Coventry Pubs

Hi Mick, Point taken, apparently the cracks are pretty bad since the church next door was demolished and rebuilt. However, I'm sure it'll all be paid for by someone else.

Demolition of the Rocket Pub As part of the improvements to the railway station, work on the demolition of the Rocket Pub will start week beginning 29 June. This work will take around eleven weeks to complete. While the demolition is taking place, the site will be fully enclosed with netted herras fencing and a daily cleaning regime will be implemented by the contractor to minimise dust. There will some noise but working hours will be 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday to try and keep any disruption to a minimum. There will also be some footpath alterations to accommodate safe working distances but any new routes will be well signed. Once the demolition is complete the site will be used for contractors who will be building the new access tunnel underneath Warwick Road. If you need any further information please contact Greg Hanna Tel: 0121 2854717 E-mail: gregory.hanna@slcrail.com

I've been emailing the Friargate Project office for a while about the Rocket - "these are plans by Network Rail and Coventry City Council, not by Friargate."

I think the Half Sovereign Pub took its name from Ten Shilling Wood. No idea what it's called now.

Inflation struck! - Last time I saw it, it was "The Sovereign"

The last time I saw that pub I was with Pixrobin's brother Brian and that was 50 years ago. I think it was once called The Woodman. What's in a name?

This actually took me by surprise as my email to the Friargate office was actually passed on to the council. Too late to save anything now (not sure what anyway but . .) Adding here for interest to fellow Cov-lovers: Dear Neil Stephen Reynolds forwarded your e-mail to me. I would like to say that as someone born and bred in the city I regret the fact that the pub is being demolished. This has been a difficult situation where there is a direct conflict between preserving the city's heritage and a great opportunity to expand the railway station and create a station fit for a city of the 21st century. If it is any consolation we are preserving the carved woodwork on the front of the pub, the staircase and ceramic tiles that line the walls of the stairs and landing. I would like to see them incorporated into the new station complex. We are also preserving the cast iron firegrates for use in other conservation projects in the city. To be honest there is not a lot else that is worth salvaging as the building has been extensively altered over the years. However, if there is anything you are aware or would like from the pub please let me know asap. Finally, I would like to reassure you that I am keen to preserve and enhance the city's heritage wherever possible - for example the public realm works in the city centre to improve the setting of historic buildings and schemes such as Far Gosford St and the Old Grammar School. Regards Colin Knight Assistant Director Planning Transport & Highways

A Coventry Telegraph article about the Rose and Woodbine pub.

I can remember around 1986ish Ansells (Allied Breweries) had the Rose and Woodbine for sale for £50,000 with a tie to Ansells beers or £70,000 without a tie. It was a thriving pub in those days with a dodgy clientele. We went for a nose round and ended up talking to the local drug dealer. The Peacock by the old Morris building was also for sale at a similar price.

Spotted on the City Council website that the plans for the Butts Retreat have been approved. Let's see what happens next.

The Half Sovereign in Charter Ave was a Davenports pub. Often went in there with a friend, must say that the beer tasted better from the bottle than the pub.

I think the Half Sovereign was the only Davenports tied house in Coventry, Norman. We used to go there after football if we had been at Prior Deram Walk or similar. The beer was Davenports Traditional Bitter, which I used to thoroughly enjoy, I have to say. The biggest local outlet for 'Davvy's Trad' was the student bar at the Lanchester Poly. I used to go there quite often at lunchtimes as the chap in charge of the bars was an ex-colleague at the council. They used to sell an enormous amount of the stuff. Its main benefit, apparently, was that once it was in the cellar it conditioned (settled) very quickly and was able to be sold within 12 hours of arrival. A very decent real ale when properly served.

Mr D-Di. Let's face it, any beer tastes good after football. I had a good friend in Canley and it was always a bit of a toss up between The Woodlands, The Newlands or The Half Sovereign. I did drink the bitter in there Mr D-Di, probably many gallons of it but Brew XI or Draught Bass was more to my liking.

I agree the Half Sovereign wasn't that great a pub and not worth going out of your way for. The Trad was fine though, as I recall. It was even better at the Lanch Poly Students' Union though, a beautifully kept pint. Almost too good for students. Draught Bass - now you're talking. The finest beer ever in my opinion. You can still get it but it's not the same now that they no longer use the 'union system' to brew it. The best pint of Bass in Coventry for me was at the Admiral Lord Rodney when the Morrissey family ran it. The Old Dyer's kept a lovely pint too. I preferred Ansells Bitter to Brew XI, and was also partial to a pint of Marston's Pedigree.