The Glasgow SNP Group – the minority administration leading Glasgow City Council – confirmed that a “positive interim arrangement” has been agreed between Trongate 103, City Property, Glasgow Life, and the council.
The group said the agreement will “provide stability for tenants and allow time to develop a viable, long‑term model for the building”.
Glasgow City Council, the Scottish Arts Council, Scottish Enterprise all funded the £8.5 million revamp of the former Edwardian warehouse to allow Trongate 103 to open in 2009.
However, City Property Glasgow – the arm’s-length commercial property company of the council which own the building – has been under fire since claims emerged that tenants had been served with “a four-week notice, non-negotiable eviction order” by the company unless they agreed to dramatically increased rents.
Those affected included GMAC Film, Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre, Glasgow Print Studio, Street Level Photoworks, Project Ability, Project Rooms and Transmission Gallery.
Glasgow School of Art chiefs warned the city’s “international standing” is at risk and its cultural sector is facing the prospect of “managed decline” over the handling of the hub.
A mass protest was also staged at the end of March outside the city centre offices of arms-length firm City Property, while a petition demanding a rethink over the “unsustainable” rent increases has been signed by more than 26, 000 supporters.
On Friday, the Glasgow SNP Group said the council has brought forward proposals that will “deliver practical and financial support for organisations based at Trongate 103 up until March 2027”.
“This includes assistance through the newly established Culture and Creative Industry Property Support Fund and additional support in relation to service charges”, the group said, before adding: “This interim approach provides much needed reassurance for tenants while ensuring support remains available to the wider cultural sector across the city”.
Trongate 103 demo at City Property in George Street (Image: Gordon Terris/NQ)
Alongside these measures, council officers have also been asked to explore options for transferring Trongate 103 out of the City Property portfolio and back into full council ownership as an operational facility.
A short‑life working group has also been established to examine the legal and financial implications, “with a focus on collaboration with tenants, cost reduction opportunities and future management options”.
Bailie Annette Christie, Glasgow City Convenor for Culture, Sport and International Relations and Chair of Glasgow Life, said: “Trongate 103 is a hugely important cultural asset for Glasgow, providing affordable and accessible space where artists, creative organisations and communities can thrive. This arrangement reflects our commitment to working in partnership to secure a financially sustainable, long‑term future for the building. Culture is central to Glasgow’s identity, and we are determined to support it in practical and meaningful ways.”
Cllr Angus Millar, Glasgow’s Convener for Climate, Glasgow Green Deal, Transport and City Centre Recovery, added: “We welcome the constructive engagement that has brought us to this point and the clear recognition of the value Trongate 103 brings to Glasgow’s cultural life. This positive agreement will allow time to develop a sustainable long‑term model, based on partnership and shared ambition for culture in our city.”
In an update issued on social media, Trongate 103 wrote: “The organisations at Trongate 103 are pleased to report on the latest developments in our campaign. We had a positive meeting yesterday with Bailie Annette Christie, Convener for Culture, following a proposal from Glasgow City Council that set out a clear plan of support and immediate action to address the financial pressures facing Trongate 103 organisations and enable constructive dialogue moving forward.
“There are a number of opportunities to explore in the coming months to help shape a long-term, sustainable future for Trongate 103, and we look forward to working in partnership with Glasgow City Council and Glasgow Life to build a secure future for this vital cultural hub.”
