The Crystal Palace Visited

Photos

Local Area

Visited as part of a wee night out in Glasgow. The Crystal Palace is located at 36 Jamaica Street, Glasgow, reasonably close to Central Station, right where the mainline train tracks run over the river Clyde and into the station. Jamaica Street was created in 1763 during the peak of Glasgow's rum and sugar trade with the Caribbean. Before that the area was just open fields with a cart track. It's named after the island of Jamaica, the largest slave plantation island at the time, which ties into Glasgow's shadowy links to the transatlantic slave trade. The street became a key route leading south to the Glasgow Bridge over the Clyde and bustled with merchants and their ill-gotten gains.

The Pub

The pub building was built in 1855-56, designed by John Baird as Gardner's Warehouse, a furniture emporium. It was the first building in Glasgow to use iron and glass framing. It was inspired by Joseph Paxton's famous Crystal Palace in London (the one that burned down, not the footie team). It's category A listed and it's good to see such an architectural gem being well maintained by Wetherspoons. Step inside and you're in a Victorian wonderland spread over 3 floors. It's not only got a grand staircase to the upper floor, there's also a working antique lift system between the floors. The lower floor houses the toilets, street level the bar and large seating area, whilst upstairs is another large seating area. It was crowned the best pub/bar in all of Scotland at the 2023-24 National Awards. Staff were surprisingly good.

Football Team

It's a tight one but the nearest local football team is Celtic FC, whose Celtic Park (aka Parkhead) is about 2 miles east of the pub. But I'm gonna give an honorary mention to Crystal Palace as some Cromwellian palace fans based in Glasgow use the pub as a meeting place!

Travel

Busses there: First 2 to Argyle Street. Busses back: First 4A to Broomhill.

Beers

First pint was a Broughton Wee Jock 80 shilling priced at £2.95. It was OK, scoring 3/5. Quaffed a few more Belhavens after that at £1.79 for a cracking pint of 80 shilling. Bells whisky was £1.79 with a can of ginger beer being 40p. Really good value for the city centre! Broughton Ales holds the distinction of being Scotland's original independent craft brewery founded in 1979 in the Scottish Borders village of Broughton. Broughton spearheaded the modern Scottish microbrewing movement long before the craft boom took off. Operating out of a historic stone building in Peeblesshire, they specialize in classic, malt-driven Scottish ales, dark beers, and stouts alongside a few modern IPA twists. Wee Jock is Broughton's sessionable, modernized interpretation of the classic Scottish 80 Shilling (Heavy / Amber Ale) style. It acts as the lighter (4.4% ABV), everyday "younger brother" to their heavy-hitting Old Jock (a legendary 6.7% ABV strong Scotch ale) and Stout Jock. Wee Jocks Tasting Profile; Smooth, rich, and malt-forward. Features a toasted caramel and toffee aroma on the nose, balanced by a mid-palate sweetness and a lingering, slightly spicy hop finish. Food Pairings; Roast Meats, Hearty Pies and Cheese.