Glasgow School of Art bosses have been told to get down from their ivory towers after an announcement that it plans to rebuild the fire ravaged Mackintosh building which could take as long as seven years.

Muriel Gray, chair of the School of Art board, said the building would be rebuilt as a working art school.

She said: “It is absolutely coming back”.

She added: “The board of governors were completely unanimous about this and it’s not up for discussion,”

She said it would mostly be funded through insurance pay-outs a private fundraising drive and “not going to cost any public money at all”.

She said: “We’ve been absolutely working so hard with everyone round about us to try and make things happen quickly enough to get people back into their homes, to try and help businesses. and liaising with all the people affected.”

Businesses affected by the second blaze at the School of Art in four years however disagree with Ms Gray’s assessment of the community engagement.

David Hutchison, of the Sauchiehall Street Inner Cordon Businesses, said: “We can’t believe she is so disconnected from the community.

“It was a kick. The has been no communication from the Art School we are being spoken at rather than spoken to there has been no meaningful dialogue.”

“We understand it (The Mackintosh) has significant cultural importance but the local community will be living on a building site for ten years.

“It is thoughtless. They (School of Art board) are unaffected on a daily basis. “They do not live in the area.

“There is a world of difference from how they think in their ivory towers and how everyone else feels.”

Business owners held a meeting on Friday to discuss what they need to survive the three month closure.

There was a felling that the focus is all about the Mackintosh building and not on the rest of the community.

Mr Hutchinson added: “It’s not purely about the mackintosh. It has destroyed the ABC, the CCA is badly affected. It is really bad for the traders on Sauchiehall Street, some might not survive.

“It has blighted the whole community. It is shameful.”

If it is to be rebuilt and takes at least seven years it would mean the art school site, which is not yet safe would be a building since from 2014 when the first fire took place until 2024.