Issue 157 of Norfolk Nips & Cask Force

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E E R F & CA SK FO RC E No.157

Summer 2011

NORFOLK PUB’S OF THE YEAR 2011 ANNOUNCED INSIDE!

Also inside: Railways and Real Ale Sheffield Pub Crawl Treasure Hunt

Tasting Panel Report From Across the Pond 2011 AGM Report

Newsletter of the Norfolk Branches of the Campaign for Real Ale

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Trafford Arms

YOUR PUB, OUR COMMUNITY our nominated charity this year is the Downs Syndrome Society Chris and Glynis invite you to the Trafford Arms -

61 Grove Road, Norwich 01603 628466 www.traffordarms.co.uk

mail@traffordarms.co.uk

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WINNERS! presence of the Sheringham Town Mayor, Doug Smith Branch County Pub of the Year and Branch Pub of the Year.

Mark Stimpson (Branch Pubs Officer) presents the certificate to Sally Mann, Landlady of The Cottage

Congratulations go The Windham Arms in Sheringham and The Cottage, Silver Road, Norwich.

At the 2011 Norwich and Norfolk AGM they were voted the Best County Pub and Best City Pub respectively.

Why two POTY’s? Well, it has been thought for some time that the Branch represents a diverse range of pubs. There are excellent county pubs and excellent city pubs, but by their very nature they are different, so it becomes harder to choose each year.

However, we can only have one pub to compete with West Norfolk’s choice, so the two went head to head and The Windham Arms was declared the ultimate winner.

And so it was that on Tuesday 25th May, Landlady Peta Garnavos received not one, but two awards from Branch Pubs Officer Mark Stimpson, in the

Graham Freeman, CAMRA Branch Chair, explained how the voting system had changed. It was no longer a committee decision, but the pubs had been nominated by members and voted for by members at the AGM. Is this The Big Society in action?

The pub was packed and it was clear to see why The Windham Arms had been chosen. The welcome was warm and friendly, the real ales were all LocAle, from Woodfordes, Wolf, Elmtree and Winters. There was also a splendid buffet and a selection of English wines to try.

It’s a heady mix, Greek Hospitality and food and Norfolk Real Ale, but boy does it work!

Peta was clearly elated to receive the awards and paid tribute to her family, this is very much a family run pub, and the Mayor Doug Smith recognised the importance of the awards and the impact that it could have on tourism for the town. He was so right.

Anyone for a pint of LocAle and a Stifado?

The Cottage received their award on Friday 29th April.

A selection of photos will appear on our website.

Norwich & Norfolk Branch Chairman: Graham Freeman Tel: 01603 687495 Email: chairman@norwichcamra.org.uk Secretary: Warren Wordsworth Tel: 01603 665557 Email: w.wordsworth@ntlworld.com Social Secretary: Michael Philips Email: michael.philips@aviva. co.uk Pubs Officer: Mark Stimpson Email: pubsofficer@norwichcamra.org.uk

West Norfolk Branch Chairman: Phil Buffham Secretary: Ian Bailey Contact: Bruce Ward Tel: 01485 609107

Branch websites: www.norwichcamra.org.uk www.camra.org.uk/wnorfolk

Branch mailing list web page: groups.yahoo.com/group/ CAMRA_Norwich Published every 3 months by the Norwich, Norfolk & West Norfolk branches of the Campaign for Real Ale © N&N CAMRA 2011 Norfolk Nips is produced and distributed by members of the branch in their own time.

Edited by: Mike Baldwin Email: michaelbaldwin8@gmail.com Chris Lucas Email: chris-stig@tiscali.co.uk Views expressed in Norfolk Nips are not necessarily those of the editor or of CAMRA Design & Production: Daniel Speed - Tamoko Design Email: dan@tamoko-design.co.uk Distribution: 12,000 copies / four times a year Norwich and Norfolk District: Tony Miles nips.distribution@gmail.com West Norfolk District : Ros Harre r.harre@btinternet.com Advertising: For advertising enquiries please contact Steve Whadcock on: Tel:01778 420888 / 421550 Mobile: 07736 635916 steve@shillingmedia.co.uk Ad space in NIPS is regularly booked up long before we go to press, so to avoid disappointment please get your ad space reserved at the earliest opportunity. The best way is to book a series of four ads – your message will then be visible all year round and you’ll enjoy a discount off the regular price

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NORFOLK NIPS | Chairman’s Bits

Back to the Future Recently it has been an eventful time with CAMRA celebrating it's 40th Anniversary and some of us attending the National Members Weekend and AGM in Sheffield. It made me reflect on how far CAMRA has progressed to the major consumer organisation it has become with more that 120,000 members. Everybody knows we originally started with the promotion of Real Ale in view of the dire lack of cask beer thanks to the Big Six national breweries. We now have over 700 breweries offering a fantastic choice to

the consumer.

In Norfolk we have over 30 breweries and I seem to be informed of new ones every few months. So much for a decline in cask ale. However, I feel the Campaign’s present focus is now in protecting our Pubs which are under extreme pressures from all sides. We must give them our continued support.

Whilst in Sheffield I noted how far we have diversified from our original goals when we even had discussions about adding fruit to cider. If we go

on like this we may end up being known as the Campaign for Real Alco Pops. I dread to think of the new logo.

The Norwich City of Ale is going to be a great event and I will be visiting all the 31 participating pubs to sample our local beers. There must be something special about our fine city as I can now announce that CAMRA’s National Members Weekend and AGM 2013 will be held in Norwich. A date for your diary.

Graham Freeman

Open or Shut It is becoming increasingly difficult to tell whether some pubs are open or not. Several have a habit of shutting early if it looks like they won’t get much more trade in. so people passing by see the pub in darkness and think it’s shut permanently. One couple told me that after leaving the cinema on a Wednesday night, they tried three pubs on their way out of town, only to find each one shut, yet all of these pubs are still trading. One Landlord told me “if I’ve got no one in at 9:30 I might as well shut as what little trade I might get after this will not be worth while, and it will cost me more in overheads to stay open then what I’ll lose by shutting”.

So several are becoming parttime pubs. Anyway on to pubs

that are definitely open and congratulations to the “Dabbling Duck” at Great Massingham West Norfolk’s Pub of the Year and to the Windham arms at Sheringham Norwich’s P.O.T.Y shortly to be decided between them for Norfolk P.O.T.Y. Beer festivals have been plentiful over the Bank Holiday, I paid a visit to the “Angel” at Swanton Morley for some fine Ales and excellent music with a band called “Polaris”. not quite as busy as usual, but a good night. Then I went to the “Fox & Hounds” at Heacham, this was packed out and the Beers were changing through the night and I understand they had a good weekend. Then back to the local the “Union Jack” at Roydon who had an excellent weekend with

far more outsiders coming to his festival than they’ve ever had and the Sunday went from busy to packed in the evening. The excellent weather helping to bring people out over the holidays. Lets hope this continues through the Summer with festivals coming up in West Norfolk at the “Fox & Hounds” Heacham, “Coach & Horses” Dersingham, “Union Jack” Roydon, “Ancient Mariners” Old Hunstanton and “Jolly Sailors” Brancaster Staithe to name a few.

(See Beer Festival list) several of these on the route of the Coast Hopper Bus service.

So here’s to a good summer with good ale Cheers!

Buff

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Nips By Post

Words from The Stig I haven’t been very active on the real ale scene recently.

Only going to a couple of events, all within my own area.

A very enjoyable walk with lunch at the Swan at Hilborough organised by Ros and Jeff, plus an excellent cider award presentation hosted by Jim and Pete of Whin Hill Cider. My thanks to all concerned.

I also attended the Union Jack at Roydon’s beer festival a well deserved success by all accounts. To be honest I’m suffering from a complete lack of inspiration this issue. Luckily Jeff Hoyle is on world class form and has produced some great stuff on varied subjects, including the AGM and our Pub of the Year the Dabbling Duck in Great Massingham.

The Duck was raised from the dead by local pressure and the intervention of the council who purchased the property and sold it on as a pub, and made a profit into the bargain!

The presentation of the award was carried out by the Mayor in honour of this fact. Good luck to the Duck and the Windham Arms in Sheringham, as they compete for the County award.

Summer is on the horizon, although with the recent 6

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weather you would think it had already arrived. Plenty of beer festivals and events are planned starting with the “Norwich city of ale” event which runs at the end of May, hopefully the first of many!

Time to get out there and explore the wonderful world of pubs and real ale, nothing as good for the soul as sitting under a tree looking out at the beer garden and watching kids playing football or cricket in the sun. There’s nothing more quintessentially English than that, except perhaps watching the same scene in the English rain (I am the egg man…).

With that thought looks like my glass is half empty again, back to the bar!

STOP PRESS The result of the judging for the Norfolk CAMRA Pub of the Year has got to us at Nips just in time to announce that the Dabbling Duck at Great Massingham has won!

The Norfolk winner now goes forward to the East Anglian Pub of the year competition.

Our warmest congratulations go to all at the Duck, and we wish them good luck in the regional judging. A full report on the presentation of this award will appear in the next issue.

Stig.

We have a growing number of subscribers to our magazine, and I would like to say thanks to those who have sent very nice letters along with their renewals.

If you would like to receive the next 4 issues of Norfolk Nips and Cask Force by post send 12 first class stamps to the address below.

Norfolk Nips and Cask Force 91 Tennyson Road Kings Lynn Norfolk PE30 5NG

National Beer Scoring System If you are a CAMRA member why not log on to the National Beer Scoring System? This can be found through the CAMRA website or at the web address below.

It allows you to rate the quality of the beer when you visit a pub. The scores are passed on to the local CAMRA branch who can then use them to monitor the pubs and this information may be helpful when deciding the entries for the Good Beer Guide. http://beerscoring.org.uk/

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NORFOLK NIPS | Words from the Editors

The Ed’lines Welcome to the Summer 2011 Edition. It’s been a hectic year so far, but a great one for Norwich and Norfolk.

Congratulations to the Canaries on reaching the promised land, again, but let’s hope we enter into it with the right spirit this time. It was good to see local Breweries coming up with celebration brews so quickly.

Being on the City of Ale Festival Committee has been fantastic. Seeing local Breweries and Pubs working together for a common cause was wonderful. CAMRA has supported this event throughout, which deserves success and hopefully will become a permanent feature in the real ale calendar.

We are now well on the way to establishing Norwich as THE City of Real Ale and events such as The City of Ale Festival and the thoroughly enjoyable Treasure Hunt can only help to reinforce this belief.

But how strong is our claim?

How many pubs are there?

How many real ales are available on any one day?

You can read about an exciting new venture, to visit every pub in NR postcodes 1- 7 on a single day and record details of ales being sold. It’s a big task and we need your help. Please read the article and consider volunteering. If you have thought of doing something for the Branch, even as a one-off, then this is your opportunity and you will be more than welcome.

There is also a report of the AGM and this time we are not only naming names but putting faces to the names as well. This is so that you know who the committee members are when you see them in a pub and can buy them a pint or two or, of course, offer useful suggestions for the Branch!

I am delighted to see that we have a Young Persons Officer in David Rackham. David tells me

Cider & Perry Awards The presentation of East Anglian Cider and Perry competition awards for 2010 which were made at Whinhill Cider in Wells-next-the-Sea on 22nd April. Crones ‘Owld Norfolk’ won the cider award which is described as by judges as having a “very pleasant, subtle fruit, honey, and flowery

aroma, as well as a rounded balanced flavour, with a lemon/lime hint. The full apple fruity aftertaste that faded slowly was very enjoyable”.

‘Whinhill Perry’ won the perry award which is described as having “an oakey fruit aroma with a hint of toffee, and then full

he has some very positive ideas to encourage young people (under 25 in CAMRA terms) to become active in the branch and enjoy real ale. I do hope so, we see plenty of students at the Beer Festival, but they seem to disappear until the following October?

Now an apology to Aey, Landlady of The Vine. In Nerds visit Norwich, we omitted to say that the photo was taken at The Vine and showed Aey with Graham Freeman, Branch Chair, Andrea Briers CAMRA Regional Director (East Anglia) and Colin Valentine, CAMRA National Chairman.

We are going to need a bigger magazine! This edition was restricted to 64 pages, which means that some copy will have to be held over for the next edition or appear in NIPS Online Extra. I can announce that future editions will be 72 pages, so keeep the copy coming and lets make the magazine even bigger and better!

Enjoy the summer. of tangy flavours, followed by a smooth dry finish which rounds it out to a well balanced drink”.

Left to right: Robbie Crone and son, Andrea Briers and co-owners of Whinhill Jim Ferguson and Peter Lynn.

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Pub News Once again, the future of The Nelson, Nelson Street, Norwich is uncertain. It would appear that the pub has shut.

Regular readers will recall that this pub featured in NIPS 154, when Landlord Steve O’Shea was trying to negotiate a new lease with Enterprise inns.

The Bakers Arms, photographed by Anthony Miles, has recently been converted into flats.

A similar fate now awaits The Rosary, as the application to turn the pub into flats has been approved. The board outside the pub reflects happier times and is now a poignant reminder.

Sadly, it has been reported that The Suffield Arms in Gunton has closed and that, finally, The Canary has been demolished.

The Cat and Fiddle in Magdalen Street, is to be auctioned, but as a pub. It is not all gloom and doom though.

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The Chequers in Bressingham will be opening soon and Marstons have opened a new pub in Fakenham, near Morrisons. This will be similar to The Cock Inn in Drayton.

The new Wetherspoons Pub in Dereham, The Romany Rye, is open with nine handpumps. Sadly, only three were on when visited.

Good Beer Guide Pub entries As many may know, Norwich & Norfolk Branch selects its entries for the Good Beer Guide by inviting nominations. We then have a meeting where members present can vote for those pubs they think should be in the GBG, provided they have been to those pubs in the past year. This has provided a good mechanism for selection; with new pubs entering the guide, a wide spread of pubs, both type and geographically, and no pub guaranteed entry year after year.

The Good Beer Guide is the flagship publication of the Campaign, and for good reason. CAMRA members know the best pubs selling the best beer. This experience with members visiting pubs throughout the year, rather than on just one inspection visit, is what gives the guide its accuracy and quality. Already

members may nominate any pub in the Branch area for possible inclusion in the GBG. We encourage members to assist with pub surveys.

However, we also want as many members as possible to participate in the final selection of the pubs selling the best beer in our Branch area. We never have sufficient allocation for all the pubs in our area selling good beer. So the selection of the very best is important. Despite over 2000 Branch members we have seen only between 45 and 60 members participate in the recent voting meetings.

At the Branch AGM the scrutinisers were asked to look at the system adopted by us, with one option being to hold voting meetings for members at a number of locations within the Branch area, or meetings on different days. If this was done would you attend? Let us know. We have felt it important that voting is at meetings where the rules can be explained, membership cards checked, papers handed out and collected. They enable late breaking information for surveys to be given and it does show some level of commitment from the member.

Sadly past experience has shown postal or email voting can be manipulated. If you have ever used some other pub guides you will have seen the

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NORFOLK NIPS | Pub News result. However if there are any other ways you think we can improve the system let us know so that they can be considered.

Pubs Officer Mark Stimpson

News from the West I first moved down to Lynn in 1980, and my first task was to find somewhere to live. In August I hitch hiked down from Bury and booked into the youth hostel (sadly now closed) for a couple of nights. As it turned out I found a place in a couple of hours and had the rest of the day to spare. What to do? I took the ferry across to West Lynn and walked out to the Victory at Clenchwarton for a pint, returning by the Cut Bridge. This came to mind as I repeated the walk to deliver the last issue of Nips. It seems that there may be an unfortunate symmetry to these two walks as the Victory has been reported as closed. Elgood’s are quoted as saying that there is some interest in taking the pub on and that it is hoped that it will reopen. The Victory is the last pub in a large village and has been one of the few in the local area to be run as a traditional boozer and not as a restaurant with a bar, so I ferverently hope that it is not the end of a classic village local.

Also under threat is the Red Hart at Three Holes, another Elgoods pub. Once again the brewery are giving someone the chance to take over and continue to trade, but have

also applied for change of use to a residential dwelling.

CAMRA have objected to this change, but if there is no one to take it on we fear the worst.

Better news for another Elgoods pub, the Queens Arms in Lynn, which has been refurbished, and as far as we are aware is definitely not closing.

These are tough times for publicans, not helped by the latest round of tax increases on beer. The Bedingfeld Arms in Oxborough was advertised for sale in the Lynn News with a price of £325,000 – not bad when you think of the potential number of visitors to Oxborough Hall, next door, who could be enticed into the bar.

Also advertised for sale is the Fenman in Kings Lynn. We went in on a Friday evening recently and the place was essentially deserted, but had a couple of beers on – Brains and Hobgoblin. Shortly afterwards the ‘For Sale’ sign was back, with a price of £175,000 and opening seems to have been rather sporadic. Lets hope it can avoid the fate of the old East Anglian Hotel on the opposite corner which closed around 15 years ago and is finally being developed into flats. Also closed is the Crown at Middleton, which tried to reinvent itself as a ‘North Norfolk’ style upmarket eatery, but seems to be a bit out of position for that type of trade.

I always found it very pleasant, but the staff were polite, rather than communicative and

seemed to be not particularly interested in Nips and CAMRA. Still, with the right formula the position on the A47, in an expanding village, surely there must be a future for this pub.

It’s not all bad news. The Star in Fakenham is open again, and the local residents who had been unhappy about the late nights and loud music seem to be pleased with the way it is going under new manager Ms Janine Scott. Also in Fakenham a new pub is being built by Marstons on the Clipbush business park. It is to be called The Running Horse, and it is hoped that it will be open by the end of June.

Also reopen after being closed for a year and a half is the Rose and Crown at Harpley.

Ian Rix and local girl Amanda Rowe are now running it. Real ales are on offer, and we have heard some encouraging reports from those who have visited.

In Lynn, the Old Maydens Head has had a £100,000 refit and an official reopening presided over by local MP Henry Bellingham. The owners are Reactive Leisure Management and they have also taken over the Rampant Horse in Gayton. Not to be outdone in the celebrity stakes, the Hoste Arms in Burnham Market had Anneka Rice in to open the new Hoste Arms Beauty Spa. As yet we have not organised a Continued Overleaf

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NORFOLK NIPS | Pub News continued branch outing to this new venue, although in the opinion of some we could benefit from it.

Meanwhile the ‘Wenns Drunkards’ Facebook group can rest easy as, according to the leaseholder Raghu Kodakandala, it will remain ‘a pub for drinkers’. Greene King does apparently have plans to spend some money on the place but there are no details at the moment. Up at Knights Hill village, there is a planning application in to build another 10 bedrooms.

Taking advantage of the lovely weather we have been out and about. We called into the Hilborough Swan for lunch whilst planning out latest CAMRA walk recently and were very impressed by the whole package from the beer, to the staff and also the pleasant atmosphere of the place. That is also true of the Ancient Mariner in Old Hunstanton where we were made very welcome at our April meeting.

The Deer’s Leap in Lynn now has music on a Friday evening, and is serving Woodfordes Wherry and Pedigree alongside the good value meals. A A Gill upset the Rose and Crown at Snettisham and most of Norfolk with his comments in a restaurant review in the Sunday Times.

I heard him on the radio recently and he seemed a quite entertaining and normal type of guy, but a bit of research revealed that he has a bit of form for being obnoxious,

especially to the Welsh, English, the Isle of Man and Clare Balding. I suppose these types of rants are much funnier when someone like Jeremy Clarkson is having a go at Mexicans than when you are on the receiving end.

Even when I don’t go into pubs I have a good look when going past, and noticed one sporting a sign reading ‘Sunday lunch now being served’. Strange, as it was Wednesday morning. Still, signs can be a bit misleading.

I can just about understand ‘shoes – two for the price of one’ but feel that ‘Earrings – three for two’ must have limited appeal, even in Norfolk.

That’s enough from me.

Inspired by A A Gill I’m off to find out whether vegetarian cannibals eat nuts.

Jeff

Martham Beer Festival 2011 Martham is a great place to be, set on a hill above the Broads, that was once on the ancient island of Flegg. With a beautiful church, green and pond it also boasts two well established pubs selling real ale. There is also a strong community spirit, with a carnival, fairs, a scarecrow festival, and active sports teams, and once again a group of these community spirited individuals are again putting on a small but perfectly formed beer festival at the pavilion on the sports ground.

If previous years are anything to go by there will be a dozen or so real ales (Norfolk and honorary Norfolk), really local real cider, and music and food too. It runs from Friday 2 September until Sunday afternoon 4 September and the best bit; all the proceeds go to the charities that are supported by the village with this year’s beneficiaries the Macmillan Trust and the Playing Fields Fund. Come to N29 and get into the spirit (or should that be ale?) of a thriving village community.

Mont

Woodfordes brew for 30th Birthday To celebrate their 30th Birthday Woodforde’s have brewed a limited edition batch of Norfolk Nip 8.5% ABV, based on the original Steward & Patteson recipe.

After an eight day fermentation period Nip was then transferred to 225 litre Oak barrels for maturation, four months later it was then bottled for further maturation in 330ml bottles. The oak barrels had previously held French red wine. It is a classic beer and each bottle will be individually numbered to make it the perfect collector’s item.

The bottles will go on sale at the Royal Norfolk Show on 29th June they will then be available from our Brewery Shop thereafter.

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Pub Post Its

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Pub Post-its As always, remember that these post-its are subjective and reflect the personal experience of our correspondents. Please feel free to email your post-its in to norfolknips@yahoo.co.uk - and if you really like the pub, why not nominate it for next year’s CAMRA Good Beer Guide?

The Edinburgh Hotel, Wells-Next-The-Sea Visited during a short break in May. Found a mix of friendly regulars, but also many holiday makers, like myself who were all made very welcome. And the beer was amongst the best kept that i’ve ever had in my 20 years as an ale drinker. Three beers were available, Draught Bass, Woodforde's Nelson’s Revenge and the best pint of Wherry that you’re likely to find. The food in the adjacent Restaurant is also excellent value and freshly prepared, including fresh crab and lobster. A must visit if you’re in North Norfolk, and a must for GBG 2012?

Blackfriars Tavern, Blackfriars Road, Yarmouth.

Finally reopened as a true freehouse with a simple and clean renovation after an extended period of closure. Three handpumps with GK IPA at £2.50 and Abbot on the two in use but with Blackfriars beers anticipated soon. Another regular outlet for the town’s only brewery is to be welcomed, especially for a pub that bears three beautiful Lacons tiled signs (one which has two Blackfriars quaffing ale).

Salhouse Bell A thriving local with three handpumps on: Wherry (which really is a Locale here), Spitfire and a rare beer around here, Theakstons XB which at £3.20 a pint tasted fine.

Rackheath Sole and Heel Four unusual out-of –county beers on gravity, all at £2.90 and all in excellent form as we managed to sample them all with our gargantuan meals. This popular Art Deco pub goes from strength to strength and is highly recommended.

Rackheath Green Man The old drovers’ pub on the Norwich-Wroxham road has an open fire, a large garden and three beers on handpump (Adnams, Wherry and Pride).

On its own that should be enough to entice anyone to visit but the pub is also home to the modern jazz club which meet every Tuesday 12

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evening. Although the excellent beer is £3.30 a pint the jazz is top quality. On our recent visit we were beguiled by a young female Japanese pianist and her band and left marvelling that a rural wayside Inn in Norfolk offered such aural delights for free. www.norwichaccommodation.com/jazz The Longe Arms, Spixworth The pub was threatened with closure but thanks to two local people stepping in to save the pub it has been refurbished and is now open again. During the day is opens not just for beer but teas and coffee.

Although only supplying one real ale, Black Sheep Best Bitter, it is kept is very good condition.

THE ANGEL INN FREEHOUSE

NORFOLK CAMRA PUB OF THE YEAR 2010!

Open all day every day Excellent home cooked meals available from our award winning kitchen Large Beer Garden with play area En-suite accommodation Camping and Caravanning available Larling, Norfolk, NR16 2QU (17th Century former coaching inn)

Tel: 01953 717963 www.angel-larling.co.uk

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Thursday 28th July - Sunday 31st July A selection of 8 real ales and cider 6 on gravity and 2 on handpump Live music Friday Evening, Saturday Afternoon/Evening and Sunday Afternoon

Sunday Lunchtime Carvery ÂŁ4.95 For more information call Colin or Debbie on 01493 720228

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West Norfolk POTY

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The Dabbling Duck A personal view of West Norfolk’s Pub of the Year.

Back in the 80’s and 90’s I was lucky enough to play on the Seven Sister’s all conquering Quiz team and one of our regular fixtures was at the Rose and Crown in Great Massingham, which was a pleasant but unexceptional village local.

The last fixture we played there lives in my memory for two reasons. We won the match by about 50-6, but lost the beer leg 20-19. I still remember that the question that we got wrong hinged on the difference between an armadillo and a pangolin.

Such are the mental scars of defeat. My second memory is talking to the then landlord who explained that he was leaving the pub the next day because he couldn’t afford the rent imposed by the brewery.

The pub limped on for a few years under a succession of new tenants, but there was never much reason to make the trip out from Kings Lynn again, and it was only a matter of time before the pub was run into the ground and closed.

For many pubs this would have been the end of the matter.

Norfolk villages are littered with houses such as Bull cottage at Setchey, whose name hints at their former use.

For once this did not happen.

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Thanks to the Kings Lynn and West Norfolk District Council and their local representative, Mike Tilbury, the pub was saved from conversion to housing by a compulsory purchase order. Despite fearsome opposition from the local paper and some residents of the Borough, they were brave enough to stick to their guns and eventually sold it on at a profit so that it could reopen, and in 2006 it was reborn as ‘The Dabbling Duck’.

That is an inspiring story and Mike is still being contacted by groups all over the country to find out how it was done, with the hope that it can be repeated in other areas. It does not however make it a Pub of

the Year. For that we have to thank the new owners, Mark and Jess Lapping, Dominic Symington and Steve Kilham, who have created a fine pub.

So why make a visit? First is the beer. There is no way that our flagship pub was going to have less than excellent beer.

There are guest beers from breweries such as Humpty Dumpty and regulars such as Wherry. Myself, I rarely look past the Beeston ‘Worth The Wait’. This started as a guest a couple of years ago and the locals liked it so much that it has been a permanent fixture ever since. Don’t take my word for it – give it a go. The Lady Mayor did and was very impressed by her pint. Unlike

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NORFOLK NIPS | some refurbished pubs there is no compulsion to eat and there is a very comfortable bar area for those who just want a pint, but if you do choose to sample the food it is unlikely that you will be disappointed. Norfolk is no longer a gastronomic backwater where a warm pie passes for cordon bleu cooking. There is a lot of competition in the area from top pubs and restaurants and the numbers who choose to eat at the Duck testify that it can match the best. You can check out the website for an idea of the menu and also the current beers at thedabblingduck.co.uk.

Thirdly is the ambience. The log fire in winter and garden in the summer make it comfort-

able in all seasons. It is a paradise for book lovers, and I love the Norfolk mural by local artist Jo Spaul, who also designed the pub sign.

Then there are the surroundings. On the night of our presentation a couple of our members arrived early and did a walk in the surrounding countryside. It’s something that we have done on several occasions.Close by is the Peddar’s Way, but if you need further ideas check out the map on the wall in the pub.

For the less energetic the village green and duck ponds should provide the perfect backdrop. Add in the regular music, quiz and poker nights,

the film showings and the annual beer festival it becomes clear that once again the pub is at the heart of local life.

There are people who don’t like it and hark back to the days of fizzy Watney’s beer and scampi in a basket, and bemoan that things aren’t what they were. I once challenged one such person to explain what exactly was wrong with the new pub, and the best he could offer was that he didn’t like the colour of the paintwork. Well I do, and I think the local CAMRA branch has made a great choice – I hope you agree.

Jeff

Open all day every day food is served:12-2 & 6-9 Tuesday to Sunday

Offering four real ales A traditional 17th Century pub, how they used to be From Norwich & Acle head to Salhouse and at the mini roundabout follow the sign to Wroxham, we are 200yds on the right.

12-3 Sunday for plated home cooked Sunday lunches with homemade Yorkshire puddings and fresh vegetables. Booking advised if dining.

Superb food using fresh, local, seasonal produce Shoot dinners a speciality Popular quiz every Wednesday from 8:30pm Meat raffle every Sunday at 4:30pm

Tel: 01603 721141 www.salhousebell.co.uk SUMMER 2011 | 15

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Norfolk’s True Heritage Pubs 10

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This series of articles highlight the pubs whose interiors have been little altered in the past 40 years or so. With summer in mind, this issue features a dining pub next door to a National Trust property and a drinker’s pub at the seaside. .

© Michael Slaughter 2011

The Buckinghamshire Arms Blickling Road, Blickling NR11 6NF (on the B1354) is open in summer from 11-3; 611 Mon & Tue; 11-11 Wed to Sat; 12 to 11 Sunday; (In winter 11-3; 6-11 Mon to Sat; 12 to 4, closed evenings on Sunday). Meals are served from 12 to 2 (2.30 Sat, Sun); 6.30 to 9 Mon to Sun – booking is highly recommended. Phone number is 01263 732133.

Website: www. bucksarms.co.uk. Children welcome.

‘The Bucks’ is situated at the gates of Blickling Hall and being part of the estate it is also owned by the National Trust, one of a total of 36 pubs belonging to them. Originally the lodgings for John Ball, the estate bricklayer of Blickling Hall, it was substantially rebuilt in the mid 18th century of red brick and is now painted cream. The snug, tucked between the main corridor and the lounge, really is the star here. It has a counter possibly from the 1950s, old bar back shelves, a 1950s brick fireplace and an unusually shaped alcove. The lounge also has a counter possibly from the 1950s, old fireplace with a log burning stove and some old fixed seating, but the bar back is modern. The rooms are linked by a Norfolk pamment corridor and entrance lobby.

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The exterior and snug of the Buckinghamshire Arms, Blickling On the left is a two-part dining room with a red quarry tile floor and was only brought into pub use fairly recently. The pub still retains an outside gents’.

Accommodation is available in 3 en-suite rooms with fourposter beds. Real ales on sale are Adnams Best Bitter, Woodfordes Wherry, and a beer from Wolf Brewery.

© Michael Slaughter 2011

Buckinghamshire Arms, Blickling

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NORFOLK NIPS |

Š Michael Slaughter 2011

Ship, Caistor

The Ship, built in 1815 as a beer house, is situated only yards from the beach. It was purchased by Lacons Brewery of Gt. Yarmouth in 1905 and the full licence was not obtained until 1957. Lacons carried out an extension and renovation in 1956-8 and there have only been minor changes

The public bar at the Ship, Caistor showing both the Lacons and Whitbread symbols

since then. The brick and flint addition on the front left of the building houses a completely panelled room with pebble and brick fireplace. Apart from the painting of most of the panelling in a cream colour and the removal of the ladies toilet in one corner it is little changed. On the wall there is a large photograph of the drifter Paradox II built in 1910 for Walter Heylett. The Heylett family ran the Ship from 1912 to 1977. Through the wide doorway lies the servery with a bar counter from 1958 but the bar back fitting looks more modern. A small piece of wall was removed c.1987 joining the lounge to the rest of the pub. On the right is another 1958 bar counter - note the superstructure added in the 1960s with both Lacon's falcon and Whitbread's hind symbols prior to being taken over in 1965 Lacons were a company under the Whitbread umbrella.

In the rear section of the right hand bar is another large photograph - it is of the drifter Paradox built 1884 for Walter Haylett. The fixed seating, chairs, tables and unusual seating around a post all date from 1958.

Ship 2 Victoria Street, Caistor NR30 5HA is open from 10am to 11pm Mon to Sat; 11am to 11pm Sun. No food is sold – just crisps and nuts! Children are welcome. Phone 01493 728008. It sells Woodfordes Wherry and Greene King Abbot Ale. If you require photographs of your pub interior / exterior you can contact Mick on 01733 390598 or email m.slaughter45@ntlworld.com to discuss your requirements.

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The King’s Head KEG FREE HOUSE

Open 12.00noon - 11.00pm Monday to Saturday 12.00noon - 10.30pm Sunday Run by enthusiastic drinkers and CAMRA members.

Keg Free Zone 14 Hand Pumps Norfolk Ales and Cider Mild always available Worldwide Bottled Beers Belgian Beers Television-free Bar Billiards www.norwichbarbilliards.co.uk

lk o f r o N A R CAM ear Y e h t f o b u P 8 2006 & 200 Dating from the 14th century, the pub has been restored to a Victorian style.

The Kings Head, 42 Magdalen Street, Norwich NR3 1JE

www.kingsheadnorwich.com

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Queen’s Head and Waveney Brewing Company Traditional Village Pub with a brewery producing permanent and seasonal ales on site Large beer garden, traditional games, lunchtime menu and a good selection of real ale, spirits and soft drinks Listed in the Good Beer Guide every year since 2000.

Station Road, Earsham, Norfolk

Tel: (01986) 892623

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| NORFOLK NIPS

Sheffield Star After a gap of 20 years the CAMRA AGM returned to Sheffield this year, and once again we were there. For those who have not attended a member’s weekend, business consists of a mixture of reports from various elements of the Campaign, such as finance and publication, a series of motions put forward by members of the Campaign and some guest speakers. These pieces of business vary between the mundane, entertaining and passionate, but it does give people the chance to put faces to the names seen in What’s Brewing. In truth, whilst seeming important at the time, most of the motions were fairly inconsequential this year.

However there is always a sense of excitement, anticipation or dread when some of the regulars approach the podium to have their say.

Amongst these it was good to see our own Andrea from West Norfolk address the multitude, even if it was only to propose that a

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motion should be remitted. It’s not all about speeches and debates. There is the beer festival open during the lunchtime break, and in the evenings. This year there were a staggering selection of beers, which, I guess, were all, brewed within 15 miles of the venue. Few, if any of them were in existence last time we were here which demonstrates how far CAMRA has come. We passed on the workshop sessions on Saturday afternoon in favour of a quick trip across the Pennines to watch Bury take on the might of Barnet in a pulsating encounter, which left the Shakers on the verge of promotion. We also had time to try a few of the Good Beer Guide pubs in Sheffield, and what a fine bunch they are.

They include Champs, a sports bar in a student area with lots of young things drinking brightly coloured liquid straight from the bottle, but also some of us more mature individuals attracted by the 10 or so handpumps. Out on the Western

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NORFOLK NIPS | Sheffield Pubs edge is the Walkley Cottage, a community pub with great views over a beautiful valley, Kelham Island beer and a friendly pub dog. There were others but for me, the star of the show was one that we wandered into at random. On Sunday evening after a pleasant meal we were wandering back to our hotel, and happened on a pub on the way. Being still early we decided to call in, and were pleasantly surprised by the sight of 4 beers on offer. They were just about to start the weekly quiz so we had a go at that, but our lack of knowledge about current affairs was exposed by the probing questions on the world of celebrities. Still, we were about to leave well pleased with our evening when the landlord came round with plates of food left over from the Sunday roast. Once again we were almost out of the door when they came round with the jackpot question. This time Ros’s knowledge of 19th century French poets was good enough to win us a share of the prize and £15. Not a bad evening – a couple of pints of Thornbridge beer, a plate of food, entertainment, friendly staff and locals, stacks of newspapers to read and going out with more money than when we came in.

So the moral of this tale is twofold – first, if you are in Sheffield try the Stag on Psalter Lane – it’s a true Sheffield Star. Second – take a chance even if the pub you are passing is not in the Good Beer Guide, there are lots of hidden gems out there waiting to be discovered.

For others Sheffield in April only means one thing, and that is snooker. We had breakfast next to a former world champion in our hotel, though I didn’t notice him until Ros pointed him out afterwards. She is making a habit of this, having not alerted me to a megastar sat at the next table to us in a pub back home in Norfolk recently. Holding no grudges, though, I still took her to the Crucible on Monday morning to see a match between Steven Maguire and Barry Hawkins. It probably didn’t hit the national headlines but was a fascinating battle between one player who could not do anything right and consequently was losing his cool, and another who went 4-0 up but then lost his nerve as it became clear that he had a chance to win. It is well worth watching a live game if you get the

chance and, as an added bonus there are two handpumps on the bar in the Crucible.

If you want to go and have a great weekend, next year the AGM is in Torquay – wouldn’t it be great if Bury were playing there that weekend?

Much easier for the majority though, will be 2013 when the AGM returns to Norwich, if you are a member, come for the weekend, come for the day or just pop into the beer festival. Maybe by then Bury will be playing at Carrow Road.

Jeff

The Flip side of Cider

Cider folk in discussion Robbie Crone and son foreground, the chap on the left looks keen!

As I mentioned in the editorial I’m short of a few words this issue so here are some shots of the cider award presentation at Whin Hill from a different angle! It was great fun and typical of the sort of summer day out many of us look forward to.There are a few familiar faces!

Stig

SUMMER 2011 | 21

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DUKE of WELLINGTON TRADITIONAL REAL ALE HOUSE 14 REAL ALES GRAVITY SERVED available all year round from our glass fronted tap room

6 MORE ALES

Summer Beer Festival

ON HAND PUMP

BBQ Weekend IN THE BEER GARDEN

Friday August 26th Saturday Sept 3rd

100 REAL ALES from across the nation CAMRA Good Beer Guide Listed

Open Monday to Saturday 12noon to 11pm Sundays 12noon to 10.30pm

Come and enjoy our Tap Room with a selection of Belgian bottled beers, Budvar, Erdinger and Riegele all on Draught.

91 - 93 WATERLOO ROAD | NORWICH | 01603 441182

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NORFOLK NIPS | Norwich Treasure Hunt

N

“There be treasure…..!”

Around 50 people gathered at The Reindeer for the start of The Treasure Hunt, organised by Rupert Eris. Once assembled in teams of four, Rupert handed out the sets of clues and at the appointed hour Graham addressed the throng of eager contestants, and we were off.

Some pubs were very busy, customers crowding around TV screens, watching the Grand National and the Swansea v Norwich City match and there were 10 pubs to visit. Forget First Friday Fives, this was a Super Saturday Ten! Graham and Warren were the judges and they could be spotted in certain establishments, chilling out with a leisurely pint or two, whilst others dashed in and out.

Well, some of them, any way. My team took a more structured approach. We stayed in The Reindeer, worked out which pubs we had to visit and then set off. We had a plan. Unfortunately, we discovered what most had found before us, that the first pub was not open yet. Some answers to the clues were visible through the window, as was the cleaner, who did her best to avoid the hordes of people outside, pressing their noses to the windows and waving bits of paper.

All pubs were within the City Walls, but when you consider they stretched from The White Lion to The Compleat Angler, there was a fair bit of walking involved. The rules said that teams had to stay together, you had to have a drink (soft drinks allowed) in each pub you visited and you had to be in The Kings Head at 6pm.

Unusually, it was hot, very hot for April and as the afternoon wore on the heat began to take its toll.

Some teams had found a cosy shady nook and decided that that was that for the day.

Others, us included, battled to the end and got to the finish in time.

Who won? I’m not sure, I had to leave promptly for a previous engagement before the prize giving, but certainly Jabba and Rob Derbridge were looking well pleased.

Undoubtedly, everyone won - those who took part, the pubs (which had an increased footfall) and the judges, who had a lazy Saturday afternoon!

Rupert says he will do another one in the future. I do hope so – it was great fun!

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Norwich CAMRA AGM

| NORFOLK NIPS

Norwich and Norfolk CAMRA Branch 2011 AGM It was standing room only in Take 5’s function room for the AGM this year. Fortunately, not all 2,254 members were able to attend!

The meeting was opened by Graham Freeman, and glasses were raised to celebrate CAMRA’s 40th Birthday.

Graham said that the Real Ale Walks in Norfolk guide was very popular with sales now topping 1,600. He thanked joint Editors Mike and for Stig for increasing the popularity of Norfolk NIPS & Cask Force.

(Thanks Graham – Ed).

This year we have sponsored the Norfolk Industrial and Archaeology Society for their excellent display of the Norfolk Brewing Industry at Dragon Hall and the new City of Ale Beer Festival’s advert in What’s Brewing. The 2010 Beer Festival had been a great success and over £5000 was donated to our charity – Norwich Door to Door.

Finally Graham reported on the National Executive and Regional Directors Conference in Norwich and was delighted to announce that the 2013 National Members Weekend and AGM will be held in Norwich.

Further reports showed that the Branch was in good health, 24

| SUMMER 2011

although concern was expressed by the alarming number of pub closures recently.

The Tasting Panel reported that the Champion Beer of Norfolk for 2010 was Grain’s Best Bitter.

A shortlist of Charities was drawn up and at the next

Committee Meeting, The Priscilla Bacon Lodge was chosen as our Charity for 2011.

The Cottage in Silver Road was voted City Pub of the Year and The Windham Arms, Sheringham as The County Pub of the Year. The Windham Arms was declared as The Branch Pub of the Year.

This is your new Committee for 2011:

Secretary: Chairman: Graham Freeman Warren Wordsworth

Distribution: Anthony Miles

Committee: Tim MacDonald

Vice Chairman and Deputy Chair Martin Ward Treasurer Chris Thomas Pubs Officer Mark Stimpson Pubs Preservation Mike Spivey Press Officer Emma Pinder Committee Helen Miles Tasting Panel Alan Edwards Webmaster Adrian Hennessey

Committee Dr Martin Hicks

Deputy Pubs Officer

Dave Cleverley

Membership Rob Derbridge

Young Members Co-ordinator

David Rackham

NIPS Editor

Social Secretary

Mike Baldwin

Michael Philips

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CAISTER LIFEBOAT FIRST EVER BEER FESTIVAL We are having our first beer festival to raise funds for the lifeboat at the lifeboat shed where will will have a minimum of 15 real ales mainly from Norfolk for you to try.

Panther, Humpty Dumpty, Tipples & Yetmans brews to name a few will be there.

A Special Caister Lifeboat pint glass available at only £2.

With live music each session why not come along and enjoy a few pints and take the opportunity to see what we do. Most of the helpers will have a yarn with you about the lifeboat and no doubt tell you their favourite tipple.

Further information can be obtained from Andy Garnett on 07810 503963, but he works full time so you may need to leave a message.

KINGS HEAD HOLT 6 BRILLIANTLY KEPT REAL ALES Including the ever popular Adnams Bitter, Broadside and Woodfordes Wherry.

Proudly providing 3 guest ales (143 in one year and rising!)

Giving everyone a fantastic accompaniment to our ever growing grill menu. So why not try a delicious locally sourced steak cooked to perfection on our char-grill!

3 stylish, comfortable, yet affordable B&B rooms for single, double or family use

Recently re-furbished ‘George’ Lounge with Snugs and quiet corners Come pull up a stool, grab an Ale at ‘The Question mark Bar’ and put the world to rights!

Live music throughout Spring, Summer and Autumn Enclosed Courtyard Beer Garden in the heart of the Appleyard To find out more you can visit our website http://www.kingsheadholt.org.uk/, give us a call on 01263 712543, or just come on down and give us a try, you won’t be disappointed!

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Rail and Ale

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Transports of Delight It has to be said, there is just something about Steam and Real Ale. Somehow they were made for each other. The sight, sound and smell of a steam locomotive brings a wave of nostalgia and a longing for a pint of something decent.

We all know that Norfolk is blessed with many fine Breweries and Pubs, but the area also has a good many venues where Vintage Transport can be enjoyed. Trains, trams, busses, traction or stationary engines, the choice is yours. Why not visit some this summer? To help you decide, we’ve compiled a list of what is available. Also, because we know you will be thirsty, details are given of Beer Festivals, GBG pubs close at hand, etc.

As always, the Editor cannot be held responsible for most things in life, certainly not the details in this article, which were believed to be correct at the time of going to print. In other words, please check! Wherever you go, whatever you choose – Enjoy!

The North Norfolk Railway Sheringham. NR26 8RA Tel. 01263 820 800. www.nnrailway.co.uk Standard gauge ,5 ½ miles, Sheringham – Weybourne – Holt, Steam trains run daily until 30th October.

Visiting locomotives include David Sheppard’s 9F “Black Prince” making a welcome return.

The Annual Beer Festival celebrates its 10th Birthday this year. You will find it on Sheringham Station from July 15 – 17th. Soak up the atmosphere on the platform.

Use the train to visit pubs pubs in Sheringham, Weybourne and Holt. Bottled beers are usually available in the station shops.

2 – 4 September Steam Gala 17 – 18 September The Famous 40’s weekend

GBG Pubs: Sheringham – Crown, Two Lifeboats Hotel, Windham Arms Holt – Kings Head.

Whitwell & Reepham Railway Whitwell Road, Reepham NR10 4GA Tel: 01603 871 694. www.whitwellstation.com Standard gauge. The station was closed in 1959, but re-opened 50 years later. The aim is to restore it to as it was in the 1930 – 40’s. Tremendous progress has been made in just two years.

Regular events are held with Steam trains running on the first Sunday of each month.

They will always have one real ale on when open, and they even have their own House Beer.

Other events:

Other events: 19 June Father’s Day (Dad gets to drive!)

30 – 31 July 2nd Steam Rally (Working Traction Engines, Stationary Engines, and more) 13 – 14 August Reepham Music Festival 8 – 9 October 6th Beer Festival & Marriott’s Way Celebration Weekend

25 – 26 June Summer Diesel gala 3 – 10 July Quad Arts Weekend 3 July Vintage Transport Festival

GBG Pubs: Reepham – King’s Arms (you can also visit The

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NORFOLK NIPS | Panther Brewery Shop in Reepham – not Sunday).

Mid Norfolk Railway Dereham Station Station Road, Dereham NR19 1DF Tel.01362 851723/690633 www.mnr.org.uk.

Standard gauge 11 miles Dereham – Yaxham – Thuxton – Hardingham – Wymondham Abbey.

One of the longest preserved railways in the UK, new run-round loops at Dereham and Wymondham Abbey and a passing loop have Thuxton have significantly improved the infrastructure and enhanced operations. The line will eventually extend northwards to North Elmham and County School. (The ultimate aim is Fakenham!) Train services are diesel hauled using the Railway’s Heritage Diesel fleet, plus many visiting locos.

During the summer, some services are steam hauled using visiting locos – Ex GWR Pannier Tank 9466 and recently restored 6023 King Edward II, now resplendent in BR Blue Livery.

This locomotive will be visiting from 4th June – 17th July.

Other events: 18 June Fish ‘n’ Chip Supper Special with a Real Ale Bar. (Must be booked in advance. Diesel hauled train, steam hauled on 16 July) (Other dates are 20 August, 17 September, 22 October).

16 - 17 July First Steam Gala 24 July Classic Transport Day 13 – 14 August Country Branch Line Weekend GBG Pubs: Dereham – George Hotel Wymondham – Cross Keys, Feathers Inn, Green Dragon Bure Valley Railway Aylsham Station, Norwich Road, Aylsham NR11 6BW Tel. 01263 733858 www.bvrw.co.uk 15” gauge, 18 mile round trip – Aylsham – Brampton – Buxton – Coltishall – Wroxham

Opened in 1990, this is the longest 15” gauge in Norfolk. Most trains are steam hauled, with the occasional diesel hauled service. A cycle/footpath runs along the entire length of the railway for the more energetic enthusiast.

There are excellent spots along the way to stop and watch the trains go by.

Aylsham Station is home to Bure Valley Models who have a great range of model railway stock in 00 and N gauges. If you have time, book The Broadland Boat Train, which combines a steam hauled trip from Aylsham to Wroxham with a Cruise on The Norfolk Broads.

Events: 19 June Fathers Day VIP Package. Lunch at Aylsham Station and a chance to drive an engine 9 –10 July Travel Back in Time To celebrate it’s 21st Birthday, fares will be charged as they were in 1990.

24 –25 September Steam Gala – all available locomotives will run plus guests from other 15” railways 1 October Model Railway Exhibition (at The Jubilee Centre, Aylsham).

GBG Pubs: NONE, but use the train to visit pubs in Aylsham, Buxton, Coltishall and The Shed at Wroxham.

Wells and Walsingham Railway Wells Next-the-Sea Norfolk NR23 1QB Tel: 01328 711630 www.wellswalsinghamrailway.co.uk 10.25” gauge Wells - Warham St Mary – Wighton - Walsingham The longest 10.25” gauge railway in the world, it was built by Lt Comdr. Roy Francis, who also built the Wells Beach Railway. Mainly steam hauled by one of two unique 2-6-0 + 0-62 Garratt locomotives specially built for the line, which uses part of the same trackbed as The Mid Norfolk Railway.

GBG Pubs: Wells – The Albatros, plus pubs in Walsingham.

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NORFOLK NIPS | The Rant

Children in Pubs - Yes or No? identity) some even had bags stuffed with games and homework. Now I might have this all wrong but I was under the impression that being a parent involved a certain amount of sacrifice, so you might have to entertain your own kids in your own home, and not have them running around the local pub.

This problem appears to be particularly prevalent during the six nations so perhaps,as with said sport,its a class thing!

A simple question, but a complicated answer.

I have, in the past, been asked to leave a pub because our children were with us. Apparently, it was their policy. They must have had other policies that we were not aware of, because the pub was empty…

However, times have changed and now some establishments welcome families and cater for them. Play areas, colouring materials, special menus, etc abound in such places.The only thing missing is usually Real Ale! So where do you go – the corner local? Possibly not – reader Steve Foyster explains: I don’t have any particularly strong views on the smoking ban either way, but one unfortunate knock on effect of this is that an increasing number of parents now consider the local pub the perfect place to take the kids on a Saturday/Sunday afternoon.

Now I do concede that some foody hostilities (spelling intentional) are set up for Mummies brave little soldiers so I tend not to drink in such establishments, each to his/her own, but not the street corner boozer where the very height of culinary sophistication is having a drop of mustard with your pork pie.

I left my local last Sunday feeling out numbered as i hadn't dragged Benjamin and Lilly along with me (names changed to protect their

So come on readers, what do you think? Should all pubs welcome families with young children?

Should there be more family rooms? Or do you agree with the sign that says in one Pub “We are happy to serve children - boiled, grilled or fried!”

Let me know (Ed).

l Beer Festiva August Bank eekend Holiday W 29th o T th 5 2

Open All Day Every Day At Least 5 Local Real Ales Always On Tap Food Served Daily Large Function Room With Bar For Hire Catering For Weddings Birthdays Parties Ect

Bed And Breakfast And Camping

10% Discount For CAMRA Members Station Rd, North Elmham

SUMMER 2011 | 29

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Introducing our

First Beer Festival 1st - 3rd July 12 ales on offer plus two ciders Live Music on Sat 2nd Food served daily from 12-2pm & 6-9pm Tue - Sat 12 - 3pm Sunday Breakfast served 7am - 2pm Saturdays

Pool • Darts • Jukebox Large Beer Garden with children’s play area.

4 Real Ales always on offer 1 Norwich Road, Framingham Earl, NR14 7AB

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Tel: 01508 494811

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EATON COTTAGE UNTHANK RD, NORWICH Tel: 01603 453048

Fine Real Ales,lagers,wines and spirits All Sky Sports • A traditional pub Good covered outside areas Doggies welcome

“a festival of beers every day” SUMMER 2011 | 31

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Sunday 4th S eptember

Bowls match v Suffolk Branch at Th e Caxton Club, Suffolk .

You don’t have to have any bowling experi ence to join in the fun. Contact Mike Philips.

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Beer Tasting

| NORFOLK NIPS

Tasting Panel A well attended Tasting Panel was recently treated to a comprehensive tasting of bottled and draught ales at the Ketts Tavern, Ketts Hill, owned and run by Dawn and Kevin Hopkins.

The bottled ales were from Norfolk Square Brewery, whose owners, Carlos and Lesley Branquinho, kindly organised the evening, and performed the pouring and clearing duties we usually have to do for ourselves!

Carlos was the ideal host, as he also brews the Norwich Bear ales for the Ketts and its sister pub The Rose, at his brewery in Stokesby, while the new Norwich Bear brewery is installed at The Rose. Following the usual tasting panel procedure, we tasted each beer, discussed aroma, flavours and aftertaste, and rated it having been told only the ABV. Beer names were revealed - or confirmed - by Carlos after the marking was complete.

We started with Pi, a light hoppy golden beer of 3.7%, which was the first beer Norfolk Square brewed and very refershing, followed by Scroby, the brewery’s 4.2% pale ale, fullerflavoured (the name reflects the brewery's origins in Great Yarmouth). Sunshiny, a 4.5% ale flavored with a light touch of honey, completed a trio of golden amber ales on a sweeter note.

We also tasted B52, slightly stronger at 4.8%; Square Miled, as the name suggest a dark 4% mild which was very popular, and Winklepicker, Norfolk Square’s 5% porter, pretty much in the true style, although a little sweeter than some other brewers’ versions.

We would normally not taste more than six beers at a session - apart from most of us having to work in the morning, taste buds are usually somewhat jaded after so much work!

However, we were loath to turn down a free tasting with the brewer (and bottle tastings 34

| SUMMER 2011

don’t usually involve more than 1/3 pint per beer!) so most of us took the opportunity to taste a little of each of the new Norwich Bear (as in “gis a point ‘a tha bear bor”!) brews: Classic, a 3.8% pale ale; Legend 4.3, slightly stronger and darker and reminiscent of London Pride; Platinum, a 5% golden ale; and NPA, a 4.7% 'Norfolk IPA’, which was probably most people’s favourite, although run a close second by the Legend.

A very pleasant evening - if later than usual! and our thanks to Carlos and Lesley, and the hard-working bar staff at the Ketts!

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NORFOLK NIPS | Competition

Competition This month Norfolk NIPS has teamed up with Woodfordes, who are kindly supplying one lucky reader with a special prize.

Win an 18 pint Beerbox of Once Bittern, the new beer from Woodfordes.

Win an 18 pint Beerbox of Once Bittern, the new beer from Woodfordes!

4. Sounds like dawn is imminent?

5. Twice shy?

Send your answers to: Norfolk NIPS 157 Competition, 201 Kingswood Avenue, Taverham, Norwich NR8 6GJ or by e-mail to norfolknips@yahoo.co.uk

All you have to do solve the cryptic clues below to find the names of Beers brewed by Woodfordes.

Entries must be received by Monday 15th August.

1. Did our Hero get this at Trafalgar?

2. The beer of Albion?

3. You are reading one of these!

Please note: we do not collect names and addresses from competition entries for any purpose whatsoever, other than to verify entries and know

Update Alby Aldborough Attleborough Bawsey Binham Clippesby Cley Cromer Cromer Dabbling Duck Drayton Downham Market Downham Market Earsham Filby Gorleston Gorleston Gt Yarmouth Gt Yarmouth Gt Yarmouth Heacham Hethersett Hopton Kenninghall Kings Lynn Ludham Lyng Newton by Castle Acre

Horseshoes Black Boys London Tavern Sandboy The Chequers Muskett Arms The George and Dragon The Cottage Red Lion Great Massingham Bob Carter Leisure Centre Railway Arms White Hart Queens Head The Kings Head Dock Tavern Mariners Compass Mariners Red Herring St Johns Head Fox & Hounds The King’s Head White Hart Red Lion Live and Let Live The Dog Fox & Hounds George & Dragon

where to send the prize!

Congratulation go to Cherry Fryer, who won the selection of Panther Ales in the Spring 2011 Edition and to Diane Flynn, who won the Cask Force Winter Competition.

Here is a current list of all the pubs in Norfolk which are part of the CAMRA LocAle scheme.

New entries are in Bold.

North Elmham North Walsham Norwich Norwich Norwich Norwich Norwich Norwich Norwich Norwich Norwich Norwich Norwich Norwich Norwich Norwich Norwich Reedham Reedham Reedham Thurlton Tacolneston Sheringham Swardeston West Acre Wiveton Wroxham Wymondham Wymondham

Railway Orchard Gardens Beehive Champion Cottage (Silver Road) Gardeners/Murderers Jubilee Ketts Tavern Kings Head Leopard Rose Take 5 The Ribs of Beef Trafford Arms Vine York Tavern Wig and Pen Ferry Lord Nelson Ship The Queen’s Head Pelican Windham Arms Lakenham/Hewitt Rugby Club Stag The Wiveton Bell Brewery Tap Cross Keys Green Dragon

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Sheffield Pub report

| NORFOLK NIPS

Sheffield by Super Tram Hopefully many of our readers will have visited several of the 31 participating pubs and sampled some of the 200+ beers available at Norwich’s ‘City of Ale’ festival by the time this article goes to press. Last April a few of us were lucky to visit another city which claims to be one of the nations premier beer drinking cities – Sheffield, which this year hosted CAMRA’s National Members Weekend and Annual General Meeting.

We start at Sheffield Railway Station at The Sheffield Tap arguably one of the best railway station pubs in the country. This pub is situated on the concourse of platform 1B but can also be accessed from the outside street. The interior comprises of a large main bar with traditional walled tiles with numerous high bar stools and chairs plus a couple of other smaller drinking areas.

One end of the main bar boasts an enormous mirror which has inscribed ‘Sheffield

Sheffield, like Norwich, has many small breweries in and around the city all of which can be sampled in the many great real ale pubs in the city.

Sheffield is lucky in that it has a new tram system that opened in 1995 and conveniently many of the city’s premier pubs happen to be close to tram stops on the network. Here is an account of just a small sample of some of the numerous real ale pubs on offer.

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Tap’. On offer here at one end of the long bar were five different Thornbridge beers and at the other end of the bar four Titanic ales.

A couple of stops along the line and we are in the city centre area. Adjacent Castle Square stop is Wetherspoons The Bankers Draft. As the name suggests the property was formerly a bank before being taken over by ‘Spoons’ who have converted it into a giant pub which spreads over

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two floors offering quite a large range of real ales that included Lancaster ‘Kingmaker’ at abv 5% and Oakham ‘Taipan’ at abv 4.9%.

A little further along the line near ‘City Hall’ stop we visited The Grapes. This was a fairly unpretentious side street pub with a main bar plus several small rooms which lead off from it. Real ales available here came from the local Abbeydale Brewery which included ‘Moonshine’.

The Grapes

Nearby along Trippets Lane is Trippets Bar. A large range of beers are sold here including beers from Thornbridge, Kelham Island, Bradfield and Wentworth breweries. Some precariously balanced wine bottles stick out of the beams above the seating area of the main bar, although we were assured by the staff that they had been there a long time and would not fall onto the customers below!

A few streets further along and you arrive at another friendly back street local, The Red Deer on Pitt Street. This pub has is deceptively small as it has a small frontage but the open planned interior extends back a long way making it quite large. Again a wide range of beers are available and on the night we visited this was supplemented by a mini beer festival.

After leaving the city centre the tram route passes Sheffield University and then descends into the Don Valley. It was here that much of Sheffield’s famous

steel industry was centred but little remains today. It has more recently gained the nickname as “The Valley of Beer” as a relatively small area is now home to no less than six real ale breweries complete with a large number of excellent pubs selling the products from these breweries. If travelling by Supertram the best stop is at the Shalesmoor roundabout before the tram heads northward towards the Hillsborough district of Sheffield.

Unfortunately we only had time to visit two pubs so we picked the best known which

are the famous Kelham Island Tavern which was CAMRA’s National Pub of the Year two years running 2009 and 2010. This multi roomed pub with a small beer terrace to one side offers a huge range of beers that are too numerous to mention here.

Just around the corner is the equally well known Fat Cat. Opening in 1981 it was the first of the new generation of real ale pubs in the area and pioneered the way to this area being known as “The Valley of Beer”. Like its neighbour The Fat Cat also offers a huge range of real ales.

Sheffield has a massive number of excellent real ale pubs to choose from and this article only scratches the surface of what Sheffield has to offer so why not visit and try it out for yourself? Information on how to get to and travel in Sheffield can be found on www.travelsouthyorkshire.com

Kelham Island Tavern

Warren Wordsworth

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Simon and Karen welcome you all to their traditional family pub.

Great selection of real ales and wines, along with an extensive menu and excellent company.

New guest ale every Friday.

Now serving great food all day every day

Last Night of the Proms extravaganza Saturday 10th September Phone us on (01508) 520250 to find out more

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F

ollowing the success of our first beer festival in 2010 we are going to celebrate all things boozy and boogie with another festival on the 22nd, 23rd and 24th of July.

We shall have a selection of 20 local and national ales along with our homemade burgers and other goodies on the bbq.

Live music on Friday night with The Dog Days Of Summer, Saturday afternoon with The Mick Murphy New Orleans Jazz Band and Chibber headlining on Saturday night.

Easing things off for the weekend on Sunday afternoon with North Norfolk’s finest folk and tap dance band Rig A Jig Jig.

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136 Norwich Road Tacolneston, nr Wymondham Norfolk NR16 1AL Telephone: 01508 489521 enquiries@the-pelican-inn.co.uk www.the-pelican-inn.co.uk

Opening hours We are open 7 lunchtimes & evenings every week • Monday to Sunday lunch 12pm - 2.30pm • Monday to Sunday evenings 6pm till close

A warm welcome awaits you at to our award winning free-house, The Pelican Inn, Tacolneston, South Norfolk

Beer Festival Thursday 25th Aug to Monday 5th Sept Local & National Ales & Ciders available

Head Chef Lewis Burrell - Finalist of National British Pub Chef of the Year 2011 Four Real Ales on Hand Pump from £2.70 a pint.

Ale Shop Our new Norfolk real ale and local produce shop not only supports our local 31 Norfolk and Suffolk breweries, but also offers a range of other specialist local produce such as relishes, chutneys and preserves, ciders, lagers, oils, Norfolk cheeses, homemade desserts and chocolates.

Hampers now available to order

South Norfolk Pub of The Year 2010

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Beer & Music

| NORFOLK NIPS

Music Events in Pubs and Clubs around Norfolk TRADITIONAL JAZZ Water Rats Jazz Band The Water Rats will be back for their 47th annual tour of the Norfolk Broads from Sat 23rd July to Fri 29th July, generously supported as always by Woodfordes Brewery, and the provisional itinerary is as follows:Sat 23rd July Lunch: (see below) Evening: Coldham Hall Tavern, Surlingham Sun 24th Lunch: Fur & Feather, Woodbastwick Evening: White Horse, Chedgrave Mon 25th Lunch: Church Farm Country Inn, Burgh Castle Evening: The Dukes Head, Somerleyton Tues 26th Lunch: Waveney House Hotel, Puddingmoor, Beccles Evening: Locks Inn, Geldeston Weds 27th Lunch: Waveney Inn, Burgh St. Peter Evening: Ship Inn, Reedham Thurs 28th Lunch: Reedcutters, Cantley Evening: Beauchamp Arms, Langley Fri 29th Lunch: Woods End, Bramerton Evening: Ferry House Inn, Surlingham

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Boughton Jazz Picnic (Nr Oxborough Hall) Saturday 23rd July (12.30 – 3.30 pm) - Water Rats Jazz Band will play at the Boughton Jazz Picnic, Rectory House, Oxborough Road, Boughton, PE33 9AH, before moving on to their main Broads Tour. Real Ale bar should be available, bring a picnic, chairs, etc. there will be a charge for admission – contact Paul Coulton for further details on 01366 500315.

Brook Hotel, Bowthorpe, Norwich (off Dereham Rd) No Real Ale at present Thursday 11th August – Ken Colyer Legacy New Orleans Jazz Band Thursday 13th October – Sammy Rimington’s International Jazz Band Tickets/Enquiries – Rod Playford 01362 667811 The Diplomat, Ormesby Road, Badersfield (Ex RAF Coltishall site Nr Coltishall) NR10 5JZ Real Ales include house beer ‘Six Squadron’ and a guest beer.

First Sunday of every month (1.00 – 3.30 pm) – Norfolk Dixieland Jazz Band (Not July, August, Sept) Admission free, but lunch bookings advisable on 01603 738866.

Crown Inn, Banningham (Nr Aylsham) Adnams Broadside, Greene King IPA and Abbot Ale Sunday 26th June (1.30 – 4.30 pm) – Liz Wolfe singing Blues and Swing Sunday 17th July (1.30 – 3.30 pm) – Red Beans ‘n’ Rice New Orleans Jazz Band playing in the garden at the pub, in conjunction with Banningham Village Fete from 1.30 – 2.30 pm, followed by Brolly Parade around the Green to the church for Jazz Church Service Admission free, but phone 01263 733534 for lunch reservations Fisher Theatre, Broad Street, Bungay, Suffolk Adnams Bitter on handpump Every Sunday evening - Red Beans ‘n’ Rice New Orleans Jazz Band Marsham Arms, nr Hevingham (B1149 NorwichHolt Road) The pub has now re-opened after extensive refurbishment following a serious fire last year.

A new tap room has been created, which stocks a good selection of real ales served straight from the barrel. The regular beers feature one each from the Adnams and Woodforde's range, plus a selection of guest ales

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NORFOLK NIPS | Lumiere Rouge Ragtime Band have now resumed their regular monthly sessions on the third Friday of each month, and there is a possibility of other jazz sessions being staged at other times Red Hart, Bodham (Nr Holt) Adnams Bitter and Broadside First Friday every month – Lumiere Rouge Ragtime Band King’s Arms, Market Place, Reepham Adnams Best Bitter, Elgoods Cambridge Bitter, Woodforde’s Wherry and Nelson’s Revenge, Greene King Abbot Ale plus guest beers Every Sunday lunchtime (12 noon to 2.30 pm) until 4th September (plus Bank Holiday Monday 29th August) in the attractive courtyard at rear of the pub (weather permitting).

The bands alternating throughout the Summer will be Nene Valley Jazzmen, Simon Nelson's Dixie Mix, Climax Jazz Band, Norfolk Dixieland Jazz Band and Vintage Hot Orchestra. (Phone King’s Arms for more details 01603 870345) Bell Inn, Hempton (Nr Fakenham) Woodforde’s Wherry, John Smiths Cask and guest beers Fourth Thursday every month – Chris Wigley's Jazz Quartet The Buck Inn, The Street, Flixton, Suffolk Woodforde’s Mardler’s and Adnams Bitter are the regulars at present, plus a good selection of guest beers Every Thursday - Sole Bay Jazz

George and Dragon, Newton by Castle Acre House beer Newton Bitter, brewed by Elgoods, plus local guest beers.

It’s all change again at this venue, and whilst the music does not fall exactly within the Traditional Jazz category, a Jazz Trio will be performing fortnightly on Tuesday evenings, whilst a Swing Jazz Quartet will appear on the last Friday of every month (Also folk music on first Thursday every month) Further details from the pub on 01760 755046

MAINSTREAM / MODERN JAZZ Green Man, Wroxham Road, Rackheath Woodforde’s Wherry, Adnams Bitter, Fuller’s London Pride plus guests.

Following the death of Barbara Capocci a few months ago, it was sad to also hear of the recent death of her husband, Mike, who had been the mainstay of the sessions at the Green Man, and other venues before that. Weekly sessions will continue at the Green Man, with the resident trio now known as the Simon Brown Trio comprising Simon Brown (piano), Mike Harris (bass) and Brian McAllister (drums), who will be performing at many of the weekly sessions with a special guest.

Every Tuesday – For further details of jazz sessions at the Green Man, contact Brian

McAllister on 01603 614169, macjazznorwich@aol.com or www.norwich1.com/jazz.green man.htm Dereham Jazz Society, Lakeside Country Club, Quarry Lane, Lyng (nr Dereham) Greene King IPA and Woodforde’s Wherry Every Wednesday – Full programme consisting of various bands and musicians in varied styles, which usually includes one ‘traditional’ session each month. Sessions now commence at 8.00 pm.

NB. The Spring Programme finished at the end of May, and there will then be a Summer break before the Autumn Collection commences in August, which will then run to mid December.

For further details phone 01328 863511 or 01362 696741 or visit website www.lakeside-jazz-club.co.uk Keith Chettleburgh

Landlords and Landladies!

If you have any live music events in your pub or club LET US KNOW and if we have room we will list it in this section. Send details for June - August to: Mike Baldwin Email: michaelbaldwin8@gmail.com or Chris Lucas Email: chris-stig@tiscali.co.uk

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26 St Leonards Road Norwich NR1 4BL 01603 618734

A real gem, well worth a visit.

Eight real ales to choose from, two of which change regularly.

Lovely enclosed beer garden with large sheltered smoking area.

Two pooltables upstairs.

Only a ten minute walk from the train station and city centre.

Pork pies and other light snacks available all day.

Open all day from 12 noon everyday.

Hog roast available sundays.

Sky Sports and ESPN

ENJOY THE SUMMER WITH A FINE ALE IN OUR BEER GARDEN

Michaela and Toni welcome you to

The Kings Arms 22 Hall Rd Norwich NR1 3HQ

Tel: 01603 766361

Everchanging 13 Real Ales, Cider and Mild.

Popular Quiz Night last Wednesday of every month

Food served: Tuesday - Sunday 12noon - 2.30pm with Roast dinner every Sunday

Eat your takeaway in the pub - plates and cutlery provided!

Sunday afternoon BBQ’s in our beer garden - weather permitting!

See

www.kingsarmsnorwich.co.uk for details

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A great real ale pub in the centre of the City

Exceptionally good Thai Food lunchtimes and evenings

We are in it!

The ONLY Thai Restaurant for Norwich in THE GOOD FOOD GUIDE!

Treat your Dad for Fathers Day 19th June open 12 – 4 Christmas Bookings now being taken

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01603 625891 www.thewigandpen.com

6 St Martins Palace Plain, Norwich NR3 1RN

This warm and friendly 17th century Freehouse is to the north side of Norwich cathedral. Owned by Craig & Lynne McLaren since 1993. ‘The Wig’ as its affectionately known, has built a reputation for fresh, fast, affordable British cuisine.

• Good Ale • Good Food • Heated smoking area • Comprehensive Outdoor Dining Area • Late Night Opening Look out for our Cask Marque Plaque.

This guarantees beer quality in the Wig & Pen and the opportunity to TRY BEFORE YOU BUY.

For the 15th successive year, the Wig & Pen has been included in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide. We are very proud of this achievement.

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L o n c o k t s s Inn e d l e G Locks Lane, Geldeston NR34 0HW Tel: 01508 518414

OPEN ALL DAY EVERY DAY from 12noon to late evening

Food Service Summer Hours: Monday to Friday 12pm to 2.30pm and 6pm to 9pm Saturday and Sunday 12pm all day through to 9pm

Sunday 28th August

Bank Holiday Weekend Bands Awesome Double-Header MURPHY’S LORE - folk rock SKA-TA-BRAIN - dancy, jazzy ska music ursday 8th to Sunday 11th September

HARVEST BEER & MUSIC FESTIVAL ursday Night Folk Session, Folky Friday With Murphy’s Lore, Guest Bands And Balkan / Swing From Our DJs Saturday Night - Ska Dance Night With Ska-Ta-Brain & DJs, Country Sunday - Lively Country/Bluegrass Bands 1pm To 7pm

Go to www.geldestonlocks.co.uk for more information on our events, parties and music line-up

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From the Archives

A nostalgic trawl through earlier editions of Norfolk NIPS has revealed the following gemsfrom 21 years ago:

It was reported in the February/March edition that 116 Norfolk Pubs closed in the 1980’s.

The 1990 Norfolk NIPS Awards included:

1990 As from 1st May, tenants of the Big 5 Brewery Pubs were allowed to choose a cask conditioned ale from another brewer or supplier.

Good Value Award – Pottergate Tavern for selling Greene King Mild for only 80p throughout the year

The Big 5 were Ind Coope, Charringtons, Whitbread, Courage and Watneys.

Fresh Air Award – The Lord Nelson for becoming the first smoke free pub in Norfolk

To celebrate, Norwich CAMRA held a social at The Freemasons Arms, a tied Courage Pub, which was selling Batemans Mild. The evenings entertainment included watching Channel 4’s The Beer Hunter, which was featuring Batemans Brewery. It was hailed as a success, with the landlord selling out of his guest beer on the first night!

New Pub Award – The Red Lion, Stiffkey for provided villagers with a local pub for the first time in 20 years.

Norwich hosted CAMRA’s National Conference and AGM for the first time. Also hailed as a success, with every Brewer in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, Essex and Bedfordshire present, with the exception of Earl Soham, who were already brewing to capacity to supply their own pubs. Top selling beers were Reepham Dark Mild, Woodfordes New Broadsman, Adnams Bitter, Batemans Dark Mild, Elgoods EB, Nethergate Bitter and Woodfordes Wherry.

Sounds familiar? Watneys announced plans to close The Lord Nelson in Nelson Street and replace it with housing, saying there were too many pubs in the area. Other pubs under threat or closed around this time included The George and Dragon, The Shirehall, The Jolly Butchers, John W Stokes, The Castle Hotel, The Fruiterers, La Rouen, Coach and Horses, Swifts, and The Bell Hotel

Earle Arms Heydon

Traditional Norfolk freehouse and restaurant

3 Real Ales always available Woodfordes Wherry, Adnams Bitter and Black Sheep

01263 587376 Satnav: NR11 6AD (Just off B1149 Holt Norwich Rd)

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ANCIENT MARINER 1ST ANNUAL BEER FESTIVAL

Fri 24th June – Sunday 26th June Up to 30 cask ales, ciders and kegs • Music throughout the weekend Food available 12 – 9 • Come and enjoy yourselves!

Heath House Norwich • Traditional Family Pub

BEER FESTIVAL 20TH - 26th JUNE 2011 • Ales from near and far • • Open from 12 noon every day •

Unveiling of Tipples New IPA FIRST CHANCE TO TRY THE NEW BREW! The Heath House, 99 Gertrude Rd, Norwich, Norfolk NR3 4SG Tel: 01603 406417 50

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The pub with no bar, ales direct from cask.

Watch www.nelsonslocal.co.uk for forthcoming events.

Tongue twizzling food, and great value.

Huge garden • Summer barbecue

Nelson’s Village Tours Fri, Sat & Sun 3.00pm Victory Barn Function Room Come & visit Nelson’s local.

Walsingham Road, Burnham Thorpe Norfolk PE31 8HN

01328 738241

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NORFOLK NIPS | Colonial Craig

From Across the Pond (part 3) If you have followed my last two columns you will be up to speed with my adventures at the Bedford Beer Fest. I was pleasantly surprised that there were 50+ beers available to sample.

Little did I know that a 50 beer selection was on the smaller side for many of the well-known beer fests. I truly was in beer heaven and I was hooked on the fests. I did my best to recruit as many Yanks over to the CAMRA way of thinking.

I was able to convert a handful but sadly many of them preferred to stick with the current brew, be it Guinness or Budweiser (and no, not the Czech version). I was disappointed in their lack of adventure and taste. Too many folks find one

“ If you find yourself consistently drinking the same pint you might not realize how good you have it here in England.”

what I told myself so I kept on ordering half pints. I did learn to order a “half” and not a “half pint”. I am not sure if it is my American accent or what but 90% of the time I would get a full pint if I ordered a “half pint”. I pronounce half with the “L”. Here in Norfolk they look at me funny and then say, oh, you mean a “have”.

I still can’t say half without pronouncing the “L”.

So, I figured the publicans really didn’t understand the “half” part and only heard the “pint” part of my order. What is the quote about two nations divided by a common language? You don’t even want to get me started on the pints of tap water!

Colonial Craig

beer and then stick to it. Are you one of them?

Do you order the same ale over and over or do you branch out and try different brews? If you find yourself consistently drinking the same pint you might not realize how good you have it here in England. How can an aficionado have so many ales available and then decide to drink only one? Oh, the shame.

In my quest to sample as many ales as possible I quickly became known for ordering half pints.

Now before you condemn me, let me explain. I figured if I ordered half pints I could sample twice the number of ales. Now you lucky ones that live here have many years to sample all the variations but I knew my time was short and I had to make the most of it. Yes, I took a lot of ribbing from my West Norfolk CAMRA pals and even a few from the Norwich Branch but that just meant they liked me, right? At least that is

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A selection of our Award winning Norfolk ales

Delivered every week in your area The Wolf Brewery

Rookery Farm, Silver Street Besthorpe, Attleborough Norfolk, NR17 2LD Telephone: 01953 457775 E-mail: info@wolfbrewery.com

For further information, call our Sales Manager John on 07786 934270 or Customer Services at the brewery www.wolfbrewery.com

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The Shoulder of Mutton ~ Strumpshaw ~

Fine ales and good food served in a friendly atmosphere

The Real Ale Shop is a unique off-licence offering over 50 bottle conditioned ales from 15 Norfolk brewers.

Real ales include Adnams Bitter and Broadside plus TWO guest ale (mainly from local breweries)

We are located on a beautiful arable farm close-by Wells-next-the-Sea, which provides much of the malt used in brewing the ales we sell.

Food served 12-2pm and 7-9pm (Mon-Sat), 12-2pm Sundays

The Real Ale Shop, Branthill Farm, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk, NR23 1SB.

Ian and Jenny look forward to welcoming you..

Pub games include Darts, Pool, Crib and Petanque!

Tel: 01328 710810

Norwich Rd, Strumpshaw, Norwich NR13 4NT

Tel 01603 712274

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NORFOLK ALE SHOP OVER 60 ALES

ALE SALE! EVERY WEEKEND 20% off ALL BOTTLES FIND US INSTORE AT THE GENERAL STORE 41, HIGH STREET, RINGSTEAD. PE36 5JU. NEAR HUNSTANTON. Telephone: 01485 525270 Email: generalstore41@aol.com.

OPEN SEVEN DAYS 8am -5.30pm.

EXCEPT MON/TUES/WED. CLOSING AT 1pm.

2nd Norfolk Ale & Music Festival

10th, 11th & 12th June 2011 Norfolk real ales • Live music all weekend Beer garden • Freshly cooked pub food

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NORFOLK NIPS | Why not visit...

The Marsham Arms re-opens!

Nigel had previously worked as a chef for 20 years and is determined that the three new chefs will deliver the quality that he demands. This is not a restaurant, nor a run of the mill pub food establishment, just a great Inn with good beer and homemade food.

Nigel readily admits that none of this would have happened without his partner Jean Smith, who had previously worked in Banking. She is the glue that

since, as enthusiastic Landlord Nigel Bradley explained.

With all the gloom and doom about pub closures, here is some good news for a change.

Following a disastrous fire, which ripped through the roof, The Marsham Arms Coaching Inn is now open for business.

It’s been ten long months since then, but a lot has happened

Notwithstanding the amount of paperwork involved in getting up and running again, there was time to get it right, to pay attention to detail, to get that special blend of quality and good old fashioned Customer Service in a welcoming Inn. And it works. The warmth of the greeting from the Barstaff is tangible, they are genuinely pleased to se you, whether you want to book into one of the 16 rooms, have a meal, or just order a swift half.

Three real ales were available on my visit, Moorhouses Black Cat, Woodfordes Wherry and Fullers London Pride. The handpumps are in place, but the beers are served under gravity from the TapRoom on show beside the bar. There is room to add more beers later.

holds it all together, apparently.

The old Marsham Arms was a compact and cosy country local, if a little dated, but it has now been opened out, with a much more lighter and airier feel, not dissimilar to the refurbished Parson Woodforde, with a very attractive Oak Bar. Perfect for dropping in on the way to or from the coast this summer.

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The London Tavern Free House

Great real ales, fine wines and spirits.

A large Home-Made selection of traditional food served daily, Main meals, Set menu deals, Light lunches, Specials & Childrens menu. Roast Dinners Sundays 12-3pm Chilled bar rolls made daily only ÂŁ1.00

Attleborough’s only current Good Beer Guide pub 2010 & 2011 Camra Discount Scheme & Local Ale Breckland Council Rating Level 5 Parking, Disabled facilities, Baby changing, Smokers sheltered garden, and Beer garden.

Well behaved dogs on leads welcome.

Christenings, Funerals, Intimate Weddings / Civil Ceremonies catered for

Church St, Attleborough Tel :01953 457415 56

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NORFOLK NIPS | City oF Ale

Norwich is THE City of Ale - we know it, now let’s prove it!

Various towns and cities have recently staked claims to be the best place in the UK for real ale drinkers. Liverpool, Sheffield, Derby and Nottingham come to mind. Of course, we all know that Norwich is the City of Ale, with more pubs selling real ale, and a wider range of local and national beers than anywhere else - even cities with much larger populations - but can we prove it?

acter names). You can even post photos of the pump clips or the beer blackboard!

Results and prizes will be announced the same day, at the city centre pub (tbd) we’ll be using as an HQ for the day, so come along, make a day of it, meet new and old friends, and let’s prove that Norwich is not only a Premiership football team, but also the premier city for real ale in England!

That’s what Norwich & Norfolk Branch intend to do on Saturday June 18th, visiting every single pub in Norwich on one day. We want to know how many real ales are on sale in each pub, who brews them and what strength they are, and what price they are on sale for.

Ian Stamp

r cing ou Introdu ge! ew Ima Brand N

As you can imagine, this is no easy task, and we need your help! In return, we’re offering you a great excuse for a pub crawl, and the possibility of winning some quite nice prizes!

If you’d like to be involved, please contact us on NorwichPubSurvey@gmail.com and let us know which pubs, or which area(s) of Norwich (postcodes NR1 to NR7) you’d like to survey / pub crawl round! We’ll get back to you with a bit more detail, but essentially all you have to do is visit the pubs on June 18th, have a beer - or not, up to you! - and tell us what beers were on sale.

We’ll be doing everything possible to make this an easy task, so you can either write everything down, or if you have the technology, email it to NorwichPubSurvey@gmail.com, post it on our Facebook event (email for an invite), or tweet it to @NrwichPubSurvey (yes, that’s Norwich without an “o” – Twitter only allows 15 char-

New Limited Edition Beer in support of Norwich City’s Premiership Challenge and Norwich City of Ale. @wintersbrewery

8 Keelan Close, Norwich NR6 6QZ

Tel. 01603 787820 Search Winter’s Brewery

sales@wintersbrewery.co.uk www.wintersbrewery.co.uk

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Mark & Marie offer you a warm welcome to the

Fox and Hounds Heacham

The Gatehouse Pub 391 Dereham Road, Norwich NR5 8QJ 01603 620340

Home of The Fox Brewery We are a free house specialising in real ales.

The first pub in Heacham to be in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide.

Live Music every Tuesday Quiz Night Thursday

www.foxbrewery.com Tel: 01485 570345

FOUR REAL ALES Live Music, Friday & Saturday Large garden overlooking the River Wensum

22 Station Rd, Heacham, Norfolk PE31 7EX

OPEN ALL DAY 7 DAYS A WEEK

OPEN Mon - Thurs 12-11 Fri & Sat 12-12 • Sunday 12-11

COAST ROAD, WALCOTT, NORFOLK NR12 OPE Telephone

(01692) 650371 FREE HOUSE

Proprietor since 1989: STEVE BULLIMORE

OPEN FOR FOOD & DRINKS ALL DAY, EVERY DAY, 11am - 11pm Food available all day until 10.30pm 10% off food and drink on production of CAMRA membership card

FOUR REAL ALES & CIDER www.lighthouseinn.co.uk 58

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NORFOLK NIPS | Beer Festivals

Beer Festival Calendar June 16 - 18 (Thu - Sat) 7th Braintree Real Ale Fest Institute, Bocking End, Braintree, Essex. NW Essex Branch with Braintree Lions, proceeds to local charities. 50 beers plus ciders/perry Souvenir glasses, hot food all sessions.

For full details call Ralph Nicks on 07850 365 741. www.braintreebeerfestival.co.uk 18 - 19 (Sat - Sun) Beer in The Gibberd Garden Marsh Lane, Old Harlow (15 min country path walk from Harlow Mill).

Delightful quiet gardens with beer tent.

Interesting collection of sculptures and flora Childrens entertainment on Sunday For full details call Brendan on 07778 780 807 www.heb-camra.org.uk/gg 24 - 26 Le Strange Arms First beer festival is to be held 23- 26 (Thu - Sun) (Stock allowing) 1st Rutland Beer Fest Rutland Museum, Oakham, Rutland 50 + beers plus ciders. Range will include up to 7 new beers brewed with a Rutland Theme Museum open for exhibits For details call Dave Casewell on 01572 821 566 Loreleyanddave@allincottage.co.uk

July 8 – 10 (Fri – Sun) 5th Annual SE Essex CAMRA Cider and Perry Fest Marlborough Head Pub, Rochford, Essex SS4 1AX At least 17 ciders and 8 perries. Real Ales on in pub.For full details wwwseecamra.org.uk

August The Union Jack PH, Roydon August Bank Holiday weekend: Friday, 26th – Monday, 29th August. Music Saturday & Sunday.

CAMRA members must show a valid membership card to get free/discount admissions to all CAMRA Festivals.

Woodforde’s Ale Trail is back.

The Woodforde’s Ale Trail is back, and it’s bigger and better than before, featuring 473 great pubs to explore in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire, demonstrating the brewery’s support for public houses in these difficult trading conditions. The Ale Trail begins on Father’s Day, Sunday 19th June and runs until the end of September.

The Ale Trail offers real ale lovers the chance to enjoy the beer’s great taste and discover excellent drinking hostels by using the ‘Woodforde’s Pub Guide’, easy pocket-sized, containing details of all participating outlets, with maps and stamp collection card for prizes which can then be redeemed at Woodforde’s brewery shop. Each outlet will stamp your card once for a pint of Woodforde’s beer purchased. Well after the Ale Trail ends, the pub guide will live on, ensuring you don’t miss any opportunity to experience your favourite beer.

What could be better for the real ale devotee, a great pub in the summer, cricket, a pint of their favourite Woodforde’s ale, and merchandise to win!

The pub guides will be available at all participating outlets, Woodforde’s brewery shop and in addition will be sent to all 16,000 Woodforde’s Club Members. The website www.woodfordes.co.uk provides further details of the Woodforde’s club and the Ale Trail promotion.

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er al ly nd! m m Su Festiv day 3rd JuAll weeke r e - Sun ers! BBQ e e B Jun Cid

th and s 30 k Ales r u Th orfol r Ove

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NORFOLK NIPS | Dates for your Diary

CAMRA Calendar Norwich and North Norfolk Branch

Friday 26th August Campaign Trip

Saturday 11th June Summer Outing Coach trip exploring the North Norfolk Coast, visiting pubs in Wells and Sheringham Departs John Lewis at 10:00, returns at 8pm Booking is essential

Friday 2nd September First Friday Five Visiting five pubs in Norwich.

Starts 8pm Route TBA

Saturday 18th June Pub Survey Tuesday 21st June Branch Meeting at The Wortwell Bell Thursday 23rd June Beer Festival Planning Meeting Take 5. Starts at 8pm Friday 24th June Campaign Coach Trip (TBA) Friday 1st July First Friday Five Visiting five pubs in Norwich.

Starts 8pm Route TBA Saturday 16th July Beer Festival Staff BBQ The Beehive Tuesday 19th July Branch Meeting at The Fishermans Return, Winterton Saturday 23rd July Visit to Mauldons Brewery Sorry – full up!

Friday 5th August First Friday Five (TBA) Tuesday 16th August Branch Meeting at The Reindeer, Norwich

Sunday 4th September Bowls match v Suffolk Branch at The Caxton Club, Suffolk.

West Norfolk Branch Tuesday 14th June Branch Meeting Old Bell, Grimston Tuesday 12th July Branch Meeting Jolly Sailors, Brancaster Staithe Tuesday 9th August Branch Meeting Chequers, Thompson Tuesday 13th September Branch Meeting Squirrel’s Dray, Sporle All meetings start at 8pm.For more details and updates, please check the full calendar on www,norwichcamra.org.uk or contact Michael Philips. Updates on First Friday Fives can be found at Firstfridayfives.blogspot.com

Got a short pint?

If you believe that you have been treated unfairly in a pub, club or bar, you should contact the Trading Standards service by writing to them at Norfolk Trading Standards Service, County Hall, Martineau Lane, Norwich, NR1 2UD or faxing them on 01603 222999.

A wide range of consumer information and advice is also available online from the Consumer Direct website at www.consumerdirect.gov.uk

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The Sole & Heel Rackheath

Newly refurbished Pub & Restaurant with recently extended Beer Garden

Minimum of 5 changing Real Ales on gravity Restaurant open daily with A la Carte menu in the evenings.

All produce locally sourced where available.

Fortnightly Sunday Quiz

Bar open: Mon 4.30-11pm, Tues 12-2.30 and 4.30-11pm, Weds-Sat 12-11pm, Sun 12-10.30pm Restaurant open: Tues –Sat 12-2.30 and 6-9pm, Sunday Roast 12-4pm 2 Salhouse Rd, Rackheath, Norwich NR13 6QH Tel 01603 720146 Web: www.soleandheel.bravehost.com

Angel Gardens Free House

This independently run freehouse has been under the ownership of Ian Warren since 1988 and is situated on the north of the city near to Waterloo Park.

Homecooked and speciality meals Prepared by Ian - a qualified chef with years of experience.

Up to SEVEN reasonably priced Real Ales including THREE guest ales Monthly Quiz & Darts • Live Music on Saturdays

96 Angel Rd, Norwich NR3 3HT

01603 427490 email: ikwarren-angel@tiscali.co.uk

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Award Winning Real Ale Pub We Don’t Have a Big Screen TV, Food Or a Juke Box We do have 17 handpumps, with Real Ale from far and wide, 2 Real Ciders and 2 Real Ales From gravity, a large car park, large beer garden With heated smoking shelter, darts, pool, quizzes And crib.

We now serve morning coffee from 11am, children are welcome.

The Royal Oak lies at the heart of the community and new customers are always welcome. Come along and get a real welcome from a real pub selling real ale!!!!!!

Nick, Delia And The Team would love to see you soon.

Our Next Beer Festival is:

26th August 2011 A dream of a pub situated in the village of Poringland on the B1332 road to Bungay.

The main bus route from Norwich stops right outside.

Norwich And Norfolk Pub Of The Year 2007 Norfolk Pub Of The Year 2007 13 years in the Good Beer Guide!

44 The Street, Poringland, Norwich, Norfolk NR14 7JT

www.poringlandroyaloak.co.uk Tel: 01508 493734

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