241 North Street, Glasgow. G3 7DL. Tel: 01412264419.
The Ritz Bar. 1991.
In 1890 John Gemmell ran Gemmell’s Bar at this address. John Gemmell was a well known and respected publican in Springburn having Gemmell’s Vaults at the bottom of the Balgrayhill Road many will remember this old pub as the Kelvin Bar. Mr Gemmell traded as a publican at the bottom of the Balgrayhill since 1869, he then ran a pub at 327 Parliamentary Road from 1881. “Gemmell’s” special blend of old Scotch Whisky was sold on the premises along with “Highland Park” malt whisky which retailed at 3d a gill.
The pub was sold in 1903 to Thomas Dunbar, his son Michael then took over the business, he was a well known figure in the licensed trade on the Gallowgate, he ran 3 pubs in the 1890s all called “Dunbar’s” his first pub was at 429 Gallowgate, then 32 Main Street, Bridgeton and then 72 Gallowgate. Mr Dunbar later opened another pub at Reid Street, Bridgeton.
Marguerita Dunbar then took control the the business in 1920 until the outbreak of the Second World War. Miss Kathleen Dunbar then took over the licence and traded under the name of K Dunbar Wines & Spirits Ltd.
Scottish & Newcastle then took over and completely refurbished the interior and exterior, today the old cast iron pillars and the richly decorated plaster cornices are the only surviving features of the old pub.
The Ritz Bar 1980s.
The Ritz Bar, Octobert 2005.
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