RESTORE - PRESERVE - SUSTAIN
The Willow Tea Rooms Trust was established in 2014 as a Scottish Registered Charity (SC044931).
WHO WE ARE
The Willow Tea Rooms Trust is a charity, registered with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, charity number SC044931.
Mackintosh at the Willow is the name of our social enterprise company, which operates the Tea Rooms and other associated activities.
Together we are committed to delivering today and into the future on our core mission to restore, preserve and make available a truly remarkable survival of an artist of international importance and a pioneering Edwardian businesswoman.
With generous private support, The Trust purchased Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Miss Cranston’s world famous and historic ‘A’ listed Willow Tea Rooms Building at 217 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow. Happily, the Trust was also able to buy the building next door to the original tea rooms at no. 215 Sauchiehall Street, creating the opportunity to add significantly to the original tea rooms with a series of state-of-the-art creative learning and exhibition spaces, shop, disabled access and conference facilities.
Recognised as Glasgow’s Gaudi, Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s importance to Glasgow cannot be overstated. The original Willow Tea Rooms are of very high architectural and aesthetic heritage significance, representing the culmination of the relationship between an exceptional architect and an unusually enlightened client -Miss Catherine Cranston. The Tea Rooms represent a peak achievement of a world-class designer and represent the best example of a building type that was characteristic of a flourishing city at a particularly important time in its history. In essence, they mirror the City of Glasgow in its Golden Age as the Second City of the British Empire. The impressive, bright white Willow Tea Rooms building, stands out in the Victorian terrace, shouting confidence and the very best of art nouveau style.
Also represented in this amazing building, is some of the work of CRM’s famous wife – the artist Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh. Her beautiful ‘gesso’ panel – the original is now in the nearby Kelvingrove Museum – has been faithfully recreated and once more is a focal point in the famous Salon de Luxe for all to admire.
Inside and out, this fully restored masterpiece is open to all, exactly as it was when it first opened in 1903.
Already, in our first two years of operation, and even with the periods of closure caused by the global Coronavirus pandemic, we have welcomed some 500,000 people to enjoy the Mackintosh experience: for tea, meals, to shop, visit the exhibition, enjoy a tour or to take part in one of our events.
RESTORE.
Our mission is to conserve and restore Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Miss Catherine Cranston’s remarkable Willow Tea Rooms at 217 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, presenting it exactly as it was when it opened in 1903, while creating a sustainable future for the building and preserving its historical and social legacy for Glasgow, for Scotland and for the world.
Our mission is twofold
→ To conserve and restore Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Miss Catherine Cranston’s remarkable Willow Tea Rooms at 217 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, precisely as it was in 1903, while creating a sustainable future for the building and preserving its historical and social legacy for Glasgow, for Scotland and for the world. This has involved many of the world’s leading experts in CRM, and some of Scotland’s and the UK’s foremost artisans as well as artists and designers from the USA and elsewhere. This has been an international effort, to present an authentic and historic space for all to enjoy and learn about.
→ To ensure the continued operation of the living and breathing museum into the future, making it available to everyone and ensuring community engagement and learning opportunities can be accessed by all.
TWO BUILDINGS, ONE AMBITION.
We have fulfilled the first part of our mission. The Willow Tea Rooms Trust has painstakingly restored and furnished the Willow Tea Rooms to their original condition.
This major programme of work could not have been achieved without the support of thousands of people and organisations. The National Lottery Heritage Fund has been our major backer, but without the gifts and grants made by many charitable trusts, public organisations, companies and individuals, the Willow Tea Rooms along with all the history and stunning artworks would have been lost forever. Now they have been saved and are available to everyone.
To complement and enhance the public’s experience of the Tea Rooms, the Trust also created a state of the art exhibition centre and museum which showcases the work of Mackintosh, his wife, Margaret Macdonald and the entrepreneur Catherine Cranston, who was a woman ahead of her time, as a successful entrepreneur in Victorian and Edwardian Glasgow. These stories are brought to life with inter-active displays and regular events.
Together, the Tea Rooms and exhibition centre form an outstanding living, breathing museum, enabling the public to access and experience this acclaimed Mackintosh masterpiece as it was originally designed and to learn about the life and work of Mackintosh and his wife, Margaret Macdonald.
However, if you simply want to have a cup of tea, a meal or to browse in our shop in a beautiful space, our tearooms are for you! Every cup of tea or card that you buy will help us to continue our important work.
MAINTENANCE & PRESERVATION OF THE HERITAGE BUILDINGS
The work goes on. It is impossible ever to complete the maintenance of such an important historic building as this one. The Willow Tea Rooms Trust is now committed to the long-term maintenance and preservation of the buildings as one of Glasgow’s major heritage sites
The two interconnected buildings are now one - operating as ‘Mackintosh at the Willow’. To find out more about opening hours, menus and more, or to browse our on-line shop, click here.
Mackintosh at the Willow Limited, is a social enterprise which, on behalf of the Willow Tea Rooms Trust, operates the Tea Rooms and other associated activity. The operation of the Tea Rooms and these other, cultural, social and educational, activities are integral to one another. All surpluses from Mackintosh at the Willow will support the work of The Willow Tea Rooms Trust to provide educational and outreach opportunities for schools, local communities and visitors, as well as maintain the historic building, preserving it for future generations.
EDUCATION, OUTREACH & TRAINING
Miss Cranston’s entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen as well as her enlightened views on the role of women, social enterprise and philanthropy, provide a fascinating reflection of Glasgow at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries; while Mackintosh’s creative brilliance continues to be a source of inspiration for artists, designers, craftspeople and visitors of all ages and nationalities. Mackintosh is a globally-recognised artist and architect, whose work fascinates people around the world – he is in fact, Glasgow’s Gaudi.
The Willow Tea Rooms Trust is committed to the advancement of education through the provision of training and educational experiences, including for members of the public, about the work of Mackintosh, his wife, the renowned artist, Margaret Macdonald the history of the property and the role of Catherine Cranston as a pioneering female entrepreneur in Glasgow in the early years of the twentieth century.
REGENERATION, COMMUNITY & EMPLOYMENT.
The Trust’s social enterprise - Mackintosh at the Willow - is a catalyst and focal point for the regeneration of Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street – The Avenue of the Willows. Our Craft & Education workshops for families, young adults and older people encourage integration between communities.
Scottish Artisans played a vital role in recreating the stunning historic features of the Tea Rooms - furniture, leaded glass, chandeliers, stencilling, iron works – even intricate gesso art. 100% of our food is sourced right here in Scotland and supplied by Scottish companies. The Gift Shop promotes art and design from small Scottish businesses. So, here we celebrate the very best of what CRM and Miss Cranston created in 1903, embrace the very best of artistic and craft expertise anywhere today and make it all available to you.
Through Mackintosh at the Willow, The Willow Tea Rooms Trust creates employment, training and volunteering opportunities for those who face barriers, for whatever reason. Our special partnership with The Prince’s Trust has ensured that many of our Prince’s Trust trainees have received the best of training and several have remained with the team and have progressed to supervisory level and formal apprenticeships. We aim to continue and further develop this important aspect of our work.
CULTURE, HERITAGE & TOURISM
Mackintosh is synonymous with Glasgow, as Gaudi is with Barcelona and Frank Lloyd Wright with Chicago. Through Mackintosh at the Willow, The Willow Tea Rooms Trust celebrates this history and makes it available to a global audience. Our learning suite for schools and community groups provides rich learning experiences, reflecting our core commitment to protecting and preserving the heritage for the public.
The importance of Mackintosh to Glasgow has been recognised by the City. Today he is one of the four pillars of Glasgow’s Tourism strategy, reflecting his international status and the intimate association in the public’s imaginations between Mackintosh and the City. Mackintosh at the Willow is recognised as being of great importance to this strategy.
OUR COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
The Willow Tea Rooms Trust is committed to the protection of the environment through waste collection recycling: cooking oil, cardboard, plastic and glass bottles are all recycled. The packaging we use in our shop is made from eco-friendly products.
If you have a question or would like to find out more, please email us at info@willowtearoomstrust.org or call 0141 332 7696.
Office hours are: Monday- Friday, 9am - 5pm.
Mackintosh at the Willow is open for lunches, coffee, afternoon tea, tours, shopping or the exhibition.