This imposing Edwardian pub in a residential district was built 1909 in a half-timbered design with glazed brown tiling for the Lion Brewery, which was taken over early in 1910 by Pike Spicer & Co, which in turn was taken over by Brickwoods later in 1910! Five external doors included the ubiquitous Portsmouth off-sales. The pub somehow managed to avoid being turned into one large single bar when it was owned by Whitbread in the latter part of the last century. What we have today is a two bar local, with a lounge at the rear and a traditional public bar to the front.

The Public Bar on the Chichester Street side has a good vestibule entrance with ‘Public Bar’ and other etched windows (One has ‘The Schooner’ on it and is clearly a refit). The bar counter could be old but not original, the bar back fitting has old pillars and capitals but modern additions, bench seating is old but refitted and not the original.

The Lounge Bar counter looks to be from the 1930s and the bar back has some old parts but has a lot of modern additions. Originally two rooms, it is now an L-shaped large room. Good tiled, cast iron and wood surround fireplace and dado panelling in the rear part but all the seating is modern (or imported). Not enough for R I, but a possible ‘Of Some Regional Interest’ / R I try also? (MS 4/11) Agree not enough for RI - and not really worth anything else, I'm afraid.