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Bus stations etc with pubs

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TheGrandWazoo

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A couple of threads recently have mentioned pubs being located in or adjacent to bus stations, where passengers could slake their thirst before or after their journey. Edinburgh's old bus station had one pub at the exit (Travellers Tryst) and one actually inside a building located in the overall footprint (The Highwayman) whilst Newcastle Haymarket had the Farmers Rest on the entrance.

So do you know of other locations, past or present, where the bus station had a pub either in it or right next door.

Please don't mention every terminus that had a pub or we'll never get out of London :D
 
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Llandudno

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There are a couple of excellent micropubs less than 100 yards of Chorley bus station, or 200 yards from Chorley rail station
 

A0wen

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A couple of threads recently have mentioned pubs being located in or adjacent to bus stations, where passengers could slake their thirst before or after their journey. Edinburgh's old bus station had one pub at the exit (Travellers Tryst) and one actually inside a building located in the overall footprint (The Highwayman) whilst Newcastle Haymarket had the Farmers Rest on the entrance.

So do you know of other locations, past or present, where the bus station had a pub either in it or right next door.

Please don't mention every terminus that had a pub or we'll never get out of London :D
Stevenage used to have Edward The Confessor (known locally as Ted The Grass) right next to the bus station which had an, ahem, interesting reputation. Some reviews here http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/27/27766/Edward_The_Confessor/Stevenage

My late grandfather drove for London Country out of Hatfield garage from the late 60s to early 80s and recounted how he'd be driving a late 303 from Hitchin and on aporoaching Stevenage bus station would be told not to go there by the local police owing to problems at said establishment.
 
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Old Eldon Square semi underground dungeon had the awful George and Dragon that opened out onto the real Eldon Square at the other end, filled with diesel fumes.

As you mentioned on the other thread, The Famers Rest, always full of drivers and dodgy character's, as you came in the bus station there would often be a groups of drivers politely waving at you.

I mentioned on another thread 2 checkies who used to base themselves in the Farmers of an evening. Everyone knew that's where they would be, except one of the gaffers from Darlington. One evening they had been ringing the Haymarket for an hour with no reply, so drove up to find out what was going on, on arrival they were directed to the pub.

At that moment the barmaid had asked Ernie to stand behind the bar while she nipped upstairs to use the ladies, so when the company official came in the pub there were his 2 inspectors, one drinking at the bar, the other apparently serving.

RIP Ernie and Roly, 2 proper old school checkies, I like to think they are sharing a pint now in the celestial Farmers Rest.

That's another thing you wouldn't see on the buses now as well.
 

northrob

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Stevenage used to have Edward The Confessor (known locally as Ted The Grass) right next to the bus station which had an, ahem, interesting reputation. Some reviews here http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/27/27766/Edward_The_Confessor/Stevenage

My late grandfather drove for London Country out of Hatfield garage from the late 60s to early 80s and recounted how he'd be driving a late 303 from Hitchin and on aporoaching Stevenage bus station would be told not to go there by the local police owing to problems at said establishment.
Stevenage Bus Station does now has a Wetherspoon (The Standard Bearer) right next to it, for those who don't mind those pubs.
 

306024

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The Ale House underneath the railway viaduct is right next to Chelmsford bus station. Well worth missing the bus for.

Stevenage Bus Station does now has a Wetherspoon (The Standard Bearer) right next to it, for those who don't mind those pubs.

Likewise The Troll Cart is the Spoon next to Great Yarmouth bus station.
 

RailAleFan

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"When's the next bus?"

[checks phone] "2 minutes, we've missed that."

"Another pint?"

"Sure, my round."



"When's the next bus?"
 

RustySpoons

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There's a pub within spitting distance (or should you encounter one of the less desirable locals, throwing distance) from Nelson bus station.

 

Non Multi

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Bracknell bus station is right opposite The Market Inn. There's a zebra crossing linking them.
 

KendalKing

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The Art Picture House, a wetherspoon pub opposite Bury Bus Station. If you can get a window seat, you can bus spot whilst having a drink/some thing to eat.

 

Doctor Fegg

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Spoons aren’t pubs - they’re just characterless, alcoholic versions of Lidl!

I loathe Tim Martin and all his works, but for those of us who drink cider, a single Spoons has more drinkable options than the entire Greene King pub estate...
 

kevconnor

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whilst I was too young to go in it whilst it was open, I always remember walking past the John Willie Lees in the Manchester Arndale Bus Station. It’s described in not so favourable terms on the Pubs of Manchester blog http://pubs-of-manchester.blogspot.com/2010/01/john-willie-lees-withy-grove.html

If you'll allow coach stations as well there is the Thompson Arms which is built into the same building complex as Chorlton Street coach station in Manchester, though it doesn't share an entrance being on the opposite side of the building.
 
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carlberry

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A couple of threads recently have mentioned pubs being located in or adjacent to bus stations, where passengers could slake their thirst before or after their journey. Edinburgh's old bus station had one pub at the exit (Travellers Tryst) and one actually inside a building located in the overall footprint (The Highwayman) whilst Newcastle Haymarket had the Farmers Rest on the entrance.

So do you know of other locations, past or present, where the bus station had a pub either in it or right next door.

Please don't mention every terminus that had a pub or we'll never get out of London :D
Somebody is suffering from withdrawal symptoms! It doesn't appear very common. The preserved railways have lots of examples (The King and Castle at Kidderminster is an obvious example, and there are many others) however I cant think of any of the bus museums sites that have any so, perhaps, it's not part of the usual expectations for road transport.
 

61653 HTAFC

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None of the pubs close to Huddersfield bus station are particularly nice unfortunately... though there are least plenty of them in normal times. Batley is terrible for pubs apart from the Taps which is a good 10min walk away, and Dewsbury's better pubs are nearer the railway station than the bus station.
 

Megafuss

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Does the Bargain Booze next to Whitby Bus Station count?

Failing that then the Old Bridge Inn at Holmfirth Bus Station, a fine location for an interchange would be my shout
 

TheGrandWazoo

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I loathe Tim Martin and all his works, but for those of us who drink cider, a single Spoons has more drinkable options than the entire Greene King pub estate...
Neither Spoons nor GK is a great choice. To quote Sean Lock, it depends whether you want to step in dog **** or cow ****

Whilst not in the bus station per se (though it does have a butchers), Middlesbrough bus station has the Green Tree which I recall was a quite decent traditional boozer
 

Slower Travel

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None of the pubs close to Huddersfield bus station are particularly nice unfortunately...

Woah, steady on! The Grove is only across the road. It has the finest array of pub taxidermy and weird stuff in the north (and the beer's top notch, too) :D

There was a proper wipe-your-feet-on-the-way-out boozer bolted onto Crewe bus station until a couple of years ago, too.
 
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Westnat

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The Potters in Dock Street is adjacent to Newport Bus Station (well half of it!). The roof garden even overlooks the bus station.
 

AndyW33

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Back in the 1970s, the Ribble bus stations in Southport and Liverpool had fully licensed bars. As Southport was a converted railway station, it presumably continued the refreshment room tradition, though there was a fairly long period between closure as a railway station and reopening as a bus station during which there would have been nothing at all. Liverpool was new-build, though. What is extra-interesting is that both bars were operated by Ribble itself, not outsourced.
 

A0wen

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Stevenage Bus Station does now has a Wetherspoon (The Standard Bearer) right next to it, for those who don't mind those pubs.
So there is ! Donkeys years since I've been into Stevenage - that site used to be an office block IIRC...

Ted the Grass was on the other side of the bus station near where Lloyds Bank is.

Both Ipswich Bus stations have Pubs on them.

Certainly sank a few pints in the Plough in the year I lived in Ipswich - next to the Buttermarket bus station. Don't ever remember drinking in any pub near the other bus station though.
 

Mr Manager

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So there is ! Donkeys years since I've been into Stevenage - that site used to be an office block IIRC...

Ted the Grass was on the other side of the bus station near where Lloyds Bank is.



Certainly sank a few pints in the Plough in the year I lived in Ipswich - next to the Buttermarket bus station. Don't ever remember drinking in any pub near the other bus station though.
It was a Weatherspoons. Formally for the life of me cant remember the groups name. Its now reverted back to the previous pub group. Also right opposite next to the swimming baths is another spoons.
 

Roilshead

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There used to be - it might still be there - a pub within Bradford Interchange, accessed from the stairs leading from the concourse to the railway station. Didn't a "pop-up" bar open within the disused West Yorkshire Vicar Lane (Leeds) bus station travel office/canteen/administrative buildings a few years ago? - long after the bus station had closed as such. Does "The Jollies" nightclub, in the building above the old PMT Longton bus station/garage, count? or the Lobby Bar in the Europa Hotel, Belfast, which is physically connected to the Europa Buscentre?
 

TheGrandWazoo

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There used to be - it might still be there - a pub within Bradford Interchange, accessed from the stairs leading from the concourse to the railway station. Didn't a "pop-up" bar open within the disused West Yorkshire Vicar Lane (Leeds) bus station travel office/canteen/administrative buildings a few years ago? - long after the bus station had closed as such. Does "The Jollies" nightclub, in the building above the old PMT Longton bus station/garage, count? or the Lobby Bar in the Europa Hotel, Belfast, which is physically connected to the Europa Buscentre?
Ones like the Ribble example from @AndyW33 and PMT's Longton nightclub are exactly what I was thinking of :D In fact, I recall the former United/Northumbria bus station at Whitley Bay also had a nightclub in the floor above the travel office etc

Edit: found a pic (credit to photographer) https://flic.kr/p/9r8BpR
 
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Roger1973

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The 'Lion Hotel' in Lincoln High Street was pub and bus station (could only accommodate single deckers) both run at one time by the Silver Queen company. Not sure if Lincs Road Car kept the pub on as a sideline or leased it out when they took Silver Queen over in the late 1920s.

Still in use (along with a few other terminus points round the city centre) until the St Marks Bus Station opened in the late 1950s.

Building is still standing, a Poundland last time Street View went past.
 
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