Golden Lion is hit by blaze

Stirling’s Golden Lion Hotel was badly damaged in a fire, the Observer of March 1969 reported.

The blaze occurred early one morning and started in a first-floor servery and spread to other parts of the 70-bedroom property in King Street.

Forty firefighters from Falkirk, Denny and Bridge of Allan fought the flames for three hours.

Twenty people were led to safety either by use of a turntable ladder or by firefighters wearing breathing apparatus.

Eight people were taken to Stirling Royal Infirmary suffering from shock but none were detained.

Part of the roof caved in and damage costing thousands of pounds was caused during the fire-fighting operation. A number of guests were re-located to the Station Hotel.

Stirling Provost Robert McIntyre later that day congratulated the firefighters on their prompt turnout and the efficient way they handled the rescue of hotel occupants.

The Golden Lion was built in 1786 and following a disastrous fire in August, 1949, was rebuilt at a cost of £82,000 and re-opened in 1952. It was sold by a group of Stirling businessmen to Scottish Brewers in December, 1964. Scotland’s Bard, Robert Burns, stayed there in 1787.

●And damage estimated at several thousand pounds was caused by fire at the garage of Scottish Farmers Dairy Company, Burghmuir, Stirling. Seven electric-powered milk floats were destroyed in the blaze thought to have been caused by an electrical fault. Vehicles from Glasgow were drafted in next morning to ensure Stirling area householders got their daily pinta on time.