Whether it ended in a taxi ride home or a staggering walk in anything but a straight line, those of us who have frequented Northampton’s pubs can all agree how fantastic they are.
Sadly, the saying ‘nothing lasts forever’ is true of many a much-loved bar and club that has closed down over the years.
Here, we track down ten of Northampton’s long-lost watering holes – how many of them do you remember? Plus, one much-loved venue which almost bit the dust in the 1980s and lived to tell the tale.
Did you have a favourite pub that closed in Northampton? Email [email protected].
9. The British Banner, Market Square
The British Banner on Market Square was opened by brewer George Neill in 1854 and complemented his existing brewery business. The pub was on the corner of Osborn's Jitty Photo: NA
10. The Wheatsheaf, Regent Street
Not much is known about The Wheatsheaf pub on Regent Street, which is believed to have opened in the latter half of the 19th Century. The pub closed at some point between 1957 and 1964 and was later turned into a club, before being demolished Photo: NA
11. The Swan Hotel, Derngate
The Swan Hotel was a coaching inn believed to have been built soon after the Great Fire of 1675 in Northampton. In honour of its heritage as one of the largest inns in Northampton in the 18th and 19th centuries, it was renamed The Mail Coach in the 1970s and is still trading today Photo: NA
12. And... the one that got away! The Roadmender
To complete our list, we're showing The Roadmender - one of Northampton's best-loved music venues, which ALMOST closed in 1986 due to a lack of cash! Luckily, the venue survived and is still a popular spot for gigs and music concerts Photo: NA