Alasdair Gray artworks at iconic Glasgow restaurant recognised with listed status

The Ubiquitous Chip has been designated as a Category B listed building by Historic Environment Scotland (HES).

Article Source: Historic Environment Scotland
Last Updated: 13 March 2026 13:19

Detail of the Arcadia mural at the Ubiquitous Chip. © Alasdair Gray

The restaurant is famous for its links to the artistic and cultural community of the city’s west-end, and in particular Scottish author and artist Alasdair Gray. It was established in 1971 and moved to its current Ashton Lane premises in 1974, occupying a former stables and livery yard.

The interior of the site includes two painted murals by Gray which are important examples of both his work, and of wider 20th century public art in Scotland.

Florid Jungle is a dense and colourful jungle scene located in the restaurant’s courtyard area, while Arcadia depicts friends, employees and regular customers in a leafy outdoor setting among tables with food and drinks. The mural also incorporates quotes and aphorisms by Gray, including “Work as if You Live in the Early Days of a Better Nation”, which he paraphrased from Canadian poet Dennis Lee.

Gray created the murals at the Ubiquitous Chip in 1977 and 1980–81, shortly before publication of his landmark debut novel Lanark in 1981. Gray was a regular customer of ‘The Chip’, and he designed the murals specifically for their locations within the restaurant.

Born in 1934, Alasdair Gray’s unique vision spanned multiple mediums over the course of his life – from plays, poems, novels and political essays to paintings, prints, drawings and murals. A key focus for the Glasgow artist was creating artworks in public spaces, including pubs, churches and parks.

Dara Parsons, Head of Designations at HES, said: “Alasdair Gray is one of Scotland’s most well-known cultural figures of the 20th and 21st centuries, and one the country’s most significant mural artists. Gray’s murals at the Ubiquitous Chip are rare examples of late 20th century public mural art, and important surviving examples of his work. We’re pleased to recognise this significance with listed building status.”

Sorcha Dallas, Custodian of the Alasdair Gray Archive, said: “The Alasdair Gray Archive warmly welcomes the decision by Historic Environment Scotland to recognise The Ubiquitous Chip with listed status. The murals Alasdair Gray created there in the late 1970s and early 1980s are among the most vivid surviving examples of his commitment to bringing art into everyday public spaces.

“Works such as Florid Jungle and Arcadia capture the spirit of the West End cultural community that inspired much of Gray’s work, and they show how his visual art, writing and social ideals were closely intertwined. Their recognition as part of Scotland’s protected heritage is an important acknowledgement of Gray’s lasting contribution to the cultural life of Glasgow.”

To find out more, visit the HES website.

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