By Lesley Walsh
TRIBUTES have been paid to longstanding Bangor publican George McCann who has passed away.
Mr McCann pulled what many say was the best pint of Guinness in Bangor at The Imperial Bar for more than four decades.
Fellow publicans and punters have described Mr McCann as an ‘old school true gentleman’, stating he styled his business into a ‘proper family pub’ where everyone was welcomed with open arms.
In more recent years, George passed the running of the pub to his son Paul, before becoming ill and ending up in hospital for a time. But was able to return home before his passing last Wednesday, aged 78.
Mr McCann is survived by his widow Nuala and children Paul, Fiona, Eleanor, Gavin and Barry. His funeral service is today (Thursday) at St Comgall’s Parish Church.
His eldest son Paul, to whom he transferred the running of his business in 2018, said his father was ‘more than just a publican’.
His father grew up in Belfast before coming to Bangor where Nuala is from, initially working in the Warwick bar.
“He built his own business up from scratch. He bought it in 1978, and it was originally a hotel but he just kept the pub going,” said Paul, confirming the pub had been called The Imperial, originally.
“He was very friendly, and very kind, though he was sometimes too nice, but he always had time to listen to people’s problems.
“He was more than a publican but was someone people came in to see.”
Being passed the reins of the business seven years ago showed his father was a hard act to follow, Paul revealed.
“I have the place going really well but people say it’s not the same without him. You just couldn’t replace him. He was more of a friend to people in the pub, than a businessman.”
He added his father ‘had no real hobbies because his work was his hobby, he was so involved in it’.
Allen Higginson is one of a number of regulars who have expressed their sadness at George’s passing. “I started drinking there almost 40 years ago,” he said.
“Initially, he was just the guy who owned the bar but he became a lot more than that and treated everybody more like a friend and it was a two-way thing,” he said.
Running the Bangor Rock and Blues group in the Imperial every month, Allen said he staged regular gigs there, bringing bands from Bangor and beyond, to the pub ‘to give something back’ to the business.
“The club wouldn’t have been possible without the Imperial being there.”
Commenting on the widespread sadness of local people upon hearing the news of George’s passing, he said the family had been ‘quite overwhelmed by the response’ expressed on social media.
Among the tributes were those from Bangor bar, Teddy’s, whose staff said they were ‘very sad to hear the passing of one of Bangor’s truest gentlemen, George McCann’.
“George successfully ran The Imperial Bar for over 40 years, passing it on eventually to his son Paul. A proper family pub. What George served was pints. What George really created was family wealth. Teddy’s has the absolute utmost respect for this.”
Punters shared their thoughts too, describing George as ‘old school’, a ‘very good bar manager’ and ‘a gentleman who will be sadly missed’.
