# Unnamed Bar and Restaurant



## Dieter_Schmidt (Apr 14, 2009)

Some people have already seen this place in PMs, but it was suggested that I make a report of it. I'm not naming the place because it will attract unwanted attention. It was a 15th century castle, which had a bar in the basement, where the cellar was. Later, a restaurant, funtion room and cocktail bar was added, possibly in the 90s. About 10 years ago, the place was abandoned. The only things removed was the money from the tills, and that's it. Everything else was left. Dirty dishes in the sink, fat in the pans, fully stocked fridges, fully stocked bars. The whole lot was just left. 

Here's the pics that anyone that PM'd me will have seen.

A room packed with alcohol






Behind one of the bars





Another bar






Function room





Seemingly still had power, but nothing worked.





And here's a few from day two.

The Restaurant seating area





Above the original bar





From the original bar, looking through to the bar seating area





Piano in the bar seating area





PM me if you want more detailed information.


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## the_historian (Apr 14, 2009)

Cheers Dieter. If that's where I think it is, I went to a function there back in the '80s.


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## Dieter_Schmidt (Apr 14, 2009)

the_historian said:


> Cheers Dieter. If that's where I think it is, I went to a function there back in the '80s.



It'll bring back good memories I hope.


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## the_historian (Apr 14, 2009)

Yeah, it was a '50s rock n' roll night. Decent music AND alcohol!


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## Dieter_Schmidt (Apr 14, 2009)

the_historian said:


> Yeah, it was a '50s rock n' roll night. Decent music AND alcohol!



There's a few bottles of wine from the 80s, perhaps relics from that very night.


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## Richard Davies (Apr 14, 2009)

Sometimes it's possible to roughly date a closure from something left behind with a best before date.

It's good that you're keeping the location secret as abandoned pubs seem to attract a lot of unwanted attention, as do closed petrol stations.


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## Dieter_Schmidt (Apr 14, 2009)

Most stuff had dates from 1998 to 2001. Strange as some stuff was out of date before the 'newer' stuff was put next to it. We found tickets to a circus dated1997, i think I went to it.


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## RichardB (Apr 14, 2009)

Did you find any bottles of Bezique? If they ever had one it will still be there because nobody ever drank it.


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## daddybear (Apr 14, 2009)

looks like the owners did a runner.to leave all that stock seems daft.


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## Dieter_Schmidt (Apr 14, 2009)

RichardB said:


> Did you find any bottles of Bezique? If they ever had one it will still be there because nobody ever drank it.




Sadly nope.. There was hundreds of bottles of Beck's though.




daddybear said:


> looks like the owners did a runner.to leave all that stock seems daft.



The owners only live a couple miles away.


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## Foxylady (Apr 14, 2009)

Blimey, I don't blame you for keeping shtum on the location...it would be awful to attract unwanted attention.
Love the rustic iron and brick work. Would love to see the exterior or other parts of the castle, but I'm guessing that wouldn't be possible? 
Nice work, Dieter.


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## Atomager (Apr 14, 2009)

No unopened spirits then? Are they all dead soldiers?


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## Dieter_Schmidt (Apr 15, 2009)

Atomager said:


> No unopened spirits then? Are they all dead soldiers?



Oh....plenty of unopened spirits. Sadly... my pal also has an interest in such things...


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## Dieter_Schmidt (Apr 15, 2009)

Foxylady said:


> Blimey, I don't blame you for keeping shtum on the location...it would be awful to attract unwanted attention.
> Love the rustic iron and brick work. Would love to see the exterior or other parts of the castle, but I'm guessing that wouldn't be possible?
> Nice work, Dieter.



The rustic brickwork I think you are referring to is actually underneath the 15th century castle, so it's genuine rusticness alright. The exteriors of the actual castle are white painted pebble dash or something, although the weather has helped change it to a murky gray.


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## Landie_Man (Apr 17, 2009)

Any pictures of the food in the fridge lol?


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## MD (Apr 17, 2009)

great report
like its lost in time
excellent


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## TheLondoners (Apr 17, 2009)

Very nice pics. Wow what a find.
Again my curiousity is getting the better of me so I do have to ask why some people prefer to keep locations secret, being as we are all supposedly urbexers into the same thing and not vandals after ruining places more than they are?...NO...don't answer that as I'll start a thread on the subject. Have I said good pics...ahh yes..so what, I'll say it again..GOOD PICS...get more!!..


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## RichardB (Apr 17, 2009)

Because it's not just us that can see the pictures.


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## Keep out! (Apr 17, 2009)

RichardB said:


> Because it's not just us that can see the pictures.



I drifted from this forum to a grafitti forum and saw the members there bragging about getting into places to tag them. Fair play to not name this place just in case.


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## mr_bones (Apr 17, 2009)

That is incredible!


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## Dieter_Schmidt (Apr 18, 2009)

Landie_Man said:


> Any pictures of the food in the fridge lol?



I didn't take any. Most of the food has rotted away and left a smell... the smell can't be described, but it's a bad for your health kinda smell. There were some tins of hotdogs or something at the bottom, can't really remember. As soon as I opened the fridge, my vision blurred.

The next time i'm up, i'll don my gasmask, and build up the courage to open the fridge once again.


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## Dieter_Schmidt (Apr 18, 2009)

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the "medieval chib" in pic 3, lying on the till. It had metal studs on it, with hair stuck under one, it also had some teeth marks. Someone, or some people, took a vicious beating off this thing.


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## beccy (Apr 18, 2009)

This is great Dieter! Glad you posted it  

That thumping stick (although this is the first I've ever seen/heard of one tbh) is just plain creepy.


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## lost (Apr 18, 2009)

Aye this place looks amazing.


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## RichardB (Apr 18, 2009)

beccy said:


> That thumping stick (although this is the first I've ever seen/heard of one tbh) is just plain creepy.



Thumping sticks or an equivalent are fairly common in occupations where there is a risk of being attacked.


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## Dieter_Schmidt (Apr 18, 2009)

RichardB said:


> Thumping sticks or an equivalent are fairly common in occupations where there is a risk of being attacked.



Well aye, i've been told that fights happened here quite often, although apparently they started in the pool room. We didn't come across a pool room, just a pool table with no legs, looking like it was fit for the tip.


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## beccy (Apr 18, 2009)

RichardB said:


> Thumping sticks or an equivalent are fairly common in occupations where there is a risk of being attacked.



Ahh okay.. are they still around today? I work with the risk of being attacked but we have to learnt safe restraint .. no violence.. :S


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## Dieter_Schmidt (Apr 18, 2009)

If a pub or suchlike were to have a thumping stick on the premises for the purpose of thumping patrons, it's illegal.


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## RichardB (Apr 18, 2009)

Generally the thumping stick has a second, legitimate, purpose. When I drove taxis a lot of the drivers used to carry a big spanner "to hit the starter when it jams". I never heard of anybody using it though.

It was probably a lot more common when this place was on the go, though it would be illegal then too. Everybody is too scared to bend the rules nowadays.


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## beccy (Apr 18, 2009)

Ahhh okay.

Cheers for the info guys  Now I know something I didn't know yesterday!


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## Dieter_Schmidt (Apr 18, 2009)

RichardB said:


> Generally the thumping stick has a second, legitimate, purpose. When I drove taxis a lot of the drivers used to carry a big spanner "to hit the starter when it jams". I never heard of anybody using it though.
> 
> It was probably a lot more common when this place was on the go, though it would be illegal then too. Everybody is too scared to bend the rules nowadays.



Oh wow you were a taxi driver. I've been thinking about doing that, but I think I may be a bit young. Would you say it's a good wage?


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## RichardB (Apr 18, 2009)

You have to have held your full licence for a year and have a clean record. You also have to have a good knowledge of the area you're going to operate in. You apply to the council for your badge and the police will come round and interview you and decide whether to approve your application.

The money varies but it wasn't great when I was doing it. Most drivers are (or were when I was doing it) self-employed which means you have to sort out your own tax/ NI and you get no paid time off. I was paid 40% of my takings but had no expenses to pay out of that. Employment law has changed considerably since the early 1990s though, so things might have changed.

If you get your badge you'll probably get hired within days. It's an easy job to get and a relatively easy job to do but it can be quite grim in some ways. A very good standby or stopgap but I wouldn't recommend it as a permanent job.


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## Dieter_Schmidt (Apr 19, 2009)

Thanks. 

I just did a wee bit of research and you're right, I do need to have held my license for a year. I also have to be at least 21. I really want a driving job, as I love driving. I'll need to think of something else then. I don't want a driving career, just something to make me enough money to save up, to fulfil my dream.

Ye ken.


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