The Albert in Smithfield Road

The young man on the door turned out to be the son of an old friend, and told us, in hushed tones and with a conspiratorial wink, that he would let us in free of charge.

The only snag was that we would have to walk straight through the ladies’ toilets, out the back door and then climb up the fire escape.

Fair enough, we thought, and followed his instructions.

At the top of the fire escape was another door. As we went through it we found ourselves on stage, standing alongside a punk band blasting out a 90-mile-an-hour Sex Pistols number.

It was Christmas Eve, and – as we clamboured down off the stage to join the audience – I remember thinking that this was not your normal Christmas concert.

The lead singer was naked apart from a Santa Claus hat upon his head and a festive sock upon his . . .

Anyway.

The band went on to thrash their way through the songs of The Clash and The Damned – not the most festive of repertoires.

But it was terrific fun.

Now, this was a few years ago now, but it was not a night to forget in a hurry.

Myself and my companions were in The Albert on Smithfield Road, one of Shrewsbury’s great old town centre pubs, and it was hosting punk rock on Christmas Eve. At 150 years of age, you’d have thought the old Albert would’ve known better.

I now read with interest that big plans are being drawn up for the future of The Albert.

In preparation for a whole new chapter in its history, the place is undergoing a £250,000 transformation into a new cocktail bar and restaurant. It will reopen in early autumn as The Albert Lounge Bar.

Now this might sound like terrible news to those who remember it as a good old-fashioned pub with a pool table and a darts board. But you know what they say – ‘use it or lose it’ – and I suppose it wasn’t doing so great as a traditional boozer and so the new owners felt a change was necessary.

James Hitchin, the 27-year-old new co-owner of the venue, says he expects the revamped site to employ up to 18 full-time staff, along with about six part-time employees. (And, as far as I know, he has no plans for punk rock on Christmas Eve). James is taking on the site with his brother John and sister Katie and said family ownership had been a key part of the building’s history.

“It was originally run by two brothers and it was always a family affair traditionally.”

“It is nice to have a family doing it again.”

The new bar will include a 60-seater restaurant with food served throughout the day, and there are plans (wait for it, wait for it) to include live music in the evenings.

Well, what do you know? Maybe – although perhaps I shouldn’t suggest it. It might upset the chilled-out cocktail bar clientelle.

It’s possibly not right to sing along to London’s Burning whilst sipping one’s mojito (and trying desperately not to poke yourself in the eye with that miniature umbrella). Goodness knows, I’ve tried, and it’s not easy.

James has worked in Shropshire and across Europe as a bar tender, recently returning to the county to take on The Albert after a spell of living in Cardiff.

He says the famly has a long association with the county’s pub trade, as their parents Peter and Beryl Hitchin were the former owners of the Plume of Feathers in Harley, near Much Wenlock.

James said he hoped the new-look Albert would benefit from the recent re-opening of The Buttermarket nightclub on Howard Street.

“We want to become the middle point from town to The Buttermarket,” he said.

Sounds like a plan, James.

And the very best of luck to you.

A postscript . . .

A week or so after our use of the fire escape at The Albert, I received this rather terse letter from the Trumpton Fire Brigade:

Dear Mr Gillam,

We feel we should point out that a fire escape is put in place for a very serious reason.

It is not there simply for people like you and your fellow revellers to access concerts staged by up-and-coming beat combos.

That said, if you do enjoy live music, perhaps we can recommend the Trumpton Fire Brigade Brass Band which plays every Sunday in the bandstand.

Yours sincerely,

Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble and Grub.