Date: 16/06/2007

Stefan King, the millionaire leisure entrepreneur, has been given the go-ahead to recreate a historic railway station. Glasgow City Council's executive committee approved the scheme without any major objections yesterday. However, there are still a number of hurdles to get over before work on the project in the Botanic Gardens, in the city's west end, begins. Mr King, who heads bar, club and restaurant chain G1 Group, is already working on a detailed planning application. He will also have to convince the city's licensing board of the merits of the scheme before he is given the go-ahead to sell alcohol. As part of his bid, Mr King has promised a mini-railway, bandstand and pavilion for the city park. He will also construct a conference and performance centre, as well as a nightclub, on a disused subterranean railway platform. The former station site, on the Great Western Road perimeter of the park, will become a family-orientated cafe-bar and restaurant across two floors, based on the original architectural plans for the elegant James Miller design. The station opened in 1894 and closed in 1939

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Related images

Botanic Gardens. Map of 1914 showing Botanic Gardens and Kelvinbridge Stations.
Location: Botanic Gardens
Company: Ordnance Survey
29/08/2008 Alistair MacKenzie

Glasgow Central Railway. Botanic Gardens station from above.
Location: Botanic Gardens
Company: Glasgow Central Railway
24/04/2008 Alistair MacKenzie

Entrance gates to the Botanics Station.
Location: Botanic Gardens
Company: Glasgow Central Railway
09/07/2006 Colin Harkins