Take a Look into the History of Glasgow's Sauchiehall Street Pubs

Sauchiehall Street is well-known for Stag and Hen groups visiting the city as well as our own Glaswegians looking for a cracking night out!

Crazy Daisy

January 2, 2017 by John Gorevan 1 Comment

510 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow. G2 3LW. Closed.

Image of an advert for Crazy Daisy 510 Sauchiehall Street 1975 — Crazy Daisy advert 1975.

Cabaret turns at city’s newest pub / restaurant.

I first heard about Crazy Daisy about three weeks ago, and my immediate reaction was wonderment about the zany bird with the off-beat name. It was just as well I didn’t give voice to the thought because it turns out that the Crazy Daisy is the newest pub and musical restaurant to open in Glasgow.

Image of Locarno Sauchiehall Street 1950s — Locarno. 1950s.

It is sited at Charing Cross, in the old Locarno Club premises. Although it has been opened for only about three weeks, they have feature singer Neville Taylor in cabaret and this week singer Ruby Carter is on stage. The place is owned by Mike and Kathy Kenna, who used to run the Dunny discotheque next door to the Metropole Theatre.

Open to the public

Mike tells me that he intends making the Crazy Daisy into one of the most swinging place in Glasgow. At the moment he is slightly afraid that people might think it is a club because of his association with the Dunny. “I would like everyone to know there is no membership here, and the place is open to the general public.”

Mike is obviously keeping his future plans closely under wraps at the moment, but he has already dinner-dance-cabaret nights running on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. From Monday he is starting to cater for business lunches. Next week Maggie Mercer is on stage. Maggie has been resident singer at the Bruce Hotel, East Kilbride, for several years, and is a great favourite.

Image of an advert for Crazy Daisy 510 Sauchiehall Street 1972 — Crazy Daisy advert 1975.

Incidentally, the vivacious curvaceous singer Lee Anthony will be at the Crazy Daisy every lunch time, but not as a singer. Lee will be helping out behind the bar.

In the News 1972…

The singers will be appearing in cabaret at the recently opened Crazy Daisy at Charing Cross, Glasgow, tonight and tomorrow. Since he appeared in Glasgow, Stephen has toured extensively throughout the Continent, in London, and on the club circuit in the north of England.

Incidentally the Crazy Daisy have started up a Saturday morning jazz session and this week they are featuring George McGowan and the City Centre Sound. They are also throwing in what they describe as a “pub nosh” which I understand is bits and pieces of this and that, if I make myself clear!

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

The Centre Court

January 2, 2017 by John Gorevan 1 Comment

431 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow. G2 3LG. Tel: 0141 332 5431.

image of the interior of the Centre Court bar Sauchiehall Street 1979 — Interior view of the Centre Court. 1979.

Tennis is the name of the game in the Centre Court decor. 1979.

The Pub that’s set to March them All…

An Upmarket Pub which is oozing with style has just opened in Sauchiehall Street at Charing Cross.

It’s called Centre Court, and you don’t have to be a genius to figure that the theme of the decor is based on Tennis.

Wimbledon, in fact.

Ironically, Gordon McMurray and Fred Sommerville, the two Glasgow business men who own the new premises, don’t play tennis.

“Why that theme?” Says Gordon, “We were looking for decor different from anything else in Glasgow. The subject of tennis came up and we thought, why not.”

The result was that they went to Wimbledon and had a long chat with Mr A. B. Cooper, curator of their magnificent tennis museum. He was enormously helpful and gave them many ideas as well as a selection of tennis photographs and other related memorabilia.

FIVE STAR…

The photographs of all the tennis greats, Bjon Borg, Jimmy Connors, LLie Nastase, John Newcombe, Chris Evert Lloyd, Sue Barker, Billie Jean King, Virginia Wade etc, have been framed and are now hanging on the walls of the plush lounge and cocktail bar at 431 Sauchiehall Street.

There is so much tennis interest and history in this luxurious five-star howff that you could spend a happy hour just browsing round soaking up tennis lore.

One striking feature is a hand-painted mural on the wall by Glasgow designer David Ogilvie. It took about 15 months to complete.

The tennis theme is carried out throughout the premises, from floor to ceiling. The carpet in the lounge was specially woven for the room by furnishers, Hampton and McMurray and cost £7000. Woven through it are cross rackets with the letters “CC” weaved into the “gut” of the rackets. It’s all very striking.

On the ceiling there is a small illuminated tennis court which looks like the real thing.

Advert for the Centre Court bar Sauchiehall Street 1979 — Advert for The Centre Court. 1979.

The best Doubles and Singles in town at The Centre Court. 1979.

RELAX…

In keeping with the decor the drinks list is in the shape of a tennis racket, has concoctions on it like a Sneaky Lob, a Low Lob, and a Drop Shot. A few of those and you are a match for anyone.

Say’s Gordon, “We set out to give the people of Glasgow a lounge of which it can be proud, and I think we have done just that. We want people to come in to relax in comfortable surroundings and enjoy a leisurely drink.”

The Centre Court is certainly a match for anything else in the city. In moulding it the owners have created the type of place where they would like to go, their yardstick being that if they would like to go there, so would others.

Mr Cooper, the curator of the Wimbledon Museum, was more than delighted to help the owners get everything absolutely authentic because he feels, rightly, that such decor can evoke and sustain interest in tennis among people in Glasgow and the West of Scotland.

Needless to say Mr Cooper has been given a standing invitation to sample the delights of Glasgow’s Centre Court any time he cares to call.

DELIGHTS

A cold buffet and “Wimbledon – type” food will be available for customers at the Centre Court, just what “Wimbledon-type food” is the owners aren’t saying. They like to keep some surprises up their sleeves. But the possibility is that such delights as strawberries and cream might be on sale.

Only on season, of course, otherwise the cost would be prohibitive.

Customers will be served by staff dressed in red tops and white calf-length skirts. The girls that is… the men will wear white trousers.

That net result of all this thought and work is decidedly good!

Other names this venue has had over the years, L’Odean, The Box, The Glasgow Pub Company.

Do you have memories of this popular venue? If so please leave a comment.

Oceans Eleven.

January 2, 2017 by John Gorevan 1 Comment

468 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow. G2 3JU. Tel:

Image of Ocean's Eleven bar Sauchiehall Street 1991 — Oceans Eleven. 1991.

Oceans Eleven, Bar Lounge and Off sales.

This pub had a name change in the 1990s from the Beresford then to the Library, hoping to attract the many readers from the Mitchell Library.

Update 2005…

Image of the Library 468 Sauchiehall Street — The Library August 2005.

Passing Sauchiehall Street and noticed the Library has closed down, a short lived pub. Refurbishment is going on at the moment, maybe a new title for this bar too. I will keep you updated.

A new name for this pub “Capitol” 2008.

Image of the Capitol bar 468 Sauchiehall Street — Capitol. 2008.

Capitol was a great venue, you could get cheap drinks in here which is great. Every few months Sauchiehall Street seems to have a new pub, you are spoiled for choice of drinking venues along the full length of Sauchiehall Street.

The Art School. September 2012.

It seems that every couple of years this Sauchiehall Street bar has a name change. This time it is called “The Art School”, named after the nearby School of Art a Charles Rennie MacKintoch wonder.

Update 2012…

Image of the Brazilliant 468 Sauchiehall Street 2012 — Brazilliant. October 2012.

Brazilliant is a Steakhouse & Currascaria. Again this place didn’t last for long.

Image of the Beresford Lounge 468 Sauchiehall Street 2014 — Beresford Lounge. 2014.

It is a shame that this Sauchiehall Street venue has had so many businessmen come and go. I thing there is too many licensed premises on Sauchiehall Street, they are all competing against each other for trade. Many years ago when this pub was Oceans Eleven there wasn’t so many pubs.

Update 2018…

Image of the Sly Fox 468 Sauchiehall Street 2018 — Sly Fox. 2018.

I wish the owners all the best of luck in competing with the rest of the pubs on Sauchiehall Street especially pubs within 300 yards.

Facts…

Licence Holders.

1991-1972 Joseph Boyle.

1960 James Kyles.

Do you have any memories of this Sauchiehall Street bar? If so please leave a comment.

Brunswick Cellars.

November 11, 2016 by John Gorevan 2 Comments

239 Sauchiehall Street. Glasgow. G2 3EX. Tel: 0141 332 9329.

Sparkles. 1990s.

The Cellars. 2008.

Brunswick Cellars. 2010.

The Priory. 2014.

Priory. 2014.

Email from Bob F: “This was formerly the Blenheim.”

Update…2019 Still called the “Priory.”

Do you have anything to say about this venue? If so please leave a comment.

END.

L’Odeon.

November 11, 2016 by John Gorevan 3 Comments

431 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow. G2 3LG. Tel: 0141 332 5431.

L’Odeon. 1991.

Over the years this pub has been known under different names, it started life as “Centre Court” : “L’Odeon” : then “Yates’s Wine Lodge” : “the Blob Shop” : “The Glasgow Pub Co” : and is now called “Box.”

Yates’s wine lodge. 1992.

Glasgow Pub Company. 2005.

The Box. 2008.

Situated in the heart of Glasgow city centre on Sauchiehall Street, BOX is an established, compact Entertainment venue. With a fantastic reputation for supporting local musicians, we also offer a platform for new and up & coming artists. All of this, whilst providing great entertainment 7 nights a week!
There is no judgment in BOX, ‘mon in and soak up the vibe!

Visit the Box website.

The Box has had a few face-lifts since it opened around 2008. The images below show this.

Box. 2012.

Box. 2017.

In 1979 this favourite Sauchiehall Street venue was called “Centre Court.”

Do you remember this Sauchiehall Street venue? If so please leave a comment and we will post your review.

END.

Campus

November 11, 2016 by John Gorevan 1 Comment

396-402 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow. G2 3JD. Closed Down.

Campus, 2005.

Formerly known as the Bar, and Absolution.

There was also a Campus on George Street.

The Campus, 2008.

Campus with Merry Christmas over the door.

Update… 2017.

Campus is now Life and the Upper Room.

Life Glasgow and the Upper Room. 2017.

When this Campus closed another one opened further alone Sauchiehall Street at number 332. When the Glasgow School of Art tragically when on fire this Campus closed and is still closed April 2019.

Campus at 332 Sauchiehall Street.

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

Do you have fond memories of this Pub?

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