Exclusive:One of Glasgow's most famous pubs is up for lease for the first time in 25 years

The owner of one of Glasgow’s best loved pubs for real ale and whisky, the Bon Accord located on North Street, has announced that his family’s 25 year stewardship of the pub will come to an end. Landlord Thomas McDonagh confirmed to me this afternoon that his time at the popular Glasgow bar will draw to a close at the end of May next year. He will then continue work on his plans to open a new whisky bar and venue on Hope Street.

The Bon Accord is now listed for lease by Star Pubs, with an annual rent of £57,543. Thomas is developing a new bar at the former location of Swing Jazz Club on Hope Street.

Previously recognised as the UK’s best whisky bar and is a multi-time CAMRA Bar of the Year winner, the Bon Accord is well known for stocking more than 800 different real ales per year and having more than 300 whiskies on their gantry, gaining the bar a dedicated following from across the world.

For more than 20 years, the bar has been in the hands of the McDonagh family, first under Paul McDonagh and now under his son Thomas McDonagh, who took over when Paul passed away in 2023.

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Providing an update to customers, Thomas wrote: “Hello Bonaccordians. Just a update on how things are standing at the moment.

“Malt of the month for December and the last malt of the month for me at the Bon Accord is @glenallachie 12, it will be malt of the moment from January onwards as I run the stock down in preparation for my move to hope street. I still don't have a name yet for the new venue but I'm working on it.

“The kitchen will be closed Monday Tuesday Sunday from next week, I will endeavour to keep it open till my last shift but as staff find new jobs the hours will reduce again.

“If you have a bottle in the keys club, please come in and finish it off or collect it and take it away. Anyone who has donated a football to the collection that would like it back, please come in and collect it or phone to let me know, otherwise I will donate them to a charity auction to raise some money for a good cause.

“There will be more informative posts to follow in the next six months, if anyone needs to reach me just pop in for a blether.”

The bar has been a staple of Glasgow’s real ale scene since the early 1970s.

Bon Accord, 153 North St, Glasgow G3 7DA.