The Queen Margaret Union (QMU) is one of two students' unions at the University of Glasgow, Scotland. Founded in 1890 as an all-womens union, it currently caters to the social and cultural needs of its members by providing a range of services including volunteering opportunities, entertainment, catering, bars and games.
The Queen Margaret Union was founded in 1890 by students of the Queen Margaret College including Marion Gilchrist, who was one of the first female graduates at the University of Glasgow.[1] Named after Saint Margaret, a Queen Consort of Scotland, it was created to provide an outlet for their social and cultural needs in the West End of Glasgow.
Initially, the QMU operated in the basement rooms of the college until 1906, when the expansion of the college meant that the space was needed for teaching. A bazaar was held by the Board of Management (comprising elected students) to raise money to erect and furnish a union building to house the Union. The bazaar was held over four days and featured a number of stalls selling many different items from clothes to pieces of furniture. A concert in aid of the bazaar was held on October 1906 in Hillhead Burgh Hall. This was "largely attended" and featured a string orchesta and several vocalists including Jessie Soga.[2]
Although the funds were raised, a building was never created for the Union to occupy.
The QM's former home at 1 University Gardens
After a few years of trying to decide how best to spend the money, a house at 31 Buckingham Terrace was rented. In 1912, the College Club at the University of Glasgow went into liquidation and the QMU took over the premises at 67 Ann Street (now Southpark Terrance) until 1922 when it moved across the road from the Glasgow University Union (GUU, which only admitted men) in the John McIntyre Building, to be based at 1 University Gardens (left, now part of the Department of History). During this period, the QM Union mostly provided space for its members to study, discuss, debate and eat.[citation needed]
In 1935, the QM Union moved from 1 University Gardens to the John McIntyre Building.[1] At this time in its history the QMU was beginning to explore, rather successfully, in the world of university debating. Men and other delegates were allowed to attend but only as "distinguished strangers", who sat in a separate gallery. Other facilities included a library, dining room, study space, and cubicles so that members who lived at home outwith the city centre could stay over after public transport had ended.
In 1968 the QMU moved into a building at 22 University Gardens which was built to accommodate the Union.[1] The women of the QMU were often involved in the debating circuit and especially in Rectorial elections and campaigns at the university.[citation needed] Musical acts starting appearing at the QMU with the The Move playing there in April 1968.[3]
The division of the sexes at Glasgow became more questioned following the passing of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975. The two unions had an agreement allowing reciprocal use of much of each other's facilities, but the QMU allowed men to use the bulk of its facilities with a few restrictions, while the GUU confined women only to its extension. As the 1970s came to a close, several men had requested to join the QMU. The Union held a general meeting in 1979 and changed its constitution to allow men to become members, with the GUU also.[1] The GUU allowed women members one year later.
A fire in 1982 shut the building and the Union had to deal with financial problems throughout the 1980s, however they were financially solvent again by the 1990s.[1]
The late 1990s until the early 2000s saw the QMU redevelop many of its social and commercial areas, including all of its bars. Other recent notable events at the QMU have included supporting Charles Kennedy in his successful campaign to become Rector.[citation needed]
In 2007 and 2009, qmunicate, the QMU's member-run fortnightly publication, won the Best Magazine Award at The Herald Scottish Student Press Awards. It was shortlisted in 2006, 2008 and 2010. In 2010 Ruaraidh J MacIntyre, qmunicate's resident columnist won the 'Best Columnist' award at the Herald Student Press Awards.[citation needed]
The Union was again faced with financial difficulty in the 2000s as a result of the University of Glasgow cutting the block grant – the money annually supplied to both unions – by around half. This, exacerbated by the 2008 financial crisis, meant the Union saw several consecutive years of financial loss. Responding to these financial difficulties, work by successive boards of management to engage with University management led to parity of funding with the Glasgow University Union for the first time in 2010 and the subsequent reinstatement of the block grant in 2011.[citation needed] However, many changes in the tastes, lifestyles and expectations of students have left the Queen Margaret Union - and many other student unions - facing severe problems.[5]
During the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, the Union came under criticism from a trade union and the University Rector for making 31 members of part-time staff unemployed.[6] The decision was made prior to the Government announcing the furlough scheme, which led to the Board of Management voting to reinstate staff until the end of their contracts.[citation needed]
Relationship with other student organisations
There are two Unions at the University of Glasgow with some students choosing to join both of them during, and after, Freshers' week. In 2003–2004, both Unions attempted to change their Constitutions to allow for Automatic Joint Student Membership.
The University of Glasgow is not affiliated to the National Union of Students (NUS), with the QMU instead being part of Northern Services, a purchasing consortium set up by the students unions of Edinburgh.[7] In 2006, a referendum was held to ask the students of the university whether it should affiliate with the NUS, during which the QMU formed part of the "No to NUS" campaign.[8][9]
Governance
The QMU is run by a student Board of Management in which elections for positions are held bi-annually. The names of the Presidents of the Union are preserved on a board in the main stairwell of the Union and photographs of each entire Board of Management are taken at the start of their term of office and displayed on the walls of the Board Room.
The Board is divided into three main parts. The Executive, Convenors and Current Student Representatives.
The Executive comprises the offices of President, and two Vice Presidents (Vice President: Membership, Clubs and Societies and Vice President: Board of Management) and are charged with the day-to-day running of the union and maintaining a high level of discipline, member and clubs and societies involvement and representing the union externally. They oversee every event, operation and campaign within the Union. They also act as trustees.
The Convenors are each responsible for running the committees and cover an aspect of the unions' activity. The current convenors as of January 2026 are:
Campaigns Convenor: Chairs the Campaigns Committee which oversees all Union fundraising and campaigns. Fundraising for local, national and international charities and campaigning for wider causes has been an integral part of the Queen Margaret Union for many years.
Events Convenor: Chairs the Events Committee which assist in the planning and running of QM-run events that take place in the Union (e.g. Q the Music).
Publications Convenor: Chairs the Publications Committee (Also colloquially referred to as Pubs), which are responsible for all Union publications, namely the production and distribution of Qmunicate magazine, the Union's in-house news and views magazine.
Social Convenor: Chairs the Social Committee, who are concerned with the planning and execution of the events that take place every day in Jim's Bar and Games Bar. Includes pub quizzes, open mics
Technical Convenor: Chairs the Tech Committee/Tech Team, who are involved with the practicalities of running the QM's events, including lighting and sound tech. Unlike other convenors, Tech team jobs often involve payment as freelancers.
Welfare Convenor. Chairs the Welfare Committee, which are involved in planning events and campaigns to help with students mental health such as de-stress days.
Communications Convenor: Chairs the Communications Committee, which are closely involved with the advertising and promotion of the Union and its events.
The last section of the board are the Current Student Representatives. The 'CSR Committee' is composed of twelve elected students, at least three of whom are in their first year of study, who are largely free to involve themselves with whatever aspects of the union they see fit. A Convenor of Current Student Representatives (CCSR) is elected from amongst them to represent the committee as a whole to the Executive and Convenors. CSRs must sit on at least two committees.
In addition to this, the Board of Management contains two Former Student Members, the Past President, Honorary President and two Honorary Vice Presidents.
Current Board of Management (2025-2026)
President: Lucy Stobie
VP Membership, Clubs & Societies: Bee Pritchard
VP Board of Management: Urja Singh
Campaigns Convenor: Katie Kurth
Events Convenor: Grace Munro
Publications Convenor: Stevie McCabe
Social Convenor: Gregor Kelman
Technical Convenor: Jamie Pritchard
Welfare Convenor: Emily Callan
Communications Convenor: Joy Gilmore
Facilities
The QMU offers a number of facilities over four floors. Aside from general facilities, the Union's facilities include:
Ground floor
Venue: the Union's primary venue is used to host club nights and gigs, with a capacity of approximately 900. Amongst the most famous bands to have played there on their way to making it big are Queen (15 March 1974), Red Hot Chili Peppers (3 February 1990) and Nirvana (30 November 1991), as have other more recent bands such as Biffy Clyro. It has also been used for large pub quizzes, and for shows organised by affiliated clubs and societies.
Pekopanda Takeaway
Cafe: serving hot and cold food suitable for snacks and lunches.
Accessible toilets
First floor
Jim's Bar: Many small Union events are run in Bar, including the Big Wednesday Night Pub Quiz (described by NME as the best in Glasgow).
Games Bar: the QMU's sports bar, complete with pool tables.
Second Floor
Pekopanda Restaurant: A restaurant serving Asian fusion style cuisine.
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