The Three Compasses was the last of the St Peter's Street trio of
traditional pubs to undergo rejunenation to appeal to the younger, more profitable drinkers
between 1997 and 2001 (the Kentish Cricketers became Oranges and the Black Griffin became the Hobgoblin).
It wasn't a bad old place, old style white and green interior, dartboard in the
corner. It also had Canterbury's highest urinal in the gents toilet.
The Three Compasses unexpectedly closed down at the start of 2001 and made way for
a blue and purple modern bar. Modern in this case means a simple repaint with metal chairs and tables (hmm...), weird square 'sculptures' on the wall, sofas in the chill-out area to the rear of the pub and, on
one visit anyway, a bowl of water for a dog by the bar.
It became Canterbury's
main (only?) gay-firendly pub. We don't know exactly when (or why) it became
City One, a dismal, weird pub/Internet cafe hybrid mockery, but luckily it
didn't last long. It reopened as lady Luck in June 2009. We've not visited yet,
but as it's a rock 'n' roll pub we're expecting a massive change again.
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