256-260 Byres Road, Glasgow. G12 8SH. Tel: 0141 341 0737. Curlers Tavern website.
Curlers Tavern. 1991.
Believe it or not this very old public house has quite a few name changes over the years, including; “The Curlers”, “The Curlers Tavern”, “Curlers”, “The Curlers Rest” and “Sinclair’s Tavern.”
This is one of around ten pubs in Glasgow that claim to be the oldest in the city. I have never seen any evidence of this as being the oldest however it is one of the oldest in the west end of the city.
In 1858 the owner of the tavern was Mr James Sinclair he was also a coach hirer and manufacturer, when James died his wife took over the business. James Kay took over the licence soon afterwards, Mr Kay was born in Maryhill in 1838, he was married to Margaret and had a large family of seven daughters all living in Ruthven Street.
When John Green took over the pub in 1910 the rent for the premises was £55.00 per year. It stayed in the Green family for 60 years and was sold in 1970 for £160,000. Eric Green was the last of the Green family to own the pub.
Curlers. 1980s.
Curlers was bought by Tennents Caledonian Breweries in the summer of 1970, the interior was refurbished in 1972. The manager Vincent Paterson controlled staff of around 40.
According to local folklore, the Curlers Tavern was opened in the seventeenth century as a coffee house. Later a licensed bar was started. It is said that Charles II called in for a refreshment and, discovered that the licence did not permit Sunday opening, granted a special Royal Charter exempting it from the Scottish licensing laws. However there is no record of this charter or any other evidence of this story.
The public house took it’s name from the fact that a local curling pond which was in use until the end of the 19th century.
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The Curlers. 2007.ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooThe Curlers. 2009.
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The Curlers. No date.THE CURLERS TAVERN BYRES RDThe Curlers. No date.
Opening of the new Log Cabin lounge bar, Curlers Tavern 1952.
Margaret Green was licensee of the Curlers Tavern in 1952.
In the NEWS…1957.
The opening of the new dining-room at the Curlers Tavern. On the ground floor a new cocktail bar is laid out.
New dining area at Curlers Tavern in the 1957