Castlehill Vaults, Ardrossan

[Mitchy]

We've got the thread about the Tap Shop but I'd like to start one about another Ardrossan Pub which is extremely dear to my heart. The Castlehill Vaults, more commonly known as 'Alfies' is an excellent wee pub, and the name is a legacy of the former owner Alfie Agostini, who sold the pub about 5 years ago. Some older threetowners may remember the pub being called 'Aldo's' after Alfies father. I've been going there since 1983, when it was still the old bar. In 1985 the old bar was turned into a lounge and a new public bar was built next door. Any threetowners got memories of Alfies?

[georgeflemingard]

Hi Michy. I remember Alfies well that was the other Pub i met you when i was over. I was a great night, there was a game on TV and wee Tommy Mc Cann and all his Celtic Mates were, roarin their Heeds Aff. Say hello to tommy if you see him. That wee Pub has been there for generations, My Grandfather John Dickson drank there when he lived in Hill Street Back in the 1920s. If those walls could Talk they could tell a story or two.

[maggie T]

Hello, Mitchy.I have good memories of Alfies both behind the Bar and front.It was a great wee pub.Maybe Rowanside will remember one Haloween Party in Alfies.Great night was had by all.I will never forget those days.
Thanks for the post. Maggie T.

[brvhrtjimmy]

i remember it as aldo's when i worked in the railway (based at prince'sstreet) in the 60's we spent a lot of time in aldos,it was a great wee pub and most of us railway workers prefered it to the railway club.
James Barr (brvhrtjimmy)

[Mitchy]

Hi Michy. I remember Alfies well that was the other Pub i met you when i was over. I was a great night, there was a game on TV and wee Tommy Mc Cann and all his Celtic Mates were, roarin their Heeds Aff. Say hello to tommy if you see him. That wee Pub has been there for generations, My Grandfather John Dickson drank there when he lived in Hill Street Back in the 1920s. If those walls could Talk they could tell a story or two.

George,

The game you are referring to is Manchester Utd v Celtic in 2006. The TVs in the Lauriston Bar and the Elms had both gone on the blink and loads of guys had got taxis to Alfies to watch it. I know Tommy McCann very well and I will pass on your good wishes to him.

All the best,

Mitchy

[Mitchy]

i remember it as aldo's when i worked in the railway (based at prince'sstreet) in the 60's we spent a lot of time in aldos,it was a great wee pub and most of us railway workers prefered it to the railway club.
James Barr (brvhrtjimmy)

Hi Jimmy,

Ardrossan must have been some place in those days with Railways all over the town. Aldos/Alfies was/is always a favourite pub of the working man. I remember the Railway Club first in Princes Street then round in Arran Place (wizney old enough to drink then mind you!!!!!)

[Hughie]

My dad was a regular in Aldo's / Alfie's up till he died in 1975. My mother's family lived across the road almost behind the Lyric from my estimations - that's where she was born. So I imagine her family might have had a wee swallow in there too. I know my uncle Joe Cunningham went there, in fact I seem to remember in one of Patrick O'Connor's books about Ardrossan it mentions Joe going in there as a young man - but that might have been before the Agostini family had it.

I've mentioned before that when I was in the retained fire brigade at Ardrossan (bell in the house jump on the bike peddle like mad to the fire station) our group would go to Aldo's on a Tuesday night after training and there was a wee room as you entered on the left where we'd play dominoes.

Aldo was always fussing over us, if he was busy elsewhere then wife Maggie would tend to us. I used to drink Carling Lager poured from the can back then with a wee dash of lime. One Tuesday night in the Summer of 1964 Aldo had a surprise for me. He was beaming from ear to ear as he showed me his new chilling stainless steel shelf up on the wall behind the bar - from then on my cans were chilled. A more congenial pub owner you'll never meet.

I met young Alfie back in 1978 when I was introduced to him by my brother Bobby McCallum - that was at the Hunterson Club when it was in South Beach. I believe Bobby and Alfie were good mates then. I also remember old Alfie, Aldo's dad. He had his ice-cream shop just round the corner from Princes Lane in Glasgow Street - next to the then Bute Bar. It was right across the road from that Pasha smelling wee Turkish cafe run by a foreign lady by the name of Ezzie - it was frequented by foreign seamen and local ladies of ill repute.

My Cunningham relatives who had raised mum, brother John and uncle Joe lived above auld Ezzie's cafe (my parents started married life in the attic above them). As a wee boy I recall hanging out the window to view old Alfie's funeral cortege across the road. All big shiny black cars with the Italian community coming from far and wide. I think I said in an earlier thread I wouldn't be surprised if there were a few Nardinis amongst the mourners.

I'm almost sure old Alfie was interred during WW2 even though he fought for Britain in the first war - very odd!

[Mitchy]

Good post Hughie. The games room where you played dominoes was split in two and is now the ladies and gents toilets. I can remember it as the games room pre-1985. There was also an upstairs lounge but that would be well before your time. This lounge is metioned in the 'Marmalade Saloon' book, and was used as a store until Alfie sold the pub. When the present owners (Rosemount Taverns) bought the pub, upstairs was turned into an office as well as a store.

Mitchy

[Rowanside]

Maggie !,How on earth do you know i was at that halloween party ??????????

[Rowanside]

Mitchy,My dad was a Railwayman and was friendly with Aldo.I worked with Alfie in the Metallic before he took over the Vaults.The Vaults was the first dominoe team i played for.

By the way,the Metallic closed in 1985.


Catch you soon, Alan

[maggie T]

Hi,Alan.How could i forget,am sure you won the prize for the best dressed person in the Vaults that night !! ??
Happy days. Maggie .T.

[Rowanside]

Maggie,please forgive my manners,but,do i know you ??