DUNDEE TROPHY CENTRE - HILLTOWN

I take it this is the same Frank Gilfeather who is the ex boxing champ, journalist, TV host, futba pundit, playwright and author.
If so, this ad for his Dundee Trophy Centre shop up the Hulltoon is dated 1981.

FANCY A DIP?

On a chilly Spring evening in the Ferry, sometime in the early 70's, my brother snapped this guy nonchalantly walking along the water's edge going away for a swim with his specs on!

THE 2ND DUNDEE MARATHON - 1984

Here's 3 great shots capturing some of the masses who ventured down to the city centre to cheer on the runners taking part in the 2nd Dundee Marathon on 29th April 1984.
The top image is the City Square which was used as a base-camp during the event. I don't know who the band is, but I'm sure someone will be able to fill in the details on that. What I can tell you though is that the yellow poster in the background is for Cannon & Ball who were appearing at the Caird Hall the following week.
Middle picture is a view along the Nethergate towards the finish line.
The bottom photo is of Don MacGregor, the ex Olympic athlete who won the Dundee Marathon for the 2nd year running! (couldn't resist that wee pun!)
If you want to have a nose around the crowds to see if you can spot someone you know, just give them a click to enlarge.
Photos by Neale Elder.

3 DUNDEE DRINK ADS

Well I couldn't end the recent retro pub crawl without giving a wee shout to the delights of O.V.D. who are still on the go, with the ad on top dated 1974, just a year before I started boozing. Never touched the crude oil myself mind you, but my mum has been drinking O.V.D. for decades and continues to indulge to this day!

The middle ad is from 1981 and is for Scottish Brewers when they had premises in Smeaton Road.

Finally, another ad from 1981, this time for a place I know nothing about - Blackness Wines - who supplied wines locally. I don't think there was an actual brand called Blackness Wine though. Can't say I saw any vineyards up Westport anyway!

And so that's enough alcohol related items for now.

Time to sober up and get fit!

HAWKHILL BREWERS - MID 80'S

Hawkhill Brewers in Mid Wynd was a very short-lived business that started up in 1983 by Bob Welch and partners.
Bob was a home-brew enthusiast who used to make Buddon Ale in his garage. So the next step was to get himself proper brewing premises and start filling barrels with his own recipe's.
Hawkhill Brewers main ale was Old Bally (you may recall The Scout changed it's name to Bally's in 1983). They also produced 2 others, a beer called Witch's Brew and another alcoholic treat called Rocket Ale, a drink that was aptly named, because it was so strong it sent you into orbit!
Unfortunately, Hawkhill Brewers couldn't compete with the big dominant companies, and the place closed down just after 2 years in biz, in 1985.
Photo by John Alexander.

JACK DANIEL'S AD - 1984

Many of you will recognise Jack Daniel's logo in this ad from 1984, as it used to be imprinted on the window of the pub and dotted around the interior.
A pub I used to visit, but mostly as a daytime drinking den rather than when in full flow at night.
You can catch a glimpse of the outside of the pub in a photo of Whitehall Crescent I have in the November 2008 archives.

GENNAS - GELLATLY STREET - 1980'S

Can't say I was a regular at Gennas in Gellatly Street, but I do remember popping along there from time to time on Thursday's, and reading again this 1984 advert above, now I realise why - it was half price night!

The place was on the same lines as Da Vinci's - bar downstairs, dancefloor upstairs.

Someone who chose to have their 21st at Gennas was Craig Methven. That's his original ticket from 1981.

Many of those who got a ticket were involved in the local music scene, so in attendance were the likes of Ricky Ross, one of the McGlone's, Mike Kane, Jock Ferguson, Drew Ramsay, various members of Street Level, Alien Culture, Megazones, The Grip, Scrotum Poles, The Hurricanes, and of course a few friends and family members.

Cranked Up fanzine gave the party a mention too, which is where the other items above are taken from. It reported that one of the local bands seen in the crowd was Gypsy Joe & The High Cheekers. Not being familiar with this act, I asked Craig who they were - and he doesn't know either! Celeb gatecrashers!!

Also in Cranked Up, it mentions a bit about the....er....strange gifts Craig received. My fave is the Popeye Bop Bag!

And what better way to end an evening of intermingling with the local alternative scene, than having the last record be "Atmosphere".

That would be the Joy Division one...not Russ Abbot's!

Big thanks to Craig.

UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS - 1981

Broughty Ferry wanted a piece of the action, live band action that is, and so Upstairs Downstairs cropped up on the scene to provide such a venue.
I have no images or ads of their place in Erskine Street, but I do have these 2 articles from a 1981 Cranked Up.
Top piece is a short review of Upstairs Downstairs, describing the sewing machine tables they had.
The one below it tells of the time The Grip played there, and in particular the moment the van carrying the band's gear crashed into the canopy above the main door!
Luckily the landlord wasn't there to witness it!!
You should be able to read it ok as it is, but if you're struggling, just click it to get the large version.

BROOKES INTERIOR - 1980

I already have a photo on Retro of the outside of Brookes in the Ferry, that you can track down in the January 2009 archive.
I mentioned then that we used to gather in this pub on Sunday evenings for a couple of pints before nipping along to The Sands for the rest of the night.
This 1980 photo, however, is the other side of the pub to where we hung out. The bar in shot would be where you'd end up if you went through the door on the left. Us lot used the door on the right which lead to a roomier lounge, which you can just catch a glimpse of through the counter in the picture.
Photo by DC Thomson.

FAT SAM'S DINER - LATE 80'S

Top picture is Alison Burns, Derek Thomson and co tucking into their grub at Fat Sam's Diner around the late 80's.
The other picture is a general shot of Fatties Diner & Cocktail Bar area from the same era, with a bit of entertainment thrown in.
I don't know who the duo are, so if anyone can identify the act, or even spot someone they know in the crowd, feel free to pass it on.
Photos by The Bear.

BETT INNS AD - 1987

Another ad featuring a few more local pubs. This time all belonging to Bett Inns and dated 1987.
In my day, The Occidental used to be more popular with Douglas guys than with Ferry folk. It may not be like that now though.

TENNENTS PUBS AD - 1979

You may be able to spot some of your old haunts in this Tennents Caledonian ad from 1979.
Most of the pubs named, I have no material on - no photo's, no ads - so won't be able to do an individual feature on them.
If you want to give any pubs on the list a mention, feel free to have a wee blether about them in the comments.
I thought the Golden Pheasant was a Chinese take-away!
Just goes to show you can't always rely on your own memory!

THE HAWTHORN - LATE 80'S

This was the moment The Hawthorn's roots were wiped out forever.
Did they shout "TIMBER"?
With it went the other pub in shot on the corner of Victoria Road, the Top O' The Steps.
All gone!
Photos by The Bear.

THE HAWTHORN - EARLY 80'S

This image at the fut o' the Hull was taken on 3rd July 1982.
On it, tucked away bottom right of the picture wearing the Sunderland strip is, The Hawthorn.
For some reason, this pub seemed to suffer an arboreal identity crisis, because during it's history at this spot - 5 Hilltown - it has been called The Rowan Tree, then it became The Maple Leaf, before it eventually settled for The Hawthorn.
The various transitions of the pub's family tree, however, came to an end just a few years later...as you'll see in the next batch of photos!
Photo by Neale Elder.

OLD BANK BAR - MURRAYGATE - 1960'S

Before the Old Bank Bar opened in Reform Street in the 80's, there was another one in town who had been doing business a couple of decades earlier - the Old Bank Bar at 25-27 Murraygate - the original, and a place that goes back to at least the 1940's.
Although the pub's main door was on the Murraygate, there was another side door down the True Rest pendie which took you into another part of the pub - The Clan Lounge.
The Old Bank Bar was also well known for it's seafood dishes.
The picture dates from around the mid 60's, and the pub eventually closed down in 1968.
While I'm at it, I'd be as well to mention the shop next door in the image - at #29 Murraygate was Paul & Matthew, a stationers. The wee slogan they used in adverts and had on the shop front was - "The Pen People".
Photo by DC Thomson.

CHEQUERS ADVERTS - MID 80'S

Top ad is from 1984, and the ad below it is dated 1986.

So, we used to go to Chequers quite regularly in the early/mid 80's era, but I can recall one evening we didn't get in.

Sometime in the early 80's there was this do up at the Silver Cage or someplace like that - and it was a "Punk and Tarts" themed fancy dress night. We all got togged up, me with pink spiky hair, chains & safety pins, slashed t-shirt with slogans, the works, and off we went around all our regular pubs in the city centre first before heading up to the party. It was all a good laugh until we reached Chequers and the guy on the door said "You can't come in like that".

Thinking he was joking we said "It's us"

Him "You're not getting in"

Us "It's only fancy dress"

Him "I'm not letting you in dressed like that"

Us "We're here every week"

Him "Can't allow you in here"

So despite us being Chequers customers, we had the door slammed in our face!

We got a good laugh about it afterwards mind you when normal service was restored on our next visit.!

THE NELSON - ANN STREET - 80'S

The Nelson in Ann Street was a pub I knew of by name only - it wasn't one I've been in.

This picture of it, looking down Nelson Street, would have been taken around about the same time as the ad which is dated 1987, when Bobbie Glennie was the host with the most!
Nelson himself may have been victorious in his campaigns, but for The Nelson it was a losing battle. Along came the Dundee bulldozers and the little watering-hole on the corner sank without trace!
Photo by The Bear.

ABOUT THE SCOUT

There are 2 images of The Scout up on Retro already, but this one here is my favourite.
Taken in 1980, it shows what a weather beaten, run down, lived in, messed up gem of a drinking den it was.
Lifestyle designers would have charged a fortune in the 1990's to fake a distressed look as good as this!
The Scout was the real thing though, and delighted to say it was just as naturally shabby on the inside.
Hard to believe young boozers would queue up at weekends to get into a place that looked like this, but they did, with the queue often going around the corner into the Hackie. There they would be, waiting for a couple of people to leave the joint so's another couple could squeeze inside.
It was a pub where you could comfortably let yourself go, act daft, muck about, and nobody would give a hoot. In fact, the bar staff clearly encouraged craziness, and not only would they join in, they'd often be the ones to spark the madness off.
In the height of summer they'd keep the door wide open to try get some ventilation in the place but it never worked and everybody would be dripping in sweat!
George Thorogood would be blasting full volume out the PA, and they had their well known cartoon "Happiness is a life debauched" on the wall beside the bog!
Always a great laugh to be had there - you just had to keep going back for more!
You couldn't fake it..!!
Photo by DC Thomson.

GLEN LYON AD - 1968

I used to pass this place regularly in the 60's when I was a schoolboy, because it was on the #13 bus route, that being the bus I jumped on to visit my grandparents.
The Glen Lyon was located at 231 Clepington Road to be precise, and the ad is dated 1968.
By the time I reached drinking age in the mid 70's, it had changed to The Ambassador, so I never did get a wee keek inside it!
Now it's The Centenary Bar.

BURNT BREAD! - 1980'S

Here's what happened one day when The Bothy frazzled their toasties!

The Bothy, up the Conshie, was also called The Bread, a shortened version of it's posher name, The Breadalbane Arms.

Some people also called it The Howff, and you can see The Howff's name in the pictures - the Howff being the restaurant part of the establishment.

The fire, which started in the kitchen, took place on 27 January 1987.

Although the blaze caused around £300,000 damage, it did reopen again way later. It was renamed The Bread and the exterior repainted bright yellow.

Tell you what, all this smoke is making me feel a bit parched.

Oh eh ken - time for another retro pub craw, starting tomorrowl!

Photos by The Bear.

VIEW FROM MONTGOMERIE SQUARE - 70'S

The map is to help you out with the area mentioned in this item.

Montgomerie Square was located on the Kingsway in a patch of ground between Milton Of Craigie Road and Longtown Road.
There used to be a huddle of old prefabs there in the 60's that were still lived in, but by the time they reached the early 70's, they had all disappeared.
The photo above was taken in the mid 70's and you can just make out the remains of one of the corners of Montgomerie Square in amongst the wild growth (bottom left).
The main focus of attention is the Kingsway East Fire Station which was built in 1972.
Sandwiched in the middle of the shot is the car park used by Timex employees - but later in the 70's, Timex extended the car park further up and in doing so, covered up the grassy area above with tarmac.
So now Montgomerie Square has been lost forever in the mists of time(x)!

DISCOVERY'S TEMPORARY HOME - 1986

This shot was taken on the 4th April 1986, the day after the Discovery had arrived back to Tayside and still wearing it's "Home to Dundee" banner.

The Victoria Dock here became it's temporary home until it was moved into it's now more familiar position on the waterfront.

You won't need me to remind you the name of the other ship in the foreground!

Photo by Neale Elder.

DISCOVERY - BACK HOME - 1986

This was the scene down at the docks exactly 25 years ago today - 3rd April 1986 - the moment the Discovery came back home to Dundee.

The Discovery hitched a lift inside the other vessel in shot - Happy Mariner - then after a few days sail from London, was removed like a Russian doll and placed back into the Tay where it had first originated.

The photos are more or less in "time" order, starting at the top, so those of you who weren't present at the unpacking, as it were, you can conjure up the sequence from the images.

And if it puts you in the mood, you could always backtrack to Retro's March 2010 archives and listen to the Lowland Folk, who recorded a song about this very occasion.

I can see a guy with a TV camera in the crowd, which reminded me that not only did it make the local news, the event also cropped up on national telly.

Kids tv show, Blue Peter, broadcast a feature about the Discovery on 24 April 1986, with host, Simon Groom, who followed the ships progress from London to Dundee.

Photos by The Bear.  

SOME 60'S SILLINESS

Some of you may recognise the top image, published in the Peoples Journal in 1968.

It's 2 separate signs that were on a lampie in the city square which became amusing when you read them as one.

The other photo you'll not have seen before because it's an old family snap of ours from the 60's.

This is my cousin, Alex, posing before a game of futba down at Riverside.

Nothing special about it really, a very ordinary kind of picture, unless you count his large looking boots.

Check out his team mate standing behind him though - he's wearing a Trilby!

The FA have recently decided to ban snoods, so surely they'd have to clamp down hard on this offence too!

Unless he was a trialist from Luton!

Anyway, if the guy in shot is still out there, this will be the first time he's seen the picture.

THE 70'S LEMON TREE PRANK

In the mid 70's, someone came up with the bright idea of attaching plastic Jif lemons to a tree in the landscaped garden area next to the Tay Road Bridge.
A few folk I've spoken to have a hazy memory of it, but none of us can remember if the idea behind it in the first place was an April Fool stunt, or if it was just a general practical joke.
If it was supposed to be an April Fool then it went way beyond it's one day of glory, because the plastic lemons remained there for a few years.
A photo of it did appear in the local papers, so maybe it started off originally as an April Fool played on us by DC Thomson's.
Anyone know a bit more about it?