My first 'local' The Denmark Arms, Sandringham Road, Norwich. please log in to view this image Long since closed down
Slightly further out, the King's Head in St Faiths (now also no longer a pub ) was always my first port of call before heading into the metropolis! A great boozer with a nice back room for lock-ins! please log in to view this image
I remember that from after (or was it before?) my uncle's funeral at St Faith's crem. As you say, now closed down and just the Black Swan remaining in the village.
I practically cry every time I pass it these days, ah well nothing lasts forever! Used to use the Swan too. We used to walk from a neighbouring village because we had no pub there. (well, there was a dingy old one when I was a kid where we used to collect bottle tops [oh, the kids of today and their computer games! ] but that closed down in the early 60s)
Another which is closed permanently is the Lion and Castle on West Pottergate. Never drunk a swift half and got the hell out of anywhere as quickly as I did there. Felt most uncomfortable and unwelcome. please log in to view this image Another that I used to live near (I was on Wessex St, opposite the original Norfolk & Norwich hospital) which I find is also closed is (was?) the Kimberley Arms. Another oddball boozer. please log in to view this image
Not to my knowledge. Wasn't mentioned in all the years I went there, and I was obviously always compos mentis! There was supposedly a ghostly cat that frequented the churchyard opposite. (In paranormal terms, an ABC - alien big cat )
The Alex is a cracking pub - if you like CHB beers, though occasionally have some excellent guest beers. Belle Vue isn't too bad. EXCELLENT chippy between them and stays open till around 10.30.
Lol memories of when it was refreshers had a mad max pinball machine me and the gf were having such a great time we phoned work and pretended to be stuck on a motorway somewhere
Talking of Pubs how old were you when you had your 1st drink and where? mine was the Railway Tavern in Poringland pint of Norwich Mild 72p aged 14 but used to go out with a waitress there lol
Chippy always was excellent, especially in the 70s when Mel owned it. The queue on a Saturday lunchtime would stretch all the way along Alexandra Road to Brown's butchers. You may also recall that there was a Greengrocers in-between the Belle Vue and the Chippy owned by Sid Rose, my Mum worked there for years. Sid and Elsie were also family friends and we'd often go on day trips to the beach with them. Sid had a Ford Cortina estate and all seven of us would cram ourselves inside, yours truly would be sat in the boot with Sid's Westie 'Mac' who'd fart continuously! Happy days
If you want fish and chips on a Friday, it's best to phone ahead and order whatever you want. It's owned by a Spaniard now and he's been there for nearly 20 years. I'd the family round a few weeks ago and rather than cook, decided to get fish and chips - 3 cod, sausage and a fishcake with 2 LARGE portions of chips and all for £17!!!!
I'm about 2 miles away, so the fish and chips were piping hot by the time I got them home, but have friends who live nearby, so occasionally meet in the Alex for a beer. Prefer the Black Horse on Earlham road now though
When I left home me and my future missus had a flat on Mill Hill Road. There was a laundrette opposite the Black Horse in those days and I would always volunteer to do the washing on a Friday night. Her indoors could never make out why I always came home 'half-cut'
I understand what real ale is but not craft beer. Real ale is cask conditioned beer served by hand pump or gravity. What is craft beer?