Lost pubs of Coventry (14 Viewers)

[Gazolba]

The Shire Horse is the one I was thinking of!

I had a girl friend who lived in Manor Farm estate and we drank in the Shire Horse pub a few times. It was a very nice pub at one time.
It was arson attacked, then vandalised and eventually demolished. What a shame as it was a gathering place for the locals.
There is no trace of it left now except a strip of concrete.

 

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[Gazolba]

<snip> what a pub the Live And Let Live was. The first time I ever went to go in there I had my hand on the door and about to push it open. Something came flying out of a window. It sounded like a riot was going on inside. Took my hand off the door and walked away like a coward

My father was an ex-boxing champion but he told me he would never go in that pub.

 

[martcov]

Remember it very well Houch - used to live there! My parents ran it for about 18 months until they split up, early/mid 70's before it got got torched and changed to the 3 Spires. Must have been between 73' and 75' as I recall being shit scared when the pub bombings were going on, plus having a ventriloquist doll in a tartan cap and kilt which my dad put on the bar when the World Cup was on.

But yes, it was a real fun pub with its themed bars. I used to love playing in the Last Chance, which as you know was supposed to be a yank frontier street front, climbing onto the balcony where the two "dummies" sat in chairs .... or having shootouts with the Winchester Rifels and Colt 45 replicas that were in the "gunsmiths" shop window. My more vivid memories were the JVDCMAS - "Jules Verne Drinking Club and Music Appreciation Society", which basically was a Monday night excuse the locals to have a good piss up, accompanied by a guitarist (Ron Grace??) and a drummer to belt out a few numbers, always ending with "House of the Rising Sun". Or the front bar (the Pukka Sharib I think?) full of off duty CID having lock ins.

Got burgled one night, police believe the robbers hid in/above the "railway carriages" in the Balloon & Basket bar then did the fruit machines before legging it through the fire exits.

BTW, I do recall our assistant manager who was there for about 12 months of our stay. Daft as it sound I remember his wife's name (Cathy) but can't remember his. He was Scottish and left, I don't know the reason as I was only a kid, but I do remember my dad (Dave) saying xxxxx is leaving and I cried my eyes out, he was a real good bloke and always had time for me.

Remember it well. Got controlled for under age drinking by the police in 1971 ( I was 16 ) - they came from both sides into the western room through the swing doors. Couldn't escape... but got let off in the end.

Remember the Verne getting torched. People suspected the bikers. Gaffer said he had no enemies ( may have been wrong on that ). It was great though while it lasted. One of the early theme pubs - modern for it's day. Good times there.

 

[no_loyalty]

The Poachers Retreat and the Hawthorne in Eastern Green were pubs I visited in the late 90's, also the pub on the A45 where Auto Choice now stands

 

[martcov]

When I worked there (as assistant manager), the manager was a guy called Trevor Carter. This would be around 1972 - 73.

I was there a lot then.

 

[dutchman]

Remember it very well Houch - used to live there! My parents ran it for about 18 months until they split up, early/mid 70's before it got got torched and changed to the 3 Spires. Must have been between 73' and 75' as I recall being shit scared when the pub bombings were going on

Did you ever get that phone call, the one that went: "This is the police, there is no cause for alarm". A soon as they said that you knew it was something really, really bad!

 

[eastwoodsdustman]

The Spittlemoor, Hand and Heart and how about Times Square as a blast from the 80's?

 

[andrew.roberts]

Used to play for the Jules Verne football team in the early-mid seventies. We had a decent side. It was a great pub with a brilliant atmosphere. Remember also meeting there on a Saturday night to go to a Wigan Casino and DJ'd for a while on a Thursday night in the bar which was straight ahead as you walked through the main doors, can't remember the name but it had sort of railway carriage seating at one end. Great days, especially the Queen's silver jubilee celebrations in 1977

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[Houchens Head]

Used to play for the Jules Verne football team in the early-mid seventies. We had a decent side. It was a great pub with a brilliant atmosphere. Remember also meeting there on a Saturday night to go to a Wigan Casino and DJ'd for a while on a Thursday night in the bar which was straight ahead as you walked through the main doors, can't remember the name but it had sort of railway carriage seating at one end. Great days, especially the Queen's silver jubilee celebrations in 1977

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That was the "Balloon Bar" with the railway carriage booths.

 

[georgehudson]

the pub that faced gosford green, an ansell's house i think,
i remember going in there & having the worst pint ever, ansell's aston ale i think it was,
(aston), i should've known better,
the mercers arms, saw loads of top bands there, supertramp, graham bond, etc.,
& what was the name of the pub on harnall lane, green tiled outer, now a mosque i think ? good soul nights there,
hare & hounds on gulson road was a good pre-match gargle,
also the plough, on the london road, norman rennison, what a gaffer, got some stories to tell there,
it was later ruined by, the brollys, who turned it into a derry club, f'kin tosh, imho,
& the london road club, that was just an A1 watering hole, bill & sue, 'legends'
& the royal oak, next to the campbell, used to gargle there with brad, & mates,
i've started the book & if i may will call upon many a coventrian for additional material,
PUSB

 

[dutchman]

the pub that faced gosford green, an ansell's house i think,

The White Lion on the far left of this picture taken from Gosford Green:

 

[georgehudson]

i clicked like, but i did not like, yep, twas the white lion,
dunno what year, but the worst pint of ale (aston), i've ever tasted,
all the fault of 'firm shite', there's a vacancy @ sh, wed

 

[ajsccfc]

what was the name of the pub on harnall lane, green tiled outer, now a mosque i think ? good soul nights there,

Freemasons Tavern I think?

I used to live round there and it must have closed 30 years ago as it was always just sat empty. Used to go to the Cov Supporters Club further up Freehold St too

 

[Malaka]

What was the name of that pub that looked like an Ark in Potters Green?

 

[Houchens Head]

What was the name of that pub that looked like an Ark in Potters Green?

That was the Acorn.

 

[ajsccfc]

I can't tell if I love that building or hate it. Edging towards the former.

 

[martcov]

Used to play for the Jules Verne football team in the early-mid seventies. We had a decent side. It was a great pub with a brilliant atmosphere. Remember also meeting there on a Saturday night to go to a Wigan Casino and DJ'd for a while on a Thursday night in the bar which was straight ahead as you walked through the main doors, can't remember the name but it had sort of railway carriage seating at one end. Great days, especially the Queen's silver jubilee celebrations in 1977

Sent from my XT1068 using Tapatalk

I remember the guys going to Wigan Casino for Northern Soul. Never went myself though. I remember the DJing as well...

 

[duffer]

Used to play for the Jules Verne football team in the early-mid seventies. We had a decent side. It was a great pub with a brilliant atmosphere. Remember also meeting there on a Saturday night to go to a Wigan Casino and DJ'd for a while on a Thursday night in the bar which was straight ahead as you walked through the main doors, can't remember the name but it had sort of railway carriage seating at one end. Great days, especially the Queen's silver jubilee celebrations in 1977

Sent from my XT1068 using Tapatalk

I lived directly opposite the Jules Verne in 1977 - I would've been twelve at the time. You used to keep me awake, you insensitive bastard.

(Actually, you probably didn't, and in any case my old man used to park all of his old bangers over there so we got good value for it!)

 

[andrew.roberts]

That was the "Balloon Bar" with the railway carriage booths.

That's the one. Baloon and Basket, and I recall one of the others was called the Shangai Waterfront. I also remember Gary Cordery punching Malc Rushton in the Western Bar, both played for the football team

 

[andrew.roberts]

I lived directly opposite the Jules Verne in 1977 - I would've been twelve at the time. You used to keep me awake, you insensitive bastard.

(Actually, you probably didn't, and in any case my old man used to park all of his old bangers over there so we got good value for it!)

Haha, I'm sorry if I deprived you of sleep

 

[andrew.roberts]

I remember the guys going to Wigan Casino for Northern Soul. Never went myself though. I remember the DJing as well...

Then we must have known each other, at least by sight

 

[RegTheDonk]

Did you ever get that phone call, the one that went: "This is the police, there is no cause for alarm". A soon as they said that you knew it was something really, really bad!

I was just a kid Dutch, though I do remember my dad panicing one night saying to my mum this could be them, dunno if it was connected...anyway, most of the cops would come upstairs and have a pint in the service kitchen rather than phone!

 

[clint van damme]

I can't believe this thread has got to 4 pages and no ones mentioned the Thistle, a great boozer!

 

[Gazolba]

There used to be a couple of pubs in the Village of Barnacle between Coventry and Shilton. One was called the Bulls Head and another the Fox and Hounds. I think there may be still one pub left but the Fox and Hounds and the Bulls Head, where I used to go, are no more.

 

[bringbackrattles]

I can't believe this thread has got to 4 pages and no ones mentioned the Thistle, a great boozer!

Houch got barred from the Thistle didn't you know ? You had to go downstairs to the bar if I recall.

 

[Houchens Head]

Houch got barred from the Thistle didn't you know ? You had to go downstairs to the bar if I recall.

Thought YOU'D remember that BBR! Ha ha!! :hungover:

 

[olderskyblue]

There used to be a couple of pubs in the Village of Barnacle between Coventry and Shilton. One was called the Bulls Head and another the Fox and Hounds. I think there may be still one pub left but the Fox and Hounds and the Bulls Head, where I used to go, are no more.

It was the red lion in barnacle

 

[olderskyblue]

Houch got barred from the Thistle didn't you know ? You had to go downstairs to the bar if I recall.

Used to drink in the thistle, knew a lot of the lads in there

Downstairs? I only ever knew one bar in there

 

[bringbackrattles]

Used to drink in the thistle, knew a lot of the lads in there

Downstairs? I only ever knew one bar in there

I'm sure there were stairs leading to a small bar downstairs ? I was working on a building site in the city centre in 1974/75 and a few of us drank in there as well as the Market Tavern.

 

[clint van damme]

I'm sure there were stairs leading to a small bar downstairs ? I was working on a building site in the city centre in 1974/75 and a few of us drank in there as well as the Market Tavern.

was on ground level and there was an upstairs which was rarely used when I went in there but this was in the late 80s/early 90s.

 

[kdrinkell]

Random post but I nicked a tape from Times Square !! Not that I am a career thief just fancied playing their music at home.

 

[Sky_Blue_Daz]

My parents ran The hope and anchor, The climax and the Admiral codrington between the mid 70's through to 1994
My uncle and aunt ran The peacock
Another uncle had the zodiac and my brother had the 3 horseshoes on the foleshill road for a year or so on the early 90s
My dad new loads of the old school pub gaffers most of them were real nice guys and good men and there was a sense of decency between them.My dad never had a bad word to say about anyone in the trade apart from Ken Brown

 

[clint van damme]

My parents ran The hope and anchor, The climax and the Admiral codrington between the mid 70's through to 1994
My uncle and aunt ran The peacock
Another uncle had the zodiac and my brother had the 3 horseshoes on the foleshill road for a year or so on the early 90s
My dad new loads of the old school pub gaffers most of them were real nice guys and good men and there was a sense of decency between them.My dad never had a bad word to say about anyone in the trade apart from Ken Brown

why am I not surprised!

 

[olderskyblue]

the pub that faced gosford green, an ansell's house i think,
i remember going in there & having the worst pint ever, ansell's aston ale i think it was,
(aston), i should've known better,
the mercers arms, saw loads of top bands there, supertramp, graham bond, etc.,
& what was the name of the pub on harnall lane, green tiled outer, now a mosque i think ? good soul nights there,
hare & hounds on gulson road was a good pre-match gargle,
also the plough, on the london road, norman rennison, what a gaffer, got some stories to tell there,
it was later ruined by, the brollys, who turned it into a derry club, f'kin tosh, imho,
& the london road club, that was just an A1 watering hole, bill & sue, 'legends'
& the royal oak, next to the campbell, used to gargle there with brad, & mates,
i've started the book & if i may will call upon many a coventrian for additional material,
PUSB

Used to go to the "townies" reunion at London Road club. It was held for everyone that Used to frequent the town in the 70's. Great fun seeing a lot of the old faces you recognised even if you didn't actually know them well at the time. Probably about 100 or so people turned up each time.

 

[bringbackrattles]

My parents ran The hope and anchor, The climax and the Admiral codrington between the mid 70's through to 1994
My uncle and aunt ran The peacock
Another uncle had the zodiac and my brother had the 3 horseshoes on the foleshill road for a year or so on the early 90s
My dad new loads of the old school pub gaffers most of them were real nice guys and good men and there was a sense of decency between them.My dad never had a bad word to say about anyone in the trade apart from Ken Brown

I'll be in the Three Horseshoes later on and I bet it hasn't changed much since your brother had it.By the way good to see Still Game back on last night ! ☺