When I was a kid

[Phil]

Lyn & sheldonboy

The dates I have just pulled off the net say that there was a pub there from 1605 at least. I also came up with the date of the new one being built in 66-67, but I have to be honest I thought it was later than that.

My net source states that the new pub stood for less than 30 years. So that would put the demolition of the pub about 96-97.

sheldonboy, what do you think?

Phil

[wales]

phil my ex mother in law lived just by there and i am sure the old one was there round about the early 80s....

lyn...will will be back online in the morning hopefully...

lyn

[sheldonboy]

Phil
The general feeling in our house right now, is that you are correct about the Swan, but myself I think it may have shut earlier. But apparently is was closed down for a good while before bulldozers visited.
Not much help at present sorry. One of my best memories of the Swan was the San diego Steak Bar. Their mixed Grill was superb.

[Phil]

sheldonboy

What makes me think it was later than 67 when the old Swan was demolished is that my mate was going through a divorce in the early 70's and I used to run him up to pick his kids up from outside the Swan on a Saturday.

We used to have a drink in the temporary pub that was erected down the road whilst we were waiting for kids to arrive; mind you we always got there a couple of hours early

Phil

[sheldonboy]

Phil
I think that the temporary pub you may be thinking about may have been the New Inns. It was a prefab for quite a while it was on the Coventry road opposite Comet in The Swan shopping Centre The New Inn is now a newer brick building.
The Swan Centre is now undergoing major reconstruction. all shops Cov Road side are to be refurbished. The multistory car park in Church Road has just been demolished to make way for a large new Tescos. Part of the Oaklnds park has been taken for the new dual carriageway to replace that part of Church Road.

[Phil]

sheldonboy

Yes thats the one, as I said during this time the new Swan was being constructed. So as you say, there might have been quite some time between the demolition of the old Swan and the building of the new one.

Phil

[CHRIS 2]

I don't know if this helps, but I worked at the 'New Swan', the one known as 'the largest pub in Europe', when it opened in '67.

Annie

[Phil]

Chris

here you are then. that must be the date. Its the one I pulled off the net and you confirm it. Its just me thinking it was later than that. I also heard that is was claimed to be the biggest pub in Europe. The other thing I heard was it was claimed to have the longest bar in Europe. There again I heard both those claims were made by several pubs.

Phil

[CHRIS 2]

Phil,

I didn't hear the boast about the longest bar in Europe, and I can't recall a longer than average bar there. But 'the largest pub in Europe' was used in all the advertising, when it opened. It certainly had more rooms (all themed) than any other pub I had been into. I think it was demolished in the late 80's. I remember going for drinks there after a funeral in' 87.

Annie

[Phil]

Annie

I read it on the net the other night about the longest bar when I was searching for the date that the Swan closed. To be honest I always thought that the Mackadown was the pub that claimed that.

Phil

[CHRIS 2]

Phil,

My husband (a Yardley lad) has just come back. And he says the longest bar was attributed to The Swan. Perhaps someone made it up and it stuck. I only have vague memories of The Mackadown, from a few shows and dances that I went to there. My parents were regulars there.
Have you finished the list of closed pubs? I may have missed it, but didn't see The Red Lion Ladypool Rd.

Annie