Glasgow Life has issued an updated list of venues that are not planned to re-open and information on why.

After the Glasgow Times launched the Save Our Venues campaign and local groups protested the threat to libraries in Maryhill and Whiteinch, a new list has appeared detailing the status of each of the venues.

It outlines a number of venues being used as covid testing or vaccination centres and others where there is interest in the management being taken on by another party.

The list includes 14 venues “earmarked for community management through the People Make Glasgow Communities initiative” but with no one showing an interest in taking it over.

That category included bowls at Castlemilk, Drumchapel, Maryhill, Netherton, Queen’s Park and Springburn, pitches at Caldercuilt, Halgreen Avenue in Drumchapel and Kelso Street, Yoker as well as community centres at Balgrayhill and Pollokshields.

Another 23 were listed as “Interest has been expressed in exploring new operating models for this facility through People Make Glasgow Communities.”

They included Alexandra Park bowls and Golf and Barlia Sport centre and bowls and golf at Bellahouston.

Another six were listed as “Glasgow Life is in discussion with a third party regarding taking on the operational management of this facility.”

Three had a lease in progress and three were in the process of transferring to another organisation.

Five were being used as test centres and three as vaccination centres.

For Maryhill Library it states:” We are developing proposals to relocate the library services to an alternative location, Maryhill Leisure Centre, which is nearby. The local community will be supported by a pop-up library during the period of transition to the new space. Interest has been expressed in exploring new operating models for this facility through People Make Glasgow Communities. The building is in need of significant refurbishment.”

For Whiteinch Library it states: “We are developing proposals to relocate the library services to an alternative facility at Scotstoun Leisure Centre. Interest has been expressed in exploring new operating models for this facility through People Make Glasgow Communities. The local community will be supported by a pop-up library during the period of transition to the new space. The building is in need of significant refurbishment.”

However, is accepted that Scotstoun may be too far away.

David McDonald, deputy leader of Glasgow City Council and chair of Glasgow Life, responded to our campaign and said the financial pressures facing Glasgow Life were serious and while there was no plan to close venues unless new income was found many would not re-open under Glasgow Life.

Mr McDonald said: “To make it clear the buildings on the list is still because of Covid rather than as a political or operational decision to close.

“We are dealing with a loss of £40million.We are trying to ensure we get as many libraries open as we can and 88% are being opened, there are some that can’t.

“Maryhill and Whiteinch Libraries have been subject to discussion over a number of years.

“We have heard the views from the public that requires us to think again. We will have a pop-up space for Maryhill and Whiteinch.”

There are concerns about what could happen with buildings like libraries if closed.

He said that there was work needing to be done on some of the older buildings in the council’s estate.

The Glasgow Life Chair said:“This administration inherited a long backlog of work in relation to the heritage estate.

“We need to tackle Glasgow’s longstanding problem of not investing in its heritage buildings.

“We need to protect our heritage buildings and need to find partners and we will be identifying resources for these buildings either as libraries or something else.”

On the venues that are still closed and are either earmarked for transfer of where interest has been expressed, Mr McDonald said “Unless there is an uplift or Scottish Government in the next round of lost income these venues won’t open under Glasgow Life.

“Each venue needs to be taken on their own merit. Communities will want them open as soon as possible. We need to be realistic. I can’t guarantee how long the impact of covid will be.

“The long-term ambition is to see them open and back using them.

“There are no closures on our agenda. All we can say at the moment is we don’t have the finances, or due to covid restrictions, we can’t re-open.

“The last thing we want is closures. The financial pressures are real.”