"The Briggait" and The Briggait Centre are names recently given to Glasgow's old fish market, built in 1873. The building was designed by the architects Clarke & Bell in the French Renaissance style, with painted stone facades and, inside, a galleried market hall of cast iron and glass. It was extended in 1886 and again in 1903, engulfing the Merchants' Steeple which now emerges through the roof of the market building.
The fish merchants moved out in 1977 and the building was renovated in the mid-1980s as a shopping centre. The change of use failed to capture the imagination of Glasgow's shoppers and the building has subsequently served as a live music and entertainment venue. At the beginning of the 21st century there were plans to convert the building to an artists' centre.
Reference: 5629
Reproduced with the permission of the West of Scotland Archaeology Service
Keywords:
artists' centres, Briggait, Briggait Centre, Fish Market, fish markets, French Renaissance, music venues, shopping centres, shops