Great to read the first article from our recent German Mackintosh Press Trip guests, who visited us as part of a press visit organised by Glasgow Life. The article was written by design, architecture and lifestyle journalist Claudia Simone Hoff for Dear Magazine. Read the full article at https://www.dear-magazin.de/stories/Happy-Mackintosh!_17732521.html
Nuremberg student visit
We recently welcomed a small group of Textile students from Nuremburg, who came to visit along with their Student Director Barbara Denker. The students are part of an Erasmus reciprocal international exchange programme and are working with North Kelvin College on a Mackintosh event for 2018. They were interested to learn more about our plans and see what's happening currently. It's always good to hear about interesting collaborations and to be able to spread the news about Glasgow and of course Mackintosh at the Willow.
Local crafts - joinery workshop visit
Really interesting visit to the Manufactured Joinery Workshop at Clarks Contracts to meet with their excellent joinery team who are working on some of the furniture for the restoration. It was good to see some of the samples and pieces being worked on and to see the level of care, thought, craftsmanship and expertise going into the pieces. Lots of discussion around finishes and measurements. Here's a preview of some of the pieces. We'll share more over the coming weeks and months as work progresses.
Permission to Start - Phase 2 activities
Following our successful Round 2 Grant Award, we're delighted to say we now have official Permission to Start which allows us to move on with the project and to confirm contracts for Phase 2. Celia Sinclair, Chair, signed the construction contract with Clark Contracts on Monday October 30th.
As we prepare to open in summer 2018, there are many aspects to the restoration of the building. We're now building up the project office team and are in the process of commissioning local crafts people to restore and make over 420 pieces of furniture, glass ware, wrought iron work, carpets, textiles and more.
We'll be increasing our marketing and PR activities and we're working in partnership with many prestigious organisations, for example with Dumfries House who will provide training and support for our front of house and catering staff when we open for business.
We continue to welcome the support of our funders and other partners including of course the Heritage Lottery Fund and not forgetting all the National Lottery Players whose support enables The Heritage Lottery Fund to support this and other great projects.
The Board of Trustees and Expert Mackintosh Advisory Panel continue to ensure every detail of the restoration is as it should be.
Supporting Scottish arts and crafts
We're proud to say we've commissioned 420 pieces of furniture plus various textiles, glassware, wrought ironwork and carpets all from Scottish artisans. We'll be sharing more information on the artists and commission pieces over the coming months. And of course we'd love you to come visit Mackintosh at the Willow when we open for business in summer 2018 - where you'll be able to see all the wonderful commission pieces and original designs in place!
Stencilling Stations at Sauchiehall Street - getting creative
Lots of fun and creativity this weekend with local and international visitors to our Stencilling Station at 213 Sauchiehall Street. Join in for some creative fun and to learn more about the exciting project plans for the current restoration of Miss Cranston and Charles Rennie Mackintosh's iconic Tea Rooms and the adjacent building which will house new state of the art learning, activity and exhibition spaces, due to open in summer 2018.
Running every Thursday, Friday and Saturday in October and November 2017 and February, March and April 2018, the workshops are free and open to adults and children. Just drop in and visit us. For larger groups or schools we recommend letting us know in advance.
Successful international press visit
We were delighted to recently welcome a group of German, Swiss and Austrian journalists to The Willow Tea Rooms Trust office and site. Lots of interest in how work is progressing and the plans for our launch in summer 2018. Thanks to the team at Glasgow Life for organising the group and to everyone for joining us. We're looking forward to reading the features going forward.
Stencilling Station
Thanks to everyone who came along to the Stencilling Station this weekend with Elisabeth Viguie Culshaw . Some masterpieces were created guided by the skills of our lovely volunteers, Christina, Michelle, Adam and Sula. I even had a go!! See you all next time.
Doors Open Festival 2017
Come along and give it a go! Learn the art of stencilling with Mackintosh specialist Elisabeth Viguie Culshaw assisted by Glasgow School of Art Volunteers. The Stencilling Station is right next to the Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Miss Cranston's Tea Rooms, 217 Sauchiehall Street. There are also a series of short walks on offer Thursday 14th & Friday 15th at 5pm and 6pm and on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th at 1pm, 2pm and 3pm. Tickets available through Eventbrite.
National Lottery Support for the Restoration of Mackintosh's Willow Tea Rooms Building
A grant of almost £4 million from the National Lottery is set to complete the restoration and preservation of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Willow Tea Rooms Building in Glasgow.
The £3.579m, award from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), will ensure the completion of The Willow Tea Rooms Trust's mission to conserve and restore the Charles Rennie Mackintosh's Willow Tea Rooms Building at 217, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow. The tea rooms and new visitor centre are scheduled to open for the City of Glasgow’s celebrations to mark the 150th anniversary of Mackintosh’s birth on the 7th June 2018.
The HLF award will allow The Willow Tea Rooms Trust to continue their work restoring the original tea rooms and famous Salon de Luxe. The Trust also plans to incorporate an interactive visitor centre, education and learning suite, conference facilities and shop to ensure that the project is sustainable for future generations to enjoy. It will operate as a genuine social enterprise delivering a range of exciting activities far beyond its original function as a tea room.
Lucy Casot, Head of The Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland, said: “What better way to celebrate the Year of History Heritage & Archaeology than to support the revival of these famous Tea Rooms. Thanks to players of the National Lottery, we are delighted that works by one of Scotland’s greatest and most influential designers will be restored so that they can be enjoyed by all as they were first intended.”
The Willow Tea Rooms Building is recognised internationally as the only surviving tea room designed in its entirety by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Mackintosh and his wife, Margaret MacDonald, had total control over both the architecture and decorative elements, from the interior and the design of the cutlery to the waitress’s uniforms. The major restoration project led by The Trust, will conserve and interpret the buildings unique heritage, increase accessibility with the installation of new visitor facilities and provide a range of opportunities for learning and skills development. The Tea Rooms Building will become a focal point for Cultural Tourism in the City, attracting both domestic and international visitors. Just as Gaudi is intrinsically linked with Barcelona, Frank Lloyd Wright is linked with Chicago, visitors from around the world will visit Glasgow to see and experience Mackintosh. We are offering visitors to our City the opportunity to learn more about the architect and designer at the same time as being able to relax and enjoy high quality hospitality within the unique surrounds of an iconic Mackintosh building.
The achievements of Glasgow businesswoman, Miss Cranston, the original owner who commissioned the tea rooms designed by Mackintosh in 1903 will also be celebrated within the visitor centre. 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 20th Century.
Celia Sinclair, Founder and Chair of The Willow Tea Rooms Trust said: “Thanks to National Lottery players the important cultural and rich heritage of The Willow Tea Rooms Building will be conserved. Works to the exterior of the building are almost complete. The Heritage Lottery Fund award means that our vision for restoring the interior, commissioning furniture, crockery, cutlery and building the interactive visitor centre along with an education and learning suite, conference facilities and shop can now forge ahead.”
The Board of Trustees are supported by an Expert Mackintosh Advisory Panel who scrutinise every detail of the restoration. The Trust has also been supported by The Monument Trust, Glasgow City Heritage Trust, Historic Environment Scotland, Glasgow City Council, Dunard Fund, Scottish Enterprise, The Architectural Heritage Fund, The Hugh Fraser Foundation, Thomas Tunnock Ltd, Robert Barr’s Charitable Trust, The Dean of Guild Court Trust and public donations.
Professor Pamela Robertson, Emerita Professor of Mackintosh Studies said " The Heritage Lottery Fund grant is major step for the refurbishment of Mackintosh's Willow Tea Rooms. With this funding we will be able to bring the Tea Rooms back to their former glory.”
Alastair Davis, CEO of Social Investment Scotland said “Social Investment Scotland was delighted to be the cornerstone investor in the acquisition of The Willow Tea Rooms by the Willow Tea Rooms Trust in 2015. We provided additional cashflow funding to bridge the secured grant monies in 2017 to allow the completion of the external façade renovation works. As well as supporting the restoration of The Willow Tea Rooms, these investments will help create jobs, support tourism and open up the world of Scottish artistry and architecture to a wider social demographic. Importantly, the Trust’s ability to generate revenue from the retail outlet and rented commercial space next door will help to make it financially sustainable. This is an excellent example of how taking on investment and a social enterprise business model can secure the long term future of charities like the Willow Tea Room Trust.”
The HLF award will allow The Willow Tea Rooms Trust to continue their work restoring the original tea rooms and famous Salon de Luxe. The Trust also plans to incorporate an interactive visitor centre, education and learning suite, conference facilities and shop to ensure that the project is sustainable for future generations to enjoy. It will operate as a genuine social enterprise delivering a range of exciting activities far beyond its original function as a tea room.
Lucy Casot, Head of The Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland, said: “What better way to celebrate the Year of History Heritage & Archaeology than to support the revival of these famous Tea Rooms. Thanks to players of the National Lottery, we are delighted that works by one of Scotland’s greatest and most influential designers will be restored so that they can be enjoyed by all as they were first intended.”
The Willow Tea Rooms Building is recognised internationally as the only surviving tea room designed in its entirety by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Mackintosh and his wife, Margaret MacDonald, had total control over both the architecture and decorative elements, from the interior and the design of the cutlery to the waitress’s uniforms. The major restoration project led by The Trust, will conserve and interpret the buildings unique heritage, increase accessibility with the installation of new visitor facilities and provide a range of opportunities for learning and skills development. The Tea Rooms Building will become a focal point for Cultural Tourism in the City, attracting both domestic and international visitors. Just as Gaudi is intrinsically linked with Barcelona, Frank Lloyd Wright is linked with Chicago, visitors from around the world will visit Glasgow to see and experience Mackintosh. We are offering visitors to our City the opportunity to learn more about the architect and designer at the same time as being able to relax and enjoy high quality hospitality within the unique surrounds of an iconic Mackintosh building.
The achievements of Glasgow businesswoman, Miss Cranston, the original owner who commissioned the tea rooms designed by Mackintosh in 1903 will also be celebrated within the visitor centre. 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 20th Century.
Celia Sinclair, Founder and Chair of The Willow Tea Rooms Trust said: “Thanks to National Lottery players the important cultural and rich heritage of The Willow Tea Rooms Building will be conserved. Works to the exterior of the building are almost complete. The Heritage Lottery Fund award means that our vision for restoring the interior, commissioning furniture, crockery, cutlery and building the interactive visitor centre along with an education and learning suite, conference facilities and shop can now forge ahead.”
The Board of Trustees are supported by an Expert Mackintosh Advisory Panel who scrutinise every detail of the restoration. The Trust has also been supported by The Monument Trust, Glasgow City Heritage Trust, Historic Environment Scotland, Glasgow City Council, Dunard Fund, Scottish Enterprise, The Architectural Heritage Fund, The Hugh Fraser Foundation, Thomas Tunnock Ltd, Robert Barr’s Charitable Trust, The Dean of Guild Court Trust and public donations.
Professor Pamela Robertson, Emerita Professor of Mackintosh Studies said " The Heritage Lottery Fund grant is major step for the refurbishment of Mackintosh's Willow Tea Rooms. With this funding we will be able to bring the Tea Rooms back to their former glory.”
Alastair Davis, CEO of Social Investment Scotland said “Social Investment Scotland was delighted to be the cornerstone investor in the acquisition of the Willow Tea Rooms by the Willow Tea Rooms Trust in 2015. We provided additional cashflow funding to bridge the secured grant monies in 2017 to allow the completion of the external façade renovation works. As well as supporting the restoration of The Willow Tea Rooms, these investments will help create jobs, support tourism and open up the world of Scottish artistry and architecture to a wider social demographic. Importantly, the Trust’s ability to generate revenue from the retail outlet and rented commercial space next door will help to make it financially sustainable. This is an excellent example of how taking on investment and a social enterprise business model can secure the long term future of charities like The Willow Tea Rooms Trust.”