205 Hyndland Road, Glasgow. G12 9HE. Tel: 01413346977.
The Rock. 1991.
In 1966 the first public house was built in Hyndland , The Rock.
The building of The Rock signalled defeat for many residents in the area especially members of the Parish Church which stood across the road, the members opposed the idea of introducing licensed premises at their front door.
The Rock, however, stood firm despite the criticism and its arrival welcomed as an additional amenity to the district. The church that once opposed of the idea was also turned into licensed premises many years later.
Exterior view of The Rock. 1966.
Much of the stone work came from the old house that once stood on the site.
In October 1965 demolition work started on an old house at the corner of Highburgh Road and Hyndland Road to make way for The Rock. Hundreds of tons of stone were removed and the ground leveled with a bull-dozer. Three months later, with the stone from the original building, the public house began to take shape. It occupied about nine tenths of an acre and had two entrances, one from the main road and the other by a stairway from the car park situated on a higher level.
In keeping with the tone of the neighbourhood The Rock had no bar as such, two lounges, one described as a cocktail lounge with seating both for over 100 had been provided. In the main lounge there was a darts alley and an alcove with a bar billiards table, believed to be the first in Glasgow. The management from the Craigallan Taverns Ltd, who built the pub, decided to introduce bar billiards after seeing the game in Lochearnhead Hotel.
Extensive use of wood, English Elm and textured plaster was a feature of the decor. The bar counter was 3 inch thick of solid wood.
Interior view of The Rock . 1966.
I lived nearby and was there the day it opened. I played darts until the board was removed. It took up too much space.
It became my regular Friday night haunt until I got married and moved to Milngavie.
Licence Holders.
Late 1980s Sarah Mclaren for Stakis PLC.
Sarah’s husband, George was a Divisional Director for Stakis PLC and he was a former manager of The Hills Hotel, Golden Garter Room and Rig Public Bar in Drumchapel, Glasgow. They eventuly opened their own pub in Paisley.
My father in law, John Keenan, managed the Rock in the 1960s & 1970s for the Grant family (of whisky fame) who owned it. The Grants lived on Bearsden. I worked in there while a student of Glasgow Uni , under my future father in law. Both bars were crammed to the rafters on Friday/ Saturday nights and was queued outside. It was were you went to be asked to a student party/ booze up after closing. A standard order at the bar was “4 pints of Harp lager, 2 pints of heavy and 2 vodka and orange”.
My father in law, John Keenan, managed the Rock in the 1960s & 1970s for the Grant family (of whisky fame) who owned it. The Grants lived on Bearsden. I worked in there while a student of Glasgow Uni , under my future father in law. Both bars were crammed to the rafters on Friday/ Saturday nights and was queued outside. It was were you went to be asked to a student party/ booze up after closing. A standard order at the bar was “4 pints of Harp lager, 2 pints of heavy and 2 vodka and orange”.