The Fairway

18 Chapel Street, Rutherglen, Glasgow. G73 1JE. Tel: 0141 647 4008.

The Fairway Bar. 1991.

The Fairway was built in 1961 for the Murray family. Rutherglen Town Council had the Murray’s old premises demolished which sat 50 yards from the new building and dated back to the 17th century. Ye Olde Inn  had an established date of 1650, John and Mary Murray took this old pub over in the 1920s from their family who had it for over twenty years.

Exterior view of the Fairway. 1961.

The Fairway bar was named as there was an old golf course on the site many years ago. A feature of the new premises both in the lounge and the public bar was the various types of timber used. Canadian Birch was chosen for the lounge bar, the bar counter front being rio rosewood, the public bar was panelled in American black cherry with mahore for the counter front and figured willow for the gantry.

Moquette wall seating in a violet shade in the lounge and the seats were upholstered in the same colour. The whole of the establishment had underfloor heating.

Opening ceremony group at Rutherglen’s Fairway. Left to right Mr J A MacDonald, Glasgow and West of Scotland manager, Scottish Brewers Ltd.; Mr John Murray jun.; Mrs Mary Murray; Mr D M Ferguson and Mr John Murray sen. 1961.

Mrs Murray, pulling the first pint at the new Fairway Bar. 1961.

Left to right Mr A V Hanlon, director of Kilglas, Mr J Murray, Mrs McDeveney, Mr John A Murray, Murray’s Bar’s Gallowgate and Dalmarnock Road.

A day’s outing at the golf course, left to right W Jenkins, Govan Arms, J J Murray, Fairway, A Ford of Usher’s. 1967.

Update… November 2009.

Burnhill Bar. November 2009.

The Fairways is now called The Burnhill. Thanks to Norrie McNamee.

Burnhill Bar. 2012.

Burnhill Bar. 2012.

Do you remember this old pub? If so please leave a comment and we will post your views.

In the NEWS… 2018.

Still Game fans are delighted that the hit TV show is coming back – and a Rutherglen pub will be the new boozer for Jack, Victor and pals. Last year the Reformer revealed how the Fairways Bar on Chapel Street had been filmed for scenes in the new series of the smash hit TV programme.

And the popular watering hole will take centre stage in the first episode of the programme’s latest series, that returns to TV screens in a fortnight. The plot sees Jack and Victor head to The Clansman – where they encounter a flustered Tam.

To their dismay, they discover barman Boaby now has trendy ambitions for the pub which means their sort aren’t welcome anymore. Meanwhile Winston is looking for new digs – after asbestos forces him out of his flat.

The quartet then try out a new boozer, the Coral, which in reality is the Fairways. And with The Clansman regulars turfed out and Winston in need of a roof over his head, a new hangout is soon discover – with perks for all the pensioner pals.

Colette McAllister, landlady at the Fairways, previously told the Reformer how much she’d enjoyed the experience.

She said: “I was in a tent watching it being filmed. They treated me like royalty. “The cast were gentlemen, they were asking all about the pub — they were lovely. “Once people realised it was happening, people were hanging out of their windows getting pictures. The cast stayed and got photos with everyone.”

Colette added that the experience could be a big boost for the area as a whole. She said: “Watching it was amazing, I was on a pure high. “It’s the biggest show in Scotland and it came to Rutherglen and my pub.

Update…2019.

The Rutherglen Local is still called The Fairway. If the locals in Rutherglen are like the locals in Glasgow then if the pub was changed to the Burnhill the locals will still call it “The Fairway.”

END.