Borough Shades, Gravesend

The Borough Shades was a town centre pub that traded from 1888 to 2014. During the late 20th century it was part of the Bass Charrington tied estate. It was noteworthy on several counts - until the 1980s access to the bar was through a delicatessen at the front; the bar had a glass ceiling; and the sign depicted ghosts rising from their graves (see picture). Further information on the origin of the sign and the pub itself would be much appreciated.

In 1988 it was decided to rename the pub 'Ryan's Bar'. As is so often the case, this was the beginning of the end. There were several other re-brandings in the years that followed, but none of them secured the pub's long-term future and it is now lost. The building now houses a hairdressing salon.

Thanks to www.dover-kent.com/ for permission to reproduce the photographs.