Plymouth pub famous for dockers and topless bar is up for auction
A PLYMOUTH pub famed for being a dockers' haunt and home of a topless bar is to be sold at auction.
The Avondale Arms, on the corner of Keyham Road, opposite the Devonport Dockyard and Naval Base, is among 33 West Country lots being sold by the region's largest land and property auctioneers, Clive Emson.
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Avondale
The freehold of the "dockers' pub", described as having "a colourful history", includes two bars, a cellar and two upstairs bedrooms, and is being offered at a guide price of £65,000 to £90,000.
Graham Barton, one of the auctioneers for Clive Emson and a regular on BBC's Homes Under the Hammer TV series, said: "This popular pub served thirsty sailors and dockers for decades until it shut down last year.
"It was also called The Porter and the Barbican Tavern over the years and it was legendary as a 'topless' bar.
"It could again be run as a public house with a flat above for the owner or manager.
"Alternatively, it could be redeveloped for a commercial or letting venture subject to planning consent."
Also going under the hammer at St Mellion International Resort, at 11am, on Thursday, February 23, are "a diverse range" of vacant and income-producing residential and commercial property lots.
The list includes five acres of unused land at Brimble Park, off Forder Valley Road, a mix of amenity and lightly wooded land extending to 4.73 acres with a number of outbuildings.
The freehold, offered at a guide price of £20,000 to £40,000, is next to existing housing and any development proposals would need to go through the city council planning authority.
Mr Barton said: "The site is suitable for general amenity, recreational or equestrian use. It could, for example, form a small-scale hobby farm or allotment subject to approval."
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by cherie2012
Monday, February 13 2012, 3:35PM
“I admit my mother could of done a lot more to stop this pub going under and that she is no saint, but boris20111 there is no need to be quite so personal with your comments, her grandchildren (my children) may have to read this one day!!”
by m_dalston
Tuesday, January 31 2012, 8:42PM
“These "guide" prices are a joke. Most this property/land will go for X times that amount - don't bother going if you are interested.”
by JamieQ1
Tuesday, January 31 2012, 8:08PM
“SeepyBee - spot on. Very bizarre to get the Avondale mixed up with a pub at the other end of town on Looe St on the Barbican, but he has - definitely!”
by Boris20111
Tuesday, January 31 2012, 6:42PM
“The "old" Three Ferrets was the best matelot pub - until the brewery screwed the landlord over.”
by Boris20111
Tuesday, January 31 2012, 6:39PM
“This was always a gash pub. Most of the matelot custom used to be because they'd allow you to cash cheques on the strength of an ID card at the end of the month - Smash a 30 quid cheque in the Avon-dar-lee then jump in the taxi down town as soon as you had drunk the token drink you had to buy.
Ex-"Millbay walkers" are probably not the best people to have as licensees either.
Lets go to the Carooozelll!!!”
by helterfc
Tuesday, January 31 2012, 5:27PM
“'Enterprise' have a lot to answer for. When a certain amount of regulation was brought in to try to stop the breweries riding roughshod over all and sundry, the formation of pubcos was not foreseen. Sadly, they are mostly business ventures, therefore money-grabbing, and don't take the proper pub drinkers into any real consideration. It is to be applauded that some breweries are buying their own outlets with a view to providing value-for-money real ales.
Ever-increasing alcohol prices across the board are not the answer. Sensible drinking in local community pubs should not be regarded the same as youngsters getting off their heads on supermarket ciders before heading out to binge in wine bars and clubs where "free" shots are the norm.”
by SeepyBee
Tuesday, January 31 2012, 3:52PM
“"It was also called The Porter and the Barbican Tavern over the years"??
Is Mr Barton sure - or has he confused this pub with the present Porters pub in Looe Street?”
by chrisplym0000
Tuesday, January 31 2012, 3:51PM
“Regulation perhaps?”
by TheGBHKid
Tuesday, January 31 2012, 3:39PM
“Sadly it's the blood sucking breweries that are killing our local pubs.I remember working in a local boozer for years. I also remember twice a year getting the chill down my spine when the man from the brewery turned up at the door at bottling up time.
This visit enevitably meant that he was putting the prices up again which inturn meant ours would go up again.
Day by day customers would stop coming, taking exception to having to pay the ever rising cost of a simple pint.
Watching the budget on tv we could see the price rise on booze etc... But the relatively low rises reported were further increased by the greedy brewery man.
To add insult to injury we found that alot of surrounding pubs were with the same brewery but we were all on different tarrifs, it turned out the better and busier ur business... The higher tarrif they would put you on... Thanks very much ENTERPRISE!”
by helterfc
Tuesday, January 31 2012, 11:00AM
“Too many proper pubs, "locals", are being closed down. Let's hope someone who wants to continue its pub life wants to buy it. Perhaps St. Austell brewery would like it as an outlet.”