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Pubs & Bars

Where to drink in the city centre

The Horseshoe Bar
17-19 Drury Street
G2 5AE
+44 141 248 6368 www.horseshoebar.co.uk

Boasting the longest bar in the UK, this is a fabled drinking saloon that has a lively and often inebriated mix of regulars, locals, tourists, students and lost OAPs. A true slice of Glasgow life, if you want to see where the over 50s go every Saturday night, then drop in on its legendary karaoke night – but be prepared to be dragged on stage to sing an off-key version of The Osmond’s 'Crazy Horses'. It also serves some of the best pub pies in the city.

The Corinthian
191 Ingram Street
G1 1DA
+44 845 166 6030 www.thecorinthianclub.co.uk

Having undergone a multi-million pound renovation, The Corinthian is the city’s flagship bar for the rich, famous and wannabe rich and famous. Home to five floors of possibilities, including a restaurant, prohibition themed bar, nightclub, private drinking rooms, casino, Champagne bar to name just a few, this is the only place in Glasgow where a visitor can do an entire night’s cocktail crawl without ever leaving the building. Hiring mixologists rather than bar staff, The Corinthian is currently the place to be seen. A bit too cool for the jeans and trainers brigade.

Nice’n’Sleazy
421 Sauchiehall St
G2 3LG
+44 141 333 0900 www.nicensleazy.com

Full of indie kids wearing checked shirts, skinny jeans and scuffed Converse this is the coolest music bar in the city and the place that I normally come to on my birthday. Home to the best pub jukebox in Scotland – if not the world – and a fantastic balance of beers, ales, ciders and cocktails, this is pop kid heaven for students and students who have never grown up. Before they were famous the likes of Snow Patrol, Belle and Sebastian and Franz Ferdinand could often be seen propping up the bar. Downstairs, Nice’n’Sleazy opens into a dark and claustrophobic venue, where unsigned bands and low key touring artists try to impress the Glasgow faithful. It also does some mighty fine vegetarian food. In the party hub of Sauchiehall Street, Nice’n’Sleazy is in the focal point for a number of other recommended bars nearby including The Griffin, Capitol and Driftwood.

Republic Bier Halle
7-9 Gordon St
G1 3PL
+44 141 204 0706 www.republicbierhalle.com

A class above the Oompah band filled beer halls of Munich and Cologne, this underground German beer bar homage is one of the most popular hangouts in the city. Its huge selection of local and imported beers and ales – from as far afield as Argentina or Kenya – are enough to satisfy the thirstiest patrons and its 2 for 1 wood fire pizza offer is the best lunchtime and early evening meal deal in the city. Bier Halle has a couple of sister venues nearby but the downstairs grotto on Gordon Street is the original and best. Across Buchanan Street on Royal Exchange Square, The Social is another choice should Bier Halle be too busy.

The Pot Still
154 Hope St
G2 2TH
+44 141 333 0980 www.thepotstill.co.uk

Glasgow’s famous malt whisky pub on Hope Street is an absolute cracker and is the best traditional bar in the city centre bar none. Opened back in 1867, visitors come from all round the world to try its unequalled range of whiskies, which currently number somewhere in the high 300s. A popular story goes that a group of Japanese business men flew to Glasgow to try a particular malt unavailable anywhere else.

The Butterfly and Pig
153 Bath St
G2 4SQ
+44 141 221 7711 www.thebutterflyandthepig.com

Bath Street is home to a number of below-street level bars, which in summer sprawl out onto small shaded patios. The best are Mosquito, Bunker and The Butterfly and Pig. The latter is a quirky hybrid of Glasgow vintage style – it’s a cross between my gran’s old living room and the Mad Hatter’s tea party – and is very much the centre of cool. Mismatched furniture, stained wallpaper and cracked tea cups set the scene for some great food and even better atmosphere.


Where to drink in the West End and Merchant City

Ashton Lane

Though it has changed over the years from relaxed student thoroughfare to middle class sanctuary, Ashton Lane is a cobbled mews that has become the focus of West End café society. Bars and restaurants to check out are Brel (Ashton Lane, Glasgow, G12 8SJ; +44 141 342 4966; www.brelbarrestaurant.com), The Loft (Ashton Ln, Glasgow, G12 8SJ; +44 845 166 6028) and Jinty McGinty’s (21 Ashton Lane, Glasgow, G12 8SJ; +44 141 339 0747; www.jintys.com) – but be careful as with so much to eat and drink on offer, you could easily lose track of time and spend an entire weekend here. Not that I’ve ever done that obviously…

Byres Road

Come Friday or Saturday night the street turns into a modern day catwalk full of trendy student waifs and ageing 40-somethings looking to party. My current favourites bars are the Bling Pig (116-122 Byres Rd, Glasgow, G12 8TB; +44 141 357 5482; www.blindpig.co.uk), the Hillhead Book Club (17 Vinicombe Street, Glasgow, G12 8; +44 141 576 1700 ; www.hillheadbookclub.com) and Oran Mor (Byres Road, Glasgow, G12 8QX; +44 141 357 6200; www.oran-mor.co.uk), a converted church turned bar, with a ceiling mural by celebrated home-grown artist and author Alasdair Gray. The latter has become famous for its lunchtime series “A Play, a Pie and a Pint”.

Merchant City

Catering to a slightly older crowd, although sometimes it’s hard to tell, the Merchant City has built on its history of wining and dining the city’s Victorian merchants and businessmen. With some of the city’s best traditional pubs – look no further than Blackfriars (36 Bell St, Glasgow, G1 1LG; +44 141 552 5924; www.blackfriarsglasgow.com) or Rab Ha’s (83 Hutcheson Street, Glasgow, G1 1SH; +44 141 572 0400; www.rabhas.com) – and themed drinking venues such as Arta’s (62 Albion Street, Glasgow, G1 1PA; +44 845 166 6018; www.socialanimal.co.uk/GlasgowCityCentre/Arta), a Caligula inspired Grecian palace that has stood the test of time, a night out in the Merchant City offers a very different experience to the rest of Glasgow. While drinks can be more expensive, especially on the trendy Merchant Square, the pubs and bars are more laid back, which suits me and my friends just fine. Funky, quirky and reminiscent of a junk shop sale, the Red Lizard (47-51 Bell Street, Merchant City, Glasgow, G1 1NX; +44 141 552 3539; www.redlizard.org.uk) on Bell Street is the kind of place I can spend an entire Sunday afternoon.


The best clubs

From ever faithful mainstream club The Garage (490 Sauchiehall St, Glasgow G2 3LW; +44 141 332 1120; www.garageglasgow.co.uk), to dance sensation The Tunnel (84 Mitchell St, Glasgow, G1 3; +44 141 204 1000; www.tunnelglasgow.co.uk), the streets of Glasgow sway to hard-core party anthems. To hang with the cool kids, check out The Sub Club (22 Jamaica St, Glasgow, G1 4QD; +44 141 248 4600; www.subclub.co.uk), The Arches (253 Argyle Street, Glasgow, G2 8DL; +44 141 565 1000; www.thearches.co.uk) or The Art School (167 Renfrew Street, Glasgow; +44 141 353 4500; www.theartschool.co.uk) or to dance like a diva to old school Abba and 1980s classics The West End’s Viper Room (408 Great Western Road, Glasgow, G4 9HZ; +44 141 334 0560; www.viperwestend.co.uk) is the current student flavour of the month.


235 Alexandra Parade, Glasgow, G31 3AW
Tel 0141 554 5970              Fax 0141 280 3235
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