Victoria Road

349 Victoria Road, Glasgow. G42 7SA. 

Calders Lounge. 1991.

This pub is better known as the Pandora. It was opened 1962 by restaurateur Mr Reo Stakis, it was formerly a large double cafe converted into a public bar cocktail bar and lounge with a small off-licence sandwiched in between.

A feature was the fluted woodwork which lined the walls and ceiling in the public bar. Mirrors were fitted at stages along the plain gantry a red carpet with musical instruments and score inwoven stretched to within four feet of the bar.

The cocktail bar and lounge was cosy and again the panelled woodwork appeared at the entrance and around the bar. The fitted carpet was of abstract design in a dull red colour and in contrast the walls on one side were blue and the other grey, these colours being repeated in the upholstered wall seats.

The cocktail bar was well lit by spotlights at the rear with red shaded fittings over the bar top. The gantry divided by a door leading to the public bar had an orange tinted glass background on one side and a mirror back on the other both having glass shelving.

In charge of the Pandora was Chick Geatons a former Celtic Football player.

Scottish & Newcastle Breweries took over the Pandora, it went Dutch in 1972.

Manager of the Pandora was Frank Cox.

Interior Views of the Pandora 1962.

In the News 1972…

Pandora Goes Dutch.

Going Dutch has taken on a fresh meaning for customers at a new Glasgow restaurant. This time it does not mean that they pay their own way, but that they can choose from a selection of true Dutch speciality dished on the menu.

For instance they may choose Uitsmijter made up of ham, bread, salad, fried egg, copped parsley and French fried potatoes. Or they may fancy Blinde Vinken, which consists of veal escalops, minced beef and rashers of bacon, and perhaps they might like a glass of Borrell, a Dutch gin served iced and taken straight.

These dishes are on the menu at The Barn restaurant of the Five Flies, a large extension of Scottish & Newcastle Breweries Pandora managed house in Victoria Road, Glasgow, incorporating also a new Courtyard lounge bar. Manager of the Pandora and its new extensions is Mr. Frank Cox, who joined Scottish & Newcastle two years ago.

The Lounge at the Pandora was called The Five Flies.

The Five Flies Lounge advert 1977.

The Five Flies Lounge, corner of Victoria Road / Calder Street. Monday special with Lee Tracy. 7p.m. Late Night Supper and Sing-Along. Grilled Bacon, Baked Potatoes and Salad. Total Price 50p. YES ONLY 50p. Also on Wednesday 7p.m-12 p.m.

Pandora and the Five Flies Lounge advert 1978.

By popular demand an evening with KANDI. On Sunday. 18th June, Ticket at door from 7 P.M.

80p (including meal) Come Early! It’s always a sell-out!

Up-To-Date-NEWS…2017.

A COMMUNITY-run food firm is planning to open its first large-scale supermarket.

Locavore, which started its vegetable supply business five years ago, is hoping to start the supermarket in the South Side within the next nine months. The firm grows crops locally across three sites in Glasgow, and sells them to hundreds of customers via its vegetable box scheme.

The property at the corner of Calder Street was previously home to the Pandora Bar, and will be used for the new supermarket provided Locavore can secure a building warrant in the next three months.

Locavore Grocery.

The Pandora with a cream exterior.

The Pandora with a green exterior.

Update…2019.

Thank goodness the pub was reverted back to a pub and the pub went up for sale of offers of £280,000.

Update May…2019.

This pub has been sold. We will update later when we find out more.

Do you remember this South-side favourite? If so please leave a comment.

END.