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Picture source: Darkstar

The Red Lion was situated on Coopers Corner. This pub was later known as The Frog and Bucket.

The Frog and Bucket was more of a spit and sawdust type of pub, frequented by bikers quite heavily until a brewery chain took it over, revamped it all very modern, changed the name, then was closed down within 12 months as it was the bikers that made the Frog and Bucket profitable!!

Ray Kingdon (August 2020)

It was an incredible pub, despite the fact it was miles from anywhere it was always packed, there was a big field outside where all the bikers would camp, everyone else had to get a driver to stay sober for the night. There was live music almost every night, even mid week. When the owner died I suspected it would be a disaster for the pub, sure enough the new owners cleaned it up and installed a pool table. The last time I went there I walked through the door, took one look and left, it was soulless and devoid of drinkers, the next time I passed by it was a house. This was in the early nineties.

Mike Kennedy (April 2021)

Visited this pub many times in my youth in the late 70s and early 80s. My Dad used to play in a dixieland jazz band there with a regular Thursday night gig, and I would tag along. I think the regular line-up was Pete Batten (cornet), Trevor Whiting (clarinet), Tony Short (piano), Neil Clifton (bass) and Ian Bell or Rod Brown (drums). I recall it being an Ind Coope pub as The Red Lion, with Ind Coope bitter and Burton Ale on hand pump. I think the landlord must have bought the pub from the brewery about 1982 and extended it with a restaurant. At the same time the jazz moved from one side of the pub to the other. As I remember it the landlord was a big jazz fan.

Colin Clifton (March 2024)

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Name	Dates	Comments
Mike Kennedy	1990/1994	The bikers made it work. It was a deal gem, i find it astonishing that the new owners thought they could make it better by gutting it and installing a pool table. So sad.