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Bailing Out
One of Glasgow’s most famous monuments may be demolished unless money can be found for its restoration soon. The Doulton Fountain in Glasgow Green is rapidly deteriorating due to vandalism and weather damage and is in severe danger of falling foul of safety
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BAUR-HOUSE-STYLE
Chris Baur takes over as the new editor of The Scotsman on 1 December. Currently deputy editor, his appointment was announced three months ago but his association with the paper goes back a long way. He joined as a copy-boy in 1960 shortly alter leaving school at the age 0116 and, apart from a brief spell in the mid 70s, he has worked for it ever since.
It was in his campaigning series of articles in 1982 opposing the controversial takeover of the Royal Bank of Scotland that he most clearly made his mark and won himsell many awards. It was a very effective campaign and one that surprised many (not least the Royal Bank’s directors) by demonstrating how powerful and effective a Scottish lobby could be. But, as he told The List, the takeover ‘was not a populist issue; if asked, people would shrug their shoulders and perhaps add that it was a shame’. to Chris Baur’s opinion an important principle was at stake, ‘lt would have weakened the substructure at a very important financial centre, a locus of power and influence outside London and that would have been bad for Scotland and Britain’.
Now in his early forties, he is a whole generation younger than the retiring
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regulations. The 4611 high terracotta fountain, built by the famous Doulton a Go for the Empire Exhibition in 1888 and portraying Queen Victoria and the Empire, will soon be one hundred years old. Keith Fraser of the city’s Parks and
Recreation Department told me that
editor, Eric Mackay. 8ut Chris Baur sees himself following in Mackay’s footsteps with ‘an insistence on fairness and accuracy’ and he admires Mackay’s ability to find writers of quality and potential like Neal Ascherson, James Naughtie, Sally Magnusson and Gus MacDonald (now head of programmes at STV but would have been a print engineer if Mackay hadn’t spotted him).
‘You can never make sudden changes, it has to be an evolutionary thing’ he says when pressed about his plans. He seems content to start with ‘sublle changes to do with presentation
there had recently been a feasability study done on restoring the fountain to its full, Victorian splendour prior to taking it to the Garden Festival and then backto its original site. lie explained, ‘the estimates were more than the council could afford and that plan has had to be shelved.‘ He added that because of the materials oi which the fountain was built, it is particularly susceptible to weather damage and the situation is quickly becoming ‘urgent’.
A possible reprieve for the fountain may come from the Adopt a Monument scheme, set up three years ago when the District Council invited both individuals and companies to donate money for the upkeep and repair of local monuments. To date, only three of the 89 monuments earmarked have benefited from the scheme; the Ladywell, Lord Kelvin’s statue and the Langslde Monument. The amount of money required to save the Doulton Fountain depends on the various schemes under consideration, according to the amount and quality of restoration. Mr Fraser said. ‘l envisage a phased job. The first thing would be to get some water into the bowl.’
it is almost certain that a decision to demolish the iountaln would cause uproar among Glaswegians, most of whom are unaware of its plight. Most European cities incorporate fountains in their social amenities and with the transformation currently underway in the area, a restored Doulton Fountain would make an excellent local point of the revived East End — more than a match for any foreign city. Anyone interested in helping to retain this wonderful, Victorian work of art should contact: Adopt a Monument, Planning Department, 84 Queen Street, Glasgow.
“ :1. - 1 and projection of what we already have’. Only the 14th editor in The Scotsman’s 168 year history, Chris Daurthinks the paper still has a great reputation and refers to the fact that it is regularly quoted on the 88C’s World Service. But he says, he is not ‘overawed by the portraits of stem Victorian gentlemen that surround me. We are a modern newspaperseeklng to attack modern markets’. With both the Herald and the Scotsman trying to break out of the confines of their coastal markets, it remains to be seen how they set about it and which proves the more successful.
INSIDE
Lloyd Cole: Graham Caldwell takes a look behind the public image ofthe rising rock star.
MI
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The Glasgow of the Future — The List investigates plans for new building on the dear green place.
The two Liverpudlian stars of Letter to Brezhnev talk to Nigel Billen about making the film.
10 Skiing in Scotland: a look at the issues surrounding the sport plus a survival guide for the hardy enthusiasts — and the not so hard .
13 Listings: Theatre 14. Music 18, Film 26, Art 31, Dance 35, Kids 36, Sport 38, Open 40, Time Out 41 , Books 42, Media 44.
46 Style: The Ins and Outs of Water.
48 Backlist: Taking a look at hypnotism.
CONTRIBUTORS
Publisher Robin Hodge, Editors Nigel ‘ Billen, Sarah Hemming. Glasgow Editors Graham Caldwell. Lucy Ash. Design Simon Esterson. Advertising ‘ Manager(Edinburgh)Joanna Watson, . Advertising Assistants Fiona Murray. Suzie Paterson, Advertising (Glasgow) Chris Banks, Typesetting Jo Kennedy and Hewer Text. Publications Manager Sally Kinnes, Circulation Mark Ellis, Jane Ellis, Office Administration Fiona Murray Production EditorJohn R. MacWiIIiam, Production Assistants Toby Porter, Paul Keir, Trevor Johnston, Art Alice Bain. Lucy Ash, Books Alan Taylor, Classical Music Carol Main, Film Allan Hunter, Trevor Johnston, Folk/Jazz Norman Chalmers, Kids Sally Kinnes, Media Allan Hunter, Sally Kinnes, Open Richard Norris, Rock (Edinburgh) Alastair Mabbott, Rock (Glasgow) Andrea Miller, Sport Mark Ellis, Janet MacLean. Style Catherine Bond, Theatre Sarah Hemming, Time Out George Duff . J ane Ellis, Photos Clare Stephen, Hilary Paton, Chris Hill, Graphics Paul Gray, Simon
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Thanks to Lorraine Brown, John Hewer, Darien Printing Company, Cover: Lloyd Cole, Cover Photo Michael Putland, Cover Design Simon Esterson.
Published by The List Ltd, 14 High Street, Edinburgh, 5581191 and
13 Bath Street, Glasgow 332 3393. Subscriptions; £15 per year, £8 for 6 months, payable to The List Ltd.
Printed by Dunfermline Press Ltd
The List 29 Nov— 12 Dec1