Pubs of Glasgow: End of an era as The Laurieston Bar is put up for sale

The Laurieston bar is a fixed point in Glasgow, a time capsule of local hospitality. Embraced by music fans and hipster blow-ins, at its heart this is a family-run neighbourhood place, with interiors that haven’t changed since the 1960s. An important part of the story of the city’s social life is now up for sale.

Siting on Bridge Street in Glasgow’s Gorbals District, The Laurieston is a neighbourhood local alongside a bar that is well known to generations of students from the Glasgow Subcrawl and a hub for music fans and local bands due to its proximity to the 02 Academy.

Franz Ferdinand, Bobby Gillespie, Saoirse Ronan and Ewan MacGregor have visited for pints and pies over the years. The Laurieston’s traditional bar has featured in films and television shows, most recently in an episode of Succession.

The listing from Christies states: “The Laurieston has maintained a traditional theme throughout, featuring panelled walls and ceilings, memorabilia and drawings from local artists which all add to the pub’s charming character. The pub is also well-known for hosting regular events such as live music, comedy and club nights.” The freehold is listed for £750,000.

The current owners, John and James Clancy, said, “In any family business, “family”, is the priority. After 40 years serving “The Laurieston Bar Family”, we would now like to devote more time to serving the Clancy family. It goes without saying, it will be business as usual until the right buyer is found.”

Tony Spence, Associate Director at Christie & Co who handled the sale, comments, “This is a rare opportunity to acquire a longstanding, successful pub in central Glasgow. The business is well placed to succeed going forward and would suit both an owner-operator or could be added to an existing portfolio.”