Pints, pubs and Pennywell - a story of Sunderland in 1993

By Chris Cordner

Digital specialist in nostalgia

Published 29th Aug 2024, 12:38 BST

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Let’s raise a toast to this Sunderland pub which had a Summer launch 31 years ago.

The Pride in Pennywell campaign was a big project in 1993 and it aimed to lift the image of the area.

A new name for the former Pennywell Inn

Along with it came the re-launch and renaming of a pub which became known as the Pride in Pennywell.

Vaux Group managing director Frank Nicholson did the honours of formally re-naming the public house.

Three cheers to the new The Pride in Pennywell.
Pictured are;
Front: Elaine Hutchinson, Julie Worral and Dawn Rodwell; Middle row: Betty Hepton, Kelly Bacon and Marjorie Atkinson;
Rear: Paul James. Frank Nicolson and David Ditmar. — Three cheers to the new The Pride in Pennywell. Pictured are; Front: Elaine Hutchinson, Julie Worral and Dawn Rodwell; Middle row: Betty Hepton, Kelly Bacon and Marjorie Atkinson; Rear: Paul James. Frank Nicolson and David Ditmar. | se

Three cheers to the new The Pride in Pennywell.
Pictured are;
Front: Elaine Hutchinson, Julie Worral and Dawn Rodwell; Middle row: Betty Hepton, Kelly Bacon and Marjorie Atkinson;
Rear: Paul James. Frank Nicolson and David Ditmar. — Three cheers to the new The Pride in Pennywell. Pictured are; Front: Elaine Hutchinson, Julie Worral and Dawn Rodwell; Middle row: Betty Hepton, Kelly Bacon and Marjorie Atkinson; Rear: Paul James. Frank Nicolson and David Ditmar. | se

‘I hope the pub will act as a flagship’

“I hope the pub will act as a flagship for the feelings of the estate, ” he told 100 guests in the re-designed lounge back in 1993.

The name change was a natural for the house once Vaux decided to give the old Pennywell Inn a £130,000 facelift.

The day the newly renamed Pride In Pennywell pub opened in Sunderland. — The day the newly renamed Pride In Pennywell pub opened in Sunderland. | se

The day the newly renamed Pride In Pennywell pub opened in Sunderland. — The day the newly renamed Pride In Pennywell pub opened in Sunderland. | se

Fighting back against national publicity

Mr Nicholson was co-chairman of the Pride in Pennywell campaign, which had been launched 18 months earlier.

A view of the same pub in 1977 when it was known as the Pennywell Inn.
Customers and their children were holding a Jubilee party at the venue. — A view of the same pub in 1977 when it was known as the Pennywell Inn. Customers and their children were holding a Jubilee party at the venue. | se

A view of the same pub in 1977 when it was known as the Pennywell Inn.
Customers and their children were holding a Jubilee party at the venue. — A view of the same pub in 1977 when it was known as the Pennywell Inn. Customers and their children were holding a Jubilee party at the venue. | se

Its aim was to counter national publicity, which was giving the estate a notorious reputation.

The “appalling bad publicity” had been engulfing Pennywell, said Mr Nicholson.

Tell us if you were a regular in the Pride in Pennywell and what you remember about the pub by emailing [email protected]

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