Glasgow Garden Festival
Encyclopedia
The Glasgow Garden Festival was the third of the United Kingdom
's five National Garden Festival
s, and the only one to take place in Scotland
.
It was held in Glasgow
between 26 April and 26 September 1988. It was the first event of its type to be held in the city in 50 years, since the Empire Exhibition
of 1938, and also marked the centenary of Glasgow's first International Exhibition, the International Exhibition of Science, Art and Industry
of 1888.
It attracted 4.3 million visitors over 152 days, by far the most successful of the five National Garden Festivals. Its significance in the rebirth of the city was underlined by the 1990 European City of Culture
title bestowed on Glasgow in September 1986. The two events together did much to restore Glasgow to national and international prominence.
at Plantation Quay in Govan
, and also on land reclaimed from the partial filling-in of the Prince's Dock basin. Once the largest dock on the River Clyde when opened in 1900, it had been closed to navigation in the early 1970s with the advent of Containerization
. Glasgow Garden Festival 1988 Ltd., a subsidiary of the Scottish Development Agency, managed the event.
Features included the 240 feet (73.2 m) high Clydesdale Bank
150th Anniversary Tower, the Coca-Cola Roller roller coaster
, a miniature railway and five former Glasgow Corporation Tramways
vintage trams running again in the city along the riverside. A new swing bridge
, Bell's Bridge, sponsored by the Distillers Company, had been constructed across the river to link the Garden Festival to the SECC
, which held the Grand International Show in its Hall 4 in conjunction with the festival. The official opening ceremony took place on 29 April and was conducted by Prince Charles
and Princess Diana
. The event had significant media coverage, including daily BBC TV magazine shows, The Beechgrove Garden
and radio features, the festival was also used as a backdrop for the Taggart
episode Root Of Evil.
and also Pacific Quay
, which includes a media campus that provides new headquarters for BBC Scotland
and Scottish Television
, opened in 2007. The Clydesdale Bank tower was dismantled and re-erected in Rhyl
in North Wales
, however its spiritual successor came in the form of the Glasgow Millennium Tower
as part of Science Centre complex, which stands on approximately the same spot.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's five National Garden Festival
National Garden Festival
The National Garden Festivals were part of the cultural regeneration of large areas of derelict land in Britain's industrial districts during the 1980s and early 1990s. Five were held in total - one every two years, each in a different town or city - after the idea was pushed by environment...
s, and the only one to take place in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
It was held in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
between 26 April and 26 September 1988. It was the first event of its type to be held in the city in 50 years, since the Empire Exhibition
Empire Exhibition, Scotland 1938
Empire Exhibition, Scotland 1938 was an international exposition held at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow, from May to December 1938....
of 1938, and also marked the centenary of Glasgow's first International Exhibition, the International Exhibition of Science, Art and Industry
International Exhibition of Science, Art and Industry
The International Exhibition of Science, Art and Industry was the first of 4 international exhibitions held in Glasgow, Scotland during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It took place at Kelvingrove Park between May and November 1888...
of 1888.
It attracted 4.3 million visitors over 152 days, by far the most successful of the five National Garden Festivals. Its significance in the rebirth of the city was underlined by the 1990 European City of Culture
European Capital of Culture
The European Capital of Culture is a city designated by theEuropean Union for a period of one calendar year during which it organises a series of cultural events with a strong European dimension....
title bestowed on Glasgow in September 1986. The two events together did much to restore Glasgow to national and international prominence.
The festival site
The festival site covered 120 acre (0.4856232 km²), including 17 of water, on the south bank of the River ClydeRiver Clyde
The River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
at Plantation Quay in Govan
Govan
Govan is a district and former burgh now part of southwest City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south bank of the River Clyde, opposite the mouth of the River Kelvin and the district of Partick....
, and also on land reclaimed from the partial filling-in of the Prince's Dock basin. Once the largest dock on the River Clyde when opened in 1900, it had been closed to navigation in the early 1970s with the advent of Containerization
Containerization
Containerization is a system of freight transport based on a range of steel intermodal containers...
. Glasgow Garden Festival 1988 Ltd., a subsidiary of the Scottish Development Agency, managed the event.
Features included the 240 feet (73.2 m) high Clydesdale Bank
Clydesdale Bank
Clydesdale Bank is a commercial bank in Scotland, a subsidiary of the National Australia Bank Group. In Scotland, Clydesdale Bank is the third largest clearing bank, although it also retains a branch network in London and the north of England...
150th Anniversary Tower, the Coca-Cola Roller roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
, a miniature railway and five former Glasgow Corporation Tramways
Glasgow Corporation Tramways
Glasgow Corporation Tramways were formerly one of the largest urban tramway systems in Europe. Over 1000 municipally-owned trams served the city of Glasgow, Scotland with over 100 route miles by 1922...
vintage trams running again in the city along the riverside. A new swing bridge
Swing bridge
A swing bridge is a movable bridge that has as its primary structural support a vertical locating pin and support ring, usually at or near to its centre of gravity, about which the turning span can then pivot horizontally as shown in the animated illustration to the right...
, Bell's Bridge, sponsored by the Distillers Company, had been constructed across the river to link the Garden Festival to the SECC
Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre
The Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre , located on the north bank of the River Clyde, in Glasgow, is Scotland's largest exhibition centre....
, which held the Grand International Show in its Hall 4 in conjunction with the festival. The official opening ceremony took place on 29 April and was conducted by Prince Charles
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
and Princess Diana
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
. The event had significant media coverage, including daily BBC TV magazine shows, The Beechgrove Garden
The Beechgrove Garden
The Beechgrove Garden is a television programme broadcast on BBC Two Scotland since 1978, but since 10 April 2007 now broadcast on BBC One Scotland. It is a gardening programme. The original plot of land used was the small area of garden attached to the BBC studios in Aberdeen, located in the...
and radio features, the festival was also used as a backdrop for the Taggart
Taggart
Taggart is a Scottish detective television programme, created by Glenn Chandler, who has written many of the episodes, and made by STV Productions for the ITV network...
episode Root Of Evil.
After the Garden Festival
After the end of the festival, the site was expected to be developed for housing, but the original developers, Laing Homes, had sold up before the event due to the housing slump in 1987, and most of the 100 acre (0.404686 km²) of land was then owned by Grosvenor Estates or the City Council. Like the other Garden Festivals, which had all promised a speedy post-event development to capitalise on the popularity of the occasion, the majority of the site remained derelict for years. Parts were finally redeveloped for the Glasgow Science CentreGlasgow Science Centre
Glasgow Science Centre is a visitor attraction located on the south bank of the River Clyde in Glasgow, Scotland. It is a purpose-built science centre composed of three principal buildings which are the Science Mall, an IMAX cinema and the Glasgow Tower...
and also Pacific Quay
Pacific Quay
Pacific Quay is an area south of the River Clyde in Glasgow, Scotland. It is located at the former Plantation Quay and Princes' Dock Basin. The Princes' Dock Basin was the largest on the River Clyde when it was opened in 1900. It ceased to be used in the 1970s as the volume of Shipping using the...
, which includes a media campus that provides new headquarters for BBC Scotland
BBC Scotland
BBC Scotland is a constituent part of the British Broadcasting Corporation, the publicly-funded broadcaster of the United Kingdom. It is, in effect, the national broadcaster for Scotland, having a considerable amount of autonomy from the BBC's London headquarters, and is run by the BBC Trust, who...
and Scottish Television
Scottish Television
Scottish Television is Scotland's largest ITV franchisee, and has held the ITV franchise for Central Scotland since 31 August 1957. It is the second oldest ITV franchisee still active...
, opened in 2007. The Clydesdale Bank tower was dismantled and re-erected in Rhyl
Rhyl
Rhyl is a seaside resort town and community situated on the north east coast of Wales, in the county of Denbighshire , at the mouth of the River Clwyd . To the west is the suburb of Kinmel Bay, with the resort of Towyn further west, Prestatyn to the east and Rhuddlan to the south...
in North Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, however its spiritual successor came in the form of the Glasgow Millennium Tower
Glasgow Tower
Glasgow Tower is a free-standing tower located on the south bank of the River Clyde in Glasgow, Scotland and forms part of Glasgow Science Centre complex.-Background and world records:...
as part of Science Centre complex, which stands on approximately the same spot.
See Also
- International Exhibition of Science, Art and IndustryInternational Exhibition of Science, Art and IndustryThe International Exhibition of Science, Art and Industry was the first of 4 international exhibitions held in Glasgow, Scotland during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It took place at Kelvingrove Park between May and November 1888...
(1888) - Glasgow International Exhibition (1901)Glasgow International Exhibition (1901)The Glasgow International Exhibition was the second of 4 international exhibitions held in Glasgow, Scotland during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.-Summary:...
- Scottish Exhibition of National History, Art and IndustryScottish Exhibition of National History, Art and IndustryThe Scottish Exhibition of National History, Art and Industry was the third of 4 international exhibitions held in Glasgow, Scotland during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.-Summary:...
(1911) - Empire Exhibition, Scotland 1938Empire Exhibition, Scotland 1938Empire Exhibition, Scotland 1938 was an international exposition held at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow, from May to December 1938....