70 Elderslie Street, Glasgow. G3 7AL. Tel: 0141 221 4439.
There has been a pub on this site since 1877.
Many will remember this old pub as the Dorset Bar.
Do you have any memories of this old bar? If so please leave a comment.
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16 Dowanhill Street, Partick, Glasgow. G11 5QS. Tel: 0141 562 3175.
The Dowanhill Bar has been around for many years. In 1899 Andrew Wotherspoon was landlord paying an annul rent of £80.
The Dowanhill Bar sits proudly at the corner of Dowanhill Street and Dalcross Street formerly known as Buchanan Street.
To read more on the interesting history of this pub look out for my second book Glasgow Pubs and Publicans Volume 2.
Back row: J H Gilmour; William Brown Johnston; J Macdonald; G W Dow, Captain; H Buchanan; D Muirhead; James Greenlees.
Front row: W Fleming; J Hanson; J M Munro; A McAllister; F H Dyche, Vice-Captain; J T Morrison, Secretary; and C Clydesdale.
Mr William Brown Johnston was one of the owners of this old pub.
It was a sad day when I saw this old Partick pub close Down in 2012. However it was not long before new owners took it over and transformed the place. It was taken over by Barney formely manager of Edinburgh’s Bongo Club, and Glasgow’s Flying Duck and Steve, from Bis. The guys wasted no time in introducing good beers and fab food. Including beers from Glasgow’s own West Brewery at Glasgow Green. The Chef once worked for Cafe Gondolf.
For more info you can contact The Sparkle Horse at www.thesparklehorse.com or email info@thesparklehorse.com
1973 Miss Jean Brown Johnston.
1919 William Brown Johnston.
1907 Andrew Wotherspoon.
Do you have anything to add, If so please leave a comment.
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74 Park Road, Glasgow. G4 9JF. Tel: 0141 334 1982.
A Doublet is a man’s short close-fitting padded jacket, commonly worn from the 14th to the 17th century.
The Doublet was opened in 1962, by partners Ossie Prosser and Mr Alexander Don. Mr Alistair Don son of Alexander now owners this very popular west end bar. Alistair is now a prominent figure in the Scottish Licensed Trade Association.
Alistair Don has been in the licensed trade for more than 40 years. He took over the Doublet from his father Alexander Don in 1974. Alexander who was for many years a representative of Dunn and Moore.
Alistair retired from the trade at the age of 69 and sold the pub in 2016.
This was one of the first bars in Glasgow to sell real ale.
In the News…December 2011…
The Doublet Bar in Glasgow celebrated its 50th anniversary at the end of November, and proprietor Alistair Don celebrated with a party. Susan Young reports.
The Doublet on Park Road was described in The List recently as “probably Glasgow’s finest pub,” and when licensee Alistair Don pointed out the quote to one of his regulars the response was you can take out the word ‘probably’. Says Alistair, “90% of my customers are regulars.”
That was probably why tickets to The Doublet’s 50th birthday party became the hottest ticket in town. Because quite simply it’s not that big a pub …and everybody wanted to go. So much so that Herald diarist Tom Shields was rumoured to have put his ticket on eBay which at the time of writing was sitting at a bid of £42!
I’ve known Alistair for 20 years… in fact since I’ve started writing about the trade. And for a decade I was a regular in The Lounge at The Doublet – because I lived just round the corner. Now as anyone who knows the Doublet will tell you – it has the public bar regulars and Lounge regulars and never the twain shall meet. Its The Doublet phenomena. But the Lounge wasn’t always there.
Alistair explains, “Before it was turned into a pub it was an upholsterers and there was a joiners yard at the back. My old man Alec and Ossie Prosser bought The Doublet from a Mr Cameron, and they initially wanted to buy the flat upstairs to expand it. Because in the 60s the pub was a real party venue. It was mobbed. Eventually they bought the joiner’s yard at the back in 1971 and that’s when The Lounge opened.” He continues, “By that time my old man and Ossie owned a few pubs – including the Picador in Renfield Street, The Doublet in Faifley and one in Drumchapel.
Prior to owning pubs Alec Don was MD of G&C Moore which eventually became Dunn and Moore, and his role there was sales director. But his move into the pub industry obviously had a huge impact on Alistair. He says, “I had been studying dentistry but failed the orals… and started working in the Picador. And when my old man died in 1974 I took over his partnership in the business, and in 1984, we split the partnership up and I took The Doublet with my sister, who I later bought out.”
That was 27 years ago. And today his father would probably not see any significant changes. Alistair explains, “My customers don’t want me to change it. Obviously it’s been redecorated, but everything goes back in roughly the same place. The Doublet is quirky and popular so why change something that is not broken. Nothing really changes here including the staff that are great. I don’t believe in sticking them in uniforms, they all know the ethos here which is ‘the customer is right on most occasions.’ I believe in giving my customers the products they want and providing them with excellent service.”
I asked him what was his most memorable occasion in the licensed trade? He said, “I really enjoyed being President of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association (SLTA) and getting involved with fighting the smoking ban. It was a real eye-opener. “
It was John Waterson that got Alistair involved in the SLTA. Says Alistair, “I was working in the Picador and John had The Burns Howff and he came along and invited me to a local association meeting. There were only two of us there… me and him, at which point he made me a director!”
Through the SLTA Alistair made some good friends including the likes of Roy Grier, Raymond McCrudden, the late John McCann, Donald Clark, Michael McHugh, Paul Waterson or ‘PDW’ as Alistair calls him, Billy Gallagher and many more. He recalls, “These were the days when the SLTA conference was rowdy. There was always lots of debate, folk were passionate about their businesses and willing to stand up and fight for it. And at the annual dinner there were 300/400 folk. It’s changed days now!”
There have been a lot of changes in the trade over time, but one thing which Alistair does miss is the different reps that used to visit. He tells me, “We hardly see any reps now and I miss that. On a Friday we used to have a whole posse of them. Every whisky company had a rep, and we saw them all the time. Now the only person who visits weekly is our Belhaven rep David Adam.”
On the subject of Belhaven Alistair is effusive. “I’ve been dealing with Belhaven for 20 years now. They give a fantastic service and have a very courteous way of operating. My staff know their tele-sales staff by name and they have a great range of products.”
Although Alistair admits he is now semi-retired, in that he no longer serves behind the bar, but he still comes in every morning, and is happy to continue running the Pub Quiz, which he has been quizmaster at for 15 years. In fact the quiz is just as famous as the pub! Says Alistair, “I really enjoy it, it’s great fun.”
He also has been running a charity Breast Cancer 2000, which he set up with his late wife Doreen. The charity is well on its way to raising £1m which is a tremendous achievement. And earlier this year Alistair started dating the lovely Lynda who he met in The Doublet and with four of his own grandchildren and six belonging to Lynda, the Don has a very active life outside the pub too. He has also become an expert on where to eat with kids… his favourite place being Paperino’s. But he also enjoys dining a la deux at the Crabshakk and at the Italian Café.
I asked Alistair what the secret was behind The Doublet’s success and longevity and he said, “My customers and my staff… this pub is all about the people.”
Personally I think The Doublet’s success is down to Alistair and his unfailing good humour. His staff say he is fair and honest. He’s certainly got a great attitude, which is no doubt why he went as Sgt. Pepper to the 50th party… in skinny jeans! A sense of humour… definitely!
UPDATE…Nov 2015…
Alistair Don has sold the Doublet to Paul & Claire Butler. The duo currently run the Saramago Cafe Bar at the Centre for Contemporary Arts.
We at Old Glasgow Pubs wish Alistair all the best in the future.
Do you have any memories of this great West End Pub? If so please leave a comment.
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157 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow. G11 6PT. Tel: 0141 576 0175.
The Dolphin. 1991.
This is one of the oldest family run pubs in the city of Glasgow. The Farrell family have been trading as publicans since 1888. To read more on the history of this popular west end bar you will have to wait until Glasgow Pubs and Publicans Volume 2 comes out.
The Dolphin. 2005.
It is said that the Dolphin Bar got it’s name from the local choir which was called the Dolphin.
In the NEWS 1976…
Posing for a photograph was obviously a solemn occasion in the days when this picture was taken… judging from the faces!
It shows members of the now defunct Dolphin Choir from Partick, Glasgow, on their annual day’s outing to Helensburgh. The picture belongs to Mr Peter O’Byrne (50), of 23 Goldberry Avenue, Scotstounhill, whose grandfather, also Peter, was a member of the singing group and is shown circled.
Mr. O’Byrne wins a bottle of whisky.
STARCHED
The exact date of the photograph is not known but Mr. O’Byrne thinks it was probably taken about the latter part of the last century. The starched looking ensemble made their way to and from Helensburgh by horse and cart.
The only thing that’s missing from the scene is the moustached photographer with his black cape and flash tray held aloft… but no doubt he’s there. The photo has stood the test of years in Mr. O’Byrne’s attic, said Mr O’Byrne, “They don’t make them like they used to.”
Do you have any memories of the Dolphin bar? If so please leave a comment.
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175 Finnieston Street, Glasgow. G3 8HD. Demolished.
Dirty Dick’s was a favourite haunt with sailor’s. To read more on the history of this once popular bar you will need to wait until Glasgow Pubs and Publicans Volume 2 comes out.
There has been a public house on this site since 1853, Thomas Welch ran a small public house on this site until 1860.
There were no records for anyone trading after this until 1865 when well-known and respected wine and spirit merchant J & R McIntyre acquired a licence to sell wine and spirits from these premises which was a new tenement with a public house on the ground floor.
Brothers John and Ronald traded under the title of J & R McIntyre and was trading from 1863 from premises at 179 Main Street, 35 Kelvinhaugh Street, and 43 Richard Street before taking over the new premises at 175 Finnieston Street.
The name of the pub then had J & R McIntyre above the door.
In 1870 John was living at 4 Gray Street just off Dumbarton Road while Ronald lived nearby at 9 Minerva Street. Ten years later the brothers had public houses at 50 Elderslie Street, 400 New City Road, 546 Dobbies Loan, 28 Burnside Street, 43 Richard Street, 49 Piccadilly Street, 35 Kelvinhaugh Street and stores at 16 Cranston Street.
In 1890 the brother were trading from 175 Finnieston Street, 179 Main Street, Cranstonhill, 50 Elderslie Street, 526 New City Road, 540 Dobbies Loan, 28 Burnside Street, 43 Richard Street, 49 Piccadilly Street and their offices still at 16 Cranston Street.
J & R McIntyre still traded after 1894 however the firm disposed on the Finnieston Street pub.
The next licensee was John H McLauchlin, John lived at 40 St Vincent Street and traded from Finnieston Street until the 1935.
From 1935 until the 1940s Patrick W McNulty was licensee, he also had a pub at 129 Oxford Street and resided at 87 Barnton Street, Carntyne, in Glasgow’s east end.
During the 1950s and 60s many will still remember James McLaughlan who owned the pub, he was the last licensee before the pub was demolished.
Thanks to Glasgow Museums for this great image of Dirty Dicks which was taken by Partick Camera Club.
Do you remember this old pub? If so please leave a comment.
93 Hyndland Street, Glasgow. G11. Tel: 0141 357 5827.
Cottier’s is located in the hall of the former Dowanhill United Presbyterian Church.
A Genius of a Place in the West End of Glasgow
Once a church, now a concert venue established 25 years ago in architect William Leiper’s acoustically refined 1865 hammer beam interior.
Cottiers is a friendly place, community loved and community owned with internationally important stained glass and decoration by Daniel Cottier.
Cottiers contains a theatre and bar with outside stone flagged beer garden and exclusive Leiper’s Attic restaurant upstairs. It makes an enchanting and romantic wedding venue, a famous landmark in Glasgow’s West End.
To read the history of Cottiers click here.
Do you have any memories of Cottiers? If so please leave a comment.
