Today, April 28th 2021, is a first. The first post with no great historical detail about the bygone boozers featured, for today is the first World Art Deco Day. To celebrate this, although celebrate is probably an inappropriate word to use, here are a few Art Deco and Streamline Moderne pubs which are pubs no more. Some have appeared earlier in this blog, others are yet to appear and some may never appear. Just enjoy the beauty of these buildings of a certain age and regret their passing as hostelries.
I start with the iconic Iron Duke in Great Yarmouth. Although a bygone boozer there may be some hope for it now. After over a decade of neglect and decay under the questionable stewardship of Bourne Leisure, ownership passed to Great Yarmouth Preservation Trust in January 2021. Quite what its future will be we'll have to wait and see, but I doubt that they'll be planning to demolish it – unlike its previous owner.
On the corner of Bridge Road and Marine Parade in Gorleston used to stand the Links Hotel. Although built in the late 1930s the second world war delayed its opening. In fact it waited until 1952 to serve its first pint before closing in 1999 and then being flattened to provide a site for housing.
As was also the case with the previous pair, A. W. Ecclestone designed the Clipper Schooner for Lacons. It appeared in 1938 on Friars Lane, Great Yarmouth, replacing a previous pub of the same name. After closure it was converted into self-catering holiday accommodation.
Although not as grand as the Iron Duke or the Links I've always loved this little building. I think it's the tiled pub sign that does it for me.
The above three bygone boozers all appeared in this previous post but those which follow have yet to feature. Watch this space!
Sticking with the Great Yarmouth area, the Old Commodore stood on the corner of Bull's Lane and High Street in Gorleston. Like the Clipper Schooner it was built on the site of an older pub of the same name. I believe that the building now houses a nursery.
That's four from my youthful Yarmouth years, now for a couple from my Derby days. A pair of the three blue-themed pubs built by Offiler's Brewery. Firstly, the Blue Pool on Stenson Road in Littleover. It still stands... as a Tesco Express.
Secondly, the Blue Boy on Wiltshire Road in Chaddesden. Last time I checked one half was a supermarket with the other housed a branch of Bargain Booze.
And I may as well, for the sake of completeness, put in a pic of the remaining member of the Offiler's 'Blue' threesome. Remaining in all senses as it's still serving. That's right. It's not a bygone. I hereby present the Blue Peter in Alvaston. All three photographs were taken in 2005.
And just to show that it's not only we Brits who are closing Art Deco pubs, here's the former United Kingdom Hotel in Clifton Hill, Melbourne. Sadly, the Aussies are just as capable of converting a beautiful boozer into a branch of McDonald's as we Poms are.
Thanks again to John Law for the photograph of the Links Hotel. The images of the Iron Duke and the Old Commodore are courtesy of www.norfolkpubs.co.uk.
Anne Holmes' image is reused under this license whilst Evelyn Simak's photographs and those of the Offiler's 'Blue' pubs are reproduced under this one.
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