Memories of the ‘great’ lost Coventry pub that launched the city’s iconic bands

Readers have shared their memories of the ‘great’ lost Coventry pub which was the launching pad for some of the city’s most iconic bands. CoventryLive has featured footage from the old Hope and Anchor pub – the launching pad for the likes of The Specials and The Enemy.

But it was also a place where generations not only enjoyed concerts and marked special occasions, but also sang. Readers took to our Facebook page and relived the glory days of the pub before it was bulldozed.

The pub’s loss has been mourned by many, with Tony Conway posting: “A great pub in its day” while Sharon Luckett said: “I’ve had some great nights there, including my hen night. Fabulous bands”.

Other readers shared their time in the limelight there, with Andy Guttercat-Rothwell saying ‘I played there with Fridayz Angelz in the 80s’ and Nigel Eccles posting: ‘I played the first(ish) of only 2 gigs I -I ever sang. here – the other was more triumphant, at the Hand and the Heart, unfortunately also now gone.”

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Nigel Meffen added: “I played my second Skeet gig there with Christopher Long DJing with the Rhythm Clinic. Now, 43 years after that concert, our music was released on Chris’ label Almost Unknown and sold out two months after release.”

Stuart Cosgrove said: “Remember playing there with Banned Wagon bk during the day.”

The popular town closed in 2009, 157 years after it opened. It was knocked down by Coventry University shortly after it closed in 2009, despite campaigners calling for it to be saved. Some, who bought the land, said steps needed to be taken to prevent it from deteriorating further.

But Pete Kendall said: “I loved this pub when I was a student. It should never have been demolished for a car park and Maris Piper agreed, posting: “Sad it had to be demolished.”

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