Built in around 1962 The Esquire House stands proudly on Glasgow’s Great Western Road. This Wetherspoon pub wasn’t always a pub. It replaced unoccupied land. Opposite stands the Ascot cinema. Now a bingo hall this imposing building is a listed structure.
The Esquire House is more than just a place to grab a pint. It’s a piece of Glasgow history. The pub sits on the city’s longest and straightest road. Great Western Road was originally a toll route in the 1800s. It opened up the West End suburbs. In 1891 a Victorian bridge was built nearby. The bridge displays the arms of Glasgow and Lanarkshire.
Nearby are echoes of notable figures. Sir William Burrell lived not far away on Great Western Terrace. His renowned art collection is in Pollock Park. A statue of Lord Kelvin a brilliant physicist and mathematician stands in Kelvingrove Park. He was a professor at Glasgow University for over 50 years. His inventions and discoveries are legendary. He proposed the Kelvin temperature scale based on absolute zero.
Further down the road is the Anniesland area. Some say its name comes from an inn used by shepherds centuries ago. Others believe it’s from ‘annual land’ rented by the Knights Templar. The nearby Foulis Street remembers the Foulis brothers. They were distinguished Glasgow University printers. They founded an Academy of Fine Arts. Their work was praised by James Boswell.
The Esquire House truly sits at the heart of a rich history. It’s a quiet observer of the Great Western Road’s evolution. The pub has witnessed the comings and goings of generations. It’s a place to relax and reflect. It’s a reminder of Glasgow’s enduring spirit. The Esquire House is more than a pub. It’s a story waiting to be discovered.