Crosslands

TRAINSPOTTING WOZ ERE, '95.

With that piece of movie trivia out the way (and y'all knew anyway) let me tell you a bit about Crosslands. It's got a heart of gold!

It may have a rough and ready rep, but over the years it has blossomed into a trendy bar in a beautiful old church building that is suitable for small events and gatherings. A mixed crowd comes to Crosslands, and locals generally stick to the lower level near the bar while family bashes and birthday celebrations take place on the well kept mezzanine.

They have a decent selection of booze and a good karaoke night run by one of the friendliest DJ's in the district. There is a good atmosphere and friendly vibe that runs through the place like a gentle current.

My mum had her surprise 50th birthday party in here. Filled with the Tesco mob and friends, it was genuinely one of the best nights out I've had in my life! Such a good laugh and everyone was very merry! My mum was so merry that she, in fact, fell over towards the end of the night like a drunken fool ( I see where I get it from.)

So get Begbie out of your mind and get with the program - Crosslands is great.

Back when I moved in to the uni hall just up the road, a group of "dudes" from my block decided we should all go down to Crosslands cos like, it was in Trainspotting and stuff, so we could be like totally Glaswegian and ironic at the same time.

Given they were the most conspicuously middle class bunch ever to grace G12 with their parents' money, my fairly low embarrassment threshold ensured I didn't join them. It was years before I ever made the trip here, free of trustafarian companions.

I don't think Crosslands ever was actually a mentalist's watering hole, but if it ever was, a slow process of gentrification, that has carried through my fresh-faced early student days, has ensured it's now a popular neighbourhood bar. It caters well for the varied clientele in the quiet but pleasant surrounding area, and complements the surprisingly good shops on Queen Margaret Drive.

In bad news for jaundice sufferers, it's quite dark inside, but hardly cause for any major complaints.

This is the closest pub to my flat, for all intents and purposes, it's my new 'local' - that said, I'm not a regular. I think I've been in four times since early 2012 when I moved here.

This is one of those pubs that during the week and at the weekend are two entirely different experiences. During the week, it's okay for grabbing a pint and reading the paper. The two young guys who (I think) run it are friendly enough and the prices are decent.

At the weekend it's mad! There seems to be a lot of folk who go there to watch the football and take part in the painfully loud karaoke.

A nae nonsense, nae frills local. A pub that, on the whole is unremarkable.

So anyone who has ever heard of Crosslands knows that it featured in Trainspotting.

It's a quirky claim to fame and one that has attracted countless fans to the venue for a photo or 15 minutes in the faithful seat from which Begby unleashed his tumbler.

But it's been 13 years. And wisely, since coming under new management, the pub has made efforts to progress and become a popular watering hole for its own reasons.

While once a shrine to the event lined the staircase to the bar's mezzanine level, this has recently been replaced by a relatively inconspicuous plaque hidden in among several paintings. Two Partick Thistle strips now hang proudly on the back wall to appease the growing band of supporters who frequent the venue prior to matches at Firhill, while downstairs decor has brightened up to detract from the all-too-real Trainspotting feel that used to resonate.

What most people don't realise about Crosslands is that it's that rarest of gems in the West End - a local pub. There are no dress codes, no bouncers and no hassles. Owners are constantly thinking up innovative ways to keep customers coming by hosting events, such as halloween parties and Wii nights, and even since the new licensing laws have come into force they have stayed loyal to their punters by keeping prices at a highly reasonable 2.30 a pint from Monday to Thursday.

That said, when it comes to the summer months, despite efforts being made to allow more light to seep through, Crosslands still suffers from its unusual shape and location.

Resembling a small church and shoehorned inbetween Queen Margaret Drive's shops and the North Kelvinside pitches, on the brightest of sunny days the inside of the pub can still feel like the middle of winter and indeed, it can often take several minutes for your eyes to cope with the contrast in light upon exit.

Perhaps on days like this, it's better to, ahem, choose life.

Just so people know- this pub is not closed! I was there last night and it was bustling :)

This place is decent and i would give it a better review if it was a bit busier...but not that busier!

It's one of the better pubs up Maryhill way and yes, the Trainspotting connection is all true.

Give it a go if your in the area.

When I found out that this pub was used in Trainspotting I was intrigued. "What part of the movie was it in?" I asked my friend. "Oho," I replied. Yes this may have been the site that Danny Boyle thought would be a great a place to film a massive bar brawl and highlight just how mad Begbie really was.
When I went I was pleasantly surprised and I would have to say that it is quite clear that the pub was chosen for its second story overlooking the main bar rather than because it was a real dive. Drinks are really cheap, well compared to the average price in town, and staff are friendly and humour the people who have quite clearly pop in to see a 'famous' place.
The crowd is local and the people are really friendly. The guys that I went with could not resist and went upstairs to have their picture taken in the famous seat. Naturally the pub has tried to capitalise on its brief fame aka the signed pictures that adorn the stairs up to 'that' seat.

I wonder how Crosslands got its name. Perhaps it is because it is situated at the point in Queen Margaret Drive where the middle class West End crosses into the rougher Maryhill. The clientele reflects this; a mix of grimy old men who nurse their Tennents at the bar and Glasgow University students who stay at the nearby halls and prefer to sit upstairs.
The pub is undoubtedly best known for its cameo appearance in Trainspotting, the film that shot Ewan McGregor and Danny Boyle to fame. Remember the scene where Begbie throws his pint over the balcony and stars a riot? That's Crosslands.
However, the pub is not nearly as rough as it appears onscreen. Instead it is a very homely and cheap local, which can be hard to come across in the West End. Football is shown on the big screen as well as on a smaller television upstairs. The atmosphere is extremely passionate when an Old Firm team is playing which can be hard to take if you are a fan of the losing side.
A pub quiz is held on Thursday night with prizes for the first and second teams as well as cakes from Greggs for the booby prize winners which are handed out at the front of the pub, a walk of shame I myself have had to endure several times.
Friday night hosts karaoke which can be a real laugh to observe. Remember the mixed clientele I told you about earlier? Picture a 78 year old Maryhill man singing Backstreet Boys' "Backstreet's Back". And yes, this is something I did actually witness.