Nearly ten years ago, the Strathbungo Society was awarded a grant from ENTRUST which was originally destined for revision of part of the back lanes.

The cost of relaying even a small part of the lanes in a conservation area proved prohibitive, and we were faced with either using the money or having to give it back. The criteria were stringent, and the two options of a piece of equipment for the Balvicar Street playpark, or donating to the Queens Park Arena project were voted on by you at Bungo in the Back Lanes and the AGM in October. Following this, we offered around £20000 to the Queens Park Arena, which will restore bandstand and seating to it’s former glory. The winning design is shown.

Planning has now been approved, and work should begin this year on the £230000 first phase of the project – and the Strathbungo Society is acknowledged alongside Glasgow City Council through the local area committees and the Scottish Government as a major contributor.

Find out more from the Queens Park Arena website: www.queensparkarenadesigncompetition.co.uk/

An interesting wee article in the Evening Times today about the possible opening by the end of the year of a Sainsbury’s on Darnley Road on the site of the old petrol station. The size of the space and the planning application indicate it will be a similar size to the unit they recently opened on Victoria Road (on the former Hoey’s site).

Work has not yet started but several of the local shopkeepers, particularly those running convenience stores and newsagents, have expressed concern about the potential impact on the local independent shops and Pollokshields’ villagey feel. What do you think? Is anything an improvement on a derelict site? Would you shop there in preference to the smaller shops? Or do you think it will add to the area and encourage you to shop more locally instead of driving to a bigger supermarket at Silverburn or Braehead?

Residents on Nithsdale Rd recently received notice of plans to renovate the old Fotheringay pub which has been empty for two years. The people behind the proposed £110K refit own two successful restaurants in the West End – Left Bank on Gibson St and Two Figs on Byres Road.

I popped into the Council offices to look at the plans today. The changes being proposed would lead to a similar appearance to that of Left Bank. They’ll be reorganising the interior, opening up ‘windows’ between rooms and exposing some of the cornicing. The plans also indicate that they’d like to paint the front facing grey and install a huge sliding window on about half the front elevation. Finally, as it’s a food-focused venue, they’re hoping to get consent for installing a flue at the back of the building and up the tenement block.

We’ve contacted the design company and asked if a representative would like to come along to Monday’s meeting to chat about the proposals. If you’d like to find out more about the plans, do come along – 7.30pm, Monday 18th April at Grianach on Nithsdale Rd. You can also look at the plans before the meeting at the Council offices at 229 George St 9-5pm on Monday ref: 11/00378/DC.

Finally, and to avoid confusion, one of the names used by the company on the application is The Bungo Ltd but they are in no way connected with the Society or Bungo events!