The Beer-Off

The colloquially known “Beer-Off” was sited to the left of the picture (above) where the Home Ales sign can be seen. It was in ‘The Old Forge’ and, alongside the Post Office, operated as a small shop for the village.

A recent appeal for information produced a number of fond memories:

• (Christine Norton): ” (The) Kirkham’s took over the Beer-Off in approximately 1964. Before that, it was run by Fred and Dorothy Wiles from 1957 to 1964. They had taken it over from Dolly Starbuck, who had some connection with the pub. From the late 40s until Dolly took it over, it was the village post office run by Tom and Bessie Timms. When Annie Stokes sold the general store next door, the Timms bought it and moved the village post office to where it is (was) today.
  “This picture of my mother, Eva Peet nee Wiles, was taken outside the old post office in approx. 1949 before it became the Beer off.”
• “Mrs Kirkham had it when I was a kid we used to get our sweets from there or the post office and ice cream down at Doreen Faulks” (early to md-1970s)
• “Winky the dog would often come for a fuss too” (mid-1980s)
• ” I think it (the Beer-Off) started at Woodbine Cottage … and then the Townsends moved to Forge Cottage.”
• “(It was run by) Gladys Townsend at Forge Cottage, she was mother to Eva Parkes who delivered the Evening Posts (newspapers).”