GLASGOW

GLASGOW: Queen’s Park

TWO TRAILS here (a) around Queen’s Park station and (b) down Pollockshaws Rd

A - around Queen’s Park station

Take the train from Glasgow central to Queen’s Park where you go up the nearest flight of stairs at the end of the platform; not the flight at the other end which requires walking along a path to reach the stairs.

This should exit into the busy Victoria Rd where you need to turn right and right again to go along to McNeill’s on the road (Torrisdale Street) that runs parallel to station (in fact no buildings opposite , just the station wall). If you go out the far end of the station it will be onto Niddrie Road so it is left and left again to go along to O’Neil’s.

Leaving McNeill’s return to Victoria Rd and turn down to the right towards the park. Crossover Albert Rd and in the middle of the next block is Queen’s Park Cafe. Cross over Victoria Road and walk back up turning right at the corner onto Albert Rd and walk down it to the next corner where there is The Rose Reilly. Leaving here cross over and go up Langside Rd turning first left into Dixon Av. Half way down and across the road on a corner is The Bell Jar. Leaving here walk up the long side of the pub along Westmorland St. Diagonally across Allison St on the next corner is Ryan’s Bar. Go back across the diagonal and walk up Allison St to the Victoria across the next corner and back on Victoria Road. Leaving here continue along Allson St to the next set of lights on Pollockshaws Road. Across the road and on the left are two pubs, MJ Heraghty and The Allison Arms. Retrace your steps along Allison St and turn down first on the right, Niddrie Rd. A little along this road and on the left is an entrance to Queen’s Park Station and the journey home.

B - Pollockshaws Road

Take the train from Glasgow central to Queen’s Park where you go up along a path at the end of the platform and to the furthest flight of stairs at the far end of the platform; not the closest flight at the other end which go up from the platform.

You should be on Niddrie Road so turn left and then right along Torrisdale St. At the end of this on the corner with Pollockshaws Road is The Torrisdale Tavern. If you have exitted station to the busy Victoria Road just turn right and right to get onto Torrisdale Road a bit further along. This will take you past McNeill’s and you could be tempted to start here.

Across the road from The Torrisdale tavern is The Regent. From The Regent turn away from main road and go along the side of The Regent on Nithsdale Rd this brings you to Titwood Bar and across the road, The Bungo. Walk back to Pollockshaws raod and turn right down it to The Stag and The Thistle on the next corner. Continue down the road three blocks and across on the corner is McMillan’s Chop House.

Cross over the road and head back up it and find Brodies Bar where the park ends. Continue up and once past the Torrisdale Tavern cross over and before you reach the lights are on the left are two pubs, The Allison Arms and MJ Heraghty. Now cross back over at the lights and walk along Allison St and turn down first on the right, Niddrie Rd. A little along this road and on the left is an entrance to Queen’s Park Station and the journey home.

Glasgow pubs around Queen’s Park

 McNeill’s is a one roomed bar with a function room (Fiddler’s Elbow) above it. From the entrance the servery runs along the right side wall. Banquette seating, with dining style tables and chairs, is under the windows along the back wall. the centre of the room has a tall table with stools around it. Dark brown wooden fittings and fixtures all very chunky. Wooden floor with brown upholstery and different shades of brown on the walls ceiling. The walls have interesting pictures hung on them. The servery has stools along the counter and stained glass on the wall

history history 2

Heavy/Pale Ale: Goose IPA; Caledonia Best

Lager: Menabrea; Tennent’s; Budvar

Cider: Magners Guinness

 The Queen’s Park Café is not a cafe and does not even pretend to be one. Café was added to try and distract the temperance movement around 1890. It fact it is a large old pub with and oval island servery and a lounge beyond which also has a door up the left side lane.

Going in the front door there is a large banquette seating area to the right with two booths below the outside and red banquette seating round the other two sides of the square area. To the left where there is only one window there is a small table. Immediately in front of the vestibule entrance is the bottom of a long oval counter. Going up the left is the main length of the island oval where at the top the oval curves around and the staff entrance to the servery is there. The counter then runs back down to the front door. Opposite the counter, right, top and left are wide shelving, with occasional snob screen, and mirrors above, for sitting at on stools. Small snob screens splits up these shelves and there is also a snob screen where each curve of the oval starts.

At the top of either side of the room is a passage way into the lounge and once inside the lounge servery, with stools, curves between the two doors. The left side passage also has the door out to the lane. The lounge, carpeted away from the bar, has banquette seating with mirrors on wall above and wooden tables with stools. The seating is arranged in booth like area using wooden screens to separate it up. The décor is mainly making use of the wooden fixtures and fittings with what wall available yellow or green in the bar or yellow and brown in the lounge.

History

Have a pint here

Heavy:      Caledonia Best;  Seven Peaks

Lager:       Tennent’s;  Birra Moretti;  Carling;  Innes & Gunn

Cider:        Magners;  Strongbow                       Guinness

The Rose Reilly is a corner bar where the shorter side door would have been for the bar and lounge entrance on the longer side. It is a warm and welcoming establishment.

Going in lounge door on the longer side the lounge is to the left with banquette seating under the windows and along to the right (but not meeting in the window corner) then along the back and own the side to the start of the servery. The seating has rectangular wooden tables and padded wooden barrel chairs. Nicely decorated with brown wood, dark red seating and dark green painted walls. The centre of the lounge has similar tables and chairs.

To the right of the lounge entrance is a narrower room with the servery against the back wall. This has a wooden zig-zag counter with stools not quite the length of the wall. Beyond the servery are the toilet doors and some tall tables by the other door. Opposite the servery there are some more rectangular tables under the windows. There is a lot of space for outside seating in sunny times.

Have a pint here

Heavy/Pale Ale:     Ember;  Arbor (Arbor Ales Bristol)

Lager:    Budvar;  Flensburger; Tennent’s

Cider:     Hogan's Cider               Guinness

The Bell Jar is a long thin corner bar and diner with entrance from a corner positioned door. Right opposite the door is the servery counter curving out from the back wall. To the left of the door there is some banquette seating with a table and hard chairs positioned under the window. Similar style banquette seating, tables and chairs along the right wall opposite the servery.

Beyond the servery is a dining area with banquette seating along the side and rear wall with tables and padded chairs.

Have a pint here

Heavy/Pale Ale:     Gladeye; 

Overtone Pale Ale (Momentum); 

Lager:       Peroni;  St Mungo;  Williams Bros Craft Lager;  Heidi Weiss

Cider:       Pulpit Cider                          West Black

Ryan’s Bar is a corner bar with only the one door on the main road side. Inside there is padded seating to the right with small round tables and wooden chairs and a brick wall above. Opposite door and along the back wall going to the left is the pinkish marble servery. Stools line the counter on a wooden floor.

There is rectangular tables along both window sides.

The counter has seven numbered dispensers and the beers being delivered are advertised on a chalk board on the left wall where brewery, % alcohol and price are also shown.

Have a pint here

Lager: Tennent’s

Cider:  Magners                                                 Guinness

The six available beers were:

Kelvin Pilsner (Drygate);  Framboise (6oNorth);  Soundwave IPA (Siren);  Gladeye IPA (Drygate) ; Red Kite (Black Isle) and Joker IPA (Williams Bros)

The Victoria Bar is a large corner pub with doors on each side. Main road entrance would have been the bar one and via a vestibule this takes you into close to the server. There is banquette seating at rectangular wooden tables to either side of the entrance. The seating continues on the right side under the windows, Opposite is a servery where the counter zig-zags up the bar room. The counter has stools along it with a tiled floor and wood beyond the bar area. At the end of the counter there is the side door and further on a large lounge having many corners to give some intimacy rather than just an open space with carpet and banquette seating all around the many walls.

Heavy:   Tartan;   Caledonia Best

Lager:      Tenennt’s; Carling;  Birra Moretti;  Heverlee

Cider:      Magners ;  Strongbow                                                          Guinness

MJ Heraghty is a one roomed pub with a little seating to right of door then the servery right hand wall. the pub is in CAMRA’s “Scotland’s True Heritage Pubs” showing pubs of historical interest.

On left wall is dark green banquette seating with small shelve like tables with a lower shelves for pints when playing dominoes. Further in are a couple of round tables. The pub has a large well stocked gantry with mirrors at back.

Tiles by the wooden counter and the floor is wood beyond this. Match strikers on the counter front have been replaced with charging points.

Have a pint here

Heavy/Pale Ale:     Neck oil; Belhaven Best; 

Lager:   Tennent’s; Bidvar;  Birra Moretti;  Stella;   Carling;  Menabrea;  St Mungo;  Camden Hells

Cider:   Magners                       Guinness

The Torrisdale Tavern

Heavy: Belhaven Best; Neck Oil; Ice Breaker

Lager: Madri; West 4; Tennent’s

Cider: Aspall Guinness

The Regent is a square corner with a bar door on either street. Entering from the main road there is blue banquette seating along wall at right while round to left is standing room with glass holding shelves along the wall. Along the far-left wall is the servery running up to the other doorway.  There are some stools along counter and a large TV on the wall behind the bar.  In the centre of the room is a thin tall table with stools fitted around the pillars. The colour scheme is different shades of grey for the brickwork, wood and trimmings. This is a change from previous decoration of red, blue and white with Rangers pictures and mirrors.

Heavy: Caledonia Best

Lager: Birra moretti ; Tennent’s; Coors; Madri; Warsteiner

Cider: Strongbow ; Strongbow Dark Fruit Guinness

Titwood Bar has a two door frontage with both vestibules entering to the same room. The right-hand door has blue coloured banquette seating either side of it. Then in front and along the rear wall is the servery with black marble counter and brass foot and arm rests. The servery curves round a little then stops allowing a rear seating area.

From left door there is a vestibule then round to right and left green banquette seating and tables. This is separated by a pillar from more side seating and the rear area both with brown banquette seating and with rectangular tables and a mixture of chairs and small stools.

Have a pint here

Heavy:        John Smiths

Lager:         Heverlee;   Innes and Gunn;  Tennent’s;   Birra Moretti;  Menabrea;  Coors

Cider:          Magners ;    Strongbow        Guinness

The Bungo Bar and Kitchen has a frontage largely consisting of windows so is very light inside. The door enters to a room on the left which has small booth seating for six along the window edge. Down most of the left wall is a long steel counter which appears waitress service and cocktail making at the left while at the far end are beer dispensers and some bar stools.  The centre and right of the room has two distinct areas with four tables in a centre booth area then beyond that banquette seating and small tables in the far corner keeping the drinkers opposite the bar stool part of the counter. This makes great use of the room and keeps an intimate feel. To the right of the entrance door is a room for more formal dining area and stairs down to a function room.

Heavy/Pale Ale: Seven Peaks; Ossian; Joker; Kelvin Pilsner

Lager: Heverlee

Cider: Reveller Orchard Pig

Non-alcoholic: Luck Saint

The Allison Arms is an unusual bar. The frontage has the usual bar and lounge entrances however they are not at the far ends of the building therefore on entry of either you can turn both right and left. Then there is a centre office and servery block  inside forming an island with servery on two and a bit sides where the main service counter is round facing to the back of the room. Unusual design apart it is an excellent establishment.

Going in the left public bar door the servery corner starts just in front of you while to the left there a table by the window and a fireplace on left wall, and to the right there is a connecting passage with two tall tables, through to the lounge entrance. The servery continues round to the left facing the brick wall and runs up to the rear of the room and round to the right where it runs over to the lounge side. Opposite the servery on the left wall is a large mirror and some shelves for standing at. The servery continues round to the right and has a stacked gantry with large mirror behind it. Stools are arranged round the counter. Opposite the servery on the back wall and closer to the lounge end are four self-service fridges with craft beers in them.

The right lounge enters into, on the right, small round tables with banquette seating against the brick wall leading up to the rear where the servery starts. While if you had gone left at the door there is a short passage with two tall tables and chairs leading to the bar door.

Have a pint here

Heavy/Pale Ale: Punk IPA ; Disco Fork Lift Truck; Belhaven Best Lager: Kelvin  Pilsner; Menabrea; Stella; Heverlee ; Tennent’s; Innes & Gunn Cider: Blackthorn Guinness

Four self service Craft ale fridges against rear wall 4

MJ Heraghty is a one roomed pub with a little seating to right of door then the servery right hand wall. the pub is in CAMRA’s “Scotland’s True Heritage Pubs” showing pubs of historical interest.

On left wall is dark green banquette seating with small shelve like tables with a lower shelves for pints when playing dominoes. Further in are a couple of round tables. The pub has a large well stocked gantry with mirrors at back.

Tiles by the wooden counter and the floor is wood beyond this. Match strikers on the counter front have been replaced with charging points.

Have a pint here

Heavy/Pale Ale:     Neck oil; Belhaven Best; 

Lager:   Tennent’s; Bidvar;  Birra Moretti;  Stella;   Carling;  Menabrea;  St Mungo;  Camden Hells

Cider:   Magners                       Guinness

The Victoria Bar is a large corner pub with doors on each side. Main road entrance would have been the bar one and via a vestibule this takes you into close to the server. There is banquette seating at rectangular wooden tables to either side of the entrance. The seating continues on the right side under the windows, Opposite is a servery where the counter zig-zags up the bar room. The counter has stools along it with a tiled floor and wood beyond the bar area. At the end of the counter there is the side door and further on a large lounge having many corners to give some intimacy rather than just an open space with carpet and banquette seating all around the many walls.

Heavy:   Tartan;   Caledonia Best

Lager:      Tenennt’s; Carling;  Birra Moretti;  Heverlee

Cider:      Magners ;  Strongbow                                                          Guinness