George Hopkins

George Hopkins, The New Inn, 59 Baxtergate, Loughborough, Leicestershire.

In 1809, the New Inn was bought by Mr Marsden for £510, with the tenant being Edward Ratcliffe. In 1835 Charles Garret was the victualler at the New Inn, which by 1848 was being kept by James Gore.

George Hopkins was the first identified brewer for the period 1877-84. Prior to this in 1835, Thomas Hopkins was a maltster in Church Gate. The Albion on the Canal Bank, which beer guides describe as an old brew-pub, was being run by William Hopkins. Then from 1835 to 1846 Thomas Hopkins was a coal merchant, maltster, wharfinger and victualler at the Greyhound in Thames Street, Leicester. Thomas Hopkins junior was at the Cooper’s Arms, Barrow Street, as a beerhouse keeper in 1882.

In 1882 Adams Arthur, the victualler of the New Inn was in liquidation. By 1884 George Blant was the victualler and four years later Albert Holland. In 1888, the owner, JO Hargreaves, applied to transfer the licence to a property in Oxford Street. The turnover in landlords suggests that the pub was not trading very well and brewing had probably ceased. The pub which was next to the Infirmary, was later owned by Shipstone & Sons Ltd and was still trading in 1980, but now has been closed and demolished.