Scores of people gathered outside Glasgow's Royal Concert Hall to launch a campaign to stop plans to demolish the steps.

They gathered at the top of Buchanan Street to protest against last week's decision by the city council to demolish the steps and replace them with a new multi-millions pound atrium and entrance way for Buchanan Galleries.

The demonstration was organised by the grassroots Save Our Steps group, which has already gathered thousands of signatures on a petition supporting the preservation of the Buchanan Street landmark.

They showed off signs and chanted slogans such as "Save our steps," "People before profit", and "GCC shame on you."

Heather McEwen, 57, is a librarian who has lived in Glasgow for 30 years.

She said: "I just think that it's such a great place for the city. I often come here on my lunch break and it's meant to be so you can come and look out down through the city.

"When I heard about the protest, I had to come. I hope the council overturn their decision."

Bill Beckett from the city centre, wore a white mask at the protest, was giving out signs to fellow campaigners.

He said: "I hope they stop such a hideous plan. It's a concern that they're taking away the chance for us to campaign and protest in an area that we've had for so many years."

Glasgow City Council say the plans will help maintain Glasgow's reputation as the UK's second shopping destination after London. 

The £390 million shopping centre expansion will see the erection of an ''entrance atrium'' to the concert hall and mall on Buchanan Street, and the car park will be demolished and replaced.

But campaigners say there are already empty retail spaces in Glasgow's city centre, while other areas of the city are in greater need of regeneration.

Some campaigners who back Scottish independence also held up political messages, targeting the Labour-controlled council.

One of the protest organisers, Michael Skribbles, said the campaign group has already handed a 14,000 signature petition into the council, which was "totally ignored".

He said the group has launched a new petition and plans to occupy the steps every Saturday until the council "takes notice".

"You only have to go a few streets away to find dozens and dozens of empty shops, so one thing we don't need is more shops," he said.

"There are so many empty units in Glasgow, money could be spent renovating the streets that those units are on."

He insisted the protest was mainly "cultural" rather than political, adding: "For many people who are here today, they are not even Yes voters, they are people who use this (the steps) for their lunch everyday or to meet people.

"These steps have been here for decades and Glasgow City Council is doing all it can to take them away."