Our knowledge of the Shakespeare is currently limited to a couple of anecdotal comments where people said that they remember their grandparents or parents going in there and that it was ‘rough’!
I've got half a memory of my granddad saying... I don't know if it was when it was The Shakespeare... but ages ago he said he went in a few times...he had a sailor mate who used to go in with a stiletto knife in his boot. I can't remember the details unfortunately, but that must be going back a long bloody time. Gizmo
When I started drinking in the Tavern (early ’80s) my mom said that The Shakespeare had a bad reputation in the second world war! Gavin F
The building at 17/17a Queen Square went through several changes in name and layout over the years. Sit back and enjoy this video about them.