The Skittles Inn was designed by Raymond Unwin and Barry Parker, for use as a non-licensed public house. Opened on the 8th March 1907, The Inn combined the ideas of a continental cafe with that of an Old English Inn. The entrance hall still retains its original bar counter over which was sold Cydrax (a non-alcoholic apple wine), Bournville's Drinking Chocolate, Tea and Sarsparilla. The Skittles Inn closed in 1923, when the business transferred to Station Road. The building was then purchased by the Letchworth Adult Educational Settlement, which had previously been in rooms elsewhere in Letchworth.  It was officially reopened in 1925

Today it is still used as a meeting place for Letchworth people. The Settlement is currently a Grade II listed building.

Most people believe the Broadway was the first time people had tried to open Licensed premises serving alcoholic beverages, this would be wrong for back 1938. First Garden City Ltd chose the corner of Spring Road and Icknield Way for the site of the first licensed premises, then moved it to be opposite the end of Abbots Road. The real threat they faced was John Edwin Bigg, a butcher from Stotfold, who was applying for a licence to build a pub in his own parish. By the merest coincidence it would be a few yards from the county boundary, just across the road from Letchworth cemetery. Biggleswade magistrates had turned it down, while the  Letchworth citizens demanded another poll that took place on the 3rd June 1939. 1,880 citizens voted against any pub within the boundary of Letchworth being built while we had 1,435 citizens for so it got turned down. Mr Bigg had not given up and put his case before the Bench again which was approved in  February 1939 and the building of the  'Wilbury Hotel' started. In 32 years there had been six referenda which had all failed and kept Letchworth free of public houses.

During the war a bomb was dropped quite near the Three Horseshoes Inn at Norton, then there was the big explosion fairly close to the Wilbury Hotel, was the German air force targeting the pubs around Letchworth?  Winston Churchill had heard about this and apparently wrote a letter to the local paper to say he was giving instructions to Bomber Command to target some German pubs in retaliation, obviously tongue in cheek and a bit of morale boosting.

The Broadway Hotel a Toby house offering a Carvery today. This was Letchworth's first pub in the town owned by Charringtons that was open to residents only when it first opened. For more information click here

The Arena Tavern is on the arena parade. It was the First Garden City Free house to open in Letchworth. When the new plans for Letchworth go through this will have to relocate or close which is a pity as I feel its the best in town, small and friendly with some real ale on tap.

The Colonnade, Station Place was the old Eastern Electric showrooms selling all things electric. Today its called The Hogshead  serving real ale and food.

At 14-16 Station Road was The Litten Tree which was a pub to far. Today its a Chinese restaurant all you can eat for £9. prior to becoming a pub the property had been empty for many years, prior to this it was hardware shop.

The Three Magnets Public House opened in 1996 is in Leys Avenue, next to The Arcade. (map)  It is a J. D. Wetherspoon Free House also offering food and Wifi access. For many years the building was used by Brookers of Hitchin which sold furniture from this location for many years.

The first purpose made pub in the town centre. After a competition in the Local news paper it was named after Letchworth's famous tree rats, The Black Squirrel. The pub is situated on Gernon Road. The pub is now closed and has become a restaurant.

In 1969 'The Carousel' pub opened on Jackmans Estate it was felt that the man from London would not come to Letchworth without a place to have a drink. The Carousel was a Watneys Red Barrel house. After a refit it became The Gatehouse but to most it was The Carousel. Today it has completely gone as if it had never existed.

The Pelican on the Grange Estate, Letchworth was the main pub for Letchworth for many years with Thursday night packed out with resident D.J Vick Harris doing his sets. It then was renamed to Ebenezers which must have made an old man of Letchworth very happy as his town was dry.

Today the pub has been renamed The Orange Pelican