Beccles Wine Vaults
last updated Aug 7th, 2025.
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Beccles Wine Vaults
also traded as Vovo, Old Wine Vaults, Harvey's Bar
North East, 52.4568,1.56408
Closed: 21st century
opened after 1809, before 1932
2a Blyburgate, NR34 9TA
grid reference TM 422 902
This popular town centre restaurant and bar is on three levels. The bar is on street level and there are three small areas containing different seating styles. The smaller area upstairs is laid out as a restaurant and the downstairs vault is used as a restaurant and for functions. To the rear is a small courtyard garden for smokers and visitors with dogs.
The license was revoked in April 2025 because the premises were being used for money-laundering.
Gallery
King's Head Hotel 0.07 mile
Old Tap 0.09 mile
Swan House 0.11 mile
Bear & Bells 0.20 mile
Oakfired at Royal Oak 0.30 mileHistorical interest
[Old Wine Vaults]
Owner/operator: free
No real ale.CAMRA's 1997 Suffolk Real Ale Guide
The bar reverted to its old Wine Vaults name in 2010, with the re-introduction of Real Ale.
First mentioned in records of 1832. It isn't mentioned in 1809, so probably opened between those dates.
According to A Smith's paper "Inns of Beccles in 1929" (kindly supplied by Daryl Ling) "[on Hungate] on the left before reaching the congregational church were the Wine Vaults which closed in 1919". This suggests not only that this was previously a larger establishment but wasn't continuously open. Or perhaps the name was re-established on the Blyburgate side of the junction in a different building?
(Most pub, location & historic details collated by Nigel, Tony or Keith - original sources are credited)
Some information from records transcribed by Foxearth & District Local History Society.
