Tavern, Millport: Isle of Cumbrae

Don’t be put off by the 1960s exterior, this small locals pub was built in 1895 and retains its original fittings and old brewery mirrors, but has lost it off sales.

The bar counter has decorative brackets and coat hooks along the top which appears original. The gantry has lower shelving which looks original as does the lower part of the upper section with its decorative brackets; but some of the lower shelves have been lost to fridges. The top section of the gantry is a mixture of old and new with mirrors added 20 years ago. The whole room, including behind the gantry, has floor to ceiling panelling painted cream. Down the right hand side of the room are two 100 year old mirrors – a ‘Wm Whitelaw & Sons India Pale Ale’ by A McLaughlan & Co. Glasgow; and a ‘Knox’s India Pale Ale (Forth Brewery, Cambus’ by Forrest & Son, Glasgow. On the rear wall within the servery is a smaller ‘Aitken’s A Pale Ale’ mirror which has been sadly damaged (by the heat from the toaster says the landlord!).

Originally there was an off sales on the front left hand side of the pub but the partition separating it from the public bar was removed some 45 years ago, when the pub had a new frontage and the door was replaced by a window. You can see the counter on the far left side is different in style. The spittoon trough is still there around the base of the counter. The lounge at the rear was added some 20 years ago and is the venue for live music at weekends. Modern panelling in passage between the two bars and modernised toilets.