I left Matt to fend for himself for a night (he didn’t seem too distraught) and took the 07:50 to Glasgow, via lovely Wigan.
The Wigan leg was uneventful but of course it’s not legally possible to have a peaceful trip on the Virgin west coast, and I got the full weirdo count pestering me with pamphlets and requests for electrical favours. It’s no wonder Si take the train.
What a joy it is to approach Glasgow Central, passing the Laurieston en-route and with a full cohort of new pubs ahead.
The Central station itself isn’t a gem, but this sculpture outside showing BRAPA and Pubmeister carrying the load of the new giant GBG certainly is.
I had 25 minutes before my train out to Largs, just time to nip the first of two Glasgow ticks.
Grief, Sloans is hidden away, the Whitelocks of the, er, North.
For five points, name the singer.
It’s remarkable.
Multi-roomed and multi-levelled, it was a bit like exploring the Titanic. Before it sunk.
“Can I have a look around please ?” I asked the nice lady.
“Course. Long as you don’t disturb the Wine Society“. Too late.
How can I never have heard of it before ? I thought every pub selling cask in Scotland had been in the GBG by now. And this one does toasties and artisan markets and quizzes and ceiledhs, just like Marillion.
What does the sudden appearance say about the beer ? Nothing too flashy on the pumps.
Of course, all that nosiness meant I’d left 3 minutes for the actual beer, which was OK without causing me much grief when I had to tip most of it.
£2.40 a half, though, but worth that for the tiling alone.
retiredmartin 
Great pics. I haven’t been in there for a long time and it still looks fabulous. Beer quality has been up and down over the years but the prices only go one way. Must give it another try- hopefully they have nailed the quality.
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Looks a bit like the place in Antwerp that had railway carriages as their booths.
I’d guess that’s an attempt at Maggie Bell, but I’m probably wrong. Struggling to think of famous female singers fae Glasgae, barring Lulu. Is it Billy Connolly in drag?
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Let’s say it is, eh?
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A terrible KT Tunstall?
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Is there any other type?
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“It’s not legally possible to have a peaceful trip on the Virgin west coast” and that’s why, instead of going via Crewe, I always get the Northern or Trans Pennine Express service from Piccadilly, or the Sleeper, to and from Scotland.
After every station there’s a lengthy “For your relaxation and announcement …” announcement about some sort of entertainment which detracts further from ones relaxation and announcement.
Beardie is losing the Virgin West Coast franchise, and not before time, and it’s just unfortunate he can’t be made to take those dreadfully claustrophobic stinking Pendolinos with him.
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Might I inform the enquiring mind, that the now-familiar drawing pin was first mentioned in the Oxford English Dictionary in seventeen fifty-nine? Furthermore, it was said that the use of the then newly-invented fixing, to attach notices to schoolhouse doors was speeding the whittling away of their treasured gothic woodwork.
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Suzi McQuatro ?
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Amazing interior, but £2,40 for a half? Seems Ms Sturgeoun is on course to create a Scandinavian-style society.
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Nothing wrong with that apart from the weather.
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And no pubs.
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Plenty of drinking in evidence in Copenhagen!
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But Copenhagen is too close to Germany to be proper Scandinavia.
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Yes, and Sheffield is too close to Derbyshire to be Proper Yorkshire, I suppose 😉
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Went there at New Year. Like you, couldn’t believe I hadn’t heard of it.
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Perhaps it was keg before, can’t be too many cask places that haven’t been in the Guide up there.
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