Glasgow Royal Concert Hall to undergo refurbishment after £2m investment agreed

The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall is to receive a £2m refurbishment.
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Glasgow Life, which runs the landmark building, announced The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall will receive an investment of over £2 million from Glasgow City Council’s capital funds.

The funding means all the Main Auditorium seats will be replaced, and stage lifts will receive electrical upgrades after 32 years of service.

Important accessibility improvements will also be made.

The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.
The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.
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The works will get underway after Celtic Connections in 2023, starting on Monday, February 6, and running for eight weeks.

The work is expected to finish on March 31.

The Main Auditorium will be closed during this time to allow the works to be completed. As a result, concerts and events will be unable to take place in this part of the building over this period.

Bailie Annette Christie, Chair of Glasgow Life, said: "This investment will ensure Glasgow Royal Concert Hall continues to be a world-class venue, which allows arts and music in the city to flourish and enhances our reputation as a UNESCO City of Music. It contributes to the vibrancy of Glasgow and attracts artists and musicians of all genres and visitors to the city to see them.

"Performing at the Royal Concert Hall, following in the footsteps of global superstars, will have been an ambition for artists and musicians for generations. This investment ensures the venue matches the dreams of young people in Glasgow who want to have a career in music, arts and culture. People will return to an improved venue and enjoy a better concert experience."

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The Royal Concert Hall is a Glasgow landmark, home to Scotland’s national orchestra, the RSNO, and has hosted big concerts, including the annual Celtic Connections festival, Debbie Harry, BB King and Johnny Cash.

RSNO Chief Executive Alistair Mackie said: "We are grateful to Glasgow City Council for this investment which is excellent news for the whole city. The Concert Hall is the RSNO’s home in Glasgow, right in the heart of the city centre and we love performing there regularly during the concert season.

"We are excited to see how these developments will improve the concert experience for our loyal supporters and will also help to bring new audiences into the concert hall for the first time. Improving accessibility is a priority for the RSNO and we’re really looking forward to seeing the impact that these updates have on our concertgoers."

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