Old Glasgow Pubs

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John Gorevan

Babbity Bowster

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16-18 Blackfriars Street, Glasgow. G1 1PE. Tel: 0141 552 5055.

Babbity Bowster. 1991.

Babbity Bowster a hotel come pub was opened in 1986. It has won awards in the past and named after a Scottish country dance. The upstairs restaurant offers an excellent menu, during summer the beer garden is packed with regulars from the Merchant City. Regular folk music entertains customers in the main bar. It was formerly a warehouse designed by James Adam.

Babbity Bowster. 1991.

Babbity Bowster. 2008.

Babbity Bowster sign. 2008.

Facts…

Blackfriars Street was formerly known as Stirling Street and housed six of the best pubs in the area.

Do you know anything about this pub? If so please get in touch.

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The Avondale Arms

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Gallowgate Port, Gallowgate, Glasgow.

James Warnock, Spirit & Ales, formerly the Avondale Arms.

The Avondale Arms was situated at the Gallowgate Port, the city’s eastern gate. It was a half slate half thatched roof, whitewashed inn. Landlady Helen Whitehead hired out noddies, small horse-drawn carriages) for her customers, who were mainly travellers and carrier workers on their way to Strathaven.

The Gallowgate at that time had hundreds of advertising signs or swinging signs as they were more commonly called, it wasn’t just the old inns and taverns that had them, almost every shop and business in the Gallowgate Trongate and Saltmarket had them, this meant the the streets became very dull as the sunlight couldn’t reach the ground. The authorities put this to and end to try and brighten the district up again.

Helen Whitehead had a swinging sign outside her premises, stating,” All ye that pass through Gallow Moor, Step inside Helen Whitehead’s door, She’s what will cheer man in due course, And entertainment for his horse.”

Wine & Spirit merchant James Warnock occupied these old premises for over thirty years. He belonged to the family of well known wine & spirit merchants in the Gallowgate for many years.

The Avondale Inn, Gallowgate, to the east of Charlotte Street, had a notice, “Two noddies always on hire”; and this vehicle is described in Jamieson’s Scottish Dictionary as a covered-in vehicle on two wheels, entered from behind. Another discription says it was a square-covered box for four, with another box for the driver, on low set wheels and entered from the side over the wheels, with folding down and up steps.

To read more on the pubs on the Gallowgate read up & Doon the Gallowgate by John Gorevan. A copy can be bought for a few pounds at the Hielan Jessie on the Gallowgate or contact me at[email protected]

Facts…

Other Gallowgate Inns.

In the 1840s the Gallowgate had other notable Inns and Taverns including the King William, occupied by Robert Blair. William Buchanan had the Elephant, Mrs Burns ran the Hamilton Arms, the Douglas Arms was named after the owner James Douglas, Thomas Hay had the Coach Close Inn, The Black Bull was occupied by William Laurie, Mrs Montgomery owned the Crown Inn, the Heart in Hand was occupied by Thomas Renison, the Welsh Rabbit Inn was owned by William Taylor and the famous Black Boy Tavern was run by John Stark.

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The Avalon

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25 Kent Road, Glasgow. G3 7EH. Tel: 0141 237 0018.

The Avalon, 1991.

The Avalon Bar was once known as Barrie’s Vaults after landlord John Barrie. Mr Barrie occupied these premises from 1881 until the beginning of the 1900s.

When Mr Barrie died trustee David Somers took over the running of this popular bar.

In the 1950s this pub was known as St. Andrew’s Bar.

Situated at the corner of Kent Road and Cleveland Street this pub is a favourite haunt of staff from the Mitchell Library which is just across the road.

The Avalon, 2005.

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Update 28 April 2013…

The Avalon Bar has CLOSED DOWN… This is what is happening to many established pubs on only in Glasgow but the whole of the U.K.

I am sure it want be long until someone will take this old established pub over and maybe revamp the premises with a new name. Lets hope it doesn’t stay closed for long. Thanks to Norrie for the update and the image.

The Avalon Bar, closed with barriers on the door and windows. Thanks to Norrie.

Update September 2014…

Licensee screened matches without paying for the right.

The manageress of a Glasgow pub has been fined £17,000 after illegally screening sports matches on satellite TV.

Sarah McIntosh managed The Avalon Bar, in Kent Road, when Sky Sports channels were shown without a licence. But Sky TV bosses were awarded a court order at the Court of Sessions in Edinburgh to stop the illegal screenings.

McIntosh will now have to stump up £10,000 in damages and £7000 in fines. Costs have also been awarded against her, which are yet to be assessed. Alison Dolan, Deputy Managing Director, Sky Business, said: “This issue is very close to the hearts of those pubs who pay Sky subscriptions because they are being left short changed by licensees broad-casting Sky content illegally.

“It creates an uneven playing field for their businesses, which is why we are committed to visiting thousands of pubs this season, as well as investigating suppliers and continuing to take legal action against those licensees who choose to televise Sky content illegally.”

Sky’s successful court order has led to the firm raising a number of actions to prevent other landlords from infringing their copyright.

The Avalon is now called.

After a short spell of the Avalon being closed down it was reopened as The Whiski Kraft, 2014 – 2015. The Whiski Kraft did not last for long and the old place was again changed back to The Avalon, 2016-2019.

The sign- writer is painting the new name The Whiski Kraft, 2014.

The Whiski Kraft, 2015.

The New Avalon sign, 2019.

Facts…
1991 Neil Gowrie.
1978-1956 Alexander Hogg.
1950 A F McDade.
1930 W B Williamson.
1920-1910 David Somers.
1899-1881 John Barrie.

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Austin’s Lounge Bar, & The Liquor Shack.

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183a Hope Street, Glasgow. G2 2UL. 

Austins Lounge Bar, 1991.

This may not look like an old established pub but it has been around for a long time.  Austin’s was a well known gay bar during the 1980s and 90s. Named after Robert Austin who had previously owned the Tropics Bar, Argyle Street, under the bridge of Central Station, a fantastic bar in it’s day.

After a few years of the premises being closed down it became known as the Crow Bar.

The Crow Bar, 2007.

Became known as the Swing 2008.

The Swing 2018.

The Liquor Shack.

183 Hope Street, Glasgow.

The Liquor Shack, 1991.

Many will remember these old premises as the Strand back in the 70s.

The Strand, a haunt for many of the gay men and woman in Glasgow during the 1970s.

In the News 1971…

Strand’s bill-topper

Benny Garcia, the black and white Minstrel man, and attractive singer Jan Douglas, recently returned from a tour of South Africa, top the bill in the Strand in Hope Street, Glasgow, next week.

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In the News 1971…

A new act to Scotland, the Wagner Brothers, top the cabaret bill at the Strand, Hope Street, Glasgow, next week. Appearing with them is popular singer Alf Freeman.

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In the News 1971…

Search for a star.

The Strand in Hope Street, Glasgow, are running their second Search for a Star contest in their cabaret room on the week starting December 6 1971. This is a repeat of the last year’s show, which, with the backing of this column, was such a tremendous success. It is not so much a contest as a search for acts which can be used in cabaret in the future.

Nevertheless prize money is valued at more than £100 and the winner will be booked in at the Strand for a week’s cabaret, for money. There will be six heats running from Monday till Thursday with semi final on Friday and the final on Saturday.

The man who is organising things is Peter de Rance who books many clubs throughout Scotland and produced the tremendous popular Glen Daly show which is currently running at the Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow.

Peter will be holding auditions for the Search for a Star show on Sunday, November 28. Those who want to enter can write to him at Chalmers Wood Ltd., entertainment agents, 79 West Regent Street, Glasgow, giving details of type of act and experience and he will arrange a time for the audition.

He is looking for all types of acts, except, sorry to say, groups. It is not that he has anything against groups, but the stage at the Strand is not suited to them. However, he will welcome two or three handed acts.

However, all types of acts will be welcome, particularly comedy. Peter tells me “That was the only disappointment in last years show. I had hoped it might have produced one or two comedians, but it wasn’t to be. Comedy seems to be the scarcest commodity on the Scottish scene these days.”

Compere for the week will be comedian Ray Jeffrys and for the semi and final stages there will be well-known judges. many competitions really don’t mean a great deal to the winner, if you don’t count the prize money, but this could mean work and consideration for television and recording work.

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In the News 1973…

The Strand in business again

Glasgow’s night life suffered a severe blow when fire destroyed the Stars and Garters room of the Strand in Hope Street last April.

But the good news is that the Strand has now been given a £50,000 face-lift and will be back in business with music, food, and drink from tonight. (Monday 26 November 1973)

Manager Ronnie Patterson tells me, “We have attempted to give the restaurant a night club atmosphere, and not just that of a cabaret room. We will be able to seat about 120 people and meals will range from a minimum 50p to £1.65 for a four course meal.

“We are trying to keep prices as reasonable as possible and give people value for money.” Name of the night club room is Outside Inn, and the effect is that of a French market place, with split-level floor in Portuguese tile and clouds and sky on the ceiling.

Resident band

The restaurant side of the room won’t be fully operational until well into next month, so that will give people a chance to rubberneck before going in to eat in earnest. On stage they will have a four piece resident band, in the meantime called The Strand Band, until they come up with something more original.

The band which will be fronted by Bill McNabb, who is well-known in club circles, is more of a showband than a normal backing group. Ronnie Patterson tells me, “We hope to create something novel in Glasgow by featuring different acts every night in the week.”

They start with a strong bill for their opening tonight, when they have Dutchman Wout Steenhouse, vocalist and guitarist on stage with comedian Les Melville. Les was one of the acts in the television show “New Faces” a couple of weeks ago.

Festive bookings

On Tuesday they have a showband, Anita and the Turnstiles; on Wednesday, Bob Stafford and Annie west, who were on the Australian cabaret circuit for two years; on Thursday, Clive Conway from Newcastle, on Friday a double comedy-impressionist act called Sinclair and Young, and on Saturday they have Les Brians who has been featured on the television programme “The Comedians.”

The Strand are now accepting bookings for Christmas night itself they will be introducing a showband called The Laurels. The Strand was always known for its excellent business lunches, and they will be continuing with them. So, as the old music hall song goes, Let’s all go down the Strand.

The Strand advert. 1973.

1973 advert.

Misty’s Lounge Bar now open July 1979.

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Do you know anything about these bars? If so please get in touch.

END.

The Auld Hoose

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108 Main Street, Baillieston, Glasgow. G69 6AE. 

The Auld Hoose, 1991.

This old pub went on fire around 2003, it was refurbished and renamed to the unusual name of By the Way.

By the Way, 2006.

By the Way, 2007.

The Baillie, 2015.

The Baillie, 2018.

Do you know anything about this old pub? If so please get in touch.

END.

Horse Shoe Tavern

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Glasgow Road, Half Way.

R Harvie’s Horse Shoe Tavern.

The Horse Shoe Tavern had an established date of 1804, it succeeded an ancient hostelry giving the place it’s name of Half Way House also known as the Auld Hoose. It was opposite here that the Glasgow to Paisley steam carriage exploded in 1807, the charred remains of the carriage were kept at one time in the Kelvingrove Museum.

The locals bragged that Queen Mary rested and took lunch in here on her way to Crookston Castle. What is certain is that the Harvie family owned this old tavern for generations.

This old building sat on the highway to Paisley and was half way between Glasgow and Paisley. Part of the old tavern was utilised as a smiddy, where many a lucky horse shoe was turned, the smith acting in the double capacity of horse-shoer and Boniface. This was as far back as the time of the great grandfather of Miss Elizabeth Harvie, who was proprietor in the early 1900s. The lease bearing the date 1800 was granted by Lord Blantyre and was for the term of 99 years.

Next to the old tavern, Robert Harvie, Elizabeth’s father, built a two storey house over the smith’s shop as a dwelling house for his son John Harvie, who carried on a large and successful dairy business, supplying most of his products and milk to Govan. Mr Robert Harvie had licensed premises at Williamsburgh, Hawkhead, Paisley and while attending strictly to his own business, he and his brother David efficiently assisted their sister Elizabeth in the management of the Horse Shoe Tavern.

In 1881 Robert Harvie the proprietor of the tavern was living with his large family, he lost his wife at an early age. His dwelling house was large enough to sleep all this children, Elizabeth, 24, John was a joiner aged 27, Robert a blacksmith, 18, James a clerk, 16, William was still at school, 14, David was also at school, 12. Roberts other daughter Mary Stewart was also living in the house with her husband also a blacksmith and their children Walter and Jessie. Robert employed a domestic servant Maggie Martin and a boarder James Broadley a general labourer, he was an old Irish gentleman of 74 years.

The old tavern was demolished in 1901 and a new tenement of houses was erected in it’s place.

Do you know anything about this old Tavern? If so please get in touch.

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