The Angel Inn, as it was called when we first visited it on the evening of Monday 4th September 1995, is a pub that has hardly changed externally, but has been transformed internally over the years.
I really don't remember too much about the inside, I think it was a fairly standard town centre boozer. (We visited quite a few pubs that evening as Atherstone was something of a revelation for the quantity of drinking options!)
We were next in Atherstone on for a lunchtime stop on Saturday 20th August 2005, but we didn't go into the Angel on that occasion. I do, however, have a shot of the pub from down the street that I've blown up for this entry!
There doesn't look to be too much change, but difficult to tell from this distance!
We didn't return until the evening of Sunday 5th October 2014 and, again, we didn't venture inside.
It had obviously been refurbished and, peering through the window I could see that it was done out in the more modern, open, rustic style that so many places seem to go for.
We were back in Atherstone about a year later on the evening of Wednesday 2nd September 2015.
Yet again, we didn't go inside, but obviously they've managed to make a success of the place judging by the banner hanging over the front of the pub. At least the hanging sign is back outside the pub denoting the change of name to the Angel Ale House. Also, there is the large shelter added onto the side (just visible in the 2014 picture) that no doubt is there to accommodate extra drinkers and smokers.
I went in the Angel 20 days after your second to last photo when the pub had no signage outside,that was 25th October 2014,there were five real ales on and the Oakham Citra went down very well.
ReplyDeleteI did note that the pub looked a bit on the bare side even though it still had a beamed ceiling and it still retains two separate rooms.
I did 14 pubs in the town on the same day.
When we first visited Atherstone, I couldn't quite believe how many pubs there were! Some have gone, but the majority are still there making it a great stopping off point on the canal. Although these days, finding decent food on a Sunday evening can be a problem!
DeleteA question that has intrigued me on reading your blog; do you have a pint in each pub you visit?
No i never drink pints while on a pub crawl,it has to be a half of bitter usually or mild if these are not on then a Guinness or even a lager.
ReplyDeleteThe reason is i do so many pubs and drinking pints would slow me down and also i would not be able to visit so many pubs.
When i drink locally it is always pints.
To be honest, I didn't think that you could manage THAT MANY in one session!!
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ReplyDeleteThanks Dean. Always nice to see photos of 'my pubs' from earlier times.
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