Butler's Bell - Gaolgate, Stafford.

MarkyD

MarkyD

Marcus
Wormella said:
MarkyD said:
Was there for the opening today. It's really nice inside and well thought out, they've been doing their history homework on the building and incorporated it into the interior design nicely. Going for a pint there tonight :)

Prices are good too!
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Does it say what the building used to be? We were discussing this in Joxers the other night.
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Apparently a long time ago part of it used to be used as prison cells. Hence the jail cells around the seating area towards the back. I think there might be a plack next to the old door as you walk in with some info on if I remember correctly..

There's also a glass partition wall with women's high heals in. Was it an old shoe maker store at one point?
 
Withnail

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
Wormella said:
Does it say what the building used to be? We were discussing this in Joxers the other night.
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Prior to the 1820’s there was a wheelwright sited there, plus a house that had an adjoining forge.

The current building was originally three premises – nos 25, 26 and 27.

Between them they have housed;

i) Ironmongers
ii) House furnishers
iii) Milliner and dressmakers (later stocking a “careful selection of ladies’ boots and shoes”)
iv) Hairdresser and Tobacconist
v) Grocers
vi) Gentlemen’s outfitters
vii) Pub (The King’s Arms)
viii) Stationers and Booksellers (later stocking craft materials)
ix) Wool and Fancy Goods warehouse (“a noted shop for wools and ladies’ and children’s hosiery – rug wools a speciality”)
x) Poundstretchers
xi) Brewbakers (household goods)
xii) Yates Wine Lodge
xiii) Apres
xiv) Wetherspoons
xv) …

GAOLGATE STREET
NORTH END
Roy Lewis
Stafford Street Series 9
 
tek-monkey

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Dropped in at lunchtime, excellent cider selection. They have, as far as I can remember:

Draught:
Strongbow
Thatchers Gold
Marcle Hill (box in the fridge)

Bottles:
Green Goblin
Black Dragon (not seen this outside of Wales before)
Westons Organic
Cornish Rattler
One other worth drinking, can't remember what
Usual Bulmers type crap

So I gotta say, best selection now outside the Greyhound. The P&A stopped selling good stuff, and the Sun have since scrapped all the good bottles, so I guess this place is my new boozer. Funny really, I'm sure the old spoons had the same range but it tended to smell a bit so I never went in there!
 
tek-monkey

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Oh yeah, Mon-Fri next week they are doing haggis, neeps, tatties and a drink for £3.99. As they include the Thatchers Gold now for the free drink I may be in there every night :D

EDIT: They really need to get this for the outdoor bar in the summer :D
 
5

52.8N-2.1W

Guest
Just popped in for a pint :pint:

Wow - that's pretty garish as Wetherspoons' go! :cool:

I think the prison theme is a bit OTT :rich: . I mean, I know Wetherspoons' like to acknowledge their pub's past but this normally amounts to a few pictures on the wall rather than something that could actually be used as a film set.

Was a bit odd walking into the gents which are in the same place so you think they'll be the same inside and then they're not. :strange:
 
United57

United57

Well-Known Forumite
tek-monkey said:
Funny really, I'm sure the old spoons had the same range but it tended to smell a bit so I never went in there!
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Look if you are in there from 9 in the morning to 11 at night your bound to wiff a bit
 
Flibbertigibbet

Flibbertigibbet

Active Member
Went in today for lunch, thought the decor was nice and really interesting, really like the 'prison booths'. It was very busy (unsurprisingly!) so had to wait a while for food, but weren't in a hurry and was told beforehand. Food was nice, you know what your getting with weatherspoons, you know its not going to be cooked from scratch but you get what you pay for and it was tasty. Only teeny gripe was it took ages to get one decaf latte but I think that was simply because the poor staff were trying to get used to the fancy schmancy coffee machine with touch screen buttons.

Will definitly be frequenting, would make a very nice evening drinks pub. Worth a visit if you havent already. :)
 
Withnail

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
52.8N-2.1W said:
I think the prison theme is a bit OTT ...
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Is there any explanation as to why there is a prison theme - there doesn't appear to be any link to prisons in the building's history?

Beyond being on Gaolgate Street, of course.
 
Gramaisc

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
Withnail said:
52.8N-2.1W said:
I think the prison theme is a bit OTT ...
Click to expand...
Is there any explanation as to why there is a prison theme - there doesn't appear to be any link to prisons in the building's history?

Beyond being on Gaolgate Street, of course.
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Hordes of chaps in the very whitest of shirts do pass by now and then, perhaps they are the target market..
 
tek-monkey

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
In again today. The shoes at the back look like the lasts (? The frame you build the shoe on), also photos of the queen (or her mum?) visiting lotus. The cash register at the front and the drawers have something about an iron monger on them? No idea about the cells, maybe they found the antique door cheap and themed around it!
 
henryscat

henryscat

Well-Known Forumite
stoofer34 said:
A couple of Doom Bars at P&A first

S
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Don't order Doom Bar at this pub in Devon, as the Landlord will heckle you for ordering a Cornish ale!!! (though alas Sharps have been taken over by Molson Coors, so they probably are doomed Captain Mainwaring, doomed). One of my friends did, it was quite amusing. I only got to sample lemonade due to being the one driving.
 
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