Ale Cry 98

Central Lancashire Branch Issue 98 Spring 2013

Formerly the West Lancashire Branch

Ale Cry

Fighting for drinkers rights in

since 1973

Leyland Lion Wins George Lee Memorial Trophy

The George Lee Memorial Trophy is awarded each

year to the pub, brewery, business or individual that has done most in the previous 12 months to promote the cause of real ale in the CAMRA Central Lancashire Branch area.

I have known Managers Mark and Caroline for over ten years. I first met them in the Auctioneer in Blackpool where Mark was a Duty Manager.

From there he took over as Manager of the Greyfriar in Preston.

Their next port of call was Wetherspoon’s Wigan Hotel - the Brocket where they were the Management Couple.

The Leyland Lion, was proposed for the award by branch Committee member David Marsden who lives in Leyland and who said that he believes that the Leyland Lion has done a great deal to promote real ale in Leyland by introducing a range of real ales into an area where there has not been a wide range of real ale available previously, including Locale.

He also said that the pub has a more intimate atmosphere than some Wetherspoon outlets, with smaller drinking areas compared to the wide open spaces found in some of the larger Wetherspoons.

They then took over the brand new Leyland Lion.

To win such a prestigious award when the pub has only been open for a little over a year is a tremendous

The intimate atmosphere in the bar achievement, which I put down not just to their Dave Linley added “As Chairman, I feel that professionalism but also to their positive attitude to customer the Leyland Lion is a worthy winner of the service and their sense of humour, which has a contageous George Lee Memorial Trophy because it has effect on their staff. Many pubs, not only Wetherspoons would increased the choice of real ale in Leyland, the benefit from their example landlord Mark is a strong supporter of real ales (and of CAMRA) and by catering for a wide age range of customers, the pub encourages in particular younger drinkers to try real ale and hopefully become converts for life”

Ed

(L to R: Dave Linley presents trophy to Mark Batty with Paul Riley and Proposer- Dave Marsden in attendance) P2 Chorley (inc Peter Kay), Mike Atkins; P3 Editorial; P4 Preston In si de this issue!!! p6 Locale; p7 Melodious Mick, Real Ale USA;

P8 Lettters; P9 124; P11 Conference; P12 Manhattan, Quiz; P14 Chorlton-Cum-Hardy; P15 ; P18; P19 Pubcos; P20 Freckleton; P23 Pub of Season - Horns P24 Young Members, ; P25 South Ribble; P26 Quiz Ans., Branch details; P27 MEMBERSHIP FORM ...and much more

The resolution put forward for consideration at this year’s conference on improving the role of branches in communicating with the public has been rejected on the grounds that it is already under consideration as part of a study into increasing the activation of individual members.

The other resolution has been accepted with amended wording (see page 11) Bay Horse Whittle just re-opened with Deuchars IPA and Flying Scotsman on tap Pleasant Retreat has been closed for over a month

The apparent retirement of the Alp and

Alan Thompson from

helping with the Chorley

Chatter means we are desperately in need of more branch contacts i.e. members who will make themselves known to a few pubs, drop off some Ale Crys at each and ask to be kept up to date on any news.

A couple of months ago Irish John (Brinscall / Withnell area) and Foxy (Adlington) came on board. This column today owes a lot to that. Each won 3 gallons of ale from the Leyland Lion.

Since then Wes (Chorley), Gribble (Coppull / Charnock) and Steve (Adlington) have joined us so their names go in the hat for the next couple of draws.

Why don’t you join them.

We are looking in particular for someone to cover the badly neglected Eaves Lane / Botany / Cowling areas, but anyone for anywhere is welcome - so ring, write or email the editor (see page 26) if you are tempted.

y e l r Chhoatter C

Ed An update for you, hope it is in time to put in Alecry.

The Springfield in Coppull still has two handpumps in prime position as you enter the pub. On my visit there were Jennings Cumberland and Ringwood Old Scrumper ales available, the bar man said he had served several pints of the latter so I plumped for that as well and it was in good form. However whilst I was there no one else ordered a pint of real ale.

Another visit to the Red Herring gave me the choice of Bank Top Pavilion Pale Ale, Crosse Bay Dusk Bitter, Thwaites Wainwright or J.W. Lees Bitter, all at £2.60 a pint.

Cheers, Gribble Ed Oak Royal Golf and Country Club, Withnell now have Bobbins Bitter on sale The Hare and Hounds is to be visited by Peter Kay and the BBC for Red Nose Day. The Oak Tree in Brinscall is hosting an open singalong of sea shanties on Mondays 8.15ish ‘til 10.30 ‘til Easter Thanks to John’s alert we have Irish John the article on the next page Ed

Sams Two is now selling real ale as is the George (see letters column). The Minstrel has 4 handpumps working overtime, Cowling Prince of Wales expects to increase his number of handpumps shortly. The Black Horse at Limbrick is open and selling real ales. Cumberland is going down well at the Parkers. St. George’s Club and St.Mary’s Club each have two handpumps operating. Whit Hart hopes to be open for Easter Toad

Mike Atkins 1942 -2013

A life dedicated to

the pursuit of real

ale – and many

other good causes

Whether Mike

was out cycling,

walking, mountain

eering or just visit

ing, the oasis of a

real ale pub would

usually round off a

perfect day.

Many a rural hos

telry has hosted

Mike, his mates and

family, coming

down hot and thirsty from the mountains or from a dusty, sweaty cycle ride, to the nearest pub listed in the Good Beer Guide. Roger Henshaw, Mike’s staunch friend and mountaineering comrade, pointed out in his eulogy at Mike’s funeral that they would often go further to find a real ale pub than they went to find a mountain.

Mike took his CAMRA duties very seriously – distributing ‘Ale Cries’, checking out the ales in pubs to see if they were worthy of inclusion in the GBG, and shunning pubs that were not included. He attended committee meetings and supported trips to out-of-town pubs while he could.

Mike also combined his commitment to the environment with his dedication to real ale. For example we, his family, often cycled out into the Lancashire countryside with a GBG pub as our destination. He also sought out the ales from microbreweries, especially local ones (under the ‘Locale’ banner) to reduce the ‘beer miles’ travelled.

The Good Beer Guide was an essential item of luggage on holiday and we, Mike’s family, have been guided unerringly by him to some delightful inns and pubs in the country and on the coast.

This love of real ale has been passed down the generations to Mike’s (and my) son Iain and daughter Heather, and even to our grandson Ben – so the cause lives on!

Kath Atkins Iain adds: Dad began training me as an ale drinker in the early 1990s at Gaston’s on Avenham Street. He was always sure to buy two or three bags of crisps as well, as I was still of an age which only legally allowed alcohol consumption with a meal. He raised my awareness of, and encouraged my extensive participation in, numerous local beer festivals and CAMRA-run brewery visits.

In more recent years, trips to local ale houses have often been for the purpose of watching football, and the combination of the two led to some of the most innovative thinking the game has ever known. Dad came up with the idea of widening the goals to the same width as the pitch in order to make them impossible to miss, and also of giving the teams a ball each in order to remove the need for constant chasing when the opposition had possession.

Therefore it seems a fitting tribute to Dad for me to continue to search out real ale wherever it may be, and having found it, to consume as much of it as possible. It’s probably what he would have wanted.

Mike will be badly missed by his friends in our CAMRA branch, for his contribution to the Campaign, for his humour and for his personality Ed.

2

t.

on c r e t hat

yC

Peter Kay arrives at Hare and Hounds

by bus bed

le Chor

In the top left photo the Hare and Hounds in Abbey Village stands quietly waiting for lo cal comedian Peter Kay to

pay a visit - arriving with film crew and entourage on an unusual form of transport as he heads towards Bolton in aid of Red Nose Day. As the skies darken the team arrive to be welcomed by landlord Alan (Penfold), landlady Viv and locals. I didn’t envy them on such a freezing night.

Editorial

Two years ago the branch put a resolution

to our national conference that the difference

in health terms between our natural, living, often organic real ales and keg beers be examined and identified.

On the advice of the NEC that resolution was rejected.

Now we face a situation whereby in coming months the conglomerates and the many micro breweries they control will be marketing keg beers under the name ‘craft beers’ to their pubs and the public at large. In the USA some bars can have as many as 50 different pumps dispensing a wide range of tasty keg beers. In the UK our pubs have limited space for pumps so where keg pumps are added hand pumps will often be lost.

To keep up, many independent microbreweries are already gearing up up join them. Not to do so could hit business hard This is at a time when real ale is taking the country by storm. I don’t want our revolution stopped in its tracks, but as was shown by the marketing of bland tasteless John Smiths if you throw enough money at marketing a product however crap it pays off.

Why would breweries want to push these beers as opposed to real ale? Simple - real ales have their own individual character and it takes skilled bar staff to look after it in the cellar and dispense it. Real ale because it is a living product has a limited lifespan, whereas ‘Zombeers’ as we refer to keg products have an almost limitless lifespan. This makes them far easier at the brewery and the pub to look after and serve.

The biggest difference between our products and craft beers is that ours is a health drink whereas theirs has been given artificial life. You’ll be reading more on this topic in coming issues.

---------------------------------------------------------------------This years AGM is our 40th and is to be held at the ‘Black Horse’ on Friargate on the 17th June. Whilst I have a fondness for the Black Horse, as one of the founder members I would have liked the event to be held at the Moorbrook where it all

began - still that’s democracy for you. ed.

3

The Red Herring

MILL LANE, COPPULL, CHORLEY, LANCS. Tel: (01257) 470130 Ste & Mary welcome you to Coppull’s only freehouse: An oasis in a beer desert.

Guest Ales include: Moorhouses, 3Bs

and many more Good Beer

Guide -Sat night entertainment, we’re in it.

Sun night quiz Ring Mill function room for hire Monday to Thursday open from 3pm Friday to Sunday open from 12pm

Preston Parade I said in the last issue that the new owners would be Kukoo if they did not put real ale on in the Fox and Grapes on Fox Street after leasing it, following Sharon’s disappearance. Well, the new owners are Kuckoo, the cocktail bar in what was the Exchange, and guess what; the Fox has been rebadged as The Beachcomber, and is another cocktail bar, supposedly based on a South Californian beach bar, complete with surf boards.

Our editor was refused entry for not meeting the dress code when trying to find out what was going on inside, but we managed to pop our head round the door one afternoon when it was officially shut and the person inside told us emphatically that no beer of any kind was on sale.

Better news about the new bar being opened on Ormskirk Road, by the owners of the Continental. To be known as the Co-op, planning permission has been granted, and it is anticipated that it will be open by June.

Real ale will be

available as will

also a range of ‘craft’

ales. There will be

a performance space

and meals and

snacks will be on

sale. For those who

enjoyed the ‘pop up’

bar, the Tundra Bar,

around Christmas,

the owners of the

Continental, who

ran the bar in the centre of town, have said that they would like do it again this coming Christmas. I certainly enjoyed it and hope that they do. Down at the Conti itself, there is one of their enjoyable beer festivals coming up in May. See their ad elsewhere in this edition for dates.

Nothing has yet been decided at the New Britannia and Ritchie remains in temporary charge. An open day was held by Enterprise Inns for prospective lessees, but the terms offered are apparently so bad that no one seems prepared to take it up. Another Enterprise pub up for lease is the White Hart in Fulwood, where after an encouraging start, the real ales have now disappeared.

The nearby Sumners seems to be making more of a go of their real ales with some interesting ones now appearing on the bar.

Meanwhile, the Anderton Arms in Fulwood has joined that growing number of pubs that offer a discount to card carrying Camra members. 20p off a pint of cask is given all days except Mondays when there is a general reduction to everybody and all cask beers are £2.50 a pint. They call it Happy Mondays. 1/3 of a pint taster racks are still available there.

Another place where you can get these is the Wheatsheaf down Fylde Road. Three different 1/3 pints from their ever changing range of five guest beers can be had for just over £2. They are having another of their beer festivals in April, in a tent in the yard behind the pub. Look out for their ad in this edition for details.

Another pub having a real ale festival is the Sun on Friargate.

Four cask ales from the Thwaites range are usually on sale there, but, during the period from St Patrick’s Day until Easter, this will be supplemented by a range of five beers from other breweries.

We seem to be getting into Real Ale Festival season, with two clubs also holding their own festivals shortly. One of these is in May at the Whittingham Club, in the grounds of the old hospital The front bar at the Old Bull on Church St (opened up for the Guild) has closed again. Unfortunately, there were not enough people using it, which was a shame as it was a very warm and comfortable place to visit. The main bar through the arch is still open as normal where its two good value Moorhouses beers are on sale as usual.

PARKERS ARMS Park Road Chorley 01257 261999

Opening hours: Monday - Thursday: 11am - 12pm Friday - Saturday: 11am - 1pm Sunday: 11am - 12pm Real Ales from £2. per pint: Jennings’ Cumberland + guest Sky Sports

4

Kurt, Andrea and Danielle welcome you

to the Rose and Crown

Chorley

Open from 12pm ‘til midnight, 7 days a week

Home-cooked food being served 12pm till 3pm, Mon.- Fri. Also Wed nights 5,30pm till 8,30pm followed by quiz.

Monday - Poker & Pool, Free food being served.

Wed - Quiz Night with an exciting task round each week.

4 Hand-pumps in action throughout the week, House bitters ­Wainwrights and Cumberland plus two guest ales.

All live sporting events shown on our 8 tv's plus 2 BIG screens, with SKY and ESPN channels available.

Nominated for BEST SPORTS PUB at the STAR PUB AWARDS 2012.

We have recently invested in the refurbishment of our on-site stables. These beautiful buildings have been brought up to date and are now available to book any event. The stables, coupled with our own town centre location, makes the ideal for birthday parties, hen do's, stag do's, leaving parties, Christmas parties, weddings and funerals. Furthermore, with live music, Karaoke and food available on request, we can provide you with that unique experience you'll be looking for.

Follow us on facebook forall up and coming events, www.facebook.com/RnC. Chorley To book, or for more info, Please call us on 01257368022 Rose & Crown, 15 St Thomas Rd Chorley PR7 1HP

The Ships and Giggles (former Ship Inn) on Fylde Rd. definitely has no real ale on. Questioning a member of staff there about the three handpumps, we were told that they were not even connected.

The Sun The Tithebarn has closed once again and is fully boarded up.

Will it ever open again?

Rumours abound about another Wetherspoons pub in Preston.

It is said that the former Trustees Savings Bank on Church St, opposite the Minster, has been earmarked for the job. No surefire evidence of this has surfaced, so we will have to wait and see.

Good news at the nearby Fishers (formerly Wall St.). It has a new general manager in Andrew Bishop.

Two handpumps are on the bar and when we visited, Greene King IPA at £2.35 and Wells Bombardier at £2.50 were on sale.

When those had gone, we were told that Thwaites Wainwright and Courage Directors would be coming on.

Even better is that if you produce your Camra card you receive a discount of 10% on these prices, which makes it very competitive with other bars nearby. Fishers belongs to the Original Pub Company which is a part of the Spirit Group. The O. P. C. has 80 pubs throughout the country.

It is open 12-11 Sun – Tues, 12-late otherwise, (Sat opening at 11am). There is a live DJ Thurs, Fri and Sat nights and food is served all day till 9pm. Fishers will be remembered mostly for its days as Wall St. when it had the largest TV screen seen anywhere around these parts.

Another addition to the real ale fold is the Assembly Bar. Also known as the Corn Exchange, it is what constitutes the rump of the long demolished, and sadly missed by many, Public Hall.

Proudly displaying a banner which states they now sell real ales from Thwaites, we were happy to see a set of handpumps on the left end of the bar. Two beers were available, but it was not cheap with Bomber on sale at £3.30 a pint. Still, let’s hope it proves a success.

Back in Fulwood, I went in another real ale outlet that had up till then passed me by. The Norman Jepson is a Beefeater pub

Assembly Bar./ Corn Exchange,

with Premier Inn attached off Bluebell Way near Junction 31A of the M6. I found it to have a very comfortable lounge with a warm fire. Two handpumps were on the bar and I had a very respectable pint of Jennings Cumberland. There seemed to be some good meal deals available, which you can check out on their website, but you do not need to dine. The name of the pub commemorates a director of Whitbread (they used to be brewers), who was instrumental in developing the Brewers Fayre brand and this one was the last that he commissioned before he died at the relatively early age of 53.

At the other end of Fulwood, The Cattle Market pub on Brook Street, (known as the Big House), now only has real ale on sale at weekends, when Wells Bombardier is on sale.

There is a new face at the Wellington on Tulketh Road and early reports have been very favourable about the quality and range of the real ales on sale there. More new arrivals in the area include a new landlord at the Saddle in Bartle who was previously at a pub in Conway (or Conwy as we must now say) in North Wales, and a temporary landlord at the Grapes in Goosnargh, where beers from Hopstar currently feature. As our next Ale Cry tour takes in this area, we will report on developments there next time. (Or why not join us on the tour. See the branch diary for details).

Finally news of pubs not in our area, but it shows what could be. Steve Norris formerly of the Shovels in Blackpool has taken over the reins at the Taps in Lytham following the retirement of the long time boss there Ian Rigg. Steve will be focussing on getting a greater variety of real ales than ever on there, which he emphasised with owners Greene King when he agreed to take over the pub. Another Greene King pub with a fantastic range of beers is the Freshfields in Formby, now run by Steve Gregory( ex Corporation Arms). A total of fourteen real ales are available there. If Greene King can do it in these pubs, why not in their pub in Preston, The Guild on Fylde Road. After all, when it was known as the Hogshead, and had its large range of ever changing guest beers, it was a mecca for real ale drinkers. I am sure it could be again. Come on, Greene King, you know it makes sense.

Paul Riley

Young Members: bar at Fleetwood Beer

Fest and young members fest pub crawl at Wigan Beer Fest

55

UPDATE

Following the lead of other branches, CAMRA West Lancashire branch (as we then were) launched a LocAle scheme in Spring 2009. By doing this the branch was putting into practice an initiative that we would actively support those licensees in our area who were selling at least one beer that had been brewed within 30 miles of their pub premises.

Look out for pubs and clubs in the branch area that are displaying LocAle promotional material - and in particular look out for 2013 window stickers which should be soon be appearing. These establishments are to be recommended if you wish to support those licensees who are doing their bit for local breweries (and for the environment).

Gordon Small LOCALE OUTLETS (March 2013) • • • • • • • •

BRIDGE, Adlington (various) WHITE BULL, Alston (Thwaites) WITHY ARMS, Bamber Bridge (various) SADDLE, Bartle (Thwaites) SITTING GOOSE, Bartle (Thwaites) CRICKETERS, Brinscall (various) There are now 42 LocAle outlets (41 pubs plus one club) OAK TREE, Brinscall (Holts) which are currently recognised by the branch as being part TILLOTSONS ARMS, Chipping (various) of the scheme. Since last time there have been two addi HOP POCKET, Chorley (Thwaites) tions, the BLACK BULL in Penwortham and the LEYKINETIC BAR, Chorley (Prospect) LAND LION in Leyland, while there has been one deletion

MALT 'N' HOPS, Chorley (various) from the list, the RAILWAY AT LEYLAND which has now

POTTERS ARMS, Chorley (Three B's) ceased selling Lancaster Blonde as a permanent beer.

WHITE BULL, Chorley (Bank Top) BLACK HORSE,Croston(Moorhouses) In each issue of Ale Cry I have been featuring a selection of

CROWN, Croston (Thwaites) the branch's LocAle pubs. This time I have looked at another

BROWN COW, Eccleston (Thwaites). three pubs in the South Ribble part of our branch area:• ORIGINAL FARMERS ARMS, Eccleston (various) BLACK BULL, PENWORTHAM. The latest addition to the • HORNS, Goosnargh (various) branch's register of LocAle outlets, and a pub that is a cur- • YEW TREE, Heath Charnock (various) rent Good Beer Guide entry. A community pub with a long • GOLDEN LION, Higher Wheelton (Thwaites) • BOAT YARD, Hoghton (Thwaites) history and one that over the years has sold beers from a succession of different breweries, with Greene King prod- • ROYAL OAK, Hoghton (Thwaites) ucts being those most recently in place as permanent beers. • SMITHS ARMS, Lea (Thwaites) • LEYLAND LION, Leyland (Moorhouses).

Typically there are four different real ales on offer, and a • QUEENS, Leyland (Moorhouses) recent decision to replace one of its regular beers Ruddles Best Bitter with Thwaites Wainrights means that it can now • WAGGON & HORSES, Leyland (Thwaites) claim LocAle eligibility. Note also that this is a pub where • BULL & ROYAL, Longridge (Thwaites) CAMRA members are able to obtain a 20p per pint reduc- • CORPORATION ARMS, Longridge (various) • BLACK BULL, Penwortham (Thwaites). tion in the price of their cask ales.

• BULL & ROYAL, Preston (Moorhouses) • LAMB & PACKET, Preston (Thwaites) • MOORBROOK, Preston (Thwaites) • NEW WELCOME, Preston (Thwaites) • OLD VIC, Preston (various) • PRESTON GRASSHOPPERS RFC (Thwaites) • SUN, Preston (Thwaites) • WHEATSHEAF, Preston (various) • NABS HEAD, Samlesbury (Thwaites) • NEW HALL TAVERN, Samlesbury (various) LEYLAND LION, LEYLAND. This is another pub that has • WELCOME TAVERN, Walton-le-Dale (Thwaites) only recently been added to the branch's list of LocAle pubs. • RED LION, Wheelton (various) As reported elsewhere in this Ale Cry, the Leyland Lion is • DOG, Whittle-le-Woods currently highly rated by local CAMRA branch members, (Thwaites) having recently been chosen as the winner of the George Lee Memorial Trophy award for 2012/13. In February on the night of the presentation, this Wetherspoons pub had a fine array of eight real ales available, with house beer Moorhouses Leyland Lion being the one beer that qualified for LocAle eligibility. More often than not other Moorhouses beers are available, with Blond Witch being in evidence on the bar just a few days earlier.

The Maltings in York NEW HALL TAVERN, SAMLESBURY. A pub (seen on the Leyland in the middle of nowhere, and probably one that I do not get Lion Day out) to as much as I would like. It is another current Good Beer Guide entry, and unlike the above two which are relative

newcomers, is a pub that has been recorded as a LocAle Sign in the disabled outlet for more than two years now, with beers from one or toilet in Sir Henry Tate more local micro-breweries usually to be found. Prior to my in Chorley. spot check I had been forewarned that Bowland Hen Har What’s missing??? rier had recently been on sale, but on my visit it was another Bowland beer Daylight Robbery that was on the bar as one of the four real ales available. Also keeping with the theme of being environmentally friendly, I was pleased to see that my beer was served in a well used 2008 Beer Festival glass.

Real Ale’s no longer a man only domain!!

Toilet Humour

6

Girl Power

elodious Mick U.S.Ale

Since Christmas three

local musicians have

passed on.

I first met Paul Fuller 20

years ago when we were

both singing ‘Karaoke’ at

St.James’s Club, Sams 2

and the Minstrel. It was

only later that I found out

that he was a professional

singer and drummer in the

80s. By co-incidence it

was in the Minstrel that

his wake was held and I

was proud to sing a few

songs I used to sing when I

first met him. He was a

native of Cumbria and

proud of it. I recent years Psychedelic Sid he was a popular visitor to ‘codger’s corner’ in the Swan with two necks.

Pete Haseldon known by many as ‘Azzi’ was a brilliant singer and guitarist. I got to know Pete when he helped run open night nights and when he became Chorley’s famous busker. He had a long and illustrious history as a musician and will be sadly missed particularly for his lovely personality.

Michael Cavanagh ‘Psychedelic Sid’ was a ‘local hero’. A talented artist who painted the previous mural in the Railway and had pictures displayed in the Oak Tree in Brinscall. It was as a songwriter, singer and musician that he was best known. Eulogies at the funeral and the comments from friends at the Railway at the wake would make any stranger aware what a popular and talented character he was. Stories from people he influenced throughout his long career including Phil Cool. Space prevents me from paying full tribute to Sid so my final words to Sid are See you Mon’ Hopefully more about Sid in next issue

They don’t brew real ale across

the pond. Oh yes they do. These

bars are in Wisconsin - the

US brewing capital and Seattle

and demand is growing throughout the

States so while the conglomerates

try to push craft ales in the UK,

is real ale going to do what the

Beatles did over there? doing the same

THE

POTTERS

BROOKE STREET

3 Real Ales including:

Good Beer Guide 2013

Winner of Gidlow Paint and pint Competition)

and a real fire

7

Letters page Dear Ed

I live in Adlington, Lancs, which just about fits into the Central Lancashire branch of CAMRA. Since the summer I have been working on a website which sums up 2 things I enjoy, real ale and walking. The website went live 3 weeks ago.

Each walk has a map that can be printed off or downloaded to a smartphone as a pdf, showing the walk route and this also contains all the written directions underneath. I have already written 2 more walks which include 2 more pubs not yet featured on the website.

There are still a few things to be added like the opening times, and in the future I would like to start doing annual charity events for example a walking quiz over 5 or 6 pubs.

One of the main reasons behind this was to try and bring more people to Adlington to visit our pubs and hopefully try Please feel free to have a look at the site and hopefully, you might be and avoid any more pub closures in our village. There have able to fit something in the next issue! been at least 5 closures since I have been living here in the last few years, the latest one being the Waggon & Horses, which I did visit as part of my initial research and it was to feature on the walks.

I am an avid reader of ale cry and a supporter of CAMRA. I must, I have done this in my own time and own expense, i.e. however object to some of the language used in your last editorial. paying for the web hosting fees, web design and I will be It said that people who don’t drink the good stuff are ‘ softie girly getting flyers printed in the new year. Of course, there was boys’. In other words not manly enough for the real thing. more money spent in my “research” of the pubs!

Whilst I agree it’s great that young people are getting into real ale, I am a CAMRA member and I was hoping that you may be there is still the problem that many women don’t drink it. I think able to place a small mention in the next edition of Ale Cry this kind of sentiment only adds to the idea that real ale is just a (I picked up Winter 2012 from the Bay Horse, Heath Char- man’s drink. It isn’t a man’s drink. It’s a drink for anyone who’s nock, one of the pubs featured on my website) and hopefully keen on trying a superior beer product, that cares how and why their in the spring/summer, people will start coming to do the beer is made. walks.

The male/female divide is a false one here. Also nobody says ‘ girly The website address is www.adlingtonbeercircular.co.uk and I have set up a Facebook page (AdlingtonBeerCircular) boy’ anymore as it sounds rather homophobic. along with a Twitter account (@AdlingtonBeerC). I already have over 200 followers and not only do I try and promote/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------advertise events for the pubs, I will re-tweet interesting articles/features for other local businesses in and around the Chorley Area.

I wanted to introduce our company and pubs to you, we have recently At the moment, I have 12 pubs on the site, with 5 walks, the bought the George in Chorley, but own The Raven, Little 15, Fifteen criteria for the pubs is they must have at least 1 handpump. Swinley in Wigan, Fifteens in Chester and St Annes, our main focus All the walks have a “beer” rating for how many pubs are on is traditional boozers with a bit of style that serve a local range of the walk and a “boot” rating for the length of the walk. They cask ales. all officially start at the train station too meaning people can leave the cars at home.

Some of you may know the George as a underage music banging nightmare, this seems to be the general opinion out there, its my job to let the folk of Chorley and Lancashire know, that actually it’s a pretty nice boozer, real ales, real fire and certainly real people, I’m proud to say that we have a team of staff in there that are a passionate about ales as we all are. While we are open are doing quite a bit of work at the George that will be completed in the next few weeks.

Kind regards, Richard Hargreaves ------------------------------------------------Dear Ed

sincerely

Tom Haines-Doran

Dear Ed

The

Walmer Bridge Liverpool Old Road, Walmer Bridge, Preston, PR4 5QE. Telephone - 01772 612296.

Quiz Night - Thursdays Live Football Coverage Four handpumps: Robinsons Unicorn plus up to two guest beers always available.

Holder of Cask Marque and ACE Award certificates.

Large beer garden with children's play area.

We work very closely with Wigan Camra branch they have been a great support to us, and I know they’ve enjoyed some of our hospitality, would love the same opportunity to work with local camra for the Chorley area We are serving two ales at the moment, but intend on put another two on by the end of March, Would really appreciate your feedback Currently have in Prospects Silver Tally, Whatever and Bank Tops

Regards Lisa Langton Operations Manager, Inn The Bar

Old Slapper and Flat Cap

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Ed

We are having a festival within a festival - The National JDW festival will be running but we are planning to go bigger. We will have 40+ Ales and Ciders on at any one time between 5pm Friday 5th and close of play Sunday 7th. We will have our usual food and mini food stalls and also a competition to win a holiday. 1/3rds 1/2s and pints.

Adam and myself will hopefully attend one of the Camra branch meetings before the event to drum up some interest.

Regards Bradley (Pub Manager @ The Greyfriar)

8

124

From the Travelling on the 124 (con Hoghton Arms tinued), On leaving the OAK retracing my TREE in Brinscall we can catch steps back to the

the bus outside to the HARE & roundabout and HOUNDS in Abbey Village. The bus stop is midway taking the Bolton between the Oak Tree and The Cricketers and the bus - Preston main leaves at '01 & '31 past the hour. Book to the road towards Riley Green walking about 300 metres down that road we come to the BOATYARD. This is Thwaites tied house by the Liverpool-Leeds canal. It is a very comfortable and welcoming pub, and for those people who have been walking along the canal and feel a little dirty to go into the pub proper there is a very comfortable coffee lounge and bar which is designed for them. There are four beers on tap, being Nutty Black @ 3.3%, Original @ 3.6%, LancasterBomber @ 4.4% and Wainwright @ 4.1%. I plumped for Nutty Black which I really enjoyed mainly because I enjoy mild beer Hare & Hounds there is a bus stop there, crossing and find it increasingly hard to get hold of these days, and I the main Bolton road and being careful of speeding have to say I was not disappointed, although the price for mild vehicles the pub is right in front of you. It is a nice was a bit daunting at £3.00p a pint. The Boatyard is open every comfortable country pub with a good range of good day from 12.00noon until 11.00pm. Foodwise they serve meals meals which are served daily from 12.00 NOON until from 12.00 until 3.00pm and then from 5.00pm until 9.00pm..

8.00PM every day except Monday when the pub is On Sundays there is also a carvery until 6.00pm. The Boaty closed. Wednesday is Steak night when you can have although primarily a a good pub and eating house also provides a good English Steak On Sundays there are always good accomodation for overnight stays. Onwards now to the two different roasts available. The most important FEILDENS ARMS at Feniscowles. thing are the beers and these are normally Black Sheep @ 3.8% bitter and Copper Dragon @ 3.8%.

There is a third pump which is used occasionally for the serving of a third guest beer. I had a pint of Black Sheep which was very good. On leaving the Hare it was back across the road to catch the 124 towards the

Retracing your steps back to the motorway at the roundabout turn left on to Feniscowles Lane (the road to Blackburn) and you see within 20 metres a bus stop. The buses pass that stop at approximately ‘10 and ‘40 minutes past the hour and book to the Fieldens Arms the bus stop is right outside the pub. On entering the pub you are met by an array of six handpumps which serve, apart from one permanent beer, always beers of HOGHTON ARMS which was my next port of call. guest breweries. The beer that is permanent is Flowers IPA The bus goes past at '06 & '36 past the hour. You then and on the Saturday I called in, there was Sharps Doom Bar @ travel on till you reach the bus stop just before the 4.00%,Copper Dragon Best @3.8%, Wadworth 6X @ 4.3% and motorway junction and roundabout. Alighting there, a Moorhouse’s Bitter @3.7%. Plenty to go at and I went for you take the left hand turn towards Wheelton and 100 Sharps before Coors make a mess of things. The pub itself was metres up the road is the Hoghton Arms. This is an very busy and is well appointed, and is also in Camra’s Good ex Burtonwood pub which was known for good ale Beer Guide and is situated at the junction of Preston Old Road and still is now, except that it is owned by Marstons. and Livesey Branch Road. The beer needless to say was very good The Hoghton Arms is a modern open plan pub but indeed. After a good pint it was time to head back to Preston so turnwith good traditional furniture which is pleasing to the ing right outside the pub and going 10 metres walk down Preston Old eye. The pub opens every day from 12.00 noon until Road you come to a bus shelter where you be able to catch a bus to 11.00pm (Sunday until 10.30pm). Meals are served Preston. They leave at ‘03 and 33 minutes past the hour and it takes every day from 12.00 till 9.30pm but on Sunday only about 25 minutes to Preston bus station .

Kevin Reddy until 8.30pm, and children are allowed. The beer aspect is Banks bitter and Pedigree. After sampling a pint of Banks bitter @ 3.8% I can confirm that it was very good and it was only £2.65 which is rare these 9 days in a country pub.

10

AGM / Member’s weekend / Conference 2013 This years members weekend, which includes the AGM The issues the branch fees are vital to the future of the Camand the national conference is to be held in Norwich. paign would be better served if we had representation at Mick Clark was very disparaging after the 2011 confer- national level so to that end Mick Clark has been nominated ence. He felt that to call it a members weekend could for the the NEC. The odds on success are slight but we can get CAMRA into trouble under the trade descriptions only hope and work towards his election act. Resolutions from branches and individuals seemed Michael Clark to be an inconvieience to be tolerated rather than welNEC - candidate’s statement comed.

I was content to spend my time in the community, at a local Back slapping and prize-giving seemed to take priority. level, including CAMRA, which I joined when the branch I thought - ‘Members Weekend’ - which members? the was founded 40 years ago ordinary members or NEC members.

Last years Conference was a lttle better but not much. Participation at national level never appealed to me, but I believe CAMRA is now sleepwalking into the biggest threat As an example, when ‘What’s Brewing’ produced its in its history. conference report not one word was quoted from the ordinary members or branch representatives who spoke at the event. Only hq officers and NEC members were For 40 years we have fought to preserve real ale in the face of threats from tank and keg and as an early member I have been mentioned. very much involved in that war.

Fingers crossed that this years event continues or better still accelerates the slight improvement from 2011 to The threat from ‘craft ale’ is harder to combat than any we 2012. have faced before. In the past we have been fighting completion from mundane, tasteless, keg beers. Craft ales, however, In addition to the resolution calling for the role of branches to be improved to maximise the power of our have a range of tastes just as varied as real ale. I have chosen huge 100,000 + membership (see below), A resolution from wide ranges (up to 50) on draft in the States and enjoyed was submitted calling for the campaign to wake up to them and toured breweries that have produced them. the threat from so called ‘craft ales’ which seem to have But they are not ‘Real Ale’ – not a living product – not kept endorsement from our national leadership. alive by secondary fermentation – they are ‘Zombeers’ Just last week I saw the extent to which CAMRA is tak- brought back to artificial life and to find CAMRA’s ‘spokesing these products to its busom at the Wigan Beer Festi- man’ endorsing them in the national press is frightening. val with the international beer stall selling these keg products at what was otherwise an excellent festival. The other issue close to my heart as someone who believes that local issues and initiatives are the ones most likely to attract public interest, I believe that for the most part CAMRA wastes the strength of its huge membership. CAMRA needs to reach out to a wider audience via local authorities, schools, colleges, community groups etc., as well as the media, for a local slant on the many important issues CAMRA is involved in e.g. ‘binge drinking’, ‘pub closures’, ‘drinking at home and on the street’, but to do so we need national leadership to organise training and co-ordination.

Embracing the enemy - Wigan Beer Festival I have submitted resolutions on the above subjects to this Lord Mountain year’s conference.

TEXT OF MOTION (Please write clearly in block TEXT OF MOTION (Please write clearly in block capitals) capitals) This Conference / Annual General Meeting.RECThis Conference / Annual General Meeting...INOGNISING THAT OUR STRENGTH IN NUMSTRUCTS THE NEC TO MAKE EDUCATING THE BERS IS OUR GREATEST ASSET INSTRUCTS MEMBERSHIP AND THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE THE NEC TO RETURN TO CONFERENCE WITH DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ‘REAL ALE’ AND SO A STRATEGY WHICH MAKES IT EASIER FOR CALLED ‘CRAFT ALES’ A PRIORITY, IN THE AND ENCOURAGES INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS LIGHT OF THE GROWINGTHREAT POSED, TO PARTICIPATE, PARTICULARLY AT A LOWHICH CONFERENCE BELIEVES IS AS BIG CAL LEVEL. CONFERENCE RECOGNISES THAT IF NOT BIGGER THAN THE CAMPAIGN HAS THE FULL INVOLVEMENT OF BRANCHES FACED IN OVER FORTY YEARS OF CAMPAIGNAND REGIONS IS ESSENTIAL IN THIS EXERING .............................................................................

CISE.................................................................... ......

11

A Sally Round........

Manhattan (NYC) A lot has changed since I last went to New York, back in April 2001. The biggest and most memorable change has been to the skyline, which altered forever on September 11th of that year.

When I returned in February 2013, I discovered that there have been changes for the better in many of the bars. There has been a big increase in the range of beers available. About the same time CAMRA was starting its campaign against the big bland conglomerates the States were starting a similar campaign. Their fight was not for real ale but for what they call craft ale. Twenty years ago you could only find beers by Miller, Coors, Budweiser and a few others. Now you can find ales from dozens of microbrewers producing (unfortunately) what we would classify as keg ale – tasty but not a living product. In places throughout the states they are moving towards a second revolution and turning to real ale but that is in its infancy and you can still only find real ales in a few states. I couldn’t find any on this trip to New York but hopefully next time I visit the 2nd revolution will have spread here. In the mean time what I found was plenty of bars now having a massive selection to choose from. Some bars we visited had 20 or 30 on sale.

cheapest bar we went in during our stay and on this occasion $13 bought us 2 pints of Indian River Light Ale. It was refreshing and had hints of Orange and Coriander. Being a bit dry after my 7 hour flight, another swiftly followed. Delicious. Keen to be more adventurous I switched to Indiana Pale Ale, a hoppy and citrusy little number at 5.9% for pints 3and 4. Even better. Now in full flow despite being awake for 23 hours, we decided to order some food and a BBQ Rack of Ribs and Fries was washed down with a couple of pints of Empire Premium at 5.5%. This was golden and had a dry finish, nice but my favourite was still Indiana Pale Ale. It was time to call it a night but before we could get off our bar stools the barman had poured himself and us a shot of Bourbon Whiskey. "On the house" he said " Welcome to the United States" as all 3 of us drained our glasses.

Our 2nd night started early as we had got tickets to see Mama Mia on Broadway. First stop was Frankie & Johnnies Steak House for a pre-show dinner, great steaks but no real ale. Then to the Winter Garden Theatre to see Mama Mia, which was fantastic. After the Show, we called in at the NYC Beer Authority on West 40th Street and sat at the bar whilst chatting to Tony

First, let’s get the bad news out of the way, the cost. Every bar we drank in was charging $7 to$8 for a pint. With the exchange rate at about $1.50 to a pound, that works out at £4.60 to £5.30 a pint. So it’s expensive but it is New York City and I bet London isn’t far behind. There is, however, some good news (depending on your point of view), these beers are very strong, so you can’t drink as many. Anything under 5% was quite rare with most the barman, something which became a regular feature every beers in excess of 6% night. I started with a pint of Harpoon IPA at 5.9%, hoppy and Carole and I flew to JFK Airport on a Sunday fruity which went down a treat so I felt obliged to have another. and landed around 4pm before making our Next up was Great Divide Titan at 7.1%. This was even better way to the Distrikt Hotel on West 40th Street and despite the high ABV, did not taste too strong. Intrigued by which was to be our home for 4 nights. Our the name, I decided to try a pint of Greenport Harbour Leaf Pile Sally started not long after checking in and unpacking. Our at 5.2% an amber coloured beer which although it didn't taste first port of call was Heartland Brewery near the Port Authority like leaves, it did remind me of Sarsparilla and one was enough Bus Terminal on 8th Avenue. It proved to be a good start with a so I went back to Great Divide Titan. By this time Carole had choice ranging from Full Moon Barley Wine at 10% to Indian switched from beer to Vodka and by the time we were buying a River Light Ale at 3.9%. Heartland Brewery turned out to be the pretzel from a cart in the street about 1am we were ready to go back to our room.

­­

Hopstar

Queens 1 Golden Hill Lane Leyland

01772 453224 Facebook: Queens Leyland

Fine Selection of ‘Locale’ Casks Cheapest beer in town Live Sports: 9 Flat Screen TVs inc. Large Screen Live Music - Sat. & Sun. Bingo, Quiz - Wed Free wi-fi 12 Prospect

Allgates

Thwaites

The Lancashire Walks Ale Cry Quiz Number 10

Quiz set by John Griffiths and Bob Clare. Many of the answers can

be found on www.lancashirewalks.com website.

1.

What caused the Lancashire Cotton Famine in the 19th century?

2.

Which family is most closely linked with Gawthorpe

Hall, near Burnley?

3.

How high is Blackpool Tower?

4.

What is the longest river to flow entirely through Lancashire?

5.

What towns were linked by the Lancaster Canal when

it was first completed?

6.

Where was Eric Bartholomew born?

7.

Who opened the Preston By pass Britain’s first motor

way in 1958?

8.

Who represented Blackburn as member of Parliament

before Jack Straw?

9.

How long is the Guild Wheel?

10.

The Three Towers Race links which three landmarks?

Answers: Page 26

Three Bees Bowland MoorHouses

Southport Bank Top Lancaster

Burscough

Real Ale -

Organic, healthy, with limitless flavours. A living product unlike: phoney Zombeers and Alcopops

Drink Real Ale Mother Nature’s Choice

The next day we were up early and set off downtown to visit the The next night was our last in New York and our Sally continued around Midtown West, not far from Times Square. First 9-11 memorial at The World Trade Centre which was very mov stop was The House of Brews on West 46th Street. Not as big

ing. Around lunchtime we made our way

to the Financial District and near Wall Street a selection of different beers in here. I chose a pint of Stone

we came across the Fraunces Tavern, New Brewing CoStone Cali IPA at 6.9% which was ok but not as good as the offerings at the Beer Authority. Carole went for

York’s oldest bar and the place where

George Washington was drinking in 1783. A a pint of Chelsea Checker Cab Blond Ale which was tasty and fruity at 4.5%. Looking for something better I was drawn

big choice again but I settled on a pint of

Smuttynose IPA at 6.9% whilst Carole had by a statement that Esquire magazine had recently described Dogfish Head 90 Minute as the best IPA in America. Got to

the weaker Dale's Pale Ale at only 6.5%. try that I thought and despite an ABV of 9% I ordered a pint.

Both were very good but the Smuttynose

got my vote for it's citrusy bitterness. One It was fantastic, very hoppy and tasted great. If you come

of the rooms in the Tavern had a sign over across this anywhere, you should try it, if you like IPA you

the door which read Dingle Whiskey Bar. will love this one. We decided that it was time to eat and we had a really nice meal at Kellari Taverna, a Greek restaurant These Burnley fans get about don't they. on West 44th Street. Following our meal we headed over to After a walk across Brooklyn Bridge and a trip to the top of the the Beer Authority for what would be our last visit. As usual, Empire State Building we returned to the hotel before setting out Tony was behind the bar serving regulars as the beer flowed. I to Greenwich Village, our destination, the Blind Tiger Ale House moved from Harpoon IPA, to Great Divide Titan to a poron Bleecker Street. 28 ter which I decided to try, Founders Porter at 6.5%, black, different ales were listed smooth and silky with a hint of chocolate. By this time, Tony on 2 big chalk boards. I was making cocktails for Carole and I was having a deep and chose Kuhnhenn Fuffer at meaningful (probably) conversation with an American guy 4.9% and Carole surprised called Chris. I switched back to Great Divide Titan and beme by choosing an 8.5% fore we knew it the time had reached 2.30am and the bar was Psychic Dog Raging Bitch. closing. Having said our goodbyes we rolled down West 40th Both were great, the Street to our Hotel. I have to admit, which I don’t usually, to Fuffer pale and fruity and feeling quite delicate the following morning. the Raging Bitch, which I It was time to pack and make our way back to the Airport had to finish, dark and for our flight home. We had had a great time, New York is a dangerous whilst still being hoppy. Undeterred, Carole went for a weaker but still 5.5% Weisse fabulous city and we had enjoyed some great ale but it was, Beer whilst I sampled a pint of Greenport Harbour Other Side at as always, good to be home.

7.4% which was golden and and certainly did the job. We left the We sampled a tiny fraction of the great bars in New York, Blind Tiger and after sharing a pizza in an Italian restaurant that there are probably hundreds more and Craft Ale continues to had 3 sizes of pizza on the menu, 14", 18" and a staggering 29" grow in popularity in America. My particular favourites were we made our way back to our local the NYC Beer Authority for the Beer Authority NYC, the Blind Tiger and the Fraunces a few night caps with Tony the Barman and a few other regulars. Tavern. If you ever find yourself in New York and you fancy Harpoon IPA, Great Divide Titan and a really smooth, creamy a pint, I would highly recommend any of these. Just make stout, O'Hara's Irish Stout at 4.5% all featured heavily. sure your wallet is full.

Dave Bell

Dog and Partridge 44 Friargate Preston Tel: 01772 252217

House Casks Include: Timothy Taylor’s Landlord, Joseph Holt’s Best Bitter Tetley Mild plus: Weekly Guests From The Punch Finest Cask Range and SIBA Direct Delivery

Smokey-o-Joes 32-Seater Smoking Area Good Value Lunches Including:

11

‘The’ Curry Fridays The Big Quiz Thursday Night Rock DJ Sunday

The Old Black Bull

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‘One of the UKs top 100 pubs 2011’ - Famous Grouse Awards Three time winner of George Lee Trophy Stan and Michael are looking forward to offering you a warm welcome Central Lancs Pub of The Year A Good Beer Guide and Cask Marque Pub Thurs Eve a Cask Ale at £1.99 a Pint 33 Friargate - PRESTON - PR1 2AT Tel: 01772 823397 www.theoldblackbull.com 13

RILEY’S RAMBLES:-

but there was room enough for us drinkers. Apparently in the evening, drinkers take over. The beer was very good and we could choose from Rossendale Pennine Bitter (4.0%), BlackTwenty six pubs in less than ½ a square mile! You will understand jack First Deal (4.0%), Brightside Darkside Stout (4.6%) and why a trip to Chorlton, south of Manchester, would appeal as a Beartown Black Bear (5.0%). All the people dining made us all venue for our Winter day out. I had heard of this little paradise think of having something to eat and having been told of the with lots of really good pubs and bars and it really is as good as superb pies on sale at the pub called Pi, we resolved to go there they say. I would recommend a day out there to everyone. It is next.

To reach Pi we had to return to Wilbraham Rd. and really easy to get to. You can either get the train to Manchester head up Manchester Rd East,passing a few pubs we would Victoria and then hop on the tram that goes to St. Werburghs or return to later. Pi is a small, get the train to Manchester Deansgate and catch the same tram intimate café bar with three real there. In both cases alight at Chorlton. (A map of the area show- ales,and a real cider. The ing where all the pubs are can be downloaded from the website of Pieminister gourmet pies are the Trafford and Hulme Branch of CAMRA . It will help you plan really good, and we all managed your trip) From Chorlton tram station our group of to get a seat and didn’t have to eight turned left and made the short walk to our first port of call, wait long for our pies. I had a namely Oddest. There is nothing really odd about this bar. It has Heidi, made with goat’s cheese, sweet potato, spinach, red a quirky décor, but is comfortably furnished and has a spacious onion and roasted garlic. It was delicious. A chicken based one veranda for when the sun shines (as many of the bars here have). and a beef type were also available and were both pronounced What appealed to us was the six handpumps with an ever chang- equally delicious by the others. The beers available were ing range of beers. On our visit there was Northern Oddest Ale Salamander Glad Tidings (3.8%), Tatton Blonde (4.0%) and (4.1%), Blackjack Oddington (4%) and Jingle Bells (5.2%), TiFathomless Oyster Stout (5.2%). The round came to £12.30. tanic Plum Porter (4.9%), Night to Remember (4.3%) and Santa’s We retraced our steps and went into the Marble Beer House, the Slide (4.2%). We were drinking halves as there are an awful lot award winning sister to Manchester’s Marble Arch pub. Deof pubs to visit and instead of giving individual prices, I will just scribed as a modern take on the traditional pub, it is small and tell you the cost of the round in each bar for comparison. Bear narrow with wooden tables and we managed to all fit round one in mind, some people drink weak beers, while others prefer the while having our beers. There were four Marble beers plus a stronger ones, so the cost will be an average. In the Oddest it was couple from Osset at a cost of a reasonable £11.05.

Just a £12.40 for eight halves. Going back over the tramway bridge, bit further on is the Sedge Lynn, a large Wetherspoon we next went into the Bar (yes, that’s its name), with its wooden pub set in a former Victorian billiard hall. It is very benches and 8 handpulls. A blackboard on the back wall informs impressive inside with an imposing barrelled you of the beers on sale, which were Castle Rock Harvest Pale,

roof and other original fittings. Half a dozen York Guzzler, Wadworth Drey Bells, Oakham Bishops Farewell, guest beers were on sale, but, like many Hardknott Cool Fusion and Buxton heights. A goodly selection of others, the weakest available (apart bottled beers was also available. The round here came to £13.45. from the ubiquitous Ruddles Bitter)

Continuing along Wilbraham Road, we come to Electrik was the 4.2% Phoenix Moonlight. It (you’ll get used to these monosyllabic names). Like others, this

did, however, win the prize for the is a modern one roomed bar and it is also a local CAMRA award cheapest round of the day at £8.94 for the eight haves. For winner. Three beers are usually available which on our visit were our last couple of halves in Chorlton, we went back along WilBright Spark (3.7% and very flavourful), Redwillow Mirthless braham Rd. and went first in the New Lloyds Hotel, a Victorian (3.9%) and Blackout (4.4%). The round was back down to £12.40. listed building belonging to JW Lees. Large and cavernous We took advantage of the leather settees and sat down for a while inside, it specialises in live music four nights a week. Three savouring our halves. It was fairly quiet when we were in but ap- Lees beers were on sale, Bitter at 4.0%, The Governor, a special parently it can get very busy at weekends as I would imagine all brewed with Marco Pierre White (3.8%) and a Christmas ale these pubs would be.

Suitably refreshed, we set off on a bit of Plum Pudding at 4.8%. Unfortunately I forgot to note down a walk to our next pub, which overlooks Chorlton Green. Coming the cost of the round.

Crossing the road we went in the out of the last pub, continue along Wilbraham Rd until you reach Spread Eagle, a large Holts pub with a comfortable lounge and a

Whitelow Rd on your left. Go down smaller traditional bar. Popular for sporting events, there is also

here, crossing High Lane and you will accommodation available. Two beers were available, the ever eventually reach the Horse and Jockey. popular Bitter at 4.0% and a seasonal Maple Moon at 4.8%. The

It is a large mock Tudor fronted pub dat round was just over the Wetherspoon price at a very reasonable

ing from the early 1800’s with a large £9.05. It was now time for us to head back to the tramstop

terrace in front. It looked really attractive . The trams are every 12 minutes, so we did not have long to and another plus is that it is now the home of Bootleg Brewery wait. We decided to alight at Deansgate to have a last drink at and it usually has six beers on sale including the ones brewed on the Knott Bar there. A long established award winner set in a the premises, plus guests. We must have caught it at a bad moconverted railway arch; it was very busy at 7pm when we were ment, for there were only two available, Bootleg’s Black Widow there. Five real ales were on sale from Hawkshead, Hooke Nor(4.4%) and Beartown Santa Claus (4.5%). It was rather full of ton, Millstone, Castle Rock and Buxton. Compared to the last diners and maybe they had drunk up the other beers. Anyway, round, it came in at a whopping £13.45. Allow yourself a good after we had ordered we were informed that another four beers five minutes to get back to the station to catch your train home. would be coming on in ten minutes. One useful bit of informaSo, yes, if you fancy a good day out, Chorlton is the place to tion we gleaned was what a Manchester Egg consists of, it being go. There is a pub to suit everyone, from modern one room bars on the menu there. Apparently, it is like a Scotch Egg, but instead to traditional locals. It was great in the middle of winter and of sausage meat, black pudding is used. It sounds really good it might be even better in summer and it does not take long to and I must try one some day. The round here came to £13.60, the get there. Here is a little tip for anyone over 60. If you can dearest so far.Just round the corner is the Famous Trevor Arms on get a Greater Manchester Wayfarer ticket, you can travel from Beech Rd. It is a traditional two room pub with a central bar. TV Chorley to Manchester and travel on any train, tram or bus in sports seemed popular here and three beers were available, their designated area all for just £5. They can be obtained at any Weetwood Cheshire Cat (3.6%), Ossett Big Red manned station in that area including Chorley. Thus, if travel(4.2%) and Adnam’s Santa’s Spirit (4%). The ling from Preston, you just need a return ticket to Chorley to landlord seemed keen and we had an interesting supplement this. The train must stop at Chorley both ways for conversation with some of the locals, but we this to be valid. never found out who Famous Trevor was.

Just up the road you will find The Parlour, part Paul Riley pub, part restaurant. It was busy with diners, 14

Chorlton-cum-Hardy

Sun Hotel Friargate Preston

01772 252335, 07534 904646 www.sunhotelpreston.co.uk Facebook.com/SunhotelPreston@SunhotelPreston

4 Cask Ales always on (inc. Wainrights) ensuite rooms available from £35 per night Snack Menu available - Pool Table - Outside Seating open: Sun - Thurs 12 -11, Fri - Sat 12 -12

Spring Real Ale Festival From St. Patrick’s Day through to Easter 5 other cask ales will be available from other breweries

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2 Guest Ale Handpumps rotated on a weekly basis

Sports Channels - Sky Sports & ESPN Snooker Table & Pool Table

Saturday: 3pm-Midnight

Sunday: 12noon-11.30pm

Live Entertainment & Function Room Quiz Nights every Sunday & Tuesday Memberships Available

15

The Old Vic

Also known as the Vic and Station

Tel.No.

Find us

Fishergate Preston

Opposite Preston Railway Station CAMRA Recommended Good Beer Guide 2013 7 Handpumps in action Normally 20 different real ales available during the course of a week Two 3D screens - 4 Sky Boxes Showing: Football, Rugby Cricket, Horse Racing, Darts, Athletics, Tennis, Golf and other major events Traditional pub with traditional lunchtime bar meals Buffets can be arranged 16

Fulwood & Broughton Cricket Club

10p, 10%, 50p a pint off in local pubs:

2013 BEER FESTIVAL

Show your CAMRA card at these pubs and get discount on your real ales ( hint to pubs: there’s space for more to be added ):

6.00 pm Friday 26th to Sunday 28th April • • • • •

Adelphi Preston 10% Ancient Oak, Cottam 20p Anderton Arms Fulwood 20p Black Bull Penwortham 20p Fishers Preston 10%

•

Hayrick, Clayton-le-Woods 10p(M-Th)

• Highfield, Croston • Plough Grimsargh

The 2012 inaugural beer festival was a resounding success, and due to popular demand here we are again.

Wide selection of local and regional cask ales and ciders & bottled lagers and cider If you would like to partake outdoors we have cricket matches on Saturday and Sunday afternoon for your entertainment.

20p 20p

We are on the junction of Garstang Road and Lightfoot Lane You can be assured of a very warm welcome.

Thanks to Club & Event sponsor

Correct at time of going to press but can’t be guaranteed

THE MALT AND

Alan HOPS is proud to announce:

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The Cricketers, Brinscall Hilary welcomes you to her traditional warm friendly pub

It is once again a Free House and is about to be refurbished, so why not pay us a visit and choose from our wide 17 range of ‘Locales’

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FREE ENTRY

18

Created in 2011 by a demerger from Punch Taverns was the SPIRIT PUB COMPANY, which owns close to 800 pubs. Their pubs come under many different guises, with them having JOHN BARRAS pubs (like the Fleece in Penwortham), CHEF When CAMRA was formed in the 1970s things were a lot more straightforward. Most pubs in this area were then owned & BREWER pubs (like the Malthouse by breweries, with the number of free houses being so few that you could almost count them on the fingers of one hand. Farm at Whittle-leWoods), and FAYRE & SQUARE pubs If you were a beer drinker and went into a Matthew Brown pub you knew you would probably be getting a choice of just (like the Phantom Winger at Broughton).

Lion Bitter or Lion Mild. If you were a bit more adventurous you could go into a Thwaites pub where you might have Quite often pubs are a choice of Bitter and Mild, plus possibly the local favourite transferred from one part of the company to Thwaites Best Mild. another - this was the The Malthouse case with the Phantom Winger which was previously a The last 40 years has seen a great deal of change, with the WACKY WAREHOUSE pub, a brand no longer represented in majority of pubs now owned by pub companies (or pubcos our branch area. as they are commonly known). Although some pubcos do have arrangements only to supply beers from one particular brewery, the proliferation of pubcos has definitely contributed With 560 pubs across the country, the STONEGATE PUB to there being a much greater choice in the range of beers that COMPANY is another big name player.

In the Central Lancashire branch area two of their better real can be found in our area. ale pubs are the Adelphi in Preston, and the Bay Horse at Euxton. However like Spirit they also have a number of pubs Pubcos come in all shapes and sizes. Some are big national companies with hundreds of pubs to their name, while others partitioned off to specialist brands. These include YATES'S (no longer wine lodges, but with a pub of this name in Preston) are relatively small concerns that may have just a handful and SCREAM (no longer It's A Scream, and now with just the of pubs. Some appear to be proud of their name, with their pubs being strongly promoted as belonging to that particular Roper Hall in Preston in our area). They also have SLUG & LETTUCE pubs (thankfully not represented in our area). company, while there are others which seem more reticent, with there being little or no evidence in a pub as to what is the A big company that is not found that widely in Central Lanidentity of its parent company. cashire is the ORCHID GROUP. They have 290 pubs nationUntil you start counting them it is quite surprising to find out wide, including the Ancient Oak at Cottam and the Highfield in just how many different pubcos there are. Without going in to Croston. Good news to report for both these pubs is that they are understood to be offering a discount on the price of a pint of any great detail, I have written this article to highlight some real ale to card-carrying CAMRA members. of the pubcos and pub chains that are currently operating in the Central Lancashire branch area, and there are a great Once a brewing company, later a brewery-owning company, many more.

Mitchells of Lancaster created the pubco MITCHELL'S HOBeginning with one of the most well known, there can be no TELS & INNS to run their former pub estate. Comprising a doubting that JD WETHERSPOON has been one of the suc- total of 60 pubs, the Boars Head at Barton is now their only outlet in our branch area, although at one time it did appear that cess stories of the last 20 years. They have three pubs in our area, the Grey Friar in Preston, the Sir Henry Tate in Chorley, they had ambitions to make further inroads from their north and the Leyland Lion in Leyland. Nationally a company still Lancashire base. Other pubcos with strong brewery connections are MARSTONS INNS & TAVERNS (pubs include the expanding with new pubs opening each month, there have been persistent rumours that their next pub in this area may be new Brown Hare in Penwortham) and the MARSTONS PUB COMPANY (pubs include the Euxton Mills at Euxton). in Penwortham or a second in Preston (Church Street).

CAMRA - CENTRAL LANCS BRANCH AND ... PUBCOS

Some pubco pub chains are largely food oriented. As well as some of those already mentioned, the Lea Gate at Lea is a HUNGRY HORSE pub, the Hesketh's Arms

in Preston is part of the SIZZLING

PUBS chain, while the Yarrow

Bridge at Chorley comes under the

FLAMING GRILL banner.

Among the more exotic

pubcos that are around, the

French-sounding DORBIERE The Hesketh’s Arms PUB GROUP has three pubs in our area, the Royal Consort Not to be confused with Ember Inns is AMBER TAVERNS, a pubco which has come to prominence in the last few years in Preston,the Wellington at Ashton, and Trader Jacks in and one which is steadily growing in stature. An early boost Chorley. Finally, and to build up their pub estate came with the acquisition of assumedly wanting to be a the many LAST ORDERS pubs from the then ailing Cains bit more anonymous we Brewery. Although they do not sell real ale in all their pubs, have the BRAMWELL they do have some choice outlets in our area including the Black Horse at Croston, the Wheatsheaf in Ashton, Pearsons PUB COMPANY which uses the alias SMITH & in Chorley and the Queens in Leyland The largest pubco in the country is PUNCH TAVERNS. They JONES to run the Academy pub in Preston and The run something like 4500 pubs, yet in most of them you will Prince of Wales in Chorley not be readily aware that you are in one of their pubs. Well represented in our branch area, their pubs include the Grapes town centre. The Wellington Gordon Small at Goosnargh, the Walmer Bridge at Walmer Bridge, plus many others.

Another company with a small but significant presence in Central Lancashire is EMBER INNS. Their pubs can be identified by a distinctive blazing fireplace inn sign mounted on a red brick plinth, which can be found at two pubs in our area, the Anderton Arms and the Black Bull, both in Fulwood.

Ember Inns are actually part of the larger MITCHELLS & BUTLERS group which also includes CROWN CARVERIES (like the Pig & Whistle at Lea), O'NEILLS (like the pub of the same name in Preston), and VINTAGE INNS (like the Walton Fox at Bamber Bridge).

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ALE CRY visits Freckleton Freckleton is not in our branch area, even though it has a Preston postcode, but we like spreading our copies of Ale Cry around, so we decided that our latest expedition should be to that area of the Fylde. I have passed through on my way to Lytham many times, but have never alighted there for many a decade. It would be interesting to see how it had changed in that time.

On the way there we decided to stop our minibus at the Lea Gate Inn to see what was going on there. Originally a Whitbread pub, when it was bought by Hardy and Hansons, we even had a meeting there.

Now part of the Greene King empire, it is a large roadhouse with a Premier Inn behind it.

The pub was fully refurbished in 2012 and now trades as a ‘Hungry Horse’ pub with a heavy emphasis on food. We approached the bar with its three handpulls to find, disappointingly that the only cask ale on sale was H & H Rocking Rudolph, a 4.2% Christmas ale at £2.95. (It was January 31st by the way). Greene King IPA is usually on sale as a permanent with also a changing beer from the Greene King stable. In fact when we had all ordered (which took some time because of all the food orders being taken), a man appeared and started pulling Old Speckled Hen through one of the other pumps. It is cask marque approved.

The pub itself is large open plan, with many dining/ drinking areas off the bar, including an upstairs bit. There is a games area with pool and darts and screens showing Sky Sports etc. Free Wi-Fi is available and outside is a patio and play area for children. A full listing of the food and tariffs for the Premier Inn is available on their website.

We got back on the bus and headed for Freckleton village, first heading for the Ship Inn, which is on Bunker St, approximately half a mile from the village centre.

An attractive looking pub, the Ship has been in existence since at least 1677, when it was first licensed, but it is thought that the pub dates back to the 14th Century, making it the oldest pub in the Fylde. Inside, wood panelling lines the walls and at the far end is a nice area with a cottagey feel. A collection of interesting old photographs hang on the walls. Three beers were on sale: - Theakstons Bitter (3.8%),

Moorhouses Pride of Pendle (4.1%), which is a permanent beer, and Marstons Pedigree. At weekends there are usually 5 beers on sale and a collection of pump clips are evidence of the variety of beers that have been on sale.

There is a quiz every Tuesday and live music on the last Saturday of every month. Food is served lunchtime and evenings from an interesting looking menu (check the website for details).

The pub stands in an elevated position overlooking a creek in the River Ribble and from the upstairs dining area and the large beer garden there are fine views over Freckleton Marsh and Garlick’s Farm. One unusual feature as you go to the upstairs area is a scale model of Baron Von Rich thofen’s red Fokker tri-plane hanging from the ceiling.

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We then made the short journey to the Coach and Horses, one of the two ex Boddingtons houses in the village. This one is now a Punch tavern and there was a sign up outside saying the pub was up for lease. Inside, however, the pub was heaving, by far the busiest pub of the night, helped I suppose by live football being on the many screens dotted around the pub.

There was a blackboard listing seven guest beers, but there were only three handpumps.

On enquiry, we were told that that the others listed were the next on. The actual beers on sale were Marstons EPA (3.6% and £3.00 a pint), Black Sheep Bitter, and Moorhouses Pride of Pendle. While we were there, the EPA ran out and was replaced by Robinson’s Unicorn. The pub has a large games area (you can make out the layout of the original pub) with a beer garden and covered exterior area to the rear. Again, pictures of the area from olden days can be admired on the walls.

There is an extensive range of good value meals and snacks available (see website) including pensioners specials on Tuesdays and Thursdays. In fact while we were there the landlord brought out a few large plates of sandwiches and invited everybody to help themselves. A nice gesture and maybe another reason the pub was so busy. The pub is known locally as ‘Ponkies’, this being the nickname of a previous landlord.

It was just a short walk to our last pub of the night, the Plough, opposite the War Memorial on Lytham Rd. The last time I visited this pub it still had its Swales Ales windows intact. In fact, as Swales Brewery only sold out to Boddingtons in 1970, I probably drank some of Swales beers, though I cannot remember what it tasted like. Someone I used to work with said it was known as ‘Swales swill’, but I don’t think it was as bad as that. Anyway, those windows are long gone and inside, the pub didn’t look like I remembered it looking. It is now a large open plan pub that has a reputation as a fun pub, and it did seem like the clientele were having a good time, it being a busy night with two pool matches going on. Two real ales were on sale, Golden XPA brewed by Caledonian at 4.3% and Theakstons XB, only £2.90 for a 4.5% ale.

We managed to have a conversation with the current licensees, Eddie and Vanessa Walsh who were very keen on their cask ale. They explained that they were ‘troubleshooting’ managers who worked for Mitchells of Lancaster and they were sent in to sort out underperforming pubs and turn them round before a new permanent landlord could come in. (if you remember this happened at the Black Horse in Preston). The Plough itself belongs to the Star Pubs and Bars Company, which is the new name for The Scottish and Newcastle Pub Management Company, now part of Heineken, which runs many pubs in our area.

Eddie and Vanessa themselves have come from the Pier Inn in Whitby and expect to be at the Plough for six months before they move on to the next challenge. Eddie told us that he has had experience of fast cask ales (where the beer drops clear in a day) and in his opinion fast cask ale is not as good as proper cask conditioned ales. Certainly, the cask in the Plough was proving popular with all age groups and it was pleasing to see so many young people drinking it. Eddie would like to have more than two beers on sale and hopes sales will allow that. I think they are turning the pub round and whoever takes over in the future can surely build on their good work. The pub is open 12-11 (12-12 Thurs/Sun, 12-1 Fri/Sat) and they have Karaoke every alternate Saturday and occasional live music. They also have locally sourced food available 12-2 and 5-8.

Time eventually caught up with us and we had to get back on the minibus for our journey back to Preston for our last buses home.

Our next Ale Cry Trip will be to the Goosnargh area, including a visit to the Horns Inn, a pub inaccessible by public transport. If you are interested, why not join us.

Paul Riley

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                       

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Gerri and Dave offer

you a warm welcome to:

The

Minstrel

Eaves Green Road, CHORLEY, PR7 3PF 07447 129309 www.theminstrelchorley.co.uk

Opening Times: Sunday to Thurs.12 - 12, Fri & Sat.12- 1

Real Ales: Hobgoblin, Wainrights, Sharps Doombar + a Guest beer

Lagers & Bitters: San Miguel, Coors, Carling, Fosters, Carlsberg,John Smiths Extra cold Boddingtons Top Class Sunday Roast. Bar

Full Sky Sports snacks and meals through the package - inc a week. Thurs. Night is superb 8ft screen Curry Night -Fosters Gold ÂŁ1.25...

Large secure 30p pint off real ale. enclosed garden Great drinks promotions C2B on stage with smoking shelter Not forgetting and log burner

the cracking curry!!!!!

Chorley’s top Live Music every Friday and Saturday Karaoke Sunday entertainment pub:::::::::::

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PUB OF THE SEASON – HORNS, GOOSNARGH

The Spring pub of the season is one of the most remote in the Central Lancashire branch area, the Horns Inn two miles north-east of Goosnargh on the corner of Inglewhite Road and Horns Lane close to Beacon Fell Country Park.

This 200 year old country pub has been in the Woods family since 1951. Mark Woods is the third generation of the family to run it. He took over 26 years ago, bought the freehold from Tetley and put real ale on 15 years ago.

“Private” on he door, but all customers are welcome to use the snug.

On the bar are two handpumps,

soon to be three, and the real ales

sold are from local small breweies

– a Bowland beer is usually avail

able plus perhaps Lancaster or Moorhouses.

The Branch will be presenting the PoTS award on Thursday 11th

April at about 8pm. All are welcome, and there will be a minibus from Preston at 7.15pm, going on to visit other real ale outlets in the Goosnargh area.

This should be a very early opportunity to sample Goosnargh Brewing Company products. This The pub is open 11.30 to 3 and 6 to 11 Tuesday to Saturday, brewery is being established by the landlord in a tiny out 6-11 only on Monday and all day 12-9 on Sunday. building across the car park.

The pub is in open countryside so really there are no locals Beers brewed there will be and it is reliant on car trade. Food is inevitably important sold through one of the and is high quality, specializing in local produce (see the handpumps in the pub – blackboard list of local suppliers in the bar). Food is served more details of the brewery 12-2, 6.30-9 (not Monday lunch) and on Sunday all day in the next issue.

12-8.

Mark, the landlord, will be In addition, accommodation is available in a converted barn the brewer, but he is helped at the rear, and for Caravan Club members, there is a small in the pub by bar manager site in the grounds.

Paul Semple Dave Linley The pub layout is very old fashioned with five rooms in a Over 800 branch members but only a couple of dozen rambling layout. Three used for dining, but in the centre is active. If you are one of the inactive majority don’t you a bar counter with a small room with a few tables in front fancy doing a bit to help fight the cause? Any help would and a door through to a small snug behind the bar where be appreciated so why not get in touch (see below) Ed the staff serve and customers can sit and drink as well. This old-fashioned arrangement is almost unique (apparently only two other cases in the country). There is a sign

The Original

FARMERS ARMS Bar and Restaurant

21 Market Street Adlington Chorley PR7 4HE Tel: 01257 795700 Fax: 01257 795150 Mobile: 07903 061661 sales@chorleybottlegas.co.uk

• Up to 6 CASK ales at a time.

• A varying selection of real ales from

local micro breweries • Bar open all day until 12pm

• A large selection of freshly made bar snacks •

Sandwiches to T-bones & Ostrich served all day

• Special offers on beers all day everyday.

• Excellent bed & breakfast

accommodation with en-suite facilities available With compliments www.chorleybottlegas.co.uk • Single room from £20 (en-suite from £25) • All cylinders 100% HSE and fully tested Company Registration • Double fromNo:£25 (en-suite from £30) With compliments No: 5352401 room VAT Registration 787 3581 76 With compliments

Company Registration No: 5352401

VAT Registration No: 787 3581 76

• Full range of cylinder sizes to suit any workingCompany environment Registration No: 5352401 VAT Registration No: 787 3581 76 • 7 day 24 hour emergency call out for our clients • Remember - Chorley Bottle Gas Ltd does not charge any deposits or rentals • All cylinders are fully labelled for easy identification • All our gasses are 100% food grade certified quality • Suppliers of balloons and party goods • Balloon gas / Helium available

TOWNGATE ECCLESTON NR CHORLEYPR7 5QS TELEPHONE 01257 451594

23

6 free gallons at Lion

Two more members who have taken on the role of branch contact will win 3 gals of real ale each at the Leyland Lion.

You could be one of them. We badly need branch contacts i.e. people prepared to keep in touch with a few local pubs - passing news on to us, distributing Ale Under 26 over 60 You’d be mad noor t to join CAMRA Cry etc. It’s an enjoyable job which takes little effort and From £15.50 to join: £2 0 real ale vouchers, and 15 months members could win you 3 gals of real ale. Contact ed by phone or hip for (see page 27) the price of 12 email

If you are a

CAMRA Welcome UCLAN Real Ale Society - member and May your strength grow. recommend a friend to join you could be one But You don’t have to go to UCLAN. of two members to win 3 gallons of real ale for You may go to a different uni or college your efforts from Greyfriars in Preston. Every You may work or be out of work new member you recruit gives you a chance.

WE NEED YOU See the membership form on page 27

UNDER 26

6 free gallons at Greyfriars

- more free beer £ than subs (see p27)

Ben -becooper@uclan.ac.uk Calum - ceslater@uclan.ac.uk CLAIRE & JOHN WELCOME YOU TO THE

WHEELTON What’s on? 1ST TUESDAY OF MONTH – OPEN MIC NIGHT 9PM WEDNESDAY – QUIZ NIGHT, 9PM THURSDAY – CURRY NIGHT 6-9PM SATURDAY – LIVE MUSIC SUNDAY – ROAST 12-7.30PM

DOGS WELCOME – SKY SPORTS/ESPN/F1 – POOL TABLE – DART BOARD – REAL FIRE – REAL ALE FOLLOW US OF FACEBOOK FOR MORE DETAILS

43 Fylde Street Preston PR7 1DP 01772 201397

The Red Lion, Wheelton, Chorley, PR6 8EU

01254 830241

24

Strawberry Gardens

Poulton Road, Fleetwood, FY7 6TF Tel 01253 771991

12 Real Ales, 6 Ciders & Continental Beers Food Served Daily until 8-00pm

2nd Beer & Cider Festival 50+ Real Ales, Real Ciders and Continental Beers

Live Entertainment from Blue Pig Orchestra, Captains Crew, The Alley Cats, Syd Little and others.

Thur 23rd to Mon 27th May Blackpool, Fylde & Wyre CAMRA Pub of the Year 2013 Blackpool, Fylde & Wyre CAMRA Cider Pub of the Year 2012 Yourround.co.uk National Pub of the Month December 2012 www.strawberrygardensfleetwood.co.uk

Mike Allen Glass

SOUTH RIBBLE SCENE

Each year the CAMRA Central Lancashire branch submits nominations for both the Lancashire Pub of the Year and Lancashire Club of the Year awards. This year I am pleased to report that the branch's nominations for both these awards are for establishments which lie within the South Ribble geographical area.

Up for the Lancashire Pub of the Year 2013 award is the LEYLAND LION, the JD Wetherspoon pub on Hough Lane in Leyland that only opened as recently as October 2011. The Leyland Lion has very quickly become popular with local CAMRA members, and as you will read elsewhere in this Ale Cry, it was in December 2012 chosen as the branch's 2012/13 George Lee Memorial Trophy award winner. Although I am a little biased, I think that this has to be one of the best Wetherspoons pubs in the country, with it being a welcoming pub that sells a fine array of ever-changing real ales and real ciders.

Moving to the branch's Lancashire Club of the Year 2013 nomination and we have gone for OUR LADY & ST GERARD'S PAROCHIAL CENTRE in Lostock Hall. Better known just as St Gerard's, this friendly club on Brownedge Road has in recent years been a strong supporter of the real ale cause, with them hosting an annual Music & Beer Festival each September to help raise money for local charities. At any time the club has on handpump two changing guest beers, with cask ales from micro-breweries Cumberland and Prospect being those available on my most recent visit.

We wish the Leyland Lion and St Gerard's Club the best of luck in winning these prestigious Lancashire awards. It is quite a few years since our branch was last amongst the honours but the CAMRA Central Lancashire branch committee has every confidence that our two nominations will be the worthy contenders when the judging takes place. Incidentally the current holders of these awards are the Bridge Bier Huis in Burnley and Blackpool Cricket Club respectively, although we do not as yet have details of the pubs and clubs that our nominations will be Gordon Small up against this year.

Hand Made Leaded Glass Panels New commissions & restorations Basic craft skills workshops

design Assistance given with & glass choice.

The Railway Inn Steeley lane Chorley LancsPR6 0RD 01257411449 emailrailwayinnchorley@yahoo.co.uk

Jennings Cumberland and 4 changing guest ales

A CAMRA pub of the Season

A Good Beer Guide and Cask Marque Pub Contact me for a no obligation quote.

Free pool every Monday

Darts and dominoes - Thurdays Free Jukebox every Tuesday Covered by public

liability insurance.

Chorley’s Premier

Music Venue The Old Stables,

Mill Lane, Burscough Lancashire. L40 5TJ Tel: 0750 212 0453 Email:mikeallenglass@hotmail.co.uk Web:www.mikeallenglass.co.uk

Live Music Friday and Saturday Evenings Seasonal music festivals with up to 8 bands

25

Attention : Pubs, Clubs, Breweries, Pubcos, Suppliers to the trade Compare our target market with local press Read on--------------

Our quarterly publication goes right to the heart of your customer base. With an estimated 30.000 ‘interested’ readers ‘Ale Cry’ reaches ale drinkers all over the UK. Every pub we go in is given customer copies and also pub copies for drinkers to read and return to the bar for others to peruse.

And it’s not just to local locals - no - no - no. As all our volunteer distributors travel around the country and further afield we leave pub copies in pubs we visit on our travels: from Scotland to Devon; from Wales to Yorkshire; from Canada to Germany; from the States to Poland etc., etc., Contact us (see below) for full details of where they’ve been left and to find out how to advertise with us Other than word of mouth you won’t find a better way to get your message across - Just ask our current advertisers

Current Prices: Double Page £300 Back Page £195 Full Page £175 Half Page £95 Quarter £55

18 pubs closing every day. The impact on our society is extremely serious.We need your support. Join us (see p27)

The Lancashire Walks Ale Cry Quiz Number 10 Answers

1 The American Civil War 2.

Kay-Shuttleworth 3 158m/518ft 4 The Wyre 5 Preston-Kendal 6.

Morecambe 7.Harold MacMillan 8.

Barbara Castle 9.21 miles 10.

Jubilee Tower,

Darwen,The Peel Monument Holcombe Moor and

Rivington Pike

Published by: The Central Lancashire Branch

Of The Campaign for Real Ale

Officers and Contacts:

Branch Meetings (8pm): Branch / Socials* Committee # You’re welcome to attend any of our meetings

Mar 18 Apr 4

29 May 9

20 June 6

*Black Bull (Penwortham #Old Black Bull (Preston) Inc. G.Lee Trophy Cert.Presentation *Malt & Hops (Chorley) #WithyArms(Bamber Bridge) *Anchor (Lostock Hall) #Red Lion (Wheelton)

*AGM ( 40yrs ) Black Horse(Preston)

Branch Details:

Branch Contact/Chairman Dave Linley 01772 735628 Secretary Gordon Small 01772 746118

14 Bank Parade Penwortham Preston Treasurer Paul Riley 01772 709272 Womens contact: Sue Riley 01772 709272 Vice Chairman Alan Thompson Webmaster and Steve Eaves Young members Social Secretary Steve Enderby Communications (inc. membership & editor) Mick Clark

01257 276363 steveneavesuk @yahoo.co.uk 01257 410146 07984 840486

email address: clcamra@rocketmail.com

website- http://www.centrallancscamra.org.uk/

Minibus from Old Vicarage, Preston (near bus station) 7.30

17

Trips Thur Apr 11th - Ale Cry trip (inc pub of season pres to Horns) Goosnargh area. Minibus from Old Vicarage, Preston (near bus station) Leaves at 7.30 ThurApril 18st-Brewery trip Black - Edge Brewery, Horwich.

Minibus from Old Vicarage, Preston (near bus station) Leaves at 7.15 - Return to Preston 11pm.

Contact Paul Riley to book a place (01772 709272)

Deadline for Adverts and Articles for the

Disclaimer: The views expressed in Ale Cry are not Summer Edition:: necessarily those of the Editor, the Central Lancashire Expected Publication Date: Branch of CAMRA, or of the Campaign for Real Ale

21/4/13 26/5/13

26

Accordingly, in association with CAMRA, we

AMAZING are pleased to announce these AMAZING offers: OFFERS £20 of JD Wetherspoon beer tokens • 15 months membership for the price of 12 FOR • if you agree to pay by direct debit REAL ALE Once you have joined, if you live in Central Lancashire CAMRA area: DRINKERS 1 . Chance to win 24 pints of real ale

in Greyfriars, Friargate Preston

for encouraging friends to

join CAMRA

2 .Chance to win24 pints

in the Leyland Lion

on Hough Lane, Leyland for

helping keep the branch

informed aout what’s

happening in your local

pubs

Proud supporter of traditional, healthy, British made, real ales & CAMRA in its fight to bring this healthy, organically produced example of British culture to more people’s attention.

You don’t need an existing member to recommend you to join CAMRA, but if one has, he or she could win 3 gallons of real ale , just by insterting their details here.

Name Membership No Phone No

Direct Debit NonDD £23 £25 £28

£15.50

£30 £17.50

So fill in this application form a.s.a.p. and post it to:

FAO Gary Fowler Wetherspoons Membership Offer, CAMRA, 230, Hatfield Road, St.Albans, Herts, AL1 4LW.

The Wheatsheaf 50 Water Lane Preston 01772 725917

Open: Mon - Thurs 11 - 11, Fri & Sat 11 - 11.30, Sun 12 - 10.30

Quiz Night - Thursday Live Music - Friday and Saturday

Good Beer Guide

5 changing real ales + real Cider Real Ales £2.10 to £2.50 Real Cider £2,50

Thurs Eve Fri- Sun: Day and Eve

Live Sports

Pub of the Season

Beer Festival Live Bands 18 - 21 April Free Entry Over 25 Real Ales Food Available Marquee

Every Eve and Sun Lunch