New Inn

Name: The New Inn

Address: Lichfield Road, Barton Turns, Barton-under-Needwood

The New Inn from the A38 Northbound Carriageway
with thanks to Margaret Langford

1881 Map of Mill Lane Bridge and the surrounding area

Listed landlords at the New Inn were Thomas Smith (1841), John Holford (1851-71), Eliza Holford (1872), William Roberts (1877), Charles Riley (1879), George Pegg (1881-88), William K Beardsmore (1891) and George & Hannah Poole (1901-08).

1841 Census

1851 Census

1861 Census

The New Inn from the A38 Southbound

1871 Census

Staffordshire Sentinel and Commercial & General Advertiser 25 August 1877

Derby Mercury 11 June 1879

1881 Census

Rear of the New Inn from the canal

1891 Census

1901 Census

Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal 16 February 1906

1908 Kelly's Directory

Lichfield Mercury 18 June 1909

The Licensing Act of 1904 appears to have been the reason the New Inn went out of business, as these articles confirm. From 1904 to around the start of WW1 a great many beer houses were closed under this legislation, some because they were not up to standard and with very poor trade.  But there was a view that the closure of pubs by a process that purported to be rational and fair was in fact an arbitrary and biased system. Pubs were chosen to be closed by licensing Magistrates who would never have been seen in such premises.  Having chosen a pub for closure, evidence was prepared that supported the closure.  But even then, some evidence clearly showed that successful and profitable pubs were chosen for closure for no apparent reason.  In the case of the New Inn the final listed landlords, George and Hannah Poole had already diversified their trade to publicans and cycle agents by the time of the 1901 census.  

Lichfield Mercury 07 January 1910