The Lost Pubs

26 May

Central Avenue Hotel/Ascot Arms. Central Avenue. Opened 1932, closed 2019.

In 2000, there were 67 pubs in Gravesend; at one time, there had been many more. Today, just 31 are still trading. As I write, the latest to close is The Peacock, which served its last pint on 1st January this year. As a whole, the UK loses about 500 pubs a year. With rising costs, streaming and home delivery keeping many of us on the sofa, is there a future for the British pub?

Manor Shades, 1 Manor Road. Opened1904, closed 2016.

The Pilot, 42-43 East Terrace. Opened 1839, closed 2012.

Terrace Tavern, 46 The Terrace. Opened 1837, closed 2010.

I started photographing for this project over two years ago. It was one of those pandemic projects that gave me a reason to go out when the streets were empty. At a time when the very act of socialising seemed a little dangerous, an afternoon sitting in the pub with a pint seemed like a distant dream.

As the project continued, and I documented more of the beautiful old buildings that now sit empty, I realised that the local is more than somewhere to go for a drink with friends; it’s a community in itself, and at a time when that seems a fragile concept, the pub is worth holding on to.

The New Inn, 1 Milton Road. Opened 1780, closed 2016. (swipe between 2022 and 2024)

The story isn’t all gloom. Gravesend’s oldest pub, The Three Daws, dating back to the 1400s, is still open. Five new pubs have opened since 2000, including three micro-pubs. One of those, The Compass Alehouse, has recently been voted Gravesend and Darent Valley CAMRA pub of the year.

20–21. The Railway Tavern, 1a Railway Place. Opened 1853, closed 2011.

Like any small business, the only guarantee is that if you don’t support your local, it won’t survive. All the pubs pictured have closed since the turn of the millennium. Let’s raise a glass to them.