The Chequers
A photo of the Chequers Pub. It is a cream stucco two story wonky building on the bend in a road. A sign, saying "The Chequers" is displayed on the side of the building in a serif font.
The Chequers
Map
General information
StatusClosed
Town or cityPotters Bar
CountryUnited Kingdom
Coordinates51°42′0.742″N 0°9′52.902″W / 51.70020611°N 0.16469500°W / 51.70020611; -0.16469500
Closed30 December 2019

51°42′0.742″N 0°9′52.902″W / 51.70020611°N 0.16469500°W / 51.70020611; -0.16469500

The Chequers was a public house which occupied a Grade II listed building in Potters Bar, England.[1][2] Originally opening in the 1700s, the pub moved site across the road and opened in its current location in the 1840s. Although there is no consensus as to when the current building was originally constructed,[note 1] it started as two separate houses which were joined together before the pub moved onto the site.

The building was made Grade II listed in 1985, but the pub shut on 30th December 2019. Before it closed it was the only pub in the British Isles to have traffic lights on site. The pub's namesake is thought to be the chequer tree.[5]

History

As an independent pub (before 1815)

Originally occupying the building across the road from its current site, the specific opening date of the pub is unknown. The earliest records of the pub are those showing the Jacques family as the license-holders from around 1770 until 1805,[5] with the pub opening on its current site in the 1840s.[4][6] The building it currently occupies was never intended to be a pub, and constructed by joining two buildings, which were from either the 1500s[4][3] or 1700s.[5][6]

As a chain pub (1815–2000)

From 1815 the pub passed through the hands of various chains - first the Hatfield Brewery tied estate, and by 1837 was in the hands of Alfred Pryor, then his son Edward in 1876. In 1881 the company was renamed to Pryor Reid when Edward's brother in law, Percy Reid, joined the company.[5] In 1920 the Chequers and its company of the same name was sold to Benskins Brewery, which in 1956, was bought by Ind Coope, which in turn merged into Allied Breweries in 1961. In 1978, as part of a larger trade, the pub was transferred to the now defunct Courage Brewery.[5] The pub was made Grade II listed on 12 August 1985,[1] just before it received a major refurbishment in 1987.

Second period as independent and closure (2000–2019)

The pub became independent again in 2000 when it was taken over by Paul and Gill Englefield.[5][3] On 30th December 2019, the pub closed, but the owners said it may reopen.[4][3] However there were concerns from residents regarding the pub's future.[3] In 2020, Hertsmere Borough Council received a planning application for ten apartments on the site.[4] In response "save our pub" was graffitied onto the building.[4] Before it closed, it was the only public house in the UK to have traffic lights on its site, with a set in the car park.[5][7]

Footnotes

  1. ^ Sources suggest it was built in the 1500s[3][4] or 1700s[5][6]

References

  1. ^ a b "The Chequers public house: official list entry". historicengland.org.uk. Historic England. Archived from the original on 5 November 2023. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  2. ^ Whitaker, Allan (2006). "11. Hatfield". Brewers in Hertfordshire. University of Hertfordshire Press. p. 106. ISBN 0-9542189-7-3.
  3. ^ a b c d e Mclaughlin, Charlotte (25 January 2020). "Last orders taken as Grade II listed Potters Bar pub shuts down". Welwyn Hatfield Times. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Mclaughlin, Charlotte (30 October 2020). "'No flats' graffiti scrawled on Grade II listed former Potters Bar pub". Welwyn Hatfield Times. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Middlewood, Les (2019). "A pint at the local #13 The Chequers, Potters Bar". CAMRA. Archived from the original on 23 May 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  6. ^ a b c Historic England. "The Chequers Public House (1103560)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  7. ^ "Chequers, Potters Bar". whatpub.com. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
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