Ten of Kelvingrove Park’s 16 entrances will be locked for the entire summer season, Glasgow City Council has announced.
Access to the beauty spot in the city’s West End is being restricted in order to curb mass gatherings which have taken place over the last few weeks.
The council confirmed the move today and claimed incidents of anti-social behaviour, drinking, public urination and littering have deterred others from wanting to enter the park.
As a result, ten of the park's sixteen entrances will now be closed with immediate effect for the remainder of the summer season.
Entrances that will still be in use are Kelvingrove Street, Kelvin Way (south), Eldon St underpass, Eldon St, Park Gate and Royal Terrace.
The council has also announced that on days when high numbers of visitors are expected, such as a heatwave, council officers and police will patrol the gates.
We previously told how at least 50 police officers – some carrying riot shields – cleared the park on June 25.
People had flocked to the park on the hottest day of the year.
Videos and images showed hundreds of boozed-up punters floating social distancing rules and illegally drinking in public.
Announcing the new gate restrictions, the council have also implemented further changes including restrictions on parking, enhanced CCTV and additional litter bins.
In a statement, Cllr Anna Richardson, said: "Going to the park has been a real lifeline during the Covid-19 emergency and throughout lockdown Kelvingrove Park has remained as one of Glasgow's favourite green spaces. Closing gates at Kelvingrove is the last thing we wanted to do, but we have to ensure the park remains a place that everyone can enjoy and feels safe going there.
"The mass gatherings we have seen recently have caused serious concerns, not only for the lack of physical distancing being observed, but also due to frequent reports of anti-social behaviour and disorder. The amount of waste that we regularly remove from the park, much of it linked to alcohol consumption, is also staggering.
"Limiting the number of entry points to the park means that on very busy days we can manage access more effectively, ensuring the park management rules are applied to all visitors.
“Taking this necessary step will help to keep Kelvingrove as a welcoming place for all."
Police Scotland chief inspector Morag Lister, area commander at Greater Glasgow Division said: "Kelvingrove Park has recently been home to some deplorable scenes of violence, disorder and antisocial behaviour, including officers being assaulted in their endeavours to keep people safe.
"There is a minority group who are intent on using the park for purposes other than recreation and we have been working in close collaboration with Glasgow City Council to mitigate the risk that this group poses to the park's long-term sustainability and its thousands of other users. Sadly, those mitigation measures have resulted in the majority of the park's entrances being locked as a result of the behaviour of this minority group.
"The Chief Constable has made it clear that we are asking people to take personal responsibility to do the right thing and remember the purpose of these measures is to aid the collective effort to stay safe, protect others and save lives by preventing the virus from spreading.
"Our officers will continue to engage with the public, explain the legislation and guidance and encourage compliance.
“We will use enforcement as a last resort only where there is a clear breach of the legislation.”
