When walking down Coslany Street with my friend Adrian, he was taking photos of the former Bullards Brewery and I had never really given much attention to this, which was evidently once a pub within the brewery building. The Norfolk Public Houses web-site lists some of the former licencees, including Richard Bullard, Sir Harry Bullard and Edward Bullard. There are very few newspaper reports of misbehaviour at the pub, which is unlike most other venues at the city, but I imagine the brewery was particularly careful to avoid any trouble at their effective home.
The pub here first opened in 1868, although there was a brewery tap at the previous building, and it remained open for just shy of 100 years as it closed in 1966. The brewery advertised in the press ahead of their opening and the thought of the selection of imperial, bitter, ales and stout sounds really quite decadent, like a Brewdog of their day. But probably cheaper.
It was brought back to life as Anchor Quay Wine Bar between 1986 and 2001, but then it closed again. I can’t help thinking that this would make a really lovely micro-pub and the historic surroundings would add substantially to the excitement of such an arrangement. George Plunkett took a photo of the pub in 1984, when it was being used as an estate agents.
The brewery itself was founded in 1837 as Bullards & Watts, although the Watts element left in 1847 and this substantial brewery was constructed between 1867 and 1868. The brewery was acquired by Watney Mann in 1963 and it ceased beer production in 1968. Numerous brewery buildings have survived and have since been turned into residential properties, but the distinctive chimney was demolished.