Pub's glory days

Denis, of Belmaine Court, Worthing, was managing director of the building s owning and managing company Roberts and Son for five years.

He was also on the board of directors for eight, before the company was sold in 1978.

I am a little sad to think there s a possibility it could be demolished, only because I worked in the company and was involved in building it and because I love it.

I can t help but think, if the flats are built, it will be like everything else along the seafront, uniform, he said.

The idea behind The Wine Lodge, as the building used to be known, was the brainchild of the Lynn family.

Theybought Roberts and Son in 1922 but retained the business name.

The family realised in 1948, just after World War Two, most public houses were owned by breweries and their range of stock was quite limited. They didn t go in for food, so there were very few good restaurants in Worthing.

They decided to do something different, have a restaurant and abar with a good selection and they found a premises on the seafront, which was unoccupied, recalled Denis.

Plans were swiftly drawn up and, in 1950, The Wine Lodge opened, making history as the first public house to be opened in England after the war.

It also boasted the longest bar in the country.

For the full story, see Herald, July 19.