73 Queen Street, Glasgow. G1 3BZ. Tel: 01412212200.
RG’s. 1990s.
This popular Queen Street pub was originally called the Rock Garden, it’s name was shortened to R G’s for legal reasons as there is a well known Rock Garden outside of Glasgow.
There has been a licensed restaurant here since 1845 known as Lang’s. William Lang was born around 1820 in Balloch and was taught the trade of block cutting, he then worked as a shopmate of John Pender a telegraphic celebrity in his day. In 1875 William Lang opened his first shop at 73 Queen Street and traded as a Confectioner, Tea and Wine Merchant. Hundreds of various sandwiches were at the customers disposal, frizzled bacon, lobster, salmon, grouse, blackcock, herring, partridge, pheasant and shrimp were just a few. Oysters taken from the shell and placed with their liquor, in delicate little glass vases with a silver spoon was also a favourite at Lang’s as well as coffee’s tea’s beer, porter and spirit’s of every kind.
The smoke and coffee rooms at Lang’s were also stocked with gentlemen from the nearby offices in the city, all the daily newspapers were freely available.
When William Lang first opened his restaurant in Queen Street the usual way of payment was to pay first then eat, he changed this arrangement by letting his customers eat what ever they pleased then charged them accordingly, this caused a bit of a stir at first but the customers soon got used to this new way of paying for lunch.
Mr Lang opened other premises in West George Street in the 1890s, Lang’s was now an Institution in Glasgow. Visitors to the city called at Lang’s for good quality food and drink, he was also a well established importer of fine wines and cigars.
Andrew Rodger McDonald took control of the license premises when William Lang died around 1910 the name Lang’s was still well known in the city well into the 1970s.
27th September 2007.
RG’s has turned the clocks back to the 1960s and has renamed the pub the Twisted Wheel named after mod club of the 1960s, the pub with its basement club has a licence until 1am with a 3am licence on the cards. The new promises to have Fridays DJ and free live bands while Saturday is focused on growing talented DJs. Despite the new look and music theme the bar’s fab style art deco remains unchanged.
Mr William Lang.
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