Disappointment and concern over decision to close Holmwood House until 2022

A decision by the National Trust for Scotland not to open Holmwood House in Cathcart until 2022 has been greeted with dismay.
The National Trust for Scotland does not intend reopening Holmwood House in the Cathcart area of Glasgow until 2022.The National Trust for Scotland does not intend reopening Holmwood House in the Cathcart area of Glasgow until 2022.
The National Trust for Scotland does not intend reopening Holmwood House in the Cathcart area of Glasgow until 2022.

The Alexander Thomson Society says it is “incredibly disappointed” at the decision not to reopen Holmwood until 2022 and the trust’s proposal to reduce staff numbers at the site from five, to only one full-time member of staff and one part-time.

In a statement, the society says: “Holmwood relies on a tireless group of dedicated volunteers who run the guided tours, the tea room and shop, meaning that the overheads associated with staffing the site should be low.

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“The Society has asked NTS to explain why the decision has been taken to close the property entirely in 2021, instead of for example considering weekend-only opening as an intermediate measure, with a full re-opening following in 2022.

“This would also lessen the impact on the wider network of businesses in Cathcart and the Southside that benefit from their proximity to an NTS property.

“We strongly encourage NTS to reconsider their decision and have asked for the opportunity to discuss this with them directly, in particular to understand whether there is support that we can provide with regards to fundraising, volunteer recruitment or event coordination that might help the trust to change their mind.”

The Society has serious concerns that the network of volunteers that NTS relies on to operate the building on its behalf may be eroded during this extended hiatus.

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Many of the staff and volunteers who operate Holmwood have been at the property for many years, some over 20 years, and the society says it would be a tragedy to lose their immense bank of knowledge and expertise.

“If only one full-time member of staff is kept on, the ability of this knowledge to be easily retained and for the consistent management of Holmwood to be maintained will be jeopardised,” says the society.

The society adds that ne of the its primary goals when it was first established was to save Holmwood and to ensure that it remained cared for and accessible.

As the only Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson interior that is open to the public, the society believes it is vital to Glasgow’s heritage that Holmwood be reopened to the public in 2021.

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