#258 Cock & Greyhound, Whitchurch, Shropshire : 1996 to 2018 (RIP?)

My first ever canal visit to Whitchurch was back in 1981, long before I started taking pictures of the pubs we visit. I have no memories of which pubs we visited.

My next visit to Whitchurch, via the Llangollen Canal, was on the evening of Wednesday 28th August 1996 and The Greyhound was the first pub we came across as it is quite a walk from the canal to the town centre.

Aside from it being outside the town centre, I have no other recollection of it.

It was quite a few years before we were back in Whitchurch, this time on the evening of Wednesday 29th August 2007.

In the intervening 11 years, the signage had been replaced and it was now a Pubmaster pub.

It was another 11 years before we returned on the lunchtime of Thursday 30th August 2018...and this is the scene we discovered.

No only was it closed, but the name had changed to the Cock & Greyhound. At the time, it looked pretty terminal, but according to WhatPub it reopened in April 2019. It had been owned by AtWill Pubs, who appear to have gone out of business and it is difficult to work out what the future is (or the present, even!)

#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!

#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.

#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.

 

#248 Wynnstay Arms, Llangollen, Denbighshire : 2007 to 2018 (RIP?) And A Flock of Seagulls Member!

Our boating trips to Llangollen are quite infrequent, but is is a great section of canal to travel along. The town of Llangollen has some interesting pubs (see previous entries) and I'm surprised that the Wynnstay Arms hadn't featured before.

We didn't go into the pub on our first visit in 1996, but we did venture in on the evening of Friday 31st August 2007.

As I recall, despite appearances from outside, it was quite a small, intimate local boozer on the inside (a sort of reverse Tardis effect!)

Our next visit to Llangollen was at Easter in 2014 when we hired a boat from Chirk Marina.

This visit was on the evening of Saturday 19th April 2014 and, as far as I could tell, the Wynnstay Arms was unchanged (outside or in).

On our most recent visit to Llangollen, on the evening of Friday 31st August 2018, this was the scene.

We'd already had a couple of pints, a meal and approx a bootle of wine (each) and were looking forward to seeing whether it was still a proper little boozer. At first glance it looked remarkably unchanged...but the closed front door is a bit of a giveaway (this was 10:40pm). Somewhat disappointed, my friends headed off to the Bridge End Hotel (where we'd started our evening) and this is where my evening turned into a somewhat bizarre experience.

As I was taking my pictures I got into conversation with a scouse gentleman who was having a fag outside the wine bar next door to the Wynnstay Arms. I think he started the conversation (but I'd had a lot to drink so don't really remember much detail!) by telling me his name and that he was a member of the band A Flock of Seagulls. I didn't recognise him and, quite frankly, I didn't really believe him, but I carried on chatting with him because...well, I'll talk to anyone! (And I quite liked A Flock of Seagulls, back in the day.) It was his idea that I take the picture.

Later, after a quick check on the internet, it looked as though I might have been talking with Mike Score who was the lead singer with the band. Subsequent research, back home proved that it wasn't him as he now has an American twang to his voice. I finally found a recent interview with the whole band and there he was...Frank Maudsley...in the same shades, wearing the same watch and crucially with exactly the same voice. Don't ask me what he was doing in Llangollen, because in my pissed state I couldn't remember!

Anyway, back to the Wynnstay Arms. Subsequent research shows that it is to be refurbished "to transform it into a destination bar, restaurant and cocktail bar" as outlined on the Welsh Government website. Whether this actually goes ahead is anybody's guess, but hopefully it will continue as a drinking establishment in some form. 

#247 Horse & Jockey, Grindley Brook, Shropshire : 1996 to 2018

Grindley Brook is a small village on the Llangollen Canal just outside Whitchurch. The only pub in the village is the Horse & Jockey which we've visited on the few occasions that we've stopped there.

 

Our first visit was at lunchtime on Sunday 25th August 1996 and this was the welcoming sight. As usual, I have little recollection of the interior, but as the sign says Food was served from 12 - 2 pm and 7 - 10 pm Every Day so we obviously were well fed. (as an aside, whatever happened to those sorts of food serving times? Admittedly, 2 pm is a bit early to stop. Definitely shows the changing times and eating out habits over 22 years.)

 

The Llangollen canal isn't one we take on too often and so we didn't return to the Horse & Jockey until another lunchtime on Sunday 2nd September 2007.

In the passing 11 years, the Horse & Jockey appears to have changed hands and was no longer a Banks's pub. Interestingly, aside from the complete redecoration, a 'porch' has appeared around the front door and a chimney has sprouted from the low roof on the right.

 

Coincidentally, it took us another 11 years to return and on this trip, we paid it two visits.

Firstly on the evening of Wednesday 29th August 2018 and then again - 

 on the evening of Sunday 2nd September 2018 (exactly 11 years to the day from the previous visit!). It has undergone yet further refurbishments both outside and in. One thing that hasn't changed is the civilised food times on a Sunday (til 9 pm).

 

The décor is what I would call, modern rustic, a style many food led country pubs have now adopted. The food was good with an interesting menu that changes monthly, but I have one quibble - why is it a modern trend to serve a meal with the various components piled on top of each other?

 

My fish and chips arrived with the battered cod on top of a stack of chips (piled Jenga style) meaning that the fat from the batter inevitably softens what were crisp chips! On the second visit, the roast beef (and Yorkshire Pudding) were on top of a pile of assorted vegetables which hid the abomination that is cauliflower cheese. The manner in which this was rectified was exemplary, which is the sign of a well-run establishment.

#175 Sun Inn, Llangollen, Denbighshire : 2007 to 2014

As previously mentioned, we don't get to Llangollen very often, so we do like to have a look around.

Our first visit was on the evening of Friday 31st August 2007 and we only popped in for a pint. As I recall it was a typical local boozer which are all too rare these days - then it was only a couple of months after the Smoking Ban had come in!

We were back in Llangollen on the evening of Saturday 19th April 2014 and we decided to retrace our steps along the A5 to see what pubs were still there.

We didn't go in this time because the music was a bit loud (and we're becoming old gits who don't like music that's too noisy!!) and they don't do food. I was, however, pleased to see that it had survived, almost completely unchanged in seven years.

It seems to be thriving as a music venue - here's a link for more information.

#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.

#170 Prince of Wales, Llangollen, Denbighshire : 2007 to 2014

Llangollen is a place we don't visit very often and on our first trip there in 1996 we didn't venture much beyond the town centre. On our next visit we decided to explore a bit more and one of the pubs we found was the Prince of Wales.

This was on the evening of Friday 31st August 2007. As I recall it was a fairly standard back street boozer.

The next time we returned was in a boat hired from nearby Chirk Marina, just a day's trip away from Llangollen. Again, we strode out looking for the pubs we'd seen on our last visit.

This was on the evening of Saturday 19th April 2014. Seemingly very little had changed, apart from the For Sale sign and the fact that it was closed! Another victim of the Smoking Ban?

Apparently it reopened in May 2014 and is run by the Llangollen Brewery, which, if true, is excellent news.

#165 Bull Inn, Llangollen Denbighshire : 1996 to 2014

On our first trip to Llangollen we only stayed in the town for the lunchtime session with the Bull Inn being one of the pubs we visited.

I don't recall much about the interior as this was a long time ago on Tuesday 27th August 1996. It is a grand looking building that gained Grade II listed status in 1989. Back then it was a Burtonwood pub.

The next time we went back to the Bull Inn was for an evening stop on Friday 31st August 2007.

It was quite busy for a Friday night and seemed to be largely unchanged. I assume that it had changed brewery, but I can't make it out from this night-time photo.

Moving onto our most recent visit.

This picture was taken on the evening of Saturday 19th April 2014 and we chose not to go inside this time. It is clear from the hanging sign that it is now a Marston's pub.

It is interesting to note that the shop to the right of the pub is different on each visit, yet on the other side the Ladbrokes shop is a constant companion!

#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!

#161 The Bridge Inn, Chirk Bank, Shropshire : 1996 to 2014

Our first trip along the Llangollen Canal was back in 1996. This photo was taken on the evening of Tuesday 27th August 1996 on our way back from Llangollen.

Back in those days it was a Banks's pub and was a friendly local. In the distance you can see the Chirk Aqueduct and running parallel, but higher, the railway viaduct.

We didn't return until lunchtime on Saturday 1st September 2007, again on the way back from Llangollen.

The outside of the pub had had a complete makeover including an outside terraced seating area. Judging from the date, I assume this outdoor area was installed for the smokers as this was just two months after the smoking ban was introduced.

Our most recent visit was on the evening of Monday 21st April 2014.

It was late as we'd already eaten at The Poacher's where we'd moored. We decided that a stroll was in order to prevent us drinking too much too quickly if we stayed in the same place! There didn't appear to be too many changes and I'm assuming that it is still a Marston's pub.

Subsequently, I've found their website which makes interesting reading. A very pleasant pub and well worth a visit if you are in the neighbourhood.

#157 Bridge End Hotel, Llangollen : 1996 to 2014

Our first ever canal visit to Llangollen was  in 1996. Since beginning canal boating in 1980 I'd been eager to go along the Llangollen Canal to experience the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. This Thomas Telford designed masterpiece is also a World Heritage Site and well worth a visit even if you're not boating. (See Here)

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct © Photo Digital Art 2014

The town of Llangollen is about 5 miles away (by canal) and a beautiful journey it is as the canal hugs the side of the Dee Valley which it has just passed over on the aqueduct.

This picture was taken at lunchtime on Tuesday 27th August 1996 and shows a somewhat typically decorated (for the time) Robinson's pub. I've no recollection of the interior, but I do recall that next door was a taxidermist's shop.

Although we've been back to Llangollen in the intervening years we didn't venture into the Bridge End until our last visit.

This was on the evening of Saturday 19th April 2014 and it had become the Bridge End Hotel with a complete external makeover. Inside it was reasonably well appointed, but nothing was particularly memorable about it. (And the Taxidermist was still next door!)

#090 The Old Trooper, Christleton, Cheshire : 1996 to 2012

Our first ever canal trip to Chester was back in 1996 following our first ever visit to Llangollen a few days earlier. We stopped at Christleton on our way out of Chester and moored up right outside The Old Trooper.

This was on the evening of Saturday 31st August 1996. In those days it was a Beefeater which suited us perfectly as we're quite partial to a steak with our evening's lager! As I recall it was a classic Beefeater of that period - inside it was a maze of different levels meaning that, although the place was quite busy, you felt as though you were the only customers there, not being able to see the 'big picture' of the restaurant layout.

On that visit we didn't venture forth into Christleton, an omission we've remedied in subsequent years. We didn't revisit The Old Trooper until 2012. This trip was the first canal venture since we'd sold Emma Jane and was our first experience of hiring a narrowboat. Our starting point was the Anglo Welsh hire base at Bunbury on the Shropshire Union Canal and we visited Christleton, again on the way out of Chester.

This was at lunchtime on Wednesday 11th April 2012. We'd had lunch at the Ring o' Bells in the village, but decided to revisit The Old Trooper for a last pint of the session for old time's sake. And what a transformation! I still find it amazing that some pubs hardly change over the years whilst some have a complete makeover (sometimes more than once)! Outside the building itself is largely unchanged in shape, but the decoration is somewhat different. Inside, it is nothing like it was 16 years ago. Now it is completely open and all on one level (apart from a couple of steps up at the back).

As I recall, Beefeater were owned by Whitbread (still are, Ed) and Harvester are owned by Mitchells & Butlers, so there has obviously been a bit of property dealing in the intervening 16 years since our last visit! It was very difficult to see if it was still called The Old Trooper, but the name is just visible beneath the green Harvester pole sign (on the left of the picture), but on their website the name is much more prominent. 

#041 The Fountain Inn, Tipton : 2003 to 2011

This is a pub I wish I'd visited before 2003. The Fountain Inn has a long history and survived when the Tipton Green area was substantially redeveloped in the late 1970's. Now the pub stands, almost alone, amidst buildings that are less than 20 years old.

Our first visit was at lunchtime on 27th August 2003 on our way back from a canal trip that had taken us to Leicester. As I remember, it was a pleasant pub that served very good pub food at very reasonable prices.

Four years later and we make another lunchtime stop on 6th September 2007 on our way back from our second trip along the Llangollen Canal.

Very little had changed...fortunately.

And so to our most recent visit. Again lunchtime on 6th September 2011, this time on our return from a trip along the Caldon Canal.

Very little has changed, but the vegetation is now in hanging baskets and the signage on the side of the pub is more restrained. Inside it was still the same, but there was one aspect that I've not encountered for a long while. The barmaid was young and gorgeous, far more attractive than you would expect to find in a small backstreet boozer and she was very good at her job (usually ability seems to be in inverse proportion to attractiveness!). This set me to thinking that you don't often find young, attractive barmaids in fairly bog standard pubs any more. I'm sure it used to be a more common phenomenon, but maybe I'm just getting old and developing 'rose tinted' glasses!

The main reason that I wish I'd visited The Fountain Inn sooner is it's history. The pub sign depicts a boxer which, at first sight, seems to be somewhat incongruous with the name. But, as the sign by the door and the statue by where we moored indicate, this was the training base for William Perry, the Tipton Slasher. He was a bare knuckle boxer and was Champion of England from 1850 - 1857. His nickname derived from his style of fighting.

He was originally a canal boatman but became famous as a fighter in his teens. Ultimately he ended up back in poverty after betting everything on his disastrous last fight. Amazing how things don't seem to have changed for boxers in the intervening 150 years!