At a reception held during Glasgow Doors Open Days Festival 2019 in the presence of the Lord Provost of Glasgow, the Panopticon Trust announced its new public fundraising campaign to raise £45,000 to carry out its first phase of planning work to buy and restore the Britannia Panopticon.
The Trust were also pleased to announce that they have already raised funds totalling nearly £11,000 from grant making organisations, the Architectural Heritage Fund and the Stafford Trust.
This new appeal asks the public to help raise £6,000 through individual donations.
The Chair of the Panopticon Trust, Mhora Samuel said, “We’re asking people to help us buy and restore Glasgow’s iconic Britannia Panopticon Music Hall. They can text PANOPTICON to 70085 or make a donation online at our website panopticontrust.org. We are really excited by the support we’ve received so far from funders and we’re appealing to the people of Glasgow, Scotland and beyond to help us too.”
The fundraising launch reception took place on the 16 September 2019 at the Britannia Panopticon Music Hall, on day one of the Glasgow Doors Open Days Festival.
At the event the Lord Provost of Glasgow, Councillor Eva Bolander, gave her support to the Panopticon Trust’s new campaign. She said, “I want to really congratulate everyone who has been involved in reopening the Britannia Panopticon, and wish every success to the Panopticon Trust which has been set up to save this historical gem of an institution and building.”
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Lord Provost of Glasgow, Eva Bolander with Panopticon Trust Chair, Mhora Samuel
Photos: Debbie McCall
The Britannia Panopticon Music Hall opened in 1859 and is Scotland’s only surviving music hall. It was a popular venue and cinema until it closed in 1938. Whilst the music hall auditorium is open to the public, and a programme of shows and events is run by the Friends of the Britannia Panopticon Music Hall, its upper floors cannot be used and are in need of repair and restoration.
The Panopticon Trust’s vision is to see the whole building in use as a community hub and venue for popular entertainment and variety in Glasgow. This includes bringing people in through the front entrance on the Trongate and making all floors accessible to the public.
Mhora Samuel with Gordon Wylie, Trustee of the Stafford Trust
Panopticon Trust Trustees, Denise Differ and Trevor Schuster-Davis
with Hugh Muir, Friends Volunteer (Middle)
Panopticon Trustee, Graham Hunter with guest, Wendy Niblock
Gordon Barr, Architectural Heritage Fund
Graeme Smith, Capital Project Advisory Board member
with Nicola Walls, Page / Park
Reception Guests
Categories: Fundraising
