Things to do in Severn Beach

[horace]

Stock courage design of the 30's.

Sorry not the case, a stock design form Georges maybe. Courages did not get into Bristol until the 60's.
Spoken from extensive knowledge, the Good Intent in Brislington was my grandfathers pub from 1953 until his death and then my uncles pub until he left in the 70's.

[Andrew]

Was the Severn Salmon once the Severn Beach Hotel?

[Andrew]

I remember that the erstwhile station master continued to live in the house provided after the station became unstaffed, and i seem to recall that hze had an extremely "fit" (in the modern sense!) daughter....

[Robin Summerhill]

Stock courage design of the 30's.

Sorry not the case, a stock design form Georges maybe. Courages did not get into Bristol until the 60's.
Spoken from extensive knowledge, the Good Intent in Brislington was my grandfathers pub from 1953 until his death and then my uncles pub until he left in the 70's.

You've been quiet for so long I thought you were dead !!!!

These pubs were a fairly standard design and will be found all over the country - part of the 1930s architectutal scene. How they got there varied - on a large council estate like, for example, Knowle West or Southmead, the pubs (and the shops come to that) would have been designed by the Council as part of the overall development scheme.

Architecture has always been a follower of fashion - if I said "a standard 1930s 3-bed semi" most of you would visualise one - bay fronted, arched porchway, often brick/render combination finish, and these were built all over the country by many different companies and "designed" (spelt "copied") by many architects.

There were never enough Council houses at Severn Beach to make it worthwhile for the Council to go about building a pub, so this one was probably put there, as you say, by Georges. What the size of it does show, however, it must have been considered that there was sufficient potential trade to make building on that scale worthwhile.

One little matter on this that suddenly came back to me (and this came from mitch's post earlier in the thread) was that, for many years, Bristol pubs closed at 10.30pm all week, whilst Gloucestershire pubs stayed open until 11.00pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Until the days of the breathalyser, this used to result in a mass exodus of drinkers out of Bristol at weekends, and it may have been partially this trade that the pub was built for.

[jules]

Sorry not the case, a stock design form Georges maybe. Courages did not get into Bristol until the 60's.
Spoken from extensive knowledge, the Good Intent in Brislington was my grandfathers pub from 1953 until his death and then my uncles pub until he left in the 70's.

Oops! Of course. You know I *almost* wrote a "stock George's design" instead, but couldn't remember the date of the Courage takeover. Of course it wasn't until much later ...

What the size of it does show, however, it must have been considered that there was sufficient potential trade to make building on that scale worthwhile.

And I am guessing that potential trade would never have been envisaged in coming from the locals, so suggesting that the pub was built speculatively on the expectation of Severn Beach working as a resort. I wonder if it ever really lived up to the original expectations? (Apart from the legendary half an hour on Friday / Saturday nights!) As to the architecture, as Robin says, this style of pub was to be found across the country and I would guess there was quite a bit of collaboration between the breweries when it came to pub design for new buildings.

I used to drink in The Bulldog on Filton Avenue during the 1970s. It was just across the Bristol border and I well recall the influx of drinkers at 10:30pm!

[carpetcone]

Was the Severn Salmon once the Severn Beach Hotel?

Yes that is correct. The bar was able to accomodate over 300 people!

During the late 1930s Severn Beach became very popular for evenings out, days away and even longer holidays with many chalets being built in the area along with the bathing pools, cafes and amusements.

The more relaxed licensing hours would have also helped with its popularity.

Although as has been said, it became fashionable to have a go at Severn Beach, by reference to what can be found on various web sites, it was clearly very well loved in the austerity times after the war, before cheap continental holidays helped to bring it to an end.

[Robin Summerhill]

During the late 1930s Severn Beach became very popular for evenings out, days away and even longer holidays with many chalets being built in the area along with the bathing pools, cafes and amusements.

The more relaxed licensing hours would have also helped with its popularity.

..... it was clearly very well loved in the austerity times after the war, before cheap continental holidays helped to bring it to an end.

The fact that it was so close to Bristol also made it popular in the days when there was no such thing as holidays with pay and most people worked on Saturday mornings as well as Monday to Friday - you could get there and back quite easily on a Saturday afternoon or after church on Sunday

[Robin Summerhill]

..... this style of pub was to be found across the country and I would guess there was quite a bit of collaboration between the breweries when it came to pub design for new buildings.

Far be it from me to "point the finger" but in my experience organisations went to architects to produce drawings for them, and architects were not above selling the same drawings as many times as they could get away with.

I've no direct experience of pub drawings, but in a previous job some years ago I happened to compare two sets of Council House plans - one was titled "Chippenham Borough Council - 1938 housing programme" and the other was titled "Malmesbury Borough Council - 1938 housing programme" Both were drawn up by the same firm of architects (who are no longer in business so I suppose I can name them after all these years - Edwards & Webster of Chippenham).

About the only difference between the two sets of drawings was the title, and even that only differed by one word.

I'm sure you get my drift .....

[jules]

About the only difference between the two sets of drawings was the title, and even that only differed by one word.

I'm sure you get my drift ..... Wink

Well I suppose that is a form of "collaboration", even if unwilling on the part of the customer

During the late 1930s Severn Beach became very popular for evenings out, days away and even longer holidays with many chalets being built in the area along with the bathing pools, cafes and amusements.

My 77 y/o Aunt has lived in Hallen all her life and we had relatives at New Passage. I am back to Bristol in 10 days, so I'll have to ask her for any personal memories of Severn Beach and share them here.

When I ran The Portcullis in Clifton, there was also an elderly gent who drank there who was referred to as "The Mayor of Severn Beach". I believe he got the title from developing many of the bungalows that were built there in the 30s. Can't remember his real name now, but he made a lot of money out there (and was still spending it in my bar 50 years later )

[antnee]

Well On a big Tide one could alway go Sea fishing? As to the big Pubs M and B brewers built more than a few In the Birmingham area on the large estates before and after inner city housing clearance of the 1950's These were like great big brick built castles which seemed to dominate all that they surrounded.
Sorry about straying off subject but most of you are right in as much the place doesn't have much to offer unless ones into Sea fishing or walking though be better on a warm summer day, so perhaps I will wait till then to revist. Regards to All Ant

[oldchapie]

dont forget the blue lagoon the place to find the girls. when working the last train from the beach on a saturday night the students who travelled back to cliffton down had a whale of a time like putting ladies garments on the carrage door handles.

[Ian L Jamieson]

Many years ago, in the 1950s, we were at Severn Beach and a bloke came up to my dad and asked where the entertainment was. This is it, said my old man. Oh, said the bloke - the brochure described it as 'The Blackpool of the South!

I've been to Blackpool - give me Severn Beach any day!

[Robin Summerhill]

Many years ago, in the 1950s, we were at Severn Beach and a bloke came up to my dad and asked where the entertainment was. This is it, said my old man. Oh, said the bloke - the brochure described it as 'The Blackpool of the South!

That would have been in the days before the Trades Descriptions Act

I've been to Blackpool - give me Severn Beach any day!

Right - whilst there are clearly a few Severn Beach supporters (and masochists? ) around here, lets look at this in detail:

Blackpool used to have three railway stations and its still got two. The Beach has one platform left.

Blackpool has trams - somebody ripped up the minature railway at The Beach some years ago

Blackpool has a "prom" - I'm not sure that the concrete footpath/ sea defence running from The Beach up to New Passage really counts

You can't see Wales from Blackpool (not sure if that is a good or bad thing .....), but on a good day you can see the factories in Avonmouth from The Beach

It is of course much, much cheaper to park your car at The Beach than it is at Blackpool - there must be some reason for this that escapes me

[carpetcone]

" You can't see Wales from Blackpool (not sure if that is a good or bad thing .....), but on a good day you can see the factories in Avonmouth from The Beach "


On a very good day, it might just be possible to see North Wales from the top of the Blackpool Tower

[Ian L Jamieson]

OK, Robin - I take your point. I suppose that I meant that, in general terms, I don't much care for Blackpool. But walking along the prom and watching the trams is quite absorbing, I have to say.