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Picture source: Darkstar

The Royal Dragoon was situated at 100 Military Road. This pub is now in residential use.

In the 1980s this friendly old pub was run by Pete Smith and his wife. The Oyster Ceilidh band, who went on to international success as Oysterband, were regulars and sometimes played sessions in the tiny bar. They also recorded a song called 'time gentleman please' which the landlord played at the end of the night.

Simon Buttenshaw (September 2017)

Many many happy days spent in the pub. Pete and Sue Smith ran it....Pete Smith is my dad!! The Oysterband (or their earlier incarnation) were regulars in the pub. Still keep in touch with the Oysters. What has always struck me about the The Dragoon was how it was loved and still remembered with such happiness even after the long years since it has been a private dwelling. And the ghost(s)....never saw it..but so many customers would say there’s the chap stood by the saloon bar. However I have never comfortably explained incidents such as all the beer taps in the cellar being turned off...when nobody was in the cellar. Strangely it was my dad who thought the ideal person to check the cellar was me!!! Or the night 4 of us were sat in the bar having a post closing “cup of tea”...when the gents toilet was flushed. No modern electric flushers then...the only way that chain could have flushed was.....well let’s just say there were only 4 of us in the pub....and all 4 of us were sat round a table away from the gents loo when it flushed. Guess who was asked to check ?

Paul Smith (November 2017)

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Contacts

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Name Dates Comments Gary Harding 1980-1991 Robert Burton 1960s/1970s My nan jean used to run the pub..she had a jack russel ...Benny..he used to jump up and down behind the bar ..creepy place to sleep as a child

Other Photos

Picture source: Darkstar