Over the previous 11 years the previous Lansdowne Church on Great Western Road – with its acquainted slender spire – has been working as Websters Theatre. A tenant has now been discovered to occupy the bottom ground on a full time and long run foundation. From September 2025 the constructing will turn into the brand new house for the enduring Stand Comedy Club, which can transfer from its present premises simply not far away on Woodlands Road. The Stand will present its common programme of comedy occasions from the bottom ground of the previous church. The constructing belongs to the charity, Fact Three, arrange by the trustees of Four Acres Charitable Trust to safe its restoration and provides it a sustainable future. This adopted the instance of Cottiers in Hyndland which the Trust had been restoring for a few years, and which is effectively often called a profitable arts and wedding ceremony venue.
Websters was named after Alf Webster, whose stained glass is recognised as being among the many most interesting in Scotland. Fact Three has been elevating funds to revive his two important home windows within the constructing and make them the centrepiece of a serious new customer attraction – a stained glass museum sited on the higher gallery.
The gallery can even present a working space for the specialists concerned within the stained glass restoration, offering a possibility for guests to the gallery to view them at work. Traditional expertise of this type are a dwindling useful resource, and a part of the funding will probably be earmarked for coaching in order to broaden the pool of expert stained glass restorers. It is hoped that work on the gallery will begin later this 12 months.
Since 2013 the bottom ground under the gallery has had a largely seasonal use for drama productions, music and comedy exhibits. Most profitable has been a daily pantomime which has run for over 10 years.
Following the transition to the Stand the pantomime, and plenty of different common productions and performances which have taken place at Websters, will transfer to Cottiers – with ‘A Cottiers Christmas Carol’ working all through December. Early Bird tickets will probably be accessible from the thirty first July 2025.
Websters has hosted many memorable exhibits and occasions, and the trustees want to thank everybody who has contributed over the previous decade. They are assured that, by providing a 12 months spherical comedy hub, the Stand will improve the presence and profile of the constructing for a few years to come back – a brand new chapter for the Stand and a brand new chapter for this historic landmark in Glasgow.
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