derelict shops in roystoun glasgow 2008
Royston is a district in the north of Glasgow, within 1 mile of the city centre. It is south east of Springburn, west of Germiston and across the M8 from Dennistoun. It was previously known as Garngad although this name was lost along with the old streets of Victorian tenements that were demolished throughout the mid-twentieth century. There is a strong Catholic community in the area as many Irish immigrants settled in Royston during the Potato Famine.
Construction of the first housing estates took place in the 1930s with cottage flats and 'intermediate' grade tenement flats being built at Royston Square. Across Royston Road, the Roystonhill area was rebuilt with 'rehousing' grade tenements that were cheap to build and made to an inferior standard than similar houses built to 'intermediate' grade elsewhere in the city.
After the war, Royston's regeneration continued. A pilot scheme involving Wimpey erecting three tower blocks at Charles Street in 1959/60 proved a great success, taking just 8 months to complete. This made high rise flats very popular with Glasgow City Council as they could be relied on as a quick solution to the city's housing problem. Another high rise estate was built at Roystonhill in the late 1960s and two more tower blocks were added to Charles Street in the early 1970s.
During the 1970s and 1980s, Royston became run down and housing, particularly in Roystonhill suffered from low demand. Disillusioned residents in the James Nesbit Street area set up their own housing association, Spire View Housing Association to do something about the poor living conditions that Royston locals tolerated, taking over ownership of the western side of Roystonhill. They succeeded and regeneration in the 1990s was a massive success refurbishing, demolishing and rebuilding life back into the community.
In addition to Glasgow Housing Association, who run the multi storey flats in Charles Street and Roystonhill and Spire View Housing Association who run the western side of Roystonhill: Blochairn Housing Cooperative (the eastern side of Roystonhill) and Copperworks Housing Cooperative (in the Royston Road area) are also social landlords in the area.