Fifth Hants Volunteer Arms, Portsmouth

Much altered but still retains two rooms. It was run by two members of the Walkers family from 1912 to 1985 and then the present licensee John Nash took over. Note the tiled panels on the exterior advertising ‘Whiskies’ and ‘Brandies’. The bare boarded public bar retains a bar back with decorative brackets that looks like it could date from the early 20th century. The bar counter is more post-war in style and may date from c.1953 when the pub changed from the Volunteers Arms to its present name. The public bar has lost its fixed seating and fireplace and the dado panelling is modern. Has lost its off sales which has been absorbed into the bar, though the former outside door space is discernible, but the counter inside must have been replaced as there is no indication of where the off sales counter was.

The smaller lounge bar has another old possibly 1950s counter, the bar back has a small leaded panel and is different in style to the public bar one so was added later (30s or maybe 50s?). There is a splendid early 20th century blue tiled and wood surround fireplace but dado panelling is new. Some etched window panels are old, others replaced at various times over the past 100 years.