The National Glass Centre in Sunderland is set to close on Friday, with the University of Sunderland, the building's owner, planning to demolish it. Carolyn Basing, a glassmaker and chair of the campaign group to save the centre, described the closure as losing "part of its history, culture and heritage" for the city and the North East.
Campaign to save the building
Basing, who works from a studio in the centre, said the centre is connected to Sunderland's industrial history and has an international draw. She noted that few places remain where glassmaking skills can be learned and passed on. The Save the National Glass Centre Campaign hopes the building can be listed to prevent demolition. An application for an Article 4 notice has been submitted to Sunderland Council, signed by cross-party councillors, but not yet approved. If applied, it would remove permitted development rights for demolition without a full planning application.
Disputed costs and government appeal
The centre's closure was announced in 2022, with the university citing structural problems costing between £14m and £45m and no feasible plan to cover the works. Campaigners and the original architect have disputed this figure. Basing has called for central government intervention, but attempts to contact Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and the DCMS have been unsuccessful. An open letter supporting an alternative site at the Peter Smith Antiques building has been signed by prominent artists and glassmakers.
