The Bank on Clarkston Road, Glasgow, has been recognised for the essential role it plays in the community by judges of the Publican Awards, a national awards ceremony that celebrates everything that’s great about the world of pubs and bars.
Situated in Muirend, The Bank is at the heart of the community which it serves. The pub regularly fundraises, supporting charities which are close to the hearts of customers and staff. Last year they raised over £3,000 for the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH).
A pub for all occasions, The Bank is a relaxed and easy-going venue where customers can enjoy a drink, fuss-free food, and great entertainment while catching up with old friends and making new ones. General Manager, Cheryl Francis, has been running the pub for the last six years. A well-known figure locally, she is on first-name terms with most of her customers who regard the pub as a home away from home.
As one of the few pubs in the area, Cheryl realised early on just how important The Bank was in the local community. By showing sports matches on request, Cheryl dramatically increased footfall and the pub’s longstanding reputation as a great sports venue has continued to grow. She also runs a poker league, a weekly pub quiz and has live music nights regularly throughout the year.
The Bank’s community spirit was truly showcased during last year’s Beast from the East. Cheryl, who doesn’t live locally, was stranded due to the bad weather. During the storm some of her customers provided her with a bed and clothing, putting her up for three nights so that she could keep the pub open during the storm. Despite the weather, that was one of the busiest weeks outside of Christmas, thanks to the local neighbourhood.
Commenting on the award win, Cheryl said: “I am chuffed that we’ve been recognised as being a fantastic community pub. It is thanks to my wonderful team and all the hard work they put in. We go above and beyond for our customers, for me the pub – the customers and my staff – are like a second family. For example, we have a lot of elderly customers, some of them don’t have any family and if I don’t see them for a few weeks I’ll give them a ring or pop round to make sure they are alright.
“I wanted the pub to be a social hub for the community, if people want to put on an event or set up a club, we work together to make things happen. Customers don’t come to just have a drink; they pop in throughout the week to catch up with specific members of the team.
“There is something very special about the Bank and how we have brought people together in the community. I even had some old staff visit us on Christmas Eve, the pub has been such a big part of their lives they felt it wouldn’t be right to be anywhere else.”
The Bank, 443 Clarkston Road, Glasgow, G44 3LL