Magazine Hotel, New Brighton

Dating from 1759 with a fine double bay-windowed frontage it is little altered in 40+ years. The name comes from the fact that it was once used by sailors who were having their outward bound ships reloaded with munitions. The layout is of main bar with four small rooms or areas at the front and on the left. Victorian tiled floor in porch. Note the ‘Magazine Hotel’ etched and frosted panel in the inner door. The front right tiny room is now opened up to the bar and has modern fixed seating and small Victorian cast iron fireplace but fire damage to the area in 2010. Front left small room has a doorway, old dado panelling painted black, fixed seating around the room could be inter-war but likely to be post war, small possibly Victorian cast iron fireplace – next is a passage with a large old plain mirror.

Opposite the servery is a door with the figure ‘3’ on it leads to a small room with more possibly inter-war but likely to be post war fixed seating with baffles by the door and another cast iron fireplace that looks old. At the rear left is a dining room possibly brought into use in the 1960s ? with a large wood surround Victorian fireplace but not in use, lots of antique settles, three Magazine Bowling Club (founded 1853) rolls of honour and timber effect on the walls from the 1960s. Note the ‘Powder Room’ sign over the door to the ladies.

In the main bar the bar counter is of 1930s fielded panelling painted black but the bar top dates from 2009 and most of bar back shelves look old with mirrored back but it is difficult to date. At the rear is a 1930s brick and wood surround fireplace that reaches the ceiling, inter war fixed seating in parts – one area has old baffles either side – one very large but not that old, possibly 1960s – also 1960s timbering on the walls. Look for the ‘Gentlemen Only’ sign at the rear right of the main room. Door from main bar to the gents’ is in a floor to ceiling part glazed (at top) partition and the gents’ has five large urinals from the 1930s.

The bowling green is at the rear of the garden and is still in regular use - Magazine Bowling Club rent it from the Pub Co. The pub is famous for selling a large volume of Draught Bass – currently 10 x 10 gallon casks a week - and have sediment filters on the cask end of the line and this helps to indicate when a cask is about to end. When pulling the handpump there is a noticeable change in the pressure and this indicates a change of cask is required, which is done immediately, and rather than run beer through they serve it straight-away. So some pints of Bass could be half from the old cask and half from the new!