One of Scotland's leading leisure entrepreneurs has promised a mini-railway, bandstand, and pavilion for a flagship city park.
Stefan King, millionaire head of bar, club and restaurant chain G1 Group, will also construct a conference and performance centre, as well as a nightclub, on a disused subterranean railway platform if his bid for a new venue at Glasgow's Botanic Gardens is accepted tomorrow.
Mr King, whose portfolio now includes more than 40 venues across Scotland, wants to recreate a historic railway station on the perimeter of the west end park as a family orientated cafe-bar and restaurant across two floors.
The scheme is based on the original architectural plans for the elegant James Miller Railway Station, which was built in 1896 but is now little more than an overgrown hole.
Glasgow City Council's Executive Committee will decide whether to give the proposal the go-ahead as part of an overall strategy of attracting more people to parks via commercial ventures. Although the decision has still to be taken the recommendation is to grant.
Mr King's bid, which was part of a competition, was also judged to be the only suitable submission received.
G1 will have to pay a fixed rental of £5000 a year for the first five years rising to £12,000 after that. But the firm will also have to embark on a massive programme of investment.
In addition to the anticipated huge costs of the underground conference venue and club, G1 would pay an initial £100,000 to improve the load carrying capacity of the tunnel under the gardens and Great Western Road.
It would also fund a children's play area, to be designed by the city council, next to the site costing an estimated £100,000 to £120,000 and a miniature railway with reproductions of the Caledonian Railway Company's engines, again costing around £100,000.
And it would pay an estimated £50,000 for the construction of a bandstand "in a style in keeping with the Botanic Gardens" and a temporary pavilion which could be erected for special events or performances such as the Bard in the Botanics.
The report from land and environmental services director Bob Booth states: "Over and above the financial contributions, the proposal to rebuild the Botanic Station will provide the garden visitors with a range of enhanced facilities including clean modern toilets which incorporate baby changing facilities, year-long access to restaurant and cafe facilities and a range of facilities which will enhance the attraction of the Botanic Gardens for families and younger children."
The station served an underground line that ran from Maryhill to Stobcross junction, now the SECC. The line, which is part tunnel and part deep cutting, still runs across Glasgow although it has not been used since 1964. The station shut in 1939 and burnt down in 1970, leaving just the underground platforms.
Should Mr King's proposal clear the planning consent hurdle it will spell the end of the pipe dream of some transport enthusiasts who wanted the west end section of the tunnel network to be brought back into operation.
The application is also certain to face resistance from local community councils.
Last night a G1 spokesman said: "This is a project very close to Stefan's heart as he was born just along the road.
"It will create a new amenity for visitors to the Botanics and the west end and a faithful reproduction of James Miller's original building will itself be a restored landmark for Glasgow. The building's twin, golden, onion domes were unique in Scotland and one of Glasgow's best loved architectural features.
"They will now be returned to the original station where they will once again be among the highlights of the west end."
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