Glasgow is looking for statue experts to help with the restoration of George Square.
The city council is planning on a revamp of the square which will involve specialist work on the 11 historic statues.
Plans include moving the statues of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, on horseback, from the west of the square to outside the City Chambers.
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Other statues, which include military, arts and science pioneers, could be relocated within the square but before any work is done the council is looking for a firm with knowledge of how to handle important structures.
The contract will be to inform the council on the “dismantling, transportation, storage and conservation of the bronze monuments”.
A number of the statues are A-listed.
Queen Victoria statue
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The plans for the renovation do not involve moving or altering the Cenotaph or moving the Sir Walter Scott monument in the centre of the square.
A notice for the statue experts has now been issued and is the next stage in the George Square project’s progress.
The statues, a historic feature in George Square will be removed from their stone plinths and transported to a storage facility or a workshop for any repairs that are needed.
The work to remove statures is expected to start next year before they are refurbished and re-installed in 2027.
Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council, said “This is very niche, highly specialised and painstaking work, so we need to ensure we have the right level of expertise on board from the get-go.
“To get that level of expertise, it’s clear we need specialists to help us find the right contractors for the job.
“These are A and B-listed monuments and for many people are a key part of the experience of visiting Glasgow’s main public space. It’s critical we get this right.
“But it’s genuinely exciting to be reaching the point where we’re now on our way to the quality civic space Glaswegians have long asked for."
The experts being sought will help the council understand what is needed from organisations that will bid for the different work involved in the overall project.
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