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The St Leger Inn was situated at 15 Red Lion Street. This pub was present by 1891 when the publican was Daniel Smith. It closed in 1963.

Source: Lesley Carter

A family story was that my grandfather, Gilbert Ratcliffe, an omnibus driver, stopped his 'bus (with passengers) outside a pub and went in for a drink. I recently found a report in the British Newspaper Archives that supports the story, (but without passengers).

Burnley Express - Saturday, 27 December 1941, ‘Bus Obstructed Street - Gilbert Ratcliffe (43) ‘bus driver, of 123 Westgate, was fined 20s by the Burnley magistrates on Wednesday 24 December, for obstructing the highways in Red Lion street with his ‘bus. PS Senior said that on the night of December 13th, he saw the ‘bus near Nicholas street, facing Manchester road, about eight feet from the offside footpath. A car was parked on the car park on the opposite side of the road, and the highway was completely blocked . Two other ‘buses which came along were unable to get through, one having to reverse to get out. He eventually found the driver and his conductor at 10’20 as they were coming out of the St Leger Hotel. Ratcliffe told the Bench that he pulled the ‘bus well into the kerb and saw two other ‘buses pass him before he left it. He thought he had two or three minutes to spare, and went into the St Leger Hotel with the conductor. In his opinion, the vehicle had been moved by another driver. In reply to the Bench, who inquired as a matter of interest whether a ‘bus left unattended should be immobilised, the Chief Constable replied that it should but no proceedings had been taken against the defendant.

V E (April 2022)

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