY THE 5+lS TO ATTEND "ELLAHOUSTON WITH THE #ATHOLIC POPULATION PARISHES NORTH OF THE "ORDER 4HE VENUE FOR THE #ATHOLIC RECEIVING A PRO RATA ALLOCATION CEREMONY IN 3COTLAND WAS FOR OF PLACES BASED ON THEIR -ASS MALLY ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY AFTER ATTENDANCE FIGURES A MEETING BETWEEN 'LASGOW #ITY 4HOUSANDS MORE ARE EXPECTED #OUNCIL AND THE "ISHOPSl TO LINE THE ROUTE OF THE 0OPElS #ONFERENCE OF 3COTLAND MOTORCADE THROUGH %DINBURGH (OWEVER THE &REE 0RESBYTER EARLIER IN THE DAY ! 3T .INIANlS IAN #HURCH OF 3COTLAND SAID IT $AY 0AGEANT IN %DINBURGH IS WAS OFFENSIVE THAT THE 5+ 'OV ALSO PLANNED PLANNING AHEAD: Derek Soutar of owners USP said the development was great news for Glasgow as it would mean 80 jobs when the hotel was up and running. Picture: Lenny Warren ERNMENT WAS HOSTING THE 0OPE "ENEDICT IS TO BEATIFY %NG AS A HEAD OF STATE LANDlS MOST FAMOUS CONVERT TO 0RIME -INISTER $AVID #ATHOLICISM #ARDINAL .EWMAN #AMERON HAS DRAFTED IN FORMER WHO FOUNDED THE FIRST %NGLISH Greek is the word: £18m plan to transform 4ORY GRANDEE ,ORD 0ATTEN TO /RATORY IN "IRMINGHAM IN OVERSEE "ENEDICTlS 5+VISIT ,ORD 4HERE HAS BEEN SPECULATION THE 0ATTEN A CABINET MEMBER IN THE PLANNED BEATIFICATION CEREMONY S AND FORMER GOVERNOR OF AN OPEN AIR -ASS BEFORE Thomson’s derelict masterpiece into hotel (ONG +ONG IS TO BE THE 0RIME PILGRIMS AT #OVENTRY AIRPORT -INISTERlS PERSONAL REPRESENTA COULD BE REPLACED BY A SMALLER TIVE FOR THE VISIT IN 3EPTEMBER EVENT ALTHOUGH THE #HURCH HAS VIVIENNE NICOLL and m4HE INITIAL APPRAISAL AND AS A #ATHOLIC AND EXPERI INSISTED THE VISIT TO #OVENTRY WILL GRAEME MURRAY SUGGESTS THE DEVELOPMENT ENCED DIPLOMAT IT WILL BE HIS TASK GO AHEAD WILL COST APPROXIMATELY TO GET THE FIRST EVER PAPAL STATE ! PRAYER VIGIL WAS TO TAKE PLACE /.% OF 'LASGOWlS {M BUT WILL SHOW A LOSS VISIT TO "RITAIN BACK ON TRACK AFTER IN ,ONDONlS (YDE 0ARK BUT ARCHITECTURAL GEMS IS TO OF {M BASED ON THE A SERIES OF DIFFICULTIES 2OYAL 0ARKS SAID NO SUCH EVENT BECOME A BEDROOM ESTIMATED RETURNS 4HERE IS 4HE 0OPE WILL ARRIVE IN %DIN HAS BEEN BOOKED HOTEL IN AN { MILLION THEREFORE NO PROSPECT OF BURGH ON 3EPTEMBER THE FEAST 4HE 0OPElS 5+ VISIT HAS UPSET REDEVELOPMENT PROCEEDING WITHOUT OF 3T .INIAN p THE SAINT WHO THE &REE 0RESBYTERIAN #HURCH OF &OR YEARS THE %GYP EXTERNAL FUNDING SUPPORTn BROUGHT #HRISTIANITY TO 3COTLAND 3COTLAND WHO SAID m7E DENY TIAN (ALLS IN 5NION 3TREET 530 IS IN THE PROCESS OF p AND WILL MEET THE 1UEEN AT THAT HE IS THE HEAD OF THE #HRIS HAVE LAIN MOSTLY EMPTY RAISING {M AND HAS ASKED (OLYROOD (OUSE BEFORE MAKING TIAN CHURCH OR THAT HE HAS ANY AND PARTLY DERELICT "UT ALL THE CITY COUNCIL TO PROVIDE HIS WAY TO 'LASGOW CIVIL POWERWHICH SHOULD RECEIVE THAT IS ABOUT TO CHANGE THE REMAINING {M ! STATEMENT FROM 3COTLANDlS RECOGNITION BY ANY STATE PARTIC WITH PLANS TO CONVERT THE 3TEVE )NCH THE COUNCILlS #ATHOLIC BISHOPS SAID m4HE ULARLY ONE WHICH HAS RENOUNCED ! LISTED !LEXANDER m'REEKn EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF #ATHOLIC #HURCH WELCOMES THE HIS PRETENDED JURISDICTION 4HOMSON DESIGNED FORMER DEVELOPMENT AND REGEN CONFIRMATION BY 'LASGOW #ITY m7E FIND IT OFFENSIVE THAT THIS WAREHOUSE SLEEPING GIANT: The Egyptian Halls in Glasgow’s Union ERATION SAID m4HE COUNCIL #OUNCIL THAT "ELLAHOUSTON 0ARK VISIT WILL START IN %DINBURGH 5NION 3TREET 0ROPERTIES Street is considered by many to be the finest building of HAS BEEN ANXIOUS TO SEE WILL BE AVAILABLE AND SUITABLE FOR WHERE YEARS AGO UNDER THE 530 OWNS THE HISTORIC architect Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson (left). THIS IMPORTANT ! LISTED THE VISIT OF 0OPE "ENEDICT BRAVE AND 'ODLY LEADERSHIP OF BUILDING WHICH IS NOW Picture: Nick Ponty BUILDING RESTORED AND m4HE PARK PROVIDES A WONDER *OHN +NOXAND OUR OTHER REFORM REGARDED AS BEING AT RETURNED TO PRODUCTIVE USE FUL VENUE FOR WHAT WILL BE A ERS THE JURISDICTION OF THE 0OPE RISK 4HE FIRM HAS AGREED FOR MANY YEARS TREMENDOUS EVENT )T IS A PLACE WAS FOREVER ABOLISHEDn THAT $ERBYSHIRE BASED BEHIND IT ADDING A ROOFTOP SHOPS AT BASEMENT AND m7E HOPE OUR PROPOSED ,ONGROSE "UCCLEUCH EXTENSION OR FLATTENING THE GROUND FLOOR LEVELS AND A FINANCIAL SUPPORT WILL WILL MANAGE THE BUILDING BUILDING AND REDEVELOPING HOTEL ON THE FIRST TO FOURTH BOLSTER THE REGENERATION OF WITH THE HOTEL FRANCHISE THE SITE FLOORS WITH THE ADDITION OF 5NION 3TREETn BEING TAKEN OVER BY THE ! REPORT TO COUNCILLORS A ROOFTOP EXTENSION 'ARIN $AVIES OF !CCOR GROUP SAYS m'IVEN THE STATUS OF 4HE PART OF THE HOTEL IN ,ONGROSE "UCCLEUCH SAID $EREK 3OUTER OF 530 THE BUILDING AND ITS THE EXISTING BUILDING WOULD m7E ASSESS MANY PROJECT SAID m4HIS IS FANTASTIC NEWS IMPORTANCE TO THE HERITAGE BE THREE STAR WITH THE NEW OPPORTUNITIES AND THIS IS FOR 'LASGOW AND 5NION OF 'LASGOW 530 HAS BEEN EXTENSION FOUR STAR ONE WHICH IS NEAR THE TOP 3TREET !S WELL AS CREATING ADVISED DEMOLITION 4HE REPORT ADDS OF THE LIST WE WANT TO MORE THAN CONSTRUCTION REDEVELOPMENT WOULD NOT m(ISTORIC 3COTLAND APPEARS BECOME INVOLVED WITHn AND FULL AND PART TIME BE SUPPORTED BY (ISTORIC TO ACCEPT COMPROMISE IS .EIL "AXTER SECRETARY OF JOBS WHEN TRADING IT WILL 3COTLAND OR THE COUNCILn NECESSARY AND THAT WITHOUT THE 2OYAL )NCORPORATION OF PRESERVE 3COTLANDlS "UT STUDIES SHOW NO SOME RADICAL DESIGN !RCHITECTS IN 3COTLAND SAID ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGEn OTHER OPTIONS ARE FINAN CHANGES TO THE BUILDING NO m4HIS IS A BUILDING OF THE 4HE %GYPTIAN (ALLS ARE CIALLY VIABLE 4HE OPTION REFURBISHMENT WILL TAKE FIRST IMPORTANCE NOT SIMPLY CONSIDERED BY MANY TO BE THAT SHOWS THE SMALLEST PLACE AND THE DETERIORATION IN 'LASGOW OR 3COTLAND BUT SAVE £50 ARCHITECT 4HOMSONlS FINEST FINANCIAL LOSS INVOLVES WILL CONTINUE IN %UROPEAN TERMSn BUILDING /VER THE PAST THREE DECADES VARIOUS Architect’s legacy PLANS TO REFURBISH THE HALLS HAVE BEEN FRUSTRATED BY THE FACT IT HAD A LARGE NUMBER L The A-listed St Vincent Now owned by the National condition and opened to the OF INDIVIDUAL OWNERS Street Church (right) was Trust for Scotland, the public.