OUR ST0RY
The Variety Bar isn't a concept or a brand. It's a Glasgow institution - as aptly named as ever, and not much changed since Patrick Clancy first opened these doors over fifty years ago.
From the Norsk Inn to The Variety Bar
In 1970, Patrick Clancy opened what was then known as the Norsk Inn on Sauchiehall Street. The name changed, but the spirit of the place - a lowly lit, time-worn interior with a distinguishing sense of character - has remained remarkably constant.
The Art Deco interior, genuine and unchanged since the 1970s, gives the bar an atmosphere that no amount of money could recreate. This isn't a theme - it's the real thing, complete with the famous fish tank that's been a centrepiece for decades.
Five Decades of Character
1970
The Norsk Inn Opens
Patrick Clancy opens the doors at 401 Sauchiehall Street, establishing what would become one of Glasgow's most enduring bars.
1980s
A Creative Hub Emerges
The bar becomes a meeting place for Glasgow's creative scene. Musicians, artists, and characters of all stripes make it their local. The Hue & Cry era.
1990s
The Variety Established
Now firmly The Variety Bar, the pub cements its reputation as a genuine Glasgow institution - the kind of place where everybody knows somebody.
2000s
Live Music & DJs
Regular live music and DJ nights draw a new generation while the old guard keeps coming back. The Art Deco interior stays untouched.
Today
Still Going Strong
Five decades on, The Variety Bar remains what it's always been - a proper pub with proper character, serving the people of Glasgow with no pretence and no apology.
What Makes The Variety Different
No flat-pack furniture. No LED strip lights. No small plates menu. Just a genuine Art Deco bar with a rustic feel, good music, strong drinks, and the kind of atmosphere you can't manufacture. The Variety is as aptly named as ever. Live music is a regular fixture, and there is usually something on. We are three minutes from the King's Theatre, so we get a fair number of people in for a pre-show pint or a post-show nightcap.