This three-storey B-listed building at 47 South Street in Perth became home to several classic boozers.
It was built around 1835 and, like many beer houses, it began life as a shop.
Robert Duncanson the butcher took over in 1857.
He began selling “meat of prime quality and on the most reasonable terms”.
Number 47 was next to the Stormont Arms Hotel.
A wallpaper shop was there for a time before the South Street Dairy opened in 1870 with fresh milk and regular supply of “fresh butter of the highest quality”.
Monday was music night at the Cellar Bar
Dr Paul S Philippou, who runs Perth-based Tippermuir Books, is the founder and editor of a local history website.
He has written extensively on the history of the Fair City.
Dr Philippou delved into the history of the pubs which occupied 47 South Street.
“Built around 1835, this three-storey B-listed building was, in the 1970s and 1980s, home to several classic pubs,” he said.
“The Cellar Bar opened around 1967.
“Monday night was music night.
“An advert for January 20 announced the line-up that night was “Hairy” Les Honeyman, who was a Perth music legend and Wandering Minstrel Pete McQueen.
“I have spoken to those who had their first pint in the Cellar Bar and even heard David Bowie for the first time through the resident DJ, Gary Stagg.”
The Cellar Bar was surprisingly kind on the wallet.
It was still going strong in 1976, running a Saturday lunchtime, and evening disco.
A pint of lager was 32p.
DJ Gary Stagg would play whole albums
Esteemed songwriter and Perth bluesman Ian McLaren, formerly of Wang Dang Delta, recalled going to the pub in the 1970s.
It was jammed full of hippies, artists, intellectuals and, later, punks.
“You’d go downstairs and listen to Gary Stagg of Aardvark Entertainments play under the stairs,” he said.
“His motto was: Aardvark never hurt anyone.
“It was a real hippy place in those days and Gary would play whole albums.
“You’d maybe get 30 people in there, which was fine until punk hit.
“Then it was a real squash.”
Ian recalled seeing Perth’s punk prodigies The Trendies there in 1977.
The band were a regular feature on the Tayside punk scene before moving to London in search of a record deal that never happened.
Checkmate when Perth pub became Castle Bar
The punk scene gave way to more fabric, more make up, more hairspray and bands like Culture Club, Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet in the 1980s.
Dr Philippou said the pub had many names during its colourful history and continued to be a great venue for live music after it became The Cavern.
Bar lunches were popular.
Proprietor in 1983 was Margaret Gordon.
The pub became the Castle Bar, resplendent with chess piece imagery.
Lunchtime fayre included “sizzling scampi or succulent steak pie”.
Local historian Ken Bruce found advertising from 1986 detailing the variety of musical entertainment on offer at the Castle Bar.
Wednesday evening?
Let Bill Moran add a touch of class to your evening.
Thursday evening was “your choice of music and pop quizzes”, while Saturday night promised “dynamite chart sounds” to get the party started.
Sunday evening was “sing along with Spider”.
Former Twa Tams joint owner George “Spike” Craik, whose father, also George, was one of the founders of the Tams, another legendary Perth music venue.
He recalled Spider subsequently serving pints in west London, an area where a lot of former Perth folk gravitated to in the 1980s and 1990s.
Troupers Bar after makeover in 1989
By 1989, 47 South Street had become Troupers Bar after being taken over by John Ward and given a complete refurbishment by the new owner.
He said: “My wife and I wanted to totally change the image of the place, and have a completely new beginning.
“We want it simply to be a good, friendly pub where couples, old or young, or families, too, feel comfortable to sit and have a drink.
“We’re not trying to appeal to any particular ‘set’ – we hope to have a very mixed clientele, where anyone can feel they belong.”
The lounge on the ground floor was completely refurbished.
The colour scheme was grey with blue velour seating.
A large plate glass window on to South Street provided natural light.
Downstairs, the old basement bar remained, but was redecorated and became a games bar with pool, darts and dominoes.
The basement was also available for hire for private functions like engagement parties.
The Perthshire Advertiser said: “The new owners are well aware of the importance of pub food, particularly in such a central position, and on the first floor, adjacent to the dining-room, Troupers has a new, purpose-built kitchen, and also a brand new ladies’ toilet.
“The dining-room itself, with its cool, ice-pink walls and pale wooden tables, is a relaxed, pretty setting, where lunches are served daily between 12-2pm.
A three-course meal at Troupers was £4
“Troupers’ bar lunch menu offers a tasty, traditional selection of Scottish fare, with favourites such as scampi, haddock, steak pie and salads.
“Each course is priced separately, to suit all sizes of appetite, and a good three-course meal at around £4 must be one of the best lunch-time bargains around.
“Realising also that most couples are not always in ready agreement as to when is the best time to ‘go for a pint’, Troupers are happy to serve teas and coffees at any time, as well as the cooler refreshments, and bar snacks are also available.”
Troupers was open from 11am to 11pm from Monday to Saturday.
But nothing lasts forever.
Last orders were called in 1994 and 47 South Street became home to the first Turkish restaurant in Perthshire.
High Port opened on April 11 offering special Turkish dishes cooked by charcoal grill.
The lunch menu included shish and chicken kebabs with rice and salad at £3.50.
St Johnstone player Attila Sekerlioglu was a regular.
He took some of his team-mates to the restaurant and they loved every minute of it.
Sekerlioglu said: “Everyone seemed to enjoy the food”
Belly dancing was on the menu in 1996
In December 1996 the dining offering included a Christmas Eve and Hogmanay set menu at £20 per person with belly dancers providing entertainment.
The building was latterly Excel Wines.
Dr Philippou said: “In recent years it has been a wine and spirit dealer, now closed, and prior to that was used as a restaurant, South Bistro and the High Port Restaurant being two manifestations.
“Speaking to those who visited the establishments in the 1970s and 1980s, it is clear that there were some classic pubs in this spot.
“The memories linger among folk of a certain age.”
Conversation