Much of what has appeared on this site and its predecessor has vanished forever. From August 2002, these pages are an essentially complete record of the news pages and visitor postings, arranged in chronological order. ("Essentially complete" means "those things that came to our attention which have not since fallen prey to computer malfunction") Before then, there is a patchy and incomplete record of pub news, culled from a variety of sources. More recently, some of the other items that have appeared on this site have been archived under the apppropriate year. Old pubs of the year can be found on the Pub of the Year index page. Archive photographs of local pubs can be found via the pub pages. I haven't yet worked out what to do with photographs of pubs that are no longer open. Note that in a number of cases news items were published in good faith which subsequently turned out to be not entirely true. No attempt has been made to retrospectively hide our errors.
Archive 1999
Summer 1998
Lancaster
The Edward VII has been given a lick of blue paint which is apparently enough to turn it into a "Cafe Bar" named "muse.".
As you will doubtless already be aware, the Boar's Head is to be turned into "Ruxton's".
A small extension is planned for the Royal Oak, a large one for Crow’s: The Sun is scheduled for interior enlargement and a change of image.
Changes of licensee at the Alex, Bowling Green, Fox & Goose, Royal King's Arms, Victoria.
Morecambe & Heysham
The Hydeaway and the Moneyclose are up for sale, as the company is in flnancial difficulties.
A tenant is being sought for Jester's.
The Strawberry Gardens is to have its mock-Tudor exterior removed, while the whole ground floor will become a single drinking area<.
Changes of licensee at the Morecambe, Park, Royal, Victoria.
The Black Bull is selling cask beer again.
Country
The George Washington (formerly the Black Bull, Warton) is complete in predictable style. The continuous carpet now extends into the smah rooms. Washington-related items adorn the walls.
Change of licensee at the Old Roof Tree.
The Marton Arms is stopping selling national brews.
Spring 1999
Lancaster
Changes of licensee at Fibber McGee's, Spooner's, Trekkers, Post House
The Royal has a new licensee and new decor: orange walls and bare floorboards,
Mild has returned to the Moorlands.
Pat Rogers has left the Golden Lion to be replaced by the former manageress of the Lancaster Golf Club bar.
The Red Cross is between licensees.
The Duke's bar has replaced its Jennings with Black Sheep Special.
The Varsity opened on February 15, selling Banks's bitter, Marston Pedigree and Cameron's Strongarm. It has five levels, two bars and the air-conditioning ducts exposed in the middle. The floorboards are varnished.
Mario's restaurant is to add a fully-licensed bar to the left on the same lines as Crow's.
Two licensees has moved short distances: one from the Nag's Head to Paddy Mulligan's; the other from the Freeholder's Arms over the road to the Rose Tavern.
Morecambe & Heysham
Change of licensee at Fred's on the Ball and the Bull.
The Pier Hotel is between licensees.
The Midland lies in limbo.
Country
The principal at the Blue Anchor, Bolton-le-Sands, has gone: his number two, Ian Burrows, has moved one step up and also taken a assistant onto the licence. Alterations are under way at the ba~ in Pine Lake.
Change of licensee at the Packet Boat, Queen's (Carnforth), Red Well, Plough (Galgate) and George & Dragon (Wray).
The Fenwick Arms and the Roebuck (Bilsborrow) are between licensees\\z
The Black Bull, Bentham, is closed for refurbishment.
Mitchell's NewsMitchell's are relaunching their seasonal ales wifh a "hedgerow" theme. The first will be called "Evergreen".
Summer 1999
Mitchell's News
If you've not just returned from a long stay in foreign parts (like Liverpool), you will alredy be aware that Mitchell's brewery is to shut. They are at the moment rather vague on tHe details but the closure date given is the end of July. Experience teaches that there is no chance of reversing a decision of this nature. However, it would appear the the management have (typically) anly the vaguest idea of what to do about beer suppiies in the future, so there is some chance of influencing their choice. Make your views known to the brewery in the next few weeks: once a decision has been made and contracts signed, it will be that mnch harder to change things. A likely scenario is for the beer range to be Boddingtons, contract-brewed Bomber and whatever small brewers' beers Greenalls deigns to supply as "guests" at £1.78 a pint. 1f you want something better than this, make a fuss. Don't write as a Camra memher: the hranch committee are already making official representations and it looks much better if there appears to be a large body of unorganised opinion. It would seem that the brewery building is, surprisingly, not "listed": if it were it would in theory have some protection from unsympathetic development. I am looking into this. Who would put money on Mitchell's still existing in any form in five years?
Lancaster
New licensees at the Blob Shop, H2O, John O'Gaunt (Skerton), Rose Tavern, Duke of Lancaster, Nag's Head, Skerton.
The Castle is open again and got a licensee in June.
The Australian theme pub on Dalton Square will open soon under the name of the "Walkabout Inn". Apparently they hope only to employ antipodeans.
Morecambe & Heysham
New licensees at Crown & Anchor, George, Pier, Midland, Park.
The Imperial is now stocking Hart beers: a first visit suggests these need more drinkers.
The Bradford Arms is to reopen soon.
Country
New licensees at Horns Inn (Churchtown), Plough (Galgate), Roebuck (Bilsborrow), Farmer's Arms (Garstang), Fenwick Arms (Claughton), George & Dragon (Wray), Sun Dial (Bentham).
The Bridge (Ingleton) now only sells Theakston's.
The Globe (Overton) has a tenant instead of a manager.
In Bentham, the Black Bull has reopened after refurbishmeent was delayed by ths discovery of a well. It now looks "like a Yates Wine Lodge". Up the street, the Horse & Farrier does weekly changing "guest" beers.