Over the past 11 years the former Lansdowne Church on Great Western Road – with its familiar slender spire – has been operating as Websters Theatre. A tenant has now been found to occupy the ground floor on a full time and long term basis. From September 2025 the building will become the new home for the iconic Stand Comedy Club, which will move from its existing premises just round the corner on Woodlands Road. The Stand will provide its regular programme of comedy events from the ground floor of the former church. The building belongs to the charity, Fact Three, set up by the trustees of Four Acres Charitable Trust to secure its restoration and give it a sustainable future. This followed the example of Cottiers in Hyndland which the Trust had been restoring for many years, and which is well known as a successful arts and wedding venue.
Websters was named after Alf Webster, whose stained glass is recognised as being among the finest in Scotland. Fact Three has been raising funds to restore his two main windows in the building and make them the centrepiece of a major new visitor attraction – a stained glass museum sited on the upper gallery.
The gallery will also provide a working area for the specialists involved in the stained glass restoration, providing an opportunity for visitors to the gallery to view them at work. Traditional skills of this kind are a dwindling resource, and part of the funding will be earmarked for training so as to expand the pool of skilled stained glass restorers. It is hoped that work on the gallery will start later this year.
Since 2013 the ground floor below the gallery has had a largely seasonal use for drama productions, music and comedy shows. Most successful has been a regular pantomime which has run for over 10 years.
Following the transition to the Stand the pantomime, and a number of other popular productions and performances that have taken place at Websters, will move to Cottiers – with ‘A Cottiers Christmas Carol’ running throughout December. Early Bird tickets will be available from the 31st July 2025.
Websters has hosted many memorable shows and events, and the trustees wish to thank everyone who has contributed over the past decade. They are confident that, by offering a year round comedy hub, the Stand will increase the presence and profile of the building for many years to come – a new chapter for the Stand and a new chapter for this historic landmark in Glasgow.