South Ribble Scene

In previous years there have been Christmas pop-up bars in Preston, but in 2022 it looks like they have now arrived in South Ribble.

First there is WINTER WONDERLAND, a new bar which opened in Leyland at the beginning of November. Located on Hough Lane in the former Barnardo’s Charity Shop premises, this temporary Christmas-themed bar comes under the same ownership as the neighbouring No. 55 Bar. An article in the Lancashire Post has reported that it was to be selling a range of German-style beers as well as Wainwright Gold as a cask ale. This is wrong but interesting as the No. 55 itself has also recently started selling Wainwright Gold on draught, but unfortunately it is not the cask-conditioned version.

A Christmas bar has also been announced for Longton, with THE GROTTO planned to open in December. Whether or not this will be selling any real ale remains to be seen.

Earlier this year I wrote about the long-closed Sir Robert Peel at Waltonle-Dale, commenting that the building ‘still sports a hanging pub sign, but as time goes on the picture of Sir Robert Peel is gradually fading away’.

It would now appear that I was a little premature in writing off this pub, as in August there was an announcement that it did still have a future, with Wallis Cycles of Higher Walton stating that it was their intention that the pub be re-opened as a cyclingthemed café bar to be called the BOBBY PEEL. Their initial announcement mentioned the stocking of Belgian beers, and also revealed that cask beers would be supplied by Crankshaft Brewery. Moving on a couple of months, and there have been further statements that work on a ‘new fully renovated bar’ is progressing well, and that a grand re-opening was being planned. By the time that this Ale Cry is produced I anticipate that the re-born Sir Robert Peel will be up and running. Another closed pub that may still have a future is the NABS HEAD at Samlesbury Bottoms. The pub had previously been up for sale, but now Thwaites Brewery are advertising that the tenancy is available for a 12-month period. The Anchor at Hutton closed as a pub in October 2021, with an announcement that the premises were to be converted for an alternative use. The strong rumour was that it would become an American Diner, and a year later this has proved to be correct with the appearance of HICKORY’S HUTTON, a branch of the Hickory’s Smokehouse chain.

Although primarily an eating establishment, Hickory’s Hutton does cater for drinkers who are not dining. However, unfortunately at this time there is no real ale available. What they do have on sale is a 5% house beer, Hickory’s Pale Ale brewed by the Purity Beer Company and priced at £5.25 a pint. Looking on WhatPub it appears that there are many branches of Hickory’s Smokehouse that are serving real ale, notably their branches elsewhere in the north west at Chester, Southport, and the Wirral. Perhaps the Hutton branch will fall into line before too long.

In previous issues of Ale Cry I have featured a particular area of South Ribble looking at the pubs and the beers that are available on a particular day. This time I have decided to do something different, and have paid a visit to the two brewery taps that are located within the borough.

First I visited the CRANKSHAFT BREWERY TAP which can be found in an industrial unit on Boxer Place, just off Comet Road in Leyland. Three beers are usually available on handpump, and on my visit on a Saturday afternoon these were Propshaft (a 3.8% Lancashire Golden Ale), Leyland Badger (a 5% Lancashire Stout), and 1511 (a 4.7% American Cream Ale). A good choice of beers, and while I was there another beer, Sherpa (a 4.2% Pale Ale) also made an appearance. The brewery tap has limited opening hours, being open only two days a week, Fridays from 12 noon to 9pm, and Saturdays from 2pm to 9pm. It has some wooden bench seating inside, and there is also seating outside for use in the warmer weather. For anyone wanting to visit the Crankshaft Brewery Tap the hourly 112 Preston to

Croston bus stops nearby, running until the early evening.

A few days later I made my way to the BEER BROTHERS TAPROOM, which like the Crankshaft Brewery Tap is also located within an industrial estate. The Beer Brothers Taproom can be found on Ranglet Road in Walton Summit. This bar is open seven days a week, although it does not stay open late some evenings, closing at 6pm Mondays to Wednesdays; 9pm on Thursdays; 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays; and 8pm on Sundays. The Taproom offers a selection of up to four cask beers, eight kegged beers, and two kegged ciders. Naturally my interest was in the cask beers, and when I visited the Taproom on a Thursday afternoon there were two beers on handpump – Golden Sky (a 3.8% traditional English Pale Ale), and Altbier (a 5% Dusseldorf lager/beer). Inside, the Taproom has seating alongside the brewery equipment, whilst outside there is plenty of room for their customers under cover. Food is now available from 7.30am to 2pm, Monday – Friday from a new catering unit at the front of the premises. It can be reached by catching the 125 Preston to Chorley bus, which stops nearby, although after 7pm there is a longer walk to a bus stop as the route changes.

While writing about breweries and brewery taps I should also mention the CHAIN HOUSE BREWING COMPANY, which has been located in South Ribble for the last five years. By the time this Ale Cry appears it will have upped sticks and re-located to Market Street West in Preston, and it will also be a brewery with its own brewery tap.

GORDON SMALL

The Orchard

Craft Beer Bar

10 Craft beers and lagers 2/3 cask ales Select Gins & quality spirits Fine wines Outdoor German style seating Free Wifi Background music Live music Saturday during summer

10 Litres CO2 – £8.00 10 Litres Mixed Gas – £9.00 Open everyday from noon till late

Preston Market, Earl Street, PR1 2LA