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Picture source: Stephen Harris

The Shakespeare was situated at 12 Powis Street. This pub was present by 1855 and was rebuilt as it appears today in around 1900.  It closed in around 2008 and is now used as an amusement arcade.

The door on the right was used by a man called John who used to sell ironing board covers and other dodgy stuff. He didn’t have a street trading licence so all the kids used to look out for the police on the beat. If they were in the vicinity we would tell him and he would give us some money for sweets. Fond memories, the pub was always full up with customers - it had a hallway which kids could sit in great pub.

Ada Clow (July 2011)

Great for jazz fans in the 1950s; good jazz for the price of a pint.

Gerry Jackson (December 2014)

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Name	Dates	Comments
Peter Arnold	c1966	I went to this pub regularly, I think, on Friday nights. Although my memories may be tinged with nostalgia I think there were bands booked which later became world famous: John Mayall's Bluesbreakers [?] with Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker, John Hiseman, Dick Hextall Smith, Georgie Fame, The Animals[?] and many more.