Archives for January 2017

The County Roadhouse

January 2, 2017 by John Gorevan Leave a Comment

Springboig Avenue,Springboig, Glasgow. G32. Demolished.

The County. 1991.

The County was opened in the summer of 1957. Licensee John Cameron had a bit of trouble trying to get this licence in 1955 as it was 100 yards outside the boundary of Glasgow then, the police didn’t like the idea either as they thought it would attract to many people from the city and Shettleston area into the county of Springboig, and the pub would be built in the heart of a housing scheme, however the licence was granted.

At a cost of £35,000 the County was the most up-to date hostelry in the area, directors of the County Roadhouse Ltd were John Cameron, Mr R Davy of R D Stewart Ltd; builders and contractors, Shettleston and J Lonergan, also associated with the venture was John Y Robertson, B.L. solicitor, Hamilton, who presented the case for the granting of the licence.

Left to right John Cameron, J Lonergan, David Baxter of William Younger & Co Ltd, John Y Robertson and R Davy. 1957.

Interior view of the County 1957.

In the NEWS 1978…

Interior view of the County Inn. 1978.

It was December 13 last year that the lounge at the County Roadhouse in Springboig was destroyed by fire. The Lounge was always very popular with local residents and it was a bitter blow to them and manageress Mrs Patsy McGuckien.

But last week a new Lounge/ restaurant was unveiled, which promises to become the main attraction in the Springboig area. “We have live music every evening and cabaret on special nights. Soon we hope to be able to hold dances,” Mrs McGuckien explained.

The menu in the new Lounge/ Restaurant will have dishes like gammon steaks and haddock, but Mrs McGuckien plans to have a more extensive menu should her customers desire it.

The decor in the new lounge is very bright with circles being the main theme. Much of the seating is in semi-circles.

Scottish & Newcastle Breweries have spent £60,000 on the County Roadhouse, but they think it will be worth it.

Do you remember this old 1957 pub? If so please leave a comment.

END.

The County Inn

January 2, 2017 by John Gorevan 2 Comments

1 Burn Place, Dukes Road, Cambuslang, Glasgow. G72 7DS. Tel: 0141 641 1539.

The County Inn. 1991.

County Inn. 2015.

The County Inn in Cambuslang was opened in November 1960.

Interior View of the lounge. 1960.

Pictured at the opening of the County,are left to right: Mr M C Niven, Alexander Brothers (Wines), Ltd; Mr J Hyndman; Mr R C Hyndman, proprietor; Mr J A Macdonald, West of Scotland branch manager, Scottish Brewers, Ltd.; Mr J R Graham, Alexander Brothers; and Mr W R Mort, West of Scotland commercial manager, Scottish Brewers, Ltd.

Update…2005.

County Inn. 2005.

In the News…2010.

Tommy McAvoy MP defends purchase of County Inn

TOMMY McAVOY MP this week explained how he had financed his purchase of the County Inn in Cambuslang.

The Rutherglen and Hamilton West MP was speaking after reports in a national newspaper said he was coming under pressure to reveal full details of how he financed the purchase of the troubled boozer, which has racked up debts of over half a million pounds.

Mr McAvoy bought the County from Cambuslang millionaire Willie Haughey, who himself has come under pressure due to close links with the Labour Party.

Figures published suggest that Haughey made a profit of £176,250 on selling the County, which he had owned for just a year.

However, Mr McAvoy, who will retire at the next General Election, slammed the report and said the entire deal had been financed by himself and a bank loan, thought to be in the region of £200,000.

He said: “Unfortunately, the reporter chose not to report my categoric assurance that the County Inn purchase by me went through the normal process of business plan, independent valuation and business loan application.

“Also not reported was my categoric assurance that Mr Haughey did not provide, in any way, financial support for the purchase or subsequently. The deposit was paid out of my, and my wife and family’s, pot of savings.”

“The purchase of the County Inn was bought with a combination of a business loan from a High Street bank and family savings.”

Mr Haughey said he had never met Mr McAvoy socially and that he had no idea how he financed the deal. Opposition politicians said in the interests of fairness, Mr McAvoy should publish a full account of how he financed the deal.

Conservative MSP for Glasgow, Bill Aitken, who described Mr Haughey’s relationship with the Labour Party as “incestuous,” said: “In the present climate, transparency is essential,” while John Mason, the Rutherglen-born SNP MP for Glasgow East said: “I would call for complete openness, because there’s a whole level of suspicion here between Labour, the council and some of these outside business people.”

According to official documents, Mr McAvoy bought the County Inn, on Dukes Road, for £381,875 in 2001.

The pub is listed in his Register of Interests and is run by his son, Michael.

The Reformer reported last week that Willie Haughey had come under fire after it was alleged he had been unfairly awarded public sector contracts. Thanks to the Daily Record.

Update…2019.

The County Inn is still going strong and has a real community feel to it.

Do you have any memories of the County Inn? If so please leave a comment.

END.

The Cotton Club

January 2, 2017 by John Gorevan 1 Comment

5 Scott Street, Glasgow. G3 6RJ. off Sauchiehall Street. Demolished.

The Cotton Club. 1991.

This was a favourite night club during the 1980s and 90’s owned by John Quigley. It was a nightmare getting up this hill during winter evenings, it wasn’t to bad leaving the premises as you would just slide downhill into Sauchiehall street when you had a bit to much to drink.

The Cotton Club was once the place to be and young disco goers queued up Scott Street to get in.

Cotton Club. All the people that queued to get in seen this bright yellow canopy above the doorway.

In the 1960s and early 1970s this was once the well-known Maryland Nightclub.

In the News 1971…

Mystery Blaze Wrecks Dance Club.

Firemen battled for seven hours with a blaze in Glasgow’s Maryland Dance Club, Scott Street, at Sauchiehall Street, early today.

As firemen fought the blaze from turntable ladders, Sauchiehall Street was closed to traffic.

Furniture destroyed

The alarm was raised just after midnight when the fire broke out in the attic above the club. At the height of the blaze, flames rose 100ft in the air and it was not until 8.0 a.m. that the firemen were in control. The dancing area of the club and most of the furnishings were destroyed by smoke and water.

A Fire Brigade spokesman said later that the cause of the fire was unknown. “Fortunately the club was not open last night,” he said.

Interior of the Maryland after the fire. 1971.

A few years later the Maryland closed and a refurbishment got under way to make this Nightclub “Maestro’s.

Maestro’s grand opening 1975.

Maestro’s Club advert 1976.

Maestro’s advert 1976.

Maestros Disco advert 1977.

Update…2008.

The once famous Cotton Club is now closed, however a new bar called CCA now sits at number 3 Scott Street just next door to where the Cotton Club used to stand.

CCA. 2008.

Update…2019.

There is no Nightclub here anymore. It looks like there is a new building where the Cotton Club used to sit.

Do you remember this old Nightclub? If so please leave a comment.

END.

The Cottage Bar

January 2, 2017 by John Gorevan Leave a Comment

181 Abercromby Street, Glasgow. G40 2DE. Demolished.

The Cottage Bar. 1991.

There has been public house on this site since the early 1840s. John Orr was the first licensee, he also ran a pub at 42 Stevenson Street, Calton.

In 1874. John Craig occupied the premises until the end of the 1870s. In 1884 Campbell & McLellan was trading from the site. A year later John McLellan was sole partner and continued serving the public here until the 1920s. During his stay as a publican John moved house several times from a small flat in Slatefield Street to Onslow Drive before settling in plush accommodation in Grantlea Terrace in North Mount Vernon.

James Dorman a well known east end publican took over the business around 1930 he too stayed in Onslow Drive.

Mr & Mrs James Dorman. 1955.

Mr & Mrs Dorman celebrated their golden wedding on February 28th 1955 at the Gordon Restaurant in the city of Glasgow. Amongst the guests was Father Watt, parish priest of Saint Anne’s, Abercromby Street. Mr Dorman had been in the licensed trade for 45 years, 30 of them as a licence holder. They were married in Belfast and had a family of 5 children. James was President of the Glasgow Vintners and a Director of the Glasgow & District Licensed Trade Defence Association for over 20 years. Mr Dorman sadly passed away a year later in 1956.

Dorman’s public house. 1936.

The Cottage bar is now completely demolished 2008. Another old Glasgow pub has been raised to the ground.

Facts…

Licence holders.

1960 Mrs K Dorman.

1967-1973 Patrick Eugene McVeigh.

1991 James Dougan.

Do you remember this old Pub? If so please leave a comment below.

END.

The Cottage Bar

January 2, 2017 by John Gorevan Leave a Comment

875 Shettleston Road,Shettleston, Glasgow. G32 7NR. Tel: 0141 778 3859.

The Cottage Bar. 1991.

The Cottage Bar sits at the corner of Shettleston Road and Darleith Street in the East End of the city of Glasgow.

This very old Shettleston hostelry has been here since the early 1800s to read more on the history of the Cottage you can purchase Old Glasgow Pubs Volume 2 coming soon.

The Cottage Bar. 2005.

Postcard view of Shettleston Road with Gilchrist’s Tavern on the left.

Another view of the Cottage Bar with the old Tramcars. 1961.

One of the owner’s of the Cottage Bar was a gentleman called Mirrless Chassels, he owned licensed premises at 22 Elder Street, “The Vine Bar,” Govan and “The Govan Arms,” 783-85 Govan Road and 574 Govan Road many will remember this old pub as the Three Ell’s Bar.

The Cottage Bar. 2011.

Thomas Waddell’s Vaults. 1897.

The Waddell family owned this very old pub for many years.

Do you have any memories of this old Pub? If so please leave a comment.

END.

The Cot Bar

January 2, 2017 by John Gorevan 1 Comment

67 Castle Street, Glasgow. G4. Demolished.

The Cot Bar. 1958.

The Cot Bar sat at the gushet of Castle Street and Glebe Street. Thanks to the Mitchell Library for all of these images.

There has been licensed premises here since at least 1872, owned by Ebeneper Letham. In 1876 George Crichton took over the pub. George was a wine and spirit merchant, he also owned premises at 352 Townmill Road, this old pub was to become known as Watery Willies. Mr Crichton gave up the Cot Bar in 1881.

The Cot Bar. 1959.

Colin Campbell then took over the old pub from 1882 until the start of the First World War. Colin also owned a pub on the Gallowgate called the Lord Clyde, this very old dirty Gallowgate howff became known as the Clyde Vaults owned by the Breen family.

Many families visited the Cot Bar to drown their sorrows when they heard the bad news of a loved one that just passed away in the Glasgow Royal Infirmary which stands across the road.

The Cot Bar. 1959.

After WW1 John Smith was licensee for the Cot Bar. During the 30s Peter MacPherson took over the running of the pub, he also had premises on London Road. Tennent Caledonian Brewery took over the pub managed by Alexander McEwan, he was also licensee for other Tennent’s pubs on London Road, Paisley Road West and Kelvinhaugh Street.

The Cot Bar on the right hand side. 1959.

The Old Cot Bar was demolished to ease congestion on Castle Street, a plan that never worked, Castle Street today still has the same problem with traffic.

Facts…

Licence Holders.

1976 R Crawford.

1973-72 Murdock Angus MacKenzie.

1960 Alexander McEwan.

1950-1937 Alexander Mowat.

1937-1930 Peter MacPherson.

1920-1916 John Smith.

1910-1882 Colin Campbell.

1875-1872 Ebeneper Letham.

Do you remember this old Pub? If so please leave a comment and we will review it here.

END.