End of an era. The demolition of this once well visited pub on Norton Road has begun. It was my local for many years. Just a pity it could not be picked up and placed somewhere else. Well no, I think it was famous for being in the place it is/was.
Photographs and details courtesy of Bob Irwin.
Passing the Brown Jug at lunch time I saw only a pile of rubble, it is down.
I would ask of those mourning its demise, did you still go in there most nights of the week, did you drink the six to eight pints we all seemed to drink whilst playing darts and domino’s because that was what kept those places open, fed the Landlord and his family and in my opinion led to friendships that lasted years.
Times changed, we married had families of our own and the pub visit got down to overtime nights, twice a week, weekends were taken over by the workmen’s clubs with entertainment for the wives or dancing, the loss of the local pub was impossible to stop from that time. The youngsters unlike us who followed their Dads into the local the modern youth wanted Skifle, Rock and Roll, anything bar drink with Dad and “Auld Tom from ti forge” and we drank less.
Supermarket beer was only the final straw and it is all summed up for me by a chap mourning the loss of Stockton Market when he said:- I was there for the first time in twenty years and was shocked by the way things had vanished. Well yes, once in twenty years does not pay the shop owners bills nor the Landlords.
Last time I was in the Brown Jug we were entertained by a Comedian and Erotic Dancers! It was nice sitting on the pidgeon baskets. But it got a bit rough when one of the dancers knocked a fellow off his feet for touching her while performing.
Never thought the Brown Jug would come to an end. It was my fathers local when we lived on Swainby Road .
Joan, wondering when you lived on Swainby Road and when your father was a local at the Brown Jug? My great grandmother (Agnes Laing) lived on Crisp Street behind the pub and it was her local too. Would be lovely if anyone that knew the family had any stories!
So sad…