HISTORIC Suffolk pubs are at the centre of a new campaign to safeguard the heritage of our boozers.There are over 60,000 pubs in the UK, but only 248 have been deemed special enough to make it on to the Campaign for Real Ale's (CAMRA) National Inventory.
HISTORIC Suffolk pubs are at the centre of a new campaign to safeguard the heritage of our boozers.
There are over 60,000 pubs in the UK, but only 248 have been deemed special enough to make it on to the Campaign for Real Ale's (CAMRA) National Inventory.
The inventory includes 205 pubs with exceptional historic interiors and a further 43 with particular features of national historic importance.
Five Suffolk pubs make it on to the list: The Butt and Oyster in Pin Mill, the Margaret Catchpole in Ipswich, The King's Head in Laxfield, The Cock in Brent Eleigh and The Nutshell in Bury St Edmunds.
Dave Gamston, chairman of CAMRA's Pub Heritage Group and editor of the National Inventory, said: "Less than 0.5 per cent of the national pub stock remains unspoilt enough to be worthy of CAMRA's National Inventory, and holding on to these treasures is a major conservation challenge. The National Inventory is about raising awareness of the problem with politicians, local authorities, pub companies and fellow consumers. It's also about celebrating the best of the pub heritage we have left."
Situated on the picturesque Orwell estuary, The Butt and Oyster is one of the Suffolk pubs that made it on to the Inventory. The 17th century building is Grade II listed and the interior of the pub contains a number of important historical features including a 19th century fire place.
The Margaret Catchpole pub in Cliff Lane, Ipswich also features on the list. Built in 1936, it has a large sweeping roof and prominent chimney stacks, and the wall panelling and bar counters remain exactly as they were in the 1930s.
What do you think? Is your local worth preserving for the nation? What are its special features? Write to Evening Star Letters, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 1AN or e-mail EveningStarLetters@eveningstar.co.uk
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