Glasgow City Council spent £1.4 million demolishing Victoria’s Nightclub and carrying out emergency repairs on nearby dangerous buildings following a fire in 2018.
Scottish Fire and Rescue were on the scene for days after the blaze ripped through the buildings of 92-96 and 98-106 Sauchiehall Street on March 22 last year.
The fire spread throughout the buildings leaving no option but to bring them to the ground.
Demolition of the site started on April 5 and was completed, with debris and rubble cleared, by late June.
Roads and footpaths in the area were closed for several months as a result while demolition works were completed.
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Following the fire Glasgow City Council used £1.4 million of taxpayer’s money to flatten the buildings on Sauchiehall Street but can only recover 50 per cent of the cost from insurers as they cannot trace the owner.
It believed the owner is living in India .
A report submitted to members of the city administration committee recently confirms there has been an overspend of £1.4 million within the land services and property division.
Councillors were informed additional costs incurred for emergency repairs on dangerous buildings on Sauchiehall Street following the unexpected incident.
It has since emerged it cost the local authority £569,000 to carry out emergency repairs at the Glasgow School of Art when it burned down last June.
Councillor Frank McAveety said: “The overall cost for the council to deal with the site is £1.4m which is taxpayer money.
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“At the moment officers expect to recover just 50 per cent of the cost but it is hard to get the full amount from insurers as we do not know where the owner is currently living.
“We are still trying to clarify who owns the building as it has changed hands several times. I believe the current owner is living somewhere in India.
“It is easier to retrieve the money from the Glasgow School of Art emergency repairs which cost £569,000 as it was simpler to track the owner.”
A council spokesperson confirmed the sum of money spent after the incident.
