A Glasgow high-rise block which emerged as the unlikely star of a television advertisement last year was demolished in a controlled explosion yesterday.
A Glasgow high-rise block which emerged as the unlikely star of a television advertisement last year was demolished in a controlled explosion yesterday.
Hundreds of people gathered to watch as the tower block, once home to Jim Kerr, lead singer with Simple Minds, and Janis Hughes, the local MSP, was erased from the city skyline.
The 23-storey Queen's Court in Crossbank Road, Toryglen, was demolished using 2500 charges which contained less than 70kg of explosives.
In just under 10 seconds the tower block was reduced to a 12,000-tonne pile of rubble.
Built in 1968 for £600,000, the building was originally home to 132 families, but in 2004 a decision was made to demolish it and the final residents were moved out last May.
However, as the preparations to carry out the controlled demolition were being drawn up, an advertising agency approached Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) with a strange request - to splatter the building with 70,000 litres of paint.
During the 70-second advertisement for Sony's Bravia high-definition LCD televisions, which was shown around the world, fountains of red, yellow, green and blue paint gushed 100 feet in to the sky and showered the tower block.
Nevertheless, residents were glad to see the flats erased from the neighbourhood and some climbed trees or pulled up deckchairs to get a better view as the block was demolished yesterday.
Kim Mitchell, 44, a cleaner who lives in the neighbouring street, said: "It was a waste of space and a blot on the landscape. It was all right inside as they were good houses but they were past their sell-by date."
Agnes Fyfe, 51, lives nearby and has family and friends who used to live in the tower block. She said: "I'm quite glad it has gone as it was a bit of an eyesore and it's time they did something for Toryglen.
"They should knock all of the high rises down as people now want something more modern.
"Mind you, when they first went up we thought it was luxury as we came from the tenements in the Gorbals. It was a lovely area when we first came here but this is the end of an era."
GHA is demolishing the flats as part of its regeneration programme for Toryglen. The demolition cost about £700,000, which GHA will recoup by means of a demolition grant from the Scottish Executive.
Danny Bradley, of GHA, said: "The regeneration study ongoing at the moment involves consultants working with tenants to see what they want for the area in the future."
