Home > Nottinghamshire > Sutton In Ashfield > Newcastle Arms Newcastle Arms
	Picture source: Heather Faulkes
The Newcastle Arms was located halfway down King Street, and there was originally two buildings between it and the Black Bull. During the 20th century, half of King Street was demolished, leaving the Newcastle Arms as the last house on the street. The building first opened as an unnamed Beerhouse sometime around 1855 and was first recorded under the name Newcastle Arms in 1885. The first occupant who traded as a beerhouse keeper was wheelwright Henry Brown, who later moved to the Dew Drop Inn on New Cross. The Buxton family, who took his place in 1871, were then connected with the property for almost thirty-five years. After John Buxton died, it was his widow Fanny Buxton who applied for a full licence for the beerhouse in 1877. Although the landlord of the Black Bull opposed the granting of a full licence, on the basis that his was already a fully licensed house and another full license was not required, the Licensing Board were won over by the fact that the Newcastle Arms had stabling accommodation for eight horses and it might be made to make room for twenty. Given that “stable accommodation was very much required at Sutton” the license was granted. Living with Fanny Buxton in 1881 was her daughter Sarah and her husband Arthur Whitworth. Arthur was the son of the then landlord of the Royal Foresters, and the couple later took over the running of that pub. Between 1887 and 1892, the Fox family held the license for the Newcastle Arms, renting the property from Mrs Buxton. Also in 1887, William Fox had a shirt stolen from his yard while it was drying. It was subsequently found in the possession of John Clarke, who was sentenced to one day’s imprisonment. The license was transferred from William Fox to his wife Susannah Fox in 1888. In 1892, Walter Buxton returned to the Newcastle Arms as landlord. He was the son of John and Fanny Buxton, and had lived at the property for much of his childhood. The annual supper of Sutton’s Robin Hood Cricket Club was held at the Newcastle Arms in November 1902 and in 1911 it was known as the Newcastle Arms Hotel. The property was sold to the Nottingham Brewery Company by Mrs Buxton in 1912. This put Mrs Buxton at odds with the Duke of Portland, who, as Lord of the Manor and holder of the Copyhold, should have been asked for his “license to demise”. Mrs Buxton was described at the time as having taken no advice in the matter, and was “quite illiterate”. During Mr Thomas Orton’s residence as the first tenant of the brewery, he held a series of bird and small animal exhibitions at the Newcastle Arms. The entries included “large poultry, bantams, pigeons and rabbits.” The Nottingham Brewery was taken over in 1944 by Tennant Brothers Brewery of Sheffield, and they were themselves acquired by Whitbread in 1961. In October 1986, Whitbread Yorkshire Ltd applied for planning permission to install a fire escape at their property on King Street. In the 1980's, they were advertising hot and cold lunches served Monday to Saturday, when you could buy "Haddock, French Fries and Peas for only 87p"! In April 1999, the Newcastle Arms was one of the twelve pubs that signed up for the town’s “Pub Watch” scheme. In 2001, the Newcastle Arms had likely been sold by the brewery as it was modernised and renamed "Bar Zizz". In 2005 it was put up for sale and in 2006 a planning application was made to change use from restaurant to restaurant and takeaway. By 2009 it was trading as Cafe Ilachi, which continued through early 2017. It is now the Bengal Lounge Indian Restaurant.
Source: Heather Faulkes
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Date of photo: 2023	Picture source: Anthony Beaumont