Grant Arms

Dunbar’s

January 8, 2017 by John Gorevan 1 Comment

234 Hope Street, Glasgow. Demolished.

Dunbar’s was situated at the corner of 234 Hope Street and 62 Renfrew Street. This photograph was taken in the 1960s. Thanks to the Mitchell Library.

There was a pub on this site since at since 1853, landlord Emanuel Talmage served the locals here for many years.

In the late 1890s Annie White was landlady she occupied other licensed premises in the city including, 16 Burnside Street, 2 Cromwell Street at the corner of New City Road and 416 Garscube Road.

Thanks to the Mitchell Library.

In 1900 Peter Brady took over the licence, he also ran pubs at 66 Broomielaw and 321 Argyle Street. He named all of the pubs “Argyle Vaults”. The Argyle Cronies made this pub their headquarters of which Mr Brady was a member.

1907 Andrew McWilliam acquired the licence, he was well established in a small pub in Grace Street, Anderston. Mr McWilliam continued until after WW1.

In 1923 this old pub was known as the Grant Arms.

During the late 1920 and early 30s David Dunbar took over the pub, Frederick and David Furniss took over as trustee’s from 1934. The pub was taken over by the Southern Blenders Ltd, Archibald S Mitchell held the licence in 1960 as trustee for the late David Dunbar, he also held the licence for all Rogano establishment’s and Charles Watson 6-8 Greenhaugh Street.

James Ballantyne held the licence as trustee for the late Mr Dunbar in association with Southern Blenders from 1961 to the late 1970s when the pub was finally demolished.

Do you remember this old pub, if so please leave a comment.

END.

Grant Arms

January 8, 2017 by John Gorevan 2 Comments

188-190 Argyle Street, Glasgow. G2 8HA. Tel: 0141 229 5831.

Image of Grant Arms Argyle Street, Glasgow 1991 — Grant Arms. 1991.

You haven’t read the full history of this pub until you read…. Click here.

There has been a public house on this site since 1864.

Over the years this old pubs has been known as Thomas Cansh & Co; R. W. Cairns; Chrystal Bell & Co; The Grant Arms; Gamps and Dickens Bar; Mister Macawber and back to the Grant Arms.

Image of Da Vincis Argyle Street 1980s — Da Vincis. 1980s.

Image of Grant Arms Argyle Street, Glasgow 2008 — Grant Arms. 2008.

In 1971 this popular bar was called Gamps.

In the News 1971…

Dickensian Flavour.

I am always baffled by people who say there is “nowhere to go for a drink and a good meal” in Glasgow. It seems to me that I write about at least 20 a year.

Some of them I admit, have just been given a wash and brush up or extension, or extensions, but many are new, and all of them offer a pretty extensive range of surroundings, atmospheres, and cuisine to the Glasgow diner. This evening yet another rendezvous opens its doors to a discerning public, Gamp’s Chophouse in Argyle Street, just within the shadows of the Heilan’man’s Umbrella. It is a Clydesdale Commonwealth, Hotels Ltd, enterprise, and has been opened at a total cost of around £70,000.

Image of Gamps Argyle Street Glasgow — Gamps. 1971.

Gamp’s formerly Grant’s Bar. 1971.

Clydesdale Commonwealth are taking their first steps into the bar/ restaurant business, having been extremely successful in the Hotel line. They have 18 hotels in Scotland and two in Bermuda. Among those in Glasgow are the Royal Stuart, the Ivanhoe and the Bath, and their others are in Edinburgh, Dundee, Falkirk, Grangemouth, Inverness, Loch Lomond, Oban, Gatehouse-of-fleet, North Berwick, Nairn and Argyll.

The new combination, Gamp’s, takes its name from a character in Dickens’s “Martin Chuzzlewit,” and there is a Dickensian flavour throughout. The Bars, a Dickens bar on the ground floor and the Parlour on the first floor, are similar in design and decor. The restaurant is on the top floor and seats about 50. Head chef is Edward McIntosh, who comes to Gamp’s from the company’s Nairn hotel. It is he who will have the delightful task of supervising the operation of two of the very latest pieces of kitchen equipment, micro convectors.

Advert from 1971 for Gamps Argyle Street, Glasgow — Advert 1971.

Speciality from the menu is a trifle lamb chop roasted with crushed pepper corns and served with onion sauce, chips, new or roast potatoes, and salad garnish. Price is 95p. Manager of the Gamp’s is John Whincup, who hails from Yorkshire, but who has been manager of the company’s Nairn hotel for some time.

In the News 1972…

Image of an advert from 1972 for Gamps Argyle Street, Glasgow — Advert 1972.

In the NEWS 1978…

Mister Micawber’s, the Glasgow brewery-owned pub slammed at yesterday’s licensing board, today banned the public from its lounge bar.

The Argyle Street bar was one of only a handful of pubs refused an all-day licence by the board because it had fallen foul of the Public Health Act on 13 counts.

Health officials complained about faults in the toilets of both the public and lounge bar such as a door lying off its hinges, a leaking cistern, and broken tiles behind the urinals.

But any changes of the public judging for themselves the state of the lounge bar toilets at the Tennent Caledonian pub were thwarted today when management decided not to open the lounge.

Reason given for the sudden closure was “staff shortage.”

Cleaners

Meanwhile downstairs in the public bar cleaners were busy as the first customers of the day came in to ensure the place was spick and span.

However the effect was spoiled by gang names paint sprayed on the wall outside the gents’ toilet, tiles missing from behind the urinals, and toilet paper holders and towel holders missing.

Despite the 15 counts against Micawber’s, customers pointed out that the toilets were a lot cleaner than many pubs in the city and a least soap and toilet paper were available. Staff said today they had not yet heard from Tennent Caledonian why the pub had been refused an all-day licence.

Delay

Said Mr Aitken, the firm’s commercial manager, “The people who deal with the press and that kind of thing are on holiday.” The start of today’s licensing board meeting was delayed for nearly two hours because the board did not have sufficient members to form a quorum.

After a series of telephone calls to councillors, some of whom were on holiday, a sufficient member was found.

Board chairman Councillor Philip O’;Rourke said, “We deeply regret this delay but it is understandable because of the pressure the board is under. The board are hearing the latest batch of applications for afternoon extensions in city pubs and hotels.

Facts…

Gamps is an old nickname for an umbrella.

Gamps was a character in Martin Chuzzlewit, who never went anywhere without her brolly.

Do you have any memories of this old Pub? If so please leave a comment.

END.

The Crest Lounge

January 2, 2017 by John Gorevan 1 Comment

539 Gallowgate, Glasgow. G40 2DU. Demolished.

Image of the Crest Lounge 539 Gallowgate advert 1972 — Advert 1972.

The Crest lounge was part of the Grant Arms bar at 539 Gallowgate at the corner of Annfield Street.

This old pub was originally called Effingham Deans and dates back to 1860.

Mr. Deans continued as licensee until 1879 when the business was sold to Mr. John McNicol. John spent most of his life in the pub and was 70 years of age when he sold the business to John McWilliam in 1921. Mr McWilliam had 17 years of experience in the licensed trade when he took over the pub.

In 1928 publican Thomas Lindsay was the new licensee, he continued to serve the locals until the early 1930s. Frank Lewis Grant then became the owner of the pub. It was Mr. Grant that called the pub The Grant Arms. The pub was extended and had a new lounge bar which was called the Crest, many will still remember Mr. Patrick G McGovern who was the last licensee, he acquired the pub in 1958, until the pub was demolished in the 1970s, like many other great pubs on the Gallowgate.

Image of the a map 1952 with the Grant Arms placement — Map from 1952.

To read more on the pubs on the Gallowgate read up & Doon the Gallowgate by John Gorevan. A copy can be bought for a few pounds at the Hielan Jessie on the Gallowgate or contact me at [email protected]

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

END.