The old Bar-L jail could be Scotland’s Alcatraz

ALL it needs is a birdman. Glasgow’s infamous but ageing Barlinnie jail could become the “Alcatraz” of Scotland once its inmates leave.

The suggestion of a new future as a tourist attraction for the Victorian prison, which has housed some of Scotland’s most notorious criminals since it opened more than a century ago, has been made by the current governor, Derek McGill.

Barlinnie was criticised by inspectors last year for its cramped accommodation, which houses far more prisoners than it was originally designed for. Prison chiefs hope that the 130-year-old structure will be replaced by a new building around 2020.

But McGill, in an interview with Scotland on Sunday, said the prison could be turned into an Alcatraz-style attraction, with tours for visitors keen to see how criminals were treated.