The Inn on The Green, 25, Greenhead Street, Bridgeton

Ranges of different dates, built from circa 1840 onwards mostly built for R and J Dick, gutta percha manufacturers; unusually for an industrial building, block to Greenhead Street is treated like a domestic tenement - 3 ranges, that to left 4-storeyed and built probably 1872-3, low inner range and 3-storey range to right all added 1886; all these faced with stone-cleaned ashlar; sash windows; balustraded wall-heads. Roofs mostly slated. R and J Dick founded ther gutta percha manufactory at this site in 1859; in that year they purchased a 25-bay red brick range which had been built circa 1840 for Messrs Bartholomew. (Historic Scotland)

Brothers, Robert and Jame Dick after completing their apprenticeships to become a jeweller and an upholsterer respectively, began experimenting with a newly discovered gum, gutta percha, to create a hardwearing waterproof sole for shoes. The Glasgow term 'gutties' for sandshoes or plimsolls is derived from the material used to make their successful range of cheap shoes. It was soon discovered that gutta percha was also an ideal material for insulating electrical cables and the brothers quickly diverted most of their business into another enormously successful venture venture.

In 1859 the brothers bought McPhail's Mill which they renovated and extended and renamed the Greenhead Works. Robert Dick came up with the idea of creating belts for driving machinery from balata, a similar gum to gutta percha. When mixed with fibre these belts proved cheaper and more efficient than the traditional leather belts. The world famous Dickbelt made the brothers very wealthy and their slogans "Driving the World" and the "Reins of Industry" featured in their advertisements, along with a drawing of the Greenhead Works. Unfortunately the success of the brothers' balata belting severely damaged the lucrative leather industry for several other Bridgeton firms. (Glasgow City Council via The Glasgow Story)

December 2007: External inspection reveals the ground floor windows and doors to be boarded over. Upper floor windows are all UPVC replacements, two are missing and the majority of the rest are open. All that survives of the neighbouring building is the ground floor facacde. Planning permission is understood to have been granted for conversion into residential flats, with facade retention (ref: 06/04200/DC).

October 2010: External inspection finds the building remains derelict. The roof appears to remain in fair condition and plant free. The right side of the front elevation is very damp.

25 April 2012: Urban Realm reports plans for a new 211 bedroom hotel, for operators Holiday Inn, have been submitted. to Glasgow City Council. The scheme is reported to include the retention of the facade of the current building with a new build section to the rear.

28 February 2014: External inspection finds the building generally remains in fair condition but is unsecured. Some of the modern windows are lying open or are missing. Condition assessed as Fair, Risk High.

4 June 2014: Local planners report a fire has seriously damaged the building. BBC news website report on the fire notes the roof is thought to have collapsed. Condition moved to Ruinous and Risk level to Critical.

13 February 2020: Listed Building Consent and Planning Permission sought for demolition with facade retention and erection of flatted residential development (45 units) (ref: 20/000419/LBA and 20/00420/FUL).

22 December 2021: Glasgow Times reports (21/12/2021) that approval has been given for demolition of the building with façade retention and erection flats.

20 June 2022: Member of the public advises that construction works have commenced.

9 August 2022: Modifications to previously mentioned planning applications have been submitted. Modification of consent 20/00420/FUL and 20/00419/LBA to demolish the first floor facade and above, due to structural safety issue. Updated applications ref: 22/02039/FUL and 22/02038/LBA.

9 February 2023: External inspection finds that the building continues to decay. A hole is visible in the roof. The upper balustrade appears to be unstable and leaning towards the west. Further windows have been lost since prior site visits, while some previously vacant window openings have been covered with metal sheets. Birds are visible nesting within the building. Fencing has been erected around the site and appears secure.