Day 723, The Multiple Aged Red Lions

It's The Red Lion, formerly The Old Red Lion, confusingly.

That reverse name change was long before most of our time.

That's right, it was called The Old, etc, before dropping the word 'Old', my guess is there was a further previous Red Lion.

By simple mathematical calculation that makes a minimum of 3 Red Lions over the last 100 years.

More recently this building was called Flares and was accessed by the pub next door, The Reflex.

Those are both terrible names.

The Red Lion or The Old Red Lion are much better appellations, modern people really can be idiots.

The panelling on the far left of the building was originally another door.

In years gone by this may have been an entrance to the lounge bar rather than the public bar or tap-room.

I remember when this differentiation still meant something, such as carpets and a quieter atmosphere.

Although those differences were nothing when compared to the original bar types.

The lounge was generally a fancy room where the beer cost slightly more, and sometimes had waiter service.

The gentlemen would drink in the lounge, the hoi polloi would drink in what was also known as the 'four ale' bar.

I expect fighting was available for free in the four ale bar too.

This separation of bars is mentioned in literature, The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists has some discussion, here is an excerpt:

Chapter 19
The bar was arranged in the usual way, being divided into several compartments. First there was the ‘Saloon Bar’: on the glass of the door leading into this was fixed a printed bill: ‘No four ale served in this bar.’ Next to the saloon bar was the jug and bottle department, much appreciated by ladies who wished to indulge in a drop of gin on the quiet. There were also two small ‘private’ bars, only capable of holding two or three persons, where nothing less than fourpennyworth of spirits or glasses of ale at threepence were served. Finally, the public bar, the largest compartment of all. At each end, separating it from the other departments, was a wooden partition, painted and varnished.

Assuming we are still standing after all that booze and fisticuffs let's go back outside.

The taller building visible to the right and across the other side of West Street is, or was, the DHSS building.

In 1937 when this pub was still The Old etc., the DHSS building was the site of The Wharncliffe Arms.

I never drank in The Red Lion and only passed through the door once when leaving quickly after being horrified by The Reflex.

I was always put off the place as during the 80's I heard someone say it was an NF meeting place.

That rumour may be complete nonsense.

Whatever the history it seems unlikely that this pub will ever reopen either as The New Red Lion, The Old Old Red Lion, The New Old Red Lion, or any other combination of lions, old, new or otherwise.

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