Built in the 1790s and called the Lord Collingwood. In 1835 it became the Lambton Arms. The front of the bar was in King Street on the 1860 OS map. It was rebuilt in 1892.
Beer engines (pumps) weren’t installed in the Lambton until 1960. Prior to that, beer was pulled straight from the wood and had to be carried up from the cellar!
It changed its name to The Smugglers in the early 1980s.
Alongside the Lambton is a very narrow alley way which links King Street to East Street and is called the “Lambton Snicket”.
The interior of The Lambton consists of one room with the bar at the back. There is a small single bar with a quite a selection of whiskeys at the right of the bar.
In cold weather there is always a log fire burning and any new customers are instantly drawn to this like a magnet.
The Lambton is unusual in that it used to open at 7.00 in the morning.
The Lambton closed in May 2023 its future status is currently unknown.
Sources:
Licensing Records
Terry Ford
Photos:
Ron Lawson (Sunderland Antiquarian Society)
Terry Ford