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The Garage

January 17, 2017 by John Gorevan 4 Comments

490 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow. G2 3LW. Tel: 0141332 1120.

The Garage. 2005.

The Garage was formerly a night club called Shuffle’s. Does this place bring back memories, if so please contact us and we will review your comments.

In the 1980s many of the youngsters frequenting Shuffle’s came from Govan.

Shuffles advert 1974.

Email from Bob F… This was once the Electric Gardens night club and later became the Mayfair.

However this old place of entertainment was known as The Macushla.

The Macushla advert. 1972.

Shuffles Advert 1974.

Another 1974 advert.

Shuffles advert 1975.

Savoy advert 1978.

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In the NEWS 1979…

The best Disco in Town gang in action.

If I Could Call The Discotune…

I was a disco freak so long ago that Saturday Night Fever was only a Tuesday morning sniffle.

In the days of Frank Lynch’s first Glasgow disco in the Mayfair Club I leaped around to Proud Mary and Daughter of Darkness.

Although I now appear only at parties in various living-rooms, I still cavort like a windmill caught in a gale. And I adore the disco sounds of today. I’ve a great deal of sympathy for STV’s The Best Disco in Town, which has just finished its run. It was entertaining, danceable, eye-appealing stuff in a second-rate way.

GIMMICKS

I liked the camera flexibility and the easy ensemble atmosphere of the singers. Few technical gimmicks intruded into the natural flow of the songs and dances. Tiger Tim is a belated find for TV, As the host, his brash, common-touch uninhibited patter sparkled like a plink, plink, fizz commercial.

He’s a smasher and STV would be daft not to try to find a follow-up quiz or kids’ show for him. There should be another series of The Best Disco in Town. And there are a few changes I’d like.

ZIPPIER

If technical reasons allow, it should be recorded a couple of days before going out so more chart sounds can be included. They should try for zippier singers than the generally mediocre bunch they had.

With slicker thinking the Best Disco could make Top of the Pops look like The Good Old Days.

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The Penthouse advert 1979.

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The Garage. 2008.

The Garage. 2019.

The Gantry

January 17, 2017 by John Gorevan 1 Comment

929 Shettleston Road, Shettleston, Glasgow. G32 7NU.Tel: 01417784226.

The Gantry. 1991.

This old pub was known as Stevenson’s when it was built at the beginning of the 1900s, James Lee Stevenson was a well respected publican in the area, when he died his wife Elizabeth took over the licence in 1914 paying an annul rent of £90.00. Daughter Catherine then took control of the business until the out break of the First World War. The pub became known as the Waverley Bar.

Other licence holders were Robert Skelton 1960s and 70s then Charlie Hugh and Billy Mitchell became partners in the business.

The Gantry with a new paint job. 2009.

The Gantry, August 2005.

Hiccups.

January 17, 2017 by John Gorevan 1 Comment

1344 Duke Street, Glasgow. G31 5QG.

Hiccups. 1991.

also see Duke of Touraine Tollcross Road.

This popular bar and restaurant was originally opened as the Duke of Touraine.

Advert for the Duke. 1970.

What the News said in 1970…

I paid my first visit to the Parkhead district last week – to call on the Matteo family, whose Duke of Touraine restaurant was officially opened yesterday by actor John Cairney.

I really didn’t know quite what to expect as I eyed the drab buildings en route. What I found was something akin to an oasis in a desert. Tucked away among the industrial buildings, the workyards, and the tenements there is an absolutely charming licensed restaurant run by an equally charming family – father, mother, two sons, and two daughters.

They’ve all got their own jobs to do they work with a team spirit to be admired. “The Duke of Touraine” is a new name to be seen at 1342 Duke Street, but the Matteo family certainly aren’t new to the area, or to the catering trade, for that matter. Father Robert Matteo bought the premises about eight years ago for his sons to run. At that time consisted of a snack bar and a bakery. “But,” says elder son Tony, “that wasn’t our line, so we turned the bakery into a small licensed restaurant.”

Duke of Touraine advert. 1976.

Until its recent transformation it was known as Le Bon Appetit. The place proved so popular obvious that expansion was the only answer to their problems. So the family bought a fruit shop next door to the restaurant, and about six months ago work started on an ambitious face-lift and general change-around.

The fruit shop was to become a cosy little function suite, and the snack bar and restaurant a lovely olde worlde restaurant where winers and diners can enjoy a cabaret act and dance away to their hearts content. The new name of the place might puzzle folk somewhat. “Well, we wanted something old and connected with the district.” Tony explained. “So we consulted the curator of the Old Glasgow Museum, who suggested this title.

“It is an old French one belonging to the Duke of Hamilton. Apparently it was given to one of his ancestors – the fourth Duke of Hamilton – in 1423. “At one time the Douglas family owned Upper Lanarkshire, including the land on which the restaurant stands.” The Duke of Hamilton gave his permission for a portrait of his ancestors to be used on the menu.

The Matteo family. 1970.

Left to right Robert, Linda, Mrs Maria Matteo, Gloria and Tony.

A “soft light and sweet music” atmosphere plus striking decor by Anthony Sabatini and Oscar Cantani, make this a very desirable place to visit. There are other attractions too – like the two lovely Matteo daughters, Linda and Gloria, who take on the role of waitresses. Then there’s their mother Maria, who is in charge behind the bar, and younger son Robert who helps Tony on the administration side of things.

It’s one big happy family and they’re all out to provide a homely sophisticated atmosphere for Glasgow’s diners.

Advert. 1971.

Maestro Frank Ray, the new restaurant manager preparing one of his specialities for Tom & Jack (Alexander Brothers). Frank Ray, the restaurant manager, joined the company recently. Frank, who has worked in top-class restaurants throughout the city for many years, is called the Maestro.

Enjoy the warm & friendly surroundings of this exquisite restaurant.

Dinner – Dance

every Thursday, Friday and Saturday

to the, Ricky Taylor Trio

under the personal supervision of the proprietors, Tony and Robert Matteo.

Advert. 1975.

The Matteo family have one aim – they want to find out what sort of entertainment their customers want. This week they will be providing two “experimental evenings.” – Wednesday will be ceilidh night, with Scottish entertainment and Scottish food on the menus; and on Thursday they’re going Italian with Italian food and music.

Generally, however, they will be sticking to their nightly dinner-dance idea – 25s during the week and 30s on Saturdays. The a la carte menu is a real mouth-waterer, and chef Jim Bow and the commis chef Allan Keane have their work cut out to provide all the delicious meals listed. The out-of-the-ordinary dish is just as evident as the more-common one. For example, how do you fancy starting off with Escargots Bourguignonne – snails served in garlic butter flavoured with red wine?

Linda Matteo serves dinner at the restaurant. 1970.

The News in February 1979…

One of the best-known and most popular restaurants in the eastend of Glasgow is up for sale… at offers of around £70,000. It is the Duke of Touraine at Parkhead Cross.

The Duke was given to Robert Matteo and his brother Tony 17 years ago by their father. At that time it was a snack bar and bakery, but over the years the Matteo brothers, with the help of their father and mother and sisters, built it into one of the few gourmet restaurants in the eastend of Glasgow, or any-where in the city for that matter.

John Cairney has staged many of his one-man shows in the Duke and others regulars were poet- Jimmy Black and Hector Nicol and Mr. Abie. Robert bought out his brother several years ago, but now he has put the restaurant on the open market. “My father died at Christmas. He was a great help in running the restaurant, but even before that I’d been thinking of selling up.” said Robert.

“I’m getting on for 35 years of age, and I hardly know my children, Roberto 13 and Antonella 10. For years I seem to have been working seven days a week and very often 16 hours a day.

Duke advert 1979.

THE DUKE OF TOURAINE UP FOR SALE…. in the NEWS 1979.

One of the best-known and most popular restaurants in the East Enf of Glasgow is up for SALE… at offers of around £70,000. It is the Duke of Touraine at Parkhead Cross.

The Duke was given to Robert Matteo and his brother Tony 17 years ago by their father.

At that time it was a snack bar and bakery, but over the years the Matteo brothers, with the help of their father mother and sister, built it into one of the few gourmet restaurants in the East End of Glasgow, or any-where in the city for that matter.

John Cairney has staged many of his one-man shows in the Duke and others regulars were poet Jimmy Black and comedians Andy Cameron, Hector Nicol and Mr Abie.

Robert bought out his brother several years ago, but now he has put the restaurant on the open market.

“My father died at Christmas. He was a great help in running the restaurant but even before that I’d been thinking of selling up,” said Robert.

I’m getting on for 35 years of age and I hardly know my children, Roberto (13) and Antonella (10). For years I seem to have been working seven days a week and very often 16 hours a day.

Antlers advert. 1984.

Mr Robert Matteo. 1984.

Robert has now opened the Duke of Touraine in Ingram Street then Sylvester’s next door the the Duke.

IN THE NEWS 1962…

Diggin for information on the Matteo family I stumbled across a restaurateur who was fined £100 by the Glasgow Courts for stealing electricity. Mr Michael Matteo a restaurateur of Westmuir Street and Duke Street was caught using electric power from a neighbouring property to run in his restaurant.

The Gallery. 2005.

One again this place has a new name, now called The Thistle Tavern. 2008.

The Thistle Tavern. 2008.

Robert Matteo takes over Ingram Street Premises.

Also see Tony Matteo’s premises Ocean’s.

END.

Tropic’s

January 17, 2017 by John Gorevan 9 Comments

253 Argyle Street, Glasgow. G2 8DL. Tel: 0141 565 1000.

The Gallery. 1991.

Situated under the Hielanman’s Umbrella in Argyle Street this was once a favourite haunt with many Glaswegian known as the Tropic’s. I passed this pub a few months ago and it was closed down.

Now Called Archie’s. Tel: as above.

The Gallery

January 17, 2017 by John Gorevan Leave a Comment

140 Nelson Street, Glasgow. G5.

The Gallery. 1991.

This old southside howff dates back to 1873 when landlords Armstrong & Shaw traded from the premises as wholesale and retail wine & spirit merchants. Over the years a few of Glasgow’s prominent licensee’s owned this pub for a short while, Dennis McAuley, Michael Flynn and John Kennedy and John Harvey.

In the 1980s this old pub was called John Harvey’s Bar.