A historic Victorian sawmill was saved by campaigning politicians before they realised it housed a killer serial rapists favourite sex club.
The swingers’ venue, CJ’s in Glasgow, was earmarked for the bulldozers until MSP Paul Sweeney stepped in to protect the venue based in the historic Port Dundas building.
Mr Sweeney hadn’t realised it was home to the sex club once favoured by killer Iain Packer.
The venue made headlines last year when it emerged that serial rapist Iain Packer had attended adult parties there.
Packer was convicted of murdering Emma Caldwell and admitted 32 other charges involving 22 women. He was jailed for 36 years in 2024.
The City Sawmills in the Port Dundas area of Glasgow were meant to be demolished and have 60 new flats built on the site but it was blocked by Historic Environment Scotland, then the Court of Session, in 2024.
Campaigners had no idea what was really going on inside the old sawmill.
CJ’s sex club boats eight ‘playrooms’ and includes a ‘fully equipped dungeon’.
MSP Paul Sweeney campaigned heavily to stop the demolition of the City Sawmills in Port Dundas but said he did not know about the sex club
Serial rapist and murderer Ian Packer was jailed for 36 years last year. He frequented CJ’s sex club in the old saw mill
The place is very well-liked and has an active community of commenters on Swingers.com. One review from this weekend read: ‘Been a regular at CJ’s for nearly 2 years this September & it’s absolutely amazing from the staff to the regulars that always attend and it’s a safe and friendly place I absolutely adore…
‘Can’t speak highly enough of the place as it’s changed my life…
‘Caroline & her staff are just different class and I miss CJ’s when av not been for a while….I mostly go to the tv admirers nights…..highly recommend (sic)’
Another from earlier this month read: ‘Had a fun time today, special thanks to the lady in green, sorry didn’t get your name’.
Mr Sweeney was heavily involved in the campaign to save the building against the plan by Weiss Development Company Ltd, but said he did not know about the sex club.
He said: ‘I am pleased an important piece of Glasgow’s heritage has been preserved for future generations to enjoy.
‘However, when I first heard that the building was to be knocked down to make way for flats, I wasn’t aware there was a so-called adult club operating in there.
‘It’s just one of those things – what can you do?’
MSP Paul Sweeney fought tooth and nail to make sure the sawmill was saved from the bulldozers but did not realise it was being used as a sex club the whole time
Emma Caldwell was murdered by Ian Packer in 2005
The politician said he fought to keep the sawmill standing because it is ‘a good surviving example of a late 19th century industrial office building’.
Emma Caldwell, 27, disappeared from Glasgow city centre in April 2005. Her family spent weeks searching for her until a dog walker found her body in a wood miles outside the city.
The case went unsolved for decades until a journalist interviewed Ian Packer in 2018 after he had been named as someone who had been questioned by police. He denied killing Ms Caldwell and said he had never been violent towards women.
After allegations were laid against him he was finally put on trial and found guilty of Emma’s murder and 32 other charges, including 11 rapes and multiple sexual assaults against a total of 22 women.
Plans to demolish the sawmill were first put in place in 2022, until Glasgow City Council issued a preservation order.
Weiss Development Company Ltd twice appealed the decision but were unsuccessful on both attempts.
The sawmill was founded by James Brownlee in 1848 and became the largest firm of timber merchants in Scotland.
According the BBC, CJ’s hosts ‘friendly and relaxed’ parties in safe surroundings with tea, coffee and a buffet.