Designating Clock Tower, Wellpark Brewery, Glasgow

Closed 4 Jun 2025

Opened 14 May 2025

Feedback updated 6 Aug 2025

We asked

From 14 May 2025 to 6 June 2025, Historic Environment Scotland (HES) sought views on a proposal to list the clock tower, Wellpark Brewery, Glasgow. 

Beer has been brewed by the same family in the vicinity of Wellpark Brewery since the 16th century. The existing brewery site was greatly expanded and developed around the end of the 19th century as Tennent’s became the largest exporter of bottled lager in the world.  The clock tower is a well-preserved example with decorative elements from the late 19th century and constructed during a boom period of the brewing industry. The survival of the clock tower is significant in contributing to our understanding of how the brewery site functioned in the 19th century.  The clock tower within Wellpark Brewery is a tangible reminder of the historical development of one of Scotland's most historic and recognisable drinks brands and is an important symbol of the earlier incarnation of the site.  

Through Citizen Space, we invited members of the public to tell us if they agreed with the proposed designation and if they had further comments to make. 

We consulted directly with the owners and Glasgow City Council as the planning authority. 

Our selection guidance for designation and the policies we work to are published in the Designations Policy and Selection Guidance document.  

You said

We received a total of four responses to the consultation.

We received two written responses: one from the local authority and one from the owner. Both responses acknowledged our proposal and did not raise any issues or concerns, thereby were supportive.

We received two responses via our Citizen Space survey. Of these, one was from Paul Sweeney MSP representing his constituency and the other was from a private individual. Both responses on Citizens Space strongly agreed with our proposal and had no further comments to add.

The responses to consultation did not raise any issues that put into question the special architectural or historic interest of the building under review.

We did

After considering the comments received during consultation, we have 

We have published a Report on Handling for this case on the Heritage Portal.

Overview

We are proposing to list the Clock Tower at the Wellpark Brewery in Glasgow which was built within the lager brewery of Tennent’s in the late 19th century. 

Beer has been brewed by the same family in the vicinity of Wellpark Brewery since the 16th century. The existing brewery site was greatly expanded and developed around the end of the 19th century as Tennent’s became the largest exporter of bottled lager in the world.  

The clock tower is a well-preserved example with decorative elements from the late 19th century and constructed during a boom period of the brewing industry. The survival of the clock tower is significant in contributing to our understanding of how the brewery site functioned in the 19th century.  

The clock tower within Wellpark Brewery is a tangible reminder of the historical development of one of Scotland's most historic and recognisable drinks brands and is an important symbol of the earlier incarnation of the site. Although now set in a modernised industrial complex, the original function of the structure is still clearly readable in the built fabric, plan form and its surviving exterior features.  It represents one of the last historic components of a world-famous 19th century brewery that is still in commercial production.  

We are now gathering views on our proposal to list this building at category C. 

Read more about why we think Clock Tower, Wellpark Brewery meets the criteria for listing by downloading our Report of Handling.

Portrait image of clock tower, which is built with red bricks. Some scaffolding flanks one side of the tower.

View from northwest of Clock Tower, Wellpark Brewery © HES

How we designate listed buildings

We list buildings of special architectural or historic interest. A dedicated team researches and assesses all designation applications.

You can find out more about listed buildings in the Advice and Support section of the Historic Environment Scotland website, and read our Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019).

To merit listing, the structure must meet set listing criteria.

Find out about the listing process.

Why your views matter

We’d love to know whether you agree with our proposal.

To help you respond to the following survey, please read why we think Clock Tower, Wellpark Brewery meets the criteria for listing by downloading our Report of Handling.

You can tell us if you agree with our proposal by completing the short questionnaire below.

This questionnaire usually takes 5-10 minutes to complete.

Find out what comments we consider and what happens next in our consultation guide or watch our designations video on YouTube.

You can also watch a version of this video in British Sign Language.