MAISIE Malcolm was described as “the personality girl behind the lounge bar” by the Evening Times when a reporter visited the newly-renovated Bell’s Bar, in Glasgow’s St George’s Road, shortly before Christmas 1960.
“I don’t know about personality,” Maisie said with a laugh, “but I do know that our clocks run on the correct time.” Ever since a customer had argued with her boss about closing-time one night (the pub’s clock was three minutes ahead of the customer’s watch), Maisie now made sure that she rang the speaking clock - TIM, as it was known back then - each 5pm to ensure that the pub was on the right time.
The lounge featured a fish tank populated by angel fish; the downstairs public bar had a ‘men only’ area, with stools arranged around the bar. A three-course meal could be served, for three shillings and threepence. The whiskies on offer included Lang’s Old Scotch Whisky and Crawford’s. At one point in the interview, Maisie told her boss, Mrs Boyle: “That’s another order for chocolate liqueurs.” The female reporter wondered aloud if this was a “seasonal palliative to soothe the wrath of the little woman waiting at home?” Not really, Maisie explained, but most men were in the habit of taking miniatures home with them - Drambuie, cherry brandy, gin, whisky.
According to the Old Glasgow Pubs website, Bell’s Bar was demolished when a motorway was built in the area in the early 1970s.
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