Named after the nearby Crown Hills rifle (Spinney Hill) range which opened circa 1879. The Rifle Butts post dates the range, circa 1881.
Pictured circa 1948 (John Zienteck). LBM the owners who purchased the pub from Thomas Healy and Joseph Barker in June 1901. The address then was in Evington Parish. Directory address was often given as Nottingham Road New or North Evington.
Finally granted a 7 day licence September 1898, after being refused the previous seven years at the Brewster Sessions.
The Rifle Butts was one of the pubs to suffer demographically when different cultures moved into the area. Up for sale 2014, closed & standing empty early 2016.
This is where I grew up with my sister Karen & my brother Paul. My Dad & Mum, Bim & Mavis Brown took over from my grandad George Brown on 4th feb 1965, the day I was born. We were there for 37 years
Many thanks for the info Phil,