Oh no! My pub!
As regular readers of this blog will know I have very attached to the14th Century Red Lion pub in Little Missenden. We have been going there most weekends for twelve years and both of my daughters have sat beside the log fire in the winter and played in the gardens at the back since they were very, very young.
When my elder daughter and I turned up there tonight we were faced with the scene in the photo above. A suspected arson attack last monday has reduced the pub to a shell presumably damaging its wonderful wood lined interior.
It's been a bit of a blogging pub for me too with Doc, Gary, Halley, Jon, John, and Tom all having visited with me.
This is a very, very sad day.
bummer, quel dommage, crikey !
Posted by: Jon Husband | August 05, 2006 at 06:14 PM
Meep!
Posted by: Gary Turner | August 05, 2006 at 08:45 PM
Oh, now this is horrible. It is a home away from home for many (for some it is just home).
On my trip back to England last Fall I fell right in at one of my third favorite pub in Oxford (first was changed), second was gone, but the third was even better than I remembered. It was easy to strike up conversation and just enjoy the company of others over a great pulled pint or so. The pub, particularly one's own, is a warm extension of one's self. I feel very badly for you.
Posted by: vanderwal | August 06, 2006 at 02:27 AM
My sympathies on the loss of your local.
*clink*
Posted by: Chris Corrigan | August 06, 2006 at 08:07 AM
Really sad to hear about thae Euan, Must have been late paying their dues to the local mafioso
Posted by: Geoff | August 06, 2006 at 11:16 AM
Brace yourself Euan- worse may yet follow. Few are the pubs which have risen from the ashes as glorious as their former incarnations. If the Red Lion re-erges pheonix like from the ashes it will be in a small band of establishments that have withstode the tide of mediocrity and focus group market orientation. I hope for the best, but now might be the time to invest in homebrew.
Posted by: ant | August 07, 2006 at 05:04 PM
I agree Ant. Even though it looks as though the worst of the fire has been on the upper floor the water that the fire service presumably had to use to put the blaze out must have done enough damage to merit "improvement".
Posted by: Euan Semple | August 07, 2006 at 10:48 PM
Have hope, Euan! It might well turn out a lot better than you fear.
My Mum and Dad used to run one of the hundreds of other Red Lions in the same part of the world - the lovely old (Fullers-owned) Red Lion in Little Tingewick, on the borders of Oxfordshire and Bucks.
As the photos on this site show, a few years after M & D moved out, the pub was hit by a fire that gutted it completely.
Good news is that the place was completely rebuilt and restored to what I'm told is something very close to its former glory. Impossible to completely recreate the 14th Century ambiance, of course - but at least they tried.
I hope your Red Lion enjoys the same kind of rebirth.
Posted by: Michael O'Connor Clarke | August 08, 2006 at 02:46 AM
That does sound hopeful Michael - thanks!
Posted by: Euan Semple | August 08, 2006 at 07:33 AM
Oh, I'm so sorry that happened. :(
Posted by: Kathryn | August 08, 2006 at 08:48 AM
This is terrible news. One of my favourite Sunday afternoon pubs.
I have one photo of the interior as it was and I am hoping the chaps at beerintheevening website will upload it for me.
Tragic.
Posted by: Malc | November 05, 2006 at 01:23 PM
Or you could join Flickr and upload it that way Malc.
Posted by: Euan Semple | November 05, 2006 at 03:57 PM
Please note, the lovely red lion, little missenden is now open and looking better than ever!
Posted by: local resident | January 15, 2008 at 02:12 PM
Isn't it just
Posted by: Euan Semple | January 15, 2008 at 09:23 PM