B

153 North Street, Glasgow. G3 7DA.

Bon Accord.1991.

This is one of the best pubs in the area for Real Ale. This well run local is worth a visit after a days research at the Mitchell Library.

Licensee Peter Gallagher served the punters here in 1971.

Interior view of the Bon Accord. c 1980s.

Peter Gallagher pulling a pint at the opening of the Bon Accord in 1971.

Peter Gallagher was 43 years of age when he opened the Bon Accord in 1971, his first public house he acquired was in 86 Abbotsford Place, (the Rising Sun), Gorbals in 1951, he was then one of the youngest licensees in Glasgow.

Peter also owned a pub at 350 St Vincent Street, (The North Star Bar), he said “I think we’ve managed to combine the modern look with real comfort, something that seems to be missing in a lot of places these days. Also, what we are offering is so varied that we must appeal to a really wide selection of public, who will not be disappointed at the decor or the service that I can promise.”

Interior view of the Bon Accord 1971.

The first thing you’ll probably notice about the Bon-Accord is that it looks plush and very comfortably designed. And so it is. Enter 153 North Street and you’re straight into the lounge bar, with its white, rough – cast walls, attractive coach-lamp lighting and soft black leather seats.

The carpeting is greenish in colour and merges very well with the seating and polished wood of the tables, bar and gantry. Look out, too, for the attractive antiques displayed in the lounge bar. They may never make TV’s “Going for a song,” but some of them are quite valuable.

So far as I’m concerned, it is an ideal place to enjoy a quiet drink, and I’m sure a lot of people are going to visit it and form the same opinion. But, of course there is much more to the Bon-Accord, which customers will find when they walk through the corridor from the lounge bar into the cocktail bar or is it the restaurant? or the function suite? It’s all three actually, combined into a beautifully furnished room that will be in big demand.

As in the lounge bar, the walls are white, rough – cast, but the seats instead of being black leather are a combination of yellow leather coach seats and orange coloured individual seats. The carpeting is green/blue, and the function suite naturally has a dance floor and raised bandstand.

Peter Gallagher plans to put this part of the Bon-Accord to very good use. During the day, it will be a restaurant, serving business lunches ranging from a three-course (37p) meal to the five-course (75p) variety. And diners can enjoy a bottle of table wine with their meal, or a drink from the well-stocked cocktail bar.

Then at night, it can become either a function suite, or if there’s no function booked, a cocktail bar, seating 120 comfortably with music and room for a dance. Peter Gallagher hopes in the future to set aside maybe one night a week for supper-dances, but that depends on function bookings, which – if I’m any judge – will soon start pouring in.

You see, Peter Gallagher is going all out to attract wedding receptions and other types of occasions, like office parties. There will be no charge for the hire of the hall and no charge for the cloakroom, bride’s changing room or the late licence. When that’s all added up, it means a big saving.

And remember that both function goers and those visiting the Bon-Accord for a business lunch will be enjoying food cooked in a brand new kitchen with facilities to cater quickly and efficiently for the biggest party the function suite can accommodate.

One last point about the Bon-Accord of special interest to all who go there. It is a Free House, not tied to any brewery and therefore able to offer the widest possible selection of bottled and draught beers and not just none particular trade name.

One thing the Bon Accord won’t lack is whisky. By that I mean a wide selection of whiskies. Peter Gallagher plans to have around 100 brands of the stuff permanently on display, which customers are very welcome to try.

As well as stocking every type of Scotch imaginable, the Bon Accord will also have some American bourbons and Irish Whiskey. So don’t be surprised if you visit the Bon Accord and one of the regulars asks for a half of “old Grandad” that’s a bourbon, or a large “Paddy” an Irish whiskey.

Another pub Peter Gallagher owned was the Havana Bar, 192 Cumberland Street, Gorbals.

Bon Accord. 2007.

Bon Accord interior views. 2007.

A wee corner in the Bon Accord.

Mauro and pals from Italy. When Scotland are playing these lads from Italy come to Glasgow for the game and a good drink in the Bon Accord. 2007.

Do you have memories of the Bon Accord? If so please leave a comment.

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