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2 - 4 WHITE LION STREET St. PETER MANCROFT 6 DAY LICENCE CLOSED 19.12.1989
NORWICH LICENCE REGISTERS PS 1/8/1 &  PS 1/84 (1867 - 1965)
WILLIAM LAKE  
GEORGE MAY from 1891
Exors of George May (undated)
DIVERS 1958
BASS, RATCLIFFE & GRETTON of Burton on Trent 02.10.1964
BASS CHARRINGTON by 1986
BRITISH SHOE CORPORATION Lease purchased from Charrington's December 1989 - "Unlikely to reopen as a pub.......or a shoe shop."
Licensees :
WILLIAM LAKE from 1869
WILLIAM LAKE &
FRANK LAKE
1873
FRANK LAKE 1884
GEORGE MAY 22.02.1886
WILLIAM LAWRENCE 19.06.1900
GEORGE THOMAS PICK 07.05.1901
MARY ELIZA PICK 15.06.1909
MARY ELIZA STEWARD 21.07.1910
JOHN WILLIAM GOUGH 10.11.1942
FRANK EDWARD ROSSER 03.05.1949
.
   
IAN GIRLING
(Died 4th March 2013 - age 72)
by 1988 to closure 1989
August 1988

c1984
c1984

The original house was entered either via a passage leading from Gentlemans Walk or from an entrance off the side of the Royal Arcade. A third access from White Lion Street was added c1896.

In 1901 the Norfolk Chronicle reported that at the Licensing Sessions of 27th August 1901 George Pick had applied for an extension to the 6 day, 10 o'clock pm closing licence in order to be on the same footing as his competitors.
Objections to the entrances, especially the one from Gentlemans Walk were then raised. The reverend G. Asker, (owner) and Mr. Mase, (occupier), of 28 and 29, The Walk, opposed the use of the passage by Mr. Pick. (Property used for the sale of antiques).
Eventually it was the White Lion Street entrance that was agreed to be blocked, but an extension to 11 o'clock was refused.

The same application for an extension to 11 o'clock was refused on Tuesday 10th March 1903 when Mr. Thomas Arthur Mase was the only one opposed.
On Thursday 9th February 1905 an 11 o'clock licence was granted for Saturday nights, for the convenience of the 150 to 200 customers who regularly assembled there.
(Of interest it was stated that the provision market did not close until about midnight on Saturdays.)
A full, 6 day licence was not granted until 09.02.1960.

Up to 1967 the address was 27A The Walk or 27A Market Place.
The house closed 18.03.1967 and was substantially renovated and partially relocated in what had been a grocers shop. The Walk entrance disappeared and the White Lion Street doorway was reinstated by the time of re-opening in 1968.

Held a market day extension to 4:00pm Saturday afternoons in 1970's
(Normal closing was then 2:30pm or 3:00pm at the latest)

A 6 day licence was still held in the 1980's.

House closed 19th December 1989.

 

   
  The "White" beer guide of 1977 records:-
A Bass Charrington house.

Bass on handpump.
Best Bitter BB on handpump.

Pleasant city centre local.
Ideal for the racing man because there are two betting shops within spitting distance.
The upstairs toilets are definitely not for the geriatric or the over imbibed, but may be of interest to the keep fit fanatics.
 
 
~
 

  The Norwich Pub Survey of 1986, compiled by the Norwich Society, in association with Norwich City Council, assessed the house:-  
 
Approx date of building Listed Quality Pre-war fittings surviving
External Internal
Main structure 17th C and later Yes 7 6 No
Two or three buildings converted into one.
Party walls breached to provide one long bar room with eating area.
Bar back has painted scene of fruit stall on the market.
Entrance lobby with cut and frosted glass with leaded fruit medallions.