Lescar Hotel

There was a major re-build by Mappins Brewery of Rotherham in the 1930s and much remains of the layout and fittings from that time. The only remains of the original 19th century building is at the rear right where a large former dining room is now the function room. The site was previously that of a water mill. 2022 saw a refurbishment. Changes included paintwork, new soft furnishings, a new floor covering in the tap room and an updated outdoor area with additional seating.

The layout consists of a tap room at the front, the lounge beyond with a centrally placed servery between them, and former off-sales with its separate door on Lescar Lane. A snug at the rear left has been opened up to the lounge and a passage leads to the function room. Plans of 1955 by William Stones, who had just taken over Mappins Brewery, show a floor plan that is otherwise identical to the present one - the off-sales is visible but is now used for glass washing.

The tap room has a lobby with a terrazzo floor, a dado of inter-war fielded panelling and doors with 1930s etched and frosted panels (3 in each). The bar counter dates from the inter-war period but fresh panels have been added to the front. The two sections of Art Deco fixed seating look to be from the late 1930s, but a third section on the right hand side was removed in the 1980s when the fireplace was lost. A modern replacement was installed in 2022 and a new section of curved bench seating added to its left (the seating to the right retains its old red leatherette). The rest of the bench seating now has the same brown leather covering, studded at the back and with a floral strip along the top.

A doorway leads to the lounge which also retains its lobby on the Lescar Lane side with a terrazzo floor, a dado of inter-war fielded panelling and doors with 1930s etched and frosted panels (3 in each). The bar counter dates from the inter-war period but as with the public bar has modern carved panels added to the front. The island gantry is totally modern. The Art Deco fireplace looks to be an import. The fixed seating is of an unknown date. There is some fielded panelling on the dado.

The snug retains its Art Deco fixed seating which looks to be from the late 1930s but it was opened-up possibly in the 1980s. The fireplace has a 1930s wood surround but the cast-iron interior is modern.

A wide passage with a dado of fielded panelling and plaster decoration on the ceiling leads to the function room at the rear right. The plans of 1955 show a replacement bar counter moved to the present position, but the present one dates from the 1990s. The toilets have modern tiling.

The Lescar is possibly unique in that the 1909 plans include the addition of a new 'Children's Entrance' on the Lescar Lane side of the building. These include a reference to Obscure Glass – presumably so that the children could not see into goings-on inside (Architect: A.F.Watson, 88 Church Street, Sheffield). The off-sales entrance leads directly to a serving door.