The Canley Arms was founded on 1st July 2000.  Its roots go back however to the Reclaim the Forum party that began on 17th June 2000 in the BoyDen and then turned into a beach Recovery Party on 22nd June.  In the Recovery Party’s last few posts Debz and Bubs threw around some pub names and decided on the BoyDen Freehouse.  They hung its sign up and began serving drinks.  It had only a very short life, however, as CIJAH, very politely, pointed out there could only be one BoyDen.  I was on Forum at the time so I quickly grabbed a discarded name and a certain tall Scottish DS with a head for heights who was prepared to hang the sign for me and started a new thread – The Canley Arms.  It has been more or less continuously licensed ever since.  CIJAH endowed us with a beautiful solid oak bar (long enough for even Anna’s sliding tendencies).  It is out of respect for this fine piece of wood and the history it represents that we ban dancing on the bar in heels.

The Canley Arms has survived Forum crashes, premature culling, gr*mlin attack, snow storms, parties, tantrums, sulks, LOUD music, pool parties and fireworks. Some of the original patrons have gone but many new people have come to take their place and naturally it has evolved and grown with each new participant.  Rodders and Lukie, our two look-alike barmen, have joined us, a jacuzzi has sprung up in the ablutions area, the old orchard through the holly hedge at the bottom of the garden has been acquired and a pool put in…  as has been remarked the Arms does have Tardis-like qualities!  Whether you consider the Arms an island of sanity or insanity on the Forum it has tried to be a place of peace and sanctuary where all are welcome – Santinists, Listeners, Nuts to Bolts-ers… even people who have admitted to liking Jenny Delaney!

Tolerance, Acceptance and Perseverance

The Canley Arms came into existence as a place of sanctuary, a place where all were welcome, a place where one could retreat from unpleasant realities.  Weapons are peace bonded (except during the occasional water fight when super-soakers are de rigueur) and arguments left at the door.  It grew from a party held to reclaim the Forum at a troubled period of its life and is a peaceful gentle place.  All this was crystallized into its motto – Tolerance, Acceptance and Perseverance - during yet another dark period on the Forum.  Anna finished a post in the main part of the Forum by calling on Forummers to practise tolerance and acceptance – and by saying that it seemed newcomers needed to practise perseverance.  Avon had the words engraved on block of sandstone – with a nice border edging of handcuffs, cocktail glasses and high heels – and voila! The Canley Arms had a foundation stone.  While it seemed particularly appropriate to the Peace, Love and Happiness 60s party we threw to go with that crisis the foundation stone has remained with us ever since, much to the chagrin of Rodders.  He, as the nearest lump of muscle, gets to lug it up the Forum each time the Arms moves north.  As we tell him, he’ll just have to learn tolerance and accept his lot and persevere with the job.