King Tut’s at risk of closure if apartments given green light

A legendary Glasgow music venue could be at risk of closure if plans for serviced apartments get approved, councillors have said.
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The risk posed by this development, if not mitigated, are substantial, says Glasgow Greens.

What’s the problem?

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut has been a cultural asset to Glasgow for over 30 years and has grown to become an iconic part of Glasgow’s thriving live music scene.

King Tut’s in Glasgow.King Tut’s in Glasgow.
King Tut’s in Glasgow.
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Yet, a development planned near King Tut’s, if passed, could leave them in a vulnerable position by exposing them to potential lawsuits, a rising number of nuisance complaints and could even result in closure.

New laws were passed to protect grassroots venues like King Tut’s, and the intention of these laws were to ensure venues did not bear the financial brunt of mitigating the sound of music emanating from the venue.

Instead developers have to include sufficient noise abatement measures in their application to curtail any future noise complaints. The mitigations proposed by the developers have been criticised by King Tut’s and Music Venue Trust.

The final decision on the application now lies with a Scottish Minister.

What are the councillors saying?

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Commenting on the development proposal, Anderston, City & Yorkhill councillor and deputy lord provost, Christy Mearns said: “Glasgow, as the UNESCO City of Music, should be embedding creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development and I hope the Minister takes this into consideration when deciding upon the application.

“King Tut’s has been hard hit by the pandemic like so many other music venues, and it needs all the support it can get.”

Holly Bruce, Green councillor candidate for Langside and culture spokesperson, added: “Music should not be regarded as noise or a nuisance. Grassroots venues, like King Tut’s, are the lifeblood of Glasgow’s music scene, it’s the reason why many come to the city to live, work and visit. We must protect and nurture venues, like King Tut’s, from potential risk.”

Clara Cullen, support manager at Music Venue Trust, said: “King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut has, for decades, provided countless artists with their first opportunities to play live, hone their craft and build a fanbase. Music Venue Trust campaigned for the introduction of the Agent of Change principle and was pleased to see it included in Scottish planning legislation.

“It is vital that the principle be placed at the forefront of the decision when considering this application.”

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