Brewery Tap 1970s

Photo from Folkestone Herald

Folkestone Herald 29-8-1970

Local News

It was a situation that smacked of the cheerful camaraderie of a Coronation Street instalment.

SCENE: Not the Rover`s Return, but the empty bar of the Brewery Tap in Tontine Street, Folkestone. It is the evening of the retirement of landlord and landlady, Albert and Ivy Taylor.

ACTION: Ivy enters behind the bar and tells a reporter “We haven't planned a farewell do. It will just be a quiet Monday night". She moves off to serve in the public bar and the reporter watches in amazement as the saloon bar regulars creep in carrying plates and trays of food, a bouquet of flowers, and presents. Further amazement as two men enter carrying a guitar and electric organ, which they calmly set up in the bar. One regular, Bert Whale, described as the longest-serving saloon bar customer, buys the reporter a drink and whispers “Albert and Ivy have been here more years than we like to admit. We couldn`t let them go without showing our appreciation, so we all mucked in and laid on a bit of a spread, music and all. But somehow we forgot to tell Albert and Ivy anything about it”. Beside him at the bar stands Barbara Patrick, nervously steeling herself to make a speech.

Then, ENTER the Taylors, with their Alsatian dog, Brandy. “What a surprise!” gasps 71-year-old Albert, who has spent 64 years at the pub. “I didn`t have the faintest idea that this had been planned”. Ivy, who is 73 and a little overwhelmed, adds “It`s marvellous. Thank you, everyone”. Barbara hands over a large barometer on behalf of the regulars, and says “We would all like to wish you well in your well-deserved retirement”. Greetings cards and telegrams from well-wishers are read out, and the musical chaps strike up.

And so, as a noisy toast to the couple is drunk by everyone in the crowded bar.... FADE OUT.

Folkestone Herald 15-5-1971

Local News

When 1,400 continentals visit Folkestone next Thursday the doors of local pubs will be open to them all afternoon. On Tuesday local Magistrates decided in favour of a second application to allow 17 pubs to remain open especially for the visitors. They had vetoed a previous application. The second made by publicans was amended to allow for a half-hour break at 5.30 p.m. before their premises opened for the evening session.

Mr. J. Medlicott, for the publicans, told the Magistrates that the visitors were delegates attending a conference in Bruges. One of its highlights was to be a visit to England. He referred to a letter received by Folkestone Corporation from the British Tourist Authority supporting the publicans` application. The visit – by Dutch, Swiss, Belgians and Germans – was a special occasion, not just a shopping expedition, said Mr. Medlicott. It had been arranged by a Bruges tourist organisation which had particularly asked that pubs should be open in the afternoon.

Police Inspector R. Sanders made no formal objection to the application – but doubted whether the visit was a special occasion.

The Chairman of Folkestone Chamber of Trade, Mr. Alan Stephenson, said later “The cross-Channel visitors` committee of this Chamber is very pleased that this has been seen as a special occasion by the Justices. When one is reminded that this extension is no more than happens in many market towns every week of the year, it seems a fair request, especially as Folkestone’s image abroad could be much influenced by the original decision not to allow the pubs to open”.

The pubs which will stay open are; Jubilee, Ship, Oddfellows, Royal George, London and Paris, True Briton, Harbour Inn, Princess Royal, Clarendon, Brewery Tap, Earl Grey, Prince Albert, George, Globe, East Kent Arms, Guildhall and Shakespeare.

Folkestone Gazette 15-9-1971

Local News

The night two Irishmen decided to settle an argument with their fists ended when one was taken to hospital and the other was arrested. On Friday, John Riley, a labourer, of Grove Road, Folkestone, pleaded Not Guilty at Folkestone Magis­trates’ court to assault occa­sioning actual bodily harm on John Fitzpatrick. Riley was given an abso­lute discharge, and both he and Fitzpatrick were bound over in the sum of £10 to keep the peace for 12 months.

Inspector Ronald Young, prosecuting, said “This is a simple case of two men who had an argument in a pub. They went outside to settle it, and one was rather badly beaten”.

Fitzpatrick, of Dallas Brett Crescent, said in evidence that he argued with Riley in the Brewery Tap, Tontine Street. They went into the car park to fight. “After ten minutes or so, I went down and woke up in hospital with four stitches under my eye”, he said. Asked who started the fight, Fitzpatrick, replied “I think I did. I asked him to go outside. I'd had a lot to drink”.

Riley said in evidence that the fight was bound to hap­pen. There had been a differ­ence of opinion between Fitzniatrick and himself for a long time. “He wanted to fight, so I said we would go to the car park”, he said. Answering Inspector Young, Riley said he knocked Fitzpatrick down, but he did not know if he gave him a parting kick or not.

Binding over both Riley and Fitzpatrick, the Chairman, Mrs. Dorothy Buttery, said “We don`t like this sort of behaviour in Folkestone”

Folkestone Herald 9-9-1978

Local News

A man who was ejected from a Folkestone pub re­turned with a meat cleaver, threatened customers and then smashed a window causing £145 of damage, Canterbury Crown Court was told on Tuesday. As he ran away, 20-year-old Peter Hutton, of Rendezvous Street, Folkestone, smashed a number of windows in a nearby shop, doing a further £112 of damage, the court heard. Hutton denied causing criminal damage at the Brewery Tap and to Shepway Autos, but was found guilty and jailed for six months.

The court heard that he had a number of previous convictions for assault and that in 1976 he had been sentenced to two years im­prisonment for assault with intent to rob and burglary. Then in September last year, Folkestone magistrates had ordered him to do 100 hours community service for using threatening behaviour. This was later revoked and a £25 fine substituted.

Passing sentence, Deputy Circuit Judge Michael Balstan told Hutton “We do not see why the public should be put at risk again by allow­ing you to have your liberty”.

Hutton, unemployed, ad­mitted being thrown out of the pub after a scuffle, in May this year, but denied he had returned with a cleaver and broken the windows or threatened anyone. He said that after leaving he had gone home and on finding the door locked had decided to sleep under a hedge in the garden. He denied that this had keen an attempt to hide from police.

After the jury’s verdict his counsel, Mr. Brian Pryor said that the offence had been committed on impulse. They were the actions of an angry, half-drunk young man.