Who fancies a pint?

The last time we took a look back at pubs long gone was November last year so we are overdue a refreshing reminder of these parts of our social fabric.

A number of new businesses have been established over the past few years producing beer in line with our pure beer laws.

Anything other than the natural brewing ingredients of water, yeast, hops and malt is prohibited by breweries in the island since 1874.

Have we plans to celebrate this 150th anniversary? Any excuse will do?!

I am old enough to remember Castletown Brewery, Manningtons and Okell’s all long before the present providers of such sought after brews.

The island branch of the campaign for real ale informs us that Bushy’s were launched in 1986 as a brew pub, then relocating in 1990 when demand outgrew capacity.

Bushy’s distributes to many pubs and clubs throughout the island.

The head brewer and business owner of Kaneen’s in Union Mills is Peter Kaneen who fixed cars in the long-established garage.

He bought his first brewing kit to make homemade beer for the family and now makes a range of beers available throughout the island.

After launching their beer at the 2023 CAMRA beer festival, bakers Noa produce craft beer which is available in outlets throughout the island and also in their own brewhouse opposite the Sea Terminal.

How about Odin? A one-man brewery which produces a range of cask beers, available in independent outlets around the island, including the award-winning Trafalgar in Ramsey.

Radical Brewing started commercial brewing in 2022. It was built in 2013 when Dr Mike Cowbourne was due to retire from Okell’s as head brewer.

Okell’s have been brewing since 1850 when Dr William Okell started the brewery in Castle Hill.

He was a man of singular drive and ambition and by 1874 he owned many of the pubs in the island and had convinced Tynwald to create the pure-beer act.    I have been the chair of South Douglas Old Friends Club in Finch Road for more than 20 years now but I was just thinking about the other clubs around Douglas that no longer exist.

On Circular Road there was the Musicians’ Club, Finch Road had the Ellan Vannin Club, Regent Street the Royal Navy Club, Prospect Hill the Royal Airforce Association Club and Hill Street the Automobile Club. I am sure there were others.

These days as well as South Douglas Old Friends Club, the Columba Club at the corner of Circular Road, several sporting clubs and the Manx Legion remain active.    Whenever I mention pubs that no longer exist in Douglas the Victoria Tavern is one which provokes the biggest response.

Where was it you may ask?

It was of course the Dogs Home!

I recently read some comments on the popular Manx Nostalgia Facebook page and one from an old friend John Craine I had never heard before: ‘It was called the Dogs Home (allegedly) because the old farmers used to come into Douglas for the market and have a few pints.

‘Their dogs were tied in the yard.

‘Having had a few, they would travel home but often someone forgot their dog.

‘The landlord would feed the dog until the next time the farmer was back in town, hence the Dogs Home name.’

Anthony Rothwell remembered a lovely lady who used to come into the Dogs Home and other pubs selling little tubs of prawns, cockles, mussels etc for 50p back in the 1980s. Tony Egan said her name was Alex Corlett from Castletown.

Patricia Bayle said: ‘I met my husband in the Dogs Home. I was home for the Manx Grand Prix as I was working in Scotland at the time.

‘I always went into the Dogs first night back home with my parents Sid and Mona Caine.

‘Met my husband in 1967, married in 1968 and still going strong.’

Sue Perry recalled: ‘This was just an extension of the staff social club for Ballamona.

‘They even used to cash our salary cheques for us.’

Another contributor, a certain Robert McAleer remarked: ‘I know it well!’

His parents Peter and Muriel McAleer we’re ‘mine hosts’ for many years.

Sue Reynolds was among those who had happy memories in the early 1970s working for the McAleers.

Mike King was another: ‘I worked for the McAleer family at the Dogs Home for many years.

‘Great memories and some wonderful characters.

‘So busy during the summer months, especially on a Sunday with restricted opening hours in the 1970s.

‘Every customer from a student, to a fisherman, to a businessman received the same warm welcome.’

I am told it was a popular meeting place for nurse - is that correct? Were you one?

I loved at Christmas time meeting up with my friends who had gone across for university.

Some people used to do their Christmas shopping, go to the Dogs Home, get warm and have a swifty then leave the shopping whilst they went to do more and then return to pick it all up later.

Another speciality of the hosts, which continues today with the present generation, is that they remembered your favourite tipple and asked would you like whatever it was.    I don’t remember but Arthur Prince, another well-known landlord of the Granville, Raglan and Wagon and Horses, was also landlord for some time.

There were some real characters in the licensing trade in those days including Dick Turpin, Joyce Cottier and many others - remind me of others via the usual channels.    I had forgotten (probably because I was never a customer) there was a ‘chaser bar’ for the great and the good right next door to the bookies.

No working clothes allowed. If inappropriately dressed you would be refused entry. I am reliably informed that Sir Dudley Cunliffe-Owen and others were regulars. The walls were decorated with jockey silks.    I too have happy memories of Saturday afternoons in the Dogs Home.

A great juke box which must have eventually worn out ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’ by Procol Harem one of the anthems of 1967, the summer of love.

It was one of the most commercially successful singles in history having sold more than 10 million copies world wide.

In 1977 the song was was named joint winner (along with Bohemian Rhapsody) of the best British pop single 1952-1977 at the Brit awards.

In 2009 it was reported as the most played song in the last 75 years in public places in the UK and Isle of Man.

Another juke box favourite was ‘Nights In White Satin’ by The Moody Blues.

I ‘celebrated’ my 21st birthday in the Dogs Home.

My party trick in those days was standing on a table and singing the first verse of the Manx national anthem.

In August 1972, during the Douglas carnival, the Dogs Home entered ‘the Dogs Home Olympic drinking team’ (see picture above). 

When we had Moochers in Wellington Street opposite the Theatre Royal for a number of years. After the famous watering hole was demolished visitors would ask where it was. We had to sadly inform them that this special place for generations was no more.