When I first started visiting pubs in Preston at the tender age of sixteen, I targeted establishments where we were more likely to be served. One such venue was Lou’s Longbar down Main Sprit Weind off Church Street, the name could be rendered down to Cockpit Lane as Cock fighting was a regular event in the area in the 17th century. They had two pool tables and a fine jukebox with Cyndi Lauper receiving regular airplay, and it was 70p a pint in those days and I remember being perched on the bar in 1985 watching the boxer Barry McGuigan win the World title.
The other pub of choice was Yates Wine Lounge where occasionally you did run the risk of police raids when they decided to have exercises where they clamped down on underage drinking. Between these two pubs was the old Odeon cinema and Clouds nightclub which recently sadly burnt down.
Also located round there is Preston Hopwoods Tap House which opened in March 2022, the owners made a conscious effort to retain the historic design of the building. They also incorporated a commemoration to artefacts found pertaining to the Victorian tobacco business WH & J Woods which employed 200 staff at its peak and originally resided on the same site. It is a long thin bar, and they have over 100 different beers available and also stock products from Preston’s local breweries.
Hopwoods Tap House. Image Credit goodbeerguide.co.uk
A group of us visited the venue for the first time in April 22 and I was also recently there celebrating the attendance of my 1000th PNE game, which has only taken the small matter of 46 years to achieve that milestone! On the original visit there was a singer/songwriter called Mick playing away on a stage by the front door.
Near Preston North End’s football ground there used to be Legends nightclub where remarkably PJ Harvey once played, prior to that it was PNE Supporters Club where Matt Monro graced the stage in the 1960’s. On that site in more recent years there has been located the Preston North End Fan Zone where fans could gather pre and post-match. I attended there once prior to a league Cup tie versus Liverpool in October 21.
Matt Monro. Image Credit blogspot.com
They had some fine Moorhouses brewery beer on tap, and I had a cheeky flier just before the match and there was a noisy band called Magic Club playing in the corner of the marquee. At the end of last season for whatever reason they then decided to discard the Fan Zone area and it no longer exists.
Back in the city, off Lune Street lies the roomy 1842 restaurant and bar which resides on the site of the foyer of the old Public Hall, and it has many incarnations since, Flax and Firkin, Assembly and Corn Exchange to name a few. I have watched a few PNE and England matches in there but never seen a band, though I did see one setting up but left before they struck a chord!
Diagonally across from there on the corner of Georges Road you will find Preston The Angel, now known as Angel 39. It was established in 1838 and not a pub I have regularly frequented as I always thought it struggled to find its own identity. When we visited there in December 2017, we witnessed a solo artist called Renee.
Preston Angel. Image Credit flickr.com