Comments on: Thank you for being a friend

By: euphoric student

euphoric student — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 00:58:12 +0000

I would hope that The castro is closed after the revelations in this weeks sun newspaper about Ruth Black association with a self confessed “crime enforcer”.
For a councillor to take up with a woman of such a dubious past beggers belief and it is no surprise the labour party have suspended her and withdrawn her funding for her centre.
This woman, Ruth Black, has left herself wide open to all sorts now and in a lot of people’s eyes is no longer fit to be a councillor to represent people of this city.
The fact that her partner has openly claimed to be involved in all sorts of dodgy doings and associating with even more dodgier people is beyond belief and no doubt she has been well paid for those stories.
LGBT People would feel intimiated going into a place like the castro centre knowing who is behind it.
Glasgow City Council should now make sure that Ruth Black and her “associates” do not get a chance to operate a LGBT venue, even for homeless people as has been suggetsed in other posts, as these people would not feel safe in their beds knowing who is supposedly looking after their well being.
Ruth Blacks downfall, demise, what ever you want to call it has been of her own making and can blame no-one apart from herself for the position she now finds herself in. To take up with a person with whom she has is a receipty for disaster and i bet now she feels like a total fool for letting herslf get into this mess she is in.
Questions now need to be seriously asked about her involvemnt with drugs and other matters that are still being investigated, because after these recent revelations that have came to light, ANYTHING is now possible with this woman.

By: Whistle Blower

Whistle Blower — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 13:00:47 +0000

just heard castro is finally closed…. anyone know for sure

By: ALEX (PREVIOUS BAR OWNER)

ALEX (PREVIOUS BAR OWNER) — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 21:29:46 +0000

REPLY TO A.S……. thanks for your comment i will put few things st8 but thanks for comment not to say to much at the moment but i was kinda forced out but by certain directors who am happy to name but not at this moment, and yes gordon is so sadly missed in my life he was also my x partner and my very best friend who was a very big part of my life in which i am still trying to deal with…… x

By: A.S

A.S — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 19:47:33 +0000

What really surprises me is that thie venue is still being allowed to operate even with the council having all the knowledge about the place.
The fact that they even have the ordasity to be open, even without proper licences or insurance means that they are trading insolvently.
Alec, (previous bar owner), we all know that you were not responsible for the closure of the LGBT centre as this was a result of the way the place was being run and by the people who ran it on our behalf…or so we thought…we know the debts etc etc the place had accumulated over the period of time and it was with real sad regret that you lost your business partner and co-owner of the cafe, Gordon, who to this day is still sadly missed. The events that followed that sad time, unfortunetely took over very fast and indeed the centre found its way into the insolvency process from which it could not escape
Unfortunetely Alec, this is history repeating itself in the way the centre has been run and again, sadly we see the place about to close, this we do know is not down to you.
If you can manage to open the commenst and link made in comment number 10 by Glasgow, you will see the detailed response that the then board of directors gave out. Like most of us we know a large part of that is lies and the real truth of the closure of the Glasgow LGBT centre, lies with the directors who knew exactly what was happening with the centre and knew why it was getting into the debt that it did.

If you have a look at the castro’s website, you will see hwo abismal the place looks, even on Pride weekend the place was dire and NOT the way a LGBT centre should be on a day when many many other LGBT venues put a bit of work into pride….then again, most state pride wasant much either this year.

By: Squeak

Squeak — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 19:08:38 +0000

I have to say I’m totally amazed at the amount of comments I’ve got here from relevant people. Seriously, if any of you want to talk to me, just e–mail the SSY address and ask for my personal e-mail. You’ll get it.

By: i can't believe its not utter....pish

i can't believe its not utter....pish — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 14:25:20 +0000

there is talk that certain members of the board have been recieving threats and gifts through the post. Think jeanie and ruth and their crew have been watching too much of the soprano’s! heard the police are involved AGAIN so maybe this time they’ll be charged.

By: ALEX (PREVIOUS BAR OWNER)

ALEX (PREVIOUS BAR OWNER) — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 11:02:09 +0000

Hey, Alex here, (previously owned bar in bell st/dixon st with Gordon) can i just say the first time i read about bell st also the pink paper comments was just the other day. The stories /gossip about the bar are untrue i am happy to tell you what happened and the reason the bar was closed i have done nothing wrong and have nothing to hide or lose!! (certain ppl made sure of that) however i will not make any further comments until i have received some advice because you who know me know i am not one for holding back!! that’s why Gordon done all the talking GOD BLESS.

By: Squeak

Squeak — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 01:02:57 +0000

Hey again, hope you’re well – I did have a meeting booking lined up but I’ve not been well myself the past couple of weeks and the confirmation didn’t happen, but I want to set up a meeting for all LGBT folk and allies in Glasgow to chat and atlk about what we want. If we set that up, would you be interested in coming along? I appreciate you might not want to be dead open about who you are, but fwiw we’ll never use your name or ‘out’ (lol) you in any way. You don’t have to even identify who you are or your role in the revealing of what she was doing at any meeting, but it’d definitely be great if you could come. If you’d like to chat further you can get a hold of my personal e-mail by e-mailing the SSY address.

By: The Whistle Blower

The Whistle Blower — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 00:19:00 +0000

Hi all – sorry been in hospital so haven’t been online. the last comment about the board is all correct. to my knowledge Ann Martin the company administrator was sacked and the following week Gary mcGuire quit – not sure if it was related. Robert was on the board till it all came out, but seriously the board were told everything was rosie the whole time. they had no idea what was going on. they asked questions but were always told lies. rb also tried to get the board to take on a castle!!! seriously, some big house out in ayrshire which was used as a home or something and rb was supposedly approached and asked if she wanted to run it but the board knocked it back as they felt that they needed to concentrate on getting castro up and running. the talk was that rb was gonna take it on privately and run it as a retreat for homeless lgbt people – when i heard that i knew i’d heard it all.

Please please please go and fight for a centre. the point that it needs to be ran by an organisation which is solid is very important – even if it was directly ran by the Community Health and Care Partnerships or dare i say it culture and sport glasgow / glasgow life to get it started and give it some structure. Something needs to be done.

I love the fact that rb is adamant they will keep it going and even run it as a social enterprise or business. is this women really that thick?

1 – they are not a charity or soon won’t be cos they don’t have any charitable aims as a bar therefore will need to pay full rates for the venue
2 – they will have to pay full rent as a licensed premises
3 – they won’t get a full license – they are still running with occassional licenses with the license fronted by one of the board members who probably has quit
4 – does she think the council will give her a license
5 – without insurance she won’t get a premise license….

God the list could go on and on and on…….

By: A.S

A.S — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 16:29:58 +0000

ohhhh and also, take no notice of the board of directors on their ABOUT page, most of them have now left the organisation, and Robert Tamburrini was quoted in the herald as leaving due to the real problems the centre was having. Maybe someone should ask questions just who is on their board of directors, according to companies house check there are only TWO regsistered and one of them has left, so that leaves only one….can you guess who that is then ?? answers on a postcard please.