Updates

9th May, 2015: South Kent Gazette and Folkestone Herald Reports for 1979 Added.

Royal George 1970s

Folkestone Herald 2-5-1970

Stroller

One thing leads to another. My reference recently to the mini-display of old documents and photographs of the wine trade in Folkestone before and after the turn of the century has prompted a townsman to let me see some more interesting papers and early photographs of Folkestone.

In particular, they reveal that 100 years ago there was a Railway Inn in Beach Street, not many steps from the Tram Road and the Fishmarket. No doubt it took its name from the nearby railway, linking the old Junction station with Folkestone Har­bour. The licensee, James Hart, one of a well-known Folke­stone family, paid Thomas Ash, “common brewers of the City and County of Canter­bury”, a yearly rental of £15. In those days £15 was £15. One of the conditions of the tenancy was that Mr. Hart should “bear and pay all rates and taxes whatso­ever, with the exception of the land and property tax, chargeable in respect of the said premises”. Twenty-nine years later the licence was transferred from father to son, Arthur James Hart. At that time the licensee paid a publican`s licence of £14 5s. 3d. to the Inland Revenue for the privilege of carrying on business.

There`s no doubt that the Beach Street of those days was almost the hub of Folkestone`s business life. There were other inns, not­ably Horlock’s Royal George Hotel (almost destroyed in the last war). Its immediate proximity to the railway and harbour was described as be­ing “peculiarly adapted to the convenience of the con­tinental tourist . . . with ex­tensive and beautiful views of the sea and the coast of France”.

For all the faults of our civic fathers, they cannot be blamed for the disappearance of Beach Street and adjacent narrow, picturesque streets with their little shops. The Luftwaffe did the deed in the later part of 1940. The instrument-in-chief was a land mine. For those who knew old Folkestone well and never failed to be charmed by a stroll through the narrow, cobbled thoroughfares, that particular piece of Blitzkreig is still hard to forgive.

The Railway Inn had disappeared before 1914, also the Blue Anchor at the entrance to The Stade. There were, however, plenty of other drinking and eating-houses in the closely-knit huddle of byways and highways.

For a number of details I have to thank Mr. Bill Hart, one of the senior members of the printing staff at the Folkestone offices of Messrs. F.J. Parsons (Kent Newspapers) Ltd. His father was Mr. Arthur James Hart, who became licensee of the Railway Inn in 1899. Mr. Arthur Hart`s brother, Albert, was long associated with Folkestone Football Club before and after the First World War, and will still be remembered by some older townsmen. He was also a Folkestone Councillor, builder and Kent football legislator.

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.

South Kent Gazette 19-9-1979

Local News

Thieves who broke into the Royal George pub at Folke­stone harbour on Friday night made off with £65 in cash after forcing open a fruit machine and a juke box.

Folkestone Herald 10-11-1979

Canterbury Crown Court

A teenager who attacked an­other man with a flick knife and tried to mug him was jailed for three years on Friday.

Eighteen-year-old Allan Glass slashed Mr. Frederick McMorran across the head during a scuffle in Folkestone on August 2. He laid in wait in Harbour Way, and at 9.30 p.m. Glass jumped out in front of Mr. McMorran, Canterbury Crown Court heard on Friday. Glass, of no fixed address, admitted assault with intent to rob.

Mr. Anthony Webb, prosecuting, said Mr. McMorran was at a family party at the Royal George pub, and had decided to fetch two of his sons from a nearby club. Glass confronted him as he turned in­to Harbour Way. He flicked the knife open and demanded Mr. McMorran's wallet. “Mr. McMorran grabbed Glass's wrists and pushed him to the ground. But an­other man, Brian Flynn, a friend of the defendant, appeared and shouted, caus­ing Mr. McMorran to lose his grip”, Mr. Webb said. Glass slashed the man's head, but was caught soon after by two members of the party and was arrested. Glass told police he had intended to mug someone.

Mr Charles George, for Glass, said he had a bad record and it would be un­realistic to suggest any penalty other than prison. “He came to Folkestone and fell in with Flynn, an older man with a far worse criminal record, and fell under his influence. That day, they had been drinking almost constantly, and although this is no defence, it is something to bear in mind. Also in his past there are no in­cidents of violence so this offence was out of character. When he comes out of prison he hopes to get a catering job and agrees with his probation officer that he would be better living in a hostel. He also hopes to get some qualifications while inside”.

 

 

White Lion (2) 1970s

Photo from Folkestone Gazette 7-4-1971

Folkestone Gazette 5-9-1973

Local News

After more than 40 years as a publican, Reginald Peters sent his last pile of pennies crashing into a blanket on Thursday. With 16 years as landlord of the White Lion Hotel, Cheriton High Street, and 43 years in pubs throughout Kent behind him, it was one of the many things he was doing for the last time. For, on Monday, Mr. Peters hung up his tankard, emptied his last optic, swapped beer handle for garden hoe and settled down to retirement in the country. As he spoke on Thursday of his life behind bars (the kind you don't try to escape from), business went on as usual. The only difference being the aforementioned pile of pennies which, incidentally, raised £36.50 for the Folke­stone committee of the Cam­paign for Cancer Research.

Retirement, I suggested, would perhaps prove more of a wrench for the 63-year-old landlord than it would for most. Pubs have been his life. His parents kept one for more than 50 years and he was born within singing distance of a glass of bitter. He reckons he has seen the best era in the history of the English pub. “It’s become so different", he said, nodding in the direc­tions of a fruit machine and juke box. “There’s not as much fun as there used to be”.

Admittedly wages were much lower, but some of the prices he quoted for 40 years ago were still enough to bring tears to the eyes of all but the strongest men. Fourpence for a pint of bitter, sixpence for a tot of whisky, the same for a large (very large) port, 11½d . for 20 Players - the list goes on and on. But perhaps even worse than rising prices is the drop In quality. ‘‘Beer today is not nearly as strong as it used to be”, said Mr. Peters. After so many years work­ing long hours, seven days a week, wasn’t he going to find time hanging heavily on his hands? “The prospects of all that leisure time doesn’t really worry me”, he replied. “I like messing around with tape recorders and things, and I will have a chance to do some gardening”.

Photo from Folkestone Gazette

South Kent Gazette 28-3-1979

Local News

Police are hunting several men who attacked a barman in Cheriton on Saturday night. But fears that workmen from the M20 motorway construction site could be responsible have been scotched by both police and local landlords. The incident happened at 11.10 p.m. in the Victoria public house, Risborough Lane, when barman Brian Brown told customers it was time to leave.

A police spokesman said that Mr. Brown, who lives in Christchurch Road, Folke­stone, received a bleeding nose, cut gums and facial bruising. “Navvies” from the Danton Lane, Cheriton, motor­way site were blamed for the assault because the assail­ants had not been identified and one spoke with an Irish accent.

However, Police Inspector Peter Ford told the Gazette “We’ve had no trouble at all from the site. If the situation with site workers continues as it is then we shall be perfectly happy”.

Mr. Brown was unavail­able for comment at the time of going to press but the Victoria’s landlord said “This is the first time we’ve had trouble in the pub since I came here three years ago”.

Speculation that motorway workers could be a possible source of violence was scotched by landlords at: The White Lion in Cheriton High Street - “So far they’ve been perfectly well behaved in here”.; The Morehall, Cheriton Road “Nice lads ... no trouble whatsoever”.; The Nailbox, Shorncliffe Road – “A bit noisy, that`s all”.; The Cherry Pickers, Ashley Avenue, Cheriton – “We`ve had a few in, but they`ve been perfectly O.K.”.
 

Folkestone Herald 26-5-1979

Local News

Renovation plans at a Folkestone pub could turn it into one of the town's major entertainment centres. Nearly £10,000 is being spent on the pub, The White Lion, at Cheriton.

And now new landlord Bryan Adams hopes he will be able to give the town a top rock and cabaret venue. Already Mr. Adams, who only took over the pub six weeks ago, has set about cleaning up its image. Last week he banned motorway construction workers after a fight outside the premises led to a £400 bill for a smashed window. He explained “This place has had a rough image in the past, but I am determined to change all that”.

Plans for the pub include re-decoration and carpeting throughout and regular evenings of live entertainment. It is hoped that these will include two rock nights a week, featuring both established and local bands, and cabaret and club-type entertainment at the weekends.

Mr. Adams said that he hoped entertainment at the pub would start in June. “We will try to get first-class acts down here. With the right acts I am convinced we could become one of the leading entertainment centres in the town”, he said.

Note: Adams not listed in More Bastions.

 

South Kent Gazette 30-5-1979

Local News

Thieves broke into the White Lion pub in Cheriton High Street on Thursday and stole bottles of whisky and rum, and £140 in cash.

On Friday morning, as he checked his stock, landlord Bryan Adams told the Gazette “It`s lucky they didn`t take quite a lot more”. Mr. Adams thinks the thieves, who broke in through the rear of the building, were amateurs. “They seem to have tried a lot of windows before actually getting in”, he said. “I am sure if they had been really serious they would have taken more of my stock”. The intruders grabbed the cash, a handful of spirit bottles and fled. Mr. Adams thinks they may have been frightened off by his dog. “I keep him in the office and he obviously must have barked when these people got in”, he said. “I didn’t hear anything but there are scratch marks on the door where the dog had tried to get out”.

Note: Adams does not appear in More Bastions

Folkestone Herald 30-6-1979

Local News

Trouble and violence are things of the past for the White Lion pub, Cheriton. At least, that is the hope of landlord, Bryan Adams, as he prepares to open the pub as a new entertainment cen­tre this weekend. In the past the pub has gained a rough reputation. But, since Mr. Adams ar­rived as new landlord three months ago, he has been determined to clean up the bad image. He has re-decorated and refurnished the premises and last month he banned motorway construction workers from the bar after a navvy was hurled through a window during a closing-time fight on the pavement outside. Now the £10,000 face-lift has been completed and tonight a special evening is being arranged to mark the start of regular entertainment spots at the pub. Featured act tonight will be the local group, Denigh, but Mr. Adams says that shows ranging from cabaret to country and western will be presented. “I know the place has had a bad image in the past”, he said, “but I am determined to make this a really good entertainments centre and make sure there is no more trouble”.

Ironically the special cele­brations tonight nearly could not go ahead as planned. Police objected to an application placed before Folke­stone Magistrates for an ex­tension of hours. They claimed that it wasn’t a special occasion. But the Magistrates de­cided to approve an exten­sion until 11.45 p.m.

South Kent Gazette 3-10-1979

Local News

There was a barmaid with a big difference pulling pints at the White Lion pub in Cheriton. London drag queen Tony La Tour went behind the bar after his performance in the pub on Thursday night.

A crowded pub had been waiting expectantly for him when he walked in wearing a long fur coat and carrying his props at 10 p.m.

Most of the women crowded into the open back room as the men made a dive for the now empty bar. A pool table was hastily moved aside and the men wandered in clutching their pints and stood in the shadows at the back. One old regular in a rain­coat and cloth cap walked to the front thinking he was the star of the show. “Get ’em off”, cried the hopeful locals as the old man unbuttoned his coat. In a blaze of music in walked Terry with a large wobbling bulge under his long white dress. To the music of “Yummy, Yummy, Yummy, I`ve Got Love In My Tummy” he did strange things with the bulge. The old boy in the raincoat still tried to get in on the act but he gave up when he got a kiss.

Then off came the dress to reveal a mini skirt and a pair of rubber mounds. A “volunteer” was dragged from the audience as his cheering mates pushed him forward. Layer after layer of his clothes were stripped off as the crowd roared. The act ended with a bang and the man was left in an embarras­sing position. He crawled away, picking his clothes off the floor. Everyone returned to the bar, waiting for the repeat performance at midnight.

The volunteer, Sammy Collins, of Cheriton, said he has got used to this sort of treatment. “I used to work with strippers in London. You just have to let them get on with their act and you get a good laugh.

Landlord Bryan Adams said “Folkestone is dead at the moment, so I am trying to bring some life to it. I will try to get a different artiste down once a month. I wasn`t too sure, but after Thursday night I know it is right”.

But not all the regulars were too pleased. “To tell the truth I prefer to sit here with my pint”, one said. Some members of a local church, All Souls, in Cheriton, are also unsure about it. Reader and editor of the parish magazine, Mr. K.B. Edwards, said “I am not particularly prudish, but I am not sure a public house is the proper place for that sort of thing. We ought to be a little wary about what we call entertainment and where we hold it”. In the latest parish magazine he said, about drag and striptease “Is this what is really needed today to provide “entertainment”, because if it is, then our society is sicker than it realises? Moral standards have declined. Is this another nail in the coffin?”