The Stables on West Street that was Stagecoach Restaurant

The Stagecoach Restaurant and Steakhouse sat on West Street and is now recognisable to Herefordians as The Stables pub.

Chef Paul Smith, who had been at the Stagecoach for much of his career. (Image: Hereford Times)

The restaurant, and the neighbouring mews, which was home to five "olde worlde" shops, topped by hotel accommodation, was the brainchild of developer Ken Williams, who became known for his catering business, along with Bake and Take in Commercial Road, a fish and chip shop.

Paul, Garth, Marlene, and Nicholas Storrer took over the restaurant in 1987. (Image: Hereford Times)

Although Mr Williams, who expanded the development, retained the mews, in 1987 he made the decision to sell the restaurant to Garth and Marlene Storrer for £500,000.

"The restaurant will not change at all, and I will be continuing with the development at the rear of the mews," Mr Williams said, adding that he was "very happy with the deal."

The building has a long and varied history, having originally been in the 1600s as a coaching inn, and changed its name to The Nelson in honour of the lord's visit to Hereford. In 1967, the building was closed and boarded up for 12 years. The building was once also used as a pig market.

The derelict building was renovated and reopened in 1978

Ken Williams in what is believed to be an abandoned tunnel underneath the building in 1986. (Image: Hereford Times)

When Mr William's builders were carrying out work in 1986, they found a secret tunnel that had been bricked up, and he believed that it could have led to St Peter's Church as part of a "labyrinth" of tunnels around the city.

In 1989, the restaurant and steak house changed hands once again, this time to a pair of Herefordian former Sun Valley workers and a chef who had clocked up 40 years between them.

Terry Emmett and Bob Sissons, along with their chef, Paul Smith, embarked on their new venture in July of that year, aiming to bring some of the county's finest steaks to diners' tables, along with an expansive à la carte menu.

The Stables pub was put on the market late last year after being within the same family for 50 years. The pub is yet to be sold, and is on the market for £290,000.