The Markham Arms closes

In this blog we mark the closing of another Brimington public house – the Markham Arms on 2 July 2023.

Situated on Dorest Drive, at its junction with Somerset Drive, the pub was first opened in July 1957.

It was designed to serve the Coal Industry Housing Association’s (CIHA) ‘Counties Estate’, with no doubt also an eye on the adjacent Hollingwood Estate and nearby lower part of New Brimington. Although the large Hollingwood Hotel (opened in 1928) had been built as part of the former 1920s development it was somewhat distant from the new Markham Arms.

The ‘Counties Estate’

The Markham Arms was part of the CIHA‘s so-called 1950s erected ‘Counties Estate’ – housing those employed in the nearby coal mining industry. The area was called the ‘Counties Estate’ as all the roads and streets within it were named after English counties.

Beginnings and opening

In May 1954 the CIHA had an outline planning application for a new public house at the junction of Dorset Drive and Somerset Drive approved. This is, of course, the Markham Arms – a full application was approved in March the following year.

By 26 July 1957 the public house was being described as ‘recently completed’, in a short article in the Derbyshire Times. Here it was reported that a temporary transfer of licence from a Harold Killingbeck to Ernest Hannah had been granted, along with approval for a music and singing licence. The now disappeared Sheffield brewery of William Stones was making the application. This was in the day that breweries would own public houses, with the licensee selling their products. Today it’s much more likely that pub owners will be a company specialising in owning licensed trade properties and not be a brewer of beer. It’s actually thought that the pub opened on 20 July 1957.

Friday 2 August 1957 saw the Derbyshire Times running a feature on the new pub. From this we learn that the architects were Melling and Ridgeway of Sheffield, with the principal contractors being Chesterfield company W Revill & Sons, of Sherwood Street. Structural steelwork was supplied by Allot Brothers & Leigh, of Ickles Forge, Rotherham.

There were three rooms from the start. The smoke room was ‘designed in old world style’ in dark oak. The lounge had extensive bay windows in which were three alcoves of seats. Finally, the concert room had fixed seating down the sides, with chairs and tables filling most of the room – the bar being furnished in upholstery. To the first floor three bedrooms, a living room and bathroom, were identified by the newspaper.

Perhaps a rather strange choice, given the employment of most of its prospective customers (though no doubt for convenience purposes), central heating was by oil, supplemented by electric fan heaters.

Externally the building was (and indeed still is) of red brick, with reddish-brown ‘Roman’ pattern tiles. The pub was complete with an ‘extensive’ car park.

The name

Though we have no evidence for this, the name must have been chosen due to the Markham family (in particular CP Markham) and the nearby Markham Colliery, where a lot of the new CIHA estate occupants might well have worked.

Serving the community

So commenced the Markham Arms, which served its community (with some breaks when it was untenanted for short periods, particularly fairly recently) until closure – with last orders on 2 July 2023.

Over the years the concert room (later function room) saw much use – perhaps most noteworthy in the 1960s. Regular Thursday night appearances by rock legend Joe Cocker were to be had, along with performances from other groups and artistes.

Decline and new beginnings

With the general decline in pub based drinking the Markham Arms has, like many others, been struggling over the last few years.

It did gain some notoriety a few years ago, but its present managers have presided over something of a turn-round since they have been there, albeit only for a few months. The pub had reopened, after (we think) being empty for a short period, on 14 April 2022, but under different licensees. It had been refurbished. The concert room (complete with a small stage) was so treated shortly afterwards.

The last licensees – Rebecca Hurd and her partner John – focussed on a safe, family-friendly environment, with regular entertainment and events aiming to make the pub at the heart of the community. They had only taken over the pub in February 2023.

Following closure and sale of the pub by the owner (believed to be Chester based Admiral Taverns), the licensees have moved to the Three Horse Shoes public House in Brimington village centre. This pub has not been without its ups and downs either, but we wish the new licensees (and the last licensees of the Markham Arms) best wishes in their new venture.

It is believed that the Markham Arms has been sold to a property developer – completely outside the licenced trade – public house owners are obviously looking to trim their portfolio to reduce costs. It is therefore most unlikely that it will ever open as a public house again. Sadly, the last pint may well have been pulled on the evening of 2 July and the Markham Arms will join the Brick Makers Arms and the Prince of Wales in recent public house losses in the village. (We also believe that the Miners Arms public house on Manor Road closed at the end of 2022 and has not reopened since. This makes three public houses lost in Brimington in less than 20 years).

Sources for this blog

• Derbyshire Times, 14 May 1954; 26 July and 2 August 1957, 4 May and 6 July 2023.
• J Hirst, Chesterfield pubs (2005).
• D McPhie and I Lee, Sounds in the shadow of the Crooked Spire (2018).
• https://www.facebook.com/themarkham/

This post was edited on 12 July 2023 to add a reference to the closure of the Miners Arms public house on Manor Road.