Delving into the history of the 'Carlisle Experiment' in pubs as Covid-19 restrictions lift

Historic England has released details of the 'Carlisle Experiment' – a scheme launched during the First World War to prevent excessive drinking.

The radical step, taken to curb the war effort-threatening binge drinking, included engineering pub layouts to allow for easier supervision of customers’ behaviour, and the introduction of food to the establishments.

One year after a 1915 report showed that the alcohol-related problems in Carlisle, Annan and Gretna were affecting the production of military weapons – due to high rates of absenteeism at the factories – the Government launched an ambitious acquisition programme across the area.

Pubs, hotels, breweries, shops and other facilities linked to the alcohol were all bought by the Government and became model designs, building on new concepts such as segregated spaces for ‘first’ and ‘second classes’, and separate rooms for women, who were previously excluded from pub life.

State Managed Pub Scheme Carlisle. The Apple Tree, 55 Lowther St, Carlisle, Cumbria. Exterior, portrait of Dylan McKenzie, Manager, outside The Apple Tree pub on Lowther St, Carlisle, just before re-opening on 17 May 2021 after the Covid-19 pandemic has

Family-orientated activities and spaces were also created, such as bowling greens, and toilets were provided at some venues for the first time.

Alongside the pubs retained after nationalisation, many were rebuilt and newly designed, and those built between 1916 and 1949 were the creations of the celebrated pub architect Harry Redfern.

Although similar in layout and concept, no two designs for new public houses were the same, as Redfern took great care to ensure that individual designs met locals’ needs.

The Apple Tree on Lowther Street, Carlisle, was the first of the new improved public houses built under the scheme, opening in 1927, and set the standard for Redfern’s subsequent designs.

Its location on the street corner made it easy for the authorities to monitor those entering and leaving the public house with no access possible through back doors, and the layout of the Apple Tree was considered innovative, catering for combinations of genders and classes in separate rooms.

Dylan Mckenzie, general manager at The Apple Tree, said: “The story of the Apple Tree is part of Carlisle’s rich heritage, and we’re thrilled to be throwing open our doors once again for customers to enjoy themselves in the surroundings of this special building.”

The Spinners Arms in Cummersdale, which opened in June 1930, is also considered “a good and very attractive example of one of Redfern’s smaller new model inns”, with a well-preserved exterior and a surviving Delft pottery fireplace.

Joy: Spinners Arms landlady, Alison Davis, is excited to see her customers again

Alison and Alain Davis, owners of the Spinners Arms, said: “Of the 14 years we’ve owned the Spinners Arms, the last year has easily been the most challenging for us and our wonderful customers.

“We’re really looking forward to having everyone back inside, enjoying a pint from our own brewery, and perhaps discovering a bit about the amazing history of the place too!”

The scheme ran for 57 years, from 1916 to 1973, with more than 400 pubs involved across the three districts of Carlisle, Enfield and Cromarty Firth.

Today, 333 of these buildings remain, 93 of which are now listed.

According to the Historic England report, many are under threat, not only through alteration, but also as a result of closure and demolition.

Clare Howard, architectural investigator at Historic England, said: “This research documents the survival of so many of these remarkable buildings, which introduced many features of the modern public house and highlights the need for continued care and protection.”

The Carlisle Experiment, State Management Scheme. The Spinners Arms, Cummersdale Road, Cummersdale, Carlisle, Cumbria. Interior view from West.

Tom Dodd, Carlisle State Management researcher, said: “Carlisle has a continuous history dating back to before the Romans, so it’s surprising that the period from the First World War until the 1970s is so little recorded in the history books, as this was a time when Carlisle and its surroundings were the subject of one of the country’s great social experiments – the state management of its pubs and breweries.

“This excellent publication from Historic England fills a major gap, and has been long awaited.”