Old Glasgow Pubs

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Buchanan Street

Lymburn’s

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255 Buchanan Street, Glasgow.

Lymburns

Lymburn’s was situated at the corner of Buchanan Street and Sauchiehall Street. The photograph here was taken from Buchanan Street side in the 1963.

In 1875, wine & spirit merchant Hugh Lang owned this establishment along with licensed premises in Argyle Street and Broomielaw.

In 1896 Mungo Fairlie Wilson acquired the premises, he occupied it until 1908. Robert Brownlie Fleming took over the licence in 1909 and continued to run a successful business well after Second World War.

Henry Stirling Lymburn put his name above the doorway from the late 1950s until it was demolished in the 1960s. Mr Lymburn was well established in other well known pubs in the city, he had premises at 519 Dumbarton Road and 431 St. George’s Road.

The Five Ways

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220 Buchanan Street, Glasgow.

The Five Ways Buchanan Street

Five Ways. 1960s.

The Five Ways was situated at the junction of Buchanan Street with Cathedral Street, Bath Street and Dundas Lane.

This old pub was opened in 1860 by James Bowie who lived in one of the flats above with his wife and family. Mr Bowie was born in Paisley where he met his wife Grace.

He took over his first pub on Great Eastern Road in 1854, this old pub will still be remembered by east enders as the Reunion Bar at Camlachie.

James Bowie and his family moved out to Buchanan Gardens, Mount Vernon with his son William living next door with his family.

Fiveways Buchanan Street with bus

The Five Ways corner of Cathedral Street and Buchanan Street.

The pub on Buchanan Street was known first as the Cosy Den before it was renamed the Five Ways. When James died his son William took over the running of the business. William was born in the Cowcaddens district in 1849, he received his education in David Street school, then Annfield Academy, Bellgrove Street then to Wilson’s Model School which occupied the site of the Andersonian College in George Street. He then finished his education at the High School, John Street. On leaving school he immediately joined his father in the business.

In 1877 he married Miss Jamieson, her family were well known in their time, her grandfather was Rev. John Jamieson of Bellshill and her great grandfather was a doctor John Brown of Haddington.

Five Ways interior

Interior view of the Five Ways public bar, shortly after reconstruction in 1958.

William in his spare time loved bowling and was a member of the Mount Vernon Club he was also a member of the old Albany Club, he was a great shot with a gun and regularly went shooting at Darnley Range, he was president of the Bank Burns Club, which met on a regular basis in Maxwell Street.

Five Ways interior1

Interior view of the new lounge bar. 1958.

In 1971 Mr John Miller, manager of the Five Ways retired at the age of 65. Mr Miller had more than 47 years experience in the trade and in the same pub, which was then owned by Tennent Caledonian Breweries, which must have been a record.

Licence Holders.
1972 Kenneth William James Beaton.
1960 Allan Anderson.
1959-1920 James Bowie.
1919-1903 Mrs Maria Jamieson Bowie.
1902-1885 William Bowie.
1885-1860 James Bowie.

Fingal’s

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221 Buchanan Street, Glasgow. G1 2JZ. Demolished.

Fingal’s. 1995.

Over the years this old pub has been known as Fingal’s, Corfu Bar, Lunar Seven and at the turn of the last century it was known as the Comedy Bar. To read the full history of this pub, check back soon for our second book.

The Corfu. 1980’s.

There has been licensed premises on this site since 1868.

The Scotch Corner. 1991.

One of the licensees’ Thomas Ritchie better known as Ritchie Thom.

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

The Dragon Bar

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Buchanan Street, Glasgow. G2. Closed Down.

Exterior view of the Dragon Bar, Buchanan Street, 1991.
The Dragon Bar, 1991.

This was part of the George Hotel now completely renovated and is used by numerous businesses.

The George Hotel was situated between two great railway stations, Queen Street and Buchanan Street, and at the head of Buchanan Street the aristocratic thoroughfare of the second city, the George Hotel, occupies a premier position among the prominent family and commercial hotels of the west.

The George Hotel has been established for a number of year, although not under that name. In the past like many similar establishments, the hotel has had a varied career. The proprietor in 1892 was a gentleman called Angus MacKay, one of the most experienced hotel keepers in Scotland. Mr MacKay although still a young man, had one of the best hotel records in the country. The hotel gained a good reputation for it’s good service and the quality of it’s food and drink.

Image of Mr Angus MacKay, 1892
Angus MacKay, 1892.

When Angus was twenty years of age he was a partner with Mr Forsyth, of the Cobden; then the Victoria, West George Street, has been conducted by him for over thirteen years. The Victoria was one of the most popular hotels in the west of Scotland. Mr MacKay’s name was associated with the two George’s, the one in Edinburgh, the other in Glasgow. Under his management both of these concerns flourished, the tariff at each being moderate, considering the high standard kept.

The hotel had grand dining-rooms, coffee and drawing rooms, and private sitting-rooms with spacious and well furnished commercial, smoking and billiard rooms. There was sixty well aired bedrooms in the property all fitted with modern conveniences. The cooking was of high-standard, the cellars well stocked with the choicest wines and well matured whisky. The George Bar formed a prominent feature of the establishment. It was on the ground floor and very spacious, the stranger was very surprised by the size of the bar. Mr MacKay prides himself on the internal arrangements of the hotel.

The Buchanan Hotel had three Stars. One of the dining rooms was called the Stage Door, it had a cocktail lounge Bar which opened 24 hours a day for guests.

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

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