News
What we’ve been up to
We recently held our Summer Garden Party at Windyhill in Kilmacolm thanks to host and owner, David Cairns. Keeping with tradition, at this fundraising event, we were thrilled to raise £1400 from our tombola and auction to assist our project.
We sincerely thank our supporters: David Cairns, Rolf Thornqvist, La Bonne Auberge, Loch Lomond Distillery, Dumfries House and the Willow Tea Rooms Trust.
As the sun was shining on Glasgow this morning, what a wonderful surprise to see a peek of the restored building at 217 without its scaffolding. Stunning!
We have been actively promoting the project by running a number of information sessions and private tours together with talks for interested groups. The Trust was also delighted to promote the project at the Lyon & Turnbull Spring Highlights Event in London recently.
Visitors and Groups to the Project Office:
The WTRT team were kindly invited to attend the Belling Hospitality Training Centre at Dumfries House in March to participate in the graduation celebrations of their inspirational students. It was an honour to be part of this special evening and for our Chairman, Celia Sinclair, to present the end of course Certificates and speak about our exciting project at 217 Sauchiehall Street.
It was an honour to be part of this special occasion and for our Chairman, Celia Sinclair, to present the end of course Certificates and speak about our project at 217 Sauchiehall Street.
We thank our friends at Dumfries House and the Princes Trust for making us feel so welcome.
Did you take tea at the original Willow Tea Rooms? Do you remember the dainty cakes and immaculate waitresses? Did you stroll down Glasgow’s stylish Sauchiehall Street to enjoy a leisurely lunch or afternoon tea.
Perhaps you have photographs of dining there, old menus or souvenirs that help to tell the story of an important part of Glasgow’s history? Maybe you have a personal connection to the tea rooms’ original owner Miss Kate Cranston, or the now world-renowned Architect who designed them, Charles Rennie Mackintosh?
If you have Willow memories, photos or artefacts you would love to share, please email us at info@willowtearoomstrust.org or phone 0141 332 7696.
We congratulate Trustee Ian Dickson BEM DL on his appointment as Lord Dean of Guild at the Merchants House AGM on 30 May.
In May we launched our Crowd Funding Campaign through Just Giving. The funds raised will greatly assist the internal restoration works of the historical building at 217 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
Please visit our campaign 'Mackintosh at the Willow' at www.justgiving.com, visit our donations page here or telephone 0141 332 7696 to make a donation.
Ann Fotheringham, journalist from the Evening Times interviewed Celia this month to hear about her plans to create a much needed Mackintosh hub in the heart of Glasgow City Centre.
The WTRT Team
Centre Front: Celia Sinclair
Front Left: Jean Sinclair, Philip Gregory, Narelle Mais & Alan Woods
Ann quoted "THEY were the epitome of luxury and style, a haven for ladies who lunched, and the vision of one of Scotland’s earliest female entrepreneurs. Now the old Willow Tea Rooms on Sauchiehall Street, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and run by Kate Cranston, are being faithfully restored by another pioneering woman, whose plans encompass much more than tea and tiffin."
Mackintosh at the Willow will involve restoring the tea rooms, including the impressive Salon de Luxe, to their former glory; creating a visitor centre, education hub and exhibition; and involving apprentices in the building of more than 400 pieces of furniture.
More than 200,000 people are expected to visit in 2018 and the education centre will play host to 2500 children. It’s estimated it will bring in £1m to the local economy, as tourists flock to the first ever, dedicated Mackintosh ‘museum’.
The aim is not just to preserve one of Mackintosh’s finest buildings, and pay tribute to the original tearooms owner Kate Cranston, but also to encourage the next generation of artists, architects and entrepreneurs who follow in their footsteps.
The BBC team is following and capturing our 'journey' through to project end in 2018. We thank them for their interest in this incredible project 'Mackintosh at the Willow'.
Please help us
with our fundraising campaign to complete the final stage of this important project in time for Mackintosh's 150th birthday celebrations in June 2018.
