Two pubs in running for award

TWO OBAN pubs, the Lorne Bar and Markie Dans, are among 12 finalists in the Sunday Mail’s Pub of the Year competition.

To reach this stage, bars had to be nominated and voted for by their customers.

In the next stage, the finalists will be visited anonymously and judged by independent experts.

Markie Dans, located in the basement of Corran House guesthouse on the Esplanade, is named after a local fisherman who enjoyed a dram and a good blether.

In his honour, the pub stocks one of the largest malt whisky collections in Argyll. It is also popular for its outdoor seating area.

The Lorne Bar, a traditional pub on Stevenson Street, was recently taken over by the longterm manager, who has turned it into a thriving venue with weekly quiz nights and DJs.

The competition winner will be announced at the Scottish Bar and Pub Awards – incorporating the DRAM Awards – at the Hilton Hotel in Glasgow on August 16.