CAMPAIGN FOR REAL ALE

DURHAM - Durham, Shakespeare

National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors Part One

63 Saddler Street, Durham, DH1 3NU

Tel: 0191 384 3261

Draught Beer & Cider: Real Ale

Public Transport: Railway Station: Durham

Listed Status: Not listed

View this pub on a local map

This small pub occupies a late C18 or early C19 brick building, just one bay wide and with colourful leaded windows. Miraculously for a city centre pub it has retained its three-roomed layout including a minuscule snug, despite being owned by RBS, operated by S&N Pub Enterprises and not having the protection of statutory listing. The very small bar still retains the original counter and bar-back but they have been painted over, have minor modern changes such has removal of the old spitoon around the counter and its wooden cover, and a new bar top added. Sadly the original fixed seating and a baffle were removed in 2003.

A half-height panelled passageway from the rear of the room goes around the snug, which is entered from the rear of the pub. This tiny room created by partition walls was also subject to changes in 2003 - the top third part-glazed section of the wooden partition wall between the snug and the bar was removed and the panelling painted over. Also removed was the fixed seating attached to the walls; but a Victorian tiled fireplace previously covered-up has been exposed. There are still signs of the 'table service' bell pushes but nowadays you stand at the gap into the servery to get served.

The rear Fives Room was brought into use some years ago and was doubled in size by extending to the rear in 2008 and is on two levels. Note the glazed brick wall and pillared entrance in Moat Side Lane (part of the Pilgrims Route to Durham Cathedral) on the right-hand side of the pub.