Glasgow has been the heart of culture, fine dining, clubbing, pubbing, and general good times in Scotland for generations - but in those generations, we’ve lost a good number of Glaswegian institutions.
These pubs, clubs, restaurants, nightclubs, and otherwise prominent businesses of the city were what drew people to Glasgow after the death of our shipbuilding industry.
As Glasgow was named the 1990 European City of Culture, it was a turning point for Glasgow - finally being recognised for being the best of the best in the country, if not the UK. Although many of these institutions date back far futher than the 90’s - our city has always promised our people a good time.
We wanted to look back at the best of these lost spots in Glasgow - so take a gander below at these lost Glasgow places that are gone, but certainly not forgotten.
1. Dino Ferrari’s
Dino’s on Sauchiehall Street was undoubtedly a Glasgow instituion that served hundreds of thousands of customers for almost 50 years. The popular Italian restaurant closed in 2014.
2. The Sauchiehaugh
The pub at 410 Sauchiehall Street has had a number of name changes over the years having been called Amphora, Pythagoras and Edward’s before becoming The Sauchiehaugh in 2008. The venue is now home to St Ellen’s private hospital.
3. The Apollo
The Apollo, formerly known as Green’s Playhouse Cinema, occupied the site of Cineworld on Renfrew Street. It was one of Glasgow’s busiest music venues in the 70s and 80s and hosted the likes of Johnny Cash, The Ramones, and Blondie. The venue was demolished in the mid-1980s.
4. The Mars Bar
The Mars Bar was Glasgow’s most well-known punk pub, and proved to be more popular than Paisley’s Bungalow Bar or the Silver Thread Hotel for its city centre location. Just off St Enoch Square, the Mars Bar opened in 1977 and weegie punks claimed the pub as their own. Simple Minds played there in their early days, and became a regular feature at the Mars Bar, playing every Sunday night. Pictured here are Simple Minds playing at the pub in 1978.