Blog Surfer

Saturday 23 March 2019

#256 The Poacher's Pocket, Gledrid, Shropshire : 1996 to 2018

Our first boating trip all the way up the Llangollen Canal was in 1996, although we'd gone as far as Whitchurch in 1981. Our first visit to The Poacher's Pocket was at lunchtime on Monday 26th August 1996.
This was the view from the canal side entrance to the pub. As I recall it was a pleasant pub and the first we'd come across in quite a few miles resulting in a very late lunch (we moored up at 2:25 pm!).

On our next trip along the Llangollen Canal, The Poacher's Pocket provided the ideal spot to rendezvous with our third crew member Andrew.
This was on the evening of Thursday 30th August 2007 and the pub was, remarkably, unchanged.

Our next visit was an Easter trip when we'd hired a boat from Chirk Marina and this was our final stop before handing the boat back in the morning.
This was on the evening of Monday 21st April 2014 and, for some reason, I'd decided to take a photo of the more attractive front of the pub (rather than provide a consistent view through the years!). Despite the change of perspective, there's no hiding the wholesale redevelopment and expansion of the pub into a substantial Marston's pub/restaurant. Even the name has been changed! After eating and a couple of pints we chose to leave and finish the session in the Bridge Inn, just a short(ish) stroll away.

Our most recent visit was a lunchtime stop on Friday 31st August 2018 on our way to Llangollen.

Pretty much unchanged from the previous visit, but this time I did take a shot from the canal side entrance which properly shows just how much the pub has been expanded.

5 comments:

  1. Well, well. Never heard of Gledrid, sounds very Welsh. Passed that Moreton Park on A5 a few times. Very character place

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well, in our canal guide it is in Rhoswiel, on Google it is in Weston Rhyn and its official address is Chirk - so I picked the one that the Post Office suggested!
    Not been to Moreton Park, but its within easy walking distance - I've just discovered!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Classic pictures Pete....not really covered Shropshire at all aside from Shrewsbury...looks terrific ��
    Britain Beermat

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Shropshire's a big county and this pub is almost in Wales. This one has lost much of its character, but still does the job of providing beer and food...so that's fine!

      Delete