Smoke House Inn, Beck Row visitors

Saturday 16 February 1991 – During the period of the 1991 Gulf War additional security arrangements were in force at the USAF occupied air base at RAF Mildenhall which resulted in the normal National Express boarding point becoming inaccessible. The alternative stop, which I think eventually remained permanent, was outside the Smoke House Inn. Ambassador Travel 111 (G111 HNG), a Plaxton Paramount bodied Leyland Tiger new in October 1989, was seen at 0835 when working the 0640 National Express service 095 from Cromer to London. The Smoke House became quite a large establishment with additional hotel bedrooms provided in large ground floor extensions. Coach tour companies large and small based their East Anglian tours at the hotel for some years. Around 2010 the hotel closed and most of the site redeveloped with housing.

Saturday 8 July 1995 – Snell’s Coaches of Newton Abbot, Devon JIL 8729 leaving the The Smoke House Inn at Beck Row on a ‘Constable Country’ tour operated for Majestic Tours. It is a Van Hool Alizeé bodied Scania K112 which I think had been new to Miller of Foxton in August 1988 registered F949 NER. Before its closure the Smoke House regularly had a couple of coach tours based there each week.

Saturday 8 July 1995 – Snell’s Coaches of Newton Abbot, Devon JIL 8729 leaving the The Smoke House Inn at Beck Row on a ‘Constable Country’ tour operated for Majestic Tours. It is a Van Hool Alizée bodied Scania K112 which I think had been new to Miller of Foxton in August 1988 registered F949 NER. Before its closure the Smoke House regularly had a couple of coach tours based there each week.

Saturday 8 July 1995 – Snell’s Coaches of Newton Abbot, Devon JIL 8729 leaving the The Smoke House Inn at Beck Row on a ‘Constable Country’ tour operated for Majestic Tours. It is a Van Hool Alizée bodied Scania K112 which I think had been new to Miller of Foxton in August 1988 registered F949 NER. Before its closure the Smoke House regularly had a couple of coach tours based there each week.

Thursday 7 April 2005 (approx 1830) - Burtons Coaches GB53 BCL, a Caetano bodied Volvo B12B new in December 2003, seen at the Smoke House Inn in Beck Row. Premier fleetnames are carried, a famous East Anglian bus and coach name, a name which Burtons acquired from Stagecoach Cambus for a nominal sum (I had heard it was £1).

Thursday 7 April 2005 (approx 1830) - Burtons Coaches GB53 BCL, a Caetano bodied Volvo B12B new in December 2003, seen at the Smoke House Inn in Beck Row. Premier fleetnames are carried, a famous East Anglian bus and coach name, a name which Burtons acquired from Stagecoach Cambus for a nominal sum (I had heard it was £1).

Tuesday 25 July 1995 – Beeston’s (Hadleigh) Limited FIL 8615 setting down the clientele of a Saga Holidays tour The Smoke House Inn at Beck Row near Mildenhall. It is a Van Hool bodied Leyland Tiger new in May 1987 to Travellers of Hounslow registered D283 HMT). The Smoke House was host to numerous holiday tour coaches for quite a few years. In the background is Wallace Arnold L946 NWW, a Jonckheere Deauville bodied Volvo B10M new in February 1994, was already parked up for the night.

Tuesday 25 July 1995 – The Smoke House Inn at Beck Row near Mildenhall was host to numerous holiday tour coaches for a few years. In this view Wallace Arnold L946 NWW, a Jonckheere Deauville bodied Volvo B10M that was new in February 1994, was parked up for the night. Beeston’s (Hadleigh) Limited FIL 8615, a Van Hool bodied Leyland Tiger new in May 1987 to Travellers of Hounslow registered D283 HMT), was just setting down the clientele of a Saga Holidays tour.

Monday 14 July 1997 - Boons Coaches of Boreham near Chelmsford KSU 369, a Setra S215HD new with that registration in March 1993, seen parking up at the Smoke House Inn at Beck Row near Mildenhall. The Smoke House was host to numerous holiday tour coaches for quite a few years and in this shot there are three coaches staying the night. On the left is Dawlish Coaches F996 HSE on a Majestic Tour and Excelsior Holidays 519 (XEL 31). The latter two companies were among the most regular visitors on East Anglian 5 day tours usually arriving on Monday afternoon/evening and departing Friday morning. On the three days in between they would visit destinations like Cambridge or Constable Country.

Friday 29 September 1995 - Phillips and Company (Bow Belle) of Crediton, Devon G408 WPF seen at the Smoke House Inn, Beck Row, near Mildenhall during a Constable Country tour worked for Majestic Tours. It is a Jonckheere Deauville bodied DAF SB2305 that was new to Pullman Executive Travel (Thomas) of Wokingham in May 1990.

Friday 28 April 1995 – Dawlish Coaches of Dawlish, South Devon GIL 1683, a Van Hool Alizée bodied Volvo B10M, seen at the Smoke House in Beck Row, near Mildenhall when operating a tour on behalf of Majestic Holidays. Before its closure (and subsequent demolition) the Smoke House regularly hosted a couple of coach tours each week. The tours were usually of a 5 day duration arriving Monday teatime and departing after breakfast on Friday. On the three days in between the party was taken on day trips to the locations outlined in the tour title, ‘Constable Country’, ‘Cambridge and East Anglia’ etc.

Friday 28 April 1995 – Dawlish Coaches of Dawlish, South Devon GIL 1683, a Van Hool Alizée bodied Volvo B10M, seen at the Smoke House in Beck Row, near Mildenhall when operating a tour on behalf of Majestic Holidays. Before its closure circa 2008 the Smoke House regularly had a couple of coach tours based there each week. Companies large and small from different areas of the country used it as a base for their five day tours to different East Anglian tourist spots like Cambridge, Constable Country, Norfolk Broads, Suffolk Villages etc. The coaches tended to arrive on Monday afternoons and leave on Friday mornings. Part of the original building, which is now Grade II listed and occupied by a different business, can be seen in the background. On the left is a newer extension wing constructed in the late 1970s which housed a Conference Centre and most of the bedroom accommodation (around 100 bedrooms). This block, some ancillary buildings and the parking area plus adjacent open land became redeveloped with housing. Built close to the U S Air Force occupied RAF Mildenhall air base the Smoke House mainly served visiting Americans but following the terrorist attacks in September 2001 such visitors found alternative on base accommodation. This resulted in a serious downtown in business although the coach tour business went some way to reverse the decline for a few years until final closure.

Week of 2 October 1995 – The Smoke House Inn was rather popular with a number of different tour companies large and small using it as a base for their five day tours to different East Anglian tourist spots like Cambridge, Constable Country, Norfolk Broads, Suffolk Villages etc. The coaches tended to arrive on Monday afternoons and leave on Friday mornings. Left is Dawlish Coaches F996 HGE working for Majestic Tours of Teignmouth, Devon. It is a Plaxton Paramount bodied Volvo B10M that had been new to Parks of Hamilton in March 1989. Right is Wallace Arnold Tours L940 NWW a Plaxton Excalibur bodied Volvo B10M new in June 1994.

Thursday 29 or Friday 30 July 1995 – Before its closure the Smoke House Inn at Beck Row near Mildenhall regularly had a couple of coach tours based there each week. Dawlish Coaches H920 BPN, a Van Hool T815 Alizée, was working for Majestic Tours. It was new in February 1991 to Brighton Coaches.

Wc 29 April 1996 – Before its closure the Smoke House Inn at Beck Row near Mildenhall regularly had a couple of coach tours based there each week. Left: Wallace Arnold Tours N225 HWX, a Plaxton Première bodied Volvo B10M new in March 1996. Right: Dawlish Coaches M587 KTT, a Bova Futura FHD 12-340 new in January 1995, lettered for Majestic Tours.

Tuesday 23 May 1995 – The Smoke House Inn was rather popular with a number of different tour companies large and small using it as a base for their five day tours to different East Anglian tourist spots like Cambridge, Constable Country, Norfolk Broads, Suffolk Villages etc. The coaches tended to arrive on Monday afternoons and leave on Friday mornings. Part of the original building, which is now Grade II listed and occupied by a different business, can be seen in the background. On the left is a newer extension wing constructed in the late 1970s which housed a Conference Centre and most of the bedroom accommodation (around 100 bedrooms). This block, some ancillary buildings and the parking area plus adjacent open land became redeveloped with housing. Built close to the U S Air Force occupied RAF Mildenhall air base the Smoke House mainly served visiting Americans but following the terrorist attacks in September 2001 such visitors found alternative on base accommodation. This resulted in a serious downtown in business although the coach tour business went some way to reverse the decline for a few years until final closure. Dawlish Coaches F276 WAF, a Van Hool Alizée bodied Volvo B10M new in January 1989 to Fords of Gunnislake, Cornwall. Parked on the right is Wallace Arnold Tours K846 HUM, a Plaxton Premiere 320 bodied Volvo B10M new in March 1993.

Week commencing 24 June 1996 - The Smoke House Inn at Beck Row near Mildenhall was rather popular with a number of different tour companies large and small using it as a base for their five day tours to different East Anglian tourist spots like Cambridge, Constable Country, Norfolk Broads, Suffolk Villages etc. The coaches tended to arrive on Monday afternoons and leave on Friday mornings. Right is Dawlish Coaches F996 HGE, a Plaxton Paramount bodied Volvo B10M new in March 1989 to Park’s of Hamilton. It was working for Majestic Tours. Left: The 1994 intake of coaches to the Wallace Arnold Tours fleet included 15 bodied by Van Hool (L906-920 NWW), 29 by Jonckheere (L901-905/L942-965 NWW) and 21 by Plaxton (L921-941 NWW). L909 NWW is a Van Hool Alizée bodied Volvo B10M new in March 1994.

Week commencing 24 June 1996 - The Smoke House Inn at Beck Row near Mildenhall was rather popular with a number of different tour companies large and small using it as a base for their five day tours to different East Anglian tourist spots like Cambridge, Constable Country, Norfolk Broads, Suffolk Villages etc. The coaches tended to arrive on Monday afternoons and leave on Friday mornings. Left is Dawlish Coaches F996 HGE, a Plaxton Paramount bodied Volvo B10M new in March 1989 to Park’s of Hamilton. It was working for Majestic Tours. Right: The 1994 intake of coaches to the Wallace Arnold Tours fleet included 15 bodied by Van Hool (L906-920 NWW), 29 by Jonckheere (L901-905/L942-965 NWW) and 21 by Plaxton (L921-941 NWW). L909 NWW is a Van Hool Alizée bodied Volvo B10M new in March 1994.