Quote Originally Posted by Farway View Post
I wonder just how good is the The National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors? Can they really say only around 300 pubs in the entire UK have historic interiors?
Here are the criteria for inclusion off the CAMRA website:

"Criteria for Inclusion
The focus is entirely on interiors and what is authentically old. The pub should retain a reasonable amount of genuinely historic internal fabric and/or sufficient of the layout for the historic plan-form to be appreciated and understood. The emphasis is on pre-1939 interiors, although post-war examples might occasionally be considered if they have particular merit / quality fittings. The interior should be little altered in the past 40 years.

Applying the Criteria
When considering a pub for inclusion in a Regional Inventory of Historic Pubs Interiors / Real Heritage Pub guide there are two aspects to look at: -

a) Historic plan. Is it largely intact? ** A two room pub that previously had 3 rooms could pass this part of the criteria.

b) Specific features. The greater the amount of original features – like the bar counter, bar-back, wall-tiles, screens, original toilets and so on – the better. If all that survives is a couple of fixed benches and a bit of match-board wall panelling in a largely opened up pub, then inclusion cannot be justified since they are very commonplace items found in large numbers. But add in a largely intact servery and only a slightly opened-up plan and it probably can be. A specific interesting feature or two might justify inclusion, but would have to be of real significance for inclusion of an otherwise wrecked interior."


I would have thought local branches would have sniffed out any interiors worthy of inclusion, but perhaps that is a bit naiive?