The elaborate frontage, which dates to 1985 during the ballroom’s renaissance, is believed to be the largest of its kind in the UK.

The sign featured on an Apple iPhone billboard campaign in the United States and was also replicated as a stage backdrop by Glasgow’s own Franz Ferdinand.

Now Glasgow City Council has said it would “welcome” any move to see the neon sign granted listed landmark status like that already afforded to prestigious buildings such as Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s Scotland Street School, the Argyll Arcade and Glasgow Cathedral.

Councillor Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “The Barrowland neon sign is a recognised symbol of Glasgow across the world, embodying not just a unique and legendary venue but the spirit of the whole city.

“We would welcome formal status for what is unquestionably one of the most recognised symbols of Glasgow.”

A previous campaign to list the feature was knocked back, but Historic Environment Scotland (HES) confirmed that the legislation and policy for making such decisions is now more open than it was.

HES is reported to have turned down the request in 2006 because the sign did not meet its “rigorous standards as a building of special architectural or historic interest”, and while the sign itself had “cultural significance, it was not possible for ‘elements’ of a building to be listed, as the listing would need to cover everything at the statutory address.

This has since changed, with HES confirming the legislation and policy it now works to allow for a lot of flexibility to designate parts or features of any building as listed, although it would normally still look at the importance of a whole site before making any decision.

A spokesman told The Herald that HES “was asked to consider listing the Barrowland Ballroom and sign in 2006 and decided at the time not to list it. We are always happy to consider any site for designation, and anyone can ask us to do so by contacting us via our website”.