£600,000 council grant proposed to bring Glasgow's Egyptian Halls back into use

For years, the Egyptian Halls on Union Street have been one of Glasgow's most famous derelict buildings. Now the council is being asked to put £600,000 on the table to try to save them.

Councillors on the city administration committee will decide next week whether to award up to £600,000 to developer Ediston, which wants to turn the A-listed building into a hotel.

What is the plan?

Ediston was chosen earlier this year as the council's preferred developer after it invited bids. Its plan would convert the upper floors into a hotel, with leisure uses on the lower floors.

The company was picked ahead of a proposal from the building's current owners, two companies run by Dundee businessman Derek Souter and his partners, and a third bid from LPT/Lola Ltd.

Compulsory purchase

The council has launched a compulsory purchase order process to take control of the building and bring it back into use. A council report says the grant would pay for technical and professional work needed to develop Ediston's proposal and inform negotiations on a 'back-to-back' compulsory purchase deal, where the council acquires the building and passes it to the developer.

If approved, the money will come from the council's £10 million Bringing Property and Land back into Productive Use Fund, set up last year.

A Greek Thomson masterpiece

The Egyptian Halls were designed by Alexander 'Greek' Thomson, one of Glasgow's greatest architects, and are regarded as one of the finest examples of his commercial work. The building has been empty and wrapped in scaffolding for many years, and heritage campaigners have long warned about its condition.

Whether this latest attempt succeeds where others have failed may depend on the outcome of next week's vote.