Does anyone know why it was called the armada?
You are correct it was named after the style it was built in, it used to have the walk way from the steps along the front to the entrance I used to live in hawkesyard road and regularly went into the Amanda on a Friday and Saturday night before heading to the Locarno in town, used to use it before Villa home games on a Saturday/mid week as well a large group of us used to meet in there, remember around ten of us coming out of there on a Friday night in 79 and deciding we were all going to hitch hike to Ipswich, we managed to get to London and then got a coach from Victoria that arrived outside Portman road with 30 minutes to spare, we all ended up bunking the football special train back to New street, great day and a great laugh , remember going into the armarda with the bar to the right, pin ball and fruit machines at the far end by the rear doors, the long passage to the toilets that also lead to the Bar area, was always a lively crowd in there but never recall any trouble.I used to pop into The Armada during the 70s and 80s, occasionally. Further to why it was called that (posts #13, 14 & 16 refer), we had always thought it was named after the style/look of the pub itself. I think there were artexed walls and dark wooden panels, given it was built at the same time as the junction, perhaps it was a nod to a lot of people then looking to take package holidays in Spain. I doubt there was any actual Armada or naval link (we couldn't get much further from the sea, could we? ). It was very 70s, but I've been in worse pubs and at the time, I liked it more than some of my friends did. This is what now stands in it's place:
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My next door neighbour Mrs Knowles worked behind the bar in the 70sYou are correct it was named after the style it was built in, it used to have the walk way from the steps along the front to the entrance I used to live in hawkesyard road and regularly went into the Amanda on a Friday and Saturday night before heading to the Locarno in town, used to use it before Villa home games on a Saturday/mid week as well a large group of us used to meet in there, remember around ten of us coming out of there on a Friday night in 79 and deciding we were all going to hitch hike to Ipswich, we managed to get to London and then got a coach from Victoria that arrived outside Portman road with 30 minutes to spare, we all ended up bunking the football special train back to New street, great day and a great laugh , remember going into the armarda with the bar to the right, pin ball and fruit machines at the far end by the rear doors, the long passage to the toilets that also lead to the Bar area, was always a lively crowd in there but never recall any trouble.