The Grey Goose public house at 73 Arnold Lane in Gedling was another of our long lost estate pubs, known colloquially as The Mucky Duck or The Dirty Duck. It opened in December 1956 and operated mainly as a tied house for Shipstones Brewery, becoming known in the wider area for music nights in the back room, popular with a younger crowd. Throughout the 80s it became known for Monday night biker nights, attracting motorbike riders and rock music.
Like many traditional suburban pubs, trade declined in the noughties and it finally closed in October 2010 and the building was subsequently demolished. A care home was built on the site.
Thanks to a recent post by Steve Turner the Old Nottingham Picture page on Facebook
This is a photo of the first pub my parents ran, when we moved to Nottingham in 1967. They ran the Grey Goose in Gedling from ‘67 to 1977. I was aged 9 when we moved in, and 19 when we left. We all loved the time we spent there, even though it was hard work for mum and dad. The photo is of the Goose as it was when we took over – Samuel Smith brewery (Taddy Ales), well before Shipstones took over. Gedling Colliery was of course open and running at that time, and the pub was really busy – we made some great friends with many of the miners. I felt sad when I first saw the pub had been demolished and replaced by a Care Home.
This prompted several memories, including one from the Biker Night crowd.
Tom Horrocks – Came off a Fireblade straight outside it . Still got the scars on knees and elbow. Own fault 😂 great times there tho that aside.
David Jeffries – I went to school from 1961 to 1966 with a late friend Leon Taylor who lived on Priory Road, Gedling and whose parents were the previous tenants I believe.
Gillian – As kids we used to walk up with mum from Earls Crescent off Jessops Lane to the beer-off way back in mid 60’s I think you and your family were there then Steve, no houses across the road on Lambley Lane back then, only Farmer Poole’s cows in the fields. Mum used to take her jug with her and the beer was “pulled” by the old-fashioned pumps. Me and my 2 siblings would get a packet of plain “Smiths” crisps with a little blue packet of salt inside. The smell of the beer would hit you as soon as the off-licence door was opened and like you no doubt did Steve, we used to ride our ponies on the land at the back of the pub before it was built on. Oh happy days.❤️
Rob Morley – The ‘Mucky Duck’ was one of the summer pubs for bikers and I seem to remember a rock disco too…
Poole’s Farm was on the land off Arnold Lane at Lambley Lane where the houses on Lorimer Avenue and Avon Road were built. The farm house remains on the corner of Arnold Lane next to the Almshouses.