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PETERBOROUGH & DISTRICT BRANCH OF THE CAMPAIGN FOR REAL ALE
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FREE! PLEASE TAKE ONE
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IT’S ON! PETERBOROUGH BEER FESTIVAL GETS THE GREEN LIGHT! 23RD - 27TH AUGUST 2022
Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
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It's Festival Season CAMRA beer festivals are ready to welcome you back!
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Find your local CAMRA beer festival camra.org.uk/festivals
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Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
Editor’s Ramblings Good news can take many forms, and in the straitened times we’ve experienced recently (plus the recent developments in Eastern Europe) must be seen in relative terms, but the announcement that the Peterborough Beer Festival is to go ahead for the first time since 2019 is sure to gladden the hearts and set the pulses racing of a multitude of ale and cider drinkers from near and far. Mick Lane and the unheralded Paul Beecham worked relentlessly to prepare a budget that CAMRA Head Office (who initially fund the Festival) found agreeable. Financial and health restrictions mean, understandably, that certain restrictions will have to be implemented but these, surely, are a small price to pay for such a major outcome. Full details on page 13. Bring it on!!! We are still seeking distributors for BAE, so please read the latest appeal on page 5 of this issue. If you can help, do get in touch. If you are already a distributor – thank you, and keep up the good work! We are grateful to Paul Berrisford, who has taken on deliveries to the Crowland area.
Lack of distributors in some areas has meant that I have been delivering to some of our more far-flung pubs and I have been struck by two things. Firstly, the sheer buoyance and cheerfulness of staff following the unprecedented adversity of the pandemic – there seems to be real cause for optimism. And secondly, I was heartened by the fact that BAE was so warmly received in almost every pub! Makes it all worthwhile....... I won’t name the only pub where I experienced resistance but will leave readers to work it out. I was met at the door by a lady who politely but firmly informed me that the pub didn’t allow “that sort of magazine” on the premises. A perfectly civil conversation was about to end when I pointed out that her establishment was actually mentioned in the issue I was holding. She promptly liberated the bundle from my hands and disappeared inside........ Don’t forget our next issue covers June and July, so remember to let us have details of all your events by 30th April. Good luck! Al
IN THIS ISSUE
Welcome From The Editor
3
Chairman’s Corner
5
Pub News
6
Pubs of the Year
7
Brewery News
8 - 11
Rest In Peace Alex Kean 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
12
Peterborough Beer Festival & Golden Boys
13
Breweriana and Collectors Fair
14
Breweriana Quiz
15
In The 50’s Confessions of an Editor
21 23
Pub Companies
24 - 25
Quarts and Thoughts
26 - 28
Trip to Hertford and Where? 16 & 17
Posh Pints
29
Little Miracles
18
Diary Dates
30
19
Branch Contacts
31
Roving Row’s Review 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
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 30th May. We must have your stories, news and advertisements by 30th April.
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
APRIL/MAY 2022
BEER AROUND ‘ERE
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P GREAT MUSIC AT THE BREWERY TA APRIL 2022
Fri 1st DJ Tk & T3lsy ‘Everything Urban’ from 9pm till late Sat 2nd * Motor City Vipers ‘Charity Soul Night’ from 7pm till late
Advance tickets £10 each at ‘MCV.eventbrite.co.uk’(not www.) or from the venue on 01733 358500
Sun 3rd Open Mic Night from 6pm till 11pm Thu 7th * The Big Deal Comedy ‘Comedy Night at the Tap’ show starts from 8pm in the function room. Ticket £10 each plus booking fee. Available from Eventbrite. Tickets on the door, subject to availability
Fri 8th DJ Tk & T3lsy ‘Everything Urban’ from 9pm till late Sat 9th DJ Rick Allen ‘Saturday Night Groove’ from 9pm till 3am Thu 14th Pre bank holiday ‘Jessie’s Ghost’ Live Music from 10pm Fri 15th * Mr Nash & guest DJs ‘Brownsuga Charity Night’ from 9pm till 2am £5 cash entry each from 8:30pm. Proceeds to Cancer Research UK Sat 16th DJ Rick Allen ‘Saturday Night Groove’ from 9pm till 3am th Sun 17 Easter Sunday ‘Meg McPartlin’ acoustic guitar live music from 9pm Fri 22nd DJ Theodore S Supafly ‘Disco Inferno’ from 9pm till 1am Sat 23rd DJ Rick Allen ‘Saturday Night Groove’ from 9pm till 3am Sat 23rd * Mr Nash & guest DJs ‘Drum & Bass Charity Night’ from 9pm till 2am in the function room £5 cash entry each. All proceeds to Mind Thu 28th * The Peterborough Big Band. Shows start from 8pm in the function room. £5 cash entry each Fri 29th Dusk Till Dawn Live Music from 10pm Sat 30th DJ Eddie Nash ‘The Get Down’ from 9.30pm till 3am
MAY 2022
FREE ENTRY
*Except ...
Sun 1st Pre Bank Holiday ‘Open Mic Night’ from 6pm till 11pm Fri 6th DJ Rick Allen ‘The Sensational 70s & 80s’ from 9pm till 1am Sat 7th Private Party closed to public from 9pm Fri 13th DJ Tk & T3lsy ‘Everything Urban’ from 9pm till late Sat 14th DJ Rick Allen ‘Saturday Night Groove’ from 9pm till 3am Fri 20th Mr Nash & guest DJs ‘QUO VADIS Reunion’ from 10pm till 2am Sat 21st DJ Rick Allen ‘Saturday Night Groove’ from 9pm till 3am Fri 27th High Rollers Live Music from 10pm Sat 28th DJ Eddie Nash ‘The Get Down’ from 9.30pm till 3am
MONTHLY SPECIALS
£3 a pint
APRIL
MAY
*not valid with any other offer.
01733 358500 thebrewery-tap.com
80 Westgate, Peterborough PE1 2AA
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Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
Chairman’s Corner
Matt has been isolating for Covid-related reasons. We naturally wish him well and look forward to welcoming back his column in the next issue.
DISTRIBUTION RESOLUTION? We are still seeking distributors for one or two areas in the Branch district. Are there any readers in or near March who would be able to spare a couple of hours every two months to deliver to a handful of pubs? Fresh air, a bit of exercise, you could even have a drink or two – and you’d get the warm feeling of helping a worthy cause. What’s not to like? We also need a distributor in south-east Northamptonshire (mainly villages – it’s a lovely part of the Branch’s area). There’s nothing complicated - a box of BAEs is normally brought to you and you take it from there. We’d be most grateful for any assistance. 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 £4.42 for second class or £6.00 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
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Pub News Congratulations to the King’s Head in Stamford on their award for Town Pub of the Year. Well deserved for the fantastic selection of different beers and ciders they have on their board. However, they also have friendly, knowledgeable staff and provide tasty food. A truly great little pub! I enjoyed my afternoon at the Charters Winter Beer Festival, with a good selection of beers in excellent condition. A week later I enjoyed a couple of very tasty pints in the Coalheavers (Park Street) before my friend decided to spoil his afternoon by going to watch the football match in the vain hope that his team might win.
be provided on the Friday by Salmon Dave and the Saturday by Dizzy Miss Lizzy’s. Also (hopefully you’ll be reading this before Saturday, April 2nd!) the Annual Charity Soul Night is back following a two-year Covid-related hiatus. Motor City Vipers will be hosting the event at the Brewery Tap in Westgate on that evening to help raise funds for the fantastic work carried out by Sue Ryder Care at Thorpe Hall Hospice in Peterborough.
My pub reporting has not really taken off this year, so I have little else to report this issue. I hope to have more to say next time. Bill Taylor Alun Thomas adds: There’s still no news on the revamping of the White Swan, Harringworth. Building materials fill the back yard but work has yet to resume in this splendidlysituated old inn, overlooking the Seaton Viaduct. No news is supposedly good news, but the Toft House Hotel on the A6121 between Stamford and Bourne remains a dark monolith....also yet to reopen are Stamford’s two Samuel Smith’s houses, St. Mary’s Vaults and the Melbourn. And there’s still nothing to report from the proposed sale of Nassington’s Black Horse. However, the Raymond Mays, Bourne’s fledgling Wetherspoon outlet, remains on course to open in April. Great to hear the announcement about Peterborough Beer Festival – just the fillip the ale and cider drinkers of the area needed – and there’s happy news from Yaxley, where “Xtreme At The Farmers” is taking place from Wednesday, 4th until Saturday 7th May. Eighteen (count ‘em) different ales from local brewers will be showcased while entertainment will 6
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The event also includes support from top soul DJs and Tap regulars Julian R and Paul D, and the evening will include a raffle and auction. Tickets from the Tap or order online at mcv.eventbrite. co.uk. In other news, our neighbours in Rutland have also had their Beer Festival budget approved by CAMRA HQ and the event – at Rutland County Museum in Oakham - will take place from Thursday 23rd to Saturday 26th June. Rustic food, gentle entertainment, forty or so ales, free entry for CAMRA members.....they hope “to see lots of our friends from Peterborough Branch as usual”. And don’t forget the Breweriana and Playing Card Collectors’ Fair at the Ploughman, Werrington, on Saturday 30th April, 12 noon – 4pm. This event is also back after a pandemic-induced break. All details on page 14.
Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
PUB OF THE YEAR Awards Nights
KING’S HEAD First up on 26th February was the King’s Head in Stamford’s Maiden Lane, where the Branch Town Pub of the Year Award doubled up with their Gold Award, held over from the previous year because of restrictions imposed due to the pandemic. A packed house was entertained by Dickie Bird’s expert repartee before landlords Steve and Annie were presented with their well-deserved certificates. The ales on the night were, as ever, straight out of the top drawer and certainly one of them (can’t remember which!) tasted all the better as the round was on the house! Our photo, courtesy of Don Rudd, shows Steve and Annie with the awards along with staff members Alex and G.
OSTRICH A week later it was the turn of the Ostrich in Peterborough’s city centre. The North Street house was the winner of the Branch City Pub of the Year Award and, in the continued and unfortunate absence (COVID) of Chairman Matt Mace, Dickie once again made an admirable job of the presentation. The multitude in attendance were royally treated by the pub – all real ales were £2 a pint between 7 and 9pm! Again we have Don to thank for the photo, which shows Sue and Graham with their certificate along with Alan, Dave and Dickie.
Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
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Brewery News
BLUE BELL
www.thebluebell.net
BOWLER’S
https://bowlers.beer/ After the frenzy of the Christmas markets, January and February are relatively quiet months for sales. We’ve therefore taken the opportunity to step up on the brewing to build up our bottled and cask beer stocks. Having established the brewery during the pandemic, our initial focus was on bottled beers, but we are now experiencing a greater demand for cask ales for pubs and festivals. We have invested in more firkins and are bringing a third fermenting vessel on stream to meet this demand. Our cask beers are proving popular and have been on tap recently at the Thirsty Giraffe, the Frothblowers and the Wonky Donkey. We are also now delighted to supply our “Village Local” best bitter to the Bluebell in Helpston. Further afield, we have provided cask ales to the Ely Winter Beer Festival as well as pubs in Derby, Bury St. Edmunds and Cheshire.
Meanwhile, we have reduced the prices of the bottled ales in our online shop (www.bowlers. beer) and have introduced a customer collection option from the brewery in Deeping Gate. 8
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On the marketing front, fans of Stamford AFC may be aware that we are one of the club sponsors. We are also providing “beer sponsorship” to the Deeping Dinosaurs veterans rugby club for their upcoming tour. If you fancy a pint before or after the game, you can find Bowler’s beers in the clubhouses of both Stamford AFC and Deepings RUFC. Finally, we are currently developing a new beer for our range, and intend that it will be available in the spring. Without giving too much away, it will be fruity, salty and sour – you have been warned! Cheers! John Bowyer
CASTOR ALES
www.castorales.co.uk Blimey, no sooner have we written a piece for BAE than the next deadline looms large. Time seems to absolutely fly by and one month seems to merge into another the older we get. At first, we put it down solely to an age thing and assumed our memories were on the wane, but then we realised it must have been all the alcohol (Castor Ales of course) consumed at the many lockdown quizzes, leaving dos and parties that we can’t remember whether we attended or not. We were hoping there would be plenty of photographs taken at the time to remind us whether we were there and whether we enjoyed ourselves, but no matter how hard we have tried we can find no photos to evidence such events (it seems a lot of photographers have been erstwhile engaged during large parts of lockdown) although some party hats and tinsel were found in the brewery following the last brew day. Luckily there is no photocopier in the brewery. Changing the topic completely: “Brexit, and other factors have led to unresolvable supply chain issues for critical elements of the festival infrastructure”. That was the rather sad and chilling note we got from the Cambridge Beer Festival organisers, confirming that this year’s event would not be going ahead. In a very selfish moment we thought “thank goodness for that”; at last someone else was having the same Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
Brewery News
unresolvable supply chain issues that we have been struggling with at Castor. Try as we might, we simply have not been able to purchase extra long matches and that has led to massive health and safety issues when it comes to a brew day, as lighting the gas burner has proved hair-raising, to say the least. No amount of bounce back loan is going to compensate for the sheer danger of having to light the gas burner with short matches. As always, we feel sure the loyal Castor Ales supporters (you know who you are) will appreciate the jeopardy that is part and parcel of producing each and every pint of the (multiple) award-winning Ale. We certainly appreciate your efforts in drinking our beer (and all the other fantastic beers brewed by the local brewers). Keep safe. Duncan Vessey
DIGFIELD ALES
www.digfield-ales.co.uk
DRUM AND MONKEY To mark our local, the King’s Head in Stamford, being awarded their CAMRA Gold AND Town Pub Awards we thought it fitting to brew a special beer for them. We brewed a 5.5% NEIPA called #34 King’s Head Gold. This had a little magnum in the early boil for bitterness, then magnum and Amarillo in the hop stand and dry hop for flavour and aroma. The result was a fruity NEIPA which went down a storm. We are now trying to repeat with gyles #36 and #37. For gyle #35 we added Vienna and carahelles malts to the grain bill and the resultant Helles Pale Ale (4.3%) has a bright orange colour and other big orange flavours. Other big news this month is that we have dropped off some bottles for sale at the lovely Blonde Beet. This wonderful plant-based cafe, bistro and community space, on St. Paul’s Street in Stamford, fits perfectly with our local, independent and artisan brand. So pop along for a delicious meal and wash it down with a Half Beast (3.33%) or a King’s Head Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
Gold (5.5%). For more news and updates follow the brewery on Instagram@drumandmonkeybrewing or get in touch via drumandmonkeybrewing@ gmail.com. We would love to hear from any other local independents who might like to brand together. Cheers! Rupert Gibson
ELGOOD’S
www.elgoods-brewery.co.uk
HOPSHACKLE
www.hopshacklebrewery.co.uk There seems to have been a definite swing towards the development and support of local Farm Shops. These source and supply as much as they can locally from producers of a full range of products, and in many cases these products are seasonal. The supermarkets have provided us with whatever we want, whenever we want it, sourcing foodstuffs globally so that everything is in season all year round. I have recently been contacted by Van Hage, Baytree and Nene Park Farm Shops and am now supplying them with my bottled beers, another very welcome source of income and brand exposure. This swing is not only because of Brexit and the recent epidemic, but also because of an increasing awareness of reducing the carbon footprint of our lives in general. This “buy local” ingredients and products concept is not a new one, as the majority of the world’s beer styles were developed using exactly these principles. Ask any brewer what you need to make a genuine and true example of any traditional style of beer. And you’ve got to use the malts, hops and any other additions that those breweries had available around them in their specific region. To make a traditional English bitter, you have to use English heritage malts and hops and to make a traditional German Maibock (Mai meaning May in German) you need to use German Munich and Pilsner malts APRIL/MAY 2022
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Brewery News
and Hallertau hops. In fact, Germany is a perfect example of historical brewing that continues to this day with the myriad of seasonal andregional beer styles that still exist. So – if you’re at a loose end, or see a sign for a Farm Shop on your journey somewhere, pop in and explore, see what you can discover. There’ll be locally produced beers, spirits, preserves, bread and cheeses and possibly the odd-shaped vegetable as well...............so happy and flavoursome hunting! 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 early months 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 Melbourns. The four bottled beers produced are Organic Raspberry, Apricot, Cherry and Strawberry, all at the strength of 5.1% ABV. Don Rudd
MILE TREE
www.miletreebrewery.co.uk By the end of May we will have taken delivery of a new Cask Force two head cask and keg washer. This piece of equipment will clean 24 casks or kegs in one hour. The thorough cleaning of kegs is important as we start producing our unfiltered craft lager for the Potting Shed at the Secret Garden Touring Park, Wisbech. This will be in addition to our two permanent ales on their bar, Rolling Mile (3.9%) and Hopfire Pale (4.0%). During 2022, the Secret Garden Touring Park have many varied acts booked for their entertainment nights. Go to their website and click 10
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on “Entertainment & Street Food Calendar” for a full list of events. They have also recently created a covered and outside beer garden area in which you can enjoy great beer and food. Keep a look out for our new pump clips – we are really proud of the new design, and big thanks to Chris Bryant Creative Design for making this happen. Mile Tree Brewery will be running the bar at The Food, Produce and Craft Fayre on Palace Green, Ely, on Friday 3rd June and also on Sunday, 5th June for the Eel Day Festival on Jubilee Gardens – all part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebration weekend. You will also find our beers at Wilburton Beer Festival on 24th and 25th June, Haddenham Beer Festival on 1st-3rd July and Ely Folk Festival on 8th-10th July. Cheers! Richard and Karen Matthews
NENE VALLEY
www.nenevalleybrewery.co.uk The 21st September will be the 10th anniversary of Nene Valley Brewery having been at Oundle Wharf. There are plans in the pipeline to organise a celebratory event - and also the launch of a new 6.0% Anniversary IPA. This year’s brewing schedule will also see the return of Here’s The Thing, A Beer Named Leroy and Green Hop. There are also plans for several new brews. These will include a Mild, a Dry Hopped Pilsner and a DIPA. More details to follow. The shop continues to be busy; the opening hours are now Friday 11.30am – 1pm and 2pm – 5.30pm and Saturday 12 noon – 4pm. Cans, bottles and 5L mini casks are always in stock while 10L, 20L and firkins all need pre-ordering. Please contact shop@ nenevalleybrewery.com to place your orders Bill Taylor
OAKHAM ALES
www.oakhamales.com With the half-baked Covid restrictions over the Christmas period from central government, which were, effectively, “there will be Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
Brewery News
no restrictions but we’d rather you stayed at home”, trading, like many in the industry, was disappointing to say the least – but come January and the brewery had the great mysterious flip, with the normally quietest month of the year seeing brewing at full tilt and everything available selling out. So as spring now approaches, the third seasonal beer of the year appears – another new brew, featuring the experimental English hop CF247, grown by hop merchants Charles Faram in Herefordshire; hence the name, “24/7”, a 4.2% grapefruit hopped pale ale. A new cask-aged beer will be available towards the end of March called Kaizen, a Japanese term meaning “change for the better”. It’s a deep golden beer at 5.0% abv, featuring four New World hops, and for those who enjoy beers adjacent to cask beer it will be available unfiltered in both kegs and cans, so whatever your preference – just enjoy! Dave Allett
XTREME ALES
www.xtremeales.com The end of 2021 was a busy time for the brewery, and not just because of the festive time of year. Head brewer Martyn, knowing he was undergoing hip surgery in January, was brewing round the clock to ensure casks and bottles were filled in readiness for his recovery time. This effort paid off and their beers have been selling well – and not just in the pubs. The Elysian Beer Festival took place and plenty of Xtreme Ales were on show. The Rhubarb X Custard was gone early Saturday morning and the rest was sold by mid-afternoon. Mark Wroe
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 were quiet earlier in the year but are now improving. Dave supplied two beers to the Ely Beer Festival – Meteor and Titan, and also beers to the “Booze On The Ouse” Beer Festival in March. Don Rudd
Gorefield Beer Festival 7th – 9th JULY With over 36 real ales, ciders & craft lagers Gin and Rum Bar Free Entry 1000+ Visitors over the past years Inflatable fun for the children & sport races for young & old (Saturday afternoon) Live music each evening
TYDD STEAM
www.tyddsteam.co.uk
Live music playing from 3pm on the Saturday afternoon Camping also available on site Opening times: Thurs 6pm-11pm, Fri 6pm-12am, Sat 12pm-12am. Gorefield Community Hall, Wolf Lane, Gorefield PE13 4NE. For more information email: gorefieldbeerfest@hotmail.com. Or find us on Facebook
Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
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ALEX KEAN A TRIBUTE FROM FAMILY MEMBERS, FRIENDS AND WORK COLLEAGUES Many readers will be aware that Alex Kean, Head Brewer at Oakham Ales, lost his life (at the tragically early age of 45) in an accident last December.
2015 and Oakham Citra becoming “Champion Golden Beer of Great Britain” at the CAMRA Great British Beer Festival in both 2014 and 2019.
A great lover of adventure sports, Alex travelled widely, visiting a remarkable 67 countries over the years.
A much respected friend and colleague, Alex is hugely missed by all at Oakham Ales, by his family, by his wide circle of friends and most particularly by his wife Sian, also a colleague at Oakham.
He first cut his brewing teeth at Wychwood in Oxfordshire, worked whilst on his travels as Head Brewer at The Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel in Sydney (Australia’s oldest pub brewery) and also gained valuable experience at Smiles in Bristol. Alex joined Oakham in July 2006, shortly after he returned from trekking around South America and just as the brewery moved to its current home in the Woodston area of Peterborough. He played a key role in establishing Oakham’s operations at the new brewery and was promoted to the position of Head Brewer in 2010.
Is your local pub under threat? CAMRA has the tools to help you save it
His skill, knowledge and commitment played an unequalled role in the development of the brewery and in maintaining the enviable levels of quality and consistency for which Oakham beers are well known. Those brewing talents were endorsed by the regular flow of major awards won by Oakham’s beers. Most notably with Green Devil IPA becoming “World Champion Cask Beer” at the prestigious International Brewing Awards in both 2013 and 12
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camra.org.uk/saveyourlocal
Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
43RD PETERBOROUGH BEER FESTIVAL IT’S OFFICIAL!
Peterborough Beer Festival dates are now confirmed. The much-delayed event, which last graced the River Embankment in 2019, will take place from Tuesday 23rd to Saturday 27th August at the same venue! Due to issues with COVID, we will have to make some changes ; however, basically we will still have giant marquees on the site with a massive selection of Real Ales, Ciders and Perries, World Beers and Wines and, of course, the ever-popular Gin Bar! Although the Festival will be slightly scaled back due to health and financial constraints, we will still strive
to maintain the Peterborough Beer Festival vibe, offering a fantastic range of food franchises amid a family-friendly atmosphere. We have a massive task ahead of us over the next few months to ensure that the 2022 Festival will be the BIGGEST, the BRIGHTEST and the BEST that we are able to offer. So please keep checking on the Peterborough CAMRA website or on the Beer Festival Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ groups/36656941600, and we will keep you up to date on what’s happening. Peterborough Beer Festival Committee
GOLDEN BOYS! The list of winners contains lifelong members, industry names, politicians and CAMRA clubs. Mike and Andy are in exalted company ; others to be decorated include cartoonist Bill Tidy, Northampton CAMRA’s Karl Tecklenberg, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and former Prime Minister Gordon Brown!
Backslapping time for two of our number, Festival Organiser Mike Lane and Campaigns Officer Andy Simmonds, who have been honoured by CAMRA with Golden Awards in the People Category. The Award is for individuals – or groups – who have made “a significant contribution to the achievement of our campaigning aims in the 50 years since CAMRA was founded”. Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
Posthumous awards went to beer writers Richard Boston and Geoff Brandwood, amongst others, whilst breweries such as Batemans and Robinsons and pubs like Norwich’s Fat Cat, the Swan With Two Necks in Pendleton, the Roscoe Head (Liverpool) and Leyton Orient Supporters’ Club were also recognised. Mick and Simmo: you are dining at the top table!
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BREWERIANA & PLAYING CARD COLLECTORS FAIR AT THE PLOUGHMAN Saturday April 30th - 12 o’clock to 4 o’clock
Maxine and Mike are pleased to be organising another collectors fair this coming April and were delighted when “Simmo” from the Ploughman in Werrington once again kindly offered to host the event. They have organised this occasion in the city over the past few years at the Coalheavers Arms and the late lamented Heron. Even if you’re not a collector it’s well worth browsing the stalls to reminisce on drinks and breweries of the past and who knows you might end up hooked and buy a few items! Some of the things on offer in the past are illustrated below.
PAINE & CO
LACONS
Whitbread, the brewery closed in 1968 but is now revived, having been relaunched in 2013. Next we have a Northampton Brewery Company beermat from the 1950’s. The brewery closed in 1973, but like Lacon’s, it has been revived and started brewing again, in Northampton in 2014. Finally, we have a Bullard & Sons of Norwich pack of playing cards. The Ostrich pub in Peterborough was one of their pubs and I think there are a few photos of this era in the bar. We hope the above has fired your interest in breweriana and look forward to meeting many of you at the Ploughman, 1 Staniland Way, Werrington, on Saturday the 30th April between 12 and 4pm. The citi 1 bus service runs every 15 minutes from Queensgate, Peterborough bus station and stops close to the pub. If you would like to book a table contact Maxine Chantry, mob: 0750 629 6801 or email: maxinechantry@ virginmedia.com. Tables are available for a small donation which will go to Simmo’s nominated charity. For the latest news and directions please check: www.bbpcs.org.uk. You are all welcome, whether you want to buy, sell, swop or just have a beer and a chin-wag. I almost forgot to say that Simmo and the Ploughman offer a warm welcome, up to ten real ales, filled rolls and pub snacks. The Ploughman is a real community pub and has won many CAMRA awards.
NORTHAMPTON BREWERY COMPANY
BULLARDS
On the left we have a Paine & Co of St Neots hanging wall sign. Next we have a Lacon’s of Great Yarmouth bar standing showcard. Taken over by 14
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Mike Johnson & Maxine Chantry (British Brewery Playing Card Society) Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
BREWERIANA TRIVIA QUIZ In the bad old days when pubs were closed I put a quiz question in the online issue of Beer Around ‘Ere. I repeat it here together with the answers. If you can add anything further to the answers or about the company I would be pleased to hear from you via the newsletter - Mike Johnson.
The Fountain (when it became Creations)
1. What is it? (Dimensions 4 ins x 4 ins). Answer: A boundary marker showing the perimeters of a particular premises. 2. What do the letters H.C. & H. stand for? Answer: Hall, Cutlack & Harlock. 3. Where can I find an example of these in Peterborough? Answer 1: No 2, Burghley Road, Creations, Lounge & Grill. Answer 2: No 45 Burghley Road, the premises of Secondhand City. A shop selling used pre-owned homeware and electrical appliances, new beds and bedroom furniture. 4. What were the current premises originally? Answer 1: The now defunct Fountain pub, later to become the Glass Onion Answer 2: ???? I’ve no idea. Was it a pub or an offlicence? See picture below.
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45 Burghley Road
Cutlack & Harlock Ltd was the result of a merger in June 1907 of William Cutlack of Littleport and Frank Harlock of the Quay Brewery, Ely. Brewing continued at Harlock’s brewery until 1930. In September 1930, Cutlack & Harlock merged with Arthur & Bertram Hall Ltd of Forehill Brewery, Ely, to form Hall, Cutlack & Harlock Ltd. They also had a brewery in Peterborough which I believe was in Priestgate.
Mike Johnson
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A trip to Hertford and where? At a little after 9 o’clock on a bright Wednesday morning, a bunch of the usual suspects set forth on a railway journey to visit some of Hertfordshire’s finest pubs. As brewers McMullen and Son has a near monopoly of drinking establishments in that area, I was already of the opinion that such a trip wouldn’t be the best we’d ever done. Our superbly organised leader, Mick, dished out the still warm tickets and off we set. Imagine our surprise, on alighting at Stevenage, as we bumped into stationmaster Steve Tuson, long-time toper at the Hand & Heart. Poor chap would have loved to join us, but sadly, someone had to control the trains. Once in Hertford, after a short hike into the town centre, we found the only pub open at that time of day, the Six Templars, where the usual fare of four national cheap ales were joined by a guest ale, ‘Granny wouldn’t like it’, from the Wolf Brewery, which proved popular. The beer garden boasts the walls of Hertford Castle as a backdrop.
Great Eastern Tavern
On to the oldest pub in town – the Salisbury Arms. When they eventually let us in (socially distanced table service only), we had a choice of two McMullen’s ales. Halves of ‘AK’ mild for most of us, though some tried the Oatburst, by Rivertown (McMullen’s small vegan range brews).
Black Horse
Around the corner to a lovely pub, the Blackbirds, where I could have spent the rest of the day. Light and airy, with a range of good beers and a generous CAMRA discount of 20% meant I paid a mere £3.10 for a pint of Dirty Tackle, from Wychwood. Our leader was already calling time on the visit, so over the road we went, to the Crafty Duck, a cosy micropub featuring keg beers, with one cask ale available, Right to Roam, 3.8% from Buxton. The Woolpack 16
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Two lovely half-timbered houses, or rather, horses next – the White Horse, for a Dark Star Hophead and then over the dual carriageway to the Black Horse, my choice as top pub of the day. Great beers (Redemption’s Hotspur, at 4.5% for me), knowledgeable staff and smashing food too.
the bank of the River Lea, which we’d heard but couldn’t see.
As many of us won’t see our fifties again, and the next pub is over a mile way, taxis were ordered, taking us to a popular back-street local, the Great Eastern Tavern, for more McMullen beer. Its name suggests railways, which proved to be true, as the East Station was round the corner for stage two of the day.
On to the Woolpack, a large red-brick building by the river, McMullen’s brewery tap – so you’d expect them to get it right here, wouldn’t you? I tried their 4.8% IPA and it was the best McMullen beer I had that day. Our last pub of the tour was converted from a shop about twenty years ago, the Old Cross Tavern, that claims it’s “like pubs used to be”. And it was (although details were starting to blur), but I remember being impressed by this multi-awardwinning pub and its range of mostly microbrewery beers. I drank a half of Five Points Pale ale (4.4%).
Ah, it was to Ware that we were going. Noted for great beds, apparently, but I didn’t spot any for sale. The Waterside Inn, our first port of call, holds no memories for me at all, but my notes tell me I had a half of Cloudburst Porter, from the Frothblowers Brewery. Happily, I do remember the Brewery Tap, on the High St. A Greene King house, but with a huge range of guest ales. Tring Brewery’s 3.9% Citra for me. Mick issued his standard “Two minute warning” and off we went again ! The Old Bull’s Head, an ancient pub with an amazing interior, only had two Theakston’s beers on offer. Having recently spent a week in Swaledale, I’ve built up a peculiar intolerance of their beers, so had a double espresso. Probably as well, there was plenty more beer in many more pubs to come. Next up was the Quiet Man, a pub with a licensee who was anything but quiet. An old-school landlord, the like of which I thought long-gone. Loved him, and the pub, but didn’t fancy any of the cask offerings, so had a half of Shipyard Pale Ale, just for the hell of it. We’d all split into small parties by now, but we knew the train timetable, so all found their way safely back to Hertford. Someone (not me) was sure of the shortcut to the next pub. Short it may have been, dark it most certainly was. Groping our way along the path, one of us (ok, it was me) realised that phones are also torches (they have cameras, too), so we could carry on as we were, just inches from Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
The Old Barge was a welcome, bright relief, with so-so beer (despite its entry in the GBG). Three Brewers Gold (3.8%) was my choice.
When we got up to leave, Wayne was leading and turned left at the door, to go to the station. Unfortunately, he should’ve turned right. After about 10 minutes, we asked the way, doubled back and got our train just after 8pm. I remember nothing of the return journey, maybe I slept, as I’ve been known to do on these trips. Many thanks, as usual, to Mick Slaughter for his meticulous planning, maps and copious guidance notes. We couldn’t do this without you, sir! Thanks too, all those participants that make these trips so very enjoyable. I wanted to say memorable, but for me, after about the first ten pubs or so, it rarely is! Dickie Bird PS: No, my opinion of McMullen’s beers hasn’t changed. (Photos: Derek Gibson)
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Meanwhile, Delicious Ideas Food Group has delivered four vanloads of its own stock to the Little Miracles charity. Once she had packed the parcels, Becci helped to deliver some of them to families in Peterborough.
benefit from Delicious Ideas A charity which supports young people in the Peterborough area has received a boost from the Delicious Ideas Food Group. Becci Mears, a senior account manager at the Peterborough-based snacks supplier, has been volunteering her time to help pack food parcels the charity distributes to support families with children who have additional needs, disabilities or lifelimiting conditions.
She said: “It is truly amazing to be able to help such a fantastic cause, and we are just so pleased that our snacks and treats are providing such amazing benefits to the families and children that Little Miracles helps on a daily basis.” Jill Bedward-Jones, family support and emergency supply co-ordinator at Little Miracles, said: “The treats Delicious Ideas Food Group supply to us are luxuries that lift the spirits of our families and really make their day. “Their support has helped to put such a smile on the families’ faces and it is clear to see that it has a positive effect on their mental health.” Businesses with surplus food and drink supplies in the area can contact Jill on 07584 066672 or visit: www.littlemiraclescharity.org.uk. Ben Potter
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ROVING ROW’S REVIEW TAP AND KITCHEN,
OUNDLE WHARF
A chilly January early afternoon visit to the Tap and Kitchen at Oundle Wharf was something we relished, and we enjoyed the familiar drive south from Stamford, off the A1 at Wansford and then through beautiful rolling Northamptonshire countryside and water meadows to find Oundle’s “destination and retail dining experience”. Outside was dank, but inside we found a buzzing, cosy pub and received a very warm welcome. This family-friendly and quirky pubrestaurant in a former boathouse is decorated eclectically, with lots of interesting memorabilia and accessories, and we had a good table with a backdrop of the 450-year-old, thirteen-arch Grade II listed bridge in all its glory. We were soon attended by friendly staff who, despite being very busy, took time to help us select beers to sample from a whole separate Nene Valley Brewery menu of beers, ciders and cocktails. Hibernating Grizzly was my first choice, but unfortunately this was unavailable, so it was a half of Manhattan Project Fruity Ale (4.0%) for me and a Blond Session Gold Ale (3.8%) for G. The fruity ale was slightly hazy with a thin foamy head, quite sweet – delicious! G’s Blond was brilliantly clear with a moussey foam head and scored high on “drinkability”! I also tried a half of Plumptiousness (what a lovely name, reminds me of Truly Scrumptious), intense, dark and warming. Our food soon arrived, rustic pizzas with a bowl of excellent chips
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– Florentine for G and Tuscan Sausage for me, perfectly cooked and presented and appropriate fayre for a winter’s day. Menus are changed every few days and they offer plenty of choice, but not overwhelmingly so. An idea that has proved very successful in the pub is its SWAPS scheme, whereby anyone can bring in home-grown fruit, vegetables or game and head chef Chris will put a value on it for use in the kitchen. The value is then credited via a voucher, which the donor of the goods can use to buy drinks and food in the pub. SWAPS is popular and benefits all concerned, particularly as home-grown produce is almost always nutritionally superior and tastes better! We were pleased to learn that Nene Valley Brewery will be showcasing their ales at the Peterborough Beer Festival in August, rather than having their own festival. Definitely one for the diary.... Top notch! We recommend a visit, perhaps followed by a walk into the beautiful stone-built market town with its narrow alleys and courtyards, watched over by St. Peter’s parish church with its graceful spire. As we drove away, we could see that Oundle Town had a home fixture and we remembered happy days when Alun and Gareth played against them in the 1970s and 80s for Barnack. G recalled slotting home to score from a perfect Al pass, and he wheeled away to the applause of eleven spectators and two bemused dogs! Row and Gareth BEER AROUND ‘ERE
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In The CAMRA’s Oldest Columnist, Gordon Bunting, continues his look back over life in a Stamford pub during the post-war years..... In the mid-1950s, trade was at a low ebb in certain Stamford pubs, and one of the reasons was that some of them had installed television sets. My Dad, the landlord of the Burghley Arms in Sheepmarket, was a traditionalist who refused to follow that particular trend, but many drinkers, most of who had no TV set at home, changed their allegiance in order to goggle at the box. My parents were weighing up their options when a local shopkeeper called in to inform them that he had purchased the pub and surrounding buildings from the owners, Phipps of Northampton. This was good news – the Burghley Arms wasn’t making much money - and Dad and Mum started looking for somewhere else to live. They drew a blank at first – there wasn’t a single house for sale or rent in Stamford!
50’s took us several times on our annual holiday, usually to Bournemouth. The Zephyr, Zodiac and Consul were the products of Ford’s answer to the growing post-war demand for more luxurious models. A butcher in Stamford called Johnson bought a new Vauxhall at the same time and he would place a threepenny bit on end on the bonnet of the car before turning on the ignition. So gentle was the vibration that the coin remained on its end! Dad wouldn’t have a telly in the pub but he did install a gramophone and a group of Teddy Boys, known as the Lambeth Walk Gang, used to come in and play their records on it. I wonder what happened to all those records! And what became of the gang? I don’t suppose any of them live in Lambeth Walk, Stamford, any more......... Gordon Bunting
Out of the blue, a customer told us that there was a house for sale on the town’s Princes Road. Dad told me to go up there and enquire. I knocked on the door and was driven away with a broom by the lady of the house, who threatened to call the police! Anyway, it turned out that the house was for sale after all (with Hodgkinsons the Auctioneers) and Dad bought it for £1100. The same house sold recently for £300,000....... Yet my Dad had paid almost as much for his car as the house - £850 for a new Ford Zephyr in 1952. It Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
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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
Glatton, PE28 5RZ E contact@addison-arms.co.uk
W www.addison-arms.co.uk
FREE ENTRY & LIVE MUSIC IN APRIL & MAY 2022
Fri 1 BEATS ON THE BARGE from 8pm Sun 1st JAZZ UNDERGROUND from 12pm Sat 2nd CLARKSDALE CONTRACT from 10pm Sun 1st DAN POOLE from 3pm Sun 3rd JAZZ UNDERGROUND from 12pm Sat 7th VELOCITY from 10pm Sun 3rd CHLOE LORENTZEN & TOM SANDISON from 3pm Sun 8th JORDAN POOLE from 3pm Sat 9th CANDY TWIST from 10pm Sat 14th THE DIZZY MISS LIZZYS from 10pm Sun 10th MEG MCPARTLIN from 3pm Sun 15th MATTY HAYNES from 3pm Thu 14th EASTER BEER AND CIDER FESTIVAL ends Mon 18th Fri 20th THE LEGENDARY DON LETTS from 10pm (Ticket only event) th Fri 15 BLACK DOG MURPHY from 10pm Sat 21st CARPARK RENDEZVOUS from 10pm Sat 16th GROOVE CARTELL from 10pm Sun 22nd PALMY UKE BAND from 3pm th Sun 17 DIVISION from 3pm Fri 27th VINYL NIGHT from 8pm One of nd th e Fri 22 EMBRACE: BELATED EASTER from 8pm top 1 Sat 28th THE DEPS from 10pm music0 live rd Sat 23 THE MIGHTY & THE HIGH from 10pm p in the Uubs th K The Guard Sun 24 MARK STEVENS from 3pm ian Fri 29th VINYL NIGHT from 8pm th Sat 30 ECLECTIC BALLROOM from 2-8pm Sat 30th GENERATION 5PAN from 10pm th Sat 30 INTERNATIONAL FOOD & DRINKS FESTIVAL ends Sun 1st May st
SAT 30TH APRIL & SUN 1ST MAY 2022 • FROM MIDDAY TO 8PM
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CONFESSIONS OF AN EDITOR............. Regular readers will know of my long-standing aversion to Greene King. It’s not so much the fact that their ales bear so little resemblance to the Abbot and IPA that I regularly travelled to drink in the late 70s (at least I assume they don’t – it’s years since I sampled any of their products), but the business practices they employ. The 2006 takeover of Hardy’s and Hanson’s in Kimberley was a case in point; GK bought the brewery and promised that all jobs were safe and that production would continue uninterrupted. Six months later, brewing was transferred to Bury St. Edmunds and 80 workers were cast onto the tender mercies of the DSS. The wanton trashing of oldfashioned pub signs, and their bland replacements, was another example of riding roughshod over the feelings of drinkers.
circumstances. I was in Bury St. Edmunds overnight and had enjoyed the ales and banter in the iconic Dove in the town. A drinker told me that GK workers tended to use the Rose and Crown, an unspoilt GK pub adjacent to the Westgate brewery and where, unusually, GK draught mild was available.
I know, I know. Things have changed. GK is now owned by CK Asset Holdings and their former CEO is now heading up the Red Cat Pub Company. But I still baulk at handing over hardearned cash to GK or any of their subsidiaries (Hungry Horse, Flaming Grill and so on).
So there you have it! I drank in a Greene King pub whilst in full command of my faculties (or most of them). At least I’ve got it off my chest. I haven’t been to Bury St. Edmunds for a while but I hope the Rose and Crown is still there, still unspoilt and still selling Greene King XX Mild.
However – I am about to confess that about three years ago, of my own volition, I entered a Greene King pub and bought a pint of their ale. “Resign!” I hear you cry – but there are mitigating Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
As it happened, my walk back to base took me past the brewery. I wrestled with my conscience – did I stick to my principles or let curiosity get the better of me? Cursing myself, I went through the doors......to find a charming little boozer with two bars and what we used to call a “Jug and Bottle” – a small off-sales area. Much of the interior looked as if it hadn’t been updated for decades; “Slaughteresque” I think you could call it! Greene King XX Mild was indeed on, along with Abbot and IPA, and my pint of XX was, I have to say, delicious. The landlady was quite charming and the locals were chatty and welcoming, and I almost began to wonder if I’d been too hasty in judging the brewery whose buildings towered over the Rose and Crown. I hadn’t, of course, and the anti-GK feelings I felt, and which I encountered in Bury’s other pubs when I was a regular visitor there, are, I believe justifiably, still going strong.
Al APRIL/MAY 2022
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PUB COMPANIES WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY DO (PART 2) THE CURRENT PUB COMPANY SCENE A pub company is simply a company that owns pubs and there are literally hundreds of them, many with only a handful or even just one pub. We’ll concentrate here, though, on the bigger companies who, between them, own over half the country’s pubs.
Stonegate
Founded in 2010 with the purchase of 333 pubs from Mitchells & Butlers, Stonegate grew quite slowly over the next ten years, making a series of acquisitions including brands like Slug & Lettuce, Walkabout and Be At One, until its pub numbers totalled 765. All the pubs were managed houses. A seismic change came in 2020 when Ei Group was bought for £1.27bn, making Stonegate the largest pub company in the UK with 1,270 managed pubs and, as a result of the Ei purchase, 3,200 leased and tenanted businesses. Ei itself had been founded, as Enterprise Inns, in 1991, initially with 333 pubs from Bass. The company built up its estate, gaining 2,200 pubs in batches by buying them from other companies or taking them over. In 2002, 1,864 pubs were bought from Whitbread and in 2004, 4,054 from Unique. By this time, it owned nearly 10,000 pubs and was in the FTSE 100 list of top companies. However, it was loaded with debt and the 2008 financial crash required a good deal of retrenchment. Ei also started building up its managed estate, including pubs on retail agreements under the Craft Union brand (we’ll look at this operating model in the next article). By the time of the sale, it was down to fewer than 4,000 pubs.
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Punch Taverns
The first article included a brief history of Punch to illustrate the volatility around pubco development. In summary, it grew quickly to around 8,000 pubs, suffered under the crash, sold a lot of pubs including its managed division and was taken over in 2016. 1,900 pubs went to Heineken and 1,300 to Patron Capital, who retain the Punch brand. At takeover time, all pubs were leased or tenanted but it’s also now pushing retail agreements (which it calls Management Partnerships). Some pubs were sold but in June 2021 it announced the purchase of Youngs’ tenanted division, bringing the current total to 1,282.
Admiral Taverns
Admiral was founded in 2003 by two families and grew quickly to 2,300 pubs by 2007. Many of these were ‘bottom end’ houses disposed of by other pub companies. The financial crash had the usual consequences for over-extended businesses and numbers were down to 1,700 by 2011 and continued to fall. By 2017 it was in the hands of Cerberus Capital Management who sold up to a joint venture by Magners cider-makers C&C Group and estate investor Proprium Capital Partners, by which time there were 845 pubs. The acquisition trail was hit in 2019 with 137 pubs coming from Marstons and 150 from Heineken. The big one arrived in July 2021 when Admiral bought 674 Hawthorn pubs from property firm New River taking the estate to over 1,500. Admiral’s pubs are all tenanted or leased and tend to be wet-led community operations. It has a relatively good reputation in the trade though there’s certainly no aversion to flogging off pubs as ‘development opportunities’. Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
PUB COMPANIES Star Pubs & Bars
In 1995, Scottish & Newcastle, one of the original ‘Big Six’ breweries, bought another of them, Courage, making the combined group Britain’s biggest brewer. By 2011, the pub arm, then known as S&N Pub Co, had 1,500 tenanted pubs and 600 in management. Come 2008, Scottish Courage was gobbled up by international brewer Heineken and the pub business rebranded as Star Pubs & Bars. Many pubs were sold but then, in 2017, as previously mentioned, 1,900 were snapped up from Punch. Again there were disposals and the estate currently stands at 2,500. Star vigorously promote their retail agreement scheme, Just Add Talent. In 2020, it was fined £2m for breaches of the Pubs Code (which we’ll cover in a later article)
Greene King
In 1995, Greene King was a long-established family brewer with 900 pubs, nearly all in East Anglia and the South-East. It then embarked on a ferocious acquisition trail, swallowing up many breweries (the likes of Morlands, Belhaven, Morrells and Hardy & Hanson) and other pub companies. GK itself is now owned by a billionaire Hong Kong property developer. It has some 3,100 pubs, restaurants and hotels, of which 1,200 are tenanted or leased. Its strategy seems to be to move in the managed direction and the ‘Pub Ready’ retail agreements are pushed hard. GK was once renowned for not letting other people’s beers in its pubs but now have a more enlightened attitude.
with Carlsberg but this does not directly affect the pub business.
Mitchells and Butlers
Formed originally out of the old Bass estate, M&B have 1,650 pubs and restaurants. The multitudinous brands include Ember Inns, Toby Carveries, Nicholsons and All Bar One – as can be seen, the emphasis is on food. Pubs are mostly managed though around 50 are on a lease arrangement.
J D Wetherspoon
Since opening its first pub in 1979, ‘Spoons has expanded to 925 pubs and 50 hotels, all managed. Plans for 18 new pubs are in the pipeline.
Wellington
Owned by the billionaire Reuben Brothers, the company leases all its 850 pubs on a free of tie basis.
HypnoCat Says:
Marston’s
The company was known as Wolverhampton & Dudley until 2007 when it rebranded as Marston’s, one of the many breweries it had taken over in recent years. At that time, 2,500 pubs were owned but the total is now down to 1,400. The tenanted estate, in particular, has been reduced through sales such as 200 to New River in 2013 and 137 to Admiral in 2019. In late 2020, the company took on the running of 156 Brains pubs in Wales. Also that year, Marston’s merged its brewing operations
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BROWSE OUR BEERS!
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QUARTS AND THOUGHTS Popped into the Nag’s Head in Bourne town centre in midJanuary and was delighted to find Nene Valley’s Russian Imperial Stout (9.5%) on handpump. “Strong, Dark and Smooth” said the pump clip – and so it came to pass.......proof, if proof were needed, that the demand for strong ales is very much alive. There’s always one on in the Nag’s, and also featuring during my visit were the house ale (Nagging Goat from Hopshackle) and Bombardier.
A Warm Welcome In The Hare And Hounds
Sister pub to the Nag’s, and current Branch Rural Pub of the Year, the Goat at Frognall, also invariably offers at least one strong ale, and on the way back from Spalding a few days later Tina and I called in for an excellent Sunday lunch, complemented (in my case) by a pint of Ripper from the Green Jack brewery of Lowestoft (8.5%). Met Dave and Alan Binnington in Stamford’s Jolly Brewer for a BAE distribution conference the following week (high level stuff), and while my pints of Bass and Grainstore 1050 were OK, I think it’s fair to say that, erm, there’s still room for improvement at the bottom of Foundry Road........
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Had a strange experience on Saturday, 22nd March. I rang the Cresset and booked APRIL/MAY 2022
for Soke Fest – five half-pint tokens and a commemorative glass, only to find, on arrival, that the event had been cancelled (a late victim of the lingering pandemic, sadly). The lady in reception (who promptly refunded my money) reckoned that the website in question had actually been closed down a couple of days previously, so I think I deserve considerable credit – a fivestar, ocean-going technophobe managing to access a defunct website and actually laying out hard-earned takes some doing! Anyway, I popped across to the Frothblowers in Werrington for an update (Soke Fest is the brainchild of landlords Steve and John). Neither was on site, but all was not lost – I thoroughly enjoyed my halves of Rocket Titan, Stewart 80/- and Dancing Duck Dark Drake. It was pleasing to see that the recently-reopened Hare and Hounds in Greatford was busy when I called in to deliver BAE 215 in early February. Six ales on from a wide cross section of breweries – I had a pint of Fuller’s ESB, which I hadn’t seen on draught for a while, followed by a Lister’s Golden Ale. Don’t know about you, but I believe Fuller’s ales to be as drinkable as ever despite the fact that they are now owned by Asahi. I was on the same horse the following day
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QUARTS AND THOUGHTS
at the Five Horseshoes, Barholm, which was busy with rugger types watching the Calcutta Cup game. My pints of Bass and Church End Vicar’s Ruin went down a treat as I nattered to a couple of old footballing teammates.
Lew Clayton
day of the former’s presentation I had just got back from three nights in York (read about that in a future edition) and was, frankly, looking forward to a couple of dry days..... it was not to be as several pints of Baker’s Dozen Electric Landlady and Nene Valley Bible Black headed south. We were in patrician company – amongst the assembled throng were veteran BAE distributor Lew Clayton and Drum and Monkey brewer Rupert Gibson! As mentioned on page 7, all ales in the Ostrich were £2 a pint between 7 and 9pm on their award night. I was driving, so had obviously to take care, but – and I know these things are relative – my half of Siren Broken Dream breakfast stout was probably the most enjoyable use a pound in my pocket has ever been put to......... Called at the Prince of Wales Feathers, Castor, a couple of nights later and had a chat with Simon (sadly Posh’s fortunes – or misfortunes - were on the agenda). Things looked up with the ale, though – my pints of Hunters Half Bore and Parkway Resolution were well up to the standard we’ve come to expect in this Good Beer Guide regular.
Rupert Gibson The awards nights at the King’s Head and the Ostrich are covered elsewhere in this issue. On the
Drank another ale from Parkway (of Newton Abbot) the following weekend during my first visit to the Thirsty Giraffe, the recentlyopened micro in Deeping St. James. I was treated to a guided tour by Steve Williams, who was offering an impressive array of
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APRIL/MAY 2022
ales. I supped pints of Parkway Cheeky Monkey and Roosters Ragged Point, and also on were Tydd Steam Snake Eyes, Beermats Soulmate and Jaramillo from local Deeping brewery Hopshackle. Met an old work colleague, who lives in Yaxley, on a midFebruary Friday and headed for one of our longest-serving advertisers, the Farmers on Yaxley Broadway. Despite it being early in the afternoon, the pub was encouragingly busy with both diners and drinkers, and we whiled away a couple of hours in the excellent company of Pigeon Ale, from Xtreme Ales of Woodston (the Hunt family of Xtreme also run the Farmers). To the Branch monthly meeting at the Bumble, Westgate, on 7th February. If you’re a CAMRA member, why not come along in future? Dates and venues can be found in Diary Dates on page 30. We are an amicable bunch and there’s always something of interest being discussed – and there’s ale as well! On the night in question I drank Brain’s Dark, Stewart’s 80/- and Rockingham Hi Tone, all very palatable. Tina and I were in Oundle two days later with friends, and after a perfunctory stroll around the town we went into the Ship on High Street for our lunch. Now - I hadn’t been in there for about forty years, since the landlord of my then local (the Millstone in Barnack), the late Alan Allardice, BEER AROUND ‘ERE
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QUARTS AND THOUGHTS
Cambridge Blue
A Warm Welcome In Oundle
The Empress
left for the Ship and we often popped over. Recently I’d heard diverse reports about the pub, but I prefer to speak as I find – and I was enchanted to see that the pub remains much as I recall it in the late 1970s. Definitely won’t be leaving it as long until our next visit – in fact lunch turned into a full-blown affair as superb steaks and puds were washed down with pints of Brewster’s Marquis and Hophead (also on were London Pride and St. Austell Tribute).
Year 2010” and googling revealed that the pub had its own resident pig! But twelve years can be a long time in a pub’s life – it transpired that there had been changes of ownership and that the pig had died. Worse was to come - Doom Bar headed the handpump options but there was a glimmer of light – Nene Valley Blond was also on. Not – quite – undrinkable, but suffice it to say that I didn’t score it as a 5 on the NBSS process............
On the Sunday we came home via a rain-lashed Ely and its quite splendid cathedral, and where we sought refreshment in the Minster Tavern, a Stonegate pub (the landlord reckoned Stonegate owns half the pubs in Ely). Still – my pints of Woodforde’s Wherry and Adnams Broadside were appetizing enough.
Finally to Cambridge, where we spent two nights in mid-February in the company of Storm Eunice. A friend had recommended the Cambridge Blue as a “must”, so I was thrilled to see that this mid-terrace local was a mere ten minutes’ walk from our airbnb. First, though, a visit to the Empress in Thoday Street as we killed time before we could access the digs. Signs outside trumpeted “CAMRA Branch Pub of the
The Cambridge Blue, though, restored our faith in the city’s boozers. It’s a bustling house with what you’d have to say was an eclectic mix of customers and a dozen ales plus a vast selection of world beers amid wall-to-wall breweriana. Tring Mansion Mild, Church End Trymendous and Good Chemistry Lunar Noon kept me contented!
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Mind how you go. Al
Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
POSH PINTS AND AWAY WE GO..... Things were looking bleak for the Posh as BAE went to press, with only the Manchester City cup tie to look forward to. The season, as the pundits never tire of telling us, is a marathon not a sprint, but even with Grant McCann back, it’s surely time to start planning for the next season in League One.... Saturday 9th April (League)
BRISTOL CITY KO 3pm BRISTOL BEER FACTORY TAP ROOM 291 North Street BS3 1JP A short walk from Ashton Gate – and busy on match days – this comfortable brewery taproom showcases four rotating BBF ales. No food available but customers are welcome to bring in their own. TOBACCO FACTORY CAFE BAR Raleigh Road BS3 1TF Part of the original tobacco factory built in 1912, the cafe was saved from demolition in 1993 and opened in 2001. It offers good-quality, locally produced food and drink, with a number of local breweries’ beers served from six handpumps. Lunchtime food served. CORONATION 18 Dean Lane BS3 1DD Popular traditional local offering five reasonablypriced real ales plus a good range of cans and bottles. “Straightforward” food, with vegan options, is served amid simple, cosy furnishings. What’s not to like? Monday 18th April (League)
real ales, all locally sourced, are served. No food available. MINERS’ REST Palm Street S75 2SU This local has three drinking spaces, all efficiently served by the one small bar. Again, though, no grub. OLD NO. 7 7 Market Hill S70 2PX This is the Acorn Brewery tap, offering up to six of their ales plus two guests. Also on offer – real ciders and perries. Busy on match days – but no nosh. Saturday 30th April (League)
MILLWALL KO 3pm BEER SHOP LONDON 40 Nunhead Green SE15 3QF Former corner shop where knowledgeable staff serve a varied selection of three real ales direct from the cask along with an extensive range of bottled beers. No food. MAYFLOWER 117 Rotherhithe Street SE16 4NF Overlooking a jetty out into the Thames, the pub celebrates the Mayflower’s journey to the New World (those with a family connection may sign the descendants’ book!). It’s the only pub licensed to sell UK and US postage stamps and the house ale (appropriately for a Greene King product) is called Scurvy Ale. Lunchtime grub available. Mind how you go!
BARNSLEY KO 3pm JOLLY TAP ON THE ARCADE 31 The Arcade S70 2QP The Jolly Boys Brewery owns this tiny one-up, onedown micropub (Barnsley’s first), where up to five Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
Al APRIL/MAY 2022
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Diary Dates APRIL Saturday 2nd Motor City Vipers at the Brewery Tap, Westgate Annual Charity Soul Night plus raffle and auction in aid of Sue Ryder Care at Thorpe Hall Hospice Order tickets online at mcv.eventbrite.co.uk Saturday 2nd Velocity at the Bell, Deeping St. James Monday 4th at 8.30pm Branch Monthly Meeting at the Blue Bell, Werrington PE4 6RU All welcome but please bring your membership card!
CAMRA meetings, socials and beer festivals
Saturday 14th Velocity at Coyotes Bar, Northminster Saturday 28th Velocity at the Iron Horse Ranch, Market Deeping
JUNE Thursday 16th – Sunday 19th Cambridge Rock Festival, East of England Showground, Peterborough Rock, Blues, Prog and Folk – AND 80 Real Ales and Ciders!
Sunday 17th Velocity at the Parkside, Long Sutton
Thursday 23rd – Sunday 26th Rutland CAMRA Beer Festival, County Museum, Catmos Street, Oakham LE15 6HW Ales, ciders and perries, mead and English wines. Traditional rural fare and gentle entertainment. See website for details.
Saturday 23rd Velocity at the Turbine Tavern PSL
AUGUST
Saturday 9th Velocity at the Three Horseshoes, Yaxley
Saturday 30th 12 – 4pm Breweriana and Playing Card Collectors’ Fair Ploughman, Werrington PE4 6NA - Buy, Sell, Swop, Sup! Saturday 30th Velocity at the Three Tuns
Tuesday 23rd – Saturday 27th 43RD PETERBOROUGH CAMRA FESTIVAL RIVER EMBANKMENT
BEER
FORTHCOMING BAE DEADLINES
MAY Tuesday 3rd at 8.30pm Branch Monthly Meeting at the Hand and Heart, Highbury Street PE1 3BE All welcome but please bring your membership card!
BAE 217, covering June and July: deadline 30th April, out on 30th May. BAE 218, covering August and September: deadline July 2nd, out on July 29th.
Wednesday 4th – Saturday 7th Farmers, 200 Broadway, Yaxley PE7 3NT Xtreme At The Farmers – 18 local ales plus live entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights. Friday 6th Velocity at the Blue Bell, Werrington Saturday 7th Velocity at Charters, Peterborough Town Bridge
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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 info@ peterborough.camra.org.uk
Mile Tree Brewery: Steve Williams 07756 066503 Nene Valley: Bill Taylor 07903 078340
Brewery Liaison Officers
Oakham Ales: Dave Allett 07966 344417
Blue Bell: Situation Vacant bluebell-blo@ peterborough.camra.org.uk
Rocket Ales: Don Rudd 07806 731765
Bowler’s: Andy Stone 07816 893997 Castor Ales: Mike Lane 07850 334203 Digfield: Dave Waller 07768 085441 Drum and Monkey: Keith Miller 07525 750502 Elgood’s: Jonathan Boyall elgoods-blo@peterborough. camra.org.uk Hopshackle: Jonathan House 07305 764604
Tydd Steam: Dickie Bird
07731 993896
Xtreme Ales: Mark Wroe
07595 549388
xtreme-blo@ peterborough.camra.org.uk Visit our website at: www.peterborough. camra.org.uk Advertising: Paper Red Media Neil: 01536 358670 n.richards@btinternet.com
Trading Standards
Kings Cliffe Brewery: Don Rudd 07806 731765
Contact Citizens’ Advice on 03454 040506 www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Melbourn: Don Rudd 07806 731765
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
APRIL/MAY 2022
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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
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Visit our website for up-to-date news: www.peterborough.camra.org.uk
