#257 White Hart, Ellesmere, Shropshire : 2007 to 2018

This is a pub that I've only been in once as it has always seemed to have 'strange' opening hours...usually closed whenever I was there!

Ellesmere is a very useful stopping off point along the Llangollen Canal having all resources and a good number of pubs. The White Hart is just outside the main town centre and almost always is closed when we're there!

This was a lunchtime stop on Thursday 30th August 2007. I think the pub had closed (after 2pm!) and we didn't even know the name of it as the hanging sign was blank!

We didn't return to Ellesmere for quite a few years, but the White Hart was, seemingly, unchanged.

Except for the new hanging sign (in a different position) with some general paintwork and tidying.This was at lunchtime on Monday 21st April 2014. Definitely not open!

 We finally managed to set foot inside the pub on the evening of Thursday 30th August 2018.

This was our last stop of the evening and it was very pleasant...a proper pub that served proper beer as well as Carling!

#252 The Narrow Boat, Whittington, Shropshire : 1996 to 2018

Back to the usual theme of this blog and this time it is a pub we've only visited twice.

Our first encounter was on our very first trip along the Llangollen Canal and we stopped for lunch at the Narrow Boat Inn on Wednesday 28th August 1996.

I remember very little about it other than it is right beside the canal and, back then, it was associated with Maestermyn Cruisers and was part of their boatyard. (So called because of the proximity to Maestermyn Bridge.)

Although we ventured along the Llangollen Canal a couple more times we didn't stop here again until 2018, but on the morning of Monday 21st April 2014 I took this shot as we sailed by (it was way too early for a stop!)

From this view you can see what a lovely location it is and on a nice sunny day I can imagine it being packed...but we passed by!

On our most recent trip up the Llangollen Canal we stopped here on the evening of Saturday 1st September 2018 after the realisation that we would not make it to Ellesmere in time.

This was the view of the pub from our mooring. The hire boats and boatyard are still there, now named Whittington Wharf Narrowboats.

On the 'long' walk to the pub I took these shots to give you the all-round exterior view of The Narrow Boat.

From the towpath.

From Maestermyn Bridge

As we entered the pub it was obvious that the crews of all the boats that were moored near to us had also chosen to come here for their evening meal. Fortunately, there was plenty of room for us all and we had a decent meal.

It isn't a particularly 'pubby' place with tables being laid out in a regimented, canteen style suiting a space which is long and narrow. The bar is at one end and there is room for standing and a couple of high chairs for people to sit at the bar if you just want to drink.

For more information visit the WhatPub site.

 

#172 The Market Hotel, Ellesmere, Shropshire : 1996 to 2014

A trip along the Llangollen Canal is a rare treat and so we've only visited Ellesmere on a few occasions, the first being on the evening of Sunday 25th August 1996.

As I recall it was a fairly bog standard town centre boozer -relatively commonplace 19 years ago!

We did visit Ellesmere again in 2007, but didn't visit The Market Hotel. Our next visit was at lunchtime on Monday 21st April 2014 (Easter Monday).

Not surprisingly, the outside decoration has changed quite a lot in the intervening 18 years, but inside it is still a town boozer having survived (so far) the economic downturn and the smoking ban. A good description of the pub can be found here.

#163 The Railway, Ellesmere, Shropshire : 2007 to 2014 (RIP)

The Llangollen Canal is always a pleasant trip, but one we don't do very often. Ellesmere is a regular stopping point, but there are many pubs so we didn't discover them all on our first trip back in 1996.

In 2007 we stopped at Ellesmere both going to and coming back from Llangollen, so we had chance to pop into more hostelries than usual.

One of these was The Railway which we visited at lunchtime on Thursday 30th August 2007. As I remember it was a pretty basic boozer that didn't do food, so we only stayed for one pint and moved on.

We didn't return to the Llangollen Canal until Easter 2014 when we hired a boat from Chirk Marina. When we got to Ellesmere and had a wander around the town, this is the scene we saw.

The Railway was no more. Perhaps not too surprising given the devastation to pubs like The Railway throughout the country since the smoking ban came into force in July 2007, but still sad. This was at lunchtime on Monday 21st April 2014. It is interesting that the signage has been entirely removed, yet the satellite dish remains!