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Dating from 1870, this Victorian pub is recognised by CAMRA as having a nationally important interior which includes Scotland's longest bar. The real ales, from a wide selection of breweries, can be found halfway down the bar on the left side. Close to Central station and the main bus routes the pub can be very busy in the evenings and at weekends. Above the bar there is a lounge/diner where children are welcome until the evenings when karaoke can take over.
Three star - A pub interior of outstanding national historic importance
Listed status: A
Very much a Glasgow institution, the Horse Shoe is one of the finest examples of Scotland’s Victorian island-bar pubs and is famed in particular for its enormously long bar counter.
The pub was built in 1870 and remodelled in 1885–7 by publican John Scouller, then again in 1901, when the partitions between sitting rooms and the bar were removed. The horseshoe motif is said to derive from the fact that Scouller was a keen equestrian. At just over 104 ft round the outer circumference, the counter is the second longest in the UK after the Falcon at Clapham Junction, London, which weighs in at a mighty 125ft. The initials ‘JYW’ in glazed screens on the counter and elsewhere refer to John Young Whyte, who succeeded Scouller in 1923. The main island gantry includes eight spirit casks ends on their sides (used until the 1930s) with, unusually, two taps in each. There is a second, small circular gantry with a marble shelf but its top seems modern. On the side walls are two horseshoe-shaped fireplaces: the similar features on the rear wall seem to have always been just ornamental. At the front, a clock has the twelve letters of ‘The Horse Shoe’ instead of numbers. The panelled walls have large bell-pushes towards the rear, mostly set in decorative panels. The skylight at the rear right was added in 1985. Listing upgraded to A in 2008 as a result of survey work by CAMRA.
One of the finest examples of the island bar, open-plan pubs of Scotland. It has the second longest continuous bar counter in the UK measuring 31.8 m on the outer circumference, as opposed to the 32.6 m at the Falcon, Battersea, London SW11. Built in 1870 and remodelled in 1885-7 by John Scouller and again in 1901, when the partitions between sitting rooms and the bar were removed. The elongated horseshoe-shaped bar counter was also extended at the rear. The initials JYW in small, etched glazed screens on the counter refer to John Young Whyte who succeeded Scouller in 1923. The island gantry includes eight end-on casks with, unusually, two taps in each (cf the Central Bar, Renton): until the 1930s, they were used to dispense spirits, including the house specialty 'Lachie', a ten-year-old blend of Highland malt whiskies.
On the side walls there are two horseshoe-shaped fireplaces: the similar features on the back wall are ornamental rather than fireplaces. At the front is a clock with the letters 'The Horseshoe' instead of numbers. The wooden-panelled walls with decorative strap-work at the top have large bell-pushes, mostly in decorative panels around the room. At the front are two good stained glass windows screens and two large mirrors, one with 'JYW' and the other advertising 'Lachie' whisky. The upstairs lounge with modern fittings is a popular venue for karaoke from 8pm each evening and 4pm on Sundays.
This Pub serves 4 changing beers and 0 regular beers.
Horse Shoe, Glasgow
Changing beers typically include: Stewart - Jack Back , Timothy Taylor - Landlord
Source: National
Sports TV
Lunchtime Meals
Evening Meals
Family Friendly
Disabled Access
Events
Separate Bar
Wi Fi
Real Ale
Real Heritage Pub
Introduction This guide describes the 116 pubs identified by CAMRA as having interiors of national or regional historic or architectural importance, plus a further 24 whose interiors are of some regional interest. Scotland has over 4000 pubs so why do...
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