West Fife Zoomers an introduction

Established by Emma Cairns and Joe Graham in 2023, West Fife Zoomers is a photographic society designed to enable photographers and associated artists to socialise as a group and to share their artistic endeavours with a wider audience.

Anyone with a connection to, or interest in, West Fife is welcome to join, from residents, to past residents, all the way to one-time visitors. This is not a local group for local people and the work you share can be created anywhere in the world.

Our next social event is detailed below and everyone is invited.

Meet at Donald Dewar’s statue

• Date: Sunday, 4th June, 2023
• Time: 12.30 – 1pm
• Location: Glasgow
• Meet: Donald Dewar, Buchanan Street
• Bus: 11:28am from Dunfermline

The route to McChuills

The route to The 13th Note

The route to the Clutha Vaults and the Scotia

The route to Hootenanny

The route to Wunderbar

The route to the Horseshoe Bar

Remember, the more the merrier, Emma and I hope to see you there. Oh, and if you need encouragement here’s what I have to say about our refreshment stops.

The Magnificent Seven venues on our WFZ murals walk

McChuills in Glasgow’s Merchant City is a legendary music bar. I used to live in the flats next door and the building is an art deco warehouse. Built in the 1920’s and converted in the 1980’s – era of the yuppies – it’s the scene of both a fantastic pub and a great place to live. Hugh Reed and the Velvet Underpants play here. Shuggie was in Trainspotting, the guy Diane ditches in the Volcano nightclub after drinking both drinks.

Not to be missed.

The Clutha Vaults was the scene of the tragic helicopter crash and the old bar is now a memorial beer garden. During the redevelopment the Clutha and Victoria bars were merged. The Vicky was home to my Scottish Militant Labour football team, Peter Mullen (Mother Superior in Trainspotting) drinks here, and the snug now contains a pizza oven. Actually, if we go to the Vicky that’ll make a magnificent eight.

Look out for the tree in the middle of the pub.

Along with the Clutha and the Vicky, the Scotia forms a formidable three pub corner and these are the pubs where Billy Connolly entertains, singing his Humblebums songs and playing his banjo.

Try the pool room upstairs if you’re feeling brave. It’s like the pub Mel Smith drinks in in Restless Natives.

Hootenanny is mural 13. I’ve not been but it’s bang on route. How can we refuse!?

“Comfort food, draft brews & spirits in a relaxed pub with a beer garden & weekend live music,” says the website.

I’ve not been to Wunderbar either but it sounds wonderful.

“Inspired by bier kellers from around the globe, Wunderbar is a place to discover new things and be your own kind of weird and wunderful. With unique flavors from around the world, we aim to inspire a new way of enjoyment through our biers, cocktails and live music.

Take a moment to gather your thoughts, sip a refreshing drink, sit back, relax and enjoy the wonderment that is life. Expect endless fun in our vibrant and playful space.

We’re your no frills, friendly neighbourhood local slap bang in the centre of the city.”

The Horseshoe Bar is my 7th (or eighth, if you count the Vicky) pick and it’s a world renown watering hole within stoating distance of our original meeting place and the bus station. Looped it!

“At 104 feet and three inches, our grand Victorian bar is apparently the longest in Europe and merits an architectural listing all of its own.”

Stay alive!