The seedy Provanmill Inn once had a reputation throughout Glasgow, known as the centre for notorious gangland godfather Arthur Thompson’s crew. It was in the walls of the tavern that Arthur’s gang supposedly planned killings, robberies and drug deals.
The unofficial headquarters for the Thompson clan often welcomed famed criminal Paul Ferris and bank robber Ian McDonald, who mapped out his sprees across Europe on the bar stools. Just round the corner from the pub was Arthur’s home, nicknamed the Ponderosa after the ranch in the ‘70s cowboy series Bonanza.
Born in Springburn in 1931, the mastermind criminal was born into a law-abiding family just as Hitler was seizing power. As he grew up during the Second World War, Arthur became familiar with using violence and soon earned a ‘tough boy’ reputation.
