LINK: THE LOST PUBS PROJECT: THE KINDERTON ARMS

The Kinderton Arms, Booth Lane. Photo: Alan Murray-Rust/The Lost Pubs Project/Creative Commons

Here's an interesting link. The Lost Pubs Project aims to gather information on the country's lost pubs.  According to information from the trade, 25* British pubs pubs per week are closing down, most of them in London and here in the North-West. The rate of closure has slowed down (last year 40 pubs were closing every week) but it is a measure of just how severe the current recession is that so many licensed premises are shutting their doors for good.
Breweries and pub companies cite the smoking ban and supermarket off-licence competition as contributing to the problems pubs face.
Our own town is currently represented on the Lost Pubs site by just two pubs - the White Bear and the Kinderton Arms. 
There is, of course, good news to report on the White Bear, and we eagerly await its re-opening, but the Kinderton Arms, opposite Rumps Lock in Booth Lane and very close to the British Salt Factory,  is a different matter altogether. It's been closed for many years now and an attempt to revive its fortunes as a restaurant ended in failure. The pub was, unfortunately, just too far out of town to attract much custom from Middlewich and passing trade from both road and canal obviously wasn't enough to make the place viable. It might have been a different story had the pub been on the other side of the canal, but its industrial setting was always against it.
So do you remember the Kinderton Arms? If so, you might like to look at the Lost Pubs site and let them have those memories. Do you know if there are any plans to make use of the building? Don't hesitate to pass the information on. Alternatively, you can post any memories or information either here or on our Facebook pages and we'll pass them on.
Incidentally, since the above  photo  was taken, the car park at the Kinderton Arms has been securely fenced off.
The Lost Pubs Project website in general is well worth investigating, with details and photographs of many lost pubs in this region.

* The Lost Pubs Project home page puts the figure at 50 per week

THE LOST PUBS PROJECT: KINDERTON ARMS

Facebook feedback (from the 'You Know You're From Middlewich, When...' group):

• Robert Sheckleston I used to pop in every Friday dinner time, when I worked at RHM, before the club was built. Norman, Vera and Trevor always made you welcome, but they would never put the heating on. It was always freezing!

  
  
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  Dave Roberts Thanks Robert. I'll pass that on. I'd forgotten the connection with Trevor, who later had the Cheshire Cheese, didn't he?

  
  
• Robert Sheckleston Yes that's right. Trevor and his wife went on to run the Cheshire Cheese.

  
  
• Carole Hughes I used to go into  the Kinderton with my dad sometimes.  I remember they had a room upstairs for functions, and you're right, Rob, it was always freezing!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  UPDATE (27th November 2011) : Cliff Astles has contributed some interesting information to the Lost Pubs site:
  My wife ( Barbara Astles, nee Evans) was one  of eight daughters, and two sons of Mr Alfred (Alf) and Mrs Hilda Evans

  They lived in the Lock House, opposite the Kinderton Arms, by the side of the Trent and Mersey Canal, for very many years, as Alf was a British Waterways “lengths man” for the company, and the house provided as part of his working conditions.

  Alf, used to garden the Pub gardens for himself, with flowers and vegetables for his family, and provided produce for the pub and his family as a condition for him having the gardens to work for himself.

  The gardens were always kept in an immaculate condition, were Alf’s pride and joy, and if not in his house he would always be across at his  gardens.

  When garden produce was in good supply, on occasions would also offer for FREE produce to the very many working canal boats that would go past 24 hours a day (late 40’s and early 50’s).

  The Kinderton Arms was always good for a night of traditional pub singing around an old piano, particularly on a Friday and Saturday night  where at such times their younger children would be allowed to sit in the Pub corridor and front door step.

  They were provided with a small bottle of “pop” with a straw and a bag of Smiths Crisps ( with a blue twisted bag of salt), to keep them quiet, and the kids always looked forward to doing this on a Saturday night.

  Some weekends, when Alf and Hilda had decided to stay at home instead of going to the pub, Hilda would be sent over to the pub with a large enamelled water jug, to get Alf a few pints of beer.

  In those days, with plenty passing trade of the canal boat people, and the local community the Pub was always very busy and a nice place for locals to have a good beer.