Pub Heritage White Lion
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Greater Manchester - Hyde
One star - A pub interior of special national historic interest
Listed Status: Not listed
7 Market PlaceHyde
SK14 2LX
Tel: (0161) 368 4343
Real Ale: Yes
Lunchtime Meals: Yes
Nearby Station: Hyde Central
Station Distance: 450m
Public Transport: Near Railway Station (Hyde Central) and Bus Stop
Bus: Yes
View on: Whatpub
A rather remarkable pub right in the heart of Hyde which retains some of its extraordinary plan and embellishments from a remodelling by Kay’s Atlas Brewery in 1906. The impressive entrance to the Market Place has a ceramic surround with a lion's head and pediment (another lion appears on a low level panel to the right). The star feature is the very long and narrow left-hand bar and its half-height green tiling tricked out with Art Nouveau details. It was originally probably divided in two – the front part is called ‘Bar’ in the door glass and the rear ‘Vault’ (in practice more or less interchangeable names for the least posh bit of a pub). Right of the vault is a corridor with more of the green tiled dado and also the remnants of a screen at the back of the servery. A large section of the wall on the right of the corridor has been removed and the original four small rooms opened up to different degrees. All the rooms/areas retain some fixed seating and there are some bell-pushes.
This pub retains much of its fittings and plan from a costly refurbishment by Atlas Brewery in 1906. It has a fine brown glazed stone frontage but much of the tiles have been painted over in white. The impressive doorway ceramics include a lion's head and pediment dated '1906': three window surrounds, a feature of a lion, and two modest doorways on the Clarendon Street side. A blue plaque states '125th anniversary of formation of Hyde F.C. 27th July 1885'. The inner lobby has a green tiled dado.
The star is the left-hand bar which retains half-height green tiling with Art Nouveau tiles along the top and a long (very long) counter which takes up half of the space leaving little for drinkers! The door has 'Bar' in an etched panel in the door; there are three 'White Lion Hotel' deep-etched windows and a 'Vault' one in the second of three doors indicating it was subdivided originally. A 1930s-looking tiled fireplace crudely added at the rear and there is a 'Bar' etched panel in the door at the rear leading to the corridor. The bar-back has two sections of six originally as the other four are now open sections for service.
On then right of the vault is the corridor with twin doors (have lost their etched panels), more of the green tiled dado which now runs along the serving counter for the rooms on the right - there may have been serving hatches to the back of the servery inn the past but nothing like the wide ones that exists now. A large section of the wall on the right of the corridor has been removed and the original four small rooms have been opened up to different degrees with most walls taken down to waist height. All of the rooms/areas retain some original fixed seating with the front two still more room-like and having bell pushes; the rear ones are opened-up and extended. All rooms/areas have modern or blocked-up fireplaces. Gents' has a terrazzo floor and six large urinals.
Full Description
The star is the left-hand bar which retains half-height green tiling with Art Nouveau tiles along the top and a long (very long) counter which takes up half of the space leaving little for drinkers! The door has 'Bar' in an etched panel in the door; there are three 'White Lion Hotel' deep-etched windows and a 'Vault' one in the second of three doors indicating it was subdivided originally. A 1930s-looking tiled fireplace crudely added at the rear and there is a 'Bar' etched panel in the door at the rear leading to the corridor. The bar-back has two sections of six originally as the other four are now open sections for service.
On then right of the vault is the corridor with twin doors (have lost their etched panels), more of the green tiled dado which now runs along the serving counter for the rooms on the right - there may have been serving hatches to the back of the servery inn the past but nothing like the wide ones that exists now. A large section of the wall on the right of the corridor has been removed and the original four small rooms have been opened up to different degrees with most walls taken down to waist height. All of the rooms/areas retain some original fixed seating with the front two still more room-like and having bell pushes; the rear ones are opened-up and extended. All rooms/areas have modern or blocked-up fireplaces. Gents' has a terrazzo floor and six large urinals.
