"Long before the days of rail, when the stagecoach was king, the Vine Hotel was one of the foremost commercial hotels in Donington.
Situated in the High Street between what is now Coversure Insurance and the Red Cow Hotel, the Vine was an imposing and welcome sight for travellers after being cramped and uncomfortable riding in a stagecoach for hours on end. Coaches operated daily between Birmingham and Norwich calling at Donington between stops at Threekingham and Spalding.
With the advent of rail travel in the l830’s and 40’s the stage lines dwindled and the Vine finally closed its doors in the mid 1850’s and became a private house. Afterwards for many years it was the home of Mr George Holt, Iron founder and Blacksmith, and a leading citizen of Donington. He built his iron-works on the site of the stables behind the house and part of this building still stands, with its large round windows in each gable end.
In later years it became Dawson’s Garage with a car showroom and petrol pumps on the roadside and a workshop at the back. In the early 1950’s, to aid vehicle access to the back of the property, the 18th century archway between the Vine and the Red Cow was demolished. When Dawson’s moved to a new garage (now the Costcutter Supermarket) in the l960’s the site reverted back to what it is now, a private house with a sweet and paper shop tucked in at one end."