The Consort Hotel

10 Comments

1. 

   Douglas Anderson

   December 17, 2017 at 10:18 pm

   Interesting story Andrew. Does not seem the most likely position for a hotel and I can see why prople living around it would find it objectionable. You would think that if it was operating 40 odd years ago that details of its history would be available. I hope someone is able to respond with some facts . Thanks again for such an interesting post, even if it is a puzzler

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     Tom

     December 21, 2017 at 3:56 am

     Hi
     I now live in Strathbungo but remember very clearly that following my cousin’s funeral in May 1971 we went back to a hotel in Moray Place. However it was called the Tara Na Ri . It was an Irish funeral and I am sure the name was Irish Gaelic. I think it means “Hill of the Kings” (although I’m not sure of the significance in the Strathbungo context)

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       Douglas Robertson

       September 2, 2018 at 10:02 pm

       Hi,I remember the Hotel but cant say exactly where its position was in Moray Place. I am sure it was positioned quite a distance from Nithsdale road, probably near where the now dismantled Bridge that went over the Railway from Moray Place to Darnley Place. Darnley Place is the very short “street” with only 2 houses
       ie. main door Flats that lies between Darnley Road and Fotheringay Road.
       I do remember that the Hotel was painted in a bright colour (light blue.green) whic made it stand out from the other adjacent buildings. The Hotel had a large area at the front for parking. The parking area was off street and had originally been the front gardens of the 2 Properties that the had been altered to make the Hotel. A friend had his wedding reception in it in the late 1960s.

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2. 

   Christine Gibson

   February 11, 2019 at 11:42 am

   The Consort Hotel spanned 31 & 32 Moray Place but I don’t think it ever expanded further along the block unless they had overflow rooms in a separate house and I don’t recall many foreigners. It closed in the late 70’s and was converted into the seven flats that are there today and the plans can be viewed on request at the Mitchell Library. I grew up at 33, next door, and I remember that parked cars were damaged by, presumably, drunk drivers leaving the hotel. I don’t remember it being particularly noisy though we used to hear functions through the wall from our bedroom – freight trains ran through the night so it wasn’t a particularly quiet place to live in those days.
   I remember my father saying that a lot of footballers drank there, he knew because they all had personalised number plates and they drank past closing time.
   There was a rat problem in the back lane and a massive rat-hole under the holly tree at 33 but they were very well fed from the hotel bins and didn’t bother anyone else – a friend who lived on Vennard Gardens (her mother still does) remembered ‘rats the size of cats’!
   There is a post of a Herald clipping on Lost Glasgow that mainly lists bands playing at the Apollo but has half of an advert for The Consort. It boasts that The Consort had “Glasgow’s Largest… ” Largest what? I have no idea.
   An IRA arms cache was discovered at another house in the block, I’m sure if I trawled the microfiche at The Mitchell there would be more info…

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     Andrew Downie (Post author)

     February 11, 2019 at 10:39 pm

     I got the idea it was larger from the 1977 article (referenced, above), which lists it as extending from 27-32, but I may be wrong. Do you have a link to the Lost Glasgow post? Couldn’t find it.

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     Sharron learney

     November 16, 2020 at 8:03 pm

     Hi, I have just bought a flat at 31 Moray Place, and would be thrilled if anyone could tell me where I could find the original planes of the flat before the building was split up in to multiple flats.
     Sharron.

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       Andrew Downie (Post author)

       November 16, 2020 at 10:06 pm

       Best bet is the Mitchell Library. They have a (very old) searchable database on their PCs. I found my house conversion plans from the 1980s there, so you should have a good chance with any 1970s plans. They have limited visiting just now due to covid, and I think by appointment only. If you find any, I too would love to see them. And if you have any title deeds with your purchase I would love to see those too. They tell something of the history of the building, and I haven’t (I think) ever seen any from that building. Meanwhile also check out the address seach if you haven’t done so already. https://bygone.bungoblog.com/wp/address-search/
       Andrew

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3. 

   FRM.

   January 1, 2023 at 7:18 pm

   For what it’s worth I worked in The Consort Hotel for most of 1975. The owner had as I recall ‘showbiz’ connections as names such as Adam Faith & Leo Sayer were often made mention of. The Glasgow police (plain clothes) would drop by after hours for a few drinks and myself and my fellow bar staff would be asked if we would kindly stay on for the going rate of course and we were happy to oblige . My memories are thin but I remember the chef was very good he was of Irish heritage and I believe his name was Jude and one regular stood out a military looking gentleman who would sit at the bar most evenings dressed in khaki top and shorts drinking large Glenmorangie single malt whisky. I don’t remember any trouble with parking cars or loud customers.

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4. 

   Thomas O'Neill

   August 23, 2024 at 6:13 am

   I worked as a young barman in The Consort Hotel in the seventies – the owner was Harvey Davidson – Sundays were particularly busy as the hotel was licensed to sell alcohol throughout the day whereas the local pubs closed at 14.30 – I can confirm that the entertainer Leo Sayer often stayed here when he was gigging in The Apollo Theatre in Glasgow – the customers were mainly men of decent wealth imbibing in large gins or malt whisky

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     Andrew Downie (Post author)

     August 23, 2024 at 3:54 pm

     Thanks for this. A quick search suggests he owned this and the Dunkeld Hotel on Queens Drive (now known as the No 10 hotel), and he liked racehorses.

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