THE owner of the 'oldest' pub in Glasgow has promised to rebuild it as part of a new High Street development.

As reported in yesterday's Evening Times, the Old College Bar – built around 1515 – is due to be demolished.

Owner Colin Beattie, the man behind Oran Mor and the Lismore, has lodged a planning application with Glasgow City Council to tear down the pub.

But he says he will do so with a heavy heart and has vowed that an Old College Bar will always stand on the site near the High Street's corner with George Street on the North East edge of the Merchant City.

Mr Beattie said: "The Old College Bar is the oldest pub in Glasgow and is steeped in history and tradition.

"But the building has seen better days and has reached its natural retirement age.

"However, it's important that such a landmark is retained on the High Street for the benefit of the community and future generations.

"The site will be redeveloped and a new Old College Bar restored at the heart of the development."

Mr Beattie said several options for the site are under consideration, but so far no firm plans have been drawn up.

But he did say that all the options being considered include rebuilding the Old College Bar.

And the Evening Times understands that in between the demolition of the existing bar and the building of a new one, the pub could temporarily move just a few yards down High Street into the site of the former TSB bank – which Mr Beattie also owns.

The planning application – lodged by developers Bishop Loch (Greyfriars) Limited, of which Mr Beattie is a director – includes a proposal to demolish the bar as well as the F W Holroyd Art Gallery, The Country Shop Butcher and food outlets China Express, Street Cafe and Hot Peppers.

Mr Beattie is in negotiations to purchase the other properties.

The application will be considered at a future meeting of the council's Planning Committee.

Mr Beattie added: "I spent £8.5million on Oran Mor and have invested heavily in many other pubs. There's not an award in the licensing trade that we've not won.

"My plan for the Old College Bar is for it to be a tribute to Glasgow. I have commissioned five stained glass panels featuring famous Glaswegians which I envisage being on display in the bar.

"They will feature people like Donald Dewar and Billy Connolly.

"When I bought the bar 11 years ago I was very enthusiastic about it but I ended up having to demolish a big part of the building last year.

"And the state of the rest of the building means I will have to do the same again.

"There are also other considerations, such as the railway which runs underneath the site."

Scott Graham of the Bar Biographer website (thebarbiographer.blogspot.co.uk) said that while he welcomed the news that a replacement will be built, he will be sad to see the existing building demolished.

He said: "Losing the building will mean losing all that history.

"This is the second best option, but it's better than the alternative of having no Old College Bar on the site."