Garscube Road Pubs by Joseph Doyle.
A journey up Maryhill Road from St Georges Cross to Queens Cross, and down Garscube Road to the round toll. The first pub you encounter is the Castle Vaults in what is now known as Clarendon Place. It was once owned by a former Rangers player, George “Dandy” McLean, a typical working man’s pub, (most of them in Maryhill were) it attracted the older clientele.
Opposite and a few yards north was The Royal Highlander, a huge pub with a lounge attached which provided live music most nights. It was the first pub where I was served my pint in a glass tankard, where me and my friend loved it, I suppose the modern day terms for it would be a fine club bar. It was demolished in the early 70’s.
Opposite on the corner of Clarendon Street, sits the Clarendon Bar, famous for its live music, and inevitably Karaoke. It is rumoured that Tony Bennett once sang there, certainly Peggy O’Keefe did a few gigs there, and she did back Tony Bennett at a concert in Glasgow, as maybe was some evidence to the rumour. When Billy McGill owned it in the 80s his wife worked behind the bar and she had the most enormous boobs you have ever seen. Certainly a round puller in Maryhill.
Next on the corner of Windsor Street is the Royalty. A popular pub with football supporters especially Rangers fans. Now owned by Danny Pringle and managed by his daughter Karen, who is not slow to inform you. Directly opposite on the corner of Cromwell Street was the Kingsway another typical mans pub, it is now demolished. Twenty yards up on the same side was the Happy Dragon, a favourite haunt of the motorcycle fraternity. Bill Tenant, the Scottish Television personality once owned it.
On the corner of North Woodside Road sits the Woodside Inn, once called J D Wilson’s, it is awash with Partick Thistle supporters at every home game. Directly opposite on the corner of Hopehill Road, was the first pub in which I had a drink in 1967. The Tramcar Vaults. Apparently there was a tramcar terminus there in the 1930s. The model tramcar what used to hang outside is now on display in Glasgow’s Transport museum. Taggart’s car showroom now occupies the pub site.
On the corner of Abington Street stood the Abington Bar, a very rough pub which attracted a lot of prostitutes and of course their pimps and clients, a car showroom now fills the site. Opposite on the corner of Henderson Street was the Ben Mhor, made famous when the pub scenes from the Jimmy Boyle film was filmed there, now demolished. Further up on the same side was Masons. Andy Mason, the owner was a devoted Christian and would not tolerate swearing on the premises. The small lounge had a piano which was used at weekends, now private houses. Directly opposite on the corner of Hinshaw Street was the Wilton, a small pub which concentrated on dominoes, now private houses.
On the gushet of Maryhill Road and Garscube Road, sat the double J, once Russell’s once Queens Cross Vaults, a favourite haunt of Celtic supporters, it was a very busy pub with a small lounge. On the left going down Garscube Road was the Braemar, a haunt of mine in the 70’s, a typical Maryhill pub now the site of industrial units.
The junction of Garscube Road and Firhill Road was the site of the Firhill Tavern, a staunch Partick Thistle pub, now the site of Queens Cross housing association. At 687 Garscube Road sits the Star & Garter another well known Partick Thistle pub, though for many years it did host a Celtic supporters club. It was once the favourite venue for private functions and had a 120 seater lounge which was added in 1971, however the lounge was demolished in 2001 to make way for private housing, since then the pub has struggled and had had countless licence holders since then.
Directly opposite at 666 Garscube Road is possibly the worst pub in the world, due to the amount of fighting and drug taking that takes place. In 2002 it was the subject of an article in the news of the world, which claimed drugs were being sold over the bar, and claimed not without foundation.
At the corner of Camperdown Street was the Camp Bar, its most famous previously owner being Alan Rough who named it the Goal Post Bar. However it was renamed back to the Camp before it was demolished. The Thistle was on the first corner of Oakbank Street owned by Roddy Connelly an ex- Celtic player of the 1940’s.
On the second corner was the Oakbank, quite a large pub, both pubs were demolished in the 1970’s to make way for an industrial estate. McLeod’s was at the gushet of Carnbroe Street always known as Society Row and Garscube Road it had a small lounge and it always seemed a very clean pub, now demolished and the site is vacant. At the start of Possil Road is the Tower, a small family run pub, opened about 15 years ago, very small but very welcoming.
Many Thanks to Mr Doyle.
I first met Mr Joseph Doyle in the Vale Bar, Dundas Street around 2004. I will always remember him as he walked up to the barman at the time and said "A pint of lager or else" or else what said the barman, Joseph replied "or a half pint". I thought it quite funny at the time.
