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Passage below taken from
http://www.closedpubs.co.uk
We moved to Tunbridge Wells in 1961
and many times I was "allowed" into the rear room of this tobacco shop
where there was a very special bar. It was extremely secret, cliquey,
practically men only, definitely "professional clientele" only. From the
High Street one would enter a magnificent Dickensian tobacconists,
mahogany counter loaded with every kind of smoking essential, pipes,
snuff, cigars, tobacco cigarettes. Behind the counter was an enormous Mitchells Cigarettes mirror which I purchased many years later and it can
still be seen at Sankeys on Mount Ephraim. At the back a beautiful
etched panel door engraved 'smoking divan' led into a small room; here
was a small bar which claimed to have a special charter license granted
by King Charles 2, (I know for a fact that they had to go the The
Bishops Palace, Lambeth to renew the license) Behind the little bar it
was just big enough for two wooden firkins of Worthington E Bitter (which was delivered direct from Burton by train, easy as the Central
Station was almost opposite) and a small selection of spirits. A velvet
curtain hid the stairs which led up to the private accommodation. An old
arched and panelled alcove had a red velvet banquette with a table.
There was a small cast iron fireplace. Old sepia pictures of the High
Street covered with horse dung and a unique mains gas cigar lighter
hanging on the wall by its thin black pipe. A small door led to the
outside ally where there was a small lavatory (men only!) It was always
a special treat, a privilege, I would never have got in without being
with my father who liked to share a beer with George Coker, Douglas
Smith and "Porky" Brown. The Landlord was tall aloof and not at all
welcoming! Another part of the mystique was that "The Hole the Wall" was
how the bar was referred, there was no signage to indicate that there
was a bar at the rear. In my day it was called Allmans. I am not sure
when but I would guess mid 1970's the business was sold and completely
re vamped, The shop went, the whole ground floor was opened up, the
mirror was about the only vestige of the past. The pub as it now was,
was proudly the Hole in the Wall and after some colourful landlords,
progressively went down hill from there, attracting more and more
undesirable clientele. I think it finally went bust late 1980's, and has
been many things since, a card shop, a tea room and currently a
children's clothes store. So sad because this was a local treasure and
should have survived.
Guy Sankey (July 2012)
I visited 'The Hole in The Wall' while on business in The Pantiles,
Royal Tunbridge Wells during the late sixties.
It was a habit of mine back then to check above the door for the name
of the Landlord and I noted that the place operated under a Royal
Warrant from King Edward VII. The Landlord explained that the King had
been horse-riding with his entourage in the paddock at the rear of the
Pantiles, when he fell off his horse and was winded but otherwise none
the worse. The Landlord of the ‘Hole' at the time was quick to the
King's aid, walking over with a tankard of ale.
‘Have that while you're getting your breath back, Sire.'
‘Good Lord,' said the King. ‘Where did you spring from?'
‘The Hole in The Wall over there.'
The King walked back with him and eventually managed to squeeze
himself into a seat and finished his ale. ‘Do you pay for a licence for
this place?'
‘I do, Sire. I do.'
‘Not any more', said the King and the Warrant was issued soon after
but I think there was a condition that the pub stayed in the family. The
storyteller was the grandson or great grandson of the original.
Joe Fleming (November 2013) |
