Glasgow gay scene

By the midpoint of the 19^th century successful businesses wished to build offices that reflected their optimism, growing wealth and confidence, especially at a time when Glasgow was cementing its position as the second city of the Empire. One such organisation, which emerged during the prior part of the century was The National Bank of Scotland (NBS) (established in ) and after a failure to gain the Glasgow and Ship Bank, the NBS undertook to expose their first Glasgow branch in   Occupying temporary accommodation in the first instance the bank launched a public competition to design a more suitable building. A young London architect, John Gibson (), then working under Charles Barry, entered the rivalry and his plan was unanimously chosen as the winner. On Gibson’s first official trip to the city he was treated to a public dinner given by the ‘principal gentlemen of Glasgow’ and commented that ‘I was much gratified by the kindness shown to me in Glasgow, and surprised to observe so many public monuments, and all by the best sculptors’. After the final plans were approve