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Old Glasgow Pubs by john gorevan

 

Elderslie Bar.

2132 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow. G14.

Elderslie Bar

The Elderslie is now demolished.

During the 1960s the Elderslie Bar was completely transformed, owners Thomas Usher & Son, Ltd had skillfully designed the lounge to look like a sunken ship. A large mural of a sea bed adorned one of the walls, a real fishing net with a lobster creel hung overhead, marine objects like ropes with cork floats, a life belt inscribed with the name Lobster Cove, ship lantern's and porthole windows on the doors helped to bring the underwater scene to life.

Elderslie interior

The name for this lounge was Lobster Cove, the colour scheme was dark as if you were under water with black and gray moquette seating along with chairs of russet red.

Elderslie interior1

Pouring the first pint Thomas Flynn, president of the Glasgow and District Licensed Trade Defence Association in the centre. On the left is Mr G Bagley, director of Thomas Usher & Son Ltd, Mr H M Inglis, managing director of Usher's. On the right of Mr Flynn is D Gordon, licensee, Sir Robert Nimmo, Usher's, Mr R W Nimmo, manager of managed houses department and Mr I G Donaldson.

Elderslie Bar 1960s

Elderslie Bar 1960s.

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In the NEWS 1979...

15 years of man with silver gun who shot barman...

A man who shot a barman in a Glasgow Pub with a silver gun was jailed for 15 years yesterday.

Kenneth Kelly (39), os 4 Dyke Road, Yoker, heard himself described at the High Court in Glasgow as "a man who is callous and highly dangerous with no scruples or conscience of any kind."

Mr Alan Johnston, prosecuting, said Kelly had in appalling record, including sentences of 10 and 8 years for violent crimes.

And his mindless attack on barman Alan Bell (23) must have happened only a short time after his release from the eight year sentence. Kelly was found guilty of attempting to murder Mr Bell in the Elderslie Bar at 2132 Dumbarton Road, Yoker, on June 29. But on another charge of trying to murder another barman the same night he was found not guilty by direction of the court.

Kelly, smartly dressed in a dark pin-stripe suit and spotted tie showed no emotion as the prosecutor outlined his violent past.

Mr Johnston told the court that in view of Kelly's record of violence, he had been examined by a psychiatrist who said he was callous and highly dangerous and without scruples.

The psychiatrist's report went on: "He seems totally incapable of existing in the community without indulging in anti-social activities." Mr Johnston said the psychiatrist believed Kelly would continue to be a dangerous man in the future and added: "It is perfectly clear this was mindless violence. There was no justification for the assault on Mr Bell.

"There is no doubt this man is a menace to society and the community, and I ask you to take into account and note that the public requires to be protected from this man for a very considerable time."

Lord Brand told Kelly: "It is quite clear you are a dangerous and incorrigible criminal from whom the public must be protected." During the two-day trial the court heard how Kelly drew a silver gun and fired four shots after being warned about picking up another man's pint.

Customers dived for cover and Mr Bell was shot in the face. Kelly, whose counsel Mr Donald Findlay walked out earlier yesterday, claimed in the witness box that he had just entered the pub when a man struck him over the head with a tumbler and another man fired at him.

End.

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