The Station Hotel.

This inn was first recorded as the Grapes in 1828 and once sported a very fine cast-iron bunch of grapes over the Castle Foregate entrance. It retained that name until 1939 but after the old Station Hotel on the corner of Castle Gates and Meadow Place was demolished to make way for the Granada Cinema the name was transferred. The original inn was housed in a much older timber-framed building, which was burnt down in January 1856 soon after the landlord Henry Birchall had taken over. The alarm was raised by the bells of St. Mary\'s Church being rang in \"reveres peals\" and the fire was fought by two engines from the Salop Fire Office, one from the North Wales Office and the Station and Factory engines. Hundreds of townspeople were also on hand to render assistance. Although the fire fighters were criticised by some sections of the public that they were slow to respond and that their apparatus was inadequate, it was generally agreed that the inn could not be saved. The \"helpers\" did manage to save a great deal of Mr. Birchall\'s property but the next day the Chief Constable was forced to issue a handbill requesting people to return the items they had rescued. During the chaos a thief masquerading as a helper, managed to make off with a box belonging to Mrs Birchall, which contained £4-15s. The \"helpers\" also managed to consume over twelve gallons of spirits while tackling the blaze!

During the last twenty years of the 19th Century the owner and landlord was Richard Ince who was also the proprietor of the Salopian Tin & Zinc Works, which business he conducted from the rear of his premises in Chester Street. In the Kelly\'s Directory of 1891 he advertised both businesses in this way, \"The Salopian Tin & Zinc Works. Wholesale & Retail Tin, Iron, Zinc, Brass, Wire & Copper-plate Worker. All kinds of petroleum & moderator lamps cleaned and repaired. Beer engines fixed & repaired. Gas fittings & repairs executed. Estimates given for all types of gas and water work. Tea urns for hire. All jobs neatly executed on the shortest notice. The Grapes Hotel & Posting House. Opposite the General Railway Station. Commercial visitors will find every accommodation on most reasonable terms. Ales, wines & spirits of superior quality, Choice cigars. Good stabling & cart room. Proprietor Richard Ince.\"

By 1900 the hotel consisted of five private and eight public rooms with accommodation in two rooms for eight people but by this date all stabling of horses had gone. There were five entrances into the building, one in Chester Street, one in Castle Foregate and three into a passage that led to Chester Street.

During the Second World War the landlord was Walter Smith who did his best to boost moral by decorating his bar with old matchboxes.