The Playhouse in Edinburgh — the largest theatre in the UK — is to undergo £4 million of redevelopments. The first stage of the plan will see the installation of new seating, expansion oi hospitality areas, management offices replacing Madisons Nightclub, a new zoo-seater restaurant in the Liberty Suite and the replacement of the facade canopy with an illuminated screen. Next year, the stage and flytower will be extended and backstage improvements made to aid scenery shifts of the scale demanded by the large touring musicals which have
proved popular in recent years. (AM)
I Glasgow gallery: Glasgow is to have its own £65 million Gallery of Modern Art. according to plans unveiled last week by the District Council. Conversion of the Royal Exchange Building. which currently houses Stirling's Library. will provide the city with the largest exhibition space of its kind outside London eleven exhibition areas totalling 2000 square metres. spread over five floors. The Stirling collection will be moved to the Mitchell Library before work begins on converting the A-listed building.
I Education funding: Edinburgh l'niversity will come ottt of the higher edttcation funding system better than its Glasgow counterpart. according to figures released by Scotland's new fttnding body. Previously. the eight older universities had received funds from the l7tiiv‘ersity' Funding Council in Bristol. with the Scottish ()l‘l'tce providing grants for the country’s seventeen other central institutions. Stirling l'niversity enjoyed the biggest increase «~ l4 per cent — while Edinburgh and Paisley l’ttiv'ersities
‘cd gains of over 13 per cent. ()ther institutions. including Glasgow l'niversity. sttffered because of their poorer standing in terms of research work. The new system also encourages increases in student numbers with grant incentives. with the result that 5000 more places mainly in science and engineering — are expected for the 1993—94 academic year. A total of £343 million in grants will be distributed.
I National Trust for Scotland: Increased membership coupled with a slight drop in visits to properties means that the National Trttst for Scotland is entering 1903 with ‘cautious optimism'. according to its recently published Annual Report. A decrease in both corporate sponsorship and financial aid from fttnding bodies limited the conservation work the Trust was able to carry ottt last year. with the effect that heavier emphasis was placed on donations and legacies, as well as the work of volunteers. However. during the period of the UK Presidency
receiv
of the European Community the Trust strengthened links with Europe by means of a major exhibition in Brussels and an international conference held in Edinburgh. A new full-colour Guide 72) Over [00 Properties — filled with general information and details on the location. opening hours~and facilities of the Trust's properties — is available from the National Trust for Scotland. 5 Charlotte Square. Edinburgh EH2 4DU, costing f l.
I Children’s League centenary: The Scottish Children's League — the junior branch of the RSSPCC — launched its centenary appeal last weekend when Princess Margaret released a clutch of balloons into the Edinburgh sky. Simultaneous launches also took place in Glasgow. Aberdeen, Dundee and Buckie. The Scottish Children's League was founded in 1893 to encourage children to help others in the battle against abuse. and the appeal hopes to raise £500,000 to develop a training centre for its staff. as well as support a network of Family Resource Centres across the country and increase awareness of the League‘s work in schools.
I Scotnail sell-off: ScotRail is on track for early privatisation, according to Transport Secretary John MacGregor. The Department of Transport has already received about 50 inquiries regarding franchising of the Scottish networks. but a management- employee buy-out. supported by the government. remains a strong possibility. Speaking in Glasgow last week. MacGregor said that ScotRail ‘has a clear national identity of its own. it has networks which would be well suited to a franchise operation. We are starting to put ScotRaiI into a form which would enable it to be franchised early. quite likely later on next year.‘ However. the Scottish Association for Public Transport called the current privatisation proposals ‘unrealistic‘. At its recent AGM. the transport pressure group urged the government to increase capital investment in the railway system using private funding and to extend franchises to more than twenty years to allow private companies to recoup investments. (AM)
AGENDA
‘+ NAKED TRUTH
’ . _ J \l GLASGOW BARROWLAND GUSGOW BARROWLA SUNDAY 28"! MARCH
30
BROTHERS
EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE l- | V E 0 N 8 1’ A G E
JEFF l-lEALEY BAND
:12: -".'--"' Plus Guests
" THE 4 OF us
GLASGOW BARROWLAND THE ORB MISSION ’93
THURSDAY 1“ APRIL FEATUHNG
8 DJ LEWIS 8 GUEST DJ'S
mk'iiiu OZRI C Jfififi’kfi TENTACLES
+SEIISER +GIIESI' DJ'S
OMY SCOTTISH 940W
EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE TUESDAY 4th MAY
DODGE IT M cKOY Pnonuc'roous GLASGOW BARBOWLAND THURSDAY 13th MAY
ousaow PLAZA TUESDAY 1am MAY
SPECIAL , w. 3%, _ r ,. 9 l ' ‘° _'.‘ It - ‘, “7": 'fi‘ ’5' 4"'
Gussr w's . I ._ ..'a.s0'i :_ I/ f... s. 's ' .‘ GLASGOW BARROWLAND FRIDAY 21st MAY
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“gusaow "extortiowuno,;. - ~ ;; TICKET ' TOCTA AGENTS (INFO 0 CC 031-557 8969) PLAYHOUSE BIO 031-557 2590