BREWS, NEWS, BANDS & REVIEWS - ISSUE 33 - SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
READING A
Peterborough hardcore band are playing at this year’s Reading and Leeds festivals after being discovered by BBC Radio Cambridgeshire. Return To Rome, who formed in 2012, uploaded their latest single, I’m Sick, to the BBC Introducing Uploader – an online tool used by the
PETERBOROUGH
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corporation to find the country’s best new bands – in April. After the single was aired on BBC Introducing in Cambridgeshire, it was forwarded to BBC Radio 1, where a panel of DJs and other music industry professionals selected Return To Rome to play its two stages.The band will be on the
SOUTH LINCS
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RUTLAND
BBC Introducing stage at Reading on 28 August and at Leeds on 29 August. Closer to home, Return To Rome will be supporting Create To Inspire at The Met Lounge, Peterborough on 19 September. For further information on the band, visit www.returntorome.co.uk
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EAST NORTHANTS
Werrington Centre Staniland Way PE4 6NA Tel: 01733 327696
Peterborough CamRa Pub of the Year 2014 CamRa Gold award 2013 Live Satellite Sports n Live Entertainment Happy Hour Mon - Fri 5-7pm
Hodgson Centre, Hodgson Ave PE4 5EG Tel: 01733 578088
Peterborough CamRa Pub of the Year 2014 Runner Up Live Satellite Sports n Live Entertainment Free Pool - Tuesday nights Cash Quiz - Sunday from 8pm
the rhythm section Peterborough band Opaque are asking fans to help them become Liechtenstein’s favourite band. They have set up a crowd-funding page to raise £2,500 towards travel and accommodation costs for their visit to the principality – culminating in a gig with two local Liechtenstein bands Turpentine Moan and Snow Flake – in October, along with duplication costs for the first run of their new album, A Little Belief. Donor will receive a ‘perk’ dependent on the amount they give, from a digital download of the album to a gig at their home. For further information on the band, visit www.bandopaque.com and to make a donation, go to www.indiegogo.com/ projects/the-liechtenstein-fund
bands during its Bank Holiday Beer Festival and BBQ on 28-30 August. Bourne-based blues/rock band BRM play at 9pm on Friday 28 August, Pennyless at 9pm on 29 August and Bianca & the Topcats at 2pm on Sunday 30 August. Wakemanfest, a three-day music and comedy festival comes to The Gliderdrome, Boston on 30 October to 1 November. Headlined by Rick Wakeman, it features acts that the former Yes keyboardist has worked with over his more than 40-year career including the Cadbury Sisters, the Philharmonic Skiffle Orchestra, Strawbs/the Electric Strawbs and his own English Rock Orchestra. Comedy comes courtesy of Wakeman’s fellow Water Rat Kevin Orkian, while the Saturday evening features a performance of Sir Henry of Rawlinson’s End. For ticket information, visit www.wakemanfest.com
The Bluebell Inn Opaque. Folk trio Pennyless, who are currently writing and recording new material, appear at Wells Pirate Festival, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk on 5-6 September. A three-day festival, running between 4 and 6 September, it’s the annual fundraiser for Wells Maltings Trust which hopes to transform the town’s Maltings into an exciting new arts, heritage and community facility. For further information on the festival, visit www.wellspiratefestival.co.uk and for details about Pennyless, go to pennyless-music.co.uk A band that only play for charity are on the lookout for gigs. RetrospeKt, a ‘grandad band’ from Moulton, who play rock classics from the 1960s and 70s, and “are always looking out for places who need us”. For further information, visit http://on.fb.me/1HPIRex or email contactme@swalkon.co.uk The Blue Bell, Maxey will be hosting three
The Blue Bella Bistro opens on 7 September for breakfast and lunches, while an evening menu serving fresh pasta and steak dishes begins on 24 September. Open Monday-Friday, book your table now by calling 01733 571264 Roast dinners are served on Sundays, and our five real ales and three real ciders are always available.
6 The Green,Werrington Peterborough PE4 6RU
THE JOLLY BREWER Foundry Road, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 2PP
Lincolnshire Pub of the Year 2009 Peterborough & District CAMRA Pub of the Year 2009
Jolly Brewer Beer Festival 10th - 13th septemBer Featuring Baker’s Dozen Beers live music anD BBQ plus craFt kegs, ciDers anD perries music: psych-o-Bombs (10th),thomas Ford (11th), the lounge (12th)
01780 755141 - www.jollybrewer.com Don’t put your head in the sand – join us at...
THE OSTRICH Traditional Alehouse in the heart of the City
CAMRA Gold Award Winner 2013 - all real ales £3.10
Live Music Every Friday and Saturday Open All day every Day (from 12noon Sun-Thurs, 11am Fri,Sat) North St (just behind Westgate House), Peterborough PE1 2RA
Pub News
Contrary to rumours, the Heron at Stanground is not facing imminent closure. It had been suggested that following a planning application, the property might be demolished to make way for housing, but licensee Meri Hyde told R&B: “Business is very healthy – we’re secure here till at least the end of our current lease in 2019, and probably long after that.” The pub features regular live music, a weekly quiz and regular televised sporting events along with an extensive beer range. The Golden Lion at Stanground has closed again and is boarded up. An Italian bistro has opened in Werrington, within the Blue Bell pub. The ‘Blue Bella’ opens from 7 September for breakfasts and lunches, and from 24 September for evening meals The Straw Bear at Whittlesey has been closed since late February and is up for sale for £250K with www.everardcole.co.uk. Also
The Royal Oak, Uppingham
The Odd House, Oakham. for sale with the same agent is the leasehold for the former Roundhead pub in Bretton, Peterborough. The Goat at Frognall near Deeping St James has been acquired by Richard Barrett of the Nags Head in Bourne. The range of real ales will be retained (minimum of six) along with real ciders, and locally sourced home-cooked food will be on the menu. Rutland has experienced a welcome spate of reopenings lately: The former Little Chef on the A47 at Morcott has reopened as the Country Lounge Café Bar. Open for breakfast at 8am, the venue also offers lunches, afternoon teas and evening meals along with a licensed bar. Owner and former
local pub landlord and cabaret singer Alan Freeman was delighted at the turnout as more than 500 people attended the opening event. Along with son Bradley, Alan is introducing live entertainment and fortnightly open mic nights. One real ale is currently on offer, which could become more if demand permits. The Northwick Arms in Ketton reopened on 24 July after a long period of closure. Freehold owners Sandra and Kiernan Darnell have comprehensively refurbished the customer areas, and created a new cellar and kitchen. Initially open Thursday-Monday, they’re hoping to be serving food from late August alongside the two real ales (Grainstore and a national). Kiernan said: “Our very large 120-year-old stone function hall – ‘the Northwick Hall’ – has also Continued over
Pub News (Continued) had a makeover and is all set for hosting events for up to 100 people”. The Odd House in Oakham is open again. New licensee Ian Hemingway will be reintroducing food at this family-friendly pub in the near future. The Admiral Hornblower, also in Oakham has experienced a major refit with an outside bar area and extensive seating. Refurbishment work continues at Fox & Hounds at Exton. They’re currently looking to recruit and chef ahead of imminent reopening. The Royal Oak, Uppingham remains closed after shutting its doors in April. The world Nurdling championship was held at the Jackson Stops at Stretton in July. The traditional pub game involves throwing a penny into a hole in a bench, and has been performed at the pub for centuries. This year’s champion is Paul Cassapi. The Castle Inn at Castle Bytham has been named Grantham CAMRA’s Country Pub of the Year. Licensees
Charlotte Thurman and Eamonn Loughram are hoping to build on the success by converting disused outbuildings into B&B accommodation. Overall Pub of the Year was won by the Nobody Inn, North Street) for the second year running. The freehold of Billingborough’s last pub, The Fortescue Arms is for sale for £695k with matthewphillipssurveyors.co.uk The Black Horse at Grimsthorpe has closed. Villagers of Gedney Hill whose last pub, the Red Lion, closed more than two years ago, have launched a campaign to save it. A planning application has been submitted to turn it into a private dwelling, but more than 100 locals have registered their opposition to the plans. You can view application H07-0513-15 on the South Holland District Council website. The Eight Sail Brewery at Heckington, near Sleaford picked three awards at the Derby City Charter Beer Festival: Gold for Victorian Porter and Damson Porter (bottled), and Silver for Millwright Mild. A harvest Beer Festival takes place
Bridge Hotel, Sutton Bridge.
at the windmill site on 25-27 September, where a new new beer, Green Man, made with green hops straight from the bine, will be launched. Spalding pub owner and councillor, Peter Williams is urging locals to add their voice to the community safety survey, launched recently by the East Lincolnshire Community Safety Partnership. The former Station Gates pub reopened as a food and drink store in late July. Holbeach United’s first beer festival, held in early August, attracted over 3,000 visitors over three days. Grantham’s Chamelion Music Bar has closed after a financial demand from the PPL was upheld in the High Court. The Atrium Bar, also in the town has gone up for sale after the operational company was placed in administration. This year’s Grantham CAMRA beer festival held between 5-8 August marked 40 years since the branch was formed at the Angel & Royal in 1975. Boston-based Bulldog Hotel Group has secured £4.5m from the Business Growth Fund to support a £20m expansion plan which will see it rebranding as the Coaching Inn Group to reflect its strategy of acquiring coaching inns in market towns. Pubs No More The former Spade & Shovel at Eye has reopened as an Indian Restaurant. Demolition of the Bridge Hotel at Sutton Bridge, a famous local landmark, has commenced but may take until September. Chris Shilling
The Palmerston arms “Oundle Road’s Permanent Beer Festival”
Ukulele Night (Thursdays) Vinyl Night (Last Friday of the month) Quiz Night (Sundays) Live Music -check thepalmerstonarms for dates
O p e n i n g T i m e s : Monday - Thursday 15.00 - 00.00, Friday and Saturday 12.00 - 00.00, Sunday 12.00 - 23.00
82 OundLe ROad, PeTeRbOROugh Pe2 9Pa Tel: 01733 565865
The Woolpack S t a n g r o u n d 's B e s t K e p t S e c r e t - A 15 minute walk from the centre of town
n Open all day, every day from 12 noon (11.30am Saturday) n Up to four real ales available n Large riverside beer garden n Food served Tuesday to Sunday lunchtimes and Monday to Saturday evenings n Quiz on Sunday evenings (cash prizes)
Live Music
Traditional Irish Music Sessions – Every Sunday, 4-7pm North Street, Stanground, Peterborough PE2 8JF (01733) 753544
N atioNal treasure spotlighting Britain’s best boozers
The Fleece Inn The Cross Bretforton Evesham Worcsestershire WR11 7JE 01384 78293 www.thefleeceinn.co.uk Situated on the edge of the Cotswolds, this pub takes the expression ‘national treasure’ quite literally as, in 1977, it was bequeathed to the National Trust by then owner Lola Taplin. She had lived there for 77 years and her family had run it since the early 15 th century. Despite the passage of time and a substantial fire in 2004, the architecture and atmosphere of the building remains unchanged since the 17 th century. The small dimly lit individual rooms, oak panelled walls, antique settles, open fires and
pewter collection remain intact, as does the eclectic mix of antique curiosities, but this is far from being just a museum piece. The pub is always busy with diners and drinkers, regular live entertainment and various festivals including British Asparagus Festival Day in May (a local delicacy), a medieval festival in August and the Apple & Ale festival in October. There are weekly folk nights and even charity biker nights. The local branch of CAMRA
awarded it Pub of the Year in 2013. Diners enjoy a range of dishes made with local produce, but this is no gastro pub – expect to find another local delicacy, the faggot, alongside pork pies, sausage and mash and of course asparagus when in season. Five real ales from Ambridge, Brakspear, Wye Valley and Pigs Ear sit alongside home made Ark Cider and a couple more from Thatchers. The pub is open all day from 11am during summer months (closed 3pm-6pm in winter) and food is served from 12-2.30pm and 6.309pm (12-4pm and 6.30-8.30pm Sundays). Outdoors there’s a picnic area, orchard and a medieval barn which houses the live entertainment. The Fleece is described as the “quintessential English pub” and it’s hard to disagree. It’s been a popular destination for many years, so you may need to be patient at the bar, especially at weekends. Chris Shilling
RailRoving
gReat YaRmouth
It’s summer of course and there’s nothing like a day trip to the seaside. This major resort has no shortage of the usual attractions, chip shops and pubs, but when it comes to beer is Yarmouth really that Great? At around two and a half hours by train, with a change at Norwich, this is a little further than we’ve traditionally travelled for this feature, but with an advance adult fare of just £18 from Peterborough (or standard off peak day return for just £21.10), it seemed too good to miss. The summer timetable (to 5 September) also includes ‘real’ locohauled trains between Norwich and Yarmouth on
lines still untroubled by modernisation. Quiet countryside halts with pretty flower beds, signal cabins and gated crossings add to the enjoyment of the trip, and there’s always the opportunity to sample the wonders of the ‘City of Ale’ (Norwich) en route. That particular, however, delight must wait for another day. Pubwise, there’s nothing much open in Yarmouth before noon, so a leisurely 09.40 departure from Peterborough, arriving at 12.13 is an ideal option. On arrival we headed right out of the station, crossing the river by way of the iron former railway bridge which leads onto North Quay. Passing the
seafood restaurant (once the Nelson pub), a further 200 yards brought us to the St John’s Head – a renowned alehouse and long-time entrant in the Good Beer Guide. Open all day, the former Lacons brewery pub offers no food, but a friendly welcome, a resident real ale in the shape of Elgood’s Cambridge bitter and three guest beers plus Addlestones cider. Beers from Cottage and Charles Wells and Adnams were on offer – the Herbalist from the latter proving very drinkable. Barmaid, Pat explained that although Lacons’ original brewery was long gone (one of many bought out and closed by Whitbread), the name had
Paul Appleton
The Mariners Tavern. recently been revived by the guys at Blackfriars Brewery also in the town. Surprisingly we were unable to find any of the new brews on this trip (though it seems to be regularly available back home at the Five Bells in Withamon-the Hill). The St John’s head also boasts a remarkable collection of pump clips (over 50), all seasonal brews from Burton Bridge Brewery, which had been served at the pub in previous months and years. Turning left out of the pub back onto North Quay then a left along Stonecutters Way brings you to Howard St South, home of the Mariners next to the long-closed Oakwoods. The regulars at this award-winning pub were keen to tell us that it’s the best in town, and with ten real ales and six ciders served
The Oliver Twist. in outsize glasses, it’s easy to see their point. Only one beer (Abbot) is on permanently, but we were offered an exciting range of beers from breweries as diverse as Lees, Oakham, Newby Wyke, Titanic, Arbor and Brains, all expertly kept by cellarman, Stephen Ward. The Gem’s Stout from Great Newsome was particularly impressive. Prices range from just £2.50 to £3.20 and sample pots in front of each pump give a clue to the colour of each beer. The pub itself has two separate drinking areas – a corridor leads to a wood-panelled lounge with breweriana on the walls, the main bar has a butcher’s block table in one corner where table skittles are played. Live music features on Sundays. With so many bars and pubs to choose from, the less discerning drinker can easily construct an extensive pub-crawl, but our mission was to sniff out the best ales, so many places had to be by-passed. The Oliver twist had been recommended so, after a stroll through the busy market place, we found it tucked away on North Market Rd. Along with beers from Buffy’s and Woodforde’s, Great Yarmouth’s other
brewery – Tombstone – was well represented here with three examples including a very tasty Gunslinger. The banter at the bar was very lively here, but we chose to enjoy the sunshine in the extensive yard out back. Close by is the local Wetherspoon – the troll Cart. Situated right in the town centre close to shops and the bus station this was unsurprisingly very busy with drinkers and diners. As with most of its sister pubs, it’s open from 8am so if the bus is your chosen means of transport this would be an obvious starting point. While the beer range looked impressive, and the Blond Witch from Moorhouses brewery was fine, the quality of two of the beers we tried (Titanic White Star and Green Jack Rising Sun) was decidedly below par, so we moved on. Another recommendation was the Red Herring on Havelock Street, which turned out to be quite appropriate, as with the time ticking just past 3pm, we were advised by the barman that he was closing and couldn’t serve us. Despite explaining that we were hoping to help promote his business though our article, he stood firm,
Kings Arms. preferring to chat to the group of darts and pool players who, by the look of their glasses still had a fair bit of ‘drinking up’ time remaining. Four real ales are usually available, including two from Lowestoft’s Green Jack brewery. The pub it seems is open all day at weekends. We were keen to try the Barking Smack on Marine Parade as this presents the unusual but highly agreeable combination of a real alehouse on the sea front. Three ales from Norfolk’s Grain Brewery plus one from Tombstone and a cider from Kingfisher Farm were available to us, which were enjoyed in the spacious outdoor drinking area overlooking the beach. This visit was soured somewhat by the disinterested barman’s refusal to replace a substandard Grain beer. It’s a bit of a trek to our final destination pub – the recently reinvented Cask & Craft on Northgate Street, but on a gloriously sunny day we decided this was a good opportunity to move on by way of the beach to the north side of town. We
looked in on the Lion (Adnams) and the Kings Arms (Doombar, Wherry and Broadside) en route, and arrived at our final ‘must try’ venue with some anticipation. Until recently the Apollo, the Cask & Craft offers five real ales, all from local breweries (Wolf, Adnams, Humpty Dumpty and Woodforde’s), supplemented with up to 20 craft keg beers, so there’s no shortage of choice. As always the Little Sharpie from Humpty Dumpty did not disappoint, and the ambience of the pub was pleasing though the outdoor
drinking area is enclosed by an austere looking iron partition akin to a bus shelter. It’s about half a mile back to the station from here, and there are of course several watering holes along the way. Despite it’s name the Lacon Arms on Aldeson Road had no Lacons (or any other real beer for that matter), the best of the bunch probably being the Enterprise-owned White Swan – an attractive riverside pub within view of the station. Chris Shilling
9 10
11
8
7 3 1 4 2
Key 1. St John’s Head 2. The Mariner’s Tavern 3. The Oliver Twist 4. The Troll Cart 5. The Red Herring 6. The Barking Smack 7. The Lion 8. The Kings Arms 9. Cask & Craft 10. Lacon Arms 11. White Swan
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From the libations offered to the gods by the ancient Egyptians to the toasts raised at today’s civic functions, alcohol has always had a place in honouring the great and the good. With the growth of real ale and microbreweries, we’ve seen an increase in ‘tribute brews’ such as Darwin’s Origin from the Salopian Brewery, which is based in the naturalist’s Shrewsbury hometown, and Craig Mack Ale from Castor Ales in tribute to former striker Craig Mackail-Smith. But for a personality as large as Sir Winston Churchill, it is only fitting that he was honoured by one of the world’s largest brewers, Carlsberg. In October 1950, Churchill paid a visit to Copenhagen, receiving the largest standing ovation in Denmark’s history. Having a tradition of marking a major event with a commemorative beer, Carlsberg brewed Special Brew, which was tailored to Churchill’s love of Cognac, coming in at 9% alcohol by volume with a hint of brandy. Unlike various one-offs to commemorate events such as the coronation of George VI
and Elizabeth II’s visit to the brewery in 1957, Special Brew is on general sale to this day.
In May 1951, after receiving two crates of the beer, Churchill wrote a letter to Halfdan Hendriksen, asking the Carlsberg chief executive to pass on his gratitude to all involved it the beer’s creation. Launched throughout Denmark at Christmas 1952, Special Brew went on sale in Britain 10 years later. It is now brewed solely at Carlsberg’s Northampton brewery. Despite its august beginnings and the fact that around 70% of its drinkers are professional people who drink in moderation, Special Brew’s high content has made it synonymous with alcoholics and street drinkers. There is an argument that it is a cheap way of getting drunk. However with a well-known supermarket pricing Special Brew at £4.15 per litre, it’s around the same price as a
much stronger bottle of wine. Before writing this piece, I too was sniffy about the drink, joking with friends about the sacrifice I was making to my craft by trying a can. However, one Friday evening after dinner, I opened a 500ml can and poured half of it into a glass. With Special Brew containing syrup and carbon dioxide, on top of the traditional beer making ingredients of water, malted barley, hops and yeast, I expected it to be gassy and sickly sweet but was pleasantly surprised by a beer that is well balanced. I would certainly put it up there with some of the stronger Belgian beers. A newspaper advert from 1970 suggested that readers should have some Carlsberg Pilsner “chilled for breakfast”, while a bottle of Special Brew “at any time of day really sets you up.” Forty-five years on, alcohol is seen in a different light and Carlsberg has moved with the times, signing up to several of the government’s Responsibility Deal pledges to improve public health. One of these is that no beer should contain more than four units of alcohol (a 500ml can contains 4.5). Carlsberg will make a decision on how to achieve this later in the year but I for one hope that it decides on smaller cans, as ‘watering down’ the beer, as some commentators have suggested, smacks of the type of control that Sir Winston railed against throughout his life.
An all day café and bar on the A47 at Morcott OPENING HOURS: 08.00am-10.00pm Mon-Fri 10.00am-10.00pm Sat/Sun
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Do You REmEmbER
Left: A typical Saturday night at 5th Avenue’s VIP suite in the 1990s. Right: DJs Pete Elderkin, Kevin Robinso and Andy Sutton at the Sugar Club in 1997 with their turntables set up precariously on an old piano. Original Sugar Club DJ Kevin Robinson certainly does. I was asked to be involved with the Sugar Club from the beginning in August 1991. In retrospect it wasn’t a bad period for the Peterborough indie kid. Hard to believe now perhaps but Ride, Teenage Fanclub, the Levellers, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, Chapterhouse, Pop Will Eat Itself, the Wedding Present, the Mock Turtles and even Public Enemy all played in the city during the first two years of the decade. I’d worked for Steve Jason on a number of things since I was at school, and I knew Pete Elderkin from his stupendous Laughing Gravy nights at The Shamrock and The Posh Club. We secured the VIP suite above the 5th Avenue nightclub in Laxton Square, and the queue outside
would regularly stretch down to the market. It was a colourful spectacle of brightly dyed hair, spray painted Dr Martens, and short sleeve band Ts worn over long sleeve band Ts. The people at 5th Avenue were quite taken aback I think. We were like the naughty kids banished to the attic; the outcasts that Carter or Pulp would sing about; raising a middle finger to the more mainstream goings-on elsewhere in the building. Smells Like Teen Spirit was the Sugar Club’s first unifying anthem. There was a level of hysteria about Nirvana, which rapidly gathered momentum over the weeks following our opening. We played from two turntables which were placed precariously on an old piano and all hell would break loose
every time it was played. We were instructed to not play it when the club was rammed, such was the intense and frequently violent reaction to it. People would mount the window ledges and speaker stacks, and there would be this frenzied mass
R thE FIRSt tImE?
on of flannel shirts, lopsided fringes and flailing limbs all pogoing in unison. To this day I’ve never known a record like it. Nowhere else could have equalled us in terms of musical scope. It was an anything-goes music policy. If you rolled in at
1am, you were just as likely to hear a Carpenters song as you were Ned’s Atomic Dustbin or the theme from Wonder Woman. People would be moshing to Anthrax or Fugazi one minute and Josh Wink the next. It’s this which made us unique for the time. I was surprised to stumble across the Sugar Club Survivor’s Group on Facebook, and even more surprised that we pack The Met Lounge with more than 200 people each time we do one of these reunion type events. It’s shamelessly nostalgic really. It’s about reliving those glory years. You’ll hear most of the rousing anthems that would come to define the 90s, mixed with some odder things. We get a lot of younger people as well who probably weren’t even
born when these records came out. It’s incredible that the Sugar Club is still a pillar of the city’s indie club scene. Next year it will be 25 years since we started all of this. All mis-shapes, mistakes and misfits should make their way to The Met Lounge on Friday 28 August from 9pm and expect to hear a selection of the club’s floorfillers from 1991 to 1999. The Sugar Club’s original cast of resident DJs will be guiding you through grunge, hip-hop, britpop, shoegaze, baggy, grebo, riot grrrl, trip-hop, big beat, goth, rave, and almost any other subgenre from the era you care to name. Entry with a flyer will cost you no more than it did in the 1990s, plus the venue will be selling 90p shots for 90 minutes from 9-10.30pm.
Pub Scraw
This year’s Peterborough Arts Festival is on 5-6 September. Now it would be churlish of me to point out that the Festival once lasted three weeks and was spread across the city, not just consisting of some buskers in Cathedral Square, but how about a Fringe Festival? Peterborough Poets United is at the PVSC building, Lincoln Road on Tuesday 1 September, and Pint of Poetry will be on the Wednesday the week after (at Charters), how about adding some sparkle to that? Stamford Georgian Festival, held on 24-27 September, includes a talk on Friday night by the historian and TV presenter Dr Lucy Worsely. Tickets for this are £20 (£18 concessions). On the Saturday afternoon at 2pm in Stamford Library, the town’s former Poet Laureate Teresa McLean will be reading a selection of poetry of the period. This is free. Then on Sunday afternoon Dr Jane Mackay gives one of her popular talks, this time on Pride and Prejudice, with tea and cake beforehand. This is in the Arts Centre Theatre, starts at 3pm and tickets are £8. To book tickets at Stamford Arts Centre, or ring 01780 763203 or go to www.stamfordgeorgian festival.co.uk King’s Lynn Poetry Festival will be held over the weekend of 25-27 September. Guests include Kevin Crossley-Holland, Martha Kapos, Jennifer Militello (from
America), Les Murray (from Australia) Anthony Thwaite and Kit Wright. For full details go to www.lynnlitfests.com There’s an interesting exhibition on until Wednesday 24 September at Peterborough Museum of the work of Jason Duckmanton. One for Sorrow consists of work inspired by the darker side of nursery rhymes. Jason’s work will be known from his contribution to Cowgate Underpass and from live spray-painting festivals. This is a chance to see another side of his work. Historian Juliet Barker will be giving a talk about the Peasants Revolt of 1381 on Saturday 19 September at the Central Library, the subject of her latest book England, Arise. Tickets for the talk, which starts at 2pm, are £5 (£4 cons) from the library or Waterstones, Bridge Street. Dr Jane Mackay returns this autumn with her series of lunchtime literary talks. On Tuesday 6 October the subject is Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, followed by the film Apocalypse Now. Then on Tuesday 3 November it is War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, followed by the film Last Station. The talks start at 12.30pm and the films start at 2.30pm. Talks are £6.50, the films are £5.50. Again book these through the Stamford Arts Centre, details above. Tim Brooke-Taylor will be talking with Chris Serle about his life and career on Saturday 10 October at the
Tim Brooke-Taylor. Key Theatre, Peterborough. Obviously best known as part of The Goodies, Tim BrookeTaylor has done much more during his life. Tickets are £20 and can be booked at the Key Theatre, on the Embankment, ring 01733 207239 or go to www.vivacity-peterborough.com Stephen Cooper will be talking about his book After the Final Whistle (about the first major international Rugby tournament, held in the aftermath of the First World War) on Friday 25 September at St Peter’s Church, Oundle. Tickets for the talk, that starts at 7.45pm are £8 (£6 concessions) – but with an extra £1 off if bought before 18 September, are available from the Oundle Box Office, 4 New Street, Oundle, online at www.oundlefestival.org.uk or ring 01832 274734. Cardinal Cox is Poet-inResidence (PIR) of The Dracula Society. His book, My Words Were Now Written, collects the work he produced as PIR of St John the Baptist Peterborough. Priced £5, the book is available from the church’s gift shop (open Wednesday and Saturday mornings).
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O n t h e ( Ti m e ) l a s h A visit to the pubs seen, however briefly, in Doctor Who.
Butlers Wharf Chop House 36e Shad Thames London SE1 2YE 020 7403 3403 chophouse-restaurant.co.uk When this column was launched two years ago, I hoped to visit one pub for each television Doctor. With The Centre Page (Issue 26) reappearing in the Peter Capaldi episode Death in Heaven, all I needed to find was a pub that had appeared in a Peter Davison episode. This was no easy task, as many of his stories were studio bound, while two were filmed abroad. In the end I had to cheat a bit and while there wasn’t a pub in shot in
the 1984 story Resurrection of the Daleks, there is somewhere to have a drink at now. At the time of filming, Butler’s Wharf was a near derelict warehouse complex, providing a suitably grimy backdrop for one of the better Doctor Who stories of the 1980s. Move forward 31 years and its been converted into luxury flats, and units for chain restaurants, estate agencies and souvenir shops. One outlet that’s a little different is Butler’s Wharf Chop House, a contemporary restaurant “devoted to really good British food.” If you don’t fancy dining, it has a bar serving a range of draft and bottled beers.
According to the Chop House’s website, it serves real ale and with Truman’s Pale on the menu (at a reasonable, for the area, at £4.25 a pint), it looked promising. Sadly, it turned out to be craft keg. There’s an ongoing debate of the pros and cons of craft beer but I’m not a fan. To overcome the effects of the pasteurisation process on the beer’s taste, it’s been overdosed with hops. I like hoppy beers and the cask beers from the revived Truman’s brewery but this isn’t for me. The venue itself seemed nice enough though, although being given my change in a little paper wallet was a new one on me.
Opposite: Butlers Wharf Chop House. This page, top: The sculpture of dray horse Jacob and The Anchor Tap are two remnants of the area’s brewing past. Below: Butler’s Wharf and The Anchor Brewhouse as seen in Doctor Who.
The Anchor Tap 28 Horselydown Lane London SE1 2LN 020 7403 4637 In-between Butler’s Wharf and Tower Bridge (and appearing in Resurrection of the Daleks and 1964’s The Dalek Invasion of Earth) is the former Anchor Brewhouse. It was established here by John Courage in 1787 and continued to brew until the early 1980s when Courage moved its operations to Reading. Like the warehouses next door, it’s been converted into
luxury apartments but there are echoes of its past in the streets that once made up the Courage estate behind it. Shirley Pace’s bronze sculpture of a dray horse – named Jacob – is the centrepiece of the Circle apartment complex, while The Anchor Tap, which was originally opened for the brewery’s employees, is now a Samuel Smith’s house. A traditional back street local, with tiled floors and dark wood walls, it has a separate bar, lounge, snug, games room and upstairs dining area/bar (which is said to be haunted by a ghost
called Charlie). There’s a piano in the lounge but I’m guessing it doesn’t get much use thanks to Young Mr Humphrey’s decision to ‘save money’ by refusing to buy PRS licenses for his pubs. It offers the usual selection of Smith’s beers including bottled ales but at £5.50 a bottle, these are a little steep, even at London prices. Luckily, the draught beers are the usual good value. A pint of cask Old Brewery Bitter is a very reasonable £2.90, which is made even better by the fact the bar staff know how to handle this difficult to serve beer.
LANDLORD / LANDLADY REQUIRED
CAMRA AWARD WINNING CITY CENTRE PUB with 2 Bed Flat and Beer Garden Established Reputation for Real Ales and Live Music Completely Free of Tie Apply for details by email to: graham@baxterandkingconstruction.co.uk
The
Blue Bell
at Maxey Traditional Free House
BANk HOLIDAY BEER FEstIvAL Fri August 28 - Sun August 30 (12-12 each day)
25 Real Ales and a selection of Ciders Large Marquee Live Music from: BRM (Friday, 9pm), Pennyless (Saturday, 9pm) and Bianca & the Topcats (Sunday, 2pm)
Groovy Foods Barbecue Each Day CAMRA Gold Award Winners 2010, 2012 & 2014 CAMRA Pub of the Year 2006 • Cambs Pub of the Year 2007
LISTINGS
25 August Peterborough Morris (6pm), Open Mic Night (7.30pm), Peterborough Beer Festival 26 August Acoustic Sessions (8pm), Railway, Ramsey Grumpy Old Men, (8pm & 9.30pm), Peterborough Beer Festival Matt Howard, Charters, Peterborough
27 August Open Mic Night (9pm), Cherry Tree, Woodston Open Mic, Country Lounge, Morcott The Stringlers (7.30pm), The Expletives (9.15pm) Peterborough Beer Festival Swagger, Grainstore, Oakham 28 August Overspill, Ostrich, Peterborough Cutting Loose, Masons Arms, Bourne Contenders, Golden Fleece, Stamford Open Acoustic Sessions in the Whisky Bar (8.30pm), Boat, Whittlesey CJ Hatt, Heron, Stanground BRM (9pm), Blue Bell, Maxey Bianca & The Topcats, North Street Bar, Peterborough Fun Friday (7pm), Bluebell, Helpston Palmerston Ukulele Band (4pm), Dizzy Miss Lizzies (7.30pm), The Activators (9.15pm), Peterborough Beer Festival Divinty, Grainstore, Oakham Souled Out, Cock Inn, Werrington Leon, London Inn, Stamford The Mistreated, Swiss Cottage, Woodston Zeb Rootz, Crown, Peterborough Lexie Green, Charters, Peterborough The Overspill, Ostrich, Peterborough
29 August Hillbilly Night with the Ouse Valley Singles Club, Angel, Yarwell Antoine, Masons Arms, Bourne Souled Out, Golden Fleece, Stamford The Tinderbox, Green Man, Stamford Pennyless (9pm), Blue Bell, Maxey The 707, North Street Bar, Peterborough Rocket 57, Charters, Peterborough Radius 45, Palmerston Arms, Woodston Lartey Sisters (3pm), Nick Corney and the Buzzrats (4pm), The Lone Groover (5pm), The Tin Pigeons (7.30pm), The Replicas (9pm), Peterborough Beer Festival The B-Sides, Iron Horse, Market Deeping Pembroke Tenneson (2pm), Blue-SkinBlake (5pm), Sam Kelly’s Station House (8.30pm), Grainstore, Oakham
after the Beer Festival from 11pm
Friday 28th August - Bianca & The Topcats Saturday 29th August - The 707
Pandora’s Box, Cock Inn, Werrington TBC, London Inn, Stamford One Eyed Cats, Railway, Whittlesey Zeb Rootz, Farmers, Yaxley The Overdubs, Stage, Market Deeping Another Girl Another Planet, Blue Boar, Eye 30 August Stepping Out, Letter B, Whittlesey Quiz, Angel, Yarwell King Don Steel Drums (5pm), Fox, N Luffenham BBQ and Band in the Garden, White Horse, Baston Quiz (8pm), Millstone, Barnack 707 (9pm), George Inn, Oundle Party Animal Day, Heron, Stanground Bianca & the Topcats (2pm), Blue Bell, Maxey Tin Pigeons (2pm), Tantric Specs (5pm), Funk Soul Brother (8.30pm), Grainstore, Oakham The Andy Warrington Experience, Swiss Cottage, Woodston M Tones, Crown, Peterborough TBC, London Inn, Stamford Bands Day August: Takenote (3pm), Lee Major (5pm), Audios (7pm), Spirit (9pm), Stage, Market Deeping The Mojo Slide (3pm), Charters, Peterborough 31 August Summer Fete (12pm), George Inn, Oundle Summer Fete: Singchronicity, Solas Irish Dance, Shani Dance, Saddletramps, Future Stars, Abi Miller, Holly Orridge, The Islanders (1-4pm), St Andrews Hall, Whittlesey BBQ (12pm), Bluebell, Helpston 01 September Charity Quiz Night, Letter B, Whittlesey Jazz Night with Razzamajazz, Angel, Yarwell Bingo (8pm), Millstone, Barnack Quiz, Hare & Hounds, Greatford
Open Acoustic Sessions (8pm), Millstone, Barnack 02 September Big Fun Quiz of the Month, Grainstore, Oakham 03 September Genie Lamps, Lincolnshire Poacher, Spalding 04 September Phoenix Show Band, Ostrich, Peterborough Dean & Co, Masons Arms, Bourne Rough Culprit, Golden Fleece, Stamford Under_cover, Lincolnshire Poacher, Spalding Karaoke, Millstone, Barnack The Guards, Dragon, Werrington Revolver, Swiss Cottage, Woodston Smarties, London Inn, Stamford One Eyed Cats, Ploughman, Werrington 05 September Skullduggery, Ostrich, Peterborough Karaoke, Angel, Yarwell DJ Neil, Masons Arms, Bourne Audio Pirates, Golden Fleece, Stamford Be Bop A Lulas, Ebeneezers, Woodston Rocket 57, Blue Boar, Eye Sound Injectors, Pincushion, Wyberton Radius 45, Prince of Wales, Castor Grumpy Old Men, Quinn’s Bar, Whittlesey Arc Nation, Iron Horse, Market Deeping CJ Hatt, Swiss Cottage, Woodston Captain Obvious, Dragon, Werrington Commitment Bros, London Inn, Stamford Lower Than Bones, Crown, Peterborough The Overdubs, Ploughman, Werrington Jimmy (High Rollers), New Inn, Woodston 06 September Charity Quiz Night, Letter B, Whittlesey Quiz, Angel, Yarwell Daf Ap Kilnaboy, Priors Oven, Spalding
Quiz (8pm), Millstone, Barnack Whittlesey Festival: Various artists (11.20am-4pm), st Mary’s Church & Yard, Whittlesey open acoustic sessions (8pm), Millstone, Barnack 08 September Bingo (8pm), Millstone, Barnack 09 September acoustic sessions (8pm), the railway, ramsey Pudding Club Night, rose & Crown, thorney 10 September open Mic Night with James edmonds, Crown, Peterborough open Mic, Country lounge, Morcott Quiz, Whistle stop, tallington 11 September the Guards, ostrich, Peterborough son of a Gun, Masons arms, Bourne Harkback, Golden Fleece, stamford Zakk Zoot & Chez lee (undivided), Heron, stanground Champagne & Canapés (7.30pm), Bluebell, Helpston Kickback, swiss Cottage, Woodston on the Ceiling, london inn, stamford the returns, Ploughman, Werrington 12 September Grumpy old Men, ostrich, Peterborough el34, angel, Yarwell skullduggery, Masons arms, Bourne tBC, Golden Fleece, stamford Bianca and the top Cats, lincolnshire Poacher, spalding the returns, Blue Boar, eye Phoenix show Band, stage, Market Deeping Porky Pig, Peacock, Fletton the Guards, Green Man, stamford Baklash, Grainstore, oakham the expletives, swiss Cottage, Woodston
live Band tBC Dragon Werrington Heron Court, Stanground Peterborough PE2 8QB 01733 704693
- LocAle accredited - Four real ales on permanently - Huge enclosed beer garden - 120” big screen TV, all televised football and rugby games shown - Function room for hire - Quiz every Tuesday - Roll 6@6 daily for a free round! Live Entertainment Every Weekend Sunday 30th August - 'Party Animal Day' - bring the kids to meet the exotic pets Saturday 31st October - Halloween Party - Band and prize fancy dresss
Fletton Wine tasting evening, White Horse, Baston
w w w. h e r o n p u b . c o . u k
Steve on Sunday 13th September 4-6pm Steve Bean returns to play some more amazing guitar music. A delicious help yourself buffet will be available at £7.50 each One-Eyed Cats Saturday 19th September from 8pm Fingers crossed the weather will be kind so we’ll be outside offering a selection of pasties and cider tasting Champagne & Canapés Friday 11th September from 7.30pm The two go so well together that we’re serving them all night, accompanied by music. £25 per person to include three glasses of champagne and endless canapés! Italian Night Thursday 24th September from 7pm Think Mediterranean, vines, hot sun, olives and citrus groves come and join us. £15 per person. Italian wines available to really make a night of it! The Bluebell 10 Woodgate Helpston PE6 7ED Bluebellhelpston.pub
Good food, good ale and good company 01733 252394
Find us on facebook f.com/bluebellhelpston
TBC, Golden Fleece, Stamford Northern Soul/ Motown half-dayer (4.30pm), Lincolnshire Poacher, Spalding Arc Nation, Coalheavers Arms, Fletton Overdubs, Blue Boar, Eye Betty Swallox, Pincushion, Wyberton One Eyed Cats (8pm), Bluebell, Helpston The Guards, Blue Boar, Eye Grumpy Old Men, Archie’s Bar, Bourne Leon, Iron Horse, Market Deeping The Nuggets, Dragon, Werrington Circa 73, London Inn, Stamford 20 september Charity Quiz Night, Letter B, Whittlesey Quiz, Angel, Yarwell Jamaican BBQ and DJ Owen Power & Narnas (afternoon), Coalheavers Arms, Fletton Quiz (8pm), Millstone, Barnack Jimmy (High Rollers, 5pm), Swiss Cottage, Woodston 22 september Bingo (8pm), Millstone, Barnack 23 september Acoustic Sessions (8pm), The Railway, Ramsey 24 september Open Mic Night (9pm), Cherry Tree, Woodston Open Mic, Country Lounge, Morcott Italian Night (7pm), Bluebell, Helpston Funhouse Comedy Night, Grainstore, Oakham One Eyed Cats, Railway, Whittlesey 25 september James Edmonds, Ostrich, Peterborough High Rollers, Golden Fleece, Stamford Open Acoustic Sessions in the Whisky Bar (8.30pm), Boat, Whittlesey Pistol Pete Wearn, Iron Horse, Market Deeping Easyersaid, Dragon, Werrington One Eyed Cats, London Inn, Stamford
Man Alive Band, Cherry Tree, Woodston 26 september TBC, Ostrich, Peterborough Helix, Angel, Yarwell Karaoke: Neil, Masons Arms, Bourne Grounded, Golden Fleece, Stamford Reckless, Lincolnshire Poacher, Spalding Stingray, Blue Boar, Eye The 707, Heron, Stanground The Collaborators, Waterton Arms, Deeping St James The Guards, Birds, Spalding Grumpy Old Men, Crown, Peterborough. Lizzy on the Loose, Iron Horse, Market Deeping Mighty Mouth Trev, Dragon, Werrington 27 september Quiz, Angel, Yarwell Quiz (8pm), Millstone, Barnack 29 september Charity Quiz Night, Letter B, Whittlesey Bingo (8pm), Millstone, Barnack Quiz, Hare & Hounds, Greatford 02 October Tunnel, Ostrich, Peterborough Antoine, Masons Arms, Bourne Circa 73, Golden Fleece, Stamford Northern Soul/Motown, Lincolnshire Poacher, Spalding Karaoke, Millstone, Barnack Jimmy (High Rollers), North Street Bar, Peterborough 03 October TBC, Ostrich, Peterborough Karaoke, Angel, Yarwell Splinter Group, Masons Arms, Bourne Returns, Golden Fleece, Stamford Evolution, Lincolnshire Poacher, Spalding Groove e Licious, Blue Boar, Eye Lizzie on the Loose, Heron, Stanground The World’s Most Popular Musicals (5pm), Stamford Corn Exchange
Porky Pig, Prince of Wales, Castor Rocket 57, Dragon, Werrington Grumpy Old Men, Cherry Tree, Woodston UK Gangsters, London Inn, Stamford The Overdubs, Iron Horse, Market Deeping
Handmade in Castor
04 October Charity Quiz Night, Letter B, Whittlesey Quiz, Angel, Yarwell Quiz (8pm), Millstone, Barnack Rocket 57, Dragon, Werrington 06 October Bingo (8pm), Millstone, Barnack 07 October Big Fun Quiz of the Month, Grainstore, Oakham 08 October Open Mic Night with James Edmonds, Crown, Peterborough Open Mic, Country Lounge, Morcott Ladies Dinner Night, Rose & Crown, Thorney Quiz, Whistle Stop, Tallington 09 October White Spirit, Ostrich, Peterborough Karaoke: Nick Glover, Masons Arms, Bourne The Guards, Golden Fleece, Stamford Kroovs, Lincolnshire Poacher, Spalding Phoenix Show Band, Cock Inn, Werrington Rocket 57, Crown, Peterborough The Mistreated, Cherry Tree, Woodston 10 October Hush, Ostrich, Peterborough Overspills, Angel, Yarwell Brays, Golden Fleece, Stamford Porky Pig, Lincolnshire Poacher, Spalding Hooker, Blue Boar, Eye Crossing the Tracks, Pincushion, Wyberton
www.castorales.co.uk 07828048664
Home of
Castor Ales
6 Guest Ales & Craft Beer Home Cooked Food Lunch/Midweek Evenings Ideal for walkers & dog friendly
Award winning village pub in historic Castor 01733 380222 www.princeofwalesfeathers.co.uk
Vintage Stuff, Cock Inn, Werrington Kickback, Heron, Stanground The Guards, Ebeneezers, Woodston Circa 73, Dragon, Werrington Nuggets, London Inn, Stamford 11 October Quiz, Angel, Yarwell Thomas Ford (Blues), Jolly Brewer, Stamford Quiz (8pm), Millstone, Barnack Greg McDonald, Prince of Wales, Castor 12 September The Lounge, Jolly Brewer, Stamford 13 October Charity Quiz Night, Letter B, Whittlesey Bingo (8pm), Millstone, Barnack Quiz, Hare & Hounds, Greatford 14 October Acoustic Sessions (8pm), The Railway, Ramsey 16 October TBC, Ostrich, Peterborough Son of a Gun, Masons Arms, Bourne Gypsies, Golden Fleece, Stamford Afterlife, Lincolnshire Poacher, Spalding ZZ Tops’ Gimme All Your Lovin’ Tour, Stamford Corn Exchange Sound Injectors, London Inn, Stamford 17 October Flying Aces, Ostrich, Peterborough Lloyd Watson, Angel, Yarwell Dean & Co, Masons Arms, Bourne Betty Swallox, Golden Fleece, Stamford Sound Station, Lincolnshire Poacher, Spalding The Veltones, Blue Boar, Eye The Unknown, Heron, Stanground The Elvis Years, Stamford Corn Exchange Mistreated, Prince of Wales, Castor Shades, Burghley Club, Peterborough Zeb Rootz, Dragon, Werrington Hooker, London Inn, Stamford
The Kurmujun, Swiss Cottage, Woodston 18 October Charity Quiz Night, Letter B, Whittlesey Quiz, Angel, Yarwell Quiz (8pm), Millstone, Barnack 20 October Bingo (8pm), Millstone, Barnack Open Mic Night (9pm), Boat, Whittlesey 22 October Open Mic, Country Lounge, Morcott 23 October Overspill, Ostrich, Peterborough Cutting Loose, Masons Arms, Bourne Little Big Band, Golden Fleece, Stamford Parklane, Lincolnshire Poacher, Spalding Circa 73, Blue Boar, Eye Phoenix Show Band, Railway, Ramsey Spare Parts, Cherry Tree, Woodston One Eyed Cats, Crown, Peterborough The Overdubs, Cock Inn, Werrington 24 October Porky Pig, Ostrich, Peterborough DJ Neil, Masons Arms, Bourne Revolver, Golden Fleece, Stamford Forty Fiver, Lincolnshire Poacher, Spalding Atatonic, Pincushion, Wyberton Grumpy Old Men, Heron, Stanground T-Rextasy, Stamford Corn Exchange Hush, Prince of Wales, Castor Phoenix Show Band, Ebeneezers, Woodston Under_Covered, Dragon, Werrington Guards, London Inn, Stamford The Mistreated, Crown, Peterborough 25 October Quiz, Angel, Yarwell Quiz (8pm), Millstone, Barnack 27 October Charity Quiz Night, Letter B, Whittlesey Bingo (8pm), Millstone, Barnack
Quiz, Hare & Hounds, Greatford
Beer Festivals
28 October Acoustic Sessions (8pm), The Railway, Ramsey Ralph McTell, Stamford Corn Exchange
28-30 August Bank Holiday Beer Fest and BBQ, Blue Bell, Maxey
29 October Open Mic Night (9pm), Cherry Tree, Woodston Comedy Night, Grainstore, Oakham 30 October Captain Obvious, Ostrich, Peterborough Cutting Loose, Masons Arms, Bourne Autumn Storm, Golden Fleece, Stamford Ramshackle Serenade, Cock Inn, Werrington Open Acoustic Sessions in the Whisky Bar (8.30pm), Boat, Whittlesey Jake Daniels, Heron, Stanground The Merseys, Stamford Corn Exchange Phoenix Show Band, Peacock, Fletton Hooker, Dragon, Werrington High Rollers, London Inn, Stamford One Eyed Cats, Ploughman, Werrington 31 October Vintage Stuff, Ostrich, Peterborough TBC, Golden Fleece, Stamford Monkey Business, Lincolnshire Poacher, Spalding Ramshackle Serenade, Heron, Stanground Halloween Disco, Blue Boar, Eye Farmyard Fright Night, Thetford House Farm, Baston Halloween Party with Ramshackle Serenade, Heron, Stanground The Zoots Spooktastic Concert, Stamford Corn Exchange Radius 45, Old Coach House, Market Deeping The Replicas, Dragon, Werrington The Collaborators, Burghley Club, Peterborough Point-Blank, Grainstore, Oakham Blackout UK, London Inn, Stamford Circa 73, Ploughman, Werrington
03-06 September Charters 1st Ever Cider Festival, Peterborough - 20+ ciders from across the UK, music and sausage BBQ 10-13 September Jolly Brewer Beer Festival,Jolly Brewer, Stamford Beer Festival, Green Man,Stamford 17-20 September Beer Festival, Coalheavers Arms, Fletton - 50+ beers and live music 25-27 September Harvest Beer Festival, 8 Sail Brewery, Heckington 05-11 October Octobeer Festival, Palmerston Arms, Woodston - 40+ ales, ciders and perries
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REVIEWS Sick On You: The Disastrous Story of Britain’s Great Lost Punk Band By Andrew Matheson, Ebury Press, softback, £12.99
‘Kidnapped’ by his parents as a child to Northern Ontario, Matheson worked hard in a nickel mine in order to save for a flight back to Britain. He returned to London in July 1971 for one reason, to become a rock‘n’roll star. Inspired by the likes of the Kinks and the Who, he hated the pantomime of prog rock with its beards, drum solos and gongs, and found like minded individuals to play stripped down music, while dressed to excess. Of course, life’s never as simple as that, as some of those auditioned couldn’t commit to the band’s glamorous dress code or the squalor of squat living as the band tried to break into the big time. Along the way, the band – christened the Hollywood Brats – stayed at Cliff Richard’s house, were bought a round of drinks by superfan Keith Moon, and foolishly turned down a recording contract with Polydor. They did, however, sign a management deal with a company that turned out to be a front for the Kray brothers, which is probably why few would deal with them. Victims of bad timing, the band split just as punk
was around the corner. He may have made some bad decisions – the Clash’s Mick Jones offered to play guitar in a reformed Brats, while Malcolm McLaren wanted to manage them instead of the Sex Pistols – but this entertaining memoir will leave few doubting that Matheson should have been a star. The World According to Noddy: Life Lessons Learned In and Out of Rock‘n’Roll By Noddy Holder, Constable Robinson, softback, £8.99
While it’s not quite an autobiography, this book certainly gives an insight into the life of the former Slade frontman. Not only does Holder look back on his career, he also shares his views on the issues of the day such as the cult of celebrity, the perils of social media and what he’d do if he ran the world. He gives many convincing arguments but for many, it’s his look at the music industry and his own fame that is the most attractive. Much of the book’s content is based on questions Holder has been asked over the years, either by people in the street or audiences at his various ‘an evening with…’ events. The question he has been asked the most is whether Slade’s original line-up will ever get back together. The answer is no but once you’ve read the reasons why, you’ll certainly support Holder’s decision.
Pigs Might Fly By Neil Hanson, Dale Publishing, softback, £9.99
The sequel to The Inn at the Top, his entertaining account of running the Tan Hill Inn – the highest inn in the British Isles – finds Hanson and wife Sue leaving it with the promise that they will return one day as its owners. A succession of jobs and house moves follow, along with the ownership of various livestock including a pig that was the nemesis of their neighbours’ vegetable patches. The inn’s penny-pinching owners, Neville and Stan – the Del Boy Trotters of the north-east but without the charm – eventually sell it to the Hansons, happily at a knocked down price, however the couple have their work cut out reversing years of neglect. Hanson, always one for drumming up publicity, soon persuades Everest to provide the inn with new windows in exchange for using it as the filming location for Ted Moult’s famous feather commercial. Bringing to life the various characters from the longestablished faming families to the more recent ‘off-comers’, this wonderfully evocative book describes life in one of Britain’s most isolated communities. So isolated that the police rarely visited, allowing the pub to stay open long after the licence dictated. Well, until someone wrote a book about it, at any rate.
THE GREEN MAN w STAMFORD 29 Scotgate, Stamford
Tel: 01780 753598
Open All DAy - every DAy
Serving eight reAl AleS AnD Six reAl CiDerS
EstablishEd in 1796 as OnE Of thE Original stamfOrd alE hOusEs With a largE bEEr gardEn,a WElcOming rEal firE, accOmmOdatiOn - With frEE Wi-fi.
BEER FESTIVAL September 10th - 13th
Food served 12-6pm live music - see Facebook page for band listings
1st EVER
CIDER FESTIVAL
BBQ
Y SATURNDDAAY & SU
3rd – 6th
SEPTEMBER
FREE MUSIC IN SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER SEPTEMBER Fri 4th Sat 5th Sat 5th Sun 6th Sat 12th Fri 18th Fri 25th Sat 26th
Retrolux 10:30pm Ian Rosie Roe & Matt Worthington 2:00pm Flashback Photograph 10:30pm Grounded 3:00pm Another Girl Another Planet 10:30pm That Friday Feelin’ DJ Rick Allen 9:00pm Opaque 9:30pm The Nuggets 10:30pm
OCTOBER Fri 2nd Sat 3rd Fri 9th Sat 17th Mon 19th Fri 23rd Sat 31st
www.charters-bar.com
Tom Seals Trio 10:30pm The Verzions 9:30pm The Tinderbox 10:30pm Tallawah 10:30pm Charters Open Mic 9:00pm Stone Pony 10:30pm Halloween Party with Grounded 10:30pm
01733 315700
Lower Deck, Town Bridge, Peterborough PE1 1FP