Forgotten Pubs & Clubs in Glasgow

[ianw23]

I well remember the small downstairs lounge bar in the Norsk as I used to visit it regularly about 30 years ago. It had a typical cheesy early 70's decor as far as I can recollect. I've never been in the Variety Bar so didn't know it was no longer in use. It would certainly be fascinating to know whether it's still in situ bemeath the floor of the Variety. Incidentally, the Norsk had previously been the King's Arms but was bought over by two brickies who had made pots of money repairing damage caused by the Glasgow hurricane in January 1968 [anybody else old enough to remember that? Maybe I should start start a thread?]. They renamed it the Norsk but where the name came from I couldn't say. Obviously a Scandinavian connection somewhere.

the basement part of the norsk was where glasgow indie group the soup dragons decided on that very name, around 1985. there you go pop fans!!!

i reckon where the toilets are now in the variety is where the old basement was in the norsk, just a guess but i think that would be pretty close.

[theduke]

I well remember the small downstairs lounge bar in the Norsk as I used to visit it regularly about 30 years ago. It had a typical cheesy early 70's decor as far as I can recollect. I've never been in the Variety Bar so didn't know it was no longer in use. It would certainly be fascinating to know whether it's still in situ bemeath the floor of the Variety. Incidentally, the Norsk had previously been the King's Arms but was bought over by two brickies who had made pots of money repairing damage caused by the Glasgow hurricane in January 1968 [anybody else old enough to remember that? Maybe I should start start a thread?]. They renamed it the Norsk but where the name came from I couldn't say. Obviously a Scandinavian connection somewhere.

the basement part of the norsk was where glasgow indie group the soup dragons decided on that very name, around 1985. there you go pop fans!!!

i reckon where the toilets are now in the variety is where the old basement was in the norsk, just a guess but i think that would be pretty close.

I may be wrong, but I thought it was The Griffin that used to be the King's Arms?

[dimairt]

Duke,
You're correct - the Griffin was previously known as the King's Arms. I've just confirmed that with my dad who says that there was an old joke to go with it:
Q: Where's the King's Arms?
A: Around the Queen's a**e!

Le durachd,

Dimairt

[viceroy]

The Griffin was indeed called the Kings Arms originally but a long time ago, I think it had already been renamed The Griffin Bar before the Second World War. The Norsk / Variety Bar was also called the Kings Arms for a while and I remember it as such during the early 1970's. It has not been a pub all that long - around 40 years maybe. Apparently it had previously been a branch of Carswells the tailors.

[scotgio]

Technically not a pub or club, but just curious if anyone here remembers the Luxor Cafe on Cambridge Street? I never saw it (being far too young), but my grandparents owned it, and my father worked in it in his youth. My mother used to visit it years before she ever met my father at university! I think it closed in the 70's. There is a picture of it here from the virtual mitchell archive:

[angee22]

Hi John,

You got me thinking now, not sure where your from but will give you some of what I can remember.

Square Peg, St. Enochs Square,
Tropics, under bridge, Argyll Street.
Shawlands Hotel, Shawlands.
Tinto Firs Hotel, Newlands.
Newlands Hotel, Newlands.
McDonald Hotel, Eastwood Toll.
Marlborough, Shawlands,
Seven Seas, Clydebank,
The Crown Bar, Clydebank
Picador, Hope Street Glasgow

Hope this helps you, Im sooooooooooooooo drunk now.

[dimairt]

The Carnarvon Bar on the corner of Carnarvon St. and St. George's Rd has had its name restored after a few years as Oscar's.

Le durachd,

Eddy

[The_Clincher]

The Carnarvon....i used to go in their in the early 90's for a quiet pint after 571 Studios

[dimairt]

The Scottish Screen Archive has a good clip of the interior of the Muscular Arms.
http://ssa.nls.uk/film.cfm?fid=T2051
Le durachd,

Eddy

[snudge]

Amazing thread folks, very nostalgic read, brings home how many amazing pubs clubs Glasgow had and still has. It may already have been mentioned but Granny Blacks on Candleriggs was a classic, sang Karaoke in it literally and hour or so before it collapsed, sh@t myself when I nipped out for a paper the next morning and the building was down.

[My Kitten]

Does anyone have a photograph of JJ Booths what was previously Newlands Hotel? I have found a photo of Tinto Firs but no luck as yet on Newlands

ta!

[onyirtodd]

Does anyone have a photograph of JJ Booths what was previously Newlands Hotel? I have found a photo of Tinto Firs but no luck as yet on Newlands

ta!

Is this the place? http://www.oldglasgowpubs.co.uk/jjbooths.html

[My Kitten]

Excellent, keep forgetting about that website!

Thanks very much

[Peekay]

Nikys;
http://www.oldglasgowpubs.co.uk/nikys.html

Lea Bank;
http://www.oldglasgowpubs.co.uk/leabank.html

Napoleons;
http://www.oldglasgowpubs.co.uk/napoleons.html

Trade Winds, Thornlie Arms,

That's all i can come up with just now. I've got a feeling the Coach House might not be too much longer for this planet either.

PK

[Sydney Rosewater]

:D Amazing thread folks, very nostalgic read, brings home how many amazing pubs clubs Glasgow had and still has. It may already have been mentioned but Granny Blacks on Candleriggs was a classic, sang Karaoke in it literally and hour or so before it collapsed, sh@t myself when I nipped out for a paper the next morning and the building was down.

Yes Grannies was a good place, but in the latter years of it's existence I much prefered the Riggs Bar.