Gay News Issue 117, 7 April, 1977.

We think we won – SMG. [p2]

EDINBURGH: Scottish gays, members of the Scottish Minorites Group, are claiming confidently that a public enquiry will decide to overrule restrictions imposed on their national headquarters.

The Secretary of State for Scotland ordered the enquiry after Edinburgh District Council told SMG it could only use its Broughton Street headquarters between 9am and 5p. SMG protested that this ruling would force them to shut down their counselling and befriending service, most of which is conducted in the evening.

A Labour member of the council supported SMG, saying that the time limit imposed was “a deliberate attempt to stop the organisation from functioning.”

Prejudice

Cllr Tom Nisbet told the enquiry that the “history of SMG has been one of prejudice,” and that prejudice had been behind the decision of the planning subcommittee when it met to discuss SMG's application last August. “Whatever reasons were put forward at the meeting, they were not particularly weighty.”

Ms. Sally Pringle, the Tory councillor unofficially in charge of the anti-SMG council lobby, was deserted by most of her Tory colleagues when she appeared at the enquiry. Only Ms. Jane Monteith joined in defending the council's position, claiming that it was only concerned with protecting the amenity of the area.

But a large number of well-known local community leaders lined up behind the SMG appeal. As well as Cllr Nisbet there were Bob Cairns (another Labout member of the Edinburgh District Council), Dr. Keith Wardrop, Oliver Barratt, Jean Malcolm, Ted Mathews, Una Flett, Ian Kennedy and Dr. Katy Temperley.

Large turn-out

The local gay community also turned out in force and more that 50 people packed the public gallery. The District Council was forced to move the hearing to the large Dean Guild Court Room to accommodate the unexpectedly large turnout.

The official verdict of the enquiry will not be know for about six weeks, after the Chairman has had a chance to report back to the Secretary of State. But gays who attended the hearing say they are confident that SMG will be allowed full use of the its premises in future.

Gay News 117

[This sketch believed to be by Talbot Hicks shows The Duke of Wellington, Argyll St., Glasgow with the Roman arched windows on the left. It closed about c1995 after which the photo below was taken by Jim Campbell. Three frontages to the right "The Waterloo", another gay pub can be seen in the sketch. This is still in operation in 2007. ed.]

The Waterlloo can be seen on the right, on the corner where it is open today.

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