Glenalbyn Bar, Inverness

Situated beside Ness Bridge over the river, there has been a pub of this name on this site since the 17th century, although the present building dates from the 1950s. It’s a traditional style Scottish pub, with a separate bar and lounge, although they are divided only by a wood and glass panel with a wide opening leading through from one section to the other. A pool table, unusually, is located in the lounge area and the walls of both are decorated with pictures of well known Scottish sights. My pint of McEwan’s 70 Shilling cost me £3.00 and John Smith’s bitter, Caledonian 80 Shilling Ale, Guinness, Strongbow cider and Amstel, Fosters and Heineken lagers are also available on draught.

From the outside this looks to be a great traditional pub, and I was expecting a fine selection of cask ales. Unfortunately inside doesn’t quite live up to it’s promise – nothing particularly wrong with it, but not as good as I had expected. The larger lounge bar to the left has green leather bench seating around the perimeter, and a selection of small bar tables and stools elsewhere. The walls are wood panelled lower down, with green painted plasterwork above. Several artistic type photos adorn the walls (sun setting over a lake, that sort of thing). There is a small fire place off to one side, and an ornate wood carved mirror above this. Wedged in between this and the ceiling is a particularly large plasma. Although this was off, there was a smaller TV in another corner that was on. There are some decent illuminated paintings above the bar, that I assume are of the local area. The smaller right hand bar is given over predominantly to a pool table. This has a slate tiled floor, and another plasma up on the wall, although this was also off. There is some decent wood panelling in here, and another old fireplace. As previously mentioned, beer choice was disappointing, with no real ales on, just keg John Smith’s and McEwans. The solitary cider was Strongbow, unfortunately.