The Pitcher and Piano

[.... 23]

I'll not cast an opinion at this point as I'd be interested to know what others think about the building as a pub and the principle of using a former church from which to make a pub.

Recently I was having a conversation with a woman at the bar in the Bell Inn about the High Pavement pub and other city centre pubs in general. Obviously her tastes were fairly conservative ones, citing many city pubs as being 'shops' nowadays. I found her views on the Pitcher and Piano quite thought provoking though.

I've used the place a small handful of times. It's certainly a curiosity if not necessarily unique though one has to say it's a pretty inventive conversion that's been carried out. I was in there last week and whilst it's not really my thing I can appreciate what some others might see in it. The woman I was speaking to found the use of the church to be slightly sad if not offensive. She asserted a slight revulsion in particular to the fruit machines there and whilst obviously not being some kind of religious zealot compared it to 'gambling in the temple' in the good book.

Just wondered if anyone had a view on the Pitcher and Piano, as a punter or on the principle of making a pub from an old church. Is it sad, an indictment on society and us all, or rather a useful way of preserving and cherishing a historic building? Thoughts anyone?

[Bip 88]

Regarding converting a church into a drinking house that I have no problem with after all it’s better to be used for that than being left to decay. It’s obvious that the church doesn’t want the building so why not put it to a better use, aren’t churches supposed to be the heart of a community and aren’t the local pubs in a village serve the same purpose.

The way I see it is one goes hand in hand with the other, whenever there is a church in a village there is not far away a pub.

I believe in the days before Henry the eighth and the abolition of the monasteries that every monastery had it’s own brew house run by the in mates, to say it’s not right for a church to be converted into a public meeting place for the community where alcohol can be sold is contradictory in my opinion.

Now where can I buy on the net a bottle of holy wine.

I’m not quite sure where the Pitch and Piano is, is it across the road from the once County Tavern near st marys church and the old court house?

Bip.

[Limey 242]

I pretty much share Den's view on the subject, but having never been in the "Pitcher and Piano" I cannot really comment.

HOWEVER - I will say it is sad to see a historic pub such as the "Flying Horse" get either demolished or converted, then convert a church into a pub! I would much rather have seen the pub left original, and the church turned into a shopping "mall"!

One of the things I have enjoyed about bringing Americans to England is their realization of the age of many buildings. In a society that demolishes buildings willy-nilly in the name of "progress" - it is refreshing to see that they appreciate that old buildings can be "recycled" to a new use without destroying their "ambiance" in the city. That said, I find it sad that pubs are converted to shops, and churches to pubs!

[Beefsteak 305]

I agree with Den whole heartedly including the bit about Monastries having their own brewhouse Mead was made for travellers as was a drink still around today ' Benedictine' there is also a less well known drink 'Buckfast' still made at Buckfast Abbey in Devon to this day

[.... 23]

I’m not quite sure where the Pitch and Piano is, is it across the road from the once County Tavern near st marys church and the old court house?

Bip.

That's exactly it, Den. In it's last life it was a lace museum.

HOWEVER - I will say it is sad to see a historic pub such as the "Flying Horse" get either demolished or converted, then convert a church into a pub! I would much rather have seen the pub left original, and the church turned into a shopping "mall"!

That's a damned good point actually. I guess the developers' argument would be that The Flying Horse is in prime retail area. Whenever I've walked through the arcade that has not been backed up in the lack of numbers I see in the present shops though.

I agree with Den whole heartedly including the bit about Monastries having their own brewhouse Mead was made for travellers as was a drink still around today ' Benedictine' there is also a less well known drink 'Buckfast' still made at Buckfast Abbey in Devon to this day

We need to look no further than the Bell Inn to see that. Apparently a former Carmelite monastery's guest house according to the official website of the Inn.

Buckfast fortified wine incidentally is the scourge of Glasgow and Lanarkshire in particular. It's used as a cheap way of getting drunk and has become quite a cliche - especially from those who would wish to look down on the types of people that tend to drink it.

I'm not particularly sniffy about the church's transformation into a pub. As stated it's far better that the building is preserved in some useful way than the alternative of being demolished or neglected. It is a statement about modern society in some ways perhaps but if people will go to a pub but won't visit a church then so be it. I find the pub useful for taking family and friends to who are here as tourists, they seem to like it. As regards queuing to get in there on an evening to throw a heavy pose with the rest of the Lace Market, Ted Baker set I think I'll pass. I much prefer the nearby Cock and Hoop and Keans Head if I'm up that way.