In the NEWS 1977
Five raising their pint glasses to The Pop Inn. They like it as it is. Left to right John McDade, David Gorman, Joseph Doyle, Bernard McMahon and Pat Duffy. 1977.
Hangover for pubs after big crackdown.
Do Airdrie and Coatbridge have the worst pubs in Scotland?
The double edged question is being asked by thousands of drinkers in the twin Lanarkshire towns after the licensing towns after the licensing court revoked two licences and gave more than two dozen pubs until April 15 to bring their plkaces up to standard.
John Hendrey, of West Kirk Street, Airdrie, said, “Airdrie is not bad for pubs. They’ve modernised a lot here. “But over in Coatbridge there are dozens of pubs that are dirty and old. Go down the Bank Street area. That’s where they are.”
REGULARS
His view was backed strongly by the licensing court, who names six Bank Street pubs among those who have to raise their standards to get their licence on April 15.
One of them was the Pop Inn at 261 Bank Street. But the regulars there were proud of their little bar. Bernard McMahon and his four drinking mated (David Gorman, John McDade, Joseph Doyle, and Pat Duffy) had popped in to the Pop Inn for a totle of 86 years.
Bernard said, “It’s a homely place. A working man’s pub. You don’t have to watch your language.
DISGRACE
At Tuesday’s licensing court the bench talked pubs that “were like speak-easies. Places that would have been in disgrace in the days of prohibition.”
The Bank Street pubs which must up their standards are, The West End hotel, The carlina, The Eagle, and the Pop Inn.
The proprietor of the West End Hotel said that there seemed to be a drastic crack down.
My late father commented on the pop in jay in Coatbridge and was photographed with 2 of his friends,I only want to see photo that was took ,with thanks Maria Julia Doyle