founding members of PIE. By 1977 the premises hosted a coffeeshop, a bookstall, a "befriending service" (non-directive counselling by telephone and face to face and modelled loosely on the approach taken by the Samaritans) and offered a friendly, sociable and informative environment to homosexuals of both sexes. The property had a large window onto a busy main street and openly proclaimed its purpose. Today this is the Edinburgh LGBT Centre. In the late 1970s a gay youth group met weekly in the basement of the University Catholic Chaplaincy although this was short-lived in the legally ambiguous climate that then prevailed in Scotland. In 1977, the Glasgow Gay Centre was opened in Sauchiehall Street. In 1978, SMG News became Gay Scotland and in October the SMG changed its name to the Scottish Homosexual Rights Group (SHRG). In 1980, Robin Cook's amendment to the 1980 Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill partially decriminalised gay sex between men over 21. This allowed a commercial scene to develop and Bennets Nightclub opened in Glasgow in 1981. There was subsequently less demand for community facilities. At its peak in 1982, SHRG had 1200 members. However, the Glasgow Gay Centre closed in 1982. In 1988 the SHRG organised its first Lark in the Park in Edinburgh’s Princes Street gardens, the event was the precursor to Pride Scotia, which began in 1995. In 1992, SHRG changed its name to Outright Scotland. Today Latterly focusing on work around the Scottish Parliament, Scottish Executive and Scottish Public Institutions such as the National Health Service, Police and Justice System, Outright Scotland is currently dormant with much of their former role being taken by the Equality Network and Stonewall Scotland. See also LGBT rights in the United Kingdom List of LGBT rights organisations References External links Outright Scotland — official website Papers of the Scottish Minorities Group and Scottish Homosexual Rights Group held at LSE Archives Organizations established in 1969 Organisations based in Edinburgh LGBT political advocacy groups in Scotland 1969 establishments in Scotland Organisations based in Glasgow