Coventry Pubs

Was/is the pub opposite the Alexander/Theatre One called The Elastic Inn? I seem to remember it had the reputation as a Gay pub in the late 70s/early 80s.

Yes. This picture was taken before the upper storey was rebuilt:

A more recent photograph (8 Mar 2009)

Thank you so much for sharing the photographs.

No, the pub was on the ground floor. The 'fire escape' style staircase led upstairs to the Great Wall Chinese restaurant. Incidentally, I was a fireman based at Radford Road in the 1980, one morning we had a phone call to the fire station from inside the pub - 2 customers had fallen asleep, the landlord had locked them in and they wanted to be let out!!!

I definitely remember going upstairs into the Thistle. In the early 80s there was a small electronics shop tucked away near the entrance to the pub at the bottom of the arcade. I think there was a small bar downstairs and a lounge upstairs with a pool table. Pretty sure you could also access the lounge via the staircase outside Argos.

Can anyone help me? I've been racking my brains trying to think of the name of the pub on the corner of Burges and Corporation St it's called the Tudor Rose now - but for the life of me I can't remember what it was called in the late 70's early 80's when I used to frequent it! Can anyone put me out of my misery and tell me?

The "Tally Ho"

I seem to remember it as the Smithfield Hotel, or was that opposite the Theatre in Hales Street?

Dutchman - you are a hero!!!!!!!!! I just couldn't remember it at all! oh, happy days!

Yes!

It was once called the Wine Lodge many years ago.

And it's still there!

One of my favourite memories of growing up in the early 80s was going to the free 'n easy nights at the Cottage on Saturday & Sunday nights. A group of us would gather there after playing rugby or cricket in the afternoon & a fab time was had by all. I remember well the old couple who ran the place - he could get a bit grumpy!!! If I remember correctly there was a guy on drums & a guy on piano & various locals took turns to sing, one old lady was called Nat or Nan & always sat in the same place on the back wall & there was a skinny guy who did a Mr Universe routine. The evening ended with "Delilah" & "Red Feathers". The gents toilets were a sight to behold - out the back & basically a drain in the ground. We started off my stag night in there before wandering down through Spon End & ending up in Park Lane Happy days! John

Wally Hayden, jazz fan. Wally's ability to make Draught Bass presentable was legendary in the pub trade, the stuff is notoriously difficult to condition. He was previously the landlord of the Coombe Abbey Inn in Craven Street but moved to Earlsdon in 1967 after the nearby Four Provinces was granted a license.