Grangemouth

Bowhouse Road, Grangemouth.

The Bowhouse Hotel, Bowhouse Road, Grangemouth. November 1970.

The Bowhouse Hotel was opened in November 1970 by Thomas Usher & Son Ltd.

At the official opening guests arrived at the ceremony found the place until and unheated. This of course, was not according to the plans prepared by Usher’s, which were disrupted by a mechanical digger that had ploughed through the electric power cable to the hotel.

By early evening, however, the damage was repaired and the lights came on to muted cheers of the company, who soon forgot all about the earlier discomfort in the warmth of the hospitality lavished on them by their hosts.

The ceremony was presided over by Mr Hamish M Inglis, managing director of Usher’s, who invited Provost George Hearn formally to declare the hotel open. It stands in an area of new houses, and the Provost expressed confidence that the saloon and lounge bars would be well patronised.

Mr Inglis was accompanied by Mr Douglas MacKay, sales manager, and Mr John Wood, head of managed houses.

The invitation list included, apart from the Provost and Mrs Helen, Bailie and Mrs W McBroom; Hon. Treasurer and Mrs P McCafferty; Mr and Mrs J Riley (Dean of Guild); Councillor and Mrs W Sutherland; Councillor W Ure; Councillor and Mrs T Wilson; Mr & Mrs A McCreath (sanitary inspector).

Trade guests included Mr L Allan (Peter Thomson & Co); Mr W Bonnyman (A & A Crawford); Mr & Mrs D O’Brien (Arthur Guinness); Mr Anderson (Carlsberg); Mr A M Conacher (The Horseshoe); Mr & Mrs F Sinclair (Red Lion); Mr J Farquharson (Tartan Arms, Bannockburn); Mr & Mrs D Cochrane (President, Brockville Development Fund); and Mr & Mrs Ian Bruce, 64 Tweed Street Dunfermline.

The manager of the new Bowhouse Hotel was Mr Denis McGlennon, whose staff included sweethearts in Mr Bernd Kohl (22), from Germany and Miss Sheila Gordon (21), from Dundee; they met on holiday on the Channel Islands of Sark.

Mr Dennis McGlennon and wife, manager of the Bowhouse Hotel. 1970.

Two members of Staff. Miss Sheila Gordon and Mr Bernd Kohl. 1970.