588 Broomloan Road, Ibrox,Glasgow.
Ibrox House. 1991.
The Ibrox House sat at the corner of Broomloan Road and Paisley Road West.
The upstairs lounge / night club was known as the Mucky Duck, Satellite City and Maddison’s. When it became known as Maddison’s it was so rough it was known locally as Mad Dogs. With all these name changes the trouble makers still flocked and became known as a cutthroats joint a stab inn. Ibrox football stadium was close by this attracted many Rangers football fans. The place was finally closed down, the local Police were overjoyed at the result and was bulldozed around 1992 shortly after the photograph was taken above.
A petrol station was built on the site.
However the Ibrox House was not always that bad. When the McGinn family started out in Ibrox House it was a thriving family business.
Bonfire made from Gorbals Pub.
On V. J. night a celebrating crowd broke into Thomas McGinn’s pub at number 251 Rutherglen Road, Gorbals, and made a victory bonfire. The frenzied crowd tore up the floor boards, the shelves and the gantries, stripped the walls the seats everything to make a bonfire on Rutherglen Road, even the large barrel of McGinn’s special blend of old Scotch whisky “Ye Olde Judge” was set ablaze.
But Mr McGinn celebrated his own victory with the opening of a magnificent new road house situated just off Paisley Road West in Broomloan Road. A short distance down the Broomloan Road was Ibrox Stadium home of Rangers F.C. Appropriately Mr McGinn named his new premises Ibrox House.
Mr Thomas McGinn.
He could scarcely have chosen a more ideal spot. In addition to the football stadium there was also the Albion and White City greyhound racing tracks close by as well as Ibrox Station. Mr McGinn was invalided out of the R.A.F. two or three weeks before the celebrating crowd destroyed his Rutherglen Road premises. For the next 12 months he was in Hospital and for six months he was convalescent. He was unable to restore his premises because it was not then possible to obtain a timber permit. Then came the next blow. His premises were compulsorily acquired by the City Council for demolition to make way for the new improvements to the Gorbals. Although he also held the licence for premises at 246 Paisley Road Mr McGinn began to look around for premises to replace the Rutherglen Road pub. His idea was to have large new premises that would be a credit to the city. At the corner of Broomloan Road and Paisley Road West he found the idea site. His application to the Licensing Court proved successful, but he had to surrender the Paisley Road licence.
Mr McGinn was assisted in his premises by his two sons and daughter, Paul manager, Thomas jun and Patricia (Mrs. R G Watt.) And traded under the title of Thomas McGinn & Sons. Ibrox House had its motto: Semper Idem (Always the Same.) On the crest was a crown the road house was built on crown property. In the center was the letters I. B., which stood for Ib Broch, which means the home of the badger. Underneath between the works Semper and Idem was a badger’s head.
On the ground floor of the premises was a spacious well appointed public bar, the bar itself extended the full length of the room. It was estimated that 1800 pints can be served in an hour. There was plenty of comfortable seating accommodation. Upstairs was a bright lounge bar and restaurant with seating accommodation for 120 people. Ample car parking space was also provided.
Interior of Ibrox House. 1958.
Mr McGinn himself declared the premises open in 1958 when he invited a large company of Trade personalities, in which wholesale houses were well represented and friends to the opening ceremony. Among those at the top table were Mr Balfour, director of William McEwan & Co Ltd., Mr MacDonald manager of McEwan’s and Mr A Don manager of G & C Moore Ltd. Mr Balfour’; speaking after the luncheon, said that the Ibrox House marked the fulfillment of a dream the McGinn’s have had for many years. That day the dream had become a reality. They had to congratulate Mr McGinn on three points. The site chosen could not have been a better one; the building represented the idea of what a public house should be. The business was a family concern. Mr Balfour then proposed a toast to Ibrox House and to the McGinn family.
Paul McGinn took over the licence on 13th May 1973.
The McGinn family 1960s.
A copy of the original invitation menu…
Ibrox House Invitation and Menu 3rd September 1958.
In the News 1971…
Along at Ibrox House the specialties are Steak Provincal and Scampi Provincal. Martin, the young chef there, has created a sauce which gives his dishes a flavour all of their own. He claims you can get the sauce nowhere else in the world and hopes to call his dish Steak Martine. It sounds good and, more important, tastes excellent.
Next door to the restaurant is the lounge, where our old friends Abie and Skip are on stage on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Although there are only two of them the boys give a big fat sound and work a lot of comedy through their routine. They try to make it a party night rather than just a night out in a musical lounge. In these days where it is difficult to get good food consistently this restaurant come with my recommendations.
Other Broomloan Road Pubs…