the Mons pub Bootle

[hannah]

After the War, Bootle twinned with Mons. Until recently there was a large pub called the Mons in Bootle. It survived the Blitz but the march of progress has determined it should no longer be so called - it is now The Two for One, to emphasise the fact that for the cost of one, the customer gets another gratis. I preferred it the way it was.

I've heard there's a pub or bar called the Bootle in Mons - does anyone know if this is right please?

[Tom Morgan]

Not sure about the bar, but there is a "Place de Bootle"

[ianw]

This certainly is an interesting twinning . I also understand that certain places in the North had pubs after the Great war which sold loads of Benedictine because troops from the areas had been billetted in areas where Benedictine was produced and developed a consideable taste for the stuff !

[Tom Morgan]

Yes - I have heard that Benedictine - or "Benny" - became a popular drink in the North-East.

[CROONAERT]

The "Burnley Miners Institute",obviously in Burnley, Lancashire has been recorded (1995) as selling more Benedictine than anywhere else in Britain (the article I read in the "Burnley Express" actually said Europe - but I'm unsure).

The reason being that in 1919, a battallion of either the East Lancs.(the local regiment) or the Lancashire Fusiliers (I can't remember which) was stationed in Fecamp,Normandy (where Benedictine is made)awaiting demob. Many bottles were brought back to Burnley,and the local area where the locals got a taste for it. The taste lingers even to this day - you'd be hard pressed to find a pub or club in Burnley that doesn't stock it!