DO you remember this long lost Hereford pub?
The Moss Cottage, on Foley Street, served as a popular boozer in the city for over a century, being first established in the 19th century.
Many of the pubs former owners, landlords and landladies are well remembered by locals. Owned Ben Holland, who steered the ship in the eighties and early nineties, is recalled to have really help bolster the cottage’s reputation, and is also responsible for the unusual crenellated extension to the side of the old pub.
It had been built, he told the Hereford Times in 1989, to double the pub's restaurant capacity to more than 40 and open up bar space after soaring demand saw the business turning customers away.
In 1993 the pub made a distinctive change to its business model under new owners Tom and Kristin Connolly, becoming the county's first non-smoking bar and restaurant.
In a move well ahead of the times, with the smoking ban in pubs and restaurants in England not coming into force until 2007, the couple decided to devote their entire upstairs restaurant to non-smokers.
The pair had taken the pub on earlier that year, after eating there regularly and enjoying the ‘relaxed and welcoming atmosphere’.
Now serving as the New Hum-Ming Garden Chinese restaurant, not all evidence of 2 Foley Street's past have been stripped, with patrons still able enjoy a pint at the bar while they wait for their takeaway.
Members of We Grew Up In Hereford have been sharing their memories of the long lost watering hole.
Katie Foster said: “Use to work there, along with my Mum, and some lovely people when Ben, owned it.
“Then Janet and Richard, lovely people.
“Every Sunday we were treated as staff to an amazing roast.
“Loved the moss balls plus my favourite pudding treacle tart with brown bread ice cream.”
Alan Eyles said: “Had a few in there in 1960s when Emmey ran it.
Brill juke box in back room every Friday night, before we went off to town then every Sunday afternoon before we went home to Sunday dinner.”
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