No.161
Summer 2012
A Golden Summer?
Also inside: NORWICH BEER FESTIVAL LOGO NORFOLK’S TRUE HERITAGE PUBS PUB AND TRADE NEWS
E E R F
Newsletter of the Norfolk Branches of the Campaign for Real Ale
Trafford Arms We arewelcome not a ‘virtualawaits. pub’ A royal REAL Time! REAL People! REAL Ale!
Raising money for Big C
Chris and Glynis invite you to the Trafford Arms -
61 Grove Road, Norwich 01603 628466 www.traffordarms.co.uk
traffordarms@btconnect.com
Hat trick for The Fat Cat, Norwich!
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: socialsecretary@norwichcamra.org.uk Pubs Officer: Ian Stamp Email: pubsofficer@norwichcamra.org.uk
West Norfolk Branch Chairman: Steve Barker email: barkers@anc.co.uk 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
Graham Freeman, Branch Chair, presents the awards to Fat Cat Landlord Colin Keatley The Norwich & Norfolk branch of CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) have selected The Fat Cat Pub as their 2012 Pub of the Year. It is the third time that Landlord Colin Keatley’s iconic pub has won. The Fat Cat now goes head-to-head with the West Norfolk Branch’s winner, The Union Jack at Roydon. The winner goes through to the Regional level of the competition, where Colin may well face competition from his brother, who owns The Fat Cat in Ipswich, The Suffolk Branch winner! At the award ceremony, Colin was clearly delighted to win. The previous two times that he won the award, the pub went on to become CAMRA’s National Pub of the year. The Norwich & Norfolk Pub of the Year is chosen from the winners of the Branch’s Rural
and City Pubs of the Year. The 2012 Rural Pub of the Year was won by The Green Dragon in Wymondham, beating stiff competition from the Kings Arms, Reepham and the Windham Arms, Sheringham. And the City Pub of the Year was won by The Fat Cat, from the other two Norwich pubs shortlisted – The King’s Head, Magdalen Street and The Duke of Wellington, Waterloo Road. Just as were going to press, it was announced that The Fat Cat has beaten off the opposition from The Union Jack and has now been declared as The Norfolk Pub of the Year! We wish Colin and The Fat Cat team well as they progress through the next round towards CAMRA National Pub of the Year. It’s happened twice before...
Published every 3 months by the Norwich, Norfolk & West Norfolk branches of the Campaign for Real Ale © N&N CAMRA 2012 Norfolk Nips is produced and distributed by members of the branch in their own time. Views expressed in Norfolk Nips are not necessarily those of the editor or of CAMRA.
Edited by: Mike Baldwin Email: michaelbaldwin8@gmail.com Chris Lucas Email: chris-stig@tiscali.co.uk Design & Production: Daniel Speed - Orchard House Media Email: info@orchardhousemedia.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 Jane Michelson or Chris Shilling on: 01778 420888 / 421550 jane@shillingmedia.co.uk Front Cover: Dray image courtesy Woodfordes Brewery
SUMMER 2012 | 3
ALL EURO 2012 GAMES SHOWN LIVE PASSPORT TO VIP AREA AND A FREE MEAL FOR THE FINAL! Collect a ‘passport’ from behind the bar and watch a minimum of 20 games before the final (Games to be signed by a member of staff, see rules in pub and on back of passport). Prize is an area with tables and seating for 15 will be available at the front near TV’s and a two course meal provided for the final. Table service for the night will also be included!
Function room available for all occasions including parties, birthdays, christenings, wedding receptions and wakes
Live Music most weekends Check our web site or Facebook page for whats on.
SUNDAY CARVERY One course for £5.50 2 courses for £6.95 3 course for £8.95
NORFOLK NIPS | Cider Pubs Awarded
White Lion Takes Cider Crown
The White Lion in Norwich, has been awarded the title CAMRA's East Anglia Regional Cider Pub of The Year 2012.
larly have over 15 real ciders and perries available from Norfolk, East Anglia and beyond.
It is run by Ben Ackers and Becky Lakerman-Turner, who have only been running the pub for 7 months. They regu-
Ben Ackers said “We are delighted to win this award. Becky has always been a cider drinker, volunteering for the
cider bar at the Cambridge Beer Festival for a fifth consecutive year. I have grown to appreciate how popular real cider is from my previous experience at two other pubs. The Norfolk and Norwich branch of CAMRA has been so friendly and very welcoming to us, and we'd like to thank them for their constant enthusiasm and support. We would like to thank our staff who have committed themselves fully to promoting real cider and helping customers with recommendations.” Chris Rouse, CAMRA’s Regional Cider Co-ordinator for East Anglia said, “it is so refreshing to see new landlords getting into real cider and perry in a big way.”
West Norfolk Pub Wins Award The Railway Arms in Downham Market has been awarded third place in CAMRA's East Anglia Regional Cider Pub of The Year 2012 competition. Ian and Lesley Ann Pinches, who have been running the Railway Arms for nearly three years regularly sells cider from nearby producer Pickled Pig which is based in Stretham near Ely. The small cosy bar on the platform at Downham Market Station also sells two beers and is one of the town’s entries in
CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide. Ian Pinches said “We are very honoured to receive this award and wish to thank our customers and our cider and beer suppliers for supporting us. Particular mention should be given to Elgoods, The Small Beer Company and of course, Charles Roberts at Pickled Pig, but there are many others as well. We care passionately about our ciders and beers and we are pleased that many people from far and wide appreciate our efforts”
Andrea Briers, CAMRA's East Anglia Regional Director said, "With the increase in the number of pubs selling real cider the competition is getting tougher each year. Well done to Ian and Lesley Ann on their achievement. " The winner of the competition was the White Lion in Norwich and second place went to the Odd One Out in Colchester, which was the previous holder of the award.
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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.
E WE AR IN IT!
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
olk f r o N A R M CA ear Pub of the Y 8 0 0 2 & 6 0 0 2 The Kings Head, 42 Magdalen Street, Norwich NR3 1JE
www.kingsheadnorwich.com
NORFOLK NIPS | Chairman’s Letters
Up, Up and Up But Never Down That is what is happening to the price of your pint. The Government's “duty escalator” ensures that beer duty automatically increases by the rate of inflation plus 2% every year until 2015. So when in George Osborne's Budget he said there will be no tax increase on beer we still end up paying an extra 10p on the price of our pint. We already have to pay a third of our pint to the Government in tax which makes us the second highest in Europe. Our beer tax has risen a staggering 42% since 2008. So what can CAMRA members and drinkers do about it? Well we have set up an e-petition and we would urge you all to sign this as when we get 100,000 signatures we can force a high profile debate in the House of Commons. The e-petition can be found at www.camra.org.uk/saveyourpint and we intend to distribute posters and beer mats
throughout Norfolk in the next few weeks. I know we can count on your support. I recently attended the Members Weekend and AGM in Torquay with our team and we were able to promote the delights of Norwich and Norfolk for next years Members Weekend which will be held here in April 2013. Some delegates even booked their Norwich hotels whilst we were there. We will have a handover meeting in June and then there will be regular updates on our progress as we will be looking for your help to assist in this national event. Another key event is the Norwich City of Ale Festival running from 31st May until 10th June. At present I believe 44 Pubs and many local Breweries are participating so please give them your support by drinking all their beers, ciders and perries. I will certainly be making an attempt
myself and hope to see you around. We recently made a number of Norwich & Norfolk Branch awards. I congratulate the Fat Cat on winning our Branch Pub of the Year 2012 and hope it does well in the future competition. We also gave an award to the Green Dragon, Wymondham for becoming our Branch Rural Pub of the Year 2012. Furthermore this year we gave our first ever award to the White Lion, Norwich for our Branch Cider Pub of the Year 2012. A good night was had by all at the presentations. Well summer will soon be here and I think there's nothing better than sitting in a pub garden with the sun shining and a pint of Real Ale in your hand. Enjoy. Graham Freeman Chairman Norwich & Norfolk CAMRA
Chairman Changeover As winter draws to a close, so the post of West Norfolk Chairman has changed. I have taken over from Buff – a hard act to follow, but I will do my best. Spring is officially here, but the weather does not seem to have noticed that fact. Everyone is longing for the warm barmy days to enjoy an
excellent pint of real ale, possibly with the addition of burnt offerings that masquerade as a Barbeque! This is just a pipedream as I sit here looking through the window at the pouring rain. I would like to bring to your attention the E-petition that CAMRA has set up to persuade the Government to modify its
position on Beer Duty, if you have not signed up please do so. In excess of 50,000 people have already signed, but it needs 100,000 to have the commons debate. Go to the CAMRA website to sign up now. Have a very happy real ale drinking summer. Cheers Steve Barker - W.N. Chairman
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Stig’s Words When some of the contributions for this issue were received it was still unseasonably cold, this situation has changed recently and will hopefully lead to Olympic efforts to catch up on our summer drinking regimes. I have personally been training despite the weather and am ready to go for Gold… Brewer’s Gold, A Limp Pig Gold etc, etc! I have also been chasing aeroplanes around the UK and Europe recently allowing me to check out a few different venues and vary my normal beer intake. I confess in Northern Holland it tended to be beers produced in the south or a nearby country with a very similar language!
Tim and I have been to a few places too, highlights including a summer crawl recce in and around Norwich involving the use of one or two busses, no less, plus the excellent Dragon Hall beer fest and Cambridge as recounted in this issue. Jeff has contributed one of his stories from his increasingly popular “Barman” series in the Lynn News, plus a tale of crime and punishment (No, not that long Russian one!). With the departure of Phil Buffham as Chair, Steve Barker has kindly agreed to be caretaker Chair until the AGM in October, in his absence Vice Chair Bruce Ward will stand in. Congratulations to all at the Fox brewery at Heacham for their Tenth Anniversary in the business. Thank you for your
kind invitation to West Norfolk branch members to attend your celebration. Also due congratulations are the good folk at The Railway in Downham Market for their Third place in the cider awards, covered within. The Norfolk CAMRA pub of the year is the Fat Cat (Free Mouse), well done to both pubs who achieved the branch nominations. Now to see if the cat can win the regional and national competitions! I wish all our readers a good sunny summer with a shady place to watch the Jubilee/Olympics/European football championship, or just to mardle away a few hours with a pint. Cheers, Stig
Subscriptions and West Norfolk Branch information We have a growing number of postal subscribers to Norfolk Nips and Cask Force, and I would like to send my thanks for the kind comments and best wishes from those who have renewed their subscriptions recently. If you would like to join them in receiving the next 4 issues by post, send 12 first class stamps to Norfolk Nips and Cask Force, 91 Tennyson Road, Kings Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 5NG. 8
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I also send out occasional emails to members with details of forthcoming meetings and Branch events. All are welcome at these meetings so if you wish to add your name to my mailing list, send your email address to jeffhoyle@btinternet.co.uk.
NORFOLK NIPS | Words from the Editors
The Ed’lines As I write this, sitting at my desk in the suite of offices on the top floor of NIPS Towers, I can see through the panoramic windows that Norfolk is bathed in glorious sunshine. Before I nip off up to the roof to unwind in the hut tub, may I welcome you to this Summer Edition. We’ve crammed a lot in again, so there is even more to read as you enjoy a cool, refreshing pint of fresh real ale or cider or perry, in your favourite watering hole. The last three months have certainly been hectic, so much has happened and the really good news is that the next twelve months should be
exciting times for the real ale scene in the County.
Take 5? Details of the meetings are on the Whiteboard.
By the time you read this, the 2nd City of Ale Festival will be over and planning will have started on the next one. What will they come up with next year?
Next year the 2013 National CAMRA Members’ Weekend and AGM is coming to Norwich and Norfolk. A great chance for our wonderful Pubs and Breweries to shine!
The Norwich Pub Survey takes place at the end of June and all the signs are that Norwich will be confirmed again as THE City of Ale.
So, enjoy the magazine and have a great summer.Visit a country or riverside pub, or one on the coast or take in a Beer Festival –or two! Whatever you decide, why not drop us a line and let us know your favourites. And don’t forget the camera!
We will have reports of these in the next issue, which will also look forward to the 35th Norwich Beer Festival. If you have any suggestions or ideas for this year, then why not attend a planning meeting at
Enjoy!
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Pub and Brewery News with sherberty grapefruit hoppiness’, won overall champion beer in SIBA (east) and in SIBA’s National 2012 competition won bronze award in the ‘premium beers’ category.
New Developments at Grain Brewery Grain Brewery has undergone many changes since it was first launched back in 2006 by coowners Phil Halls and Geoff Wright. Located in the beautiful settings of South Farm in the south Norfolk village of Alburgh, Grain was originally a five barrel per week plant which concentrated brewing mainly their then core beers which were Oak, (abv3.8%) a session bitter, Harvest Moon (abv4,5%), a hoppy pale ale, Blackwood Stout (abv4.8%), and ‘Ported Porter’ (abv5.2%) a creamy old style porter. Since then demand for their beers has risen sharply as their customer base has increased. 10
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Their range of beers has also vastly increased and now includes around a dozen different brews most of which are sold as cask but some are also bottled. In the spring of 2010 Grain opened their own pub, the very popular Plough (current 2012 GBG listed) in St Benedicts in Central Norwich. Two of their more popular newer beers have gone on to win awards at recent SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers) competitions along with numerous local awards from our own Norwich & Norfolk CAMRA. Blond Ash Wheat (abv4.1%), based on a Belgian ‘witbier’ won silver award 2011 in the ‘specialty beers’ category in SIBA (east) competition. Redwood (abv4.8%) described as ‘A rich red premium bitter that beautifully balances roasted malts
These increases in volume and range left the capacity of the brewery hopelessly inadequate so in order to cope with their increased demand and diversification of their product range the brewery has just undergone a massive internal upgrade replacing most of their existing equipment. This new equipment was delivered to the brewery last year and installation took place in February. By March the new brewery was up and running and in April in my capacity as BLO (Brewery liaison Officer) I took the opportunity to make a visit and see the brewery kit in operation. Firstly there is the new hot liquor tank that has a capacity of 3,000 litres. The hot liquor is then mixed with the malt into the new mash tun. After ‘sparging’ the wort then goes into copper where it is boiled along with hops. Finally after cooling the beer goes into the large fermenting vessels. This upgrade has increased the capacity of the brewery by around three fold. As well as increasing capacity the new plant is much more economical on fuel, (propane gas) than the
NORFOLK NIPS | News from the West previous plant and is more user friendly being much easier to clean after each brew. With the installation of the new plant Grain has recently produced another new beer ‘316’ (abv3.9%), a golden beer using American Amarillo hops to give a light hoppy citrus flavour. A great summer ale and hopefully we will get a good summer to enjoy it at its best!
and GK IPA on offer last visit. Shed still doing its “every Norfolk Brewery” thing. Hotel Wroxham majoring on the Charles Wells products, Courage Best and Eagle, with Adnams Broadside. I spotted Wolf Golden Jackal on one recent visit. West End, Feltwell, beers were well kept on a recent visit. They expect to have a festival in August.
Warren Wordsworth
Norwich The Bridge House in Norwich has just been re-launched as The Lollards Pit.
Great Yarmouth Kings Head in Northgate St no longer seems to stock Nelson’s Revenge. Wolf “Granny Wouldn`t Like It” and the ubiquitous 4.1% abv Wells “Bombardier” seem in vogue. Probably a Norwich Inns thing, as at Hotel Wroxham and elsewhere. Wetherspoon`s Troll Cart at Market Gates keeps faith with Nelson`s and keeps it well too. Recent Beer Festival offered up some unusual products from as far afield as Norway and South Africa. Zulu Blonde was particularly good.
Wroxham Since my last offering, Woodforde`s seems to have exited the King`s Head. Bombardier
Fenman, Lynn, good beers were found on a recent visit, remarkably cheap as well. Elgood’s Snakeslayer and Hobgoblin were available.
News from the West White Hart, Downham The landlord’s wife, Theresa, sadly died last month. He’s currently carrying on with little other change. Jolly Farmers, Southery, now reopened with IPA and Old Speckled Hen. Old White Bell, Southery was selling Bateman’s Eggs B. The Landlord (Peter) has said that he’ll leave when the paperwork is completed. Red Lion, Hockwold, also reopened 19th March with three ales including IPA and a house beer which seems to be Ruddles. Red Lion, Thetford (Wetherspoon’s) is due to reopen in the next few weeks.
Chalk & Cheese, Shouldham, recently had two beers: Elgood’s seasonal and two ciders: Old Rosie and another Weston’s. Victory, Clenchwarton, Another Elgood’s tied house. The landlord (Wayne) is enthusiastic. Three Horseshoes, Roydon now has a real ale, Wherry. Old Bell, Grimston, although now open every evening, the only lunchtime it is open is Sunday. Anvil, Congham was serving Landlord, Abbot and XB recently. Crown & Mitre, Lynn was busy when visited one Thursday recently. Lynn News’s Bar Man column was spotted on the notice board. House on the Green recently had Wadworth’s 6X & Old Peculiar. London Porterhouse, Lynn, reports are that it remains with their current management under a rolling contract from Greene King and an agency landlord is to look after it.
Out of Branch Wetherspoon’s in Bury (the Corn Exchange) is expected to open shortly after their Thetford pub. Jeff
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Pub News
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Third Fat Cat Pub opens Cat within walking distance of Carrow Road. New Landlord, Christian Hodgkinson, formerly of The Walpole Arms and Adlards, explained how the former Adnams pub has been transformed. It is now much lighter and brighter and has a more spacious feel than either of the other Fat Cats.
Colin Keatley has now opened The Fat Cat and the Canary. Formerly The Mustard Pot, this is a dream come true for Norwich City fans – a Fat
Reasurringly, though, the walls are adorned with pub and brewery signs! There will be around 17 real ales on offer, either on handpump or gravity from the tap room, which you can see from the bar. There will also be ciders and perries and Christian is keen to introduce fine wines. The transformation is not quite complete as a servery will be constructed to offer food on match days. This is a Fat Cat pub, so the usual excellent rolls and pork pies will be on offer, plus sausage rolls! There is also another first for the Fat Cat – this pub has a car park!
HEMSBY SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB
ANNUAL BEER FESTIVAL August Bank Holiday Weekend Starting Friday 24th until Monday 27th. Open Daily 1200 noon until close A host of classic and unusual ales from around Great Britain. Ciders available including award winning cider from Hog and Vine. Live Music Saturday and Sunday featuring “The Wright Stuff” (richardwrightmusic.com) Everyone is welcome to come and join us at our friendly and comfortable Hemsby Sports and Social Club, Waters Lane, next to Playing Field, NR29 4NH. Tel. 01493 733543 / 07766616952.
Campaigning
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CAMRA NEWS 101 Beer Days Out Britain’s brewing boom heralds new age of ‘beer tourism’ Britain is enjoying a golden age for brewing, with over 850 breweries now operational across the country producing over 5,500 different beers. To celebrate this remarkable industry, CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale has released a new book, ‘101 Beer Days Out’ to showcase how Britain has beer and brewing experiences to rival any in the world. CAMRA’s 101 Beer Days Out, by awardwinning author Tim Hampson (Chairman of the British Guild of Beer Writers), brings together the most exciting ways to take in the nation’s rich beer and brewing culture, whether through conventional city pub trails and tourist brewery tours, or via more unusual – and eccentrically British – events such as bog snorkelling or the World Marble Championships! Listing attractions, events, and venues that are must visit examples of Britain’s brewing heritage and modern beer scene, the book is bursting with entries from the Orkney Isles to the south coast of Cornwall. With an estimated 30 million visitors to the UK in 2012, CAMRA hopes tourists will take the opportunity to experience Britain’s national drink. Tim Hampson, 101 Beer Days Out author, said: ‘Beer travel is a new form of tourism. Think about when you visit a town or region that you’ve not been to before, and the first thing most of us do is seek out the best pub for a drink or something to eat. ‘101 Beer Days Out is much more than a book about pubs and breweries and their beers. It is a 14
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travel book, which can help you explore the length and breadth of Britain. It is a history book through which the reader can explore local traditions and heritage. It is a book which weaves all these elements together to tell the story of beer from the grain to the glass and its place in British culture.’
Great British Beer Festival 7 -11 August, Olympia, London Britain's Biggest Pub opens its doors for a five day festival on Tuesday 7th August. There will be over 800 different real ales, ciders and foreign beers for the expected 50,000 crowd to try. This fun event is not all about the beer though. There are a variety of different foods from around the world and music to enjoy. This event really is a beer drinker's paradise! Call 0844 412 4650 or go to gbbf@camra.co.uk for tickets
CAMRA- ‘Beer drinkers rocked by tax man swallowing a third of every pint’ Consumers fight back as CAMRA urges its members to back e-petition to scrap beer tax escalator. Sign e-petition today at www.camra.org.uk/saveyourpint “New increases to push up price of a pub pint by 5-10p” CAMRA has lambasted the Government for its careless approach to one of Britain’s most valued institutions, the pub, as a further inflation plus 2% increase on beer will bring about yet more price rises at the bar, and further job losses in the sector. With around £1 on every pint going to the Treasury in beer duty and VAT, CAMRA has reacted to the news by urging its members and all pub goers to sign an industry backed e-petition to remove the beer duty
escalator-www.camra.org.uk/saveyourpint. The e-petition has today been backed by CAMRA, the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), and the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA). With the beer and pub industry supporting almost 1 million jobs and contributing £21 billion to UK GDP, CAMRA has condemned the Government for imposing punitive successive tax increases, which will impact both breweries at production level, and drinkers at the bar. Mike Benner, CAMRA Chief Executive, said: ‘The fact Britons are forced to pay over 40% of the EU beer tax bill, but consume only 13% of the beer sold in Europe, is remarkable. British beer in a pub is so heavily hit with duty and VAT, the tax man’s whirlwind hikes translate to him guzzling a third of every pint served, a shadow cast over the beer drinker depriving people of an affordable night down their local. ‘Such high taxes on beer are totally unsustainable, and therefore CAMRA is launching a consumer fight back in a bid to make the Government see sense. We today urge all beer drinkers to get behind this new industry-backed e-petition to help safeguard the future of the beer and pub industry.’
Y! ENTR FREE
2nd Summer Beer Festival Fri 20th - Sun 22nd July Over 20 local ales & ciders plus the regular bar July 20th open noon - 11pm. Live Music 8 - 10pm July 21st Live Music all day & all night. Headline act - Against all odds. Food stalls, Childrens bouncy castle and much more!
Win a Meal for Two! Register your names in advance by email to vikki@thelodge-tuddenham.co.uk
22nd July Noon - 11pm - just good ole beer!
to confirm your attendance on the day for a chance to win a meal for two.
Main Road, North Tuddenham NR20 3DJ 01362 638466 www.thelodge-tuddenham.co.uk
3rd Norfolk Ale & Music Festival
22,23 & 24 June 2012 Norfolk real ales • Live music all weekend Beer garden • Freshly cooked pub food
SUMMER 2012 | 15
Guest Contributor
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Where Norwich leads others will follow... Our Guest Contributor in this Issue is the distinguished Beer Writer Tim Hampson, who puts the case forward for Norwich as THE City of Real Ale! and the region’s brewers, support of the local media - Norwich’s Evening News’s Love Your Local campaign highlights the role pubs play in the community and warns punters to “either use them or lose them” and a recognition by local politicians that pubs matter.
When it comes to handing out gold medals for Olympian efforts to promote real ale Norwich should get a gold medal, maybe two. Not only does the Norwich and Norfolk branch organise one of the oldest and best beer festivals in the country but it is now working actively to help promote the Norwich City of Ale initiative promoting local pubs and brewers. Norwich is quite a city for beer and fine pubs. Not only does it have one pub which has been named the best in the country for selling real ale, but it has several others which could all be worthy contenders. This ale and hearty success is down to several factors, the hard work of the local branch, the passion of the city’s licensees
Competition To win a copy of Tim Hampson’s new book, 101 Beer Days Out, simply answer the following question: Which Brewery features on the Front Cover? Send your answer to norfolknips@yahoo.co.uk or 201 Kingswood Avenue, Taverham, Norwich NR8 6GJ. To arrive by Friday 17th August, please.
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This collective effort has all helped put Norwich and its pubs and beers on the map. For years beer travellers have beaten a path to Sheffield, Derby or even Burton upon Trent to drink a wide range of beers. Now beer travellers have added Norwich to the list of must visit ale destinations. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery then Norwich should be proud that other cities around the country are planning their own City of Ale celebrations – London’s starts in July – where Norwich lead others now follow. Tim Hampson Tim Hampson is the author of CAMRA’s 101 Beer Days Out, which is available from the CAMRA shop and all good book retailers, (www.camra.org.uk/shop) priced £12.99 (£10.99 for CAMRA members). Congratulations to David Worsencroft whose winning entry in the Humpty Dumpty competition was drawn out of the hat by Sir Ian Botham at Coltishall. Please note – we do not collect names and addresses of entrants for any purpose, other than to verify entries and know where to send the prize.
NORFOLK NIPS | West Norfolk Natter
Wetherspoons cometh on apace In my small corner of South West Norfolk, we are very close to two other counties. Cambridgeshire is about ten miles away and Suffolk about a mile and a half! So the news that new Wetherspoons pubs are opening in Thetford and Bury St Edmunds is of some significance to us. The Thetford one will be the Red Lion on the market square, closed for some time and infamously a Portuguese pub attacked after England’s failure at the Euro Championships. This will be a smaller Wetherspoons not along the “shop into night club” lines found in larger towns and cities The question which concerns me is what effect will there be on the other real ale venues in Thetford?
Most CAMRA members enjoy variety and will just travel individually to obtain it surely this leads to thousands of miles being travelled to get the range of beers you might find at the Fat Cat in one day! I was recently told that all most real ale drinkers want is their favourite beer well served in one pub all the time. If that is the case what was the point of the whole movement in the first place and why do I hear this at beer festivals, which should be deserted if it is true! On the whole Wetherspoons have widened our church and made many more aware of real ale in its infinite variety, so I hope for the best outcome, time will tell… Stig.
As a member of CAMRA I guess I should welcome a dynamic real ale outlet nearby but not at the cost of losing local venues due to the “Tesco” effect. I shall put this point to the management at the new pub when it opens in a few weeks. Let’s hope that the presence of a Wetherspoons just keeps down beer prices although the Albion does a pretty good job already. Bury is a different matter. The new venue is the wonderful Corn Exchange which used to host the excellent Bury beer festival! This will be a large pub catering for a wider audience, a bastion deep behind Greene King lines. I’d like to have been a fly on the wall at GK when the new use of the Corn Exchange was made public! Strangely enough I suspect one of the major victims may be other food outlets trying to compete with JD’s famously economic menu… Choice is paramount to me I confess to deep suspicion of the Locale doctrine which suggests that it is environmentally unsustainable to transport beers out of area.
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Norfolk’s True Heritage Pubs 14
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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 pub in North Norfolk and one in the seaside town of Sheringham. Nelson memorabilia. To the left of the bar there is a small snug which was originally a ground floor cellar. Along a passageway on the right is the Victory Barn, a large room converted from a barn in 1996 and popular with diners and available as a function room. Only available at the Lord
The exterior of the Lord Nelson, Burnham Thorpe by Mike Jackson
Lord Nelson, Burnham Thorpe The Lord Nelson dates from c.1650 and was renamed in honour of the great admiral Horatio Nelson who was born in the rectory in this village in 1758 and is said to have held a farewell party in an upstairs room before leaving in 1793 to take command of the Agamemnon. From the front door there is an uneven brick floor passage. Turn left and you find the splendid small original quarry tiled Nelson's Bar. This still retains one ancient settle with an iron arch-shaped rod holding it in place. Sadly, a second similar settle with ironrod was removed in 2002 when for the first time in the pubs history a bar counter and bar back were installed by carefully cutting a hole in a dividing 20
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wall. Prior to 2002 all drinks were supplied by table service. To the right of the passage is the Ward Room, now a dining room, which up to the retirement in 1997 of long standing licensee Les Winter, founder member of the Nelson Society, contained many items of
The new bar counter
The little altered public bar at the Lord Nelson, Burnham Thorpe
Nelson is Nelson’s Blood, a secret concoction of rum and spices. The building is Grade II listed. Lord Nelson, Walsingham Road, Burnham Thorpe PE31 8HN. It is open from 11.45 to 3; 6 to 11 Sun 12 to 10.30; in summer holidays the pub is open all day. Meals are served from 12 to 2.30 and 6 to 9. Phone number is 01328 738241. Website: www.nelsonslocal.co.uk. Real ales on sale are Greene King Abbot Ale and Woodfordes Wherry served direct from the cask.
Lobster, Sheringham The Lobster is situated yards from the sea front. A visit is recommended to see the little altered lounge. There appears to have been a refitting in the 1930s when two small rooms were combined and fielded panelling to two-thirds height added throughout. The bar counter, and most of the mirrored bar back with a set of drawers, looks like it may date from the 1930s as does the Tudor arch shaped wood
The wood panelled Lounge Bar at the Lobster, Sheringham
surround of the fireplace - the copper hood may be a 1960s addition. Look for the two rare till drawers in the bar back fitting. The public bar has been refitted in recent years but does retains a ‘Bar’ etched panel in the door and a parquet floor possibly of the 1930s. A third ‘Garden Room’ may well have been a pub room for some time but looks as though it has been extended back. Service to it is from a hatch in the corridor. At the rear is a separate pebble fronted building now called the Stables Fish & Oyster Bar and Restaurant.
The pub holds beer festivals at every bank holiday weekend and also organises The Sheringham Classic Car & Bike Show with the 200 cars closing the high street and sea front, and which raises money for Sheringham carnival. Lobster, 13 High Street, corner Wyndham Street, Sheringham NR26 8JP. It is open from 11 to 11 (12 Fri, Sat); Sun 12 to11. Meals are served from 12 to 3; 6 to 9; On Sat & Sun from 12 to 9. Phone number is 01263 822716. Website: www.thelobster.com. Real ales on sale are Adnams Bitter, Greene King Abbot Ale, Sharps Doom Bar, Woodfordes Wherry and a guest beer. It is ‘dog-friendly’ and children are welcome until 9pm. Text and photographs by Mick Slaughter of CAMRA’s Pub Heritage Group. 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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DUKE of WELLINGTON TRADITIONAL REAL ALE HOUSE Bank Holiday Beer Festival 2012
14 REAL ALES GRAVITY SERVED
Friday 24th August - Saturday 1st September
available all year round from our glass fronted tap room
70 Real Ales from across the nation plus ciders
6 MORE ALES
BBQ throughout the Beer Festival plus BBQ June, July and August every Friday and Saturday starting 6pm weather permitting
Try our new range of Belgian Bottled Beers!
ON HAND PUMP Wednesday Special (12 Noon – 11pm) FOUR guest ales, changing every week, just £2.00 per pint!
Enjoy your favourite takeaway with a pint of real ale and friendly company! Just order your food to be delivered to the pub or bring it in and we provide plates, knives, forks and environment. We even have the menu’s available - Indian, Chinese, Fish and Chips etc.
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
NORFOLK NIPS | West Norfolk Ramble
Boots & Beer - Oxborough On a less than sunny Easter Saturday we set off on a 5½ mile circular walk (source Ramblers booklet - West Norfolk Walkaway-3) starting at Oxborough. Parked on the ample green beside the newly re-opened Bedingfeld Arms, we intended to return with a thirst. Along county lanes, cross-field footpaths, open country and historic hedge lined tracks at about ¾ way around the route we arrived in Gooderstone with 15 mins. to spare before opening time and so entered Gooderstone church. There we read the sad story of a local man, Lord Aymer. In a bit of a brawl after his wedding ceremony he was killed and Lady Mary de St Paul was a maid, wife and widow all in one day in year 1343! But wait…. The church clock signalled midday and The Swan had opened. Inside this old cottage style pub is a traditional warm and welcoming bar / dining with bright pool / darts room behind and large back lawn. Here in deepest Breckland we found Lincolnshire beers, Bateman’s XB, Oldershaw and Newby Wyke ‘HMS Queen Elizabeth’ (6%), a wonderful Jubilee special hoppy blond with hint of fruit. Mmm, time for another of those please your majesty and note to self to plan a visit to Grantham. The Swan serves lunch only on Sundays so a 20 min walk took us back to Oxborough. OK, maybe I should have guessed the recently modernised and re-opened Bedingfeld Arms on an Easter Sat lunchtime beside National Trust Oxburgh Hall is destined to be busy – and it was so. We are glad to see any pub being well attended and we resolved to visit another time.
Instead we drove to the oft passed-by Foldgate Inn at Stradsett where we enjoyed a good lunch - meals all day weekends - and a choice of Greene King IPA, Speckled Hen and London Pride in a very nice, comfortable and popular traditional bar / dining room. A couple days later at the local CAMRA group meet / social we saw that no-one was scheduled to deliver Nips to Gooderstone Swan so we signed up and the following Saturday we again parked at Oxborough and opted for the 3 mile round walk (source Norfolk County Council countryside access) carrying a Nips delivery to the Swan at the halfway point. As an individual that likes to try any beers not previously experienced Norfolk’s Humpty Dumpty Broadland Surprise was enjoyed, with an option of Bateman’s XB. Should have been there yesterday we were told, for the popular Quiz night. The Swan holds weekly quiz or music nights. Back at the Bedingfeld Arms the Easter weekend rush was reduced and we found a table in the choice of nicely decorated dining rooms with eclectic furniture. On handpump were Adnams Broadside, Wells Bombardier and Wells Eagle IPA and our delivery of Nips was welcomed. A modern selection of lunchtime bar food was available, with a la carte in the evenings I am told. A sad end to this Nips delivery round was the continued closure of the Blue Bell at Stoke Ferry. Here’s wishing good fortune to the village project to re-open it. J&J
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West Norfolk
| NORFOLK NIPS
Happy Days Are Here Again Some readers may remember this article from the Lynn News, but I felt it deserves a wider audience. Look out for more from the Barman in the Lynn News every Tuesday – also available on the internet at www.lynnnews.co.uk/news/colu mnists/the-barman I read a column in a local newsletter recently called something like Mr Grumpy gets very Grumpy, which was very good, but a bit one sided, so I thought that I would put a few happy things in mine as well as grumpy things. Just so that you can tell the difference grumpy things are marked (G) and happy things (H). Last week I went to a local pub beer festival, which had a good selection of excellent beer (H), but when I went out the back I noticed that the toilets did not have men and women markings, so it was a bit random which door to choose (G). It was also interesting, wondering who would come in next (G or H, depending on who it was). Next evening we took some friends who were staying with us out west onto the Fen, and visited a pub that was new to me. When we walked in the locals at the bar mistook us for Jehovah’s Witnesses, and gave us a gentle ribbing (G) I can only assume that this was because we were not wearing baseball caps, had no visible 24
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tattoos and managed to string together a few words without swearing. Still, the landlady was pleasant, and the Elgood’s Cambridge bitter about as good as it gets (H). Next day we went down to London on the train with our friends to go to the Brentford v Bury game. Thanks to engineering works and the Boat Race crowds, (G), we were rather late reaching the Magpie and Crown in Brentford where we were to meet two of the bar wife’s nephews who were coming to the game. The pub was great, with a fantastic selection of beer and lots of Robert Rankin* memorabilia (H). However a bottle of water cost £2.20 (G). Quickly passing over the result of the game, we headed back home and due to the engineering ended up spending half an hour on Cambridge station. There is no waiting room, and the bar where you could once get a decent pint is now Marks and Spencer’s, so it meant standing there in the cold for 30 minutes (G) being entertained by the antics of a hen party (H). When we finally reached Lynn, the ladies went home to sort out supper (H), whilst Roger and I went for a quick pint in the Fenman, opposite the station. The atmosphere was jovial, the beer £2.00 a pint and the Elgood’s Golden Newt sensationally good (H).
So in the final analysis, the (H) s narrowly outnumber the (G) s which is how life should be. On the other hand this does not include the match result. *A local author bar.man@btinternet.com
Phil Buffam Unfortunately Phil Buffam has taken the decision to resign as Chair of West Norfolk CAMRA. This is I understand for personal reasons. I would like to say on behalf of myself and the rest of the active members, that Phil did a great job as Chair. He made good headway with recruitment for a branch which does not run its own beer festival by negotiating the presence of CAMRA stands at local independent events. He also, most often staffed these himself with the help of others. Phil was always a keen follower of beer events around the area and produced a lot of information on them which will be sorely missed. Personally I’ll miss his humour, and steadfast insistence on a beer mug at every venue. He is also the only CAMRA member I’ve ever written a poem about! As Phil is no longer able to attend our meetings, this sounds a bit like an obituary. But he’s out there somewhere at this very moment relishing a mug of something hoppy. Hope to see you around mate, Stig.
The Smallest Pub in Norwich • Open Monday - Saturday • Families welcome
A great real ale pub in the centre of the City Exceptionally good Thai Food lunchtimes and evenings
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The ONLY Thai Restaurant for Norwich in THE GOOD FOOD GUIDE!
www.vinethai.co.uk
Small but Perfectly formed Summer
Beer Fest 25th - 30th June 2012.
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NORFOLK NIPS | Beating Blood Cancer
Beefy gives it some Humpty! Eventually, we caught up with the great man. With his left knee hidden by a massive ice pack, he sat by the support vehicle chatting and signing autographs. He signed Lesley’s Pump Clip and a copy of Norfolk NIPS. But although Sir Ian is a cider man, and these days is more into wine (he has his own Wine Company) we could not resist the opportunity to ask him to try Give it some Humpty. He took a large sip, licked his lips and said “There’s nothing wrong with that!” Praise indeed!
Sir Ian Botham has vowed to carry on walking until Blood Cancer has been beaten. This year, his Great British Walk took in 10 venues, from Edinburgh to London. This included a pleasant “stroll” along the Bure Valley Railway on 19th April, finishing at the Girl Guide Centre in Coltishall. I was there to meet him, together with David “Pugs” Rackham and Lesley George from the Humpty Dumpty Brewery , which had a stall set up in the somewhat muddy field. They were dispensing their Commemorative Ale for this event – Give it some Humpty – in return for donations to the charity, Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research. We didn’t have long to wait. Sir Ian crossed the line in style. He had set a cracking pace, leaving most of his supporters some way behind. I was glad that I had ditched my original proposal to interview him as we walked! Business at the Humpty Dumpty Dumpty stall was just as brisk as thirsty walkers made a beeline for the beer after crossing the finish line.
If you wish to donate to this worthy cause, please go to beatingbloodcancers.org.uk/beefywalk2012.
The Real Ale Shop is a unique off-licence offering over 50 bottle conditioned ales from 15 Norfolk brewers. 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. The Real Ale Shop, Branthill Farm, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk, NR23 1SB.
Tel: 01328 710810 SUMMER 2012 | 27
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.
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For the 16th successive year, the Wig & Pen has been included in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide. We are very proud of this achievement.
D is for Drays Working for the Brewery. It was hard going, working from Dawn to Dusk. As a youngster, you were paired with an old hand, who knew the ropes. In time, you would be that old hand and a young’un would have the opportunity to learn from you. But at least you had a summer holiday – in a nice field somewhere. When you retired, if you were lucky, someone would give you a good home, otherwise – it was off to the Knacker’s Yard! We are, of course, talking about the magnificent horses that pulled the Brewery drays. In Norfolk they were usually either Shires, distinguished by their feathered, white, lower legs or Percherons, a clean legged horse (no feathering). They were looked after by the Brewery Draymen, who made the deliveries. They were not as well paid as the other workers in the Brewery, and worked longer hours. But the job did have compensations, free beer at the pubs that you delivered to. Fortunately, the horses knew the round and the way back to the Brewery!
Typically, there were 15 wooden barrels in each load, and they could weigh considerably more by the time that they were delivered if it was raining. Each dray had a skid, or ramp, which was pulled out from underneath. This was made of wood, reinforced with a metal strip and was bowed in the middle. The Barrels would be slid down the ramp, so that when the hit the coconut mat at the bottom, they stood upright. If, by chance, you rolled a barrel down the ramp, there was no way of stopping it! Drays were a common sight and made a fine marketing tool, advertising both the Brewery and it’s beers, as they made their rounds.
NORFOLK NIPS | Norfolk A - Z
However, many horses were commandeered during The Great War and few returned. Motor deliveries began in the 1920’s and for a while lorries and horse drawn drays worked in tandem. Today, you can still see a dray in Norfolk, thanks to Derek Spanton, whose family have worked with horses for over 100 years. In 1988, he bought his first Shire horse and later a dray, which he found in an old barn at Worstead. In 1994, he was approached by Ray Ashworth of Woodfordes to take the Dray over to the opening of The Billy Bluelight in Norwich. The rest is history. If you want to read more about Horses and Drays or the life of a drayman as recounted by Derek Spanton, then please see Norwich Pubs and Breweries Past and Present, the excellent book by Frances and Michael Holmes, who kindly gave permission for material to be used in this article.
Loading the drays, which were maintained by the Brewery Carpenters, was easy, because the barrels were put on from a platform the same height as the dray, but offloading was a different matter.
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The Rant
| NORFOLK NIPS
The Rant – Brought to you by Blogg’s Best Bitter What is the biggest football match in the world? The FIFA World Cup Final? Or perhaps the EUEFA Champions League Final? These are the answers you will get from fans today, but it used to be The FA Cup Final or the final of The Football Association Challenge Cup to give it the proper name. It’s the oldest competition of the sort in the world, with Wanderers beating The Royal Engineers 10 in front of 2,000 fans at the Kennington Oval in the first final in 1872. Fans still talk about the romance of the FA Cup, many
have their treasured memories, and giant killing feats are now the stuff of legends.
– 1993 it was The FA Cup. Nothing more - and certainly nothing less.
But in recent times, the gloss has worn off. The removal of unlimited replays until a tie was settled, replaced by a single replay with extra time and penalties; permission granted to Manchester United to be excused to play in a meaningless tournament in South America, etc, etc. have all taken their toll. But in my view, the biggest culprit has to be the Corporate Sponsorship Deals. It may have been inevitable, but from 1871
But all that changed in 1994 when it was sponsored by Littlewoods. But at least it was a British Company, synonymous with Football. The UK came to a halt at 5pm on a Saturday as millions tuned in to the radio or TV to check their Littlewoods Pools Coupons (other Coupons were available – Ed). But then came AXA, and E.ON after a four year break. You can see where this going, from 2011 – 2014 The FA Cup
Pub Survey 2012 will be known as The FA Cup with Budweiser. They had sponsored the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. It’s all part of the globalisation of fizzy alcoholic rice water in my view. But it is not just them. As the world spins in financial meltdown, the Financial Institutions no longer have the readies for mega sponsorship, it seems. Are the major Brewers are taking over? The main sponsor of the England Football Team is Carling; the main sponsors of the 2012 Euro Finals in Poland and the Ukraine are Carlsberg. At least in the Ukraine Carlsberg brew an 8% stout. Will that be the beer of choice at half time? Probably not. And it’s not just football, take the 2012 London Olympics. Official (and the only) Beer Supplier - Heineken! But the good news is that they are not just selling “lager”, there will be bitter and cider on offer. The bad news is that “British Bitter” is rebranded John Smiths Smooth and “Cider” is rebranded Strongbow. There are no alternatives available at any of the Olympic venues! Even at Lords, where the Archery is taking place. Marstons have the franchise there, but during the Olympics, all references to Marstons and it’s products including Pedigree and life size cut outs of Matthew Hoggard are to be removed.
But these are the LONDON Olympics! Where is London Pride? The Olympic Organisers should hang their heads in shame. They say that without major sponsorships, these events would not take place. Hang on, we are supposing to be showcasing to the world the best that London and the rest of the UK has to offer, surely a deal could have been struck to offer a “guest beer” at the venues? London Pride in London, Robinson’s Double Hop in Manchester, etc. Sadly, Breweries in the UK do not have sufficient financial clout to bid to become a sponsor for a major event. Is this where Independent Breweries should come together to form a syndicate to promote their beers at events? Could SIBA take the initiative? And of course, there is always CAMRA. CAMRA Branches must take the opportunity to work with Real Ale Pubs and Breweries in the areas where events are taking place to raise awareness of what delights they can expect to find outside the venues. “British Bitter” is NOT the best the UK has to offer. The Real Ale or Craft markets are flourishing throughout the world, many visitors will come and hope to sample some decent British ales and ciders, they may be disappointed with what they are being sold. Surely, CAMRA must be promoting the Great British Beer Festival to visitors to the UK for the Olympics? Probably. the best ticket in town!
Hi, and thanks for helping in last year's Pub Survey, which really put Norwich on the map nationally! Because it was fun - and because the data is actually quite useful, and not just for annoying other CAMRA branches! - we're doing it all again at the end of June, on Saturday 30th to be precise (although please keep that date quiet for a little while). I hope you'll all be able to help out again, and join in the evening party when we announce the results - this year we'll be at The Reindeer in Dereham Road from about 2pm until we get all the results in - last year I think it was about 9pm. If so, please could you get back to me as soon as possible, and let me know whether you'd like to do the same pubs as last year, or have a change and survey a different area. As last year, there will be prizes for the closest estimate of the number of unique beers (215 last year), so please also let me know your guess. Only one person can have each number, so get in quick or yours may be gone. If the actual number is equidistant from two guesses, e.g. actual number 205, two nearest guesses are 204 and 206, then the highest of the two, 206, will be the winner. Thanks in advance for your help! Cheers,
Ian
An Apology In the Spring edition, we stated that the telephone box at The Nelson’s Head in Horsey was a smokers’ facility. The landlord, John Uff, has asked me to point out that this wasn’t the case and could never be so, as it does not conform to current regulations. Sorry, John, for any inconvenience caused.
SUMMER 2012 | 31
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NORFOLK NIPS | Competition
35th Norwich Beer Festival Winning logo ular design really standing out from the others. Anthony Miles’ design of a dragon on a diamond finally won through and was declared the winning design, after careful consideration as to how the designs could be worked up to promote the festival on its usual range of merchandise of glasses and t-shirts.
As usual we had many fine entries from all ages, including several newcomers who pitted their designs against our competition regulars. With a large number of entries, the judging process was again lengthy and difficult with many logo designs having significant merit. After due deliberation, a final short list of two designs were selected, with one partic-
Mr Miles was quite shocked when he was told that he had won. After thinking of entering the competition for a few years, he finally put pixels onto screen and submitted a very topical design in the year of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, as well as it being the branch's 35th festival making it one of the longest running CAMRA Beer Festivals in the country. Although planning is at an early stage, as in previous years
Jazz Update Firstly, on Saturday 14th July there will be another session at the Recreation Centre, Bridewell Lane, Acle, and the band appearing this time will be the Yerba Buena Celebration Jazz Band. This is an eight piece 'Frisco Style' band playing many original Lu Watters arrangements, with the line-up featuring several band leaders in their own right, and this return appearance at Acle should prove to be another popular event. The venue has a good selection of real ales, including Adnams and Theakstons Bitter.Enquiries Brian Davis 01493 701880.
we aim to provide an exceptional range of quality real ales and ciders from not only Norfolk, but other outstanding breweries around the country, plus maybe a few anniversary specials! This year's beer festival runs from Monday 29th October to Saturday 3rd November at its usual venue of St Andrews & Blackfriars Hall's, Norwich. For further information about the festival, please see our web page at http://www.norwichcamra.org.uk/festival/festival.htm Contacts: Martin Ward, Festival Organiser Tel: 07833971894 e-mail: macros_the_black@ntlworld.com
Secondly, following on from their additional short tour of the area to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Weekend, the Water Rats Jazz Band will be embarking on their 48th annual week-long tour of the Norfolk Broads on Saturday 21st July, generously sponsored as always by Woodforde's Brewery. The final itinerary is not yet available, but should be in the local press in due course, or on the Water Rats web-site at www.water-rats.co.uk It is also understood that the Water Rats are again due to appear at the Reedham Lord Nelson's beer festival on August Bank Holiday Monday.
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CAMRA Calendar Norwich and North Norfolk Branch Saturday 16 Jun 2012 Grain Brewery visit – our Summer Outing Visit to Grain Brewery at Alburgh (2pm) then onwards to Harleston to visit a few pubs. Coach leaves John Lewis bus layby, All Saints Green, Norwich, at 1.15pm. To reserve a place, please contact Michael Phillips, tel 07851923554 or email socialsecretary@norwichcamra.org.uk. Tuesday 19 June 20:00 - 22:00 Branch Meeting (Windham Arms, Sheringham) Our monthly branch business meeting, this month at the Windham Arms, 16-17 Wyndham Street, Sheringham NR26 8BA. There is no coach to this meeting -- make your own way to the meeting. Cost of train/bus travel will be reimbursed on the evening. Friday 29 June 19:15 – 23:00 Campaign Coach Trip A Campaign Coach Trip, visiting pubs outside Norwich including the 2 at Geldeston. Tickets £5 for CAMRA members, £7 non-members. Booking is ESSENTIAL (as we are using a 24-seat vehicle), contact Michael Phillips, email socialsecretary@norwichcamra.org.uk, tel 07851 923 554. Saturday 30 Jun 2012 Norwich Beer and Pub Survey 2012 Norwich (map) The Norwich Beer and Pub Survey aims to visit all the pubs in Norwich on one day and record the beers on ale. If you would like to help,contact our Pubs Officer, Ian Stamp email: pubsofficer@norwichcamra.org.uk for more details. Friday 6 July 20:00 – 23:00 First Friday Five 46 Yarmouth Road, Thorpe St. Andrew (map) Visiting 5 pubs in Thorpe St. Andrew and Thorpe 34
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Hamlet, starting at the Rushcutters, 46 Yarmouth Road, then the Buck, Rivergarden, Town House Hotel and finishing at the Fat Cat & Canary. Saturday 7 July 19:30 – 23:00 Beer Festival Staff Summer Barbecue At the Beehive, Leopold Road, Norwich. Tuesday 17 July 20:00 – 22:00 Branch Meeting Our monthly business meeting, to be held at the Uncle Stuart Brewery, Wroxham Barns, Tunstead Road, Hoveton, Norfolk NR12 8QU Saturday 21 July 2012 Trip to Nottingham Visit to Nottingham for their Beer by Tram Trip. We are hoping to meet up with members of Nottingham branch and visit a number of pubs along the tram route. This event will be by return train between Norwich and Nottingham and we will endeavour to book Groupsave4 tickets where possible. Final details will follow but please could you confirm your interest/availability on this date to obtain an indication of interest for this event - please contact our Social Secretary, Michael Phillips on 07851923554 or e-mail to socialsecretary@norwichcamra.org.uk Friday 27 July 19:15 – 23:00 Campaign Coach Trip A Campaign Coach Trip, visiting pubs outside Norwich along the A11. Tickets £5 for CAMRA members, £7 non-members. Booking is ESSENTIAL (as we are using a 24-seat vehicle), contact Michael Phillips, email socialsecretary@norwichcamra.org.uk, tel 07851 923 554. Friday 3 Aug 2012 First Friday Five (TBA) Visiting 5 pubs in Norwich, route to be arranged. Wednesday 15th August 2012 Beeston Brewery Visit Details to be confirmed
NORFOLK NIPS | Dates for your diary Tuesday 21st August Branch Committee Meeting Our monthly business meeting to be held at County Hall, Norwich Friday 31st August Campaign Coach Trip Details to be confirmed, but is likely to be five county pubs in the Great Yarmouth/Gorleston area. Sunday 2nd September 2012 Bowls Match v Suffolk Branches Branches compete for The Rowly Bowly Cup. To be held at the Caxton Club, Beccles. Coach from the John Lewis layby, All Saints Green, Norwich at noon. To book a place, please contact Michael Philips Tuesday 18th September Branch Committee Meeting Our monthly business meeting to be held at The Humpty Dumpty Brewery, Reedham 8pm Apart from the AGM, you do not have to be a member to attend any of these events, but if you do and you enjoy it, you are more than welcome to join. Just come along! However, for coach trips, please contact Michael
Philips to book your seat on the coach and let us know where you want to be picked up. Pick up points: 6.47pm junction of Southwell Road/Grove Road, 6.55pm junction of Old Palace Road/ West End Street, 7.10pm Heartsease Roundabout (Harvey Lane side) 7.15pm Railway Station (Thorpe Road Bus Stops). For more details and updates, please check the full calendar on www.norwichcamra.org.uk NEW – Updates on the First Friday Fives can also be found at Firstfridayfives.blogspot.com All Branch Meetings start at 8pm.
West Norfolk Branch Branch meetings (All include social) 12th June West End, Feltwell 10th July Victory, Clenchwarton 28th July Trip by public transport around pubs South East of Norwich. To be finalised, contact Tim (07950-823270) nearer the date for details.
The Crown Inn at Catfield scoops award Following the Winter Ale Trail, organised by Branch members Peter and Susan Wells, a presentation was made to The Crown Inn at Catfield. The village pub was nominated by those who completed the task of visiting all the pubs as the Pub of the Trail. Licencees Pauline and Nando Sappia were clearly delighted to receive this accolade. The increase in footfall and sales was very welcome in the winter months and the pub would like to be involved next year. It will however, be under new management as Gail and Scott Whittleton are taking over soon (it is still being kept in the family, though). Peter and Susan Wells said that they were pleased with the way that the trail had run. The
response had been good and drinkers had ventured to pubs that they would not otherwise have visited. Those who attended the ceremony found some cracking ales awaiting them – including Humpty Dumpty’s Jubilee Mild and tasty nibbles made by Nando.
left to right Graham Freeman, landlady and landlord Pauline and Nando Sappia.
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Norwich Beer Festival S taff Summer BBQ When: 7.3 0pm
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e! n o l a t o n e r a u o Y rfolk Branch No The Norwich and f which: 2,523 members, o
276 are under 30 1,776 are male 715 are female “others�. 3 re a re e h t d n a -
Next issue of N orfolk Nips and Cask Force
Copy to editors by Monday Augu st 6th On the streets by: Friday Septe mber 14th
Beery dates for your diary
Beer Festivals 16-17 June 4th Gibberd Garden Beer Festival The Gibberd Garden, Marsh Lane, Old Harlow CM17 0NA Contact: chairman@heb-camra.org.uk www.heb-camra.org.uk/gg 22-24th June 3rd Norfolk Ale & Music Fest Jolly Sailors, Brancaster Staithe June 14-16 The 8th Braintree Real Ale Festival The Bocking Arts Theatre Bocking End, Braintree CM7 9AA North West Essex Branch www.braintreebeerfestival.co.uk 25th - 30th June Small but Perfectly Formed Beer Fest Vine Thai Cuisine, Norwich 28 June – 1 July The 16th Festival of Beer and Brewing The Museum of East Anglian Life, Stowmarket Ipswich and Suffolk Branch 6th -8th July South East Essex Cider and Perry Festival South East Essex Branch www.seecamra.org.uk 13th - 15th July 11th Annual North Norfolk Railway Beer Fest 100 brews including cider and perry, Sheringham Station 10th – 14th July Chelmsford Summer Beer Festival Chelmsford and Mid-Essex 38
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| NORFOLK NIPS Branch www.chelmsfordcamra.org.uk
Peterborough and District Branch www.real-ale.org.uk
19-21 July 2nd Rutland ‘Multum in Parvo’ Beer Festival Rutland County Museum Catmose Street, Oakham LE15 6HW Contact: www.rutlandcamra.org.uk
22nd -25th August Clacton-on-Sea Real Ale and Cider Festival Tendring Branch www.tendringcamra.org.uk
20th - 22nd July Crusaders Beer Festival Beckhithe, Little Melton 20th - 22nd July Lodge, North Tuddenham 2nd Summer Beer Festival Over 20 Ales and Ciders
24th - 27th August Hemsby Sports and Social Club annual Beer Festival Waters Lane, NR29 4NH 24th August - 1st Sept Duke of Wellington, Norwich Bank Holiday Beer Festival 70 Real Ales plus ciders, BBQ 4th - 8th September Chappel Beer Festival Essex Branches
26th – 28th July Bishop’s Stortford Beer Festival Herts and Essex Borders Branch www.heb-camra.org.uk
24-27th August West End, Feltwell
26th - 28th July Stuart House, Kings Lynn 15th Kings Lynn Beer Festival
25th - 27th August Mid Norfolk Railway Real al and Music Festival Dereham Station
10th - 12th August 3rd Ranworth Beer and Cider Fest 20 plus Real Ales and ciders Ranworth Village Hall, Broad Rd
7th - 9th September Wymondham Rugby Club 40th Anniversary Season Beer Fest 20 Local Ales and Ciders, BBQ and Hog Roast
14th August Bedingfeld arms, Oxborough 16th – 19th August Ipswich Beer Festival Ipswich and East Suffolk Branches www.ipswichcamra.org.uk 21st -25th August Peterborough Beer Festival The Embankment, Bishops Road,Peterborough PE1 1EF
Michaela and Rik welcome you to
The Kings Arms 22 Hall Rd Norwich NR1 3HQ
Tel: 01603 766361
Everchanging 13 Real Ales, Cider and Mild. Fruit Beer also served Eat yo ur takeaw ay in the p ub - plate s a nd cutler y provid ed!
BEER GARDEN • Popular Quiz Night last Wednesday of every month Texas hold-em poker played Thursdays and Sunday 8pm start
Se e Ci all o Food served: 11.30 - 2pm Monday -Fri 12-30- 3pm Sunday t f (H y ’s m No om at rw Aw e ch ich See www.kingsarmsnorwich.co.uk ay and es for details !)
SUMMER 2012 | 39
From the Archives |
NORFOLK NIPS
From the Archives Issue no. 103 June/July 1999 “CAMRA believes that consumer power is the way forward in the campaign to persuade pub chains to stock a wider range of real ales”. Talks between CAMRA, SIBA, and some of the biggest Pubco’s had revealed that retailers were keen to stock a wider range, but that they wanted to be sure that there was genuine customer demand for “little known cask beers from micros and smaller regional Brewers. The Office of Fair trading had ruled out statutory action to force pubcos to stock guest ales. Price was thought to be an issue as Pubco’s sought to drive down costs and went for bigger discounts on major brands. Iain Loe, CAMRA’s Research Manager felt that they had to be persuaded that there was added value in stocking a wider range and that was worth paying a premium for. But customer demand was recognised as the key to getting microbreweries into Pubco Estates. “CAMRA members have to educate publicans that there are hundreds of quality real ales being produced by small brewers all over the UK and that there is a demand for them”, said Mr Loe. A fake handpump had been spotted by an eagle eyed CAMRA member at the Letheringsett King’s Head. But fear not, dear reader was not a
handpump at all, but a trophy awarded to The King’s Head by The publican and BRITVIC for being the Family Pub of the Year. Elsewhere in this issue, there was an advert for The Railway at North Elmham, announcing their first Beef Festival over the August Bank Holiday and one for The Billy Bluelight advertising Goldlight Summer Ale (3.5%) Bluelight Bitter (3.7%) and Lakenham Special Bitter (4.7%) plus “all your regular Woodforde’s favourites”. The May First Friday Five was reported. It started at The Griffen, then took in The Red Lion, The Buck and The King’s Head, before ending up at The Mustard Pot. There were only a couple of Adnams beers on in this tied house, but there was “plenty of choice of seats… as it wasn’t very busy”.
CAMRA PUB OF THE YEAR 2011 (NORWICH AND NORFOLK BRANCH)
Only NORFOLK Cask Ales Homemade Locally-Sourced Food
** Try Our Greek Specials ** Function Room available - Licensed Bar • Catering up to 65 people, 35 seated • Ideal for meetings, parties and special occasions • Parking Available
01263 822609 or 01263 826003 15-17 Wyndham Street, Sheringham Norfolk NR26 8BA www.thewindhamarms.co.uk SUMMER 2012 | 41
Come and sample our ever changing draught real ales, as well as our wide range of bottled lager and cider. Try our delicious, locally sourced a la carte menu, good quality classic bar food and weekly specials.
Why not visit us on ‘Real Ales Tuesdays’ and pay just £2.60 a pint! ... and for something a bit different, join us on
Friday 15th June for a night of
Stand Up Comedy! Book now and wrap up warm on the night.
NORFOLK NIPS | West Norfolk Cambridge Tour
Springtime in Cambridge (A Timbo tour) On a not very spring like day, it was cool and grey but never mind, the masses assembled in the university city of Cambridge for a pub stroll (posh way of saying crawl!). Despite a disappointing turn out those who made it enjoyed some great pubs and some great real ale, here’s the story of our day, yay! After arriving by train we caught the Citi8 bus outside the station and headed for Histon, pint and breakfast at the Red Lion (as featured on TV!), a nice fry-up washed down with Mansion Mild and Purbeck Fossil Fuel, two of the eight ales on offer. Back into Cambridge (with some F1 style bus driving!) and the Maypole, tucked in next to a multi-story car park, a fine pub with eight real ales and good food, we tried Nethergate Flaming Dame Blonde and Buntingford Imperial Chocolate Wheat (6.8% ABV & four and a half quid a pint!). Also featured were beers from Blackfriars, Milton, Ridgeway and more. Around to Bridge Street and The Mitre, a busy Nicholson’s pub which caters for beer lovers as well as food fans, again a good choice of eight real ales from which we tried Vicious American Wheat IPA and Thornbridge Frank As Apollo (wonder where they got that name from?!), pleasant staff I have to say considering how hectic it was other ales from Adnams, St Austell, and Kirkstall. Next up was the Pickerel Inn which was okay but not brilliant, again very busy (I think there was events going on local colleges which may have caused the extra customers), 5 real ales here from which we had Charles Wells Bombardier (Hurah!!!), and Potbelly “A-Limp-Pig Gold” (geddit?!). As the Pickerel was snowed under food wise we stopped at Bridges Patisserie for a ciabatta and a coffee, very nice but a tad expensive, it is an expensive city. Most pints on the day were well over three Pounds. On to the tiny pub with a big heart, the Saint Radegund of
course, I think five ales on offer but the memory is slightly vague (can’t think why!), had Crouch Vale Golden Duck, bit of a cricket theme possibly. The Hopbine followed, Cambridge CAMRA’s “Most Improved Pub” winner, a bright red outside gives way to warm welcome inside and a choice of around eight ales, couple of cracking Oakham beers in Citra and Black Hole Porter, the Hopbine had some really interesting beers, a great pub. I was a demon on the pool table; Twister Tim won 3-1, Rocket Ronnie watch out!!! Where next? The Elm Tree, fine pub with games and books to enjoy, someone brought their huge Italian hunting dog in, woof! Beer, oh yes, we had Milestone Tuck’s Tipple and Fry’s Ruby Chough (a bird perhaps?) (A member of the crow family associated with Cornwall where Frys originate, Ed). One final stop, and the brilliant Live & Let Live, everyone knows this superb backstreet venue is my fave Cambridge pub, from the usual great choice we double Oakhamed again, with Midnight Mild and Tranquility IPA (both top notch). Home time, it was a great day out, good quality real ales and great pubs. Shame that some more people couldn’t make it, you missed out, but maybe this article will give you some ideas! Timbo
SUMMER 2012 | 43
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NORFOLK NIPS | West Norfolk Historical Feature
High Stakes I didn’t know Kings Lynn before 1980, so I am fascinated to learn what the town was like before the redevelopment of the 1960’s. In Michael Winton’s excellent book ‘Kings Lynn As It Was’ there is a picture of the High Street showing a decorative wrought iron arch, one of four that traversed the street supporting lights. Next to the arch was the Queen’s Head that was situated, as near as I can tell from the photograph, somewhere close to the present location of Primark. It was demolished, along with the arches in July 1960, so there will be plenty of people around who will remember the street as it was, and be able to put me right.
I wonder how many spectators went back along the High Street to the Queen’s Head and raised a glass to justice being done. It would be 60 years before the burning of women at the stake (which was considered a more dignified form of execution than hanging) was abolished. This was probably the last and maybe the only joint execution ever to take place in Tuesday Market Place.
None of them, however, will be able to remember the events of 1731, when a landlady called Ann Wright was running the Queen’s Head. She must have been doing well as she had a servant called Mary Taylor. One night Mary admitted to the premises a fellow named George Smith who strangled the landlady. Smith was caught and convicted of the robbery and murder of Anne Wright and was sentenced to death by hanging. The servant, Mary Taylor was also tried on the charge of ‘petty treason’ for her act of letting Smith into the pub. Her sentence for this seemingly less serious offence was to be burned alive at the stake. It would seem that Smith had an air of reckless bravado about him and Smith was a foolish young woman who was his lover. Many executions took place in a field outside the South Gates, and it would seem that this was the first hanging to take place in Tuesday Market Place for over 20 years. The burning was to take place at the same time, so it was clearly a high profile case that captured the imagination of the public. Indeed the accounts for the ghastly event include payment for 10 constables, presumably to control the crowd.
SUMMER 2012 | 45
NORFOLK NIPS
The East Anglian Cider of the year award for 2011 Peter Blake and his Hog and Vine cider won the competition that was held at the Norwich Beer Festival last October. The presentation was made in front of a full house at the Kings Arms in Fleggburgh on a Sunday afternoon in April and the celebration continued well into the evening with both local and Welsh cider flowing freely to the accompaniment of the excellent Vagaband.
man, the last three years have seen renovation and extension of the building and a complete renaissance of life at the pub. It is now resplendent in solid oak with flagstone floors and a wood burner for the winter, and a large garden next to the village church for the summer months. As well as cider, six hand pumps offer a range of beers with Sunday’s Swallowtail from Humpty Dumpty a personal favorite.
Blakey himself joined the band on tea-chest bass thus demonstrating how country roots of cider and music make for the perfect hoedown.
Under the helm of enthusiastic management the pub has been brought back from the brink and transformed into the thriving centre of the village. All involved in this success deserve hearty congratulations and the pub stands asa shining example of the pub as the hub of a local community.
A special mention also needs to be made of the part played by the Kings Arms in hosting the event. Since its rescue from oblivion by a local
Summertime is Here What’s to do on a summer’s evening in Norfolk? The quintessentially English thing to do is to take a trip to a beautiful local pub. Sunshine cannot be guaranteed but good beer in convivial surroundings most certainly can. And on a Wednesday evening at certain pubs the beer comes with more hops than normal, these being provided by Kemp’s Men of Norwich. Kemps are named after Will Kemp, colleague of Shakespear, fellow shareholder in the globe theatre , Europe’s most famous comic actor and Morris dancer extraordinaire. We are proud to continue his legacy with energetic and enthusiastic dancing and music, and by raising the beer glass in honour of all the other local heroes who have kept the tradition alive in the intervening years. We shall salute you all with beer and Morris dancing at the following pubs (7.45pm) this summer:
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June 20 Wreningham Bird in Hand June 27 Chedgrave White Horse July 4 Norwich Playhouse Bar July 11 on Riverside with Golden Star July 18 Neatishead White Horse July 25 Surlingham Coldham Hall August 1 Ludham Dog Inn August 8 Winterton Fishermans Return August 15 Coltishall Rising sun August 22 Old Buckenham Gamekeeper August 29 Adam and Eve September 5 Wig and Pen And thank you to our current sponsor, The mighty Beeston Brewery whose beers contain exquisite hops that complement our own!
Norris Winstone MBE (Win to his mates) was a stalwart of the Morris and a beer drinker of many year’s experience, R.I.P.
NORFOLK NIPS | Cider
One Stop for Traditional English Beverages The Wroxham Barns are home to a collection of traditional craft businesses including the production and sale of traditional English beverages. The Norfolk Cider Company is now the oldest established cider maker in Norfolk following the closure of Gaymers and Sons.The Kingfisher cider is made only from pure fresh Norfolk apples and the dry sweet and medium versions that come in at 7% can be purchased from the Apple Shop at Wroxham Barns. The draft ciders are also currently available in the Mundesley Ship,the Stalham Grebe and , in Norwich, the Kings Head Magdalen Street, the Ribs of Beef and the Trafford. The Norfolk Cider Company produces its cider on a farm near Attleborough but can also be seen pressing apples at agricultural shows throughout East Anglian the summer, using an original 19century mill and press, when the head cider maker Stephen Fisher can be seen kitted out in traditional smock and hat. This makes for excellent publicity and the company has won several awards. It is a past CAMRA runner up and must be congratulated for continuing a living traition, making Proper Cider. Do visit the Apple Shop with empty containers, where free samples will help you decide on your choice. You can also buy on-line (www.theApple-Shop.com). And whilst at the Barns, just opposite the Apple Shop, is Uncle Stuartʼs brewery, bar and beer emporium. he brewery is located in a converted cattle stall and the bar (open daily 10.30am to 4.30pm) serves draft Wroxham bitter and one other, along with a Kingfisher cider. Stuart Evansʼ output is mostly bottled. A range of eight
is normally available, with labels reflecting local scenes, but a special has been produced in individually numbered swing top bottles that is worthy of any collection. Natureʼs Best Extreme is a Belgian style ale that comes in at 11.5%. As well as at his own bar his beers have been seen at the Strumpshaw Huntsman and the Kings Head next door to Lingwood railway station. With summer on its way the Barns can provide a fun day out - for every member of the family!
Makers of a range of award-winning organic ciders, including our User Friendly, Original, Owld Norfolk (voted East Anglia’s best cider), Special Reserve and our Rum Cask. Also our Norfolk Perry (subject to availability)
Tel: 01379 687687 www.crones.co.uk Range of organic juices also available
SUMMER 2012 | 47
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
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 | CAMRA Pub Heritage Group
Britain’s Real Heritage Pubs How would you describe your ideal British pub? Your response might well feature words like “unspoilt”, “traditional” and “old”. Your pub might be an ancient country inn replete with beams, panelling and inglenook fireplaces. Or perhaps a huge Victorian city pub, all mirrors, mahogany and ornate tiling. Or even a basic back-street boozer of the kind now so hard to find. If you enjoy pubs with characterful historic interiors, then CAMRA's Pub Heritage Group can help you locate examples all over the country. The Group is dedicated to promoting and preserving pubs whose interiors are of historic or architectural importance. Their work concentrated initially on finding those pub interiors which are nationally precious, either because they are essentially intact from when built or, whilst altered, contain exceptional features or rooms. The number of such pubs is sadly small – less than 300. The Group has
gone on to record a second tier of interiors which are less intact or remarkable but still have significant historic or architectural merit – and are therefore also well worth a visit. The easiest way to get information about these “Real Heritage Pubs” (CAMRA's collective name for them) is to visit the website at www.heritagepubs.co.uk where you can search for the pubs on a county-by-county basis. CAMRA has also published books covering several parts of the country, including Scotland, Wales, Yorkshire and London. You may be able to buy these at the Festival products stall or, if not, direct from CAMRA (https://shop.camra.org.uk) Should you wish to contact Pub Heritage Group (perhaps to recommend a pub for inclusion as a Real Heritage Pub of just to seek further information) please e-mail info.pubheritage@camra.org.uk
SUMMER 2012 | 49
The Star Inn
School Road, Lessingham NR12 0DN
SUMMER BEER FESTIVAL • 17TH - 19TH AUGUST 25 Real Ales & 4 Ciders ment: in a rt te n E BBQ & Hog Roast Available £5 Wristband Admittance (NO REFUNDS GIVEN)
Ample parking available Camping available (Donations accepted for The Happisburgh Lifeboat Appeal)
Opening Times: Friday 17th: 6pm - Midnight Saturday 18th: 12pm - Midnight Sunday 19th: 12pm - 4pm
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Friday 17th: Evening: Buster James Band Saturday 18th: Afternoon: Lee Vasey Band Evening: Big Black Cadillac Sunday 19th: Afternoon: Footfaulters
Tel: 01692 580510 for more information
NORFOLK NIPS | Visit to Elgood’s Brewery
What a Lovely Day The 18th May was Elgood’s brewery media day and designed to launch a new website (www.elgoodsbrewery.co.uk). Various people were invited to the visitor centre to meet the family and staff. The brewery was established in 1795 and still remains a very family orientated enterprise. Amongst the guests were landladies and landlords from tied houses and the free trade and a number of CAMRA branches including Huntingdon, Peterborough, Norwich and Norfolk and West Norfolk. Also present was Roger Protz (editor of the Good Beer Guide) and beer writer, and also members of the press and radio. The day started with coffee, biscuits and a chat with Elgood's friendly family and staff. Brewery trips were available to those who wanted to
see the brewing process, but I and a few others took advantage of the beautiful and ever changing extensive gardens, including a walk round the maze. We of course finished back at the bar to try the beer and inspect the newly designed pump clips. The green room had a buffet lunch laid out, and a bottled beer bar where samples could be obtained. Not wishing to miss out on trying some new beers I made for this bar and first up was a new beer called Warrior, this was voted East Anglian Champion bottled beer. This beer did not disappoint at 5.5%, personally I would say it was the best that Elgood's have produced so far. Several other beers were sampled including Black Eagle 7.2% which is not available in the U.K. at present. Two special beers have been produced for the Diamond
Jubilee, one is only on sale at Marks & Spencers shops, and the other is Diamond Jubilee which is based on the Double Swan brew. This brew was released as “Lovely Jub-e-lee” for the Portuguese market. Many thanks to Elgood's for their wonderful hospitality and a great day out. I shall be returning for their Beer Festival 20th - 22nd September. See you there! Bruce Ward West Norfolk CAMRA
Club of the Year Do you know of a Club, which promotes Real Ale to it’s members? Perhaps you run one or a member? If so, please get in touch with your local Branch (see page 3 for details). Why? Because in addition to the National Pub of the Year, CAMRA also makes an award to the National Club of the Year.
to allow CAMRA members who are not Club members to gain admittance for judging. To qualify, Clubs do not have to offer a large number of ales, just a couple will do. Quality and commitment are the most important factors to consider. Any type of club, whether run by members, individuals or organisations, and whatever it’s affiliations can enter.
Clubs are very different to Pubs in law, as they cannot admit the General Public. You have to be a member, so the Club would have to be willing
As a general guideline, if your Club meets the Good Beer Guidelines, it is eligible for Club of the Year (COTY).
SUMMER 2012 | 51
A warm welcome from Rob and Fawnda to...
E GREYHOUND T• H THE STREET, TIBENHAM NR16 1PZ • An old Fashioned, traditional country pub. Serving a selection of Real Ales and Fine food. Children’s play area and large car park. OPENING TIMES Mon: 12 - 3pm and 6.30pm - midnight Tues: 6.30 - midnight. Weds and Thurs: 12 - 3pm and 6.30pm - midnight. Friday: 12 - 3pm and 6.00pm - midnight. Sat and Sun: 12 midday -12 midnight.
Carvery lunch Sunday afternoon 1pm - 3pm. Booking advisable 01379 677676.
Camping space & Electric hook ups for Caravans available
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
Victory Barn Function Room for Weddings and Parties
Dog Friendly For up and coming events see or website
Come & visit Nelson’s local.
the-greyhound tibenham.co.uk
Tel: 01379 677676
Walsingham Road, Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk PE31 8HN
smithrjsmith@btinternetcom
01328 738241
CAM RA NO CITY RWICH PUB YEAR OF THE 2011
O 12 N PEN OO MON N -11PM DA SUN Y TO DAY
UP TO TEN CASK ALES REGULARLY AVAILABLE BAR BILLIARDS • GOOD SELECTION OF MALTS HOT SNACKS AVAILABLE ALL DAY EVERYDAY ENCLOSED BEER GARDEN • SUNDAY ROASTS 12-3
Charity Treasure Hunt Sunday 15th July Cider and Sausage Festival 10th-12th August
LIVE MUSIC every Friday & Sunday QUIZ NIGHT last Monday of the Month TAPAS NIGHT first Thursday of the Month
SUMMER 2012 | 53
Telephone: 01379 898 445 Email: info@thebellrickinghall.co.uk www.thebellrickinghall.co.uk
The Bell Inn, The Street, Rickinghall, Norfolk IP22 1BN
Norwich’s oldest pub Norwich City of Ale Festival Best Pub Award 2011 Open 11am -11 pm Mon to Sat 12 noon - 10.30pm Sun Food served 12 noon - 7pm Mon to Sat 12 noon - 5pm Sundays Best Hous Public eA Nor w ward ic Bloom h in 2011
The Bell Inn is a family owned and run Country Hotel with ample Free Parking and Patio Garden. • 8 En-suited Bedrooms • The Chimes Restuarant seating up to 30 guests • Private Function Suite • Bespoke menus tailored to suit all functions • Warm & friendly atmosphere • Five Real Ales Whether you are visiting us for business or pleasure we will endeavour to ensure your stay with us will always exceed your expectations.
We are open all day every day We now serve food all day every day including breakfast
17 Bishopgate, Norwich NR3 1RZ 01603 667423
Sunday Lunch served all day 12:00 - 9:00
Heath House Norwich • Traditional Family Pub
BEER FESTIVAL 18th - 23rd JUNE 2012 • Ales from near and far • • Open from 12 noon every day • The Heath House, 99 Gertrude Rd, Norwich, Norfolk NR3 4SG Tel: 01603 406417 54
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Simon and Karen welcome you all to their traditional family pub.
FREE Great selection of real ales and wines, along with fine dining and excellent company. Find your favourite local at your favourite local!
Last Night of the Proms extravaganza & Beer Festival Thurs 6th- Mon 10th September
www.whitehorsechedgrave.co.uk
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Beer in the U.S
| NORFOLK NIPS
Beer In The U.S All Cold & Fizzy, Isn’t It?
Hand pumps at Mudville 9 I already knew that since Jimmy Carter repealed the laws about brewing there had been an explosion in “craft breweries” in the USA - the rise of the bottled American beers at our own Norwich Beer Festival gives evidence to this. However, I was unprepared for not only the growth in the number of breweries in New England but the depth of knowledge of the folks both serving and populating the bars. The range of beers brewed go from Vienna Reds (such as the inaccurately named Boston Lager) through a myriad of Belgium style beers to the strong (6% or more) American style IPA’s. Most bars stock a range of light and dark beers and many also stock a range of bottled beers – the Belgians having made huge inroads here. Oddly, British beers and American brewed British-style beers seem to be very much in the minority. 56
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From my observations craft beers in the USA are now talked about in bars in the same language as fine wines – some restaurants even do food and beer pairing events. Most bars have at least three or four fonts dispensing one or more local ales. These craft beers are all brewed to traditional recipes (no adjuncts being used) and, although filtered for kegging, are not pasteurised in any way. In the cellar a “g-mix” (a mixture of Co2 and nitrogen) is used to bring the beer to the fonts but as the beer is “real” the amount of gas needed is so small that the end result is close to drinking a pint of British real ale. As for being cold – all craft beers in the USA at least in New England) seem to be served at room temperature.
In some bars where they have an enthusiastic beer clientele the brewers have started to cask their beers and hand-pumps have sprouted up alongside the fonts! However, a word of warning here! As many bars are only used to using kegs, the cask beers not laid down so are often served cloudy. Also beware particularly the last few pints from the cask – you’ll probably be served a beer soup with bits and all! Enough of the generalities – what about the bars! To start with New York, the first bar we encountered was the “Oyster Bar” in the basement of Grand Central station. Like many bars, the menu and beer list are printed out daily with the beers state of origin being stated too! For those (like me) who always want to drink LocAle this was a revelation. Only six or so craft beers listed here but these included beers from Chelsea (a New York brewery we were to visit later) and beers from Sixpoint and Blue Point (both in New York State). The food was good too! Any visitor to NY can’t fail to come across the pubs of the Heartland Brewery - a sort of USA version of Wetherspoons. At first each bar brewed on the premises but as they have expanded the beers (including the house guests) are all now brewed “up state” at their own dedicated plant. Heartland even have a pub at the foot of the Empire State Building and are all worth a visit as each has differing Heartland “guest” ales alongside the normal range. Traditional English Inn
On the east side of Manhattan and not far from the USS Intrepid (a World War 11 aircraft carrier – worth a visit) is the tap of the Chelsea Brewery. Here you can sit at the bar with the serving tanks a few feet from you, the brewery behind a glass screen and gaze out over the East River. Naturally the full range of Chelsea beers are available including the dangerous Wheat Wine at 9.2%! Sadly, this was the only one of the six or so NY breweries (including the well respected Brooklyn Brewery) to have a tap. Other bars of note visited in NY, where the “Pony Bar”, “Rattle n Hum” the “Waterfront Ale House” (which is actually nowhere near a river!) and the “Ginger Man”. We also visited the famous “Blind Tiger” in Greenwich Village but were (on this occasion) un-impressed. In fact the “Peculiar Pub”
continued overleaf
Recently refurbished and re-open after three years Selection of three Real Ales all the time including ‘The Red Lion Ale’
Senior Citizen Menu served Mon-Fri: 12-2pm £4.95 Full menu served daily lunchtime & evening Monthly Quizzes Monthly Live Entertainment from local artists Opening hours Mon-Fri 11-3pm & 5-11pm, Fri & Sat 11-midnight & Sunday 12-10:30pm Food served Mon-Sat 12-2pm & 6:30-9pm Sun 12-8pm
Please call for more details 01842 829728
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The Gatehouse Pub 391 Dereham Road, Norwich NR5 8QJ Tel: 01603 620340
Earle Arms Heydon
Traditional Norfolk freehouse and restaurant
Three Real Ales always available FOUR REAL ALES Wednesday Irish Folk Music Friday & Saturday Live Music Sunday Celtic Folk Music
Large garden overlooking the River Wensum OPEN: Mon - Thurs 12-11 Fri & Sat 12-12 • Sunday 12-11
Good Food • Real Fires
01263 587376 Satnav: NR11 6AD (Just off B1149 Holt Norwich Rd)
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
THE BANNINGHAM CROWN FREE HOUSE Traditional Country Pub and Restaurant
5 Real Ales • Great Food Sheltered Patio and Gardens
96 Angel Rd, Norwich NR3 3HT
For information on Real Ales available on the bar NOW go to yourround.co.uk
email: ikwarren-angel@tiscali.co.uk
Colby Road, Banningham, Aylsham, NR11 7DY 01263 733534 www.banninghamcrown.co.uk
01603 427490
www.norwichinns.com 58
We are in it!
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NORFOLK NIPS | Beerin the U.S - continued further along the same street had a better beer selection and an even greater range of bottled beers than the “Tiger”. We were also advised not to miss “McSorley’s Ale House”. Only two beers (an ale and a porter) but both are served straight from the cask and in the true tradition of a 100 year old ale-house - that is it! No wines, lagers, coffees or soft drinks – just real ale! We thought Boston couldn’t possibly beat NY. Well maybe it didn’t but then it is a much smaller city. The day we arrived we were booked in to the Boston Beer Summit – just join the queue at 5pm, gain your plastic “third-of-a-pint” mug and drink away! Once you have paid to get in all the beers (50 or so breweries each with 3-4 ales) is free although they throw you out at 9! I can’t see that working over here. Two of the breweries in Boston (Harpoon and Sam Adams) both offer free tours daily which include beer samples! We chose to go out to Stony Brook to visit the Sam Adams brewery and it was well worth the effort. We were the only Brits of the 20 or so on our tour but all were keen beer drinkers so good conversation ensued in the sampling room afterwards. Of the bars in the city, we enjoyed the “Jacob Wirth”, the “Cheers” bar (of TV fame but worth battling past the tourists) the “Boston Beer Works” (one of a chain of brew pubs in the city – we visited both), the “Lower Depths” and “Rock Bottom, the latter being a brew pub although the brewing plant is out in the suburbs. Sadly, we could find no trace of the Boston-based Commonwealth Brewery on the internet or on the ground so can only conclude they have ceased trading. We also ventured across the Charles River to Cambridge where, amidst the glass and concrete of the MIT, we eventually found the tap of the Cambridge Brewing Company. The head brewer here is a lady and she (along with two other female brewers, one from Stone and the other from Viking) have got together and produced a hefty Belgian-style triple called Project Venus. The results were rather splendid
Sunset Bar and Cantina but, like many other bars, because of the strength it was only being sold in halves! Still it was still lunchtime... Also on this side of the water we took the Ttrain (the underground) out to Harvard to the “John Harvard’s Brew House” (where the housed beer was on cask and served by hand-pump) and south of the Charles River we took the tram out to into the boon docks to visit (amongst others) “The Squealing Pig”, the “Mission Bar and Grill” and (the other side of the road) the “Penguin Pizza Bar” – imagine Domino’s with 30 plus fonts (including a hand-pump) and over 1000 bottled beers! We also visited the much acclaimed “Sunset Bar & Cantina” at Brookline. It was here that while enthusing about the beers we were advised to visit the “original” bar of the same name in Allston – which of course we did. The place is a shrine to beer! Over 50 beers on draught some on had-pump and some 2000 bottled beers from around the world. Life doesn’t get better than this... So next time anyone says to me “beers in the USA? They’re all cold and fizzy aren’t they?” I will just smile and remember all the bars we visited in ten days in New England. Peter & Susan Wells NB; For addresses of the above bars (and more) go to www.beeradvocate.com
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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 60
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est Voted b & olk rf o N b pu A h CAMR Norwic r ale te in w 2012 trail
THE ANGEL INN FREEHOUSE
NORFOLK CAMRA PUB OF THE YEAR 2010!
The Street, Catfield, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk NR29 5AA
Open all day every day
Telephone: 01692 580128 Serving a good selection of local real ales. Also serving home cooked food.
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)
Small parties catered for.
Tel: 01953 717963 www.angel-larling.co.uk Heathlands Community Centre, Woodbastwick Road, Blofield Heath, Norwich, NR13 4QH Tel: 01603 714164 Mob: 07818466473 www.heathlandscommunitycentre.org.uk Registered Charity: 303909
Summer Fair and Beer Festival Thursday 19th - Sunday 22nd July • 12 Real Ales Fully licenced bar Light snacks available SESSION TIMES: THURSDAY: 7.30pm until late FRIDAY: 5pm until late, Family Evening from 6pm SATURDAY: 2pm until late SUNDAY: 12 noon until late.
ENTERTAINMENT:
Thursday Evening - Blofield Heath Jammers Friday Evening - The Rob Holmes Band on the field (Weather permitting) from 9pm Saturday Evening - Live Music with Egypt on the field (Weather permitting) from 9pm Sunday - Summer Fair & Beer Festival including large raffle, side shows, stalls, burger van, thai food, tea & cakes, Pimms tent, bouncy castle, childrens rides, Ice Creams, Classic cars & bikes, dance demo, bottle tombola, and much more. SUMMER 2012 | 61
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Specialists in niche publishing and design solutions for the on-trade. We are proud to publish this magazine on behalf of the Norfolk CAMRA branches.
Orchard House Media | 01733 211001 | info@orchardhousemedia.co.uk
City of Ale Update That’s it! The planning is over and at the time of writing the eagerly awaited 2nd City of Ale Festival is upon us. The numbers are impressive: 45 Pubs taking part 35 Breweries supplying beer 220 Beers on offer over 10 days 150 events taking place across the city We will have a full report in the Autumn edition but in the meantime here are some photos from the launch event.
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Freshly-cooked food A range of ales • Beer Garden Situated beside Rockland St Mary staithe, The New Inn is a traditional country pub offering a warm welcome in a relaxed and informal setting. Our food is freshly prepared using locally sourced ingredients and cooked to order. We have a large selection of ‘All-time favourites’, plus a variety of Chef’s Specials. Our Sunday Menu is very popular. Cask Marque accredited, we always have 3 or 4 real ales on offer.
Families, children, dogs and walking clubs all welcome.
Visit www.newinnrockland.co.uk or our page to keep up to date
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New Inn Hill, Rockland St Mary
Tel: 01508 538403
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 self-catering single or double rooms. 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!
er al t July m Sum Festiv nday 1s beers r Su an Bee June - Angli
t h 28t Eas s r Thu er 25 Ov
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Open all day every day food is served:-
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.
12-2 & 6-9 Tuesday to Sunday 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
Up to EIGHT ever changing Cask Ales Good covered smoking area 10 mins walk from railway station
Ales from ÂŁ2.00 a pint! Apollo Tavern | Northgate Street | Great Yarmouth | NR30 1BP
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NORFOLK NIPS | Chairman’s Letter
Norwich and Norfolk Branch Committee 2012 Following the recent Branch AGM, the new Branch Committee is as listed below. Graham Freeman announced that he would serve one more year as Chairman and then stand down. However, this would mean a new Chairman being appointed immediately before the 2013 CAMRA Members’ Weekend and AGM. It was agreed to defer the Branch AGM for three months to avoid changes to the Committee before this event. Chairman
Graham Freeman Vice-Chairman
Martin Ward Secretary
Warren Wordsworth Social Secretary
Michael Philips Treasurer
Pub Preservation Officer
Mike Spivey Committee
Dave Cleverley, Olivia Fernandez NIPS Editor
Mike Baldwin NIPS Distribution
Anthony Miles Beer Festival Organiser
Martin Ward Webmaster
Adrian Hennessey Since the AGM, Olivia (Oli) Fernandez has accepted the new post of Brewery Liaison Officers (BLO) Co-ordinator Contact details are on the Branch website.
Chris Thomas Membership
David Rackham Young Members Co-ordinator
David Rackham Press Officer
Emma Pinder Pubs Officer
Ian Stamp
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The London Tavern Free House
A popular pub with locals and holidaymakers alike, the Crown Inn is perched right on the clifftop overlooking the beautiful sandy beaches of Sheringham in Norfolk. Enjoy meals of snacks from our extensive and popular menu with a spectacular view of the seafront. Wednesdays and Saturdays - Live Local Band
August Bank Holiday Weekend Great real ales, fine wines and spirits. Food Served: Monday- Friday 11am - 5pm Saturdays 11am - 3pm Sundays 11am - 3pm
Attleborough’s only Good Beer Guide pub 2010, 2011 & 2012
Friday nights - Resident DJ plays your favourite club classics
Camra Discount Scheme & Local Ale
Monday nights - Pub Quiz with prizes, refreshments and free entry
Parking, Disabled facilities, Baby changing, Smokers sheltered garden, and Beer garden. Well behaved dogs on leads welcome.
Tel: 01263 823213 crownsheringham@hotmail.co.uk Lifeboat Plain, East Cliff Sheringham NR26 8BQ
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7th Beer Festival
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Church St, Attleborough Tel :01953 457415
Situated on the edge of Thetford Forest Four regularly changing Real Ales
THEMED FOOD NIGHTS
Children friendly beer garden
every Tuesday and Thursday
Live Music, Karaoke and Disco on monthly Call for further details Steak Night every Wednesday
SENIOR CITIZENS LUNCHES 2 courses for £7.50 available Thursday
36 Hill Street,Feltwell,Thetford,Norfolk,IP26 4AB | 01842 827200
Caister Lifeboat’s
Beer in the Boat Shed Friday 22 – Sunday 24 June Featuring around 30 Real Ales and Ciders Including Blackfriars, Humpty Dumpty, Panther, Wolf and Woodfordes
Music, Games and fun entertainment too! At Caister Lifeboat Shed Fri night: 6 to 10.30pm Sat: 12 noon to 11pm with The Scratch Band (pm) Sun: 12 noon til we’re dry (or 4pm) with Annie’s Jazz Friends
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ENTRY JUST £5 INCLUDES FIRST PINT • SOUVENIR PINT GLASS £2
All profits to Caister Volunteer Lifeboat Service
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.
August Bank Holiday Beer Festival Friday 24th - Tuesday 28th August
Norwich And Norfolk Pub Of The Year 2007
Music Friday Night with Murphys Lore Music Saturday Night with Tosh
Norfolk Pub Of The Year 2007
A dream of a pub situated in the village of Poringland on the B1332 road to Bungay.
13 years in the Good Beer Guide!
The main bus route from Norwich stops right outside.
44 The Street, Poringland, Norwich, Norfolk NR14 7JT
www.poringlandroyaloak.co.uk Tel: 01508 493734