Glasgow Wetherspoons was inspired by a greenhouse

The Crystal Palace is one of the city’s most popular and busy Wetherspoons pubs, and this is perhaps due to its remarkable aesthetic, virtually unchanged since the Victorian era when it was built.

It was built between 1855 and 1856 by John Baird, an architect from Dalmuir who was already well-reputed in the city for his work. He is also credited with designing the Necropolis, Argyll Arcade, the National Bank of Scotland, and many of the city’s churches.

Argyll Arcade, also designed by John Baird (Image: Newsquest)

The building was inspired by – and named after – the Crystal Palace in London’s Hyde Park, a huge greenhouse-like structure which dazzled visitors at the 1851 Great Exhibition. It had over a hundred windows, was 600 yards long and tall enough to contain the park’s trees.

Its designer Joseph Paxton worked as a gardener for the Duke of Devonshire before he gained recognition and fame for his contribution to the exhibition.

He walked away with a knighthood and reportedly earned £5000 – around £650,000 in today’s money. His influence brought him to Glasgow where he went on to design Kelvingrove Park and work with designers on the layout of Queens Park.

Queens Park (photo by Colin Mearns) (Image: Newsquest)

One of the most instantly recognisable features of the pub, directly inspired by the original Crystal Palace, is its arch windows which were created by using cast iron frame.

It was a popular technique used in building since the 18th century and was used to make factories fireproof. Later, it was more common to use large sheets of plate glass for this, and Paxton decided to use a combination of both.

The Crystal Palace operated as a furniture warehouse until the pub giant Wetherspoons took over, and this is still recognised on the building’s front façade where you can see the ‘A Gardner & Son Cabinet Makers’ sign. The pub has two large bars, one on each floor, and the building’s original lift is still in operation.

Much like the nearby Counting House, which was used as a bank before a popular drinking spot, wandering through the Crystal Palace is like following a map of Glasgow’s history.

On the walls of the pub, you can see artwork including prints of the original Crystal Palace which inspired Baird, photos of Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s designs in the city – including the old offices of our sister title The Herald.

You can also learn the history of the nearby Broomielaw Bridge and the many attempts it took to get it right. The original at the end of Jamaica Street was built between 1767 and 1772 and was nicknamed the Bonny Brig.

Despite its ‘bonny’ look, it couldn’t cope with the increase in traffic after the city’s westward expansion and was rendered obsolete. The replacement was designed by Thomas Telford, who is known for his work on the Caledonian Canal.

It was twice as wide, but even that struggled with the huge influx of city traffic. The third version was built in 1894 and remains there today, albeit with some of the original materials and features.