Page 1150 - Reading Mercury

£200,000 facelift. The Molly Millar in Station Road will now be known as Big Hand
Mo’s Goodtime Emporium. The new name is part of the recent refurbishment
programme by owners Scottish and Newcastle. Brewery bosses say the vamped-up
pub will be the most exciting concept since the big bang.
But while the pool tables and hi-tech video machines may prove a hit with some
customers, the decision to change the name would anger local history buffs. The
Molly Millar is a historic name in Wokingham. Other local landmarks which bear it
include Molly Millars Lane, Molly Millars Road, Molly Millars Close, Molly Millars
Bridge and the Molly Millar industrial estate.
But despite the famous name, mystery still revolves around the true identity of one
of Wokingham’s best known women. The popular theory is that Molly Millar was
actually Molly Mogg, daughter of the landlord of The Olde Rose Inne, whose
legendary beauty was immortalised in a 1726 ballad by John Gay. But county records
show no evidence of Molly Mogg ever marrying and changing her name to Millar, nor
any link between her and the pub in Station Road. Other people believe that Molly
Millar was simply an old wood gatherer who lived down the lane which now bears her
name.
Whatever the truth behind the story, the Station Road pub was not called the Molly
Millar until 1960 when the then owners, Watney’s changed the name from the
Railway Tavern. Now, Scottish Newcastle have decided the name needs to be
changed again to fit the pub’s more modern image.
A spokesman said that Big Hand Mo is the name of a fictitious pool player in
keeping with the new look. The pub has been closed for the facelift. It is due to reopen
on Thursday, August 10th. Eight new jobs have been created at the new-look pub.

Thur 3rd Aug.
THEN.AND NOW (PIN AND BOWL)
The Pin and Bowl has stood derelict in Finchampstead Road for some time. But last
week the bulldozers moved in and now only the ruins of the building remain. The
18th century pub has become a victim of the proposed development of the
Wokingham Town F.C. Ground by Higgs and Hill.
Seeing the pub reduced to rubble stirred up some strong emotions for former
landlord and landlady Lennie and Joan Best. The couple, from Batty’s Barn Close
said a lot of people had very good times during the 16 years they were in the Courage
pub. After many happy memories as publicans between 1973 and 1989, the Bests said
they could not let the pub just crumble without comment.
Author of Old Pubs and Inns of Wokingham, Dennis Ayres said the site had quite a
history. There used to be a tannery on the site about 300 years ago but the pub itself
was built about 1720 and was a brewery and a mill, presumably for grinding malt. It
was called the Nine Pin and Bowl and the whole area around it was a pub come
industrial estate in a minor sort of way with all sorts of other buildings around the
back.
Under planning rules, Higgs and Hill have been able to demolish the Pin and Bowl
without permission because it is a public house. They still need approval to demolish
the neighbouring cottages. Meanwhile the developers wait on the side lines with their
plans to build houses on the football ground site when the club eventually move to a
new ground.

Thur 24th Aug
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF ADAM MCKINLEY

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