Lynne About Loughborough: Phantom

Showing posts with label Phantom. Show all posts

Friday, 19 April 2024

P is for Pubs

Pubs! Well, a very small selection, and it would be remiss of me not to write about pubs for letter ‘P’, given the latest book!!

First of all, is our Phantom under threat? I have a feeling the Phantom, which was once the Cross Keys, is still owned by the Stonegate Group, which has in the past couple of days announced that it is re-financing.

Pubs we have lost since ‘Loughborough Pubs’ was written include the Moon and Bell, which closed in October 2023. It has since been re-roofed, but the windows – some of which are definitely 1930s Crittall windows – have been boarded up. For a while, the internal lights were left on, which afforded an interesting view of the deserted pub. However, Wetherspoons other pub in Loughborough, the Amber Rooms on The Rushes, is still trading.

The Windmill on Sparrow Hill, its frontage emblazoned with the words ‘Loughborough’s Oldest Pub’, has also closed, and the building sold. As far as I am aware it is to become (if it hasn’t already) a residential property.

The Plough over at Thorpe Acre has closed very recently, I believe. This is an interesting establishment, which has its back facing onto the road: you need to go round the back – to the front! – to really appreciate the building.

Champs was surrounded by scaffolding a few months ago. The Bellfoundry had another re-furb, and the Blacksmiths is currently being renovated.

Blacksmiths before latest renovation

There are numerous other posts about Loughborough's pubs on this blog: use the web view rather than the mobile view to see an alphabetical list of topics covered, where pubs will be listed under their name.

I don't know if it still contains up-to-date information, but years ago I did a pub quiz with a difference for the blog!

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This post is one in a series of posts for the ‘April A-Z Blogging Challenge’

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Posted by lynneaboutloughborough

With apologies for typos which are all mine!

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Thank you for reading this blog.

Copyright:

Dyer, Lynne (2024). Pubs. Available from: https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/2024/04/p-is-for-pubs.html [Accessed 18 April 2024]

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Lynne

Sunday, 3 December 2023

Pubs and recent legislation

Last week we looked at pubs, focussing on their use as meeting places for various events, like auctions and inquests, and for societies like gardening clubs and friendly societies. This week, let’s have a look at the different ways pubs today are managed.

In 1989, the Monopolies and Mergers Commission produced a report on the supply of beer, which resulted in two Statutory Instruments documents, which became known collectively as the ‘Beer Orders’ 1989, Individually these SIs were ‘The Supply of Beer (Tied Estate) Order, 1989’ and ‘The Supply of Beer (Loan Ties, Licensed Premises and Wholesale Prices) Order, 1989’.

The reason for the ‘Beer Orders’ was because the Monopolies and Mergers Commission were concerned by the lack of competition in the market, which was at the time served by around six national brewers in the UK, and these breweries dominated the market. I’m sure we’ve all heard of them -

Allied Brewers, Bass, Courage, Grand Metropolitan, Scottish & Newcastle, and Whitbread.

The ‘Beer Orders’ were aimed at loosening the tie between pubs and brewers, and the way it worked was to restrict the number of tied pubs [1] that a large brewery could own (they became limited to only 2,000 across the UK). In addition, the brewery was obliged to introduce at least one guest beer in its premises. The whole premise was to make the whole industry easier to get into, and to increase competition between all those with vested interests – so, the brewers, the wholesalers, and the pub retailers themselves.

And so it was that pub-owning companies came into existence, usually referred to as ‘PubCos’, some of which were large organisations who weren’t previously in the pub business. Some of the ones we’re probably familiar with are Punch Taverns, which were a spin-off from Allied Lyons Brewery; Enterprise Inn, which were spun off from Bass, and Admiral Taverns, which were created by Scottish & Newcastle.

As well as the ‘PubCos’, there were other companies created specifically to buy some of the pubs that the big breweries were obliged by the ‘Beer Orders’ to sell, an example being the Pub Estates Group. So, as well as the PubCos etc., some breweries who didn’t own more than 2,000 venues already, also bought more pubs to add to their holdings, and some of these now have a variety of different brands. An example of this is Greene King who run the brands we know as Hungry Horse, Chef & Brewer etc.. Pubs were also sold to individuals, some continuing to operate as pubs, other converted to housing.

I believe the ‘Beer Orders’ were all done in good faith that the market would diversify, and the wealth spread more evenly, but, of course, we now know that the ‘Beer Orders’ seemed to have had the opposite effect, which was in many ways far less a desirable outcome.

The ’Beer Orders’ of 1989 were revoked 2003, and in 2004, the House of Commons produced a report on Pubcos. (There’s also a 2008-9 report from the House of Commons, which explains the 2004 report in more detail).

I believe it was the 2003-4 event that led to the 2003 Licensing Act, and it was this which in turn led to the creation of the microbreweries. The Charnwood Brewery was one of the first to open in Loughborough, and has a small seating area at its Jubilee Drive premises, and dedicated micropubs at Mountsorrel and Shepshed (soon to be joined by one at Barrow). The Needle and Pin in The Rushes opened shortly after the Charnwood Brewery, and has been followed by Moonface Brewery and Tap on Moira Street.

Charnwood Brewery

Needle & Pin

Moonface

In 2016, the ‘Pub Code Regulations’ were introduced, the aim of which was to regulate in some way the relationship between the PubCo and the pub tenant. So, the PubCo would rent the pub to the tenant and would sell supplies to them, effectively making them into a tied pub. The regulations gave the tenant an opportunity to change the renting model to one where they paid a Market Rent Only (MRO), meaning no more obligation to buy supplies from the PubCo. The catch is that this can only be involved at certain points, and the option is only open to tenants of PubCos that own over 500 pubs.

I must admit, my poor brain finds it difficult to cope with, and understand all the changes that have happened to our pubs over the years. So, who actually owns what? When I visit the pub will I find a landlord, a lessee, a tenant, a building owner? I suppose it doesn’t really matter as long as the experience of visiting the pub lives up to expectations, and people are treated to excellence in customer service, and an excellent product!!

So, the Stonegate Pub Company, which was created in 2010 when it bought 333 pubs from Mitchells and Butler, has since that time taken over many, many other business, the latest being Enterprise Inns (known as EI) in 2020. That latter acquisition has led to Stonegate having about 5,000 sites, about one-third of which are held in the managed division of the company, and about two-thirds are leased and tenanted. The Slug and Lettuce is one of their venues, as is the Walkabout brand – neither of which we have in Loughborough. Those Stonegate premises we do have in Loughborough are The Phantom, and the Bell Foundry.

Phantom

Bell Foundry

Admiral Taverns, which was founded in 2003, now have around 1,600 what they call community pubs, which are run by what the group calls ‘entrepreneurial licensees’. There are currently quite a few Admiral Taverns up for sale or lease, and our lovely Windmill on Sparrow Hill was one of these until relatively recently.

Wetherspoons was also one of those PubCos that were created following the 1989 SI. Until very recently, we had two of their pubs in Loughborough, The Moon and Bell, and The Amber Rooms. Sadly, the former has now closed its doors as a pub.

Moon and Bell

I think that's enough about pubs for one evening, don't you?? You can read more about some of the pubs mentioned in the above article in 'Loughborough Pubs'.

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NOTES

[1] A tied pub is one which sells and promotes only the beer made by the company that owns the pub. Compare with a free house which sells a wide variety of beers.

If you’re interested in statistics of pubs from about 1990 to the year 2020, you can find these in a House of Commons briefing paper.

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Posted by lynneaboutloughborough

With apologies for typos which are all mine!

_______________________________________________

Thank you for reading this blog.

Copyright:

Dyer, Lynne (2023). Pubs and recent legislation. Available from: https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/2023/12/pubs-and-recent-legislation.html [Accessed 3 December 2023]

Take down policy:

External Links:

Blog archive and tags:

Searching the blog:

site: https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/ “Radmoor House”

NOTE – the words you’re actually looking for must be in “” and the first of these must be preceded by a space

Thank you for reading this blog.

Lynne

Sunday, 24 April 2022

Wax work at the Cross Keys

Probably the best known wax museum in the UK is Madame Tussauds. It was in 1802 that Madame Tussaud first brought her travelling exhibition to the UK, and in 1835 set up a more permanent display at ‘The Baker Street Bazaar’. Eventually, in 1884, thirty-four years after her death, the waxworks museum we know today was set up.

Wax museums and exhibitions, as well as animal menageries became popular, and various of these toured the country. One such was Hyltons. In 1851, Mr Edward Hylton was advertising his travelling show as a ‘Grand Imperial Museum of Magnificent Moving Figures, as large and as natural as life’ and brilliantly illuminated with gas, ahead of his visit to Newbury in May that year.

In June 1851, the show visited Marlborough, and we learn that the residents were pleased with their view of what was described as ‘Hylton’s Panorama’, considering it instructive and amusing, particularly to young people, presenting nothing to offend, and everything to awaken and instruct. Hylton also had a brass band, and this was loaned out to the members of the Marlborough Branch of the Wiltshire Friendly Society, to accompany their annual festival.

October 1851 was a busy month for Hyltons, and they could be visited at the Nottingham Goose fair; the Hylton brass band played at Barnstaple, and the ‘Museum of Wax figures’ comprising, amongst other things, models of interesting objects, and a panorama of the Crystal Palace, was on show in Queen Street, Exeter, and was, apparently, skilfully executed.

1852 was no less quiet! During the period between Christmas and New Year 1852, Hylton’s ‘wild beast’ show delighted audiences at North Shields, and in May, ‘Hylton’s Exhibition of Wax Figures’ was on view for several days at Shepton Mallett, having narrowly escaped complete destruction when a fire took hold, after a naptha lamp was overfilled.

In September, Hyltons were at the Ashby-de-la-Zouch statutes fair for about four days, and had lots of visitors, and the Hylton brass band attracted large crowds. In October, Hyltons attended the Goose Fair in Nottingham with the wax work collection, alongside Howie’s ‘museum of wax figures’, Batty’s menagerie, and Winroe’s mechanical exhibition.

Later in October 1852, Hylton’s attended the Mansfield pleasure fair that was part of the cheese fair. The amusements consisted of wax figures, four views of Crystal Palace, a chamber of horrors, and three young cubs. Moving swiftly north, Hylton’s ‘National Menagerie’ was busy with visitors when it exhibited at the Saturday market in Beverley, Yorkshire. However, its outing to Brigg in Lincolnshire seemed somewhat less popular, staying for only one day, and being less busy than hoped for, despite the band giving a good performance of several of the most popular pieces of the day.

In the coming years, Hyltons unique collection of wax figures visited Dundee, where the ingenious mechanisms employed seemed to make the figures move. These figures represented people like the Duke of Wellington, the Emperor of Russia, the Sultan of Turkey, and others. By the time the 1854 exhibition reached Nottingham in December of that year, it was advertised as ‘Hylton’s Animated Wax Work’. In December 1857, Hylton’s wax work exhibition made an appearance in The Square at Chepstow, as part of the Chepstow Farmers’ Club Annual Cattle, Poultry, and Crop Show, and Hylton’s brass band enlivened the proceedings by playing some popular pieces.

At the end of December 1857, the moving wax work figures travelled to Cheltenham, where it was sited in the ground behind the market. Some of the models represented Queen Victoria, the Duchess of Kent, the Duke of Wellington, the Maid of Saragossa, and Don Carlos. All was accompanied by the brass band. The admission prices were:

One shilling for ladies and gentlemen;

6d for tradespeople;

3d each for the working classes and their children.

Children from the workhouse were admitted free of charge, and those belonging to charity schools were half-price, while children from other schools were admitted on ‘reasonable terms’.

The events were open daily from 2-5pm, and 6 to 10pm. During the hours of 2-4pm, private viewings of the exhibition cost 1s each.

In July 1858, Hylton’s Wax Exhibition is advertised for sale by public auction in Moore Street, Birmingham. In all, there were five lots.

Lot 1 was a caravan containing Androcles and the lion; King of Delhi and two Sons; six views with glasses.

Lot 2 was a stage carriage with complete decorations; two figures front inside; Nana Sahib; Captain Rogers; Group of Duke of Wellington and Attendants.

Lot 3 was a caravan containing 24 figures, representing the death of General Zumelncarraguay, a Spanish Chieftan.

Lot 4 was a caravan containing 19 figures, representing the Maid of Saragossa Defeating Napoleon’s Army; also views with eight glasses

Lot 5 was a caravan containing 21 figures, representing the Council Chamber of Constantinople, including the Sultan of Turkey.

All the carriages were in good condition. The figures were all worked by machinery. Four of the caravans were 20 feet long, and 8 feet wide, while the stage carriage was 16 feet long by 8 feet wide.

The reason for this sale was because Edward Hylton had died the previous year, in fact on 21 August 1857. Probate, which stated that he was formerly a cooper of the City of Lincoln, but most recently was a travelling exhibitor and proprietor of model wax figures, was granted on 21 June 1858 to his wife, Maria.

But, what has all this to do with Loughborough?

Towards the end of September 1852, after visiting Ashby, and before visiting Nottingham, Hylton brought his wax models to Loughborough, and exhibited them at was then the Cross Keys Inn, now the Phantom, on High Street. This must have been a difficult and sad time for Edward and Maria, as their 17-year-old daughter, Sarah took ill, and they left her at the Cross Keys to recover, the landlord of which was Mr Dougherty, while they proceeded on to Nottingham Goose Fair. Sadly, despite receiving medical attention from a nurse and an attendant, Sarah died.

The Phantom pub, formerly the Cross Keys Inn, High Street

The funeral took place a couple of days later, and the coffin was borne to the grave by six residents of the town, while six females town residents, supported the pall. Amongst the mourners were Edward, Maria, and their son, Joseph. Their grief was indescribable, and of the several thousand spectators who were there, many were moved to tears. The Hylton brass band returned from Nottingham and, wearing mourning dress, hatbands and black gloves, they led the procession from the Cross Keys to Emmanuel Church, playing the Old Hundredth psalm. Reverend Bunch conducted the moving burial service and this was followed by the band performing the music to Pope’s Ode to the Soul. What a sad experience: perhaps Edward never fully recovered from the loss of his daughter.

Emmanuel Church

Curiously, on census returns and other documents, the surname of the family is sometimes spelled Hylton, and sometimes Hilton, but daughter Sarah is always recorded as Susan.

You are welcome to quote passages from any of my posts, with appropriate credit. The correct citation for this looks as follows:

Dyer, Lynne (2022). Wax work at the Cross Keys. Available from:https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/2022/04/wax-work-at-cross-keys.html [Accessed 24 April 2022]

Take down policy:

Thank you for reading this blog.

Lynne

Sunday, 13 June 2021

Phantom development

You might remember in a post last September I shared with you some changes that had been happening in and around Loughborough, which included a new building that was being erected in the town centre, next to the Phantom pub (previously known as the Cross Keys)? It's been 9 months since that post, so I thought it was about time I re-visited the construction site, and had a look to see where it was at. Although I haven't been out and about much over the past 15 months as I would have done pre-pandemic, and haven't regularly walked over that way, I do seem to have a selection of photographs covering various times in the past 9 months, to share with you.

Not so long ago, this area, on High Street was home to a blacksmiths, a jewellers, the army surplus store and the carpet shop both in the old church, and Anglian windows. Down on Pinfold Gate was Momento Mediterranean restaurant, a curry restaurant, a barbers, a baby shop, a tattoo parlour, an acquatics shop and a motorbike shop. Round the corner on Aumbry Gap was Corah the builders, followed by Groups Music Tuition, a gym and a furniture shop, whose entrance was off Barrow Street, and then a tyre place.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy seeing photographs of what's happening to this area at the moment.

October 2020 from Southfields Park

From Moor Lane, November 2020

February 2021

On Pinfold Gate, 9 April 2021

From High Street, 9 April 2021

From Leicester Road, 22 May 2021

From medical centre car park, 23 May 2021

Looking up Pinfold Gate, 23 May 2021

Posted by lynneaboutloughborough 13 June 2021

You are welcome to quote passages from any of my posts, with appropriate credit. The correct citation for this looks as follow:

Dyer, Lynne (2021). Phantom development. Available from: https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/2021/06/phantom-development.html [Accessed 13 June 2021]

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You can leave comments below, but do check back as my reply will appear here, below your comment.

Thank you for reading this blog.

Lynne

Sunday, 20 September 2020

Changes in Loughborough over the past 6 months

100 years ago, in 1920, the country was just moving into a decade known as the 'Roaring Twenties' - a brief interlude between two world wars, and a brief period before the 'Great Depression' - which saw people having as much fun as they possibly could!

Here we are, 100 years later, in 2020, but it doesn't look as though the 2020s is going to be anywhere near as much fun as the 1920s. However, the 1920s saw lots of development in Loughborough, which resulted in the rich heritage of Art Deco buildings we see in the town today.

Over the past 6 months, the country has been in various degrees of lockdown, in response to the coronavirus pandemic. People have taken the opportunity to prep, plant, and prune their gardens; to paint their house; to improve their kitchen, bathroom, and loft space, and to convert the garage into living space, and the attic into a bedroom.

In fact, over the last 6 months, there's been evidence of huge new buildings being erected, of major improvements to other buildings, going right down to small changes. Here in this blog are a selection of changes I've spotted as I've been walking around Loughborough on my 4-times a week, 1-hour walks. It did occur to me that although this range of photos is over the past 6 months, there are some months without photos, which is probably because I'm not good at taking pictures in the dark, and during the early days of lockdown it was still quite dark in the evenings while I was working. Apologies for the order of some of the photos below: the software wouldn't let me add pics where I wanted them.

Let's look at the big stuff first!