Gorbals
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The Gorbals is a predominantly working-class area on the south bank of the river Clyde in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. The area was traditionally home to large numbers of Catholic immigrants from Ireland, as well as at one stage housing the vast majority of Scotland's Jewish population (although both groups have subsequently abandoned the area). The name comes from the Scottish Gaelic, Gort a' Bhaile.
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The renowned Scottish socialist political figure John Maclean stood for election in the area in the 1918 general election.
The Gorbals has long had a reputation as a gritty, rough area, and attempts to clear the slum tenements (originally attempted by The City Improvement Trust in 1866) by Glasgow Corporation and replace them with new high-rise housing in the 1960s did little to improve this reputation. The poor design and low-quality construction of the concrete 20-storey flats led to innumerable social and health problems in the area. The most infamous of these schemes, the Queen Elizabeth Square flats designed by Sir Basil Spence, were demolished in 1993 to make way for a new generation of housing development. Tragically one local resident was struck on the chest by debris during their demolition and killed.
In 2004, Glasgow City Council announced plans to demolish yet more of the unloved high-rise blocks. This process of gentrification follows on from the earlier demolition attempts. Crime rates have plummeted as property values have soared. The well known Citizens Theatre is based in the area. The local newspaper for The Gorbals is the "Local News for Southsiders".