beer AROUND ‘ERE
PETERBOROUGH & DISTRICT BRANCH OF THE CAMPAIGN FOR REAL ALE
215
FREE! PLEASE TAKE ONE
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
PUBS OF THE YEAR
RURAL
Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
CITY FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
TOWN
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
1
Award Winning
d l e Ales f g i D brewed at Lilford Lodge Farm Barnwell Northamptonshire
01832 273954
ABV 3.9%
www.digfield-ales.co.uk
2
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
Editor’s Ramblings There’s only one place to start this issue’s Ramblings: with the desperately sad news of David Murray’s passing following a lengthy illness. Dave had been an inspirational CAMRA figure in the area for the best part of four decades, filling just about every Branch position in that time. Noone who was at Dave’s send-off at Marholm on Friday, 7th January, could fail to have been moved by the sensitive humanist ceremony. I had to chuckle at the revelation that a nine-year-old Dave, newly arrived in Glasgow from the northern outpost of Buckie, was cornered by toughs who demanded to know “Are ye Rangers or Celtic?” Dave took a chance on Rangers, and it turned out to be a Protestant school! Dave – as ever – had the right answer. He is remembered on page 13. There’s shocking news from Oakham Ales, where Head Brewer Alex Kean has tragically died in an accident (please see Brewery News). Congratulations are in order on the Pub of the Year front, variously to the Ostrich in Peterborough city
centre, the King’s Head in Stamford and the Goat at Frognall. Full details on page 12. As BAE went to press, there were still no further restrictions being placed upon the brewing and hospitality industries. Let’s hope that by the time you read this, in early February, that this is still the case...... Also as we went to press, we heard that CAMRA has honoured our own Andy Simmonds and Mike Lane with Golden Awards for their contributions to the Campaign’s aims over the last 50 years. More in BAE 216. I’m still appealing, everyone! Please keep sending in your reports, reviews, photos, articles and Diary Dates to the address below. It’s rare for any item we receive not to be featured on these pages. And – if you have yet to make a New Year’s resolution, vow to start scoring the ales you drink via the NBSS/WhatPub system. It’s important. And don’t forget – all being well, the fine ales, good company and hospitality you enjoyed in your local over Christmas will still be there in February and March, so you know what to do! Good luck! Al
IN THIS ISSUE Welcome From The Editor
3
A Stamford Story...
14
Chairman’s Corner
5
Roving Row’s Review
15
Pub News
6&7
Returning To The Tyne
16, 17 & 18
Brewery News
9 - 11
Roving Row’s Review
Pubs of the Year
12
Pub Companies
Rest In Peace David Murray
13
Ghostly Goings On
Editor: Alun Thomas bae-editor@ peterborough.camra.org.uk Published by: Peterborough & District Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale. Designed & Produced on behalf of CAMRA by: Paper Red Media Neil Richards MBE - 01536 358670 n.richards@btinternet.com Matt Richards paperredmedia@outlook.com Distribution: Dave Binnington d.binnington@hotmail.com Alan Binnington alanbinncam2020@gmail.com
19 21 - 22 23
Printed By: Printed by Zenith Media Unit 9-13, Pontyfelin Industrial Estate, New Inn, Pontypool. NP4 0DQ Circulation: 6,000 copies distributed to pubs, clubs and members throughout the Peterborough and District CAMRA Branch area. A digital version of this magazine is available to view and download at: issuu.com
R.I.P Roy Baker & Members’ Weekend
24
Small Brewers Relief
25
Quarts and Thoughts
26 - 27
Posh Pints
28 - 29
Diary Dates
30
Branch Contacts
31
Views or comments expressed in this publication may not necessarily be those of the Editor or of CAMRA. The Editor reserves the right to alter or delete any content deemed offensive or inappropriate. The next issue of Beer Around ‘Ere will be available on the 28th March. We must have your stories, news and advertisements by 26th February.
Beer Around ‘Ere is published by the Peterborough & District Branch of CAMRA Please send your stories and other copy to the Copyright © 2022, The Campaign for Real editor, Alun Thomas. Ale Ltd. For all your advertising needs please contact Neil Richards MBE on 01536 358670 or n.richards@btinternet.com
Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
3
THE ADDISON ARMS G L AT TO N
The village of Glatton’s Addison Arms is a traditional country pub serving great food, real ale, fine wine and scrumptous homemade desserts. Food at the Addison is second to none, prepared with the utmost care and attention to detail. The chefs source the best quality seasonal produce so it’s no surprise that the menu showcases a wide range of enticing dishes. The Addison has become a Sunday lunch destination, with tables booked weeks in advance. They offer at least three different locally sourced meals, a wide variety of vegetables and desserts, and also cater juniors and smaller appetites.
FULLY ENCLOSED CHILD-FRIENDLY GARDEN WITH PLAY EQUIPMENT TO KEEP LITTLE ONES AMUSED
BAR MONDAY 12 - 6pm TUESDAY - SUNDAY Noon - 11pm FOOD Evenings only Indian cuisine available Ring for details T 01487 830410
4
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
Glatton, PE28 5RZ E contact@addison-arms.co.uk
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
W www.addison-arms.co.uk
Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
Chairman’s Corner
Having announced his retirement as Branch Chairman in the last issue of BAE, Matt Mace has reconsidered his decision and will continue in the role. This must be seen as a serious positive; in these challenging times, the Branch needs strong leadership and Matt can provide it. The enthusiastic and meticulous Daryl Ling becomes Matt’s deputy. We wish both well!
DISTRIBUTION RESOLUTION? This is a plea to all BAE readers (or any other helpers) for assistance in delivering our bi-monthly newsletter in the March district. Are you able to spare a couple of hours every two months to deliver to a handful of pubs? We would be most grateful if you could. If you can help, please contact Alan Binnington at alanbinncam2020@gmail.com Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
Are you missing out?
Get Beer Around ‘Ere delivered to your door! For a year (6 issues) send £4.32 for second class or £5.40 for 1st Class or multiples thereof for multiple years. Please send a cheque/PO payable to Peterborough CAMRA and your address to: Daryl Ling, 19 Lidgate Close, Peterborough PE2 7ZA
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
5
Pub News First, I apologise for a very short report, as I have not been able to visit pubs as I would have wished. I sincerely hope this will change over the coming year as I am painfully aware that someone who should be helping keep pubs afloat in these ridiculously difficult times has hardly been out and about. I can assure you this has been a very painful time for me, as pubs are a lifeline for someone who loves real ale and good company like I do. However, the pain I feel is as nothing compared to that of those hardworking publicans whose sterling efforts have been met with obstruction and restriction at every turn. My first thought is to congratulate the Ostrich, a pub tucked away in North Street in the centre of Peterborough, which I have known for over 60 years, on being recognised as Pub of the Year. I used to visit the barn which used to stand behind the pub along with John, the landlord’s son, after going to Cubs in St Mark’s church hall, to eat the penn’orth of scraps, or 3d worth of chips if we were flush that week, read our comics and maybe share a bottle of beer if John had managed to sneak one out of the bar. As a young man I did very occasionally visit the pub in the hope it would improve. It didn’t. Now, however, the Ostrich is a brilliant ale drinkers’ pub with a variety of beers and ciders on tap, friendly staff and good live music at weekends. I have managed a couple of visits there recently and I salute all involved in turning this little pub into an oasis in the city centre. I bought myself the 2022 Good Beer Guide as an early Christmas present to myself and my first trawl through was to concentrate on our local area. Congratulations to The Ploughman in Werrington and The Five Horseshoes in Barholm on a remarkable achievement of ten consecutive years of entries. This is no easy feat and is a tribute to landlords of supreme quality. Good to see Yaxley is in there too, with the Farmers making its way into this year’s beer bible. The Woolpack in Stanground village is also back in, as is the Bull and Swan in St Martin’s, Stamford. 6
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
The rest of the information I have is taken from Facebook and Twitter where local pubs have been posting. I note that the Whistlestop in Tallington is making a real effort to attract diners and if I was in a position to do so I would definitely try out eating there as the food sounds and looks great and is very reasonably priced. Likewise I fancy trying their Friday night quiz sometime soon. I also fancy trying Sunday lunch at the Cuckoo in Alwalton or the aforementioned Woolpack. There is a plethora of live music going on around the area’s pubs which is fantastic as we have been starved of live entertainment for too long. Charters continues to support local bands as do The Yard of Ale, Oundle Road; The Crown, Lincoln Road; The Brewery Tap, The Burghley Club and of course the Ostrich and Ploughman. I am sure other pubs do have music nights too, so if they want free advertising contact me and I will ensure they get social media coverage. I should also mention the Open Mic nights at the Iron Horse Ranch House in Market Deeping and the Blue Boar in Eye (not sure if this is still going as I have not noticed any mention recently). It is particularly heartening to me that the Draper’s is re-starting its Spoken Word Open Mic nights at the end of January. I look forward to performing there very soon.
That is the good news. I have to report the continued closure of the Black Horse in Nassington, the Lancaster Club in Yaxley, the Railway in Whittlesey, Melbourn Bros and St Mary’s Vaults in Stamford. Fingers crossed that I can report the re-opening of Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
Pub News
some of these in the next edition, but who knows? In addition, the Fenman in Stanground has been demolished and it will not be long before the Solstice in Peterborough city centre disappears too. It is not all doom and gloom, though, as I am informed that the Packhorse in Northborough, which was going to be on the closure list, is due to re-open once the renovations are completed, and Deeping St James now has a micropub, the Thirsty Giraffe in Manor Way, which is closed for renovation as I write this but is due to open again this month serving local brewery ales. Finally, here is a tip for gourmands who are prepared to spend a bit more for top quality food: The Willow and Brook in Apethorpe is producing fabulous food in a safe environment with the bonus of Nene Valley ales on pumps. Bill Taylor Alun Thomas adds...... I’d heard favourable reports about the Red Lion in West Deeping, so Tina and I called in early in January for a spot of lunch. A pleasant experience! Local couple Frazer and Emma King (aptly for a pub based on King Street) have been landlords since last April and they offer a cosy yet roomy bar with a separate restaurant. More importantly – their house ale is King Street, brewed specifically for the RL by Deeping-based Hopshackle Brewery! It certainly drank very well on my visit.
Up the A15 to Bourne and the news that the Masons Arms, in South Street, was due to reopen on 6th January. The pub had been closed for a year, but new landlords Richard Gutteridge and Sabrina Iredale are “really happy and excited” about the reopening. “We want to restore it to what it was before, a good, community-feel pub” said Sabrina – who is also the landlady at the nearby Five Bells in Edenham as well as the Cock Inn, Werrington. At last there’s some good news from the East Northants part of the Branch area! The Queen’s Head in Bulwick (this Branch’s Pub of the Year in 2013) should be open by the time you read this, after being closed for the best part of a year. Guy Kersey is the man at the helm and it sounds as though he knows what he’s doing. Guy (who hails from Market Harborough) and his associates also run the Carington Arms in Ashby Folville, near Melton Mowbray, and the Dewdrop Inn at Hathern, near Loughborough as well as a restaurant in Leicester. Guy expects the bar to be open from February 15th with food available from March. Encouraging news on the ale front – Bass is to be complemented by LocAles from Grainstore and King’s Cliffe, just up the road. Once the food is up and running, diners should be in for a treat – running the kitchen will be Masterchef finalist Andrew Greasley! Guy and Andrew promise “classic British dishes with a twist – at affordable prices”. I live in Stamford, as you know, and two of my daughters live in Bourne so I pass the Toft House Hotel regularly and it’s invariably in darkness. Don’t know what’s happening there; it’s been an occasional stopping-off point for a decent pint over the years.
A Warm Welcome In West Deeping Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
7
Pub News
Just outside our Branch area, the Willoughby Arms in Little Bytham, the original home of Newby Wyke brewery, remains closed following the sad passing of landlord Kip Hulme. In Stamford, neither of the Samuel Smith’s houses have reopened. Even before the pandemic bit, both were subject to Smith’s strange and stifling policies, which had seen cask ale, including the iconic Old Brewery Bitter, withdrawn from both pubs. What’s going on? Answers on a postcard please..... Al
P WHAT’S ON AT THE BREWERY TA MARCH 2022
FEBRUARY 2022 Thu 3rd The Big Deal Comedy ‘Comedy night at Tap’ from 8pm * Tickets £10 plus booking fee. Available from Eventbrite. Tickets on the door, subject to availability
Fri 4 DJ Eddie Nash ‘Thank Funk It’s Friday’ from 9pm till late Sat 5th DJ Rick Allen ‘Saturday Night Groove’ from 9pm till 2am Sun 6th Open Mic Night from 6pm till 11pm Fri 11th Lazoons live music from 10pm Sat 12th DJ Rick Allen ‘Saturday Night Groove’ from 9pm till 2am Mon 14th Happy Valentine’s Day th
Enjoy Thai food from our A la Carte and Noodle Specials menu
Fri 18th DJ Tk & T3lsy ‘The session’ from 9pm till late Sat 19th DJ Rick Allen ‘Saturday Night Groove’ from 9pm till 2am Sat 19th DJ Eddie Nash and Guest DJs “House Music” from 9pm till 2am * In The Function room, £5 entry Thu 24th The Peterborough Big Band from 8pm * In The Function room, £5 entry
Fri 25th Hard2Please live music from 10pm Sat 26th DJ Eddie Nash ‘The Get Down’ from 9pm till 2am * Free entry except Thu 3rd Comedy night, Sat 19th House Music and Thu 24th Peterborough Big Band
Fri 4th DJ Eddie Nash ‘Thank Funk It’s Friday’ from 9pm till late Sun 6th Open Mic Night from 6pm till 11pm Sat 5th DJ Rick Allen ‘Saturday Night Groove’ from 9pm till 2am Fri 11th DJ SAV ‘Disco Funk Fever’ from 9pm till late Sat 12th DJ Rick Allen ‘Saturday Night Groove’ from 9pm till 2am Fri 18th DJ Tk & T3lsy ‘The session’ from 9pm till late Sat 19th DJ Rick Allen ‘Saturday Night Groove’ from 9pm till 2am Fri 25th Let’s Funk live music from 10pm Sat 26th DJ Rick Allen ‘The Sensational 70s & 80s’ from 9pm till 2am Sun 27th Happy Mother’s Day Enjoy our 2 course meal for £12.95 per person Food served all day from 12pm – 9.30pm
MONTHLY SPECIALS
£3 a pint
FEBRUARY
MARCH
*not valid with any other offer.
01733 358500 thebrewery-tap.com
80 Westgate, Peterborough PE1 2AA
8
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
Brewery News
BEXAR COUNTY
www.bexarcountybrewery.com
BLUE BELL
www.thebluebell.net
BOWLER’S
https://bowlers.beer/ As this is our first Brewery News update for Beer Around ‘Ere, I thought I’d do a quick introduction and history of Bowler’s Brewery through its relatively short existence. The brewery is jointly owned and run by myself, John Bowyer, and my old pal Dave Gowler (Bowler’s is an amalgam of our surnames) and is based in Deeping Gate – in my garage! We produce bottled and cask conditioned ales and have the capacity to produce up to 400 litres in each batch that we brew. Dave and I took the decision to set up the brewery back in 2019 and, after all the shenanigans of obtaining licences, buying the brewing equipment and building out the brew house, we were finally ready to begin brewing in October 2020. By then, of course, we were well into the pandemic with associated lockdowns and devastating impact on the pub and brewing industries. With a lack of pubs and festivals to supply to, our initial focus was exclusively upon bottled beers. Unsurprisingly, with a brewery of our size, most of our processes are fairly manual – packaging and labelling up to 800 bottles in a batch can be a laborious process that takes its toll on the brewers’ old bones! We are therefore delighted that we have more recently been able to begin packaging into Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
casks for pubs and festivals. We have gradually increased our range of beers during 2021 and now have seven in production. These include various IPAs, a Best Bitter, a Brown Ale, a Golden Summer Ale and the most recent addition, a Winter Porter. We’ve been delighted with the feedback that we have received on the beers and were honoured to receive a Silver award from the 2021 SIBA Independent Beer Awards for our Lonesome Pine American Pale Ale. Our bottled beers are available locally from the Deeping Market Gate Deli, Sam’s of Deeping and Bourne, the Vine House Farm Shop and the Nisa stores in Stamford and Corby Glen. They can also be purchased online from our shop at www.bowlers. beer as well as from www.thirstbourne.co.uk. Cheers! John Bowyer
CASTOR ALES
www.castorales.co.uk Traditionally a quiet time of year, giving us the opportunity to reflect and decide that the brewery was looking a bit of a tip and needed redecorating. Unfortunately there was no money left in the kitty, so we sent the bank manager a What’s App, and she quickly confirmed that the bank would fund the redecoration. All she wanted in return was a wedge of interest, which, frankly, was unaffordable, so we asked her if she knew any rich benefactors – and now we’re embroiled in a bank loan for favours scandal. Faced with no alternative but to try and fund the work from our already stretched resources, progress has been slow. However, we have been able to finance a new kettle and can now make four cups of tea in one go. It may not improve the beer quality, but it certainly cheers the hard-pressed workforce. As if that wasn’t enough bad news, there has been major disruption to our brewing schedule due to a shortage of wheat and some specialist malts. According to our supplier, this is due to supply side difficulties brought about by the B-word. Who could have predicted that leaving a free market would FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
9
Brewery News
have resulted in such inconvenience? Still, at least we get the crown stamp on pint glasses (did it ever go away?) and we can “weigh out” in pounds and ounces, so it was all worth it! On a more positive note, Castor Ales have once again won the much-coveted “Best Brewery In Castor” award for the twelfth consecutive year. It may well be a very niche award, lacking any real credibility, but that doesn’t stop us banging on about it all the time – and we would like to thank anybody who voted for us. At the time of submitting this article, hospitality is hanging on by a thread, so hopefully the fact that you are reading this means there is still life in the industry. It really isn’t important whether you drink gallons of Castor Ales or not. What is important is that you drink gallons of beer (in moderation of course) in one of the many fine pubs in the Peterborough CAMRA area. Who knows, if you continue to do that, we might continue to brew – and might even notch up thirteen awards in a row..... Cheers! Duncan Vessey
DIGFIELD ALES
www.digfield-ales.co.uk
DRUM AND MONKEY Drum and Monkey Brewing of Stamford is located next to, and named after, the sadly demolished pub of the same name. This nano brewery produces unique small batch craft beers in keg, cask and bottle. Brewer Rupert Gibson produces a range of beer styles including pale ales, IPAs, stouts and sours which can be bought at the King’s Head in Stamford. Look out for “Half Beast”, a malty breakfast beer (3.33%), “Hello Twenty Two”, an American IPA (5.4%), “(This Is The Way To) Amarillo”, a singlehopped pale with loads of Amarillo (5.0%) and “Even Monkeys Need Nuts”, a fruity NEIPA (5.8%). For more news and updates, follow the brewery on Instagram@drumandmonkeybrewing. Rupert Gibson 10
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
ELGOOD’S
www.elgoods-brewery.co.uk Elgood’s have started their seasonal beer programme with La La La La Amber for January, followed by Twist and Stout in February. They will produce a limited number of kegs of Export Blonde and Export Red (both 8.7%) at the end of February. The pubs remain steady, with just the Bell at Murrow needing a new tenant. Work continues on what was the Visitor Centre, which the brewery are converting to a wedding/ conference venue and which will hopefully be open in July. Jonathan Boyall
HOPSHACKLE
www.hopshacklebrewery.co.uk Well, I suppose that any first contribution to BAE for 2022 should include a look back and review of the previous year. It was certainly a better year than 2020, but still had its peaks and troughs for both casks and bottled beer sales. Casks were fairly steady through spring and summer, continuing up until the point when the weather changed, and it was no longer a pleasant experience to sit outside your favourite hostelry in the cooler and damper weather of the autumn and then winter of England. There was still a demand from pubs serving food and those with covered, heated outside areas, but there was definitely a sharp decline. That was about the time that the bottled beer sales started to take off, with many people choosing to drink at home instead of going out. As would be expected, December was an extremely good month, with strong sales of gift packs and mixed cases every day, reaching a peak just before Christmas and then all was gone, zero stock. This year has got off to a reasonable start with casks moving out steadily, and enquiries from local farm and garden centres and the occasional high street retail outlet as well. My cask beers can be found at most local free houses, with permanent or semipermanent beers at the Red Lion in West Deeping, the Goat in Frognall, the Nag’s Head in Bourne and Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
Brewery News
the Tobie Norris in Stamford. Hopshackle bottled beers can be found at the Grasmere Market Gate Deli and Notty’s Coffee and Wine Bar in Deeping, the Vine House Farm Shop at Deeping St. Nicholas and the Stamford Cheese and Deli Shop. I couldn’t let any year pass without thanking sincerely everyone who has bought a pint or a bottle of my beer, wherever that might have been. And for those of you that didn’t, please give my, or any other local brewery’s beer a go – without your help I, or they, simply wouldn’t be here. Nigel Wright
KINGS CLIFFE
www.kcbales.co.uk Jez O’Neill is continuing to brew and supply the core beers of 5C, 66 Degrees, B5, No. 10 and P51. Business in the first month of the year has been quiet, but hopefully sales will pick up in the near future. Don Rudd
MELBOURN
www.allsaintsbrewery.co.uk Sam Smith’s are continuing to brew at Melbourn’s. The four bottled beers produced are Organic Raspberry, Apricot, Cherry and Strawberry, all at the strength of 5.1% ABV. Don Rudd
OAKHAM ALES
www.oakhamales.com It is with great sadness that we learned of the sudden death of Alex Kean, Head Brewer of Oakham Ales, following a tragic accident on 15th December 2021. He leaves a wife, Sian, whom he married earlier in the year. Alex joined the company in June 2006 and became Head Brewer in May 2010. Tributes have poured in from family, friends and members of the brewing and hospitality industries. Our condolences to all concerned. A more in-depth acknowledgement will appear in the next issue of Beer Around ‘Ere. Dave Allett
ROCKET ALES
www.rocket-ales.com Dave Smith is currently brewing and supplying six beers: Bloodhound, Apollo, Lunar Module, Sidewinder, Meteor and Titan. He is also working on a recipe for a new beer that should be available in April/May. Sales have been quiet in January but hopefully interest will pick up before spring. Don Rudd
TYDD STEAM
www.tyddsteam.co.uk
MILE TREE
www.miletreebrewery.co.uk
NENE VALLEY
Brewing Barn Ale, Piston Bob and Snake Eyes. Head brewer Will reports that energy price rises throughout the brewing industry will mean some increases in wholesale prices for real ale. Dickie Bird
www.nenevalleybrewery.co.uk I can report that the two new beers for the winter are excellent, the 5.8% dark ruby Plumptiousness and the 4.0% American red Hibernating Grizzly. Great names, great beers. Bill Taylor Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
XTREME ALES
www.xtremeales.com FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
11
2022
Ostrich Inn, North Street
PUBS OF THE YEAR
2021
No Award
2020
Frothblowers, Werrington
2019
Frothblowers, Werrington
This year saw the first time the new system for voting for the Branch Pub of the Year came into operation. For the first time, CAMRA members were able to vote for pubs in three categories – City Pub of the Year, Town Pub of the Year and Rural Pub of the Year (see BAE 213 “Pub of the Year Awards Process”). The new system is a huge improvement on, and far more satisfactory than, the previous practice, which saw city centre houses going head-to-head with remote country boozers – with generally predictable results. The same criteria apply – all pubs who had received a Gold or Merit Award during the previous twelve months – or 24 months in this year’s case (you will recall that there was no award for the c*vid-affected 2021) – were eligible for the ultimate accolade. The Ostrich won the City Pub of the Year vote and by some distance took the overall Pub of the Year title, and no-one could deny that they are deserving winners. Stamford’s King’s Head took the Town Pub of the Year crown, while the Rural Pub of the Year prize went to the Goat at Frognall. Congratulations also go to the other finalists, neighbouring establishments Fletton Club and the Wonky Donkey – worthy runners-up! The Ostrich thus goes forward for consideration as Cambridgeshire and possibly East Anglia Pub of the Year, but – such are the vagaries of being part of a Branch that covers parts of three counties – only one of the other two winners, being in Lincolnshire, can advance for consideration as Lincolnshire and possibly East Midlands Pub of the Year. As BAE went to press it was not clear which one that would be! Confused? You will be.......... Anyway, here’s a list of previous Branch Pubs of the year winners – if anyone can fill in the gaps I’d be most grateful:
2018
Bumble Inn, Westgate
2017
Jolly Brewer, Stamford
2016
Woolpack, Stanground
2015
Hand and Heart, Millfield
2014
Ploughman, Werrington
2013
Queen’s Head, Bulwick
2012
Letter B, Whittlesey
2011
Ploughman, Werrington
2010
Mama Liz’s, Stamford
2009
Jolly Brewer, Stamford
2008
Tobie Norris, Stamford
2007
Draper’s Arms, Cowgate
2006
Blue Bell, Maxey
2005
Palmerston Arms, Oundle Road
2004
Coalheavers’ Arms, Park Street
2003 ? 2002
Charters, Town Bridge Al 12
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
2001 ?
Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
REST IN PEACE DAVE MURRAY (THE FLYING SCOTSMAN!)
John Martin remembers....
I have many fond memories of Dave, including playing alongside him for the CAMRA cricket team and working together at numerous beer festivals. I am even prepared to forgive his annual failed attempt at photographing me wearing a tartan scarf at his legendary New Year’s Eve parties.
I particularly remember when we pranked him at the Euro ’96 England v Scotland game. Four of us travelled to Wembley with only three tickets for the match – or so Dave thought. The fourth traveller was Paul (Gramps) Wright, a man as equally passionate about England as Dave was about Scotland. Gramps played the part of a man desperate for a ticket as we drank our way around London. Dave even consoled the “ticketless” Gramps as kick-off time approached – although he did have a sly dig as we left Gramps outside Wembley. So imagine the look on Dave’s face at five to three when Gramps not only appeared inside the stadium, but actually had a ticket for the seat next to Dave!
Alun Thomas adds: I can’t say I knew Dave Murray well – he always came across as an intensely private family man – and I don’t think I featured on his radar until about eight years ago, when I volunteered to deliver copies of BAE to pubs in the East Northamptonshire part of the Branch area. When I took on the editor’s job, though, I came more into contact with him and it was then that I realised the full extent of Dave’s influence on the local real ale scene. Whether at a Branch meeting, or the Beer Festival, or if you sought him out for advice, he was a ubiquitous figure, offering a word of advice here, an encouraging remark there. Also – he never ducked an issue or a challenge. And his encyclopaedic knowledge of all things CAMRA proved invaluable on countless occasions! Dave was not, by nature, a garrulous sort, but he invariably stepped up to the mark at Branch presentation evenings – and when he spoke, people listened. He always found the right words for the occasion – a rare gift – and he was a master of the well-timed, jocular remark. Peterborough CAMRA has lost a figurehead (and Posh a perceptive and passionate supporter!). We shall not see his like again. Our thoughts are with Dave’s family.
Once he was over the shock, Dave took the joke almost as well as he did Scotland’s 2-0 defeat. It is a measure of the man that, in a friendship lasting 30 years, I cannot recall anyone having a bad word to say about Dave. Rest in peace. Jocky
Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
13
A STAMFORD STORY.......... The following tale appeared in the Stamford Mercury about 100 years ago (pub names in capitals): O’BRIEN’S journey to see the late Queen VICTORIA began by the light of the RISING SUN and HALF MOON, and after getting well primed at the BREWERY, which shows what a GREEN MAN he was, he proceeded on his CHEQUERED career, going down the WELLAND and GREAT NORTHERN by BOAT and RAILWAY to LONDON, having the impudence to inform the PRINCE OF WALES and VICTORIA by TELEGRAPH that he was coming. The SHIP was of ROYAL OAK, built in the time of NELSON, which after running into the DOLPHIN dropped her ANCHOR on the shores of old ALBION. The PRINCE OF WALES declared that he was delighted to see O’BRIEN, presented him with the STAR AND GARTER and showed him some remarkable beasts: a WHITE LION and a RED LION. But our friend, getting frisky, happened to hit the QUEEN’S HEAD with a PINEAPPLE, whereupon he was ejected from the CASTLE into the ROLT’S ARMS by LORD HEATHCOTE and GENERAL GORDON, who locked him out with the CROSS KEYS. Still he could not keep out of mischief, for he went and poked the BEEHIVE with the OLIVE BRANCH, and consequently had to fly for refuge behind the WHEATSHEAF. As he emerged from thence, away dashed the FOX AND HOUNDS, followed by LORDS EXETER, BURGHLEY AND FITZWILLIAM, and FORESTERS on BLACK HORSE and WHITE HORSE, the GREYHOUND running like mad after the STAG AND PHEASANT, WHITE HART, REINDEER and ROEBUCK. O’BRIEN, getting excited, ran into the RED COW, who tossed him over to the BULL, who pitched him into the water right on top of the WHITE SWAN, from whence he was rescued by the ARMS of the SAWYER and CARPENTER. Then he must needs go up in the BALLOON, and to make matters worse, dropped the MILLSTONE onto the KING’S HEAD, cracking his CROWN. So exasperated was the King that he picked up the WOOLPACK containing the GOLDEN FLEECE, and, shying at O’BRIEN with all his might, HIT OR MISS, knocked him into the HOLE IN THE WALL! (Taken from Stamford Pubs and Breweries, by Martin Smith).
14
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
ROVING ROW’S REVIEW Row and Bro are in South Lincolnshire... This time we visited the Bertie Arms, an impressive 17th century inn located on Bertie Lane, Uffington, just a couple of miles south of Stamford, on a bright November afternoon (don’t forget it’s pronounced Bartie, which was as the original family preferred it). As we walked into the pub, with its splendid newlythatched roof, we were given a warm welcome and immediately shown to our table in one of the dining rooms. Log fires, comfy seating, subdued lighting, smart decor and, just to complete the perfect country pub picture, two beautiful well-behaved black Labradors, patiently waiting for a titbit from their owner!
of which are very popular. Katie is planning on building back up to four handpulls in due course. She’s considering a darker porter to complete the range of beer types on offer. Our tapas sharing plate was served by an engaging and helpful staff member. Delicious food, generous portions, nicely presented, and we noted the Festive Menu available during the run up to Christmas. G tried a half of Barnwell Bitter. This amber beer, he thought, was “tangy, and had a pleasant aroma”. Another fine ale! We had just enough room to share a Bertie Trifle, a luscious combination of sweet creamy custard and tart fruit – compliments to the chef ! A completely enjoyable experience, thank you Bertie! Row and Gareth
Our drinks were served promptly and while we perused the entirely adequate and varied menu (which includes interesting children’s choices), we sampled Nene Valley’s Simple Pleasures (3.6%). On reflection, this beer is the nicest I’ve ever tasted – a proper “good pint” – creamy yellow, fresh aroma and very quaffable. Don’t be fooled, this looks like a lager, but it is definitely an ale. Landlady of five years, Katie, told us they also have Digfield Barnwell Bitter (4.0%) and Nene Valley Australian Pale (4.4%) always available, both Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
15
Returning to the Tyne And Bar Hunters go Brewery Hunting The 8.18 rolled out on time; heading for Aberdeen. Fortunately also stopping at Newcastle: although that is still more than a couple hours up the line. Tickets being bought well in advance - a tenner each way. Fog becomes sunshine: becomes grey clouds: and we arrive at Newcastle
Bridge Tavern
16
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
Central. We join the shuffling hordes crossing the inadequate footbridges. Breaking free we rush to the Information Office for three Day Rider Tickets. And then out of the station; to turn right to head downhill. As it is only 11ish; we are too early for most of our itinerary; but it does give us time for an alfresco brunch at No.1 Queen Street. Three full English later The Brewery Hunters are fit for the day ahead. We lean back and wait for them to stop receiving food at the Bridge Tavern – brewery and eatery - and open the doors. As a distraction we watch a group of “lads” prat about on the orange electric scooters: legal to rent and ride in Newcastle. And they are open!
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
We rush across the road and enter the confusingly signed Newcastle Arms. As you can see from the picture, the Tavern was shoehorned in under one of the Tyne’s many bridges. Disappointingly, it seems that they have not been brewing recently. But, a half of Black Isle Organic’s “Greenfinch” (a tart palate cleanser at 3.5%) followed by an Errant’s “Wood for the Trees” (as hoppy as it is cloudy – 4.0%) was compensation enough. The bar seems to be decorated “Post Industrial Shabby Chic”. A tiny beer garden allows for a leisurely examination of the underside of the vast, riveted bridge that replaces the sky. And at the back of the bar room is the sleeping hectolitre brewery. A “doodle” covered pillar in front of it is covered with incomprehensible references to”Stottys”.
Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
brewery brews! A Hop Gremlin, at 5.6%, is v. hoppy and unfined – unlike the young lady peeking around the pump. She is definitely “Stone Badge Man”!
Free trade inn
Through a chance meeting with one of the management, we were introduced to the joys of a 1920’s “neurotherapy” electric shock device (It is amazing what you can pick up in online auctions.); which fortunately was not charged up! Our chat was further lubricated by a Byker Brown Ale (4.8%); which we are assured, is brewed in Newcastle and not Yorkshire! It is everything that a “broon” should be – and a bit more. Back to the bus. And the next stop is the Free Trade Inn. Although the nine pumps had blank clips, the Inn was set up for table service, and beer was brought straight from the cellar. (I wonder how much they saved on eliminating losses in the lines?) Out in the beer garden; enjoying the view of bridges, bridges and yet more bridges; a pint of thirds helped us while the time away….. From left to right the beers were: McColl’s “Let’s eat pies” Best Bitter (3.8%), which was: Five points “Railway Porter” (4.8%) proved to be a rich smoothie of a beer: Neptune, Five Point & Atlanna “English IPA” (5.0%),which was only a swimbladder short of perfection.
Brickburn st. bar Next stop the Brinkburn St. Bar and Kitchen: home of Brinkburn St. Brewery; whose beers are Born and Bred in Byker. Now this
And so, on to the Tyne Bank Brewery: where the sign assured us that “It’s what’s inside that counts”. And inside was a large industrial space. Part way down a fence separated the brewery proper from the bar room area.
Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
Up the stairs at the back was a beer garden and car park. Sinking into the comfy chairs, The Monument British Bitter (4.1% and clear but still vegan) was a very quaffable best. Not being eager to leave our comfy chairs, a Summer Breeze Pale (3.8%) was a beer to wok with: having strong hints of lemongrass and Ginger. Almost reluctantly, we leave our last brewery and hop on the next bus back to the centre; to grab our last beers before catching the train.
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
17
best bitter at 4.2%, which was as good a beer to finish our hunt on as any.
Tyne bank brewery On our walk down to The Split Chimp the weather; which had become almost sunny; descended into drizzle. So we were pleased to enter the converted railway arch: for more than one reason. Sadly, they no longer have the skittles alley on the mezzanine floor above. Ho hum. If “life can’t be all beer and skittles”;
at least it can still be all beer: in this case Three King’s Brewery’s “Clever Chimp 2 session blonde 4% (hopped with Chinook and Cascade)”. How’s that for an informative pumpclip? It turned out to be a tart blond; as opposed to a ……… This just left time for the final First and Last Brewery’s “Reiver”; a
After brisk walk to the station we find our train waiting for us (admittedly with 15 minutes to departure.). Riding back (obligatory pictures of people sleeping being taken and “shared”) we consider the various stations. Now York and Grantham we know; but as Bar Hunters we wonder, what might it be like in Durham... Darlington... Northallerton... Doncaster... Newark on Trent. Mick Contact Us 01778-347629 thegoatatfrognall thegoatfrognall@outlook.com
During February & March to Celebrate ‘The Goat’ winning Peterborough District Rural Pub of the Year 2022 & say a massive Thank you to all our customers! We will be offering 4 pints for the price of 3 on our real ale Monday - Thursday during February & March (T & C’s apply)!
Make February & March Special!
Real Ale Jug Night Every Tuesday 4 Pint Jug of Real Ale
£14 18
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
Eat Out During February & March Monday - Thursday get
25% off
any dish on our Specials boards!
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
ROVING ROW’S REVIEW beautiful Christmas tree completed the scene. A perfectly-behaved handsome Labrador settled nicely with his owners. The bar has a comfy, old-school pub feel, fairly small but attractively stocked. The ales on offer were Nene Valley’s Dick’s Extraordinary Beer (4.6%), which was my favourite – dark amber, full-bodied and easy on the throat, and Grainstore’s winter ruby red, Three Kings (4.3%) – amber and rather “overbitter”. Emily greeted us warmly and talked us through the ales, which are changed weekly. The choices are very much customer-led, with plenty of useful input from regulars. We had booked a heated outside spot for our lunch, but Emily went over and above to find us a table inside, near the bar. We made our selection from a wide-ranging menu – a tasting plate of warm (yes! And delicious) Scotch eggs with perfect runny yolks, mini pasties with crumbly pastry and hot beef chilli nachos with chunky, succulent beef. Perfect portions, too, for a light lunch. An old family favourite, a visit to Stamford’s Bull and Swan at Burghley was a “must”. It has probably been 40 years since the last time we were there. Our family dined royally in the pub almost every night for a few weeks, courtesy of our insurance company following some subsidence in our house at Barnack, which necessitated a new kitchen. Particularly memorable was the seafood platter, which was on the menu then, and steak and chips – to say nothing of the Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery bitter! All those years later, as we walked in on a gloomy November Saturday afternoon, we were welcomed with cosy candlelit fireplaces and snug dining areas. The pub was buzzing with chatter and music, adorned with classy festive decorations, and a Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
As we took in our surroundings, we noticed a plaque honouring “The Honourable Order Of Little Bedlam”, which was a drinking club set up in 1864 by the fifth Earl of Exeter from neighbouring Burghley House. The members met at the pub and were all given names of animals ; for instance, the fifth Earl was “Lion” and his brothers William and Charles were “Panther” and “Bull” respectively. Several portraits of the various members can be seen at Burghley House, and they may also have dined at the Bull and Swan, so we were in good company! A thoroughly enjoyable experience, thank you. We will be back soon. Row and Gareth FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
19
20
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
PUB COMPANIES WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY DO Pub and Club Campaigns Committee feels that many members would find it helpful to have more information about the companies that control many of our pubs. This is the first in a series of articles that will provide the facts on pub company practices and operations, explaining in particular how their business models work and what this means for both licensees and, ultimately, us as customers. The aim is to let the facts speak for themselves so that members can make up their own minds about the positive or negative effects of these practices on our pubs and the folk who run them.
A POTTED HISTORY OF THE PUBCO Fifty years ago, when CAMRA was formed, the pub landscape looked very different. For a start, there were many more of them – some 75000 against around 47500 now. The majority of pubs (52000 or so) were owned by breweries. The 89 small and regional breweries had 13800 of them and the rest were in the hands of the ‘Big Six’ – Bass Charrington, Allied, Whitbread, Scottish & Newcastle, Watney/ Grand Metropolitan and Courage/Imperial. Most of the other 23000 pubs were free houses (in name anyway – many tied their beer supplies to a big brewer in return for loans and discounts). Companies that just owned pubs were few and far between – the likes of Sir John Fitzgerald in the north-east and Heavitree in the south west (though they tied themselves to Bass). Just about every pub-owning brewery rigorously imposed a supply tie on its own products. As late as the mid-1980s, I remember a Greene King Director recoiling in horror at my suggestion that they allow a few guest beers in their pubs. As a result, new breweries found outlets hard to come by and we customers were hardly spoilt for choice, as a glance at a Good Beer Guide of that era will reveal. Then, in 1989, along came the Beer Orders. The story of this epochal legislation (for better or worse) is superbly told in Laura Hadland’s recent Fifty Years of CAMRA book but, in essence, the government acknowledged the stranglehold on the Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
industry exercised by the Big Six and, among other things, capped their pub ownership at 2000. By now, because of closures and sell-offs, the Big Six owned fewer pubs between them but the Orders still meant around 11000 pubs coming onto the market. We, of course, dreamed of a new golden age of multi-handpumped free houses galore, but the reality was sadly different. Companies were quickly established, usually with close links to the Big Six, to hoover up these pubs in big batches then negotiate supply deals, invariably with the company who previously owned the place. Enterprise Inns, for instance, started off with the purchase of 368 pubs from Bass, and that’s where they bought the beer from. In the years that followed, wheeling and dealing saw companies variously grow, collapse, merge, acquire, dispose – it was very difficult to keep up with who owned what. Some companies concentrated on managed pubs, some on tenancies, a few on a mixed model. Behemoths emerged – by 2004, Punch Taverns and Enterprise each owned more than 8000 pubs, though both had accumulated so much debt that they ran into trouble come the financial crash and subsequently retrenched. We’ll have a closer look at the current pub company scene in the next article. A brief history of Punch Taverns illustrates the volatility surrounding pubcos from the 1990s FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
21
PUB COMPANIES onwards. Punch formed in 1997, purchasing a tranche of pubs from Bass. Two years later, they bought Inn Business (mostly former Whitbread pubs) and then the rump of the Allied estate. The managed pubs were spun off into a separate division called Spirit. In 2003, they acquired their 3100-strong rival Pubmaster plus a couple of smaller companies. Next, Scottish & Newcastle’s managed pubs were snapped up and added to Spirit. By 2011 the impact of the crash was being felt, calling for a ‘strategic review’. Spirit was demerged and, in 2015, sold to Greene King. Come 2016, a takeover bid totalling £403m (plus the taking on of a billion pounds of debt) was accepted; 1900 pubs went to Heineken with the remaining 1300 residing with Patron Capital, though the Punch brand has been retained. In the meantime, the treatment of their tenants by many of the Pubcos had become a major issue and, after years of campaigning, the Government was persuaded, in 2014, to announce a statutory
Pubs Code aimed at regulating their practices and ensuring fair treatment for tenants. We’ll return to the Code in a future article. In this context, though, it needs mentioning that the currently accepted definition of a pub company embraces breweries that own pubs – and nowadays most such companies have separate management structures for their pub and brewing operations. Final comments. Pub companies are here to stay. There is nothing wrong with the basic model and, indeed, there are some excellent companies (mostly smaller ones) who treat their licensees well and clearly see their pubs as more than just property assets. It would, though, be difficult to argue that the ways in which some companies operate raise many issues around their custodianship of what aren’t just piles of bricks-and-mortar but, in most cases, precious and valued community assets. We’ll examine those issues in due course.
FREE ENTRY & LIVE MUSIC IN FEBRUARY & MARCH 2022
Fri 4th BEATS ON THE BARGE from 8pm Sat 5th CIRCA 73 from 10pm Sun 6th JAZZ UNDERGROUND from 12pm Sun 6th DAVE SMITH from 3pm Fri 11th THE BIG RED VALENTINE’S BALL from 8pm Sat 12th LAST MINUTE BRIGADE from 10pm Sun 13th TIM & NAOMI from 3pm Fri 18th THE ALLERGIES & MADAME ELECTRIFIE from 10pm* Sat 19th TRIBAL MISFITS from 10pm Sun 20th A PRESTO from 3pm Fri 25th VINYL NIGHT from 8pm Sat 26th THE B-SIDERS from 10pm One o top 1 f the Sun 27th TOMMY PHILPOT from 3pm mus 0 live
ic p in the Uubs K The Gu
* Ticket only event
MONTHLY OFFERS £3 a pint
ardian
Fri 4th HAUS OF QUEERIO from 8pm Sat 5th THE DEPS from 10pm Sun 6th JAZZ UNDERGROUND from 12pm Sun 6th PEMBROKE TENNESON from 3pm Fri 11th PRIME CUTS from 8pm Sat 12th MOLA MOLA JAMBALAYA from 10pm Sun 13th ALEX EARDLEY-SCOTT from 3pm Sat 19th UNDER THE COVERS from 10pm Sun 20th ANDY HUGHES from 3pm Fri 25th VINYL NIGHT from 8pm Check out our website for Full Entertainment Listings Eclectic Ballroom and Charters Bar presents:
The Allergies & Madame Electrifie TICKET ONLY EVENT
FEBRUARY
MARCH
*not valid with any other offer.
follow us @
22
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
Ghostly
Goings-On
CAMRA’s Oldest Columnist, Gordon Bunting, continues his look back over life in a Stamford pub during the post-war years..... As was the often the way then, a pub was de-licenced if the landlord retired and that’s what happened when my father called it a day in 1957. The building was sold to a local shopkeeper who dealt in ladies’ clothing. The two cottages next door were pulled down and a new shop was built which sold furniture, and some years later that was sold to the present owners, Harrison and Dunn, who had it joined up to the old pub building. The old pub was used for storage. One day, an employee had to go up to the attic in the old pub and heard what he thought were voices coming from behind a wall. Aware that a murder was said to have taken place on the premises in 1785, he quickly called colleagues. They tapped on various walls and to their shock one sounded hollow. Was there a ghost behind it? The staff made an understandably reluctant decision to knock through the old mud and straw plaster – but all they found, illuminated by a skylight, was straw, dust and cobwebs! It looked as if the room had been blocked off for some unknown reason.
Editor’s note: Certainly the Burghley Arms, in its previous guise as the Seven Stars, had a chequered history. In January 1831, a customer called Henson called at the pub, had a drink and left. He was later found drowned in the River Welland. The following year, another customer, named Taylor, committed suicide on the premises! Surely the ale can’t have been that bad? In 1837, landlord John Chambers was fined for allowing gambling on the premises. A year later, one Edward Halford, a wheelwright from Greatford, had just appeared before the sessions at the Town Hall and had been fined for drunkenness. Following the hearing, he went straight to the Seven Stars, where he drank brandy and water ‘until he lost his faculties. In this state he was conveyed home, and continued raving mad until Friday last, when he died, leaving a widow and young family’.* *Source: Stamford Pubs and Breweries by Martin Smith.
Is your local pub under threat? CAMRA has the tools to help you save it
To this day, however, some staff are reluctant to go into that part of the building alone; some claim to have heard bleating coming from the attic (the pub was in Sheepmarket after all). camra.org.uk/saveyourlocal
Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
23
R.I.P. ROY BAKER It’s with regret that we report the passing of Roy Baker, for a number of years a popular and successful landlord in Stamford. Hailing from Nottingham, where he and Vina ran a tough city centre pub, amongst others, Roy took over at the ailing Northfields on Stamford’s Drift Road in the early 1990s and the couple soon transformed it. Roy realised what was required at a big estate boozer. Sunday night was quiz night and I occasionally asked the questions (nothing to do with the fact that the quizmaster got two free pints!) and the Northfields was always packed for that. Monday night was darts, Tuesday pool, Wednesday crib, Thursday pushpenny and then you were into the weekend. The pub’s chosen charity was the local old folks and many of them benefitted from day trips courtesy of generous regulars. I bought a house in Drift Avenue, a couple of minutes from the Northfields, in the 90s, and as a long-term devotee of Home Ales of Daybrook was happy to make it my local.
Unfortunately, Home Ales by this time was in the hands of Scottish and Newcastle - and Scottish Courage closed the brewery in 1996. I’m sure I’m correct in saying that they then imposed a ridiculous rent hike on their tenants - and Roy, no shrinking violet, dismissed the offer out of hand and he and Vina moved to the Drum and Monkey on Empingham Road. Roy’s health, though, had started to fail and eventually the couple retired to Corby Glen. However, when Dean and Jill took over the Jolly Brewer in 2006, Roy and Vina were on hand to advise and to do regular stints behind the bar, where Roy’s no-nonsense approach invariably made me smile. Yet he always had time for a chat with regulars! Roy had been on Notts County’s books as a young man and loved to talk about those times..... Our thoughts are with Vina and the family. Al
A warm welcome awaits you on the East Sussex coast! CAMRA’s Members’ Weekend, AGM & Conference will be hosted by our Sussex branches at the Winter Garden in Eastbourne 8-10 April 2022. After two years without a physical event, hundreds of members have already registered to attend – to see what Sussex has to offer by way of great beer, cider and perry. The weekend is a chance to meet friends, make new ones, go on organised brewery trips and take part in activities. It’s free to attend and open to all CAMRA members. The weekend is staffed by volunteers – with a range of opportunities to help on offer. All the information is on the event page – where you can register to attend / sign up to help - go to www.camra.org.uk/members-weekend-agm-conference Or email membersweekend@camra.org.uk 24
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
SMALL BREWERS’ RELIEF Commenting on the Government’s latest announcement on changes to the Small Brewers’ Relief Scheme, CAMRA Chairman Nik Antona said: “Small brewers across the UK have been waiting months for today’s announcement, and now have some more certainty over how their tax bills will change in the coming tears. “With the bold changes to all alcohol duties proposed in the Budget, there is still more detail that needs to be worked on. We are looking forward to working with the Treasury to ensure that the wider proposals work for small brewers, and especially that the new draught beer duty rate applies to containers of 20L and over – allowing for the smaller formats that small and independent brewers most frequently supply draught beer in. “From the announcement today, we are glad that the
Treasury has made a concession on the 50% relief threshold, following representations from small brewers and consumers who were worried about viability of small brewers and knock-on effects on consumer choice under the previous proposals. “We understand that the changes announced today will protect around 70 of the smallest brewers from increased tax bills. Sadly, this will still mean increased bills for those producing between 2,500 HL and 5,000HL per year, but the additional changes to smooth the ‘cliff edge’ in the relief taper should help small brewers grow more sustainably in future. “CAMRA will continue to campaign across a range of issues affecting small and independent brewers, as they are vital to maintaining consumer choice in the UK beer market, which is increasingly dominated by the interests of a small number of global brewing companies”.
HARE & HOUNDS GREATFORD
7 Real Ales Belgian Draught and Bottled Beers Open Log Fires Great Family Venue Dogs Welcome Great Food with 4 meats available for Sunday Roast “Probably the best Gravy in the World” Village Street, Greatford, Stamford PE9 4QA
Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
25
QUARTS AND THOUGHTS We’ll begin at the Palmerston Arms in Peterborough’s Oundle Road for the November Branch meeting. For a Tuesday night, the pub was encouragingly busy with drinkers and, as always, there were plenty of options ale-wise. I opted for Nene Valley Bible Black, which was so tasty I repeated the order for my second pint (sadly I was driving). I was pressed into service delivering BAE the following week, which enabled me to have a drink in one or two pubs I might not normally have visited. It was heartening to see the options available in Langtoft’s Waggon and Horses – I chose Otter Bitter but also on was Grainstore 1050, with Oakham JHB and Ossett Yorkshire Blonde “coming soon”. Baston’s two equine pubs, the White Horse and the Black Horse, were next. Nene Valley Blonde in the former, a tangy drop, and Taylor’s Landlord in the latter which was busy with diners. Last call – the Horseshoe in Thurlby, where Marston’s Pedigree was the sole draught ale.
bottles of strong Belgian ales, I think we spent more in the Burnt Pig than IKEA!). Back onto CAMRA duties and I delivered Good Beer Guide paraphernalia to two Stamford houses – the Bull and Swan, where I supped Nene Valley Blonde, and the Jolly Brewer, where my pint of Brewster’s Hophead was evidence of the recent improvement following a difficult start for the new incumbents, Michael and Karen Cotton. Tina and I enjoyed a weekend break in the Cotswolds in mid-November. I think it’s fair to say that hotels don’t always see ale as a priority, but we stayed at the Three Ways House in Mickleton and the pint of locally-brewed Hook Norton Hooky on arrival went down a treat. We chose to dine in the village that evening and went to the Butcher’s Arms, a snug old-fashioned inn. Wye Valley HPA and Donnington BB preceded Gloucestershire faggots, chips, peas and gravy! On the Sunday we lunched at the Plough in Ford (see BAE 211). A Donnington’s house, it’s always booked solid there but we rang on spec anyway, as we did two years ago, and were squeezed onto the same table in the bar as we were then – our usual table, in fact! Lovely grub, washed down with pints of Donnington BB and SBA.
Leaving IKEA in Giltbrook, Notts, after some Christmas shopping, could only mean one thing – a trip over the county border to Ilkeston and the Burnt Pig (see BAEs passim). Leatherbritches Stouter, Horbury Ernest and Parkway Norwegian Blue eased the pain in my wallet (although, by the time we’d consumed pork pies and sausage rolls and purchased
26
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
QUARTS AND THOUGHTS
Couldn’t resist calling at the Donnington Brewery on the way home and utilising the honesty box system they operate to pick up some bottles of Double Donn. Into December and the Branch AGM, held this year at the Yard of Ale a couple of doors down from the Palmy. Woodston is fortunate to have two quality boozers so close to each other and the Yard was also very busy for a midweek evening. My pints on the night were Notorious, from the Bristol Beer Factory, and Stewart Brewing 80/- from Loanhead – where I had the pleasure of delivering some equipment a while back. The Yard Of Ale was also the venue, on December 30th, for the count for the Branch Pub of the Year Awards. My pints on the night were both from Tiny Rebel – Peloton, a pale ale, and Stay Puft porter, and very good they were too. A few days later Tina and I did a bit of shopping in Oundle as I dropped off a box of BAEs to distributor Bob Whitehead. This also gave us the chance to call for a drink or two at the Tap and Kitchen (NVB Bitter and Drop Anchor) and have a chat – and make a couple of purchases – in the Nene Valley Brewery shop (Christmas, you know).
A Saturday evening in mid-December saw me multi-tasking – delivering BAE to some Stamford houses as well as taking in the farewell Stamford appearance (for the foreseeable future anyway) of renowned local band Children Of The Revolution. A pint of Grainstore 1050 in the Lord Burghley got the night off to a good start, but the Tobie Norris was clearly short-staffed and, although the two barmen (including manager Matt Williamson) were working like demons, we were forced to move on after waiting for a good ten minutes without edging noticeably nearer the bar! As most will confirm, ten minutes – when you’re ready for a pint – can seem like much longer....... We had better luck in the King’s Head. They were operating table service only and as we walked in, a couple obligingly rose to leave, so our pints of Baker’s Dozen Electric Landlady were soon in front of us. Onward – ever onward - to the Copper Room at the top of St. Mary’s Hill, where again it was very busy but we managed to secure a comfy table. Lack of space has meant the withdrawal of gravitydispensed ale as an option in this pleasant micro (although there are plenty of craft alternatives). I elected to have a bottle of the Belgian ale Kwaak. Next – and we thought final – stop was the London Inn, where COTR were to perform, and where I’d had a decent pint of London Pride a fortnight previously – but punters were five deep at the bar. After queueing for a while, I managed to crane my neck enough to see that the only ale on was Doom Bar! We legged it across the road to the Stamford Post, where it was bustling but we found a table straight away. In fact we stayed there for a while (three pints of Hook Norton Greedy Goose for me) as I got chatting to a lady who was once the daughter-in-law of 1970s Posh chairman Geoffrey Woodcock! You can’t say I don’t mix with the rich and famous.........
Al
A Warm Welcome in the Lord Burghley Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
27
POSH PINTS AND AWAY WE GO..... As Posh continue to struggle on the road, please remember that all fixtures will be subject to possible Covid-related restrictions, and some postponed fixtures may be rearranged for February and March. Tuesday 8th February (League)
CARDIFF CITY KO 7.45pm CITY ARMS 10-12 Quay Street CF10 1EA Flagship Brains pub featuring a three-sided bar serving the whole range of Brains ales plus up to seven guests from all over the country. No food served. GRANGE 134 Penarth Road CF11 6NJ Community pub with the emphasis on quality real ales and home-made food which seeks to provide an outlet for new small breweries. ROMILLY 69-71 Romilly Crescent CF11 9NQ Attractive, comfortable locals’ haunt with a variety of interconnecting rooms served by a single bar. The pub is CAMRA-accredited for serving consistently well-kept ales. TINY REBEL 26 Westgate Street CF10 1DD Multi-room city centre pub which is the Cardiff outlet for Tiny Rebel beers in cask and keg form. Several rooms upstairs and downstairs decorated in Tiny Rebel’s unique style. Evening food available.
28
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
Saturday 19th February (League)
DERBY COUNTY KO 3pm BRUNSWICK INN 1 Railway Terrace DE1 2RU One of the best-known free houses in the country, the Brunswick became Derby’s first multiple choice real ale house in 1987. It offers up to sixteen ales including at least six from Brunswick, the in-house brewery. Gets busy on match days. Lunchtime grub available. FALSTAFF 74 Silverhill Road DE23 6UJ Reputedly haunted, this back street gem which was originally a coaching inn is now the Falstaff Brewery tap. It has long been the best real ale house in the area (the back bar is a shrine to Offilers’ Brewery. No food served. FLOWERPOT 23-25 King Street DE1 3DZ Dating from around 1800, this vibrant pub is divided into several interlinking rooms. Up to fourteen ales offered, but no food available. NO. 189 189 Blenheim Drive, Allestree DE22 2GN Opened in 2018, this single-roomed micro offers a choice of five real ales, usually from local breweries. Again, though, no grub served. SMITHFIELD ALEHOUSE Meadow Road DE1 2BH Resting on the banks of the Derwent near the city centre, the Smithfield boasts an eclectic range of new and interesting beers, supported by Draught Bass. Local CAMRA Pub of the Year 2018-2020 and East Midlands Pub of the Year 2019. Lunchtime scoff available. Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
Wednesday 23rd February (League)
FULHAM KO 7.45pm KING’S HEAD 17 Hogarth Place SW5 0QT Comfortable, friendly corner venue off the Earls Court Road, the pub is a 1937 rebuild of the oldest licensed premises in the area. Three Fuller’s ales are supplemented by a local guest and evening food is served. KING’S ARMS 425 New King’s Road SW6 4RN Wadworth’s first pub in the capital, this pub at the north end of Putney Bridge has been divided into separate areas and tastefully furnished. Food includes stone-baked pizzas and Match Day menus. LILLIE LANGTRY 19 Lillie Road SW6 1UE Fulham’s oldest surviving 19th century pub, built in 1835 and enlarged 40 years later. Served no real ale until 2016 but has made up for it since! Three changing ales, often Hogs Back or Timothy Taylor, and lunchtime and evening food served. WHITE HORSE 1-3 Parsons Green SW6 4UL Large, light M & B house offering Harvey’s Sussex Best Bitter and Oakham JHB plus six changing ales. Can get busy on match days but there’s room upstairs to escape the crowds! Food served all day. Saturday 5th March (League)
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN KO 3pm CHERRY TREE 14-18 John William Street HD1 1BG Town centre Wetherspoon outlet offering Elland 1872 Porter alongside seven changing ales and the usual food options. Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
GROVE 2 Spring Grove Street HD1 4BP “The antithesis of everything mass market”, the Grove offers a confusion-inducing nineteen handpumps and over 200 bottled beers, making it the area’s “must visit” pub. Snacks available. KING’S HEAD St. George’s Square HD1 1JF Carefully-restored pub next to the station, offering four permanent and six rotating ales from local and distant breweries, with a mild and a dark ale always on. Hot food served on match days. RAT AND RATCHET 40 Chapel Hill HD1 3EB Multi award-winning Ossett house featuring the onsite Rat microbrewery. Eleven handpumps offer a wide range of ales, including two permanent dark beers. No food though. SPORTSMAN 1 St. John’s Road HD1 5AY 1930s establishment which has won a CAMRA English Heritage Conservation Pub Design award. Eight ales are arranged in order of strength with a dark on always available. Grub available. Saturday 19th March (League)
QUEEN’S PARK RANGERS KO 3pm CENTRAL BAR Unit 1, West 12 Shopping Centre W12 8PH Wetherspoon pub on the upper floor of a shopping centre, with “commendable beer quality” since 2019. Usual food options. DEFECTOR’S WELD 170 Uxbridge Road W12 8AA Young’s house serving their own ales plus rotating local guests. Food served but please be aware that there’s home fans only policy on match days, but there’s a way round that – card-carrying CAMRA members not wearing team colours are welcome. Al FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
29
Diary Dates FEBRUARY Monday 7th at 8.30pm Branch Monthly Meeting at the Bumble Inn, 46 Westgate PE1 1RE All welcome but please bring your membership card! Saturday 5th Velocity at the Burghley Club, Burghley Road Well-established high power trio from Peterborough delivering classic and modern covers. Wednesday 9th – Saturday 12th Great British Winter Beer Festival, Hockley Circus, Birmingham *Please note this event is now cancelled* *A venue is still being sought for the Derby Winter Ale Festival after the Roundhouse became unavailable* Saturday 19th Beer and Cider Festival, Athena, Queen Street, Leicester LE1 1QD Saturday 19th Velocity at the Yard of Ale, Oundle Road Saturday 26th Velocity at Coyotes Bar, Northminster
MARCH Monday 7th at 8.30pm Branch Monthly Meeting at the Coalheavers’ Arms, 5 Park Street PE2 9BH All welcome but please bring your membership card! Thursday 3rd – Saturday 5th Loughborough CAMRA Beer Festival, Polish Club, True Lovers Walk, Loughborough LE11 3DB loughboroughcamra.co.uk Friday 4th – Saturday 5th Rugby CAMRA Beer Festival, The Arnold House, Elsee Road, Rugby CV21 3BA rugby.camra.org.uk Saturday 5th Velocity at the Iron Horse, Market Deeping 30
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
CAMRA meetings, socials and beer festivals
Saturday 12th Velocity at the Crown, Lincoln Road Thursday 17th – Saturday 19th Booze On The Ouse, Priory Centre, St. Neots PE19 2BH hunts.camra.org.uk Thursday 17th – Sunday 20th Empingham Cricket and Social Club Annual Beer Festival Check Club website and Facebook page for further details. Saturday 19th Velocity at the Granary, Long Sutton Saturday 26th Velocity at the Ostrich, North Street Saturday 26th March In March In March Campaigning Crawl – Sample, Survey, Sup! All details on Branch website.
JUNE Thursday 16th – Sunday 19th Cambridge Rock Festival, East of England Showground, Peterborough Rock, Blues, Prog and Folk – and 80 Real Ales and Ciders!
AUGUST Tuesday 23rd – Saturday 27th 43RD PETERBOROUGH CAMRA FESTIVAL RIVER EMBANKMENT
BEER
FORTHCOMING BAE DEADLINES BAE 216, covering April and May: deadline 26th February, out on 28th March. BAE 217, covering June and July: deadline 30th April, out on 30th May.
Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
Branch Contacts Branch Committee
Campaigns Officer: Andy Simmonds 07949 181737
Secretary: Dickie Bird 74 Ellwood Avenue, Peterborough PE2 8LY 07731993896 info@ peterborough.camra.org.uk
Press Officer: Raeanne Elliott press-officer@ peterborough.camra.org.uk
Chairman: Matt Mace 07809 629241 chairman@ peterborough.camra.org.uk
Cider Officer: Andy Stone 07816 893997 cider@ peterborough.camra.org.uk
Treasurer: Paul Beecham 01733 311981 07710 008693 treasurer@ peterborough.camra.org.uk
Young Members: Ryan Murray young-members@ peterborough.camra.org.uk
Vice Chair: Daryl Ling 07949 741548 daryl.ling@gmail.com BAE Editor: Alun Thomas 07870 847536 bae-editor@ peterborough.camra.org.uk Social Sec: James Sheppard
07852 772394
social-sec@ peterborough.camra.org.uk Pubs Officer: Bill Taylor 07903 078340 pubs-officer@ peterborough.camra.org.uk
Membership: Karen Quinn membership@ peterborough.camra.org.uk Festival Org: Mike Lane 07850 334203 festival-organiser@ peterborough.camra.org.uk LocAle Officer: Mark Wroe 07595 549388 locale@ peterborough.camra.org.uk Webmaster: Dickie Bird 07731993896 webmaster@ peterborough.camra.org.uk
Minuting Secretary: Jonathan House 07305 764604 /01733 260005 jonathan.house0807 @gmail.com
Melbourn: Don Rudd 07806 731765
Brewery Liaison Officers
Nene Valley: Bill Taylor 07903 078340
Bexar County Brewery: Dave Botton 01733 345475
Mile Tree Brewery: Steve Williams 07756 066503
Oakham Ales: Dave Allett 07966 344417 Rocket Ales: Don Rudd 07806 731765
Blue Bell: Situation Vacant bluebell-blo@ peterborough.camra.org.uk
Tydd Steam: Dickie Bird
Bowler’s: Andy Stone 07816 893997
Xtreme Ales: Mark Wroe
Castor Ales: Mike Lane 07850 334203 Digfield: Dave Waller 07768 085441 Drum and Monkey: Keith Miller 07525 750502
07731 993896 07595 549388
xtreme-blo@ peterborough.camra.org.uk Visit our website at: www.peterborough. camra.org.uk
Elgood’s: Jonathan Boyall elgoods-blo@peterborough. camra.org.uk
Advertising: Paper Red Media Neil: 01536 358670 n.richards@btinternet.com
Hopshackle: Jonathan House 07305 764604
Trading Standards
Kings Cliffe Brewery: Don Rudd 07806 731765
Contact Citizens’ Advice on 03454 040506 www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Pub Merit Awards & Gold Awards Does your pub have excellent beer, friendly staff, a great atmosphere, community spirit, or have they introduced additional hand pumps? If so, nominate them for an award. Gold Awards are for pubs that make exceptional efforts to improve. The Merit Awards is for pubs that continue to maintain high standards. If you know of a deserving pub within the branch area, please complete the form below indicating Gold or Merit and post to the secretary or email nominations to info@real-ale.org.uk
Pub name: Pub address/town/village: Reason for award: Your name: Your phone number or e-mail address: Your membership number:
Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
31
The Farmers
SO MUCH MORE AT THE FARMERS
SUCCULENT ROAST MEATS ALL DAY GRILL MENU DELICIOUS DESSERTS VEGGIE OPTIONS SPECIALS BOARDS
SATURDAY BIG BREAKFAST
From 8am - 11am. Start your Saturday with a full English from the carvery. Help yourself!
Only £7.95
FOUR CHANGING REAL ALES PREMIUM LAGERS GREAT WINES COFFEE
TEA
LOOKING FOR ALTERNATIVE WEDDING VENUE Two fantastic function areas for hire. The Green Room is a covered area that brings the outside in. The Broadway Suite upstairs will hold a maximum of 75 seated and up to 120 party style depending on layout. Perfect for business meetings, conferences, funeral wakes, weddings, civil ceremonies, parties and all of lifes occasions. Large outdoor space for wiling away the last few days of summer
200 BROADWAY, YAXLEY WWW.THEFARMERSYAXLEY.COM TEL: 01733 244 885 THEFARMERS@BTCONNECT.COM 32
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022
Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
