This postcard of the Speedwell Bar aka Mennies, highlights the fact that it is pretty irrelevant what era the photo was taken, the timeless interior of the pub has remained the same since it opened for biz back in the early 1900's. My era for visiting it was the late 70's to mid 80's period.
Using a University Challenge phrase, this was our "Starter For Ten" pub - not points, but pints - Mennies being the first in the Perth Road Pub Crawl, and 10 being the amount of pints we'd have sunk by the time we reached the Nethergate!
So although I've never spent an entire evening there, I do have cheery memories of the place for it launching many a Perth Road pilgrimage!
John Stewart used to run the Ladywell - after the Tayside Bar, punk bands favourite haunt....
ReplyDeleteahhh... I can just taste the Erdinger! Possibly THE best pub in Dundee.
ReplyDeleteWhat makes Mennies unique is the atmosphere and the mixture of punters. Students, auld men with dugs, poets, football fans, rugger-buggers, locals, musicians, auld women with dugs, professional types, crazies... you name it and you'll find them in Mennies.
Great place for watching the footie on a cold winter night... Although I must say that the Victorian era toilets have started to hum quite a bit recently!!!
Ah memories.Mrs Mennie who had the sort of face you would not want to take an opened pay packet home to on a Friday night. Mr.Mennie who wore the old style white barman's apron.
ReplyDeleteOnce, on a stag night in the side room, we were getting a bit boisterous and noisy and Mrs. Mennie came in to remonstrate. One wag invited her to get up on a table and "entertain"the boys. BAD mistake - exit us duly chastised with tails between legs.
The Speedwell must be the most overrated pub in Dundee, full of punters whose favourite line must be 'Are you local' ?. Try going in and watch the heads swivel. Folk are always saying that the pub has 'character' but that's just a term for the pub being a run down dirty establishment.
ReplyDeleteAnd you're right AlanStalin the toilets haven't been cleaned since the 1960's.
'Hole' is the term I'd use to describe Mennies
I think you're confused... surely you're talking about the Tay Bridge... Now that's a hole!
ReplyDeletewas there ever a german lady worked there known as "the hun at the till"
ReplyDeleteA pub to aviod unless you want to know how much some Arthur Daley types house is now (was) worth...
ReplyDeleteGood joke re. German lady. Was her name not Connie perhaps married to Mrs Mennies nephew ? Ian ? who took over after the Mennies retired. The other stalwart (who always seemed to be clad in tartan) was Ann.
ReplyDeleteI stand to be corrected on the above info but somebody out there might have the definitive answer.
Ian Thomson was the name of the nephew. He died shortly after inheriting the pub. His widow Connie, greatly disliked by Mrs Mennie, later married one of the regulars, a stalwart of Harris Academy FPs Rugby Club
DeleteYes, I remember Connie and her husband, Ian, who ran the bar in the late 1970's when I lived just around the corner, in Windsor Street.
ReplyDeleteThe photo is definitely timeless !
ReplyDeleteI once had a look around the cellars at Mennie's, they are vast, labyrinth type affairs, extending under many of the neighbouring properties in Perth Road; very interesting.
Have to disagree with "Anonymous" who slates the pub for being dirty etc. Jonathan Stewart (snr and jnr) both run excellent hostelries. The Fisherman's in the Ferry has not been on top form since they sold it to Belhaven - a testament to their skills in the hospitality trade.