Originally the Volunteer Inn, and later renamed the Dragoon. Demolished for the construction of the Guildbourne shopping centre in 1969.
 

Roger Cloake remembers:

"I well recall it as the "Dragoon", located, I estimate at 3 or 5 or 7 Market Street. 1 Market Street still survives, on the corner with Chapel Road, & all the other buildings in the street were demolished in exchange for the Guildbourne (shame!); the pub was not far into the street, on the north side of the road. Landlord in the late 1960s was Ted McMurrich. In the back bar, the dartboard range was located across the doorway from which you entered the room from the front of the building, which made entry hazardous for the unwary!"

Pictured below: Market Street still exists today, as a dead end. The Dragoon would have been just the other side of that tall wall at the back, and on the left hand side.

The 1962/3 Bar Billiards Champions. This picture, kindly sent in by Chris Scott (featured left), was taken within the Dragoon pub and shows the champion team themselves. Dick White was the landlord at the time and Charles Bryant the League President, as well as the landlord of the Royal George. Chris Scott and Terry Denyer still play the game to this day.

Peter Walden recently got in touch and pointed out himself and Brian Matthews both on the right of Chris Scott. (2012) Chris Scott has now added Brian Winton, Kaye Precious & Nat Thorpe.

Are you there? Many pubs had teams, not just Bar Billiards but Quoits and Shove Halfpenny too, Do you have any pictures?

October 17th 1969, some months after the Dragoon had closed, the chinking of glasses could be heard again in Market Street. A reporter from The (Worthing) Herald, signed simply as RP, had been invited into the now desolate and partially stripped main bar.

The invitation had been extended by Edward Telling, the demolition contractor, who, with his team, were celebrating their first anniversary as a company. Mr Telling had just won the contract to clear the site between Chatsworth Road and Ann Street and decided that the former pub would make the ideal venue for the party. Right: Picture taken at the time.

2011:

The original sign came up for auction at Denhams. Described as 'An enamelled and metal double-sided sign removed from the Dragoon public house, Worthing. 62" x 39", slight enamel blister on one side.' And the price you wonder ? . . £400 to £600.

No, we haven't got it.

As The Volunteer inn
1866 - J Robinson
1878 - Alfred Manner
1890 - Charles Green
1899 - Thomas Freeman
1899 - 1905 George Heryet
1915 - Giovanni Trimarco
1925 - George Ainsworth
1929 - Harry Snelling
1938 - F Cooper
1962 - Larry Cole-Law
???? - Dick Whyte
???? - Neil McMurrich
As The Dragoon
1938 - FJ Cooper (Dragoon)
1960's Ted McMurrich.
1962 - Richard White

From the Worthing Journal: 1889: Margaret Burchett, who lived at the Volunteer Inn, appeared before Worthing magistrates with a baby in her arms to answer a charge of being drunk in Chapel Road. She pleaded guilty and was fined 5s, or if she failed to pay, five days in prison with hard labour.

1927: George Ainsworth, licensee of the Volunteer Inn, Market Street, was cleared at Lewes Assizes of manslaughter after John Reeds died of severe head injuries on being ‘knocked out’ by the landlord. An inquest jury returned a verdict of misadventure.