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| Photo from Folkestone Herald |
Folkestone Herald
11-4-1986
Local News
A unique chapter in Folkestone’s history ended yesterday (Thursday)
when pub landlady Joan Hourahane said goodbye to one of the town’s oldest pubs, the famous British Lion.
Joan, who has spent the last 38
years tending to the drinking
habits of the garrison, port and town, has been a frontline witness to Folkestone’s changing fortunes. When she took
over the 15th Century inn at The Bayle with her late husband, ex-RSM
Gerry, beer was eight old pennies a pint (about 4p). Today,
lunchtime drinkers spend £5 on food and tipple, the equivalent of a week’s wage
in 1957, when Joan and Gerry moved from Sandgate`s Clarendon pub to the centre
of the town. In those days it was a dull and dismal pub with blackout curtains from
World War II still hanging from the window frames. Now drinkers
enjoy a steak pie and potatoes, washed down with real beer, in a traditional
setting. And this seems to be the way the customers like it. A decade ago they got
up a successful petition to thwart brewery plans to modernise the pub. And as
such it has enjoyed a special place among the pubs of Folkestone.
The British Lion certainly has a special place
in history, for author Charles Dickens and painter William Turner were
customers in the days before licensing laws and drinking up time inhibited the
day-to-day imbiber. And it would not be misleading to say that both great
artists would find the old inn much the same as in their day. It certainly
remains one of Folkestone`s pubs of character.
One feature that will disappear with Joan`s
departure are two major items of seasonal fare – the famous pie and potatoes.
For over twenty years these two items have warmed and stabilised the tummies of
beer drinkers during winter months, and are devoured eagerly by those who
eschew today`s trends of a light lunch.
But Joan is modest when praise is offered for
the pub`s fame and fortune. “It`s the customers who make a pub”, she says. “The
pub has terrific character, but that`s due mainly to the customers. There is
not really another pub like it in Folkestone. In the old days women seldom came
in on their own. That`s all changed now. And youngsters are more plentiful. I
think the younger generation appreciate it as much as anybody else, without the
need for juke boxes and fruit machines”. Joan has seen the character of the
town change too. “Unfortunately we have become a bit cut off from the town
since the precinct was put down. And until a few years ago many more businesses
operated from the town centre. That`s all changed”, says Joan.
At a surprise party last week the popular
landlady was presented with a silver tray inscribed with a lion. She was also
given a tumble druer, an automatic camera, a Teasmade and a bouquet. Joan, who
has moved into a flat nearby in The Bayle, said as she left “Of course I`ll be
back – it`s now my local”.
Folkestone Herald
7-11-1986
Advertising Feature
When publicans Ken and Lorraine Hollett first visited
Folkestone`s famous British Lion, it was love at first sight. And they vowed;
if the ancient inn on The Bayle, steeped in history and atmosphere, became
theirs, it should stay just the way it was. They have kept that promise. And
this week, six months after taking over, they celebrated the occasion with a
reception at the pub, one of the town`s oldest licensed premises, to prove it.
The British Lion, a symbol of all that`s great in
Britain, dates back to the 15th century. And from the chapters of
history it can boast a place of its own. Charles Dickens, perhaps this
country`s most famous author, used the pub as his local while living in
Folkestone as he wrote Little Dorritt. As a mark of respect to the great man of
letters, the pub`s quaint snug bar, ever popular with those seeking a place for
a quiet or discreet conversation, is now adorned with mementoes of his work.
But enough of the past. What of present? Today the
pub offers traditional ale, and traditional food. And the new decorations and
furnishings act as a seal of intent that the 400-year-old hostelry will remain in the traditional mould. Lorraine
has spent many hours researching the history of the inn.
Apart from the
range of beer and lager, draught or bottled - there
are plenty of soft drinks too - the
home now offers an extensive menu aimed at the lunchtime trade, plus wines
and spirits - chilled nine if
desired. Kitchen facilities have been improved in a bid
to offer a wider choice to office workers and lunchtime drinkers. All the traditional dishes, homemade and with fresh vegetables will
make an appearance on the menu card.
Folkestone Herald
20-11-1987
Local News
Beer drinkers in Folkestone have passed a bitter
milestone in pint prices. This week the Good Pub Guide book was frothed up over
Kent regulars digging deeper into their pockets than most of Britain`s
pub-goers. The guide criticises a one third increase in Surrey, Sussex and Kent
during the year “pressing towards the £1-a-pint barrier which London has
passed”. But some pubs in Folkestone broke the barrier up to two years ago and
finding a brew in the area for less is a problem.
Folkestone landlords this week criticised the guide for
being out of touch and blamed high rates plus brewery increases for the pricey
cost of their pints.
Geoff Gosford, landlord of the Lifeboat in The Durlocks,
said “Prices are quite high, but so are the overheads. Folkestone rates are the
same as some London boroughs. Our beers can be expensive, but it is all real
ale. We recently had the legendary Conqueror here as a guest ale. It was £1.28
a pint but three pints of that beer was worth nine of any other. I haven`t had
one complaint about my prices”.
Eileen Lewis, landlady of the Guildhall on The Bayle (£1
a pint) said “Some pubs may take advantage and raise prices higher. But the
majority are very conscious of the cost of beer to their customers. It is not
publicans clamouring for expensive beer, it is breweries”.
Ken Holletts, landlord of the British Lion (£1 a pint)
said “I have not raised the price of beer since becoming the landlord. All
increases have been imposed by the brewery. Our prices are reasonable, and as
cheap as you`ll find in the town centre”.
Black Bull landlady Maureen Coles in Canterbury Road
(prices again in the £1 range) said “Rates and electricity and so on are all
expensive and brewery increases take their toll”.
A spokesman for Whitbread, a major brewery supplying
Folkestone, said “Beer prices are cheaper in other parts of the country, but
Folkestone is no different, really, to most other parts of the South East”.
Folkestone Herald
5-2-1988
Inquest
Detectives and a Home Office pathologist were called in to
investigate a suspected murder after a man died in hospital of multiple head
injuries. Father-of-three Kenneth Huntley was so badly injured he could not speak
or communicate with his son or doctors. At his inquest, a coroner recorded a
verdict of accidental death after he heard it was more likely Mr. Huntley was
injured from falling downstairs drunk. Some 34 witnesses, including several
pub landlords in Folkestone, were questioned by police and were called to give
evidence. The hearing was told that Mr. Huntley was a regular in at least three
pubs in the town and often drunk to excess.
Landlord of the British Lion, The Bayle, Folkestone, Kenneth Hollett,
said “Mr. Huntley would come into the bar in the early morning and mid-evenings
about three or four times a week”.
Another landlord, Geoffrey Gosford, of The Lifeboat Inn, said “Mr.
Huntley was not the most popular of customers. He drank very heavily and
occasionally I saw him the worse for drink, but he never caused any trouble”.
Neighbours of Mr. Huntley’s at Bradstone Road, Folkestone, said they
often heard him screaming to himself, and several had seen him drunk or slumped
outside his house. They claimed he had become worse since his wife left him.
One of the last people to see Mr. Huntley before he was injured last
September was a customer at the British Lion, Carol Edge, of Connaught Road,
Folkestone. She told the inquest “I was driving
along and I saw Mr. Huntley coming down Grace Hill. He appeared very drunk and
was staggering. That was about 10.30 p.m.”
The same night a neighbour of Mr. Huntley, Mrs. Beryl Davies, said she
heard a scuffling noise coming from the basement of his house, but she was
frightened and did not want to get involved.
When Huntley’s son, Alan, went to check on his father the next morning,
he found him lying in bed in pain with a black eye and marks on his face. Hours
later his speech was “unintelligible” and the doctor was called. Tests in
hospital showed Mr. Huntley had suffered a fractured skull and collarbone,
fractured all his ribs except one, and had severe bruising. “He never explained
how he got his injuries”, said Alan Huntley.
Kenneth Huntley, a former chief warden at Hythe Rangers, died of a heart
attack the next morning. Despite the circumstances surrounding his death police
were not called in until the following Tuesday.
At the inquest Home Office pathologist, Doctor Peter Venezis, who carried
out tests on the body, said “The injuries on Mr. Huntley are consistent with a
heavy fell. If he was drunk, he would have fallen heavier, and this might explain
why his injuries were such”.
Folkestone Herald
2-9-1988
Local News
Great Ormond Street Hospital’s much-publicised
Wishing Well Appeal became £1,000 better off this week as regulars at the
British Lion pub hauled in their collection. Anne Macmillan and Karen Jones were part of a fund-raising team in a
24-hour games marathon at the pub in The Bayle, Folkestone. On Tuesday, they handed over their £1,000 sponsorship money to Barclay’s
Bank manager Mr Ian Keay to be passed on to the Wishing Well Appeal.
Folkestone Herald
18-1-1991
Local News
Lunchtime bar takings vanished from the till of the
British Lion pub, in The Bayle, Folkestone, on Sunday, after landlord Brian
Clayson had seen his last customers off the premises.
He believes the thief came back to take £250 when he left
the bar for a few minutes.
Folkestone Herald 29-1-1993
Local News
Furious pub landlord Brian Clayson has hit out at
Folkestone Magistrates` refusal to allow him an extension to celebrate the life
of Scottish poet Robert Burns.
“We had a great time, but all the same I`m really unhappy
with the Court`s decision”, said Mr. Clayson, landlord at the British Lion, at
The Bayle, Folkestone, after the party on Monday night. “At 11 p.m., when the
pub was absolutely full and there was a great atmosphere, I had to tell the
customers it was time to pack up”. Most of the customers were Scots. Mr.
Clayson, 54, who runs the pub with his wife Rena, said he wanted a one and a
half hour extension for the Burns Night celebration. But, he said, three
Magistrates deliberated for a few minutes over his application and then turned
it down. He wasn`t given a reason for the refusal. He has held a Burns Night at
the pub for two successive years, without an extension. The parties ended at
normal hours, “They were both very successful and there was no trouble at them.
It went so well last year my customers asked me to apply for an extension this
time. I was shocked when the Court turned it down. After this, I don`t think
I`ll apply for one next year”. He added “I can only think this is such a quiet
little nook the Magistrates don`t want rowdies to get a chance of spoiling the
area. But we`ve never had trouble here, and I`m sure an extension wouldn`t have
led to any problems”.
William Taylor, Chairman of the Folkestone Licensed
Victuallers` Association, said the Magistrates may have turned down the
application because they didn`t view it as a special occasion. “I must say, in
my calendar a Burns Night would be a special occasion, though I do see the
Court`s point of view. There are all sorts of anniversaries every week, so
where do you draw the line? Magistrates do have guidelines, but it seems to
depend very much on the opinion of the Bench on that particular day. Some might
see an application as special and others might differ”.
Folkestone Herald 2-2-1995
Local News
Plans to extend the British Lion pub in The Bayle,
Folkestone, have been thrown out by Shepway planners. Pub owners, Pubmaster
Ltd., wanted to build an extension at the back of the pub and use the ground
floor of the next door listed building, number eight, The Bayle, for storage.
Councillors approved the application for the extension, but voted unanimously
to refuse listed building consent for the changes because alterations to No. 8
would be detrimental to the listed building.
Folkestone Herald
9-2-1995
Local News
The landlord of a 15th century inn has warned
the pub could close because plans to update it have been thrown out. Pubmaster
Ltd., owners of the Grade II listed British Lion pub in The Bayle, Folkestone,
wanted to build a rear extension and use the ground floor of next door, 8, The
Bayle, for storage. Although planning permission was granted, Councillors voted
unanimously against giving listed building consent for the changes.
Now landlord Brian Matthews, 59, and his partner Sandra
White, 33, who lashed out £25,000 for the tenancy of the pub last September,
say they may leave because they are not making money. “It is quite possible we
will move on”, said Mr. Andrews. “We are finding out the grounds for refusal
and whether they were enough. We may appeal against the decision, but if not I
shall leave and Pubmaster may shut the pub if they can`t get another tenant”.
Mr. Matthews, who has been a publican for 22 years, said he only took on the
British Lion because of plans to extend it. “The Magistrates and environmental
health officers approved the plans and planning officers recommended the plans
be approved, but now it has been thrown out by a bunch of amateurs”, he said.
“The pub has been in this state for ages and we can`t work in it; we`re not
making any money. It has a poor drainage system, outside toilets and an
upstairs kitchen – it`s all wrong and needs to be brought up to date”.
Shepway planning manager, Phil Kirby, said Councillors
had visited the pub for a site meeting and had been concerned that work had
already started inside number eight. “They had no reasons to refuse planning
permission, but Councillors felt the proposed work would affect the character
of the listed buildings and they are not happy about that”, he said. “The
concern with number eight was that some work had been done without getting
listed building consent. When people take on a listed building they must be aware
of the responsibility that goes with it and any work must be considered by the
local authority before it is done”.
Mr. Matthews said the work had only been done to tidy up
the site. “It was a real mess and derelict; all I did was clear out all the
rotten wood inside number eight, which has not altered the place at all”, he
said. “It has been empty for 32 years and is derelict. No-one complained about
that, but they complain when we do something about it. We planned to spend
about £15,000 on improvements. We can`t make a living here as it is; it`s a
ridiculous situation”.
Pubmaster regional manager, Jeffrey Hill, said
alternative plans were being drawn up and would be submitted to the Council
soon. “We are submitting a further plan to accommodate the planning committee`s
wishes and we hope we will eventually get planning permission without going to
appeal”, he said. “We have written to the District Council to say we will
reinstate number eight as it was and we regret what has happened. Mr. Matthews
is quite right that he cannot operate as it is, but local objections need to be
considered and met as much as possible”.
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| Photo from Folkestone Herald |
Folkestone Herald
12-11-1998
Local News
A landlord`s life was saved by a smoke alarm when fire
broke out in the bar area of his Folkestone pub. Two fire crews, led by
Sub-Officer Richard McMunn, were called out to the British Lion on The Bayle
just before midnight on Monday evening. It took them an hour and a half to
extinguish the blaze.
Landlord Brian Matthews said the pub would be closed for
a while, but could not estimate how long. It seemed to have started in a bin,
but he was not sure how. “What I can say for certain is that the firemen were
tremendous”, he said.
A spokesman for Folkestone firemen said “The early
detection of the blaze by a smoke alarm saved a life and prevented it spreading
to the first floor. Once again, the importance of fire detection in the home is
emphasised”.
Half the bar was badly damaged.
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| Photos from Folkestone Herald |
Watercolour by Stuart Gresswell (ex Raglan and Guildhall)
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