Donald Dewar statue
Donald Dewar, the former First Minister, is immortalised in a statue at the junction of Sauchiehall Street and Buchanan Street, outside the Royal Concert Hall.
Originally unveiled in 2002 by Tony Blair, the statue has had a chequered history. It was damaged within days of installation — the damage, originally thought to be vandalism, was later discovered not to have been malicious — and again a fortnight later.
It remained in a state of disrepair, with broken glasses the most notable feature, until October 2005, when it was removed for repairs, and then cleaning. The statue has now been reinstated, on a new, taller plinth, which it is hoped will deter vandals.
However, the new plinth has not found favour with all Glasgwegians, some of whom argue that the polished red sandstone clashes with the golden sandstone of the surrounding buildings — still, better that than seeing it moved to Edinburgh.
