On Whit Monday 1878 the Britannia Inn held a sports meeting on their field, unfortunately there was another great attraction in Peterborough on the same day, this was a gala at Boroughbury, which reduced the attendance at the Britannia. The sports were pony and bicycle racing, also foot racing and pole jumping. The course was fenced around the field and the spectators were in the middle of the ring.
The principal and most exciting events were pole vaulting and bicycle racing. The long pole jump was won by F Jackson and G Callow cleared 9ft 8in in the high pole jump. There were two bicycle races, the amateur handicap race over ¾ mile (four laps) was won by E Clark for £1 10s. The subscription Cup race, value 5 guineas, over about two miles, went to E Jamson. Admission cost six pence, children half price. The band of the 1st Northamptonshire Engineer Volunteer Corps played throughout the afternoon.
This was probably the only bicycle racing at the Britannia, quoits matches continued there for many years, but athletics and bicycle racing on the ground undoubtedly suffered because of the successful galas at Boroughbury.
The Britannia Inn continued as a public house until 1957, when it served as the city's first post-war Polish Club. The building was ultimately demolished during the major Eastgate redevelopment schemes of the 1970s.