West End Bar

Blantyre Pubs

West End Bar

The West End Bar – West End Place, Glasgow Road. Approximately 50-60 yards from The Volunteer Arms. Also known as Bennett’s, a previous owner and The Farmers Club. Latterly owned by the family of Captain MacNeil who earlier owned The Caledonian Bar.

A BLANTYRE family have called last orders – after running The West End Bar for the past 74 years.

The MacNeil family waved goodbye to the pub, in Blantyre’s Glasgow Road last month – after serving the people of the town for the past seven decades.

The story of the family’s association with The West End Bar began in 1925 when Captain Joseph MacNeil, a retired Merchant Navy captain, left the Isle of Barra with his wife Elizabeth to start a new life in Blantyre.

The couple bought a pub in High Blantyre from the Pearson family and renamed it the Caledonian, but locals knew the establishment as “the Hielandmans” in homage to Captain MacNeil.

They ran the pub for nine years before moving their business to Glasgow Road in 1934. They took over The Farmers Club, which is now known as The West End Bar.

McNeil's Shield Since then, the pub has been run by several members of the MacNeil family including Donald, Mary, Ian, Joseph and Nan McGhie, who is now the last surviving member of the original family. Nan, who was the licensee of the pub, celebrated her 80th birthday in August.

The third generation of the MacNeil family – Elizabeth Campbell, Kathryn Clarke, Mary-Jo Furlong and Felix MacNeil – continued to run the pub until October this year, 2008.

On behalf of the whole family, Mary-Jo commented: “Throughout the years, most of the family have continued to work and live in Blantyre. The pub has, and continues to be, a well-known landmark and is renowned for its support to local groups.

“It was a very difficult decision for the family to leave the licensing trade. So many of our patrons are extended members of our family.

“Generations of the same Blantyre families have journeyed with us through the years.

“But none of us have children and there was nobody to pass the reins to.

“We all have other jobs and Felix, who was the bar manager, is looking for a new career.

“We would like to thank all of our friends at The West End Bar for their continued friendship and loyalty throughout the years.

“We wish every success to the new owners Maura, Mick, Dougie and their staff.”

West End Bar Prior to being a Public House, the building was a Wholesale Grocers owned by Robert Craig of The Old Original Bar.

Here you see some miners waiting for their transport to the Pit, probably Bardykes Pit.

West End Bar
501 Glasgow Rd
Blantyre
Lanarkshire
G72 9HP
Tel: 01698 822529

Real drinking man’s Pub

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