Falstaff, Derby

Built of red brick as a 6 bedroom hotel in 1886 for Messrs Pountain, Giradot and Forman, local wine merchants - note 1886 and letters P G & F high up on the Society Street side. It was designed by Derby architect James Wright and built by local firm Messrs Walker & Slater. In the 1933 a decision was taken to switch to operating only as a pub and changes were made. The public bar in the angle to the street retains its Victorian bar counter with a series of support posts and a Formica top over the original one. The fine intact bar back is of two sections - a quarter circle one on the left and straight piece on the right. This small room also retains original seating and a replacement cast and tiled fireplace. Part of the wall has been removed to give access to the original off sales, which is now disused.

A doorway leads to the rear bar, originally a small room with bare wood floor and old, possibly original, wood bench seating in two parts. You can just about see the line of the original bar counter which has been replaced by a 1950s/60s one and there is a modern cast fireplace. Take a close look at the right hand seating and you will notice changes - up to the 1930s the window on the right was a door leading to the outside toilets. The wall to the former living room at the rear has been removed and this area now houses a pool table. The hotel front door originally led to the reception and the right hand door to the residents' lounge. In 1933 the wall between the two was removed and a small curved counter installed in the rear left corner. The present bar counter and bar back only date from the 1990s. However, the original Victorian fixed seating and cast fireplace with log fire still remain and this bar is open evenings and weekends and is usually accessible only from indoors.