THE Durham pub at the foot of Hallgarth Street referred to by Peter Gray of Stamford (HAS, May 7), was the Spread Eagle.

Farther up the street on the same side was The Sun Inn, now a house.

Though I lived in the street till a young man, I never went into the Spread, as it was known, preferring the back bar of the Waterloo (men only) or the New Inn (now virtually a student canteen which, on my last visit, charged me, a pensioner, more for a pint than it did students).

The favourite locals of my father, who died in 1972, were the Hare and Hounds, in New Elvet, and the Three Hearts of Gold, opposite St Oswald’s, in Church Street – both long demolished.

I wonder whether Mr Gray can remember the Hole in the Wall, in Stamford, where I attended National Union of Journalist meetings in the Sixties. – David Young, Durham.

I HAVE lived and worked in Durham for 65 years and I know exactly which pub Peter Gray of Stamford (HAS, May 7) is thinking of – The Spread Eagle.

It was where my colleagues and I from Durham Tax Office (Inland Revenue) used to spend frequent lunch hours. The name of the landlord was Bert and in the prehygiene days he could be persuaded to make the odd sandwich.

The Waterloo (probably the last pub to have a men-only room) nearby went the journey when the new bridge came through. I did a lot of my courting (an old-fashioned word now) there. Happy days! – Marie Pratt, Durham City.