The little ‘Sainsbury’ beerhouse

Licensed in 1858 to sell beer but not spirits for consumption on the premises, by 1876 it was owned by Charles Maulden of Eaton Socon. Three years later it was being run by Henry and Fanny Dillamore. Fanny died in 1889 and after her husband died in 1907, the property was sold by Henry Dillamore’s executors in 1919 to Biggleswade brewers Wells and Winch.

In 1927 The Lion was assessed to determine its rateable value. The building consisted of a living room, a taproom, a kitchen/scullery, a cellar, four bedrooms upstairs and an earth closet with urinal outside.

Trade used to average a barrel of mixed beer, and four and a half gallons and a dozen bottles of bitter per week amounting to about £7 weekly takings. On its assessment, the valuer concluded that it was in “good decorative repair but flood comes into house” - unsuprisingly as it was built on a flood plain. The beerhouse closed in 1957 and was demolished in 1994.

Thanks go to the Bedfordshsire and Luton Archives & Records Service.