The National Trust for Scotland has rescued the last surviving tea room designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The tea room, known as Mackintosh at the Willow, is located in Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street and is considered a significant contribution to modernism. The National Trust purchased the tea room for £1.75 million and has stated that it intends to continue trading.
Last year, the tea rooms attracted over 230,000 visitors, and the National Trust believes that the business model is fundamentally sound and successful. The charity hopes to eventually get a return on their investment. The tea room was previously restored by a Glasgow businesswoman and The Willow Tea Rooms Trust between 2014 and 2018.
According to Celia Sinclair Thornqvist, who was involved in the restoration, the aim was to restore and conserve the last remaining example of Mackintosh’s designs for tea rooms to the highest possible standards. Additionally, the chairman of The Willow Tea Rooms Trust, Ian Dickson, mentioned the financial difficulties faced due to events such as the pandemic and the Glasgow School of Art Fire.
The Chief Executive of The National Trust for Scotland, Phil Long, expressed his excitement about the acquisition and highlighted the importance of preserving Mackintosh’s architectural heritage. The charity aims to build on the achievements of The Willow Tea Rooms Trust to ensure the long-term sustainability of the iconic tea room. They also hope to contribute to the transformation of Sauchiehall Street into a cultural corridor.
