It is strongly believed that the English's love of pubs is something that makes Britain so great. But did you know that if you own or are leasing a pub and fancy changing the name, you can't actually change it to anything you want? It explains why we see so many pubs with 'The Railway' stamped above the door; there's a grand total of 15 in Greater Manchester alone.
Today most us of take pub names at face value unless we stumble across a completely ridiculous name. However, most pub names have an origin story from back in the day. Last time someone checked there were around 600 Red Lions laced up and down the country, but has anyone actually seen a red lion?
Manchester's most popular pub name: 'The Railway'http://levyboy.com/around_town.htm
With this in mind, here are the most popular pub names in Greater Manchester:
- The Railway – As we are home to the world's first passenger railway it isn't surprising that it's Manchester's most popular name. It's also a handy place to escape to when the obligatory delays roll in.
- The White Lion – The lion is often used as a sign for royalty. The white lion however is used in reference to Edward VI who used the symbol as his personal emblem.
- Hare and Hounds – This comes from Henry VIII's love of hunting.
- Red Lion – The red lion originates from the reign of James I who ruled that all public buildings, including taverns, must display the red lion in order to reinforce his authority when he inherited the throne of England in 1603.
- Wellington – Named after the Duke of Wellington, this can be seen as either a tribute or commemoration.
- Wheatsheaf – This refers to harvesting and is an homage to Manchester's agricultural past prior to the Industrial Revolution.
- Greyhound - Another Henry VIII link - this was is named after his favourite hunting dog.
- Last Orders – It's a celebration of the nature of alehouses. Especially after a good night out.
See Time Out's guide to Manchester's best pubs and a look at some of the city's most peculiar pub names.
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