Another Trip Down Memory Lane

Two Memory Lane posts so far and I haven’t moved away from talking about pubs yet. Hmm……I wonder if this means anything? Some may say maybe so but in my defence I like to think I’m just a sociable fella and it just so happens that I may….I stress may….have spent a fair bit of time in pubs over the years. More time in pubs than the library? Probably so being totally honest. Anyway, let’s try not to get too carried away hey. So, welcome to another trip down Memory Lane.

Another Trip Down Memory Lane

And guess what, I’m actually going to finish my mention of old Chester pubs. I think!!! Let’s just say it’s a “definite maybe”

So, where were we with some of Chester’s old pubs? Bear in mind as I’ve said previously, these are my recollections. It is not meant to be an authoritative history of old pubs. After all I may not have been in them all. I’ve given it a very good go mind….but you know what I mean. So apologies if you are looking for a more factual, historical trip down Memory Lane. My memories only unfortunately.

Also as I’ve touched on, it’s not just pubs that will get a mention. Wine bars and clubs as well. Thanks David for your memories of Images nightclub. I’ll get onto that in due course.

But before we get onto clubs, how about another trip down Memory Lane where some of our old wine bars and a very special pub gets a mention.

Another Trip Down Memory Lane-Wine Bars Of Note

In one of my earlier trip down Memory Lane posts I mentioned Sir Edwards. While doing so, I touched on the subject of one of their big rivals at the time. Pierre Griffe’s in Mercia Square. Again, I would imagine some of you are saying “Mercia What” or “Mercia Where”.

Quite simply, Mercia Square was across the Walls by The Bell Tower. Walk past the Bell Tower and a few short steps across the Walls pathway was an entrance to Mercia Square.

The area was level with the Walls and housed a variety of businesses (more on this in another post). These businesses included of course drinking establishments. Namely, Pierre Griffes wine bar, Dukes wine bar and the pub, The Pump Room.

Well, there’s a question. Dukes. Was it a pub or a wine bar? I classed it as a pub because didn’t it sell beer as well?

As soon as you entered the Mercia Square area off the Walls, Pierre Griffes (PG’s) was immediately to the right in the corner. Dukes and The Pump Room were in the opposite corner diagonally across from PG’s.

Pierre Griffes Last Orders

I liked PG’s even though I am a beer drinker and not a wine aficionado. It was also a place that was open slightly later than ‘normal’ pubs. It closed a half hour after the pubs if I remember. Maybe that’s why I liked it. Although to be fair, at the time the later closing time wasn’t the main attraction. The main attraction in a nutshell was that it was a great place to go with a great atmosphere.

Also, wasn’t it Chester’s first wine bar?

As I mentioned above tucked away in the opposite corner was another wine bar(?) and a pub. Anyway, who remembers Dukes and The Pump Room?

Dukes Wine Bar and The Pump Room

As PG’s didn’t sell beer you had the fall back of The Pump Room, which was next to another popular wine bar called Dukes. If I remember there was a connecting door between the two. Were they owned by the same people? Not sure.

I didn’t really go to Duke’s that much, but The Pump Room was a regular haunt. One of the main recollections I had of The Pump Room was the revolving door entrance from the Square. One or two extra sherbets may have got you into a bit of a spin.

Also, the tables were big old beer barrels.

When the weather was nice revellers from all three bars used to assemble in the Square. Great days, great bars. It was a sad day indeed when Mercia Square was demolished in 1990 – only 20 years after it was built. Comparing today with then, I’m not sure why it was demolished when you consider how popular the whole Square was (shops as well as bars). I’d love to be in on some of those local authority meetings sometimes.

Anyway, they’re not there any more which is a great pity.

Another Trip Down Memory Lane – Last But Not Least

Last but not least in this another trip down Memory Lane recollection (unless I can recall any more) is a real favourite of mine. Oh, hang on just thought of another pub that’s a gonna. Scruffy Murphys (I think it was called) on Northgate Street. Now called The Red Lion. In fact it was The Red Lion before it became Scruffy Murphys. One of their mottos was something like “have a Guinness a day” wasn’t it.

It didn’t stay as Scruffy Murphys for long. Good pub though. It used to have a series of small compartment type seating areas. Very conducive with the Irish bar traditions.

Anyway, last but not least. What a huge shame this pub went. It was a classic, traditional pub in so many respects. When it went it didn’t change names or become something else, like a shop. No, it was actually demolished. Was it a listed building? Not sure. It was though located in a designated conservation zone. And there was plenty of interest in keeping the pub alive and kicking. So, why was it demolished given the interest and the protection it seemed to enjoy? Draw your own conclusions on that.

The practical reasons given was that it needed to be demolished so the delightful drive in, drive out bus terminal could be built. Don’t get me started on how dangerous I think it is for buses to be driving up Frodsham Street. Anyway, I digress.

Another Trip Down Memory Lane – The Ship Victory

Yes indeed, what a great little boozer The Ship Victory was. It was affectionately known as the “little pub with a big heart”. This was partly because of the vast amounts of money the pub and its customers used to raise for charity.

An example of which was the £107,000 or so that was raised for a breast cancer memorial fund in memory of ex-landlord, Joe Gildea’s, daughter, Angela.

I knew Angela. A lovely, vibrant young woman. And, as it happens, I’ve known Joe for many years. In fact I knew him well before he became landlord of The Ship Victory. We used to go to the same gym in the middle of town (another candidate for a Memory Lane mention when I eventually move away from pubs, bars and clubs).

Joe kept a really good pub. A bitter drinker himself, Joe knew how to serve a top pint of cask. Always smiling and wise cracking, Joe is a local legend for so many people. A good footballer in his day as well I am reliably informed. Older than me so I can’t say we crossed swords on a footie pitch. We do share the same passion for the same footie team as well though.

Another Trip Down Memory Lane-Billy May Nights

One of the big features of a really good night in The Ship Victory was when they had a live act on. No disrespect to any others who appeared at the time but was there a better live act than Billy May? I think Billy deserves his very own “another trip down Memory Lane” post. I’ll get on the case.

But suffice it to say for this particular post, Billy May nights in The Ship were always a special night.

Thanks for the memories Joe. And Billy.

A lasting legacy of The Ship Victory was rescuing and salvaging the old pub sign. This was actually a topic of a popular BBC programme, Repair Shop. I’ve written about this and The Ship Victory generally in an earlier post. You can read about it HERE.

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