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You are here: Home / C / Coliseum

Coliseum

January 2, 2017 by John Gorevan 2 Comments

Eglinton Street, Glasgow. G5 9DE. Demolished.

Close-up image of the Coliseum Bar Eglinton Street
Coliseum Bar.

Coliseum Bar. Thanks to Norrie McNamee for the image.

The Coliseum Bar was named after the Theatre of the same name just a few doors away. The music hall was built in 1903 and opened its doors in 1905 for Moss Empires and designed by renowned architect Frank Matcham. In 1931 it was remodeled as a cinema.

Image of the Coliseum Bar 76-78 Eglinton Street 1960s
Coliseum Bar.

There has been a pub on this site since 1877. The first licence was wine and spirit merchant Patrick McGrail. However there was a licensed grocers business (off sales) on the site since 1873 run by John Craig. In 1899 Mr McGrail paid an annul rent of £130 which was quite expensive for a pub of its size in the area. Patrick was living with his family at 10 Kirk Street.S.S before moving to 15 Great Clyde Street (now Clyde Street) in 1914.

One year later Mr Patrick McGrail passed away. His daughter Bridget took over the running of the pub until 1928.

James Molloy a wine & spirit merchant took over the pub in 1929 but lasted only months in the pub before Campbell McFaull took over in 1930.

John Harper took over the licence in 1937 and continued serving the locals well into the 1950s.

Image of the Coliseum Bar from Henderson Street
Coliseum Bar facing Henderson Street.

Many will still remember Andrew Connor who was landlord in the 1960s, he also ran a pub at 166 Rutherglen Road known as the Ritz, this pub sat at the corner of Florence Street.

One of the last licensee was Ian Boag who took over in October 1969 until the late 1970s.

Do you remember this old Pub? If so please leave a comment.

END.

More pubs on this street:

  1. The Southern Bar.
  2. Devon Bar
  3. Errigal View.
  4. MacLeod, Alexander William
  5. The Kiloran Bar
  6. The Mally Arms
  7. Moffat Arms
  8. The Office
  9. The Star Bar
  10. MacLeod’s Bar

Filed Under: C, Eglinton Street, EglintonStreet Tagged With: Andrew Connor, Campbell McFaull, Coliseum Bar, Eglinton Street, Ian Boag, James Molloy, John Harper, Miss Bridget McGrail, Patrick McGrail, Pubs on Eglinton Street

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ludwina says

    October 11, 2020 at 9:09 pm

    My dad Bill Boag had the pub and his brother Ian held the licence. The car sat outside was my dad’s. The bar had booth seating and a small snug at the back. Upstairs was the lounge bar.

    Reply
  2. Andrew Connor says

    February 28, 2021 at 2:52 pm

    Thank-you Edwina for the comments re the Coliseum – My dad Andrew Connor had the pub for many years. I used to clean the outside windows as a boy, the revolving door windows (or as we called them windaes) the snug windaes, wash the gents toilet, polish the beautiful bar top etc and receive the princely sum of fifteen shillings – although Tony the head barman gave me a £1. Sadly Mum and Dad have now passed on – both young at age 62 and 63 years My dad had another pub in the Gallowgate which his brother Pat ran, the name of which was the The White Horse. Pat my uncle has also passed on. Regards, Drew

    Reply

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