A petition opposing plans to introduce charges at a B-listed Glasgow attraction has received more than 2,200 signatures.
The council announced in February that visitors will soon be required to pay £3 to view the exotic plants, sculptures and resident goldfish at the Kibble Palace. The other glasshouse in the Botanic Gardens will not incur a charge.
A petition dubbed 'Keep our Kibble Free' was signed by 2,295 supporters and will be debated by councillors at a committee meeting later this week.
The council said introducing a minimal fee would allow it to strike a balance between raising revenue and cutting services. It is expected to raise £185,000 a year.
The decision prompted an angry response from those who say it provides sheltered access to nature for a wide mix of people including parents with young children, the elderly and students.
READ MORE: Visitors given trigger warnings at new Glasgow exhibition
Glasgow actor Tam Dean Burn, organised a series of “soft occupations” of the Kibble and believes "those who need it will be hardest hit".
He said: "We know how important green space is for mental wellbeing, how some people these days need a warm space, or older people need a place to connect."
Glasgow is one of the few cities in the world that prides itself on offering free entry to most of its museums and galleries but some have argued that the policy is unsustainable given the pressures local authorities are facing.
Ricky Bell, depute leader of Glasgow City Council, warned of worse times to come and said the local authority could not continue to "salami-slice" services.
He said the idea of charging visitors or tourists to access the city's museums was back on the table.
READ MORE: Glasgow city council exploring museum charges as it battles £50million budget black hole
The Kibble houses plants from around the world including Australian and New Zealand ferns.
In September it was named among the city's best 'free' attractions by Condé Nast Travel magazine.
The glasshouse was once privately owned and located on Loch Long but in 1873, having been dismantled, transported by barge and enlarged through the initiative of its owner, it re-opened as an event space lit by 600 gas lamps "before becoming the horticultural destination it is today."
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