Largs: The Waterside Bar closes down with takeover plan

The Waterside Bar, based in Bath Street, has been run by Brian Purdie for the past 15 years, with the venue well known in the town as one of the first to offer regular live bands every weekend.

Brian recognised the importance of live music to the town and had regular entertainers, as well as hosting the popular Stoddy’s traditional music sessions, on the last Sunday of every month.

Brian, aged 77, told the News that he quietly closed up following a last weekend of music on April 21.

Sign outside The Waterside Bar in Largs (Image: Newsquest)

“I had made my mind up that I was just going to quietly close, I have made a good offer for the place to be turned into a Thai restaurant, and they already have a place down in Ayr, so it will be something new for Largs.

"They have already been very successful, and I sure it will be successful in Largs too.

“I am currently in the process of clearing the place and taking everything out including the classic jukebox which is now sitting in my home.”

“It has been a tough time of it in the pub trade, especially with Covid happening, and then the cost of living crisis. 

"I think it was the right time to get out as I don’t think the industry as a whole has ever recovered.

“I have had some amazing highlights with some great music nights but I think it was the right time to go.

“Ever since opening I was intent on making it a live music venue and we were very much among the first pubs in town to have regular live music every weekend.

"We have also had a number of football players come in who were training at Inverclyde Sports Centre in Largs and they were always very good with the customers who wanted to take selfies.

“We’ve also had Sam Torrance in here a few times as he remembers it well from The Clachan days.

“We have had a wide variety of live music from jazz to rock and roll to the traditional music on a Sunday to suit all tastes and we have tried to cover all aspects of music.

"We also had popular karaoke sessions with Arlene, and it wasn’t unusual to pop in on a Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon to see a jamming session going on.”

Brian said he wanted to make a heartfelt thank you to all loyal customers who have regularly supported The Waterside over the years, and the many great and memorable nights that the pub has hosted, and also thanked all the staff over the years.

It marks the end of an era as The Waterside has a long history as a watering hole and was previously known as The Clachan Bar and was hugely popular in the 1970s and 80s.

And before The Clachan, it was known as the Suez Canal Bar.

World flyweight boxing champion Jackie Paterson used to be a barman and was pictured at the helm of the old style Suez Canal bar which was presented like the bow of the ship in the 1940s.