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Past Times

These Arbroath pub landlords were the best bar none in 1978

Meet some of the publicans who were pulling pints and serving up chicken in a basket to punters in Arbroath boozers in 1978.
Graeme Strachan
a photo montage showing three Arbroath pub landlords
Maurice Maitland, Alan and Betty Howie were behind the bar in 1978. Image: Supplied.

Meet the landlords who were behind the bar at Arbroath pubs in 1978.

The pub scene in Arbroath was thriving during the decade that gave us glam rock, disco, cheesecloth shirts, flared jeans and Roger Moore as James Bond.

Where would you have gone?

Maybe you would have enjoyed a pint of Harp Lager in the Portcullis.

Feeling peckish?

You could wash the lager down with the Porty’s famous “Cheesebeanozs”.

More on that later.

Maybe you would have chosen a hamburger with your pint of Diamond Heavy in the Central Bar, where drinkers were greeted with “courtesy, warmth and goodwill”.

Pubs were open from 11am to 2.30pm and 6.30pm to 11pm.

They were also open on a Sunday following a change to licensing laws in 1977.

The Sporting Post produced a weekly feature in 1978 called Mine Host, giving the public the chance to get to know some of the publicans in “Arbroath and District”.

Some of these faces will be familiar to a generation of drinkers.

Who was pulling the pints in your local in 1978?


Auchmithie Hotel

a black and white picture of Jimmy Watt and Margaret Crichton behind the bar in 1978.
Jimmy Watt and Margaret Crichton in 1978. Image: DC Thomson.

Dundonian Jimmy Watt and Margaret Crighton were running the Auchmithie Hotel.

The couple took over in 1977 and were “improving upon the already high standards”.

The Sporting Post said it was like a “home from home” for members of the fishing community with murals of the Bell Rock Lighthouse and Auchmithie Harbour.

Jimmy was not your average publican.

He became mine host after running an electrical business at the Lorne Street Market in Dundee, which would pull in thousands of customers every weekend.

The Auchmithie Hotel made a name for itself in “dining out circles” with delicious meals on the menu including salads, “succulent steaks”, chicken and gammon steaks.

Chicken in a basket was popular at lunchtime from 12pm-2pm.

a newspaper ad for the Auchmithie Hotel detailing opening hours
What was happening in 1978? Image: DC Thomson.

There was live entertainment every weekend.

Live bands played “almost every night of the week” during the summer.

Jimmy said he wanted the Auchmithie Hotel to make its mark as one of the area’s best spots for live entertainment and planned to “move into the cabaret scene”.

“We find we get a lot of Americans and Canadians here,” said Jimmy.

“And almost anything Scottish is to their liking.

“I feel cabaret performances by artistes like the Tartan Lads and the Alexander Brothers would go down well not only with the visitors but with the locals too.”

Central Bar

Helen Maitland and son Maurice behind the bar at the Central Bar in 1978
Helen Maitland and son Maurice in 1978. Image: DC Thomson.

Maurice Maitland and mum Helen were joint owners of the Central Bar.

The boozer in Brothock Bridge was “one of the town‘s most popular hostelries”.

The Sporting Post said the Central Bar was “aptly named because of its close proximity to the main shopping thoroughfare and the fishing community”.

It had been in the ownership of the Maitland family since 1961.

The pub moved along the road to its present site in November 1969.

The old Central Bar was knocked down to make way for the dual carriageway.

Limited space in the new pub meant no live music.

Cassette tapes were played in the background.

Regulars enjoyed playing darts and dominoes in the bar.

Arbroath pub landlords Maurice and Elizabeth Maitland at the Central Bar
Maurice and Elizabeth Maitland at the Central Bar. Image: Supplied.

Bar snacks were popular.

They were prepared by Maurice’s wife, Elizabeth.

Sandwiches and rolls could be “heated or toasted in a matter of minutes”.

Hot pies and hamburgers are also available.

The customers were drawn from “all walks of life and all age groups” and “everyone can be sure of being greeted with the same courtesy, warmth and goodwill”.

Men who were “central figures” since its very early days were still regulars.

Royal Marines from Condor almost regarded the Central “as their second base”.

Commercial Inn

a black and white picture of Alan and Betty Howie outside in 1978.
Alan and Betty Howie in 1978. Image: DC Thomson.

Alan and Betty Howie were behind the bar at the Commercial Inn.

Aberdonian Alan was a former member of the RAF.

He worked at Aberdeen’s Robert Gordon’s College and a paper mill before entering the licensed trade in 1963 “because it was something I’d always fancied”.

He joined Ushers brewery as a trainee manager in the Rat Cellar in Aberdeen.

Alan graduated to relief supervisor with the firm in the city.

He left Ushers after three years.

Alan and Betty took over the Spittal of Glenshee Hotel.

“We enjoyed three very severe winters up there including one weekend when dozens of motorists were caught up by a blizzard and stranded up the glen,” said Alan.

“We could normally cater for about 80 people but that night we had 150 people camping wherever they could find a spot in the hotel.”

Alan and Betty Howie. She is holding flowers and he is holding a gift of a quaich in a box
Alan and Betty Howie were hugely popular figures. Image: Supplied.

They moved back to Aberdeen to run the Bon Accord Hotel.

In 1971 they bought the Commercial Inn at Old Shore Head from Doug Taylor.

The pub enjoyed a “fine reputation for hospitality” under their ownership.

In 1977 they opened the Copper Canopy Lounge Bar.

It was named after the large copper canopy over the centrally placed fire and “singalong sessions” with organist Elizabeth Miller were popular.

There were 22 RAF plaques on the walls.

The couple’s daughter, Gillian, was Britain’s youngest qualified solo pilot.

Alan was a former district councillor for Arbroath.

The Portcullis

Arbroath pub landlords Ian and Rhoida McGrouther behind the bar in 1978.
Ian and Rhoida McGrouther behind the bar in 1978. Image: DC Thomson.

Ian and Rhoida McGrouther were owners of the Portcullis.

The Porty in Conon Terrace was Arbroath’s largest pub in 1978.

Ian and Rhoida were aiming to “make it the best as well as the biggest”.

They had taken over in November 1977 and made “several major changes”.

The selection of meals and drinks on offer was “increased considerably”.

The two lounges were redecorated.

Ian was a draughtsman by profession and incorporated many of his own ideas in the refurbishment, which was described as tasteful and imaginative.

The Moat Lounge hosted discos and live music throughout the summer.

There were red, white and blue spotlights on the ceiling.

Pine panelling and bare red brickwork provided “contrasting shades” on the walls.

“Another important factor is the atmosphere,” said Ian.

“We inherited a good regular custom when we took over.

“The atmosphere here is far better now.”

An advert promoting the refurbishment at The Portcullis pub in Arbroath
An advert for the refurbishment. Image: DC Thomson.

The theme in the Camelot Lounge was medieval weapons.

They adorned the wall above the bar and around the seated area.

Both lounges overlooked the spacious beer garden, which could seat up to 30 customers and was complete with an ornamental fish pond.

The bar offered darts and dominoes.

What was on the menu in 1978?

The menu ranged from “toasted snacks to quickly prepared soups and meals”.

Ian and Rhoida were “always on the lookout for something new”.

The latest attempt to “try to be different” in 1978 was the “Cheesebeanozs”.

It was “beans on toast topped with grilled cheese”.

The feature highlighted the pub’s “vast acreage”, which had apparently seen it become known locally “as The Ponderosa, after the TV Western ranch” in Bonanza.

There were so many pubs to visit in 1978.

So which boozer would you have decided to go to?

Conversation