Pub regrets

[Wiganer]

Hi all,

I often read these forums but seldom post, old BITErs may remember me as 'Carlurmston'.

Now I'm sure we all have a few pub-based regrets. But I was thinking about the pubs I never visited, either because I never got round to it before they closed, or because they were before my time but their legend lives on. The reopening by Sam Smiths of The Racecourse in Salford prompted this, as I thought I'd missed my chance when it closed. Still not been there yet but it's great that such a historic pub has reopened.

So with apologies for the North West bias, I'd say, in no particular order;

Tommy Ducks, Manchester (Long before my time, but a Manchester institution and replaced by a dreary hotel bar)
Ye Olde Nelson, Salford (Burned down in 2004 just as I was starting my pub collecting)
Ship Victory, Chester (Always meant to pop in and never go round to it. One of the few remaining locals' pubs in the city centre)
Various NI pubs in and around Birmingham including the Market Tavern, Digbeth, Red Lion, Handsworth and Waterloo, Smethwick.
Chain Locker, North Shields. (Directly opposite the ferry landing, must have been packed with those crossing the river in days gone by)

Anyone ever visit these? Are there any that gnaw away at you?

[ROBCamra]

I was in Tommy Ducks a couple of weeks before it was illegally demolished.

Been in The Ship Victory many times before it was "car parked".

I was also in Ye Olde Nelson a few weeks before it "accidently" burned down.

Hmmmm! bit a theme emerging here.

Good to see Racecourse Hotel reopen though.

[Maldenman]

Tommy Duck's I remember well, knickers on the ceiling etc but Greenall Whitley beers when I was a lad, not great. Since moving south, The Toby Jug in Tolworth, a music pub next to the bowling alley, Bowie first performed as Ziggy Stardust there. Demolished virtually overnight when Tesco acquired the neighbouring civil service buildings which annoyingly never did get redeveloped.

[Quinno]

Hi all,
I often read these forums but seldom post, old BITErs may remember me as 'Carlurmston'.

[Mobyduck]

Becky's Dive Bar, I'm just a little to young to have managed a visit, although some of my slightly older beer drinking associates did manage it. I'm sure a few of the really old geezers on here tried it . It is now The Sheaf and I have been here a few times.

[Wittenden]

Becky's Dive Bar, I'm just a little to young to have managed a visit, although some of my slightly older beer drinking associates did manage it. I'm sure a few of the really old geezers on here tried it . It is now The Sheaf and I have been here a few times.

Not so much of the really old...Thwaites and Ruddles if I recall. Very exotic then.It was a fine establishment indeed.

[Aqualung]

Becky's Dive Bar, I'm just a little to young to have managed a visit, although some of my slightly older beer drinking associates did manage it. I'm sure a few of the really old geezers on here tried it . It is now The Sheaf and I have been here a few times.

I went there quite a few times and I'm not REALLY old just old! I also remember the Hole In the Wall at Waterloo just before it became more of a real ale haunt. People that make exaggerated claims about the clientele in JDW pubs should have seen that place as I've never seen anything like it anywhere else! In the same area the two Young's pubs were old pubs rather than new builds. The Founder's Arms was an HQ for one of the SPBW branches and was away from the river. The Prince William Henry was a corner pub near the dull replacement.
Anyone remember the Coronet Bar in the street North of Soho Square? It was one of the few places in London selling Brakspear's but not in good condition. They just tapped the cask and started serving it!

[Wittenden]

I also remember the Hole In the Wall at Waterloo just before it became more of a real ale haunt. People that make exaggerated claims about the clientele in JDW pubs should have seen that place as I've never seen anything like it anywhere else!
Anyone remember the Coronet Bar in the street ,North of Soho Square? It was one of the few places in London selling Brakspear's but not in good condition. They just tapped the cask and started serving it!

Ah! The Hole in the Wall,what a place. We went into the Coronet, but I can't remember what it was like, or what we drank.
My own pub regret would be the Good Intent,near Egerton in Kent. I remember it as a timeless Kentish Fremlins pub, but never managed to go there. It closed in about 1977,much to my chagrin.

[AlanH]

Going back oop North, I am the 4th person to really miss Tommy Ducks. One of my regular pubs, I was there 3 or 4 days before it "closed" and we had planned to go there on what turned out to be the final night but got diverted by others to Chapel Street, Salford. The loss of all the pubs on Chapel Street, including Ye Olde Nelson, is another pub regret.

[Brakslover]

I went there quite a few times and I'm not REALLY old just old! I also remember the Hole In the Wall at Waterloo just before it became more of a real ale haunt. People that make exaggerated claims about the clientele in JDW pubs should have seen that place as I've never seen anything like it anywhere else! In the same area the two Young's pubs were old pubs rather than new builds. The Founder's Arms was an HQ for one of the SPBW branches and was away from the river. The Prince William Henry was a corner pub near the dull replacement.
Anyone remember the Coronet Bar in the street North of Soho Square? It was one of the few places in London selling Brakspear's but not in good condition. They just tapped the cask and started serving it!

Certainly remember The Coronet Bar - my regular lunchtime venue in the early 70s. Now sadly long gone, whilst Brakspears in London seems to remain as elusive as ever! However, if the bosses weren't around and we had more time then we would bomb over to Beckys for some Ruddles County or down to the Cheshire Cheese for a pint or two of Marstons. Happy days!