In 2017 a trio of murals were commissioned around Glasgow to celebrate the life and career of actor and comedian Sir Billy Connolly. The council recently approved a proposal for student accommodation that will cover the Trongate addition. We ask the people of Glasgow for their thoughts.
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00:00 Never trust a man who will lift a room on their own with a tea cos he doesn't tie it on.
00:04 The people of Glasgow did not wake up to happy news this St Andrew's Day.
00:08 Do you see this mural behind me?
00:09 It was commissioned in 2017 as part of a trio
00:12 to celebrate the life and career of Sir Billy Connolly for his 75th birthday.
00:16 And well, the council have announced that it will be covered up.
00:19 They are building student accommodation right here
00:21 and this will no longer be in sight.
00:24 So we went round and asked the people of Glasgow what they thought
00:27 on this decision to cover up Billy.
00:31 Oh, such a shame. Oh no, they can't do that.
00:35 I don't like the idea. No.
00:38 I mean, there's some beautiful murals in Glasgow, aren't there?
00:41 I think that one and the other two are fantastic in Glasgow
00:45 and I think it would be terrible if it was covered up.
00:48 It's good to see more accommodation being built
00:51 but it's a shame to see it being built in this commercialised way
00:54 that is very exploitative of everybody.
00:57 Oh no, surely they can have the accommodation and keep the mural.
01:01 I think so.
01:02 Of all the comedians, he's my hero.
01:05 Yeah.
01:06 So what do you think of the mural there?
01:09 Well...
01:10 Yeah, it's a nice one. It looks a bit grumpy, doesn't he?
01:15 I think it's wonderful.
01:17 I think it should be kept. Absolutely.
01:19 Oh, I think they're fantastic.
01:21 Especially the one in the Gallowgate.
01:24 Yeah, because he's wearing the tea cosy.
01:26 What's your favourite mural ever in Glasgow?
01:28 That one.
01:29 Love Jim, Billy Connolly. Definitely.
01:32 Never trust a man who, when left a room on their own with a tea cosy,
01:36 doesn't tie it on.
01:37 It's always been there. It's a good feature in Glasgow.
01:40 I think they should move it. Yeah.
01:43 Oh no, no. Can't have that.
01:45 Have... Must change. Must change, definitely.
01:48 This building behind you next to Primark
01:50 is supposed to be for student accommodation.
01:53 Yeah.
01:54 And there's flats along there in the Gallowgate
01:57 that they're building for student accommodation.
02:00 I know that... I see the need, yes.
02:02 But not at the expense of things like that, yeah.
02:05 Because he comes across as being so genuine
02:08 and he makes a lot of sense, and I just think he's wonderful.
02:11 I think that'd be terrible.