Glassy Junction – glamour in the past
If you go to Southall at the present day, you can still see the trace of one of the neighborhood’s most famous pubs in the 1990s. Opposite the Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha, there is an Indian vegetarian restaurant, Saravanna Bhavan. On the top of the building, you can easily see the old banner of the once-best-known pubs in the country, Glassy Junction. The pub was known as the first Indian pub in the UK. It was opened in 1994 in Southall to create a social hub for the community.
Glassy Junction was proud of being the first pub in the UK that accepted Rupees for payment. The pub offered a wide variety of South Asian drinks such as Cobra and Kingfisher beer, and lassi, etc. Back in the old days, people, especially working men, often went to the pub to watch cricket matches or to have a drink after a hard day of work.
Sadly, after having served the Southall community for almost two decades, the pub was closed in 2011 to make way for a famous chain Indian vegetarian restaurant, Saravanna Bhavan.
Saravanna Bhavan has its chain restaurants in many countries including Canada, Malaysia, Sinagpore, the US, France, Germany, and Middle Eastern countries. They have branches in many locations in London such as East Ham, Harrow, Leicester, and Tooting. If you have a chance, you should visit this restaurant. Their buffet is very nice and delicious.
