Tag: Public house

Memory of the Leopard Hotel in Burslem

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In its prime a few years before it burnt down. Sadly one of the landlords passed away following an infection from a scratch. It sounds bizarre but it is sad that it eventually closed down after his death. The atmosphere was fantastic, with ghost tours and belly dancing groups, the hotel became a great place to meet friends while keeping a spooky edge to its historic building. In fact historical groups met there to discuss the Burslem riot of 1842. The troops were called in to quell it by reading the riot act. One man, Josiah Heapy was killed during it. Many more were wounded.

Old wooden floors and staircases, panelled rooms, hotel rooms at the back each with it’s own Victorian sink. How it must have impressed people who stopped there in the past. I miss the old place.

Greyhound

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Local public house, the Greyhound pub in Penkhull. This was another of the photos that I got into this year’s calendar. It’s another thing that is helping raise money for the village hall that was flooded a few months ago when an old water tank in the roof burst. Luckily the place was cleaned up and dried out quite quickly.

The pub was a local court for Penkhull manor a few centuries ago, and though you cannot see it here, it appears to be tudor in origin though I don’t know for certain.

I was so pleased to hear that I had  got 3 photos in the calendar. If there is another competition this year I will try again.

The Leopard

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My friend sent me this photo (I don’t have an attribution for it). This was a few year’s ago when it was open and the Leopard Hotel was running ghost tours and serving lovely food.

Then one of the owners died and it was taken over by a family member. I don’t know what happened but I think Covid didn’t help. In the end it closed and the owner moved elsewhere. Although the frontage looked OK it needed a tremendous amount of money spending on it as it was partly derelict in the back upper floors.

The hotel stood empty for months, it was bought by an entrepreneur who may have been going to turn it into flats. Unfortunately someone got in and apparently set up a cannabis farm in it (what I heard). Then it simply burnt down. Some of the frontage may remain but the place is boarded up.

I was involved for a while because I painted the murals in the back room, the Arnold Bennett Suite. I never got decent photos in there. I do hope it can be restored.

Candle in the window

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When we went to lunch earlier this week I took a photo of the room. I liked the ambient light from candles dotted around the it. They gave a warm glow on the wood panelled walls and floor. The pub has  spectacular stained glass windows so I shifted the candle over and took a photo. I guess the building is Victorian and may have been the watering hold of thirsty potters after work at the Spode pottery.

The Glebe Public house, Glebe Street, Stoke upon Trent, Stoke-on-Trent. Staffordshire.

Lunch in the mist

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I just wrote a blog post about taking my sister out to lunch at the Red Cow at Werrington, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. But I fell asleep and pressed the wrong button, so the description and information disappeared!

I was trying to say the view from the restaurant is wonderful and the food was great. Hot, tasty, delicious.

The leaves that are remaining on the trees are sparkling with copper, gold and bronze, the fields are still green.

Anyway I’m posting this now because I’ve dozed off again three times already.

The Greyhound inn.

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The Greyhound Inn on Manor Court Street, Penkhull, Stoke-on-Trent. A very interesting building. We called in today on the way back to Stoke from Rudyard lake.

To think a building originally built around 1540 and used as a court house been 1558 and 1829 would be enlarged and eventually became an Inn ( type of public house). Over the last few years it has gone through quite a few landlords, some more successful than others. It seems to be a friendly place now. But there are two other pubs nearby, so it has to share custom with them. We had a relaxing half an hour there.

 

Angry voices

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1am, the pub opposite is letting people out after a night of music and booze. I hear, but don’t see the clatter of bottles being thrown in the skip. The punters are waiting for taxis or a lift. Then one ugly angry voice is raised. I won’t go and look. I know that they sometimes get really rough over there and I don’t want to intervene. I have heard fights in the past outside our door, women screaming at each other. But I’m fearful of reprisals, my car is out there, near them, old and battered it doesn’t need any more damage.

Shouts, angry voices  swearing and cursing. Oh go away, get your taxis home. Unfriendly men with a chip or two on their shoulders . Car horn peeping, laughter and a fairwell. Diesel engine growling. Headlamps shine in through the window as a car three point turns….. Its getting quieter  Some voices fade off into the distance. Others shout goodbye. Another Saturday night is over.