Has there ever been a pub in newbury called the george and pelican
The George & Pelican was the most famous of the coaching inns in Speenhamland - to give some idea of size it had stabling for 2-300 horses. The main parts of the inn are still there but it closed as an inn ca 1843. In those days Speenhamland was not in the Borough of Newbury - but I guess it was part of the town regardless.
Has there ever been a pub in newbury called the george and pelican
Poverty among local agricultural workers grew into a severe problem in the 1790s. Magistrates met at the George and Pelican Inn in Speenhamland, and agreed that workers' wages would be subsidised from local taxation, according to the price of bread. This model was adopted by many other magistrates across southern and central England, and became known as the "Speenhamland System."
This is York House aka Thames Court, which was the western and most impressive portion of the George & Pelican - the inn extended east to what was Pelican Yard (now the Vodafone offices set back from London Rd). All the buildings fronting on Broadway/London Rd have survived.
The reason I ask this is my understanding is that varsity is to be rebranded as george & pelican
It's not unusual for pubs to take on the name of a better known predecessor - usually soon after the original disappears. A 166 year gap misses the usual benefits of taking on the kudos a well known name.
Does this mean all Varsity pubs are being rebranded or that the Newbury Varsity is changing to a different chain? Has the Newbury one failed to attract the 'right' clientele?
It would be quite nice to have a George & Pelican - but do they know that the original is mainly associated with the much villified Speenhamland System and the rhyme about it being a hotel famous for its 'enormous bill'. If they do does it mean they will be raising their prices?
Two more pictures - off the complete frontage of the George & Pelican as it is today. Thames Court to Jackson Stopps. And a view of its site - which included stables, gardens etc.
It's not unusual for pubs to take on the name of a better known predecessor - usually soon after the original disappears. A 166 year gap misses the usual benefits of taking on the kudos a well known name.
Does this mean all Varsity pubs are being rebranded or that the Newbury Varsity is changing to a different chain? Has the Newbury one failed to attract the 'right' clientele?
From what i have heard it is just the newbury venue that is changing it's name.
I believe the idea behind it is to try and prise some of the monty's crowd. I'm afraid to say that i don't think it will work as it will still have the stigma attached to it
The 'offy' is closing down because they reckon the ceiling can't take the weight of the flats above and is beginning to buckle. Apparently it's the same situation with York House and the clothing shop in the same block. So it looks like they may have to close the buildings and then work out if the whole block is beyond economic repair.
not all are actually dead pubs, but there are plenty there that most will never have heard of.
I had a quick run through the list of pubs and, unless I'm reading it incorrectly, there must have been about 50 pubs/bars in the town at one time (I concentrated on the year 1854). The population would have been considerably lower then too. It makes me think about the times when, if a new bar/restaurant/coffee place opens, everyone goes on about how we don't need anymore. Interesting.
I had a quick run through the list of pubs and, unless I'm reading it incorrectly, there must have been about 50 pubs/bars in the town at one time (I concentrated on the year 1854). The population would have been considerably lower then too. It makes me think about the times when, if a new bar/restaurant/coffee place opens, everyone goes on about how we don't need anymore. Interesting.
a Because it might be true.
b There is a building called, I think, the Reformation Hall for this reason.
c The population was lower, but we would have had a lot of visitors back then, being the main link to the North and South, East and West.
a Because it might be true. For some maybe b There is a building called, I think, the Reformation Hall for this reason. I thought Reformation Halls were to do with religious changes in the Church of England.I could easily be wrong but if you are right they weren't working c The population was lower, but we would have had a lot of visitors back then, being the main link to the North and South, East and West Maybe but I wouldn't have thought the numbers were as high as those we see today..
Nice try, but they'll board 'em up, and let 'em rot for a bit, then, when they're really sure the buildings are beyond economic repair, they'll set about knocking them down.
Nice try, but they'll board 'em up, and let 'em rot for a bit, then, when they're really sure the buildings are beyond economic repair, they'll set about knocking them down.
I assume you are referring to the idea that there might be too many pubs etc? There were plenty at the time (1850s) who thought there were too many at that time (but there were a lot, lot more than 50).
b There is a building called, I think, the Reformation Hall for this reason.
I suspect you mean the Temperance Hall in Northcroft Lane - when it closed as the Arts Workshop someone tried to get a change of use to open a reastaurant. This failed because the temerpance folk inserted a restrictive covenant in the deeds to ensure that the building would never be used to serve alcohol.
c The population was lower, but we would have had a lot of visitors back then, being the main link to the North and South, East and West.
The biggest difference was the influx of people on market days, many of whom would stay overnight in the pubs. By the 1850s railways had slaughtered the coaching trade and bigger places like the George & Pelican had closed.
The other issue was that the water was very dodgy so beer was a safer drink, many of the pubs sold a lot of beer for folk to take home (no Tescos or Sainsburys selling slabs of lager). Plus the lack of TV or radio meant that getting out and socialising was far more common than it is today.
The 'offy' is closing down because they reckon the ceiling can't take the weight of the flats above and is beginning to buckle. Apparently it's the same situation with York House and the clothing shop in the same block. So it looks like they may have to close the buildings and then work out if the whole block is beyond economic repair.
What have they put in the flats? That block has been there for over 300 years without collapsing. This was The Bear, another inn, where Lord Falkland's body was taken after the 1st Battle of Newbury for shipment back to his ancestral home in Oxfordshire. Not sure how it links to York House, which is considerably newer.
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