The Breadalbane Arms was a melting pot of different personalities and one of the first Dundee pubs to serve food.
The Constitution Road watering hole was known as the Bread, the Bothy or the Howff.
In its heyday, the boozer was a favourite for writers, artists, bricklayers, banjo players and politicians, not to mention students, scaffies and schoolteachers.
The Bread was opposite the New Howff cemetery and its history as a pub went back to the 19th Century, though it went through periods without a licence.
William Berney purchased the pub in 1938.
He lived in Letham in Angus and was a special constable during the Second World War
Mr Berney was known for his kindness and generosity.
He used to park in St Roque’s Garage and bring eggs for the customers.
Dundee students loved the pub opposite the cemetery
Mr Berney sold the bar in 1956 to Jimmy Stirling as the low ceiling and smoky atmosphere harmed his health.
Dundee journalist Fraser Elder said the Bread was an early adopter of pub meals.
He also said the clientele in the 1960s included a future Hollywood actor.
The pub served great bar meals, like pie and beans and cheese and onion toasties.
“In the 1950s the tiny pub, mine-hosted by Jimmy Stirling, was adopted by students from the Art School and Technical College along with the School of Economics in Bell Street,” said Fraser.
“The favourite repast on a limited menu was a slice of veal, ham and egg pie with pickles washed down by lager and lime – all for less than two shillings!
“The Bread on the Conshie also became a haunt for actors and theatre staff from Dundee Rep, situated in Nicoll Street, along with members from the DC Thomson art departments in Meadowside and Bank Street.
Indiana Jones actor was a regular at the Bread
“Among the rising stars from the Rep to frequent the pub was American actor Paul Maxwell, himself a fine arts graduate, who first made an impact on US TV in the detective series Dragnet.
“After emigrating to the UK in 1960, he gained fame in 1967 in Coronation Street as Elsie Tanner’s first husband, Steve, and later on the big screen in Indiana Jones, The Pink Panther and A Bridge Too Far.
“Earlier, Hamilton-born Nicol Williamson had been a pub regular before heading to Hollywood and starring alongside fellow-Scot Sean Connery in Robin and Marian.
“In the 1960s, the Bread came of age with a restaurant extension aptly named The Howff, as it directly faced the Bell Street and Constitution Road graveyard.”
Which music acts were on the jukebox?
Retro Dundee blogger GG used to drink in the Bread in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
“I lived quite near to it back then so it was a place I used to go to quite a lot, but usually more midweek than weekends,” he said.
“It had a bit of a reputation for being a hippy hangout, and I suppose there was an element of truth in that.
“I do recall it had the likes of Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton on the jukebox.
“Although it was a more mature crowd than you’d find in the city centre pubs, I always found it a really cheery place.
“In fact, the humour veered towards satire most times.
“Politics and topical issues were discussed and mocked in equal measure.
“You would often see a copy of Private Eye magazine lying beside the Morning Star newspaper.
“That summed it up.”
Downstairs had a cosy main bar area and a back room.
Upstairs was a large lounge for live music.
Local musicians Michael Marra and Peter McGlone were regular visitors.
The Bread was popular with students, being next to Abertay University in Bell Street and down the hill from Dundee College on Constitution Road.
Massive fire engulfed Dundee pub in 1987
Disaster struck on January 27 1987.
A fire started in the kitchen and caused £350,000 of damage.
The Courier said: “Crowds gathered as firemen raced to the scene to battle with a blaze which gutted the entire five floor tenement building – the bottom two of which house the Breadalbane Arms, popularly known as The Bothy.
“By the time four fire brigade appliances and a hydraulic platform arrived at the Constitution Road pub the building was well alight.
“Flames licked from windows and smoke poured from every opening as windows cracked with the heat, clouds drifting across the city centre.
“The alarm was raised by two barmen who became aware of noise from the empty upper floor of the bar shortly after 2.30pm.”
Around a dozen people had been in the bar and were all safely evacuated.
The Courier said: “The blaze spread rapidly through the building and firemen had no chance of preventing it from gutting the entire tenement.
“Such was the ferocity of the fire that flames could still be seen at windows over an hour after firemen arrived.
“As smoke blew towards the rooms in which they were working, hundreds of students from the nearby College of Technology left that building and formed a large section of the crowds which watched.
“Onlookers climbed the floors of the Bell Street multi-storey car park opposite to gain vantage points.”
Do you remember when pub was yellow?
The evacuation of the pub brought an abrupt end to the celebrations of two Dundee College students.
Jean Santarossa and John Stenhouse were sharing their 27th birthdays when they heard a crackling sound and the celebrations stopped.
Jean left behind his cheque book and college notes.
“We’ll just have to find another pub, I suppose,” he said.
The Stirling family association with the pub ended after the fire.
It reopened in October 1989 after being bought by George Taylor of the Tally Ho Bar.
The exterior was repainted bright yellow.
“The fire completely ravaged the place, so it is impossible to recreate the interior faithfully,” said Mr Taylor.
“However, we’ll be doing our best to recreate the unique ambience that the Bread was famous for.”
He didn’t last long in the hot seat.
Closing time loomed for the Bread…
The Bread changed hands and was bought by the Alloa Brewery Company Limited in 1990 following the six-figure revamp.
Jim McGregor became the proprietor.
The Bread was always packed with students hanging out after class.
It was one of the first Dundee pubs to introduce a range of flavoured vodka.
On the menu in 1995 was mint, strawberry, citrus, raspberry, cherry, chocolate, white chocolate and even chilli pepper flavour.
The pub was given a makeover in 1997.
It was turned into Mr Qs sports bar and pool hall following a £200,000 redevelopment by the Alloa Brewing Company.
The Bread name returned under licensee Kenny Nicoll and it was a popular Dundee music venue before owners Trust Inns put it on the market.
The site came into the ownership of Abertay University in 2010, but closing time loomed.
No more pints were to be pulled or tall tales told.
The building was knocked down and the Bread was toast.
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