By Jack Gilbert

Glasgow is almost as notorious for random fires as it is for strange demolition choices. Most notably, the grand St Enoch Hotel, which became a glass box for shopping in the 1990s. In terms of entertainment, the Apollo, which was once a beautiful theatre and historic rock venue, is now Cineworld. Another faceless skyscraper.

The most recent outrage-sparking demolition is The Regal, most well known as the O2 ABC.

In 1875 Glasgow’s Diorama opened, letting people view historic scenes on massive canvasses. In 1878, when the pictures began to be animated, the venue was renamed the Panorama, the second in a long list of names, with every Glaswegian having memories of one.

Although unusual now, in the 1900s it was cheaper to show early cinema in pre-existing buildings. Often, ice rinks were chosen. In 1885 the Panorama became Hubner’s Ice Skating Palace, one of the first indoor ice rinks in the city. Here, they held Glasgow’s first public film screening in 1897. The Panorama was one of the first buildings in the city to gain electricity in 1888.

The 1900s led to the Hippodrome, where films and variety performances were shown. Hengler’s Circus moved in in 1904, but when cinemas became popular in the 1920s, films were shown here again, and in 1929 the Regal Cinema opened, showing The Singing Fool.

Associated British Cinemas eventually spotted the building and commissioned Charles McNair to give it a revamp, giving it the famous art deco facade. The iconic red triangle ABC branding was only added in 1959, and Regal was dropped from the name in 1967. The large building beside the ABC (later Jumping Jak’s club) was built at this point as the ABC2.

With various owners through the 1980s and 1990s, names would change again but ultimately, the ABC with the red triangular logo would be brought back. It survived as a cinema until 1999 and lay derelict until 2002 before extensive renovations took place.

The ABC provided Glasgow with a place for established, but not quite SEC level bands. Sum 41 was the first to perform in 2003. Over the years bands like Kasabian and Arctic Monkeys would play Glasgow’s O2 before an era of entertainment came to an end on a summer night in 2018.

With a second fire in the Glasgow School of Art ripping through Campus nightclub and the ABC, an uncertain future of entertainment on Sauchiehall Street began.

£20 million was raised by the public to help the art school in 2014, however, the money was spent on buying other buildings rather than its advertised purpose (Sunday Post). While money and attention were poured towards GSA, Campus was continually charged for water bills despite the nightclub being charred and the ABC was forced to move acts to venues they weren’t suited to.

The art school has world-famous architecture, of course. But what does it mean to the average person?

GSA’s Mackintosh building opened in 1909 as a university for the arts. This isn’t something most people have experienced; however, most people have visited a cinema.

Specifically, the Glasgow ABC provided a variety of entertainment from the 1880s to the 2010s. It was accessible for the working class and would’ve provided experiences of circus animals and world history to those of the 1800s and 1900s. The venue gave generations of children the experience of seeing their first film, and finally was home to the nightlife of adolescents for almost 20 years.

It's not hard to imagine the stories that would’ve started in the ABC. People will have met the person they married or had children with. The lifetime of the ABC tells the story of what generations of Glaswegians enjoyed, all behind the art deco facade. Now the art school still stands behind cover and scaffolding, while the ABC is demolished for a potentially lifeless food court.

Down the road sits St Enoch’s Centre, which leaves no remains of the gorgeous historical St Enoch’s Station and Hotel. Glasgow should be renowned for its historical buildings rather than the mysterious fires destroying them and poor demolition choices.

However, changes can be made, and this doesn’t have to happen again. An example could be the city centre’s Watt Brothers department store. Left to rot and at risk, Watt Brothers is a part of Glasgow’s social history, a reminder of Christmas shopping and the high street heyday. Buildings like this can and should be saved.

The O2 ABC: A piece of Glasgow's culture that shouldn't be demolished