History
The Sebright Arms is named after The Sebright Arms Music Hall which once stood in Coate Street. The pub has been a well known Heavy Metal venue in the 1970s, a Disco pub in the 80s, Cabaret pub in the 90s, closed for demolition and redevelopment in 2009...
There has been a Sebright Arms pub in Coate Street since the early 19th Century. In 1837 it was a gathering point for an angry crowd intent on freeing prisoners being transported to a Prison Hulk.
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The Sebright Arms Music Hall - opened in 1865 as a music room annexed to the Sebright Arms Public House, with a capacity of 704.
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By the 1970s the pub was a venue for Heavy Metal bands before becoming a Disco pub. Problems with this resulted in the pub closing for 9 months.
The pub reopened in 1989 with the line ‘Traditional Music Hall returns to the East End’ featuring regular band nights, dancing and live Jazz on Sundays. Barbara Windsor was the special guest at the opening.
In the 1990s the pub became a successful cabaret venue with many drag acts and East End singalongs.
The pub was bought by property developers in 2008 and planning permission was sought to demolish the building and build flats.
During this time the pub still hosted live music at ground floor with DJs downstairs. Following a police raid in 2009 the pub closed and remained closed while the owners continued to seek planning for the flats.
The pub began to feature on a number of web sites listing the disappearing pubs of East London. But in 2010 following a petition from locals and regulars the planning application was refused.
After being closed for 3 years the pub is now open. It turns out that the basement – in almost continuous use for over 20 years - was never actually licensed for the sale of alcohol. There is now a fully licensed bar downstairs with a venue once again hosting a variety of live entertainment.
If you know of any more information about the Sebright’s more colourful history please email Mail@sebrightarms.co.uk
The Morning Chronicle (London), Monday, September 4, 1837
ATTEMPT TO RESCUE CONVICTS – on Wednesday morning, Harris, Bryan, Birbeck and Corfield, desperate characters who had been convicted of highway robbery, housebreaking, and who long had been a terror to our city, were removed to the Ganymede Hulk to undergo their various terms of transportation. Mr. Lavender, the governor of the gaol, received information late on Tuesday night that a number of desperate characters having been informed of their intended removal by the coach next morning, had determined to rescue the thieves. He immediately applied to the mayor and obtained the services of the police, who accompanied the coach on which they were chained out of town, to the Sebright Arms were they were saluted with a volley of stones and abuse from some of the most desperate characters of the city. A mob of about 500 ruffians had assembled near Whittington, where they intended to have carried their plan into effect, but the coach drove through Spetchley without stopping and disappointed them. When the enraged miscreants returned to the town, a woman named Corfield, sister to the convict, sprung upon Inspector Douglas and most grossly assaulted him. She was immediately taken into custody by the police, but the mob led on by a blacksmith, named Budgen, after a desperate struggle, rescued her. Budgen was himself secured and placed in gaol. About twelve o’clock he was taken before the mayor and other justices of the city, where, after an examination, he was convicted in a penalty of five pounds, or three months imprisonment and hard labour. Mr. Lavender, who was present, said that had it not been for the courage of the police the intention of the mob to rescue the convicts would have been effected.
Called variously Sebright's Palace of Varieties, Belmont music hall, and Regent's theatre, it rapidly established itself as one of the East End’s leading halls. Under the management of George Belmont (who was also known as “Barnum’s Beauty”) a system of “Two Houses Nightly” was introduced. It was claimed to be the first time twice-nightly variety was performed. The Sebright hosted performances by Charlie Chaplin in 1894 (singing patriotic songs) and one of Marie Lloyd’s earliest appearances. Above the stage was the inscription: 'Let the evening's enjoyment bear the morning's reflection'.
