135 Balornock Road, Glasgow. G21 3UL.Tel: 01415586337.

Cairn’s Bar. 1991.

The Cairn went on fire and is now demolished.

The pub was rebuilt a few years later.

———————————-

In the NEWS 1978…

Manageress Julie Jones with some members of Ally’s Telly Army in Cairns Bar, Balornock Road.

Pubs Go Out To Bring Fans In…

While Ally’s Tartan Army are already on the move, his Telly Army are firmly rooted to their spots, in front of screens in pubs, clubs, and hotels.

Scotland’s publicans are going all out to make sure their customers can enjoy a pint in a football-crowd atmosphere. The Ardeer Recreation Club in Ayrshire typifies the spirit.

Said secretary Mrs Margaret Laird: “We will have eight colour TV sets in here during the World Cup. They will be in our three lounges and in the dining-room, or what is normally the dining-room.

“We had the sets installed over a week ago, so that there wouldn’t be any last-minute snags for our 5000 members.” The Ardeer club officials have even arranged their committee meetings so that they don’t clash with any of the “Big Games.”

LOUNGES

In Glasgow publican Miller Reid, chairman of Partick Thistle, has set up a special 8ft square screen in a room of his Esquire House, Anniesland Cross, at a cost of £1000 for the month.

But don’t cry for him, Argentina. He’s renting the place out to organised parties for about £100 a night, with live pictures of the games.

He has also put portable TV sets in his bars and lounges to make sure the staff can see the matches.

But at Glasgow’s Ashfield Club, for years one of the city’s top night-spots, manager Charlie Craig reckons’ he’ll be watching the games with his staff and a few others.

Said Mr Craig, “I’ve been asking our customers what they intend doing during the World Cup and most say they will be watching at home.” He said, “This month will be a dead loss for people like us though,” The World Cup will mean a break with tradition at Burns’ Howff, in the city centre.

For more than a decade the place has played host to rock groups and disco sounds, now a TV set will be installed for the first time. Owner John Waterson said: “I’ll be recording the games and, if we do well, then I’ll show reruns of them in the winter nights.”

At the Cairns Bar, in Balornock golfers at the eighth tee of the nearby Littlehill course will be tempted even more than usual to jump over the wall for a quick drink. Manageress Julie Jones has made sure colour TV facilities are laid on, and there will be a raffle with a difference for regulars.

Said Mrs Jones: “The raffle tickets will be free and numbered 1-90. If there’s a goal score in the 47th minute and you have ticket No. 47, then you’re on to a half bottle of whisky.”

BOVRIL

The Boulevard Hotel, just outside Clydebank, is another of the “Big Screen” set. Manager Tony McHenry has rigged up a 5ft x 6ft screen, restricted his viewing audience to regulars and has had to impose an “all-ticket” crowd limit of 120 at £1 a time.

The Central Hotel is also looking after its football daft regulars, with extra TV sets installed in different bars and pies and Bovril provided to give that “terracing Tam” atmosphere.