The Continental (known locally as the Conty), now the New Continental, has perhaps more than any other public house, been a constant presence across my whole life. I recall my parents taking me down there on warm summer nights as a child in the 70’s where I would sit in their huge beer garden and would try and look cool and sophisticated by ordering pineapple juice, but no doubt failing dramatically!
It has a long history as the Continental Hotel was built in 1911, and somewhat appropriately the first landlord was Sam Thompson, a member of the famous ‘Old Invincibles’ Preston North End team who completed the double of FA Cup and unbeaten league champions a full century before the infinitely more publicised Arsenal team emulated their achievement. The establishment went through extensive rebuild caused by subsidence in the early 1950’s.
The large pub is located on the River Ribble towpath underneath the towering railway bridge where trains from London, Manchester and other Southern destinations steam into Preston station about a half mile further down the track.
It sits adjacent to the BAC club, where I have attended a couple of heady shindigs and the Preston Cricket and Hockey Club where some of the filming for Freddie Flintoff’s recent TV programme ‘Field of Dreams’ was undertaken. It is also fortuitously located alongside the two main town parks, Avenham and Miller, thereby increasing their footfall.
I continued my patronage in the 1980’s as it remained a stalwart old fashioned Boddingtons Brewery house and arguments raged with my pals as to whether it produced the best pint of Bodds in town, or that honour fell to other hostelries such as the Sumners, Theatre or the Selbourne. There were also regular work team visits in that period.
In the 90’s when we lived on Fishergate Hill for a few years I was a regular visitor, as it was a gateway to the heady days of the free Heineken Festival on nearby Avenham Park, where in 1993, Boo Radleys and Oasis graced the stage.
In the 2000’s the pub fell on hard times and was closed by its brewery in 2007. However, the potential remained, and a young couple took a chance in 2008 and the pub went through an extensive six-month refurbishment.
The old pool room was turned into a comfy snug area where I recall Gill and I residing there one evening and the room was becoming increasingly busy around us and we then realised there was a band setting up. Unfortunately, we had other plans that evening so had to leave before and missed marking this off as a venue. However, I noticed some friends Jane and Ali Dean were in residence, so via some chicanery we managed to subtly free our seats for them to enjoy the show.
The outdoor space morphed into an outdoor dining area, and they became known as a gastro pub and remain purveyors of fine food to this day. This area was utilised for regular beer festivals, for which unfortunately I never got a chance to attend, they also had bands performing at these events.
They also shifted the status to a free house, thereby unhindered by being attached to one singular brewery, which allowed them to stock a plethora of cask ales and craft and European beers. Most excitingly for me though was the fact that they converted the old Captain Coconut children’s play area into an Arts and Events space where live bands could now play, and I have visited there ten times in total.
