Coatbridge

144-46 Main Street, Coatbridge. ML5 3BJ. Tel: 01236 436824.

The Med Grill. 2006. This popular family business in Coatbridge has some delicious meals on offer. A definite place to visit.

141 Gartsherrie Road, Coatbridge. ML5 2EU. Tel: 01236 434333.

La Ronda. 2009.

La Ronda. 2009.

290 Main Street, Coatbridge. Ml5 3RS. Tel: 01236 421551.

Owen’s Bar. 2006.

The original Big Owen’s Bar was at 34 Lock Street, Coatbridge. Patrick O’Brien an Irishman born in Co. Monaghan, settled in Glasgow to take over the Auld Hoose in the Gallowgate in the 1920s and held the licence for twenty years. He moved to Coatbridge and added another pub to his small empire and acquired the Circle Bar, Main Street in 1926, and then acquired the Big Tree, Whifflet Street in April 1928. He also owned the Killiekrankie Bar at 34 Locks Street, Coatdyke, Coatbridge, which he took over in April 1939, succeeding the late Mr Collins who had held the licence for over 40 Years.

In the early part of 1940 Mr Patrick O’Brien made alterations to the Killiekrankie Bar which met approval of his many customers. The old fashioned cramped premises were now a roomy modern public house which was a credit to the district. Originally, the premises consisted merely of a small public bar, a sitting-room which, through the week, was sometimes used as a store room, and two store rooms at the back of the premises.

All this accommodation had now been slumped together to provide a spacious, modern public bar, with counter and gleaming gantry in the middle, as well as two sections in the front corners partitioned off to provide “Snugs.” Two additional windows had been brought into use for the public bar, and the cellar, which was situated on the same level at the back, had also improved. Improvements had also been made in the toilet accommodation. A family department (Off Sales) was situated off the vestibule was another addition.

The counter, roughly circular, was mahogany topped and the gantry was well-lit by electricity. The counter was divided off into sections.

The lower walls were of dark brown panelled wood, with the upper sections and ceiling cream-coloured. There was a white-tiled, open fireplace in the public bar, and another with white and green tiles in one of the”snugs. The other snug had an electric fire. Both snugs had fixed wall seating with tables and electric bell pushes.

Besides a service door from the public bar to the cellar, there was also a door to the cellar from outside. Formerly supplies had to be carried through the bar to the cellar.

The architect was James Davidson & Son, Coatbridge and their alterations were undoubtedly a great improvement with the owners and the customers. The joinery work was also by local businesses, Mill’s & Co., Coatbridge.

Mr Patrick O’Brien resided at 28 Ness Street, Riddrie, Glasgow. He was a member of the Glasgow and District Licensed Trade Defence Association and also of the Glasgow Vintners.

A relative Owen O’Brien went into some sort of Partnership with Patrick at a later date Big Owen’s name was carried on in the new Owen’s Bar.

Views of the interior. 2006.

Owen’s Bar Beer Garden at the rear of the premises. 2006.

Mr Owen O’Brien, owner of Big Owen’s Bar.

144-46 Main Street, Coatbridge. Ml5 3BJ. Tel: 01236 710535.

Innishmohr. 2006.

24 Sunnyside Road, Coatbridge. ML5 3DG. Tel: 01236 429001.

The Heritage Bar. 2006.

Calder Street, Coatbridge..

In the News 1972…

Interior view of the lounge. 1972.

Yogi is mine host again…

What’s in a name? Nothing much I suppose, if it’s Joe Bloggs or Willie Smith… but it is a lot if it’s immediately identifiable. So what would have been more appropriate when footballer John Hughes, the former darling of the Celtic fans, decided to open a new pub in Coatbridge than to call it The Great Bear?

If the connection doesn’t mean anything to you it’s pretty obvious that you know absolutely nothing about football. John, of course, was affectionately known as Yogi Bear. In fact, his first pub in Coatbridge was called Yogi Bear, but it is now closed and big John felt that The Great Bear was more in keeping with the image.

The new premises in Calder Street are plush and comfortable and, would you believe it, the main theme in the bar is football. John, who now plays for Crystal Palace and is based in London, tells me he intends getting big blow-ups of football stars put up on the walls, along with pennants and several of the football jerseys that he has collected over the years.

One of the jerseys which he will have on display was worn by the controversial George Best. Another belongs to that Peter Pan of the football world, Jack Charlton. In the lounge the theme is again appropriately, the Great Bear constellation woven in Lurex silver and gold thread. It stands out brilliantly against the white background walls.

Big Dram…

John because of his football commitments in the south, will not be able to be in his new premises as often as he would like, but he tells me he’ll certainly be serving up the drinks as often as possible. Incidentally, the measure in the bar is the quarter-gill for spirits. “I think the quarter-gill is coming back. This is what people want because I think it’s better value for money,” John told me.

“There will be entertainment in the lounge on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Resident compere will be a local man, Martin Kerr. “We hope to make it into a singalong spot where people can get up and do their own thing and generally enjoy themselves,” said John.

Even although Yogi Bear won’t always be there in person, his new place looks like being a top scorer.

Advert 1972. The Great Bear. The brightest night-spot on view, Calder Street, Coatbridge.

Partner

Two men helped John to build The Great Bear, and each have a 25 per cent interest in the business. The first as builder Mr Brian Aitken (34), a married man with three children, who conducts his business from his home address at 6 Forrestfields Crescent, Newton Mearns. The second is accountant, Mr Gerald McVey.

John first met Brian in 1969, when he asked him to complete his £25,000 luxury bungalow at Uddingston, Lanarkshire. “John told me at the time that his pub was being taken over under a redevelopment scheme and he talked about building another. “I met him a year later and asked how his new pub was getting on, and we started talking about it.

“Today John, Gerald, and myself are partners in the Great Bear.” Brian and Gerald will manage the Great Bear while I will be playing football at Crystal Palace.