In the space of two months two ‘Dive’ bars have opened, the Panther Milk Bar in Glasgow and the newly-opened Hoot the Redeemer (pictured) in Edinburgh. The trend, which has made its way over from the States, hit London first then Scotland, and the bars are loosely decribed as “well-worn and unglamorous”.
The Panther Milk Bar, which only opens on Friday and Saturday nights from 9pm – midnight, is situated at the back of Tabac on Mitchell Lane, in Glasgow, in an old ‘lift area’, run by ‘Crafty’ aka Paul Crawford. The bar has a speciality drink in the shape of Panther Milk – a concoction of condensed milk, gin, rum, Cointreau, peppermint and cinnamon, which is served in a bottle, costing £20, and designed to be shared.
Meanwhile Iain McPherson, of Panda & Sons, has opened his second bar Hoot the Redeemer in Hanover Street. As well as offering customers alcoholic slushies, beers and cocktails, the basement bar also boasts various fairground attractions from a DJ Punch and Judy Box to a fortune telling machine. The bar is also offering its own icecream to eat in or take away. It has been described as a “1950’s style New Orleans place with a bit of funfair thrown in.
