Traditional community local on the main road between Stoke and Newcastle. Inside is somewhat akin to stepping into the Tardis, as the pub has a classic four-roomed layout, split by a drinking corridor, although the room to the right of the bar has been much modernised in recent times.
Regular quiz on Sunday evenings and there is a smoking patio and beer garden to the rear of the pub.
AWARDS
CAMRA Potteries Pub of the Month May 2016.
One star - A pub interior of special national historic interest
Listed status: Not listed
Built in 1827, this has the once common Potteries layout of four small rooms and a central passageway. The miniscule 'Victoria Ground Bar' (named after Stoke City's old ground) is the star attraction with its black and white tiled floor, old bar counter and bar-back shelves, half-height panelling and benches of uncertain vintage (early post-war?). The colourful quarry-tiled passage has a hatch to the bar (but modern counter). The front right snug has lost its door and fireplace and also its wall to the passageway - this was later reinstated, albeit with the upper part replaced by windows. The corner cupboard is the only old item. Rear right is the 'Teachers Lounge' with Victorian bench seating but no fireplace whilst the lounge rear left has some old panelling and less old seating.
Dates from 1827 and along with the Coachmakers Arms, Hanley this is a rare survivor of a four small rooms and passageway Potteries pub - the two back rooms having both been brought into pub use and there were some cosmetic changes in the 1960s. The finest room is the very small 'Victoria Ground Bar' (named after Stoke City's old ground)'. It has an old black and white tiled floor, genuinely old bar-back shelves, old bar counter (concealed by a new front - bar front is of embossed dado paper says GB - and top), some old half-height panelling, benches possibly just post-war and old tables and stools. There is a blocked corner door - were there two original entrances or has a partition been lost? The 'Vaults' etched glass is a replacement from early 1990.
A colourful quarry tiled passage from the front door to the rear with an inner door with Victorian coloured glass panels and two door protectors. A hatch to the side of the bar has a modern counter front. The front right 'snug' has no door, post war seating but it has lost its fireplace. The wall on the passageway side was removed by a former licensee but replaced by the current one with the top part replaced by windows 'for supervision'. A small old corner cupboard is the only item of great age left in this room. The 'Teachers Lounge' on the rear right room retains Victorian fixed bench seating but has lost its fireplace. Rear left lounge served by a doorway with a hatch to servery; has some old half-height panelling and 1960s fixed seating but the fireplace is an empty space.
This Pub serves no changing beers and 2 regular beers.
Jolly Potters, Stoke-on-Trent