An online campaign is rallying support for the reopening of Pollok House. The petition began in response to the local landmark being on a list of National Trust for Scotland properties that may not open until next year as part of a phased return after closures due to coronavirus restrictions.
The petition now has more than 5,800 signatures and you can add your support here.
The introduction reads: “Pollok House is a hub that many in the local community depend on. By closing Pollok House, including the Edwardian Cafe, a team of devoted staff will lose their jobs and the people of Glasgow are deprived of an easily accessible heritage site and social space as lockdown eases.
“We hope by showing how much people care about Pollok House, the National Trust for Scotland will reconsider and reopen Pollok House.”
Among the reasons cited for the reopening are:
- Pollok House is the 8th most visited NTS property in Scotland, providing a considerable number of jobs and helping to support many businesses in the local economy;
- Pollok House is where the National Trust for Scotland started, Sir John Stirling Maxwell, the owner of Pollok House was one of the founding members of the National Trust for Scotland and the first meetings for the National Trust for Scotland were held at Pollok House in 1931.
Simon Skinner, the Chief Executive of the NTS said: “Our charity is in trouble through no fault of our own – our only way back is to take action now and make some difficult choices.
“We are going to have to live within our means – not just at the moment while lockdown is still effectively in full force, but in the coming months too when such public sector support as there is dries up and the wider visitor economy remains badly wounded. For the Trust to remain a going concern we have to decide which properties we can afford to open, either because they will generate sufficient visitor numbers to help with our recovery, or because we can find ways to re-open them that will be compliant with the new normal of public health restrictions.
“We have already missed the busiest season for some properties, and it simply isn’t viable to re-open them in the latter part of the year. So, we will keep them closed until the ‘new’ season begins in Easter of 2021. Having said that, in some cases where the historic building or centre is closed, it will still be possible to admit visitors to grounds and gardens.
“In the case of Pollok House, we haven’t yet confirmed when we can re-open the building and there is a possibility we can still do this in the current year.
“I appreciate that many people will be disappointed if their favourite property is closed for a time longer. These are not choices we wanted to make but we need to take them to ensure that the Trust gets through this period and emerges from the other side ready to do what it does best.
“We have approached the Scottish Government for financial support and, if this were forthcoming, it may allow us to open more properties more quickly.”
