The historic home of the man credited with founding modern Japan is to be saved for Aberdeen, with plans to make it a temple of good economic relations between Scotland and the Land of the Rising Sun.
Thomas Blake Glover House on Balgownie Road, Bridge of Don, has been empty for two years with the fine detached building and ample grounds decaying over time.
Once the family home of Glover, who founded the Mitsubishi business empire after arriving in Japan in the 1850s, the property was used as a museum dedicated to his life’s work after it was gifted to trustees in 1994.
But low visitor numbers and running costs took their toll, with trustees forced to sell furniture and split up its contents as it faced financial hardship.
While Fraserburgh-born Glover is lauded in Japan, with his old home Glover House in Nagasaki welcoming 2million visitors a year, the closure left Aberdeen without a fitting tribute to his influence in breaking down the old feudal system and instilling a culture of commerce in the Far East.
Aberdeen City Council plans to take over the building from trustees with discussions ongoing with companies with Japanese connections, including Aberdeen Asset Management and Mitsubishi, over a potential presence there.
A formal decision on the future of the house is due to be made by the council’s finance committee next month. Convener Willie Young said: “We, as an administration, feel very strongly that we should keep Glover House and work with trustees so that we can move it forward and promote the links between Japan and Aberdeen.
“The big problem we have got is that the building is sitting there doing absolutely nothing and we need to bring this asset back for the city.”
Council leader Barney Crockett and Gordon McIntosh, director of enterprise, planning and infrastructure, are soon to visit Japan to encourage trade links with the city.
Discussions are ongoing at the Town House to insure that the council does not inherit any debt or financial liabilities of the Grampian Japan Trust, which was gifted the house by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
The idea is that the local authority will take over the building, worth more than £660,000, and pay for its maintenance and upkeep while the trustees will continue to educate on Glover’s life.