Leith Green Posted October 18, 2023 Share Posted October 18, 2023 2 hours ago, scottsdad said: Really enjoying this thread, but in the interests of balance... What drinking establishments have you been to that were awful? And why? I grew up in Gilmerton, and in the 80s we learned to drink in a windowless dump called The Dykes. We thought it was a good laugh as teenagers, but looking back it was full of petty criminals, drug dealers and underage drinkers. There was a pool table that you could only use if the hard men were away. Saw the beginnings of real drug violence there when a couple of dealers came in for a pint with both arms broken....... Police couldn't do anything back then. I pass through now on way to my guitar teachers place - it got pulled down a few years back and it's now a Dominos pizza place. Progress, eh? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Central Belt Caley Posted October 18, 2023 Share Posted October 18, 2023 3 hours ago, scottsdad said: Really enjoying this thread, but in the interests of balance... What drinking establishments have you been to that were awful? And why? Dragged into the Ibrox bar in Benidorm on my brother in laws stag do. Interesting place with an interesting choice of music to say the least 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carpetmonster Posted October 18, 2023 Share Posted October 18, 2023 The B&B we stayed at in Blackpool on a mate’s stag had a bar, of sorts, with a big sign - seriously about A5 size - with ‘out of date Quavers 10p’ behind it. I wasn’t expecting Gleneagles but that seemed a bit unnecessarily desolate. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zen Archer (Raconteur) Posted October 18, 2023 Share Posted October 18, 2023 30 minutes ago, Leith Green said: Saw the beginnings of real drug violence there when a couple of dealers came in for a pint with both arms broken....... 'Right son, you're taking me for a shite...' 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnderooMFC Posted October 18, 2023 Share Posted October 18, 2023 Personally not one for drinking alone in pubs. I prefer to hide my quiet alcoholism on my couch with a bottle of vodka...*ahem*. Best places I like are ones which suit my music; Solid Rock, Rufus T's or Bannerman's in Edinburgh. What would have been my local got set on fire earlier this year, I had never been in it in the 7 years I've lived here anyway. No idea what the nearest one is now, might actually be Club 100 beside Fir Park lol. First time in the Laurieston was last week when I used their premises for relief in the midst of queing for a gig at the Academy. Gig buddy says the guy is very friendly and always lets people in. If there is anything changed after it's sold I hope it's a wider toilet area. Shame it was cash only as I'dve loved to pay them back with a wee JD before heading back out in the rain. Worst ones? Any "trendy" aiming bar that tries to be a club without a dancefloor and plays crap DJ 'choooons', usually rammed with folk and a 20min wait to get noticed while there's a que 2 deep at the bar. Oh, and the wee pub my dad took me to on my 18th that he used to drink in and his dad used to drink in and looked and smelled like it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyle Lanley Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 1 hour ago, Leith Green said: I grew up in Gilmerton, and in the 80s we learned to drink in a windowless dump called The Dykes. We thought it was a good laugh as teenagers, but looking back it was full of petty criminals, drug dealers and underage drinkers. There was a pool table that you could only use if the hard men were away. Saw the beginnings of real drug violence there when a couple of dealers came in for a pint with both arms broken....... Police couldn't do anything back then. I pass through now on way to my guitar teachers place - it got pulled down a few years back and it's now a Dominos pizza place. Progress, eh? Been in the Gilmerton Miners myself a few times. Great place. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leith Green Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 6 hours ago, Lyle Lanley said: Been in the Gilmerton Miners myself a few times. Great place. Yeah, we used to go there after pubs shut for the "disco" and a late drink. A much better establishment 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gannonball Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 I stay in Stirling and just about every sizeable pub is a fucking Greene King now sadly. I like the Curly coo as I'm a bit of an introvert and a whisky drinker but just about all my friends understandably aren't a fan of it, it's not a pub to spend the day in with your mates. Settle inn is still decent but again not a pub to watch the football in etc. If I'm in Edinburgh will always stop for a few at the Guilford arms but again it's not a 'local' type place. When I lived up in Aberdeen i used to like the howf, dark basement type pub but not been in for years now. As for Glasgow I don't usually have go to as such these days but tbh there's quite a lot you can go in and feel a bit of a buzz. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florentine_Pogen Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 11 hours ago, Leith Green said: I grew up in Gilmerton, and in the 80s we learned to drink in a windowless dump called The Dykes. We thought it was a good laugh as teenagers, but looking back it was full of petty criminals, drug dealers and underage drinkers. There was a pool table that you could only use if the hard men were away. Saw the beginnings of real drug violence there when a couple of dealers came in for a pint with both arms broken....... Police couldn't do anything back then. I pass through now on way to my guitar teachers place - it got pulled down a few years back and it's now a Dominos pizza place. Progress, eh? I'm from Moredun, went to Libby and my formative drinking was done in The Robins Nest, The Rob Roy and The Ferniehill Inn. Only the first of these survives today. No pubs around where I live now unless you count The Waverley at Southouse as a pub. The Abbey at Newington is the place to be. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottsdad Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 When I lived in Wales I liked the Cwm and Llantwit Workment's Hall. Cheap booze, snooker and pool table, food was OK. The wife wasn't keen, mainly because of the line on the floor 6 feet from the bar that women weren't allowed to cross, or the room with the arcade machines that women weren't allowed in. This was 2004. There was a pub in Tonypandy that was rotten though. Wish I could remember the name of it. The food - chicken curry, with naan brad and a big dollop of (unasked for) mushy peas. The pints were warm, the floor sticky. The wife refused to drink anything not in a bottle, it looked so manky. I only had a couple of pints and was sick for most of the night. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherrif John Bunnell Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 12 hours ago, GTG_03 said: I still go in the whiter sometimes. Cash only, barmaid has stubble. Top establishment. Is the Whiter the White Horse? If it is, I always make sure I pop in for a pint to break up the the trek from the train station to the bus station when heading that way for Nairn away games. A reassuringly old school boozer and one of the few places you can still get a pint for less than £4. I also enjoy seeing the large FTP graffiti that has been on the wall of the gents for years. I assume it's a Banksy. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEADOWXI Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 When back in Irvine almost every establishment I used to drink in is gone, Crown, Kings, Attic, Ruby Tuesday, Amandas, Eglinton. Fortunately Porthead & Turf fight on as decent pubs. Eglinton completely rebuilt as a soulless Belhaven and a Wetherspoon stuck on the end of Mall shopping centre have most of the town business. In Aberdeen first regulars were the Pittodrie (still a decent pub on all but match days - just too busy) and the Marischal (it was closed and became the first and original Brewdog pub and is still that. Regular of Wilsons strange mix of folk, decent beer, always has sport on and live music at weekends, and still one of cheapest in city centre. A gone bad memory of Aberdeen is the East Neuk, one of only two pubs I have ever not finished my pint and left as it was undrinkable. Other bad memory and never revisited was Coopers, only realised how rough it was when meeting someone there and as I walked in someone took a run at me and kicked me in the side of the head. After it was all calmed my assailant apologised as he thought I was someone else. I have never gone back there. I can proudly claim to have drunk in every bar in Aberdeen city centre, and a wee bit further that has been open in the last 2 decades and can issue a review of any of them, from Peep Peeps to Masada to Rowan Tree to Broadsword and beyond, we all need a hobby or two. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTG_03 Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 1 hour ago, Sherrif John Bunnell said: Is the Whiter the White Horse? If it is, I always make sure I pop in for a pint to break up the the trek from the train station to the bus station when heading that way for Nairn away games. A reassuringly old school boozer and one of the few places you can still get a pint for less than £4. I also enjoy seeing the large FTP graffiti that has been on the wall of the gents for years. I assume it's a Banksy. Yes. It has a decent jukebox too and the barmaids are spot on. It can get busy enough at the weekends so there's life in the old horse yet. The Vic just across the road is decent too. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leith Green Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 2 hours ago, gannonball said: I stay in Stirling and just about every sizeable pub is a fucking Greene King now sadly. I like the Curly coo as I'm a bit of an introvert and a whisky drinker but just about all my friends understandably aren't a fan of it, it's not a pub to spend the day in with your mates. Settle inn is still decent but again not a pub to watch the football in etc. If I'm in Edinburgh will always stop for a few at the Guilford arms but again it's not a 'local' type place. When I lived up in Aberdeen i used to like the howf, dark basement type pub but not been in for years now. As for Glasgow I don't usually have go to as such these days but tbh there's quite a lot you can go in and feel a bit of a buzz. I like the Guildford, good pub always busy - a slightly older crowd which suits me, and dead handy if you are off up town for something - but your right, its got quite a "transient" clientele. 2 hours ago, Florentine_Pogen said: I'm from Moredun, went to Libby and my formative drinking was done in The Robins Nest, The Rob Roy and The Ferniehill Inn. Only the first of these survives today. No pubs around where I live now unless you count The Waverley at Southouse as a pub. The Abbey at Newington is the place to be. Captains Cabin round from you was still operating when I lived in Gilmerton, as was the Libby Inn, Gardners - all gone now. i have heard decent things about the Abbey recently, must give it a shot. My local is The Argyle, which really is a proper pub - good mixed crowd, friendly with wide age groups (students up to pensioners). I can pop in there any night and there will be someone I know, neighbours etc in. They do a lot of stuff in the downstairs function room, small gigs, comedy, monthly Northern Soul nights etc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Central Belt Caley Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 1 hour ago, MEADOWXI said: I can proudly claim to have drunk in every bar in Aberdeen city centre, and a wee bit further that has been open in the last 2 decades and can issue a review of any of them, from Peep Peeps to Masada to Rowan Tree to Broadsword and beyond, we all need a hobby or two. Is Peep Peeps the pub from the infamous YouTube video about “hard pubs”? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig fae the Vale Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 17 hours ago, scottsdad said: Really enjoying this thread, but in the interests of balance... What drinking establishments have you been to that were awful? And why? Walkabout is a true hovel. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invergowrie arab Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 I've run the numbers and here is the complete list of good pubs in Scotland. Lewis - Cross Inn Skye - Carbost Inn, Am Praban at Eilean Iarmain Achiltibuie - Am Fuaran Glencoe - The Clachaig Inverness (ish) - Castle Tavern, Dores Inn. I actually like Hootenannys but probably objectively not good Aberdeen - The Grill Angus - Market Arms - Montrose, Glen Clova Hotel Dundee - The Phoenix, Mennies, Art Bar Perth - The Old Ship Edinburgh - The Abbey, Jingling Geordie, Sandy Bells, The Thistle Bar, Guildford Arms,World's End, Bow Bar, Glasgow - Pot Still, Bon Accord, Lismore, Tennant, Allison Arms, Heraghtys, Laurieston, That's it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philpy Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 3 hours ago, Florentine_Pogen said: I'm from Moredun, went to Libby and my formative drinking was done in The Robins Nest, The Rob Roy and The Ferniehill Inn. Only the first of these survives today. No pubs around where I live now unless you count The Waverley at Southouse as a pub. The Abbey at Newington is the place to be. I was in the "jolly farmer" once. Once was enough.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEADOWXI Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 40 minutes ago, Central Belt Caley said: Is Peep Peeps the pub from the infamous YouTube video about “hard pubs”? Yes, shithole pub, with an arsehole landlord and both long gone. Was only really visited as used to be part of the harbour pub crawl, sadly many of the pubs on the crawl are gone. The ones on the crawl I remember were, St Clements - rough and gone - and frequently by very undesirable junkie street hookers Neptune - Gone Fittie - Good pub still on go and worth a pub lunch and evening drink after work Peep Peep - gladly gone Quarterdeck - boring and gone to a cafe Regent Bridge - A proper harbour drinking pub Crown & Anchor - Same as Regent, and just about next door - gone to flats Moorings - good live music and beer, now called Krakatoa and lively and strange. Sure I've missed a couple 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florentine_Pogen Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 31 minutes ago, philpy said: I was in the "jolly farmer" once. Once was enough.... Ha.....a genuine 'pint and a fight' shithole back in the day. Now imaginatively called 'The Royal' I believe, as it's next to Royal Infirmary. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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