Photo-a-Day  (Wednesday, 12th September, 2012)

Thanks Alan for this photo, a bunch of us were in here about six weeks ago, I had a "Babbies Yed", it was very good, for some reason all my photos of this place got lost off my camera. Allan Banks is the name of a Detective Chief Inspector in a series of books I am reading by Peter Robinson. The beer choices are very good here.

Looks like the arched window in the middle was once a door and the door a carriage entrance but where to?

I remember frequenting the "Crown" in the early 60's. The landlord at the time was Bill Ashurst. One unique feature which until then I'd never seen, was Gas switches on the wall. They looked like normal electric switches, but they controlled a wire cable (like a bike brake cable)connected to the gas mantles overhead, which had a pilot light on constantly, the switches just turned the main gas supply to the mantles on.

I didnt think that road was so steep.

This pub put on a superb carvery lunch and in March 1970 increased the price from 10/6 to 12/6 ! My last meal there :- Haddock, chips and mushy peas, apple pie and custard, on 13th March 2010, cost £14.45.
There`s a photo in New gallery, Pubs page 2 to compare with today`s P-a-D.

Lovely shot Alan

Ernest, I amazed!! I can't even remember what I paid for my lunch yesterday. Do you have a sort of log-book with details of where and when you ate what?

Hello Hugh, I`ve kept a diary since 1941. Have a larger diary when I`m on tours or special occasions. People say I should write a book !
Keep notes on my visits in Greater Manchester area, using public transport, in `Docs` on my laptop.

Last meal I had in there about 30 years ago was cooked by Simon Rogan who now as his own posh restaurants L’Enclume in Cartmel and Roganic in London he used to live in Appley Bridge and was recently on the telly in the Great British Menu 2012 program

my wife and I had some very good meals in there over the years, but one I will never forget, we had in the what I call the conservatory at the rear of the building, it was a very warm day and the windows wernt open, I have never sweated as much in my life as we did that day, but otherwise all good comments, but I dont remember the pub being on as much of a slope as in the picture.

Mick and aitch, the camera can`t lie ! It is on quite a steep slope and just off to the right is a sharp left hand bend.

alan hold the camera straight

your right david their was a door were the arch is , i used to live in worthington when i was a young lad , i remember going round arley wood with my mates rabbiting with the dogs , if we had half a dollar each we would call in the crown for a couple of pints , up to the knees in slutch with the dogs fast asleep under the table , i remember when a new landlord took over the pub, it took him no time at all to take down the dart board , and remove the domino tables , i understand now why he did this , but he lost out really , because all the locals byepast the pub , and went drinking at the white crow down chorley road .

there was darts and dominoes up
to the eighties at the crown

went in the crown regular for years
cant remember any dogs being let in