79 Alexander Road/St Luke's Avenue

Ramsgate

https://whatpub.com/blazing-donkey

Above photo circa 1980s.

Above photo taken with permission from Saunders family web.

Above sign 1975. With thanks from Brian Curtis www.innsignsociety.com.

Sign above left 1987. Sign right December 1991 with thanks from Brian Curtis www.innsignsociety.com

Originally the "Alexandra Arms," the pub formerly had stables at the rear of the building. A century or so ago, an old man kept his working donkey there, and frequently burnt off the straggly hairs on the creature's underbelly with a lighted taper. One day the flames caught hold and set the donkey's coat alight, but the ‘blaze' was quickly extinguished by pub customers — rumour has it, with their beer! The donkey survived his ordeal, but the pub was known only unofficially as ‘the Blazer' until Shepherd Neame took over the premises in the 1980s, and sanctioned the change of name.

According to Michael Mirams, the pub closed in 2010 and is still standing empty (2016).

LICENSEE LIST

http://www.closedpubs.co.uk/blazingdonkey.html