GLASGOW
9. Around The Trongate
There are 22 pub trails in Glasgow. There are ten trails in the centre of the city, plus five in the West End, two on The Southside across the river and four going East.
Three trails explore three of the main streets in the city centre HOPE St; RENFIELD St and WEST NILE St
Two trails are around Squares; GEORGE SQUARE and the OLD FRUIT MARKET in Merchant City.
Another five, trails take in : QUEEN St & GLASSFORD St, JAMAICA St/ST ENOCH, BATH STREET , WATERLOO St & BOTTOM of HOPE St and CHARING CROSS .
Across the river Clyde, on the South side are PAISLEY ROAD WEST and QUEEN’S PARK trails.
Going east are trails for Around THE TRONGATE, up GALLOWGATE , DUKE STREET, Dennistoun and along to SHETTLESTON
In the West End there are more trails - St George's Cross subway to Kelvin Bridge , BYRES ROAD , KELVINBRIDGE , KELVINHALL TO PARTICK and MARYHILL
Plus the SUBWAY CRAWL - 15 subway stops and the closest bars.
Glasgow pubs around TRONGATE
GLASGOW: TRONGATE and TOLLBOOTH
At the far end of Argyll St is The Trongate leading to The Tollbooth. The block just before The Trongate splits into two has three bars on it. However, the street just before this is Candlerigs with a betting shop on the corner. Turn up here to visit Grace’s Irish Sports Bar. Then back down onto The Trongate and turn left to quickly find Buck’s Bar, followed by Boteco do Brazil and next door to that is Maggie May's.
Now cross over and go back to the street Grace’s was on. This is now called King St and walking further s The Avant-Garde and then on the next corner is The 13th Note. Turn left and walk around the curve until you can go under the railway (this is where The Old Empire Bar was) and then turn right and walk down the Saltmarket. You will see The Old Ship bank bar on a corner on the right. Walk past her, visit it later and go down another block turning left to find opposite the park the Whistler on the Green. Leave here an return to The Old Ship Bank
When leaving here go along the road, Bridgegate, towards the city centre and under the railway bridge. On the other side of the bridge going round to the left is The (Westering) Winds. Leaving here follow the road round to the left and find on the corner The Victoria & Clutha Bar. Then cross over opposite The Victoria and walk up Stockwell St on the right to The Scotia on the next corner. From here you need to cross over the car park or continue up Stockwell St and turn right along the side of the car park to the end of it and find
A place this size is bound to have its own guides to illustrate the vast quantity, quality and styles of pubs.
Glasgow guide illustrating top ten pubs in different styles of drinking (and dining) eg Style pubs or Live Music pubs.
Timeout listing of best pubs - controversial
A good proportion of the pubs have real ale but many do not. The west coast still has a bit of a lager flavour - occasionally only lager. Real ale is not limited to trendy style pubs, and not even in many of these.
Glasgow does not have the tourist grouping of pubs as found in Edinburgh - they are mainly aimed at Glasgow folk.
Practically every pub offers food at lunch or all day
Grace’s Irish Sports Bar
Grace's Irish Sports Bar, Glasgow
Grace's Irish Sports Bar, Glasgow
Grace's Irish Sports Bar, Glasgow - middle of room
Grace's Irish Sports Bar, Glasgow - stage
Grace's Irish Sports Bar, Glasgow
Grace's Irish Sports Bar, Glasgow = stage
Grace's Irish Sports Bar, Glasgow
Grace's Irish Sports Bar, Glasgow - right side with alrge booths
Grace’s Irish Sports Bar; it also has a stage for music performances and it is not primarily Irish sport that is shown. This is a large square room with pool table at left of entrance and the servery along most of the left side wall and the stage takes up the back wall. The right side wall has large banquette seating booths
Heavy: Caledonia Best; Rebel Red (Franciscan Well)
Lager: Coors; Tennent’s; Estrella; Kelvin Lager (Drygate) ; Peroni;
Cider: Magners Guinness
Buck’s Bar
Buck's Bar, Trongate, Glasgow
Buck's Bar, Trongate, Glasgow
Buck's Bar, Trongate, Glasgow
Buck's Bar, Trongate, Glasgow
Buck's Bar, Trongate, Glasgow
Buck’s Bar (Trongate) has bar like outside seating although inside is more sitting down and eating. The servery is right in front in the door. Although there are some stools this nice area is probably more for people waiting on table space. Beyond servery are several booths. A flight of stairs on the left wall takes you to much more upstairs seating which has booth tables along window and standard tables and chairs along left wall.
Live music Saturday.
There is also a Buck’s Bar at 111 West Regeant St and it is visited on trail 10, Bath St.
Pale Ale: Disco Forklift Truck (Drygate)
Lager: Tennent’s; Staroperamen; Coors; Pravha
Cider: Aspall Suffolk
Boteco do Brazil
Boteco Do Brazil, Glasgow
Boteco Do Brazil, Glasgow
Boteco Do Brazil, Glasgow
Boteco Do Brazil, Glasgow
Boteco Do Brazil, Glasgow
Boteco Do Brazil, Glasgow
Boteco Do Brazil, Glasgow
Boteco Do Brazil, Glasgow
Boteco Do Brazil, Glasgow
Boteco do Brazil has a large outside seating space by a busy road. Inside there is a large room going back a distance. There is a mix of standard and tall seating/tables; tall near servery and standard further on. The servery is on left stopping half way up to offer more seating beyond it.
Pale Ale: Gladeye (Drygate);
Lager: Tennent’s; Birra Flea; Heverlee ; Corona; Manabrea; Wild West Lager (West)
Cider: Magners Guinness
Maggie May’s ★
Maggie May's, Glasgow
Maggie May's, Glasgow - older counter
Maggie May's, Glasgow
Maggie May's, Glasgow - older counter
Maggie May's, Glasgow - older counter
Maggie May's, Glasgow - down right side of servery opposite windows
Maggie May's, Glasgow - far side of servery
Maggie May's, Glasgow
Maggie May's, Glasgow
Maggie May's, Glasgow - performance area
Maggie May's, Glasgow - bigger tables opposite entrance
Maggie May's, Glasgow
Maggie May's, Glasgow
Maggie May's, Glasgow - entrance and start of island servery
Maggie May's, Glasgow - down the side
Maggie May’s (“late-night bar, kitchen and venue”) is a large corner pub with a large rectangular island bar servery. Entering from the main door tables are around the two window sides either side of entrance with more in front of the longer part of the servery. At the end of this area is a low stage. Taller and longer tables are in the area immediately ahead of entrance with TVs on wall. Around the back of the island bar is a large dining style room. The main venue area is downstairs in the basement. Music (and cocktails) centres around Rock ‘n’ Roll
Have a pint here
Heavy: John Smith;
Lager: Heineken; Heineken Silver; Amstel; Birra Moretti;
Cider: Strongbow Guinness
PLACES TO VISIT WITH PUBTRAILS
The towns and villages highlighted on this web site have a wide variety of pubs and beers in them. All of the places are great to visit, whether for a day or longer, and most have tourist attractions for all of the family.
There is a large variety of pubs throughout the different towns shown below. Some you may wish never to visit again but even discovering these can be interesting. There are pubs that you would not take your wife into. While some you could not take your girlfriend into. A few you would not take either into. However, most of the pubs are very pleasant.
HOME MAP of places visited
Alnwick Ambleside Anstruther Bakewell Bamburgh Barnard Castle Bath Berwick upon Tweed Birnam & Dunkeld Bourton on the Water Bowness on Windermere Bridge of Allan Chester Chichester Dunblane Dunoon Edinburgh Ely Fort William Glasgow Gourock Greenock Helensburgh Inverness Kelso Keswick Knaresborough Largs Linlithgow Lyme Regis Melrose Montrose Newton Stewart North Berwick Norwich Oban Pebbles Penzance Portree Pitlochry Quorn Richmond Rothesay St Andrews Seahouses Seend Shrewsbury Skipton Stirling Stratford-upon-Avon Stockton Heath Whitby Windemere Whitstable York
Avant Garde ★
Avant Garde is a corner pub – restaurant and music bar - with entrances on both sides. The room is large and square with a large dining area, slightly raised, on the far side. The servery is a square central bar counter with stools around all four sides. The two sides are full height windows with tables and chairs along the two sides and into the room. At the corner, between the two entrances is a raised performance area. There is a pool table in the far-right corner. Saturday (2.30-5.30) and Sunday (4-7) Jazz played, while a ceilidh (8-11.30) on Saturday
Have a pint or two here.
Some bottled craft beers
Heavy: Belhaven Best
Lager: Tennent’s; Avant Garde House Lager; Staroperaman
Cider: Strongbow + dark fruit Guinness
13th Note closed
13th Note is a corner pub and vegetarian cafe with the entrance right on the corner. This takes you to a long pub stretching ahead of you. The servery is on the left-hand wall. Beyond the servery the room widens out to a large dining area. Opposite the servery and along the full height window side are two rows of booths. This leaves a passage for stools and standing drinkers between the servery and thinner row of booths. There is large venue downstairs.
Have a pint here
Heavy: Caledonia Best; Joker
Craft : Parlot Blue Riband Beer
Lager: Tennent’s; St Mungo; Haverlee
Cider: Magners Guinness
Whistler on the Green
Whistler on the Green, Glasgow
Whistler on the Green, Glasgow - Overtone beer
Whistler on the Green, Glasgow - small servery at rear right
Whistler on the Green, Glasgow - servery
Whistler on the Green, Glasgow - small servery at rear right
Whistler on the Green, Glasgow - booths
Whistler on the Green, Glasgow - booths
Whistler on the Green, Glasgow - second room
Whistler on the Green, Glasgow - right side of first room
Whistler on the Green, Glasgow
Whistler on the Green, Glasgow - overlooks Glasgow Green
The Whistler on the Green initially looks like small one roomed bar with servery across an angle at top right. However just before the servery is a doorway to the right leading to another room. The first room has a couple of booths with green banquette seating on the left. To the right of the room and also in the next door room are brown rectangular tables. The ceiling is cream with small brown beams. Food available including a fresh oysters happy hour 4-8pm Fridays. Closed Mondays
Heavy/Pale Ale: Overtone
Lager: Madri; Coors; Staroperamen
Cider: Aspall Guinness
PUB QUIZ
What is the name of the line drawn from the centre of a circle to its circumference?
Answer at foot of page
The Old Empire Bar closed
The Old Empire Bar, Glasgow - bar entrance
The Old Empire Bar, Glasgow - lounge entrance
The Old Empire Bar, Glasgow - closed over
The Old Empire Bar is a small bar spreading out from a point and underneath a railway line. The arrowhead of the pub becomes visible walking down from the Tollbooth bar. On the left is the entrance to the bar which has some windows and to the right is the entrance to the lounge. Going in the left side bar door the widest space is in the point of the bar to the right of the entrance. Against the wall to the left is the servery. There is not much room between the counter and the wall for customers - enough room for a stool and a walk past up to the small square lounge.
HISTORY - OLD GLASGOW PUBS
Heavy: Caledonia Best
Lager: Tennent’s
Cider: Strongbow Guinness
The Old Ship Bank ★
The Old Ship Bank, Glasgow
The Old Ship Bank, Glasgow
The Old Ship Bank, Glasgow
The Old Ship Bank, Glasgow
The Old Ship Bank, Glasgow
The Old Ship Bank, Glasgow
The Old Ship Bank, Glasgow - new layout
The Old Ship Bank, Glasgow
The Old Ship Bank is a corner pub with windows well covered in protection, which along with the wheelie bin, and smokers, in the entrance seems unattractive. However, once inside it is clean and bright with a lot to offer. The pub has a square central servery with front, right and left sides of the servery having enough space between bar and wall for stools and tables. The right and left sides have some tall and dining height tables and seating around the walls and stools at the counter. The far side of the square bar serves what is another room opened up. This has seating around two sides and a large performance stage at the right-hand wall. The middle of the room has lots of small tables with seating. The pub is carpeted up to a few feet from the counter. The servery is a bit higher than usual. The ceiling is a wooden box structure and the rooms are all brightly decorated. Radio was playing rather than music.
This building was where Glasgow’s first bank, The Glasgow Ship Bank, was situated.
History OLD GLASGOW PUBS
Have a pint here.
Heavy: Belhaven Best
Lager: Tennent’s; Carling; Birra Moretti
Cider: Strongbow; Strongbow Dark Fruit Guinness
The Winds
The (Western) Winds is a small two roomed pub with bar counter and bar area in the front room and lounge to the rear. The black tiled bar counter is on the left wall of the front room. In the bar part there are two black tables with a “Grolsch” banner up the centre (although the bar does not sell Grolsch). These are accompanied by small armchairs. The lounge part has small black tables and banquette seating. Decor has wooden floor and ceiling with black walls which are pink above the dado line.
History OLD GLASGOW PUBS
Heavy: Caledonia Best
Lager: Carling; Tennent’s; Drygate Pils
Cider: Magners Guinness
Victoria & Clutha bars ★
Victoria & Clutha bars. The left hand traditional looking bar is The Victoria while the other with the mural is The Clutha. The Victoria has kept the old gantry and general shape although the left-hand room is now the kitchen. The bar counter runs along the left side. Dining tables are either side of the entrance and along the right wall opposite the counter. AT the end of the counter there is an entrance to the performance part of the bar. This is a round area with a semi-circular bar on the front wall and small stage to the back. This area has a glass ceiling to let in the light and together with stone floor gives the impression of an outdoors venue. Some low and high tables in this area but mainly for standing in.
Heavy: Caledonia Best ; McEwan’s IPA
Lager: Drygate pils; Blue Riband; Tennent’s; Heverlee; Menabrea
Cider: Magners Guinness
The Scotia ★
The Scotia, Glasgow
The Scotia, Glasgow
The Scotia, Glasgow - real ale back
The Scotia, Glasgow
The Scotia, Glasgow
The Scotia, Glasgow
The Scotia, Glasgow
The Scotia, Glasgow
The Scotia, Glasgow - real ale was gone but now back
The Scotia, Glasgow
The Scotia, Glasgow
The Scotia, Glasgow
The Scotia, Glasgow
The Scotia lays claim to be the oldest bar in Glasgow - 1792. This is a multi-area pub served from and L-shaped servery. This corner pub has a low ceiling with dark wood beams, wooden floor and subdued lighting all create an attractive atmosphere. The rest of the pub continues this dark wood pattern in the gantry, counter, furniture and old screens splitting up the counter into small discrete lengths. There are two entrances on the long side each of which takes you to the main bar area and each also has rooms off in the other direction. The right-hand door has a small snug off to the right while the left-hand door has a longer thin room off to the left. Dining sizes tables around walls and in side rooms with stools around counter.
HISTORY OLD GLASGOW PUBS
Have a pint here
Regular in Good Beer Guide, including 2024 CAMRA discount
Real ale: Corncrake; Belhaven 80/- ; Island Life; Red MacGregor; Old Speckled Hen
Heavy: Belhaven Best; Neck Oil; Old Speckled Hen; Tennent’s Special ;
Lager: St Mungo; Tennent’s; Stella; Heidi Weiss
Cider: Applestone Guinness
Links for Glasgow city centre Pubtrails
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Trail 1 - Around George Square
(blue with black dot icon)
Waxy O’ Connors
Dow’s
The Vale (now closed)
Camperdown Place (closed)
Georgics
The Ark
The Piper
Committee Room No 9
Katie’s Bar
Drouthys
The Counting House
The Anchor Line
The Citizen (was The Trading House)
The Auctioneers
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Trail 2 - HOPE STREET
(light blue icon)
Stereo
The Old Hairdressers
The Society Room
The Pot Still.
Molly Malone's.
MacConnell's
Ardnamurchan (was Trader Joe's)
Rufus T Firefly
NYC Bar
Ad Lib
The Toby Jug
The Smokin' Fox (formerly The Hope)
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Trail 3 RENFIELD STREET
(green icon)
The Merchant
The Maltman
The Raven
Lauders.
The Atholl Arms
Walkabout
The Renfield Bar
Revolution
Missoula
Revolucion De Cuba
The Drum and Monkey
The Horseshoe.
Dury Lane Bar & Kitchen
Yes Bar - closed
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Trail 4 - WEST NILE St
(red icon)
Vroni's Wine Bar
The Shilling Brewing Co.
The Iron Horse - closed
The Station Bar
The Intermezzo
Alfie’s (was Alfredo's)
Cul Cuil (was The Courtyard)
All Bar One
Innes & Gunn Talroom
Los Iguanas
Revolution
Ross's Original Bar
Tabac
August House
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Trail 5 - AROUND THE FRUITMARKET
(grey icons)
Bar 91
Beer Cafe
The Metropolitan
Marmalade Skies (was Boudoir Wine Bar) - closed
Bar Square
The Tap Room (was Steak, Rattle and Roll which was Bar Espagnol Mercado)
O'Neil's
Bar Soba
Bar Gandolfi.
Bar Home
Babbity Bowster,
Strathduie (was Macgregor's Pie & Ale Howf and before that Strathduie !)
The Black Bull
McChuills
Connolly’s LIQR (was LIQR and before that The G-Lounge)
Blackfriars of Bell St
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Trail 6 -A circle around Waterloo St & Hope St
(yellow icon)
The Smokin’ Fox (was The Hope)
Kitty O'Shea's
El Camino (was The Drop)
Rhoderick Dhu
The Woods
The Waterloo
The Duke’s Umbrella
Sir John Muir
Oswald’s (was Kellys ;was Quarter Gill)
No 16 Bar & Kitchen (was Sotto; was The Two Heided Man)
Denholms
Solid Rock Cafe
The Alpen Lodge
The Park Lane
26 Hope St
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Trail 7 - Queen St and Glassford St
(purple icon)
Biere Halle
The Lab
Wonderbar
Sloans
Rocky O' Sullivans CLOSED
Strata CLOSED
Max's Bar & Grill
Thundercat
The Spiritualist
Cairns
Steps Bar
Blane Valley
Bacchus
Rab Ha's
The Pavement
The Doghouse
The Gallery Bar
The Amsterdam
The Oriental (closed)
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Trail 8 - Jamaica St- St Enoch
(brown icon)
O'Neil's (was The Royal Scott)
The Grant Arms
The Crystal Palace
Macsorley's
The Imperial
The Mint & Lime
Lauristons
Gallagher’s (was Kelly’s and was Coyote)
Hootenanny
Times Square
Crafty Joe's (taken over by Times Square)
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Trail 16 - Charing Cross
(yellow with small square)
Bavaria Baurhaus
Slug & Lettuce
Bon Accord
Chinaski’s
The Locale
Driftwood
The Hall
Nico’s
Kilt & Kocktails
The Hengler’s Circus
The State
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Trail 10 - Bath St
(red with small square)
Golf Loung
Buck’s Bar
Bloc+
The Butterfly and The Pig
Palomino
Slouch
The Griffin
Tiki Bar and Kitsch Inn
St Judes
Howlin’ Wolf
Malones
The Bay Horse
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Trail 19 - Paisley Rd West
(dark blue teardrop)
Lauriston Bar
The Quayside bar
The Union Bar
The Old Toll Bar
The Viceroy
The Bellrock
Grapes
The District bar
Kensington Bar
Park Bar
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trail 22 -Queen's Park
McNeil’s
The Regent
Titwood Bar
TheBbungo
Allison Arms
MJ Heraghty
Victoria Bar
Ryan’s bar
The Bell Jar
The Rose reilly
Queen’s Park Cafe
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Trail 9 - Around The Trongate
(orange with large square icon)
Grace’s Irish Sports Bar
Buck’s Bar
Boteco do Brazil
Maggie May's
Avant Garde
13th Note -(closed)
Old Empire Bar (closed)
Whistler on the Green
The Old Ship Bank Bar
The Winds
The Victoria & Clutha
The Scotia
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Trail 17 - up the Gallowgate
Chrystal Bell & Co
MacKinnon’s
The Gate (check opening)
Bar ‘67 (check opening)
226 Gallowgate
Hielan Jessie
The Wee Man’s Pub
The Drover
Van Winkle (check opening)
Luke’s & The Flying Ox
Traders Lounge
The Old Burnt Barns (check opening)
Braemar
Tollbooth Bar
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Trail 18 - Duke Street, Dennistoun
The Bristol bar
The Louden tavern
The Duke Bar
the Crown Creighton
The Alexandra Bar
The Snug
The Palais
Redmond’s of Dennistoun
The Drover
The Wee Man’s Bar
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Trail 21 -Shettleston
Snedden’s Inn
The Palaceum
The Town Tavern
The Cottage Bar
The Marquis
The Drum
The Portland Arms
The Railway tavern
The Kirkhouse
Miller’s
Links for Glasgow West End & Subway Pubtrails
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Trail 11 - St George's to Kelvinbridge
(lime green with tick icon)
The Castle Vaults
The Hug and Pint
The Scallion (was Munro's then The Bull and now ..)
Wintersgills
The Lansdowne - closed
Webster's
Inn Deep
Cooper’s
Bakehouse
The Left bank
Stravaigin
The Doublet
Schoolhouse
Dram!
Arlington
The Carnarvon Bar
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Trail 12- Byres Rd
(light blue icon)
Curler's Rest
the Wee Pub/The Pub
Innes & Gunn Brewery Tap
Brel
Vodka Wodka
Jinty McGinty’s
Hillhead Book Club
The Parlour
Oran Mor
BeGin
Tennent's Bar
Bar Soba
The Aragon
The Hill - closed
Gumbo - closed
The Record Factory
The Three Judges
Bag O'Nails
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Trail 13 - Kelvingrove
(red with tick)
Dirty Duchess
Lebowskis
Taphouse
The Grove
The Big Slide
The Snaffle Bit
The Butchershop
BrewDog
Dukes Bar
The Islay Inn
The Park Bar
No 78
Kelvingrove Cafe
The Ben Nevis
Finnieston
Brass Monkey
Strip Joint
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trail 15 - Kelvinhall to Partick and back
(maroon circle with square or tic)
To To
Kelvinhall Patrick Stumps Bar Three Judges
The Fiddlers The Dolphin
Victoria Bar Bag O’Nails
Quarter Gill Storm Queen
The Linsmor Smiddy Bar
Sparkle Horse Tenement Bar
Bauhaus Windsor Tav.
Record Factory Rosevale Tav.
Gallus Deoch An Dorus
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trail 20 - Maryhill
LOWER
The Castle Vaults
The Tower
the Star & Garter
Munn’s
The BrewHaus
The Botany Bar
The Woodside Inn
The Royalty Bar
UPPER
The First & Last
Kelvin Dock
The Punch Bow;
The Viking Bar
The Lockhouse
Harvey’s Bar
The Ram’s Head
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Trail 14 - Glasgow Subway
Waxy O'Connors
Jackson’s
Castle Vaults
The Hug
The Doublet
Curler’s Rest
The Bag O' Nails
Deoch and Doris
Brechin's
The Louden Tavern
Kensington
The Bellrock
Stanley Bar - closed
The Old Toll Bar
The Lord Nelson - closed
Laurieston
Times Square
Links to pages and sites
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Books on Beer
A variety of recommended books to improve your knowledge of beer and brewing
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Stevenson & MacKay
Craig Stevenson and John MacKay use their bus passes to visit pubs the length and breadth of Scotland.
They have recorded their adventures in seven books.
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Books on Pubs
A veriety of recommended books that describe the history and development of the public house.
Pub visits by Craig Stevenson & John MacKay as they tour Scotland using their bus passes.
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The Cheap Way 'Round
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Roon The Edge
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The Auldest Boozers in Town
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Still Goin'
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The Beer Hunters
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In Aff the Bar
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Mud Sweat and Beers
“Beer, making you see double and making you think your single.”
—
ANSWER: radius