Throughout the 18th Century pubs became increasingly sophisticated, but it was not until the Victorian era that scottish pubs really came into their own. Between 1880 and 1910 - often referred to as ‘the golden age’ - public houses, particularly those in the thriving towns, competed against each other for custom with elaborate facades and stunning interiors. It’s little surprise that they were commonly referred to as ‘Palace Pubs’.

At the turn of the century, ‘Palace Pubs’ numbered in their thousands, opening six days a week from eight in the morning until eleven at night. Here people mixed, in what must have been the most luxurious surroundings many of them had ever experienced.