HAUNTING AT MY LOCAL DRINK

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Nearby to my home is a very popular 19th century pub and hotel called Nottingham Road Hotel or locally known as “Notties” where the locals and tourists alike come to quench their thirst, indulge in friendly banter and peruse the old colonial pictures, portraits and anglo-boer war memorabilia that adjourns the walls and shelves. Back in the mid to late 1800’s when South Africa was under British rule there were soldiers stationed at Fort Nottingham to help the farmers protect their livestock from the native San and it was here that the hotel became a popular midway destination after the completion of the railway.

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The so-called Railway Hotel was completed at the beginning of 1891, and soon became the centre of social activity at Nottingham Road. A gracious, two-storey building set in rolling lawns, the hotel offered guests the comforts of proper lighting (using acetylene gas), tennis courts and a billiards room, as well as activities such as shooting and horse riding.

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The Nottingham Road Hotel was always the local’s favourite haunt, whether for a social drink in the pub or for supposedly more serious matters such as meetings of the Nottingham Road Farmers’ Association. Apparently the farmers often only arrived home safely because their faithful horses knew the way back to their stables! The system worked smoothly until a prankster swopped the horses between the different traps and carts, so that drink-befuddled farmers were taken off in completely the wrong direction! Often the locals would decide to stay over at the hotel, especially if the weather was bad.

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Like most old historic buildings, Notties is reputed to be haunted by a beautiful lady known as Charlotte. As the tale goes, Charlotte was a “lady of the night” who resided in one of the hotel rooms. It was here where she fell in love with a soldier and used to wait out on the balcony for his return but, one day when the soldier was replaced by her friend giving news of his death, Charlotte grief stricken and heartbroken apparently leaped off the balcony and died from her injuries.

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These days’ staff and guests have had the chilling experience of witnessing the spirit of a woman roaming the hotel and its grounds. Most activity occurs in Room 10 where reports of flowers being re-arranged, taps turned on and off, the beds tidied and clothes folded neatly away. Although her ghost seems to be mostly peaceful there have been times when re-arranging certain regiments portraits did not appeal to her and so as witnessed by staff members, the portraits were knocked off the wall in dislike.

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Even though this hotel is haunted I still frequent its pub and one day aim to spend a night or two in the famous Room 10 in the hopes to catch a glimpse of Charlotte.

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Ghost Hunters International had this story in one of their episodes: