A PICTURE of one of the oldest pubs in Hereford has gone viral.

Widemarsh Street may currently be dominated by the ongoing works to rip up the kerbs, but Alexandra Eddy has shown that the street still has some iconic buildings to showcase. 

One of which is the Imperial Inn, which is opposite Oswin & Co, the jewellers that Mrs Eddy manages.

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An image that she took of the pub from her office in the upstairs of the shop has, at the time of writing, been liked more than 16,000 times on the 'View from YOUR window' Facebook page. 

"It's quite crazy, I didn't expect it to be so popular although it is a lovely pub," said Mrs Eddy.

"It's a shame I've not had a chance to post a picture of Oswin's yet from the pub." 

The picture has received more than 500 comments.

Alison Simpkins said: "I'm from Hereford (or the 'ford') and know this well. Like most places it has its faults but it's a lovely picturesque place to live and work."

Meanwhile, Iuliana Alexa said: "I'm from Romania but I lived and worked for a year in Hereford. Beautiful memories about this city. I was happy to see this picture."

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Kelli Nace said that the image reminded her of Windsor, while James Stefflen, from Texas, USA, added that 'it was a nice view'.

The Imperial was originally opened as the Reynolds or Hereford Brewery in Bewell Street by J.C. Reynolds in 1834. In 1858, it was bought by Charles Watkins, a local enterpreneur who renamed his businesses with the prefix "Imperial."

Charles Watkins then transferred his business from the rear of the Imperial Inn in Widemarsh Street and added Bewell House (his residence) and its gardens, so by the 1870s, the area covered by the brewery was extended to include an area from Bewell Street to Wall Street.

The brewery buildings were demolished in the 1990s and the space turned into a car park, which was subsequently built over.

Only the Imperial Inn, which backs onto Bewell Street, remains of the once large-scale business.