For many Glaswegians, the fire that has destroyed the Union Corner building next to Glasgow Central station is an unsettling reminder of fires that obliterated the city’s famous School of Art, first in 2014 and then again in 2018 while undergoing restoration.
Central Station is the busiest in Scotland with 25 million visitors a year. Even more pass by its grand gated entrance, bordered by a number of Victorian-era buildings like Union Corner. Built in the mid-19th century where Union Street and Gordon Street meet, the building’s famous dome (behind which brightly lit adverts acted as a beacon guiding people to the station beneath) and Victorian façade on Union Street have collapsed.
The fire will have obvious economic consequences for the city, particularly through the loss of businesses caught in and close to the fire. But the emotional effect of the fire will be felt by the city’s residents and visitors, particularly if the building lies in ruins indefinitely.
