The Fisherman’s Arms, the Cliff Hotel and the Dolphin Inn, Cleethorpes

Originally three separate houses, the Fisherman’s Arms dates from the early 19^th Century and could be accessed from the corners of Wardall or Sea View Street. The Fisherman’s Arms retains a traditional timber frontage at ground floor level with classical pilasters (ornamental features giving the impression of supporting columns) flanking a series of large mullioned windows (divided by a vertical feature).

Along the first floor, a series of oriel windows (a set of windows arranged in a bay) presumably formed part of the accommodation and apartments advertised for rent to sailors and visitors throughout the 19^th century.

In 1885, this included a fisherman named John Clements, aged 18, who lost his balance from the topmast of a fishing smack (a traditional fishing boat with a sail) named The Granville and fell to his death. The pub was often the site of inquests into the death of sailors, such as Isaac Pegdon, an apprentice on board the Star of Brunswick who fell overboard while sculling and could not swim. Foreign sailors were also taken to the pub for inquests. In 1853, this included one Nicholas Yorganson, who, intoxicated, accidentally slipped off the plank while trying to board his vessel and drowned in the dock. Not all death connected to the pub involved the sea. In 1945, having seemingly filled a petrol canister, John Flinn of the Fisherman’s Arms and his son were killed after sticking a match in the canister to see if it was full!

As I prepare to enter the pub, I spot an empty lantern bracket attached to the fascia. Lamps often advertised the presence of a pub (especially during the Victorian era) and were sometimes required by licensing justices. Just below, in the glass above the door, are etched the words “The Fish”, a catchy colloquialism for the pub’s name (and not too dissimilar from “The Carp” I visited a few months ago in Boston). Inside, the main serving area is dominated by a prominent contemporary bar counter surrounded by walls lined with panelling. Exposed floorboards, dark oak chairs, and tables help promote the look and feel of a traditional pub with modern furnishings.

Just along the street from the Fisherman’s Arms, I make my way to the former site of the Cliff Hotel on the corner of Sea View Street, demolished in 2004 to make way for a modern apartment block. In the 1830s, the Cliff Hotel was a grand seaside villa owned by Richard Chapman overlooking the North Sea. In 1855, Chapman converted the house into a hotel and it remained a popular destination for visitors and residents for the next 100 years. At the beginning of the 20^th century, the hotel exterior was re-designed in a neo-classical style with rendered facade, rusticated (textured) brickwork and decorative stucco (plasterwork) in the form of swag and drop frieze underneath some windows. Towards the seafront, a large new entrance supported by columns and a segmental (curved) pediment welcomed guests. Under Hewitt’s, the Grimsby Brewery, the hotel side of the business was rebranded and functioned as the Toby Inn in the 1970s before the site was converted into a nightclub and remained under various names until the early 2000s. In 2003, the green light was given for the building’s demolition, bringing to a close over 170s years of seaside history.

Standing on the corner of Alexandra Road and Market Street, the Dolphin was rebuilt in the 1820s to accommodate guests to the burgeoning seaside town. This grand building is a jumble of architectural styles with hints of gothic and Romanesque revival and a splash of Italianate for good measure. The current Dolphin Inn was built in the 1820s and replaced an earlier 18^th century inn by the same name in the town, making it among the first ‘bathing inns’ on the Lincolnshire coast. Bathing machines allowed people to change their usual clothes into swimwear on the beach. They were popular from the second half of the 18^th century until the early 20^th century. In 1939, an advert for the Dolphin boasted of electric lights throughout the hotel and hot and cold running water in all bedrooms. This rivalled nearby hotels like the Cliff or Old Clee Park. An early 20^th century sketch of the hotel shows the building exterior hasn’t changed much. The front entrance glazed porch or portico has gone, and a single-storey range has been added to the north side. The hotel continued to attract household names as guests, including the comic duo Laurel and Hardy in the 1950s and Norman Wisdom in the 1970s. The Dolphin has recently undergone various uses and name changes, including a nightclub and an American-style eatery. It is currently a live music venue.