In days gone by when Queens were no longer considered an asset, or their husbands had fallen from grace, they had their head chopped off. The lucky ones didn't actually lose their head, but instead they were sent in to exile. Mind you, if you were going to be sent to Telford in Shropshire for the rest of your days (the most boring place on earth according to a recent survey) then beheading might have almost looked like an attractive option.
In modern day Pub terms I guess that being closed down is the equivalent of losing your head. And so it is with this poor Queen. She, and 66 of her fellow local pubs close every week in the UK according to the papers. I found some stats showing that in 1980 there were 69,000 pubs. By 2009 this had dropped to 53,466. In the same time frame the percentage of independently owned (or "Free Houses") ie not owned by the breweries, dropped from 84% to 47% . So what do you think this is telling us??
It may be a tiny pub but it punches way above it weight in both selection of beers and interesting surroundings. This was one of the two lodges that sat either side of the grand arch that lead into Euston railway station. The grand arch was demolished during the redevelopment in the 1960's causing a huge public outcry at the time. Much of the original arch has been recovered from where it was dumped and there is a rumour it will be rebuilt as part of the next redevelopment of the station to accommodate the new fast rail.
An English pub is more than somewhere to just have a beer. For many people it is an extension of their home. To own a small pub of one's own is a dream for some and many pubs were once part of a handful of places owned by small breweries. Sadly, over time the small establishments have been taken over by the large chains, complete with their gambling machines and garish neon lights.
What better way to spend a cold rainy day than to follow the Real Ale Trail. The DLR (Docklands Light Rail) and the Good Pub Guide have teamed up to put together a couple of trails in London's East End . Classic old English Pubs and Real Ale.
In days gone by when Queens were no longer considered an asset, or their husbands had fallen from grace, they had their head chopped off. The lucky ones didn't actually lose their head, but instead they were sent in to exile. Mind you, if you were going to be sent to Telford in Shropshire for the rest of your days (the most boring place on earth according to a recent survey) then beheading might have almost looked like an attractive option.
