Butchers Arms, Audley

Rebuilt in 1933, the new facade was set back some three feet from the original - evidenced by before and after photos framed in the Public bar. Features celebrate the local landowning family. This sizeable 1930s brick built pub is little altered with three rooms. There is a splendid hall from the front door (a 1970s replacement) with 1930s fielded panelling and a tiled floor. The door to the servery for staff has a sliding leaded window, shelf and a ‘2’ on it. On the front right is the Public Bar with ‘1’ on the door, which has lost its leaded glass panel. The most distinct feature is the three sectioned ceiling with a cornice of grapes and Tudor rose (symbols on the Bouchier family crest). There is more fielded panelling around the walls, a tiled floor, what looks like the original counter but with a new top and the brick fireplace has been replaced. Originally the bar back went half way across the servery with a gap for staff i.e. part of the bar back fitting was removed in the 1980s. There is a piece of modern shelving on the outside wall side. Recent redecoration (2021) intoduced a gre/blue colour scheme and green re-upholstery on the bench seating

On the rear right is the lounge still with its ‘Lounge’ leaded panel and ‘3’ on the door. It too has a three sectioned ceiling with a cornice of grapes and Tudor rose symbols and 1930s dado panelling. Above the Tudor shaped stone arch fireplace is a plaster crest of the Bouchier family (Lord Audley married into the Bouchier family). The original counter has Fleur-de-lys symbols but a new Formica top and the fixed seating looks like a modern addition rather than a replacement. At the rear of the lounge is the inner Off Sales door with ‘5’ on it (which has been moved from where there is now a wine display in the servery) forming part of a partition wall, together with the original exterior doors! The partition wall was added to create space for the kitchen behind. The exterior off sales door can be seen by walking down a path alongside the pub. This room, too, has been recently redecorated and the wood slatting on the back wall is not especially in keeping with the rest of the decor. The rear left room has ‘Smoke Room’ in the leaded panel in the door and a ‘4’ on it and is now used for diners. It retains its original 1930s brick and wood surround fireplace, original fixed seating all around (re-upholstered with red moquette in the 1980's) and bell pushes. The gents has floor to ceiling fielded panelled walls in the ante room, but the toilets themselves are modernised.

A dado of fielded panelling runs up the staircase to the first floor where the function room has a 1930s brick fireplace, the bar looks like a early 1970s addition as is the fixed seating. The pub was built with an early form of air conditioning driven by electricity - the air extractor is in the loft and the licensee believes it could still work. Look for the vents above the public bar counter, lounge counter and in the function room, also circular wall vents in all three downstairs rooms. Although the front windows are modern uPVC, they are a copy of the original ones and set into the original "tongue and groove" brick window stanchions, which were carefully dismantled and then reassembled with the new double glazed units. It is closed lunchtimes Mon to Sat; opens at 7 (6 Thu – pie night) to 11; Sun 12 to 3; 7 to 10.30.