Provan Gas Works

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Provan Gas Works is an industrial gas holding plant in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. The plant, resides in the Provanmill area of the city, and was built by Glasgow Corporation in 1904. It later became part of British Gas, and subsequently Transco, who operate it today. Originally the plant undertook gas manufacturing from coke, but was downsized significantly in the 1980s. Today the plant is largely unmanned, and is now used solely for gas storage and distribution.

The plant has become significant for its two massive gasometers which have become an iconic industrial landmark in Glasgow's East End. Among the largest of their kind in the UK, each of the towers can hold a massive 283,000 cubic metres of gas - enough to supply a city the size of York for a whole day.

Since the construction of the M8 and M80 motorways in the 1970s & 1980s, which run directly next to the plant, the twin gasholders have become an unofficial portal into the city's central area for those driving from Edinburgh and the north.

The towers have also gained an affection among locals since they are often used to display huge placards showcasing the various promotional slogans for the city, the most memorable being the "Glasgow's Miles Better" and "Everyone's Glasgowing On" campaigns.

The future of the plant is under discussion - Glasgow City Council have proposed plans for decontaminating the unused land on the site, and redeveloping it for commercial use. The twin gasholder towers are expected to remain in use for the foreseeable future.