[Archived] Pubs

[mattjansen]

The station has a late license on Fridays. The DJ bloke is a head steward at Ewood & lots of the locals are big Rovers fans. You`ll be made quite welcome.

The Station it is then, try to get a taxi up there after we thrown our bags in the hotel.

[Claytons Left Boot]

The Station it is then, try to get a taxi up there after we thrown our bags in the hotel.

Bo!!ocks to that - try Darwen! I've been speaking with another board member about your visit and if we have nothing else arranged for that night we could show you around Darwen. The girls here are.....erm....well they're ok.....'ish!

At a pinch we could join you at the Station - we'll leave it up to you.

Vote DARWEN!

[Dingle Basher]

To be honest where your stopping is on the border of Blackburn and Darwen. It's not that much further to Livesey or even The Station as it is to Darwen.

Having worked there for years personally I'd avoid Darwen like the plague.

As I said Darwen USED to have a bad reputation.

Most of the pubs in the town centre have been done up and look quite good, its usually busy at weekends. Last time I went round Blackburn on a Friday it was dead. Its been like that ever since Marleys shut (in my opinion.)

[mattjansen]

Bo!!ocks to that - try Darwen! I've been speaking with another board member about your visit and if we have nothing else arranged for that night we could show you around Darwen. The girls here are.....erm....well they're ok.....'ish!

At a pinch we could join you at the Station - we'll leave it up to you.

Vote DARWEN!

Well that would be great if you are able to show us around Darwen, we can use the station as backup if you are busy that night. A guided tour is perfect as i always end up in strange places when in Blackburn, last time over, liverpool at home, we started walking to the train and ended up in some pub called Witton inn. Then had to wait two hours for a taxi.

[Claytons Left Boot]

Well that would be great if you are able to show us around Darwen, we can use the station as backup if you are busy that night. A guided tour is perfect as i always end up in strange places when in Blackburn, last time over, liverpool at home, we started walking to the train and ended up in some pub called Witton inn. Then had to wait two hours for a taxi.

No problem - we'll leave it up to you. Did you come over for the Liverpool game with the Norwegian lads? I was in the Fox & Hounds before the game. The only Englishman attempting to speak Norwegian. If you do decide on Darwen, we'll have to have a Swedish/Norwegian conversation which will fool the locals! Possibly.

[mattjansen]

No problem - we'll leave it up to you. Did you come over for the Liverpool game with the Norwegian lads? I was in the Fox & Hounds before the game. The only Englishman attempting to speak Norwegian. If you do decide on Darwen, we'll have to have a Swedish/Norwegian conversation which will fool the locals! Possibly.

No i came over with a liverpool mate of mine, he got a ticket for the darwen end so Simon (rover_groo) got me in at the blues bar. This time we are three blackburn fans, one liverpool fan and Chris (who is english by birth) who supports Ipswich.

[thenodrog]

ended up in some pub called Witton inn. Then had to wait two hours for a taxi.

I simply don't believe that. If you want prompt taxi's 24/7 are the best. I frequently get into some mighty odd debates about religion and politics with them of course, and more than the odd one stinks of stale sweat and listens to shyte music, but apart from that they are good and reliable time keepers.

[mattjansen]

I simply don't believe that. If you want prompt taxi's 24/7 are the best. I frequently get into some mighty odd debates about religion and politics with them of course, and more than the odd one stinks of stale sweat and listens to shyte music, but apart from that they are good and reliable time keepers.

We called some private hire on some poster by the phone, not two hours maybe but it took some time. I called them about three times and the answer was the same, "only ten minutes mate".

[Claytons Left Boot]

Sorry, but I'm going to be struggling for Friday now as I have something arranged. May catch you in the pub before the game either Fox & Hounds or wherever you decide to go if you let me know.

[mattjansen]

Sorry, but I'm going to be struggling for Friday now as I have something arranged. May catch you in the pub before the game either Fox & Hounds or wherever you decide to go if you let me know.

Ok, hope you have a good time anyway. Dont know yet about saturday but The Moorings is my first stop, i have mostly stayed at the infirmary across the road after that. Actually never tried the Fox & hounds yet, is it the one behind mcdonalds going up the hill??

[Billinge End Blue]

Topical if historical extracts from the excellent ‘Blackburn - a history by Derek Beattie’ (Carnegie 2007).

In 1892 there were 255 public houses, 208 beershops, 106 off-licences and 35 wine, spirit and sweet licences in Blackburn or one licensed premises for every 34 households in the borough.

That drink was integral to working-class culture in nineteenth century Blackburn was generally recognised: ‘Strong drink is the secret of its own and Britain’s greatness. Be sober and lead a decent and respectable life and your genuine Blackburner will wax red at the mention of your name, and dismiss you as a “—Dissenter”’. Free lance (Manchester), 12 October 1867 quoted in Patrick Joyce, Work, Society and Politics (London, 1980).

Hal Whitehead, a local folk hero, took his love of drink to the extremes. He is reputed to have drunk six and a half gallons of ale at the Britannia tavern in Lord Street in just five hours. In 1891 the Blackburn Times noted that the new political working men’s clubs were little more than drinking dens with a billiard table inside and a bowling green outside, while in the area around King Street and Northgate public houses were said to be as common as ‘blackberries on a hedge’. In 1896, 26 out of the 38 trade societies in Blackburn held their meetings in public houses. Drink, and especially the public house, remained a central element in working-class popular leisure, as it had been since pre-industrial times.

:!:

[Guest Dik Bleek]

I used to live on Livesey Branch Road near Feniscowles in the distant past as youth, and we used to go on a pub crawl to the city of Blackburn having just one half of normal strength bitter in each pub along the way, down Livsey and along Bolton road to town but we never made it that far as there was so many pubs on rout we were legless before we reached the centre, I wonder how many pubs there are now?

[bellamy11]

I used to live on Livesey Branch Road near Feniscowles in the distant past as youth, and we used to go on a pub crawl to the city of Blackburn having just one half of normal strength bitter in each pub along the way, down Livsey and along Bolton road to town but we never made it that far as there was so many pubs on rout we were legless before we reached the centre, I wonder how many pubs there are now?

You aren't the only one. We've done the same thing a couple of times. It really depends on where you start from. From my house, you start at the Oak Tree Pub but if you want to do it properly you can start at the Fieldens, stopping off at Feni Club on the rec etc. I think we counted 14 pubs last time we did it, including the Postal Order which was our finishing line.

[Guest Dik Bleek]

You aren't the only one. We've done the same thing a couple of times. It really depends on where you start from. From my house, you start at the Oak Tree Pub but if you want to do it properly you can start at the Fieldens, stopping off at Feni Club on the rec etc. I think we counted 14 pubs last time we did it, including the Postal Order which was our finishing line.

In my time we started at the Wellington, pubs like the Horden Rake and another one along there were not yet built, then it was the Raglan, White Bull, Moorgate, Brown Cow, Fox& Hounds, the Albion, the Aqueduct, after that there has been a lot of redevelopment as when I last visited Blackburn with areas of dilapidation or change of use, would be interested to find out the changes over the years. ( which Oak Tree?)

[Billinge End Blue]

Interesting the context of the first lines of the second verse of this classic verse accompanying William Hogarth's 'Beer Street' engraving (OK - the scene associated is of London - not Blackburn - but it has a resonance!).

Beer, happy Produce of our Isle

Can sinewy Strength impart,

And wearied with Fatigue and Toil

Can cheer each manly Heart.

Labour and Art upheld by Thee

Successfully advance,

We quaff Thy balmy Juice with Glee

And Water leave to France.

Genius of Health, thy grateful Taste

Rivals the Cup of Jove,

And warms each English generous Breast

With Liberty and Love!.

[thenodrog]

Interesting the context of the first lines of the second verse of this classic verse accompanying William Hogarth's 'Beer Street' engraving (OK - the scene associated is of London - not Blackburn - but it has a resonance!).

Beer, happy Produce of our Isle

Can sinewy Strength impart,

And wearied with Fatigue and Toil

Can cheer each manly Heart.

Labour and Art upheld by Thee

Successfully advance,

We quaff Thy balmy Juice with Glee

And Water leave to France.

Genius of Health, thy grateful Taste

Rivals the Cup of Jove,

And warms each English generous Breast

With Liberty and Love!.

... he didn't think too much of Gin.

[cletus]

In my time we started at the Wellington, pubs like the Horden Rake and another one along there were not yet built, then it was the Raglan, White Bull, Moorgate, Brown Cow, Fox& Hounds, the Albion, the Aqueduct, after that there has been a lot of redevelopment as when I last visited Blackburn with areas of dilapidation or change of use, would be interested to find out the changes over the years. ( which Oak Tree?)

Starting off at the end of Livesey Branch Road, currently there is.....

Fieldens Arms

Feniscowles cricket club

Hordens

Oak tree (used to be Beechwood)

Wellington

Lord Raglan

White Bull

Moorgate

Brown Cow

.......onto Bolton Rd

Fox & Hounds

Ewood Arms (used to be Albion)

Aqueduct

Moorings

Angel (Infirmary)

All the other pubs on Bolton Rd leading into town are no longer there, until you reach the Stage Door (formerly the Wheatsheaf)

Hope this jogs the memory Dik?

[Guest Dik Bleek]

Starting off at the end of Livesey Branch Road, currently there is.....

Fieldens Arms

Feniscowles cricket club

Hordens

Oak tree (used to be Beechwood)

Wellington

Lord Raglan

White Bull

Moorgate

Brown Cow

.......onto Bolton Rd

Fox & Hounds

Ewood Arms (used to be Albion)

Aqueduct

Moorings

Angel (Infirmary)

All the other pubs on Bolton Rd leading into town are no longer there, until you reach the Stage Door (formerly the Wheatsheaf)

Hope this jogs the memory Dik?

Thanks the Horden , the Beechwood , and the Moorings did not exist then but there was a lot of grotty little pubs all the way down to Darwen street bridge, even the building on the corner was a pub I think it is a undertakers now.

[mattjansen]

Ewood Arms (used to be Albion)

Is it still there?? They told us they were closing when my girlfriend and i came over in may last year, out of bear so we had to drink some cans for the last hour

[cletus]

Is it still there?? They told us they were closing when my girlfriend and i came over in may last year, out of bear so we had to drink some cans for the last hour

Ewood Arms re-opened a while back...although i wouldn`t bother going in.

It`s a proper toilet, no pub clatter (pictures on walls etc) or curtains. There`s damp on the walls & the local pikeys frequent it. It should be re-named the Ewood Arse

[mattjansen]

Ewood Arms re-opened a while back...although i wouldn`t bother going in.

It`s a proper toilet, no pub clatter (pictures on walls etc) or curtains. There`s damp on the walls & the local pikeys frequent it. It should be re-named the Ewood Arse

It is one to avoid then, will try the Fox & Hounds instead.

[b12_simon]

Ewood Arms re-opened a while back...although i wouldn`t bother going in.

It`s a proper toilet, no pub clatter (pictures on walls etc) or curtains. There`s damp on the walls & the local pikeys frequent it. It should be re-named the Ewood Arse

It was pretty dire last time I went in (IIRC before the home leg against Bayer Leverkusen)

Pre-match favourite these days is the Navigation - a decent buzz and Thwaites Orginal.

When I lived in Blackburn I'd rarely drink anywhere other than the Vulcan (RIP), Courts (RIP) and Napier (RIP Ste the landlord).

[mattjansen]

Pre-match favourite these days is the Navigation - a decent buzz and Thwaites Orginal.

That is by the mill hill station?

Does anyone know any good places for breakfast as its not included in our hotel??

[thenodrog]

That is by the mill hill station?

Does anyone know any good places for breakfast as its not included in our hotel??

Asda.

[DanLad]

That is by the mill hill station?

It's a five minute walk from the station. It's next to the canal.

I go to either the Navi or the Fox and Hounds before the game. Usually the Fox. You can finish your beer at 2.55 and be in the ground by 3.00 (althogh there was a queue last game - outrageous!)

Does anyone know any good places for breakfast as its not included in our hotel??

No, sorry.