The pubs and landlords who were the heart and soul of Dundee's schemes in 1978

The Courier

03-06-2025

These Dundee landlords were pulling pints and calling last orders in the city's scheme pubs in 1978.
The faces behind the bar will be familiar to a generation of drinkers.
Local pubs have been the lifeblood of Dundee's housing estates for generations.
They brought new neighbours and strangers together.
Some of the boozers in 1978 included the Charleston Bar, the Claverhouse Bar, the Dolphin Bar in Fintry, the Planet in Lochee and The Rock in Menzieshill.
Many of these names can still be found today.
Some disappeared through the years.
A pint of lager cost 39p in 1978.
On tap you would have found the likes of Diamond Heavy, Harp Lager, Guinness, McEwan's Lager, McEwan's Export, Skol Lager and Tennent's Lager.
What was your tipple?
Pubs were open in Dundee from 11am to 2.30pm and 6.30pm to 11pm.
They were also open on a Sunday following a change to licensing laws.
The Sporting Post produced a weekly feature in 1978 called Mine Host, which gave the public the chance to get to know some of the publicans who were front of house.
So who was serving up drinks and conversation at your local?
Bill and Zena Wallace were running the Admiral Bar in Camperdown Road.
The couple took over the Ardler pub in 1974.
Bill ran the pub and Zena was in charge of the food.
The menu ranged from pie and chips to a full meal including steak.
The décor throughout the lounge and public bar was of a 'seafaring nature'.
Even the couple's Labrador puppy was called Nelson.
The 'most striking feature' was a ship's mast in the centre of the bar.
Lighting was provided by a row of ship's lanterns.
The lounge included a stage and room for dancing.
The Esplin family had been performing at the Admiral for 13 years.
They provided music and dancing.
Customers were encouraged to join in at all musical events.
Bill said it was the customers themselves who made up the character of the pub.
'Good customers make a good pub,' he said.
Tommy Martin was mine host of the Amber Lounge in Lochee High Street.
The footballer who played for Dundee, Dundee United, Forfar and Oxford United had turned his hand to a wide variety of careers after hanging up his boots.
These included being a driving instructor and clock importer.
He ran the adjacent Golden Egg restaurant and opened the pub in 1976.
'Former Dundee United boss Jerry Kerr suggested that I might consider opening up a pub in this development,' said Tommy.
'After some consideration, I realised it was a good idea.
'If you don't try something different, you'll never discover whether you'll be a success.
'The success of this, my latest venture, has been way above my expectations.'
Tommy suggested the 'subtly-decorated elegance of the lounge' created the atmosphere of a private club 'where people can relax and feel at ease'.
The Amber Lounge offered a comprehensive daily menu of 26 dishes.
Top price was £1 for sirloin steak.
Drinks were 25p during 6.30pm to 7.30pm happy hour.
It was an effort to attract customers earlier.
John McKenzie was serving at the Balmore Bar in Dura Street.
He had been there since 1977.
John started working in the licensed trade in 1942, before working for 20 years at the Dundee Caledon shipyard as a stager.
He left in 1968 and returned to bar work at the Nine Maidens and the Downfield Hotel before becoming a manager with Scottish and Newcastle.
John said the Stobswell boozer was one of the best he had worked at.
'It's basically a man's pub,' he said.
'Somewhere a chap can come for a good pint and a good blether.'
The Balmore had just started bar meals in 1978 and John said the main topic of discussion over lunch was Scotland's prospects in the World Cup.
The less said about that, the better…
The team that had been given an open-top bus tour before they even left, came home from Argentina to an empty airport after a debacle of a tournament.
Mine host at the Golden Pheasant in Ardler was John Conacher.
The advertising feature described the boozer as 'friendly, lively and novel'.
John and his wife Irene were relative newcomers to the licenced trade.
The couple spent seven years in South Africa where John worked in the building trade.
'The weather was great,' he said.
'There were many good things about the way of life out there.
'We left because of the political situation – and, after all, there's no place like home.'
They returned to Dundee and took over the Glengarry in August 1977.
Customers like to see the same faces and good service,' Dundee pub landlord Jeff Stewart.
It was John's brother, George, who suggested they start in pub management.
George was manager of The Gaiety.
They stayed three months at the Glengarry before moving to the Golden Pheasant.
The pub was known for its skittle alley in the basement in the 1960s.
Darts was now the main sport played in the pub.
The Lochee Darts Associated hosted many events in the basement.
A slimming club also used the lounge for afternoon exercise sessions.
Jeff Stewart was landlord at The Three Barrels in Strathmartine Road.
Jeff left Harris Academy and got a job in a lemonade factory, taking the tops off empty bottles, before serving his apprenticeship as an oil tanker navigator.
He gave up the sea after failing an eye test.
Despite having no family background in the licensed trade, he gained experience in several pubs, including the Occidental where he met his wife, Geraldine.
Scottish and Newcastle loaned him £9,000 to buy the Hilltown boozer in 1967.
Meals were served at lunchtime and in the evening.
Jeff was a football fan and he travelled to Argentina in a pair of Stewart tartan trousers in June 1978 to watch Scotland's ill-fated World Cup campaign.
It was a busy summer.
A games room was built and the public bar was extended in July 1978.
Two dart boards with electronic scoreboards and 10 tables for dominoes were added.
A patio opened where you could enjoy a drink in good weather.
Jeff's philosophy on running a good pub revolved around his staff.
'Customers like to see the same faces and good service,' he said.
'To get this you need happy and reliable staff.'
There were so many pubs to visit in 1978.
So which scheme boozer would you have decided to go to?