Kilmarnock’s most iconic pubs has closed down

One of Kilmarnock’s most iconic pubs has closed down.

Fanny by Gaslight – known throughout Scotland for its eye-catching name – has been a popular fixture among the town’s hospitality scene for many decades.

More than just a boozer, the West George Street venue was a huge supporter of live music with bands from all over the country playing at the pub. And many local bands and artists cut their teeth at the bar, affectionately nicknamed ‘Fanny’s’.

The Victorian pub was closed during prime trading hours on Tuesday evening and a photo posted on the pub’s Facebook page read: “Sorry, we’re closed”.

The news has been met with huge disappointment in the town and beyond.

Councillor Graham Boyd said: “There’s no sugar coating this, a devastating blow to the town centre!

“Fanny by Gaslight was an institution in Kilmarnock, Friday night bands playing there are legendary in the town. It wasn’t always my type of music but I enjoyed dropping by quite often on a Friday evening. It gave rock fans their own unique place.

“A pub with loads of character and original features facing the railway station, is this closure a surprise? During the week it often looked almost empty, unlikely to be able to compete with the cheaper chain pubs in the town centre.”

The Fanny by Gaslight building’s history as a pub goes back to 1846 with various names over the years including Railway Tavern, The Saddle Bar and Fifty Waistcoats.

Cllr Boyd added: “Previous proprietor, Laurie Headley was a great landlord, I remember his help and support in developing Kilmarnock Town Trail for Schools, providing information, stories and pictures on Fifty Waistcoats (a previous name), the Old Bus Station Points Duty Burgh Policeman.

This serves as one more reminder to, if at all possible, patronize locally owned companies. I worry that the town center will have only a few tasteless chain pubs in a few years. We lose it, so don’t use it.

Being the first pub that visiting football fans would come across after leaving the train station, the bar was also well-liked by them.

The ancient watering hole’s new owners, Ian Campbell and Jackie Kyle, announced plans to rename it in 2018. In the end, nevertheless, the location kept its well-known name.

“We hummed and hawed about the name change for a while and seriously considered and worried if it would have a negative impact,” Jackie recalled in an interview with the Standard at the time.

“The times are changing. The pub’s name has changed before and I think it will really lift the pub again giving the town something new and fresh.”

As well as being a hub for live music, Fanny’s hosted numerous charity events over the years and even held Tedfest in 2016 and 2017 with fans of Father Ted dressing as priests and characters from the beloved Irish sitcom.

The pub’s closure is one of a number of hospitality blows to the town centre in recent years with Bar Luca, Olivia’s, The Brass and Granite and the Howard Arms all shutting up shop.