3 minute read

Baaa 38

from Ale Cry 132 - Spring 2023

from Ale Cry 132 - Spring 2023, page 8

Ale Cry 132 - Spring 2023

The Window Cleaner, The Bakers and The Bath Bomb Maker… …now this may seem an unusual partnership of occupations, but it’s the one behind Chorley’s latest pub venture and brings together a wide variety of local expertise and ideas that will undoubtedly make ‘Baaa 38’ an integral part of the town’s ever-growing and thriving pub scene.

When chatting to my window cleaner Clive Robinson back in 2022, he was rather sheepish about his future plans, but was passionate about opening a bar, one of his long-term ambitions, although at the time, it’s fair to say, details were fairly woolly!

This story really starts with the building, no.38 Market Street, one of the oldest retail properties in the town centre, which dates back to at least the 1700s, and is one that’s packed with character and history. Over the years it has played host to a wide range of businesses, and during the 19th and early 20th century it was home to various clothing businesses, including a silk draper, boot and shoemaker, milliner, ladies’ outfitter and a wool and knitwear shop, and it’s from there that the pub’s name is derived. This is a photo of the building when it was home to ‘M Alston’ in the early 1900s.

Margaret Alston was born in Chorley on Eaves Lane in 1882 and was something of an entrepreneur, setting up her own business as a hatter and milliner in the early 1900s. She married Harold Stansfield in 1910, a surveyor who worked for Chorley Council but it’s her own family history that makes her such a good omen for Baaa 38. In 1891 she was living at the Red Lion Hotel at 8, Market Street, one of Chorley’s most important coaching inns where her father William was the landlord; her brother James followed in his father’s footsteps and went on to run the Horse & Jockey Hotel in Mansfield.

More recently the building has tended to lean toward the catering and hospitality sector and over the past 50 years has been the Thai Smile Restaurant (1970s), Pickwick Coffee House (1980s), Parmesan & Pepper Restaurant (2000s), Skewers Restaurant (2015) and finally Cakes by Ruth, so it seems rather fitting that it’s now become a bar for the very first time.

Ruth and Andy Poar are the brains behind Cakes by Ruth, which in recent years has seen great success, the business expanding and rebranding as Eat my Logo. This has seen them relocate several times to larger premises, taking in No.38 along the way and when Clive mentioned to Andy and Ruth a while back that he would be interested in taking on the lease when it next became available, this sparked up the conversation and unveiled a common dream to run their own pub.

So, the partnership was formed and ably assisted by Clive’s wife Michaela, who is an interior designer by trade and bath bomb maker par-excellence, the foundations were in place, and over the last few months they have been working hard to get the pub ready for opening in 2023.

The big day arrived on Thursday 2nd February as the doors opened to the public for the first time. Clive & Michaela‘s daughter Meg is managing the pub and brings with her a wealth of experience, having worked at the White Bull on Market Street for a number of years as assistant manager and she will undoubtedly bring further ideas to the venue. There are up to three cask ales on handpump sourced predominantly from local breweries alongside a wide selection of other drinks including gins, fine wines and craft beers to suit all tastes. Occasional live music and other events are also planned although this promises to be a bar where good old-fashioned conversation is key.

My advice is to pop into Baaa 38 and see what it’s all about for yourselves.

We wish them the very best of luck in their new venture!

RICHARD LANGFORD

FULWOOD & BROUGHTON CRICKET CLUB

Tel: 01772 863003 @FandBCC

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