This film is part of Free

Great Western Road 1980

Take a virtual stroll down the streets of Glasgow’s iconic Great Western Road in this 1980s Scottish Film Archive remake of two comparable films shot in 1914 and 1922.

Amateur film 1980 15 mins

From the collection of:

Logo for Scotland's Moving Image Archive
Watch for free

Overview

Enjoy a colourful production from the Scottish Film Archive documenting life on the iconic and bustling streets of Glasgow’s Great Western Road in 1980. It was shot as a modern comparison to two earlier films, one from 1914 and the other from 1922, both of which feature on the Scottish Screen Archive’s website. Immerse your senses in the hustle, bustle and beauty of some of the road’s most notable landmarks including the Botanic Gardens, Byres Road and the Grosvenor Cinema.

The footage features shots of the grand Grosvenor Hotel under reconstruction after it was severely damaged by fire in 1978, two years prior to this film being made. The carnage was believed to have started when a chip pan fire roared out of control. The damage was exacerbated by a firemen’s strike, which left poorly equipped military stand-in crews overwhelmed. The marines and sailors involved argued that they could have stopped the flames sooner had they not been equipped with outdated “Green Goddess” reserve engines. The hotel was rebuilt and is currently owned and operated by the Hilton group. Note: The Scottish Film Archive became the Scottish Screen Archive.

Director
Scottish Film Archive
Genres
Amateur film
Released
1980
Country
Scotland
Location
GlasgowKelvinside
Language
English

Subjects

1980s Botanical gardens Shops