Glasgow's celebrated Mackintosh Willow Tearooms are under threat due to the impact of the coronavirus crisis.
Mackintosh at the Willow, on Sauchiehall Street - which is the original Mackintosh designed tearoom - was re-opened in 2018 after a major £10million restoration project by the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall.
However, the owners of the social enterprise say they are unable to meet the costs of running the heritage building, even with government assistance and have launched an appeal for public donations.
The tearooms first opened in Glasgow over 100 years ago, after The Willow Tea Rooms Trust threw years of hard work into revamping the Mackintosh building after it fell into a state of disrepair in the late 1800s.
Since then, it has been regarded as Charles Rennie Mackintosh's most complete interior design, scooping awards as the best tearoom in Scotland.
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The non-profit organisation has been operating as a working tearoom, serving Scottish food and drink to art-lovers who come from around the world to experience one of the few surviving examples of Charles Rennie Mackintosh's designs.
This important work is now under threat due to the financial impact of coronavirus, and the organisation is asking for donations to help them raise enough funds in order keep their doors open.
Caitlin Divers, Operations Manager at The Mackintosh at the Willow said: “Like many in the tourism and hospitality sector, we are facing an uncertain future.
"As a relatively new social enterprise without fundraising we will be unable to open our doors after lockdown eases, and this will mean that our young workers will be out of a job, while the tearooms will once again have to close.
"We are extremely grateful for Scottish Government support and the job retention scheme, allowing us to protect jobs for now, and as a not-for-profit operation, we continue to apply for any grant funding that may be available.
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"Even if we are fortunate enough to receive this support, we will still be unable to meet all the costs associated with running a heritage building without generating revenue, due to coronavirus.
"We are therefore asking for the support of anyone who can help as we aim to raise enough money to help safeguard part of Scotland’s cultural heritage and continue supporting young people and communities across Scotland”.
To donate to the Willow Tearooms, click here.
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