10 Littlehill Street,Springburn, Glasgow. G21. Edgefauld Road.
The Langrig. 1991.
This was formerly known as the Morven.
The Morven opened it’s door in March 1963 by the Kennedy family. Ian and Malcolm Kennedy had many years experience in the licensed trade in Glasgow their father John started out in the trade in 1905 and took over his first licence in 1910 in a small pub at the corner of Mains Street and Holms Street. The Kennedy brothers Ian and Malcolm ran the Morven bars at 272 Stobcross Street, 322 Castle Street,Townhead, and 60 Bedford Street corner of 140 South Portland Street, Gorbals.
The pub on Bedford Street was formerly one of William Teacher’s establishment dating back to 1877.
The Morven Bar, corner of 60 Bedford Street and 140 South Portland Street.
Another image of the Morven Bar. 1960s.
The new Morven in Edgefauld Road- Little Street had three impressive bars, a cocktail lounge, a lounge bar and the public bar.
The cocktail lounge had a raised ceiling painted in pale turquoise with the lower surrounding ceiling in white, the walls were papered in orange and gold mosaic, the windows were dressed in mauve draped curtains, the seating had purple upholstery and the table tops were white plastic material. The bar itself had panels of stretched cloth behind sheets of glass. This was one very colourful cocktail lounge.
The lounge was also very colourful, the fixed seating was upholstered in turquoise and grey. The 26 foot bar had a walnut front and white marble plastic panels.
The public bar had a mahogany and edonised beading and red fabric panels with a plastic top the fixed seating was in red and grey, the floor was covered in orange and flame lino, the colourful walls and ceiling were painted in mustard and grey.
Mr William Elliott M.C., C.A., chairman of William Murray & Co., travelled from Edinburgh to perform the opening ceremony, this was attended by a large number of trade guests.
In the last few years this pub has had a lot of bad publicity with drugs and gangs involved.
Exterior view of the Morven, August 2005.
Interior view of the massive cocktail lounge.
View of the lounge bar.
View of the public bar.
left to right Mr Ian Kennedy, Mr John Kennedy (father of the brothers), Mrs. Malcolm Kennedy and Malcolm Kennedy. 1963.
Other photographs of the Kennedy family click E Smyth.
In this prize winners group photograph was taken at the dinner dance and presentation of prizes held by the Glasgow Vintners’ Golf Section in the Grosvenor Restaurant. Left to right… Mr G McEntee, vice-president, Express Bar, winner of the Coronation Cup, presented by Joseph Dunn; D Ferrie, secretary, Bells Bar, winner of the Younger Putter; Ian Kennedy, captain, Morven Bar, winner of the McCall and Pringle Cup; Peter Smith, holding the Calder Rose Bowl on behalf of the winner, Raymond Strain; A Hanlon jun., with the McEwan Shield, won by his father, A V Hanlon, licensed grocer, Govan; R Mahan, Lomond Lounge, Lambhill, winner of the White Horse Cup; B McLaughlin, Town Tavern, Rutherglen, winner of the Vintners’ Tankard. 1962.
In the News 1971…
Singing Manager at Balornock
Singing barmaids are not unusual in Scottish Clubland, but when you come across a singing manager you are definitely going up a few scales!
When the wine is cool, the mood is warm, and the customers pleasantly relaxed, Joe McHugh, the big genial manager of the Morven Bar in Barlornock, can be persuaded to go on stage. The fact that Joe can sing as well as the best of his customers, and, whisper it as well as many of the semi professional acts on the go makes him one in the lounge.
Joe has no theatrical pretensions himself although at one time he was offered a semi professional job as a singer. “My job is behind the bar, not in front of a microphone, although once in a while I enjoy singing but just for fun,” he says. featured at the Morven every evening except Tuesdays are an excellent group The Hi Fives, featuring Skee Laird, who has been called the Queen of Country and Western.
Skee, who recently auditioned for Hughie Green’s television show “Opportunity Knock’s” is also on stage in the lounge on Saturdays at lunch-time. The Morven is running a show to raise money for spastics on March 9 when the Hi Fives will provide the backing. Aslo in the show will be one of the champions of rock and roll, Alex Cambpell, and his daughter Shelagh. Tickets for the night are 7s 6d. Incedentally the Morven has raised £125 for the Ibrox Disaster Fund and earlier this week Bill Tennant accepted a cheque on behalf of the fund.
Joe McHugh and Bill Tennant. 1971.
Interior views of the Morven, August 2005.
