Vanished Pubs of Conwy

The Black Lion, originally uploaded by davidrobertsphotography.

Following on from an old post about the vanished Pubs of Conwy, this is an updated list, with thanks to AngieP and Gwynedd Archives:

Conwy's pubs, past and present, vanished and in other uses (those marked * are still running as pubs today):

The Albion Vaults* (6 Uppergate Street)
The Anchor Uppergate Street (Could be same as Crown & Anchor or Hope & Anchor possibly?)
The Black Horse (West side of Castle Street - immediately to left of Aberconwy house) (In existence in 1795)
The Black Lion (Lyon) (now semi-derelict, Castle Street) (In existence in 1795) (Landlord 1895 - David Roberts)
The Blue Bell* (Castle Street) (Landlord in 1856 - Edward Jones)
The Boot Inn (now r/h side of Alfredos, Lancaster Square) (In existence in 1795) (William Lardner - Landlord in 1798)
The Bull (distinct from the Bull's Head, no idea as to location - any ideas?) (In existence in 1795)
The Bull's Head (High Street, by present Bull Cottages)
The Bridge* (Rosehill Street)
The Britannia Castle Street (Chinese Takeaway opposite NatWest Bank)
The Carpenters Arms (No 6 Berry Street)
The Castle Inn/Hotel* (High Street)(Landlady 1856 - Cordelia Owen)
The Castle View (Bangor Road, Old Co-op Building))
The Cockpit (in vicinity of the Cockpit)
The Commercial Inn Mrs Jane Fielding Llanrwst Rd Gyffin (1929)
The Conway Castle (No. 3 Berry Street) (Thomas Jones - Landlord in 1798)
The Conway [Conwy] Ferry (1798)(Landlady - Mary Davies)
The Conway [Conwy] Mariner (In existence in 1795)(Landlord - Thomas Jones)
The Crown and Anchor, Conwy (Landlord - John Jones)
The Crown Vaults Tavern (High Street, same side as Plas Mawr - Edwards Butchers Shop site?) (Miss Mary Annie Davies - Landlady 1910)
The Cross Keys, Conwy (In existence in 1903)
The Eagles Inn (Now Fisherman's Chip Shop, Castle Street) (In existence in 1795)
The Eccles Inn (Could this be a misspelling of Eagles Inn?)
The Feathers (7 Lancaster Square - currently the Post Office) (Richard Lewis - Landlord in 1798)
The Foresters Arms (Gyffin, now a private house)
The George & Dragon* (21 Castle Street)(Formerly the Tal Y Cafn)
The Hall, Conwy (Landlord - John Thomas)
The Harp Hotel (High Street, where Spar (former Woolworths) is now) (Roger Rous - Landlord in 1798)(formerly The Newborough)
The Hope and Anchor, Conwy (Landlord - Robert Jones)
The Joiners Arms (other side of Wing Gate Wall)(now house called Glanrafon)
The Kings Head (now l/h side of Castle Hotel)(Later known as Castle Vaults)
The Liverpool Arms* (on the Quay)
The Mail Coach/Coach & Horses* (High Street)
The Malt Loaf/Erskine Arms Hotel* (Rosehill Street) (Erskine Refreshment Room - on current car park)(Erskine Tap Room - Church Street)
The Mostyn Arms - Castle Street
The New Inn
The Newbridge Arms (Newborough Terrace)
The Old Bull's Head (High Street, in area where Bull Cottages are now)
The Pen y Grisia, Conway [Conwy] (1798)(Landlady - Catherine Jones)
The Plough Inn (site now occupied by Beresford Adams, Lancaster Square)
The Plough Bach (to left of Plough Inn (above))
The Railway Tavern, No.1 York Place, Conwy
The Red Lion (Lyon) (on High Street, opposite Conwy Pantry) (In existence in 1795)
The Rising Gull (Berry Street)
The Royal Oak Tavern (house to right of 'Smallest House' on Quay)
The Ship Tavern (now Pen Y Bryn Tearooms, High Street) (In existence in 1795)
The Ship (Castle Street)(next to the Eagles)
The Soldiers Rest (by Berry Street Arch) (May also have been called Soldiers Arms)
The Sun, Conway (In existence in 1795 - Mary Jones Landlady)
The Swan (Berry Street, 'up entry by old Co-op')
The Union Tavern (Chapel Street - now Hen Dafarn house?)
The White Horse (Uppergate Street - next to the Albion)
The White Lion, Conwy (Landlord - Nathaniel Atkinson)

Wetherspoon & the Palace Coup

It's like a Palace!, originally uploaded by davidrobertsphotography.

The news that J D Wetherspoon has confirmed their interest in opening a Pub in Conwy must surely strike dread into every existing Conwy Pub Landlord's heart.

A vast Wetherspoons emporium of cheap food and drink can only prove to be the final straw for many of Conwy's already struggling pubs. With the Albion and Mailcoach already closed, how many of the others can survive? Conwy is only a small town and the trade is already spread pretty thinly, especially in the Winter months. What effect, too, will it have on Conwy's cafes and restaurants, as cheap food is a staple of every Wetherspoons?

The word is that Wetherspoon are interested in purchasing the Palace Bingo building and converting that into a pub. This would make perfect sense for them - all of Conwy's existing pubs are way too small for a Wetherspoon style operation - talk of them purchasing the Albion is just fanciful.

Major investment by a business is usually always very welcome but I fear in this case that the competition will be too much for Conwy's independent pubs.

And they're off!!!

And they're off!!!, originally uploaded by davidrobertsphotography.

The Annual 'Nick Beer' 10k Road Race took place today here in Llandudno, with 750 runners taking part. It is now apparently in the Top 5 10km races in the UK. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves!