The Clutha vaults, or simply the Clutha, is a unique pub among the vast number of choices in Glasgow. It is ideally situated at the Victoria Bridge on the Clyde, the river's walkway providing the perfect place for an evening stroll (or stagger) upon leaving the pub, centrally located within the sprawling city and a mere five minutes walk from Glasgow Central Station, St. Enoch's subway station, and most importantly the shops of Buchanan street, Union Street and the St. Enoch's Centre among others, for when the shops shut and the pubs beckon.
The pub itself comprises of a front and back room linked by the peaceful beer garden, in which on a clear afternoon (as and when they come in Glasgow) you can sit and enjoy a drink and, looking up at the ivy climbing the building behind the pub, the tree in the centre of the garden, and the blue sky above forget that you are in the middle Britain's second largest city. The front pub area can be both extremely mellow and relaxing or booming with atmosphere depending on time and day. Live music plays on weekday evenings from a sizeable circle of groups, including the 'regulars' who play almost every week, and there is an open mic night once a week in which anyone is welcome, including the bar staff! When no one is serenading the customers the jukebox plays the catchy ska rhythms of the B-52's, the rumbling, crooning "Sixteen Tonnes" by Tennessee Ernie Ford, and everything in between, all of which you can see the friendly staff singing along to as they work. In addition to their shared passion for music they all seem to be very close and relaxed around each other, an ambience which transmits to us, the customers, and adds to the enjoyable experience of the Clutha.
Along the walls both inside each building and out in the garden hang various skilful, comical and original paintings done by previous and current employees, and even Ibrox regulars have to smirk at the far from obscure symbolism in one picture through in the back room. This back area is split down the middle by the bar which faces the main section, and on the other side lies an area with the standard pub entertainment of fruit machines and pool table. This set up is ideal because from the bar section customers don't have to put up with the often intrusive noise of balls banging together and coins hitting the payout tray (as and when it happens in Glasgow).
In addition to music creating a vibrant atmosphere every match shown live on Sky Sports is played on flatscreen TV's in both buildings and outside, but even during the Old Firm there is nothing but benevolent and good-natured fans and unlike many of the pubs in a city that lives and breathes football there is never any trouble. And if you aren't a football fan and are put off going because there is a match on, the sound is usually off anyway, replaced by the jukebox or live bands, so you can pick a table that doesn't face the telly and forget it's even on. And if you are a football fan and are put off by not hearing being able to hear it then you can take solace in the fact that there will be plenty of atmosphere in the pub, especially through the back.
One final point to mention is the appetising subject of food. Obviously as a pub it isn't gourmet but as far as pub grub goes its cheap, its filling and its more than half decent, my personal favourite being the 'burger - with cheese' and fried onion. Definitely worth a go for around £2.
If you're in the city centre, or even just the city, you won't come across many pubs more appealing than the Clutha. With music always on the go - live or not, footy on flatscreens, a unique atmosphere and supreme location it has everything you could hope to find, and you won't even need to look hard. read more