Rhythm and Booze Issue 69

WELCOME TO THE NEW-LOOK

Firstly, thank you for reading our magazine. If you have picked up R&B before, you’ll notice a few changes to thisissue.

Launched over a decade ago by Simon Stabler, the magazine has grown from a humble newsletter to a full colour bi-monthly magazine packed with news, features, reviews and occasional interviews reaching South Lincolnshire, Rutland and a big part of Northamptonshire as well as the Greater Peterborough area. Our regular readers tell us it’s a great read, but in order to continually improve, we’ve decided to expand the team. We thank Simon for setting thescene… Now published by Shilling Lane Media, we have a new Editor in the shape of David Lane, well known as a national heritage and transport publisher, and a new designer – Matt Chapman, with whom we have worked over a number of years on Camra publications such as the awardwinning Norfolk Nips and a host

of Beer Festival programmes such as Peterborough, Cambridge and the London-based Pig’s Ear. For my part I’ll continue to provide the Pub News along with regular features such as National Treasure and Rail Roving, and will continue to reach out to advertisers, without whom the magazine cannotsurvive.

We welcome contributions from readers and we’re grateful to our regular contributors, David Brown (Reviews) and Pete ‘Cardinal’ Cox (Pub Scrawl). We’re also fortunate to have the services of distributors, Wally Barnes, Steve ‘Suss’ Cornish and to our friends at Digfield Brewery who offer their services for free in spreading the R&B message. Others provide help with the arduous task of ‘researching’ pubs across the land for our Railroving features – their names appear in the ‘thank you’ listbelow.

As with many printed publications, we’re faced with everincreasing print and paper prices. As with our pubs, the message is ‘use us or lose us!’ Our event

Available for weddings, funerals and beer festivals. Dave Lane and Chris Shilling.

listings remain free of charge so if you know of any forthcoming dates that can help drive footfall into our pubs and clubs, we’d like to hear from you. If you want to give your event that extra boost, you’ll find our advertising rates remain low, despite the stiff economicchallenges.

For us the magazine is a labour of love, and we look forward to telling you about some exciting developments in the coming months. We hope you’ll be along with us….

Chris

Shilling

Co-Publisher Issue

Edited

Advertising:

Printed by Fisherprint TLC, Peterborough

Thank you to Wally Barnes, David Brown, Tony Shilling, Cardinal Pete Cox, Billy Walker, Steve Williams, Mick Slaughter,

Wayne Cocker, Graham Coombs, Jocky & Karyn Martin and ‘Suss’ Cornish for their help in compiling thisissue. All written material, unless otherwise stated copywrite Shilling Lane Media

Published by:

pub news

The Peterborough Beer Festival returned in late August after a two year break with a revised layout, good weather and a healthy attendance across the five days of around 24,000. Champion beer was awarded to the ever popular Thornbridge Brewery for its Cocoa Wonderland, the Silver award went to the St Ives based Ivo Brewery for ‘No Man’ and the Bronze went to a perennial favourite – Sarah Hughes’ Dark Ruby Mild. Next year’s event is planned for Weds 22nd to Saturday 26th August. Further to the story in our last issue, Graham Finding, the landlord of the Ostrich in Peterborough has won his battle for more noise tests to be taken at the popular music venue which holds a 2am license. It is unlikely that planning permission for new residential properties to be built opposite the pub would be granted if new noise tests were not first undertaken. Vintage Inns, who own the Fitzwilliam Arms in Marholm, near Peterborough have applied to the City Council for alterations to the listed building. The pub, known by many as the ‘Green Man’ after its topiary, will have new flooring, removal of screens in the bar and dining areas, cleaning of the

flag stone floors and alterations to the bar.. The Cock Inn at Werrington and the Packhorse at Northborough remain up for lease with Star Pubs, as does the Mason’s Arms in Bourne, the Square in Market Deeping and the Railway at Whittlesey. The owners of Bar 1888 in Bourne, which only opened this summer, have decided to close the venue while they consider its future, after a fall in customernumbers.

A new charity music and mini beer festival is planned for the Stamford Borderville Sports & Social complex, home of Stamford AFC on Saturday November 12th. Organiser Steve Andrews is bringing bands such as Tin Pigeons, The Prods, Dancing

Wuli Masters and Darren & the Detonators to the venue, which regularly serves a range of ales on match days – details from Steve on 07809 472491. Two local pubs, the Iron Horse Ranch House at Market Deeping and the Six Bells at Witham-on-theHill, have reached the finals of Lincolnshire Tourism’s Pub of the Year Awards. The William Cecil in Stamford is a finalist in the hotels category. Receiving not one, but two awards, Matt and Emma at the Five Horseshoes at Barholm, near Stamford were presented with a Gold Award by Peterborough Camra and a separate certificate for achieving ten consecutive years in the Good Beer Guide. Willoughby’s Bar

Matt and Emma at the Five Horseshoes at Barholm.

& Club in Stamford may benefit from music being played on the outdoor terrace if the owner is successful in overturning an existing ban imposed by the District Council. Highlights of the November events at the Stamford Corn Exchange include Hits of Motown (11th), Think Floyd (12th), Limehouse Lizzy (17th), a Roy Orbison/ Traveling Wilburys tribute on 18th and the ELO Experience on 26th. Live musical events in December include a celebration of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons on the 2nd, and Planet Abba on the10th.

The Grade II listed Railway Inn at Ketton has gone one further than last year by adding a regional Camra award to its Rutland Pub of the Year. The pub was a voted best pub for the whole of Leicestershire, Rutland and Northants, leading a field of 1900 pubs. The pub is still ‘wet led’ ie no regular food, though a good variety of well kept guest ales feature alongside the usual

Grainstore 1050, with a friendly welcome assured. The village of Ryhall still boasts two pubs, but the Millstone, formerly the Wicked Witch, has been closed for several months, though this is about to change thanks to local man Andrew Thomas who has purchased the lease from Admiral Taverns. Along with manager Wendy Croft he will be reopening the pub in November, taking it back to its roots as a traditional ‘farmhouse style’ pub with real

fires, locally sourced food and an added twist with oriental dishes prepared by the local Tuk Tuk food company. A range of 3-4 real ales is expected, with roasts served and a monthly quiz on Sundays. In Oakham, the former Mill Street Pub & Kitchen, which subsequently became the Orbis restaurant, is about to revert to a ‘family-friendly’ pub known as the Angler. The name is derived from the pubs previous guise as the Rutland Angler when it was a renowned music venue. The pub, described as a ‘pub for the people’ by owner Jonathan Spencer was due to open in late October, with a new cellar bar, the return of live music and an extensive menu including some of the Orbis favourites plus a Sunday carvery, stone baked pizzas and a takeawayservice.

In Deeping St James, the Thirsty Giraffe scooped an award for ‘Best Young Business’ at the 2022 Deepings Business Awards. Still in the Deepings, the

The Railway Inn at Ketton with their CAMRA award.

The Orbis restaurant in Oakham, soon to be a ‘family-friendly’ pub, the Angler.

guys from Bowlers Brewery have also been celebrating having taken a Silver award at the Peterborough Beer Festival for Sundance Blonde in the newcomer category. The same beer also won silver in the SIBA Eastern Div. cask beer competition, with their Brown Derby taking the bronze. Colin Laing, Landlord of the Bull at Rippingale near Bourne, has decided to call it a day after twoyears.

In Spalding the Punch Bowl has been taken over by Rob Pick and his wife Cheryl. They’ll be reintroducing karaoke on Thursdays and live entertainment on Fridays and Saturdays. The Lincolnshire Poacher has reopened under Cameron Bean after a substantial overhaul. He’s installed new screens for sports events and is converting upstairs rooms for accommodation. Live entertainment is planned for the near future. Less good news for the Royal Mail Cart in the

town which is currently closed and boarded up, though owner, Stonegate, is insistent that it’s seeking a new tenant. Just outside the town, the Draymans Arms in Little London has closed temporarily for a refresh whilst new tenants are being sought. In Holbeach the Horse & Groom has been put up for sale for £575k with Sidney Phillips. The Red Lion Hotel in the town has gained a new lease of life under Alex Garrett and Ben Steel who have appointed former Bull Hotel, Peterborough chef Chris Newman to head up the catering operation. Out at Holbeach St John’s, the ‘Ploughing on Together’ group are hopeful of saving the last pub in the village, the Plough. With support from the Plunkett Foundation charity and local councillors, the group is hoping to purchase the pub from the current owner in thespring.

PUBS NO MORE…

Having gained planning permission for its demolition and replacement with a total of seven dwellings, the owner of the former Duke of York at Gosberton Risegate, has put the site up for sale for £450k. An application has been lodged to convert the former Castlegate pub in Grantham into six flats, and the long closed Red Cow Hotel in Wide Bargate, Boston looks destined to become a care home. The former Bridge Hotel in Sutton Bridge, a regular target for vandals and arsonists over the past few years was due to go up for auction at the end of October with guide price of £80k-100k. A proposed development of 130 homes alongside the huge former Bass Maltings complex in Sleaford could see the demolition, relocation and construction of the Grade II listed entrance gateway off Mareham Lane.

Chris Shilling

The lease of the Bull, Rippingale is for sale again

T he Royal Mail Cart, boarded up while a new tenant is sought.

National Treasure

SPOTLIGHTING BRITAIN’S BEST BOOZERS

BRAMPTON HALT COUNTRY PUB & RESTAURANT

Pitsford Rd, ChapelBrampton Northampton, NN68BA

Tel: 01604842676

Email: bramptonhalt@ mcmanuspubs.co.uk www.thebramptonhalt.co.uk

The Brampton Halt is located on the Brampton Valley Way, on the route of the former Northampton-Market Harborough railway line, just off the A508, a couple of miles north of the town. Part of the

line still operates as a heritage railway, and the pub is situated in the old stationmaster’s house at the centre of the preservation site. You cannot fail to notice

rows of rolling stock and the line leading away forming what is now known as the Northampton & LamportRailway.

The pub is part of the McManus pub company a small pubco with around 20 pubs mostly located across Northamptonshire. Far from being a gimmicky bar attached to a railway, the pub is busy on a daily basis with locals, visitors and commuters heading home from the town centre. It’s situated in a pleasant rural spot, but easily within the catchment area for the growing town. The

building has been extensively, though sympathetically enlarged with appropriate carriage-style seating in the bar, a large outdoor patio area festooned with hanging baskets, incorporating an outside bar and marquee capable of catering for medium sized functions, one of which was underway when wevisited.

Staff are young but enthusiastic, and the whole place has a good vibe with plenty of room at the bar for drinkers and ample space beyond for the many diners. Real Ales are always available with well kept Golden Ale from the Purity Brewery (£4.40) and Timothy Taylor Landlord (£4.95) on the handpumps when we called in. The menu is extensive with nibbles, sharers, burgers, steaks, daily specials and varied ‘mains’ such as slow roasted Pork Belly, Seafood Linguine, Whole Grilled Seabass, a curry choice and the usual pub favourites at prices between £13 and £18.

Beyond the patio, there’s also an extensive grassy slope leading down to a small lake with seating at the waterside. A footpath leads to the station platform and there are local walks including a path alongside the railwaytrack.

The pub is open all day from 10am- 11pm (10pm Sundays). Food is served 10am-9pm (8pm Sundays). The railway operates on selected weekends – check www.nlr.org.uk for dates and times

pub scrawl

CARDINAL COX

Congratulations are due to everyone who picked-up trophies at the recent TOBY Awards for local poetry and spoken word, but especially to Olivia Dedman who got the first Cardinal Cox Memorial (I’m not dead yet, Gary) Prize for her book Bodies, Beds and Heads (published by Burning EyeBooks).

The Poetry open mic’ night in Grantham has moved. Still on the First Tuesday of the month but now at the CAMRA Award Winning The Lord Harrowby, 65 Dudley Road (NG319AB).

The Old Town Hall in Bourne, Lincolnshire (PE10 9EA) hosts a poetry open mic’ night every couple of months called Viva Verse and Vino! Email info@bournetownhall.org.uk to ask when the next nightis.

Oundle Festival of Literature continues on Thursday 25 November with Keir Giles with the topical Russia’s War on Everybody. The talk is to be held in The Glapthorn Room, Fletton House, Glapthorn Road, Oundle from 7:45pm. Tickets are £8. Go to oundlelitfest.org.uk

Luke Wright brings his latest show (The Remains of Logan

Dankworth) to the Stahl Theatre in Oundle on Thursday 12 January. Tickets are £15. Next year’s Whittlesey Straw Bear Festival should be the weekend of Friday 13 to Sunday 15 and Peterborough Cathedral’s Katharine of Aragon Festival should be Friday 27 to Sunday 29 January. No word about talks or readings at eitheryet…

Looking ahead to next year Marti Pellow – Pellow Talk – at the Cresset on Thursday 27 April. Tickets from £32.50. Then Francis Rossi (who must have some stories to tell) will be having an evening of Choons And Chat at the Key Theatre on Wednesday 17 May. Tickets range from £31.50 to £46.50 (best seats and goody bag) up to £81.50 for a meet andgreet.

pub scrawl

November is NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and there’s not much I can say to help anyone in their aspirations except these five pointers –Read. Read anything. We’ve got some great publishers locally. Read Mono Magazine for great flash fiction, poetry and short stories. Check out the anthologies of crime fiction that Murderous Ink release. If you want to try some science fiction or fantasy, look at the list from NewCon Press. Dedalus Books regularly release top qualityliterature. Hear writers talk. Oundle Festival of Literature puts on events through the year. King’s Lynn Literature festival is in March. Deeping Literature

Festival was back in April and you’ve only just missed the Boston Book Festival but see if they’re running again nextyear. Attend workshops. Tim Wilson (who has had around 30 books published) runs courses at the City College in Peterborough and one-day classes at Bretton Library. If you’ve more time look at the degree in Creative Writing that is at University CentrePeterborough.

Meet up with other wouldbe writers. Fiction Fix has a facebook group (The Finger on the Pulse) where you can find out about all sorts ofopportunities. Write. It doesn’t matter what. Even if it is just a shopping list or a letter, writeanything.

November marks twenty years since Cardinal Cox was appointed Poet Laureate of Peterborough. High-points of his year included reading at a poetry festival in Oxford, being poet-in-residence of a very odd weekend in Dundalk and having a letter of complaint about him printed in the local press…

With a population of 110,000 Mansfield is one of the East Midlands’ largest towns, and was of course once home to the Mansfield Brewery, whose products dominated the area until closure in 2002. The area as a whole has suffered in the past few decades as a result of the decline and ultimate demise of the coal industry. This is obvious to visitors as the approaches to the town show signs of redundant railway sidings and large areas of dereliction. The town is reached via the ‘Robin Hood’ line from Nottingham which also takes in the neighbouring towns of Kirkby-in-Ashfield and Sutton-in-Ashfield, which we also visited. The day return from Peterborough with railcard came in at £23.80 by buying the Nottingham ticketsseparately.

The train route we chose included a 20 minute wait for a connection at Grantham where the Whistle Stop bar on the station opens at 10am and offered the opportunity of a cheeky pint from Heckington’s Eight Sail Brewery, along with their house bitter from the local Zest Brewery. Mansfield takes around 30 minutes from Nottingham, and upon arrival we

MANSFIELD

quickly headed along to the end of the platform, a right turn under the railway, past the Sports Direct and Costa stores to the Railway Inn. This is a must-visit community pub – a little tatty looking on the outside, and not as the signage would suggest offering any of the beers from the Bateman range. What you do get is a traditional award winning multi-roomed free house, open from 11am with a friendly welcome , good quality beers and well portioned meals at very old fashioned prices. Beers come form local breweries such as Pheasantry, Welbeck Abbey, Full Mash and Bradfield with a nod to the east from Woodfordes. Engaging staff, Abigail and Katrina were almost apologetic that the beer prices has recently risen to £3.20 and the hearty meals from £7.00-£8.00!

Turning right out of the pub and under the railway viaduct, the town centre comes into view,

and can best be described as depressing. The former Crown and Anchor has become a dental practice, the Queens is closed as is the Court House and the Dial, both in the Market Place. Some traditions from the Mansfield Brewery era have remained such as the lack of real ale in many of the pubs – as proved to be the case with the Market Inn, The Swan, and the White Hart. We tried Church St, past the ‘Leaning Man’ statue – erected in 2007 and said by the sculptor to represent a ‘council officer struggling to keep up with the crumbling infrastructure’ to find the Ram Inn which was also closed, so

with tummies rumbling we headed up Toothill Lane for a sure bet? – Wetherspoons. The Widow Frost offers the usual JDW fare with a delicious pint of Titanic Plum Porter and a couple of Lincoln Green ales for just £2.19, and provides the opportunity for cut-priced food. Even this establishment is not safe from closure as the company has named it on its 32 pubs for disposal. One reason may be that another JDW is situated just

around the corner. The Stag & Pheasant has a less broad range of ales – we saw Abbott, Doom Bar, Exmoor Gold and Double Maxim. It has arguably a more interesting interior, but beerwise not a patch on its doomed neighbour. The nearby And Why Not offered a single ale in the shape of Harvest Pale, and the upstairs area of Canvas provides a regular live music venue. The Green Dragon offers a single cask ale such as DizzyBlonde,

Just across the ring road from Bridge St on the main rd towards Newark is the Brown Cow, a red brick Everards ‘Project William’ pub noted for its range of beers and the adjoining Cow Shed music venue. There are two bars, one traditionally furnished and one with industrial-style fittings. Nearly all the 12 handpumps were in use including those from the Everards range plus a good selection guest ales from the likes of Lincoln Green, Abbeydale and Welbeck Abbey, plus a range of craft keg ales. Food is not available at the current time, but live bands perform on Saturdays and Sundays, and cask ales are discounted by 20% on Mondays, though they don’t open until 3pm earlier in the week. The pub was voted local Camra Pub of the Year in2017.

Converted from a health food shop four years ago the Garrison micropub on Leeming St, is a real oasis with up to five real ales including 2-3 from their own Moody Fox brewery and guests from breweries such as Black Iris and Ossett at prices from £3.70-£4.00. There are also four craft keg taps and a range of real ciders. There’s a ‘Peaky Blinders’ theme to the pub with many pictures on the walls and occasional themed beers though, as with many micropubs, they’re closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, open from 5pm on Wednesdays and from 2pm Thurs-Sun.

JDW’s The Widow Frost

All though most of the site was cleared for housing, some buildings still remain from the original Mansfield Brewery, and retain a brewing connection with the Prior’s Well Brewery, a microbrewery opened here in 2019. Sadly the Old Brewery Bar is closed at present, but will hopefully reopen intime..

Back onto the train, the first stop heading back towards Nottingham is Sutton-in-Ashfield. If you have time a 15 minute walk takes you to the Junction, open from 12 noon daily and offering a single cask ale such as Hobgoblin Gold, and a couple of minutes walk across the rail line brings you to the Scruffy Dog, closed Mon-Weds but open from 4pm Thurs/Fri and from 1pm on Saturday/Sun, and also offering an on-site brewery with four of their own brews and a guest such as AbbeydaleDeception.

The next station is Kirkby-in Ashfield, and this offers a choice – turn left out of the station and

THE ROBIN HOOD LINE

a 10 minute walk to the Dog House – a tidy micropub with Blue Monkey beers as their permanent ales and guests form the likes of Little Critters and Dancing Duck. Right across the road the impressive Regent is a suitably grand Wetherspoon pub housed in a former cinema with a good range of ales from Falstaff, Dark Side, Fist full of Hops and East Londonbreweries.

e

kept beers from breweries such as Drone Valley, Jolly Boys, Mad Brewer and Lymestone at prices from £4 to £4.50 and up 1 Railway Inn 2 Widow Frost 3 Stag and Pheasent 4 And Why Not/Canvas 5 The Green Dragon 6 Brown Cow 7 Garrison 8 Priors Wall Brewery and Old Brewery Bar

to five real ciders. If you want to avoid doubling back on yourself (and a long walk), a bus links both pubs via the station.

the rhythm section

November kicks off with a great selection of ‘tribute acts’ large and small performing in our area. November 3, we have a choice of Meat Loaf (Anything For Love) or Bookends - Simon & Garfunkel Through the Years playing the New Theatre and Cresset respectively. Led Zeppelin are represented by the Boot-Led-Zeppelin again at the New Theatre, Peterborough (November 4). One gig I’ll be going to will be Quiet Earthe (Genesis Tribute) at Edwards in Grantham on the 6th. A mix of early Prog Rock and later MOR plus Peter Gabriel songs. In a similar vein on the 12th Think Floyd play Stamford CornExchange.

Rhythm and Booze is a broad church when it comes to highlighting the wide musical tastes on offer in our region and so mention must be made of the Crown Ballet who will be performing Sleeping Beauty (2.30pm) and Swan Lake

(7. 30pm) at the Key Theatre on November 12th. This is the UK premier tour for this ballet company fromMoldova.

One of the few beer festivals taking place on the run up to Christmas takes place at the Venue on the Border, Stamford Borderville Sports Complex on November 12. Comencing at 4pm the festival has a plethora of live musicians playing including The Pigeons, The Prods, Idiot Son, Dancing With Masters, Darren & the Detonators and DanPerrin.

Christmas will soon be upon us and there’s plenty of festive entertainment lined up. The Embrace LGBTQ Christmas Party kicks us off on December

1 at the Ostrich, Peterborough. EMBRACE is a place for the people by the people of the LGBTQIA+ community, to get together and enjoy ‘what it is that makes them different andunique’.

The Rat Pack Christmas Show Swings into Stamford Corn exchange on December 4 with their recreation of a magical Christmas at The Sands with Sinatra, Martin and Davis bringing the style, glamour and excitement of the Las Vegas heyday to vivid life. For Country devotees there’s a Christmas session at the Iron Horse Ranch House, Market Deeping on the December7.

The Rutland Big Band are returning once again to The Grainstore Brewery in Oakham on December 19. The band play great swing, jazz and party music plus lots of Christmas specials. The evening commences at 7. 30 with admission free.

Boot-Led-Zeppelin

The Crown Ballet

the listings

All the best in live entertainment in our region. Make sure your pub, venue or event is listed by emailing chris@shillingmedia.co.uk.

NOVEMBER 1

Unplugged (6.30pm), SleafordHub Poetry open mic’ night, Lord Harrowby, Grantham

NOVEMBER 2

Country Sessions (7.30pm), Iron Horse Ranch House, MarketDeeping The Fairytale of New York, New Theatre, Peterborough Quiz Night, Grainstore Brewery, Oakham

NOVEMBER 3

Anything For Love, New Theatre, Peterborough Open Mic, The Old Ship Inn, Pointon Quiz Night (8pm), Lord Harrowby, Grantham Voodoo Unplugged (open Mic), Mama Liz’s, Stamford Quiz, Charters, Peterborough DJ Malcolm & Paul (9pm), The Brewery Tap, Peterborough Live Music (8.30pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough Bookends - Simon & Garfunkel Through the Years, Cresset, Peterborouggh

NOVEMBER 4

Boot-Led-Zeppelin, New Theatre, Peterborough Groove Cartel, Grainstore Brewery, Oakham Ellie James and Simon (21.30pm), The London Inn, Stamford Brotherhoods Roundabout, The CrownPeterborough Candy Twist, Yard of Ale, Peterborough Stone Foundation, The Met Lounge, Peterborough The Allergies & Madame Electrifie (Ticket Only 10pm), Charters, Peterborough DJ Eddie Nash (9pm), The Brewery Tap, Peterborough The Deps (9.30pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough Soul and Motown Night, Blue Bell, Werrington

NOVEMBER 5

23 Reasons, Nobody Inn, Grantham

Billy “Bubba” King, Peterborough ConservativeClub Cultish (8.30), Iron Horse Ranch House, MarketDeeping Pennyless (8.30pm), The Anchor, Bourne Retrolux, The Plough, Werrington Smoke n Mirrors, London Inn, Stamford Kamujan, Yard of Ale, Peterborough Artic Roll (10pm), Charters, Peterborough DJ Rick Allen (9pm), The Brewery Tap, Peterborough Love to Dance: The Greatest Show (2pm), Stamford CornExchange Junk Puppets (9pm), The Burghley, Peterborough No Gods No managers - Burnt Tapes + Sunliner + All Fall Down (8pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough

NOVEMBER 6

Quiet Earth (Genesis Tribute), Edwards, Grantham A Concert for Heroes, St Mary’s Church, Whittlesey The Magical Music of Harry Potter, New Theatre, Peterborough The Steptoe & Son Radio Show, Key Theatre, Peterborough Open Mic (5.30pm), Grainstore Brewery, Oakham Stacey Christina, The Plough, Werrington Jazz Underground (12-3pm), Charters, Peterborough Open Mic Night (6pm), The Brewery Tap, Peterborough The B-Siders (4.30pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough

NOVEMBER 9

Acoustic Session, Falcon Hotel, Whittlesey Quiz Night (7.30pm), The Old Ship Inn, Pointon Open Mic (7.30pm), Iron Horse Ranch House, MarketDeeping

the listings

NOVEMBER 10

Quiz, Charters, Peterborough DJ Sav (9pm), The Brewery Tap, Peterborough Live Music (8.30pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough

NOVEMBER 11

Whittlesey Folk Club, Falcon Hotel, Whittlesey Rocket Man, New Theatre, Peterborough Rock For Heroes, Key Theatre, Peterborough Hits of Motown, Stamford CornExchange

High Point Players, Montague Arms, Barnwell The Expletives, Yard of Ale, Peterborough Mr Nash & Guest DJs “Brown Sugar” (9pm), Proceeds to Cancer Research, The Brewery Tap, Peterborough Ouse Valley Singles Club (9pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough Pie Night, The Castle, CastleBytham Meg McPartlin, The London Inn, Stamford

NOVEMBER 12

Candy Twist, S Bar, Stilton Porky Pig, Yard of Ale, Peterborough Ferrocene, Nobody Inn, Grantham Cecil Farayi, Peterborough ConservativeClub Jessies Ghost (8.30pm), Iron Horse Ranch House, MarketDeeping

Crown Ballet – Sleeping Beauty (2.30pm), Key Theatre, Peterborough Crown Ballet – Swan Lake (7.30pm), Key Theatre, Peterborough Think Floyd (7.30pm), Stamford CornExchange Menace + Jack The Lad + The Deadytes, The Met Lounge, Peterborough Velocity (9pm), Burghley Club, Peterborough

Another Girl Another Planet (10pm), Charters, Peterborough DJ Rick Allen (9pm), The Brewery Tap, Peterborough The Jammy Codgers (Jam Tribute band) (8.45pm), The Old Ship Inn, Pointon 8 Foot Under (9.30pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough Laura Lou (8pm), Lakeside Bar, Tallington The Nuggets, Crown, Lincoln Road, Peterborough DJ, The London Inn, Stamford Box out this one as it’s a beerfestival Music and Mini Beer Festival (4pm), Venue on the Border, Stamford Borderville Sports Complex Featuring The Pigeons,The Prods, Idiot Son, Dancing With Masters, Darren and the Detonators, DanPerrin

NOVEMBER 13

Outside Chance, Edwards, Grantham Pennyless (4pm), Mama Liz’s, Stamford A Salute to the 1940s (2pm), Stamford Corn Exchange, Stamford The Reckless, The Plough, Werrington Anna & Jimmy (3-6pm), Charters, Peterborough Head in the Sand Folk Session (1pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough

NOVEMBER 15

Open Mic (8pm), Falcon Hotel, Whittlesey Quiz Night, The Castle, CastleBytham

NOVEMBER 16

Acoustic Night (7.30pm), Iron Horse Ranch House, MarketDeeping ROH Screening: The Royal Ballet – A Diamond Celebration (7.15pm), Key Theatre, Peterborough Scary Clown presents: Badcop Badcop + Wonk Unit + Headstone Horrors, Mama Liz’s, Stamford Riffraff, The Crown, Peterborough The Scary Clown Presents - The Drowns + The Tokyo Rankers + Support (8pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough

NOVEMBER 17

Limehouse Lizzy (7.30pm), Stamford CornExchange Quiz, Charters, Peterborough Embrace Events: Ritzy Crackers and Special Guests (9pm), The Brewery Tap, Peterborough Bingo (7.30pm), The Old Ship Inn, Pointon Originals Acoustic Night (8.30pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough

The Expletives, November 11, Yard of Ale, Peterborough

the listings

NOVEMBER 18

Paul Hopkins’ Roy Orbison and the Traveling Wilburys Experience (8pm), Stamford CornExchange

Dead Reynolds (11pm), Met LoungePeterborough High Point Players, Crown Inn, Peterborough Cuttin’ Loose, Nags Head, Bourme The Gangsters, Yard of Ale, Peterborough

DJ Theodore S Superfly (9pm), The Brewery Tap, Peterborough The Outlaw Eagles (9pm), The Burghley, Peterborough Janus Stark + Loudmouth (9pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough HD (Acoustic), The London Inn, Stamford

NOVEMBER 19

Stepping Out, Nobody Inn, Grantham Rick Roberts, Peterborough ConservativeClub A Presto, The Crown, Peterborough Total Stone Roses, Mama Liz’s, Stamford High Point Players, The Plough, Werrington The Guards, Yard of Ale, Peterborough Dead Reynolds, The Met Lounge, Peterborough Velocity, The Court Pool and Snooker Club, Bretton Cosmic Rodney (10pm), Charters, Peterborough DJ Rick Allen (9pm), The Brewery Tap, Peterborough Let There B/DC (9pm), The Burghley, Peterborough

The Mighty and the High (9.30pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough P Town Funk, Crown, Lincoln Road, Peterborough Halo, The London Inn, Stamford

NOVEMBER 20

Marshal Law, Edwards, Grantham Jimmy Doherty, The Plough, Werrington Mark Stevens (3-6pm), Charters, Peterborough Rick Huddleston (2pm), The Old Ship Inn, Pointon Soulful Strut DJ (2pm-7pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough

NOVEMBER 23

That’ll Be The Day Christmas show, New Theatre, Peterborough Quiz Night (7.30pm), The Old Ship Inn, Pointon

NOVEMBER 24

Open Mic, Nobody Inn, Grantham Pennyless (8pm), Louth Folk Club, Louth Comedy Club (6.15pm), Grainstore Brewery, Oakham Open Mic, Nobody’s Inn, Grantham

Quiz, Charters, Peterborough

DJ Rick Allen (9pm), The Brewery Tap, Peterborough Palmy Ukulele Band Rehearsal (8pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough Curry Night, The Castle, CastleBytham

NOVEMBER 25

Acoustic Session (7.30pm), Falcon Hotel, Whittlesey Dirty Rumour (21.00pm), The Crown, Peterborough Johnny Quinn, Yard of Ale, Peterborough Vinyl Night (8pm), Charters, Peterborough The Contacts (10pm), The Brewery Tap, Peterborough Karaoke, The Burghley, Peterborough The Lazoons (9.30pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough DNA (acoustic), The London Inn, Stamford

NOVEMBER 26

Disco & Karoke, S Bar, Stilton Sharma, Peterborough ConservativeClub Velocity (8.30pm), Iron Horse Ranch House, MarketDeeping

The ELO Experience (7.30pm), Stamford Corn Exchange, Grainstore Brewery, Oakham One Eyed Cats, Fayre Spot, Bretton, Peterborough The Guards, The Plough, Werrington Radius 45, London Inn, Stamford The Gangsters, Yard of Ale, Peterborough The Orb, The Met Lounge, Peterborough Velocity, Iron Horse Ranch House, MarketDeeping Revolver, Golden Fleece, Stamford DJ Eddie Nash (9.30pm), The Brewery Tap, Peterborough Genie Lamps (8.30pm), The Old Ship Inn, Pointon The Toure*ettes (9pm), The Burghley, Peterborough Highway Star (9.30pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough Flashback (8pm), Lakeside Bar, Tallington Pizza Night, The Castle, CastleBytham

Velocity, November 26, Iron Horse Ranch House, Market Deeping

the listings

NOVEMBER 27

Love Machine, Edwards, Grantham Bon Rogers-White (3-6pm), Charters, Peterborough Mark Stevens, The Plough, Werrington Velocity, Bluebell, Dogsthorpe Music Quiz (6.30pm), Charters, Peterborough Ezio Lunedei (4.30pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough

NOVEMBER 28

Strictly Ballroom The Musical, New Theatre, Peterborough Outlaw Eagles, St Mary’s Church, Whittlesey

NOVEMBER 29

Strictly Ballroom The Musical, New Theatre, Peterborough

NOVEMBER 30

Strictly Ballroom The Musical, New Theatre, Peterborough The Peterborough Big Band (8pm), £5 cash entry, The Brewery Tap, Peterborough

DECEMBER 1

Strictly Ballroom The Musical, New Theatre, Peterborough Open Mic, The Old Ship Inn, Pointon Quiz Night (8pm), Lord Harrowby, Grantham Voodoo Unplugged (open Mic), Mama Liz’s, Stamford Quiz, Charters, Peterborough DJ Malcolm & Paul (9pm), The Brewery Tap, Peterborough Embrace LGBTQ Christmas Party (8pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough

DECEMBER 2

Last Minute Brigade (8.30pm), Iron Horse Ranch House, MarketDeeping Pennyless (7pm), The Ivy, Sleaford Strictly Ballroom The Musical, New Theatre, Peterborough Bye Bye Baby, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, Stamford CornExchange Radius 45, The Plough, Werrington Morning Glory, Yard of Ale, Peterborough DJ Eddie Nash (9pm), The Brewery Tap, Peterborough Frankly My Dear (9pm), The Burghley, Peterborough Jessie’s Ghost (9.30pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough Run For Cover (8pm), Lakeside Bar, Tallington

Outlaw Eagles, December 4, Fletton Club, Peterborough

Ellie James and Simon (21.30pm), The London Inn, Stamford DJ, The London Inn, Stamford

DECEMBER 3

23 Reasons, Nobody Inn, Grantham Velocity, The Crown, Peterborough Bob Whiting, Peterborough ConservativeClub The Famous Unknowns (8.30pm), Iron Horse Ranch House, MarketDeeping Strictly Ballroom The Musical, New Theatre, Peterborough That 80s Christmas Rock Show, Stamford CornExchange

The Balloons (8.30pm), Grainstore Brewery, Oakham Last Minute Brigade, The Plough, Werrington Dirty Rumour, London Inn. Stamford 2020 Vision, Yard of Ale, Peterborough Filthy Contact (10pm), Charters, Peterborough DJ Rick Allen (9pm), The Brewery Tap, Peterborough The One Eyed Cats (9pm), The Burghley, Peterborough Bent Back Tulips (9.30pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough Ska Man (5pm), Lakeside Bar, Tallington

DECEMBER 4

Band from County Hell, Edwards, Grantham David James Smith (3-6pm), Charters, Peterborough Outlaw Eagles, Fletton Club, Peterborough Salmon Dave, The Plough, Werrington The Rat Pack Christmas Show, Stamford CornExchange Open Mic Night (6pm), The Brewery Tap, Peterborough Live Music (4.30pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough

DECEMBER 6

Unplugged (6.30pm), SleafordHub

the listings

A Merry Little Christmas, Stamford CornExchange Poetry open mic’ night, Lord Harrowby, Grantham

DECEMBER 7

Christmas Country Sessions, Iron Horse Ranch House, MarketDeeping Christmas Quiz Special (8pm), Grainstore Brewery, Oakham

DECEMBER 8

ROH Screening: The Nutcracker, Key Theatre, Peterborough Quiz, Charters, Peterborough DJ Rick Allen (9pm), The Brewery Tap, Peterborough Black Dog Murphy (8.30pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough

DECEMBER 9

Whittlesey Folk Club (8pm), Falcon Hotel, Whittlesey All Killer No Filler (8.30pm), Iron Horse Ranch House, MarketDeeping Gladness, Stamford CornExchange Houndogs, Mama Liz’s, Stamford Dirty Rumour, The Plough, Werrington Morning Glory (Oasis Tribute), Nags Head, Bourne DJ Eddie Nash (9pm), The Brewery Tap, Peterborough Last Minute Brigade, Yard of Ale, Peterborough Cabin Boy Jumped Ship, The Met Lounge, Peterborough Ramshackle Serenade (9pm), The Burghley, Peterborough The Expletives (9.30pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough DJ, The London Inn, Stamford

DECEMBER 10

Reckless, S Bar, Stilton Frankie Cox, Nobody Inn, Grantham Velocity, The Ostrich, Peterborough

Mark Steel, Peterborough ConservativeClub Meg McPartlin (3-6pm), Charters, Peterborough Christmas Tree Festival Music (4.30pm), St Mary’s Church, Whittlesey Grupas Galakita, The Met Lounge, Peterborough Christmas Market (12-7pm), Charters, Peterborough The Mighty and the High (10pm), Charters, Peterborough

Dirty Rumour (8.30pm), Grainstore Brewery, Oakham The Gangsters (8.30pm), Iron Horse Ranch House, MarketDeeping Pennyless (8.30pm), The Anchor, Bourne Planet ABBA, Stamford CornExchange 23 Reasons, The Plough, Werrington Dead Horse, Yard of Ale, Peterborough DJ Rick Allen (9pm), The Brewery Tap, Peterborough The Nuggetts (9pm), The Burghley, Peterborough Velocity (9.30pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough Money Shot, The London Inn, Stamford

DECEMBER 11

Indigo, Edwards, Grantham The Memphis Cruisers (8.30pm), Iron Horse Ranch House, MarketDeeping Pennyless (4pm), Mama Liz’s Division, The Plough, Werrington Christmas Market (12-7pm), Charters, Peterborough Pembroke Tenesson (3-6pm), Charters, Peterborough Head in the Sand Folk Session (1pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough

DECEMBER 13

Christmas Quiz Night, The Castle, CastleBytham

DECEMBER 14

Acoustic Session (8pm), Falcon Hotel, Whittlesey Christmas Open Mic (7.30pm), Iron Horse Ranch House, MarketDeeping Quiz Night (7.30pm), The Old Ship Inn, Pointon

DECEMBER 15

Quiz, Charters, Peterborough Bingo (7.30pm), The Old Ship Inn, Pointon Originals Acoustic Night – 3 performers (8.30pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough

DECEMBER 16

BHDC, S Bar, Stilton Cirque Enchantment, New Theatre, Peterborough Citizen Smith, The Plough, Werrington

Houndogs, December 9, Mama Liz’s, Stamford

Circa 73, Yard of Ale, Peterborough Velocity, The Bluebell, Werrington

DJ Eddie Nash (9pm), The Brewery Tap, Peterborough Kickback (9pm), The Burghley, Peterborough Black Rose (9.30pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough DJ, The London Inn, Stamford

DECEMBER 17

Fragments, Nobody Inn, Grantham Neil Timothy, Peterborough ConservativeClub Phoenix Project (8.30pm), Iron Horse Ranch House, MarketDeeping Cirque Enchantment, New Theatre, Peterborough P Town Funk, The Plough, Werrington Funked Up (8.30pm), Grainstore Brewery, Oakham Toxic Blondes, Yard of Ale, Peterborough Stella Hensley & Chris Newman (3-6pm), Charters, Peterborough The Dizzy Miss Lizzy’s (10pm), Charters, Peterborough

DJ Rick Allen (9pm), The Brewery Tap, Peterborough Soul Train (vinyl DJ/Disco), Railway Inn, Ketton The Mighty and the High (9pm), The Burghley, Peterborough Candy Twist (9.30pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough Listen Like Thieves, The Castle, CastleBytham Groove Cartel, The London Inn, Stamford

DECEMBER 18

23 Reasons, Edwards, Grantham Cirque Enchantment, New Theatre, Peterborough Poor Boy, Mama Liz’s, Stamford Tommy Philpot, The Plough, Werrington Palmy Uke Band (3-6pm), Charters, Peterborough Music Quiz (6.30pm), Charters, Peterborough

the listings

The Blue Bell at Maxey

The Dizzy Miss Lizzy’s, December 17, Charters, Peterborough

the listings

Soulful Strut DJ Session (2pm-7pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough

DECEMBER 19

Rutland Big Band at Christmas (7.30pm), Grainstore Brewery, Oakham

DECEMBER 20

Open Mic (8pm), Falcon Hotel, Whittlesey

DECEMBER 22

Cinderella, Stamford CornExchange Quiz, Charters, Peterborough

DJ T31sy (9pm), The Brewery Tap, Peterborough Salmon Dave (8pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough

DECEMBER 23

Reasons, Edwards, Grantham

You & I & Him, The Plough, Werrington Scary Clown Presents: Diaz Brothers + Scene Killers + The Atoms + Approach with Caution, The Ostrich, Peterborough Cuttin’ Loose, Nags Head, Bourne Artic Roll, London Inn, Stamford Retrolux, Yard of Ale, Peterborough

DJ Eddie Nash (9pm), The Brewery Tap, Peterborough A Presto (9pm), The Burghley, Peterborough Blackout UK, Golden Fleece, Stamford

The Scary Clown Presents – Christmas Special (8pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough Simon Lee (8pm), Lakeside Bar, Tallington

DECEMBER 24

Disco, S Bar, Stilton Paula Burrows, Peterborough ConservativeClub Christmas Eve Vinyl Party (from 12pm), Charters, Peterborough

DJ Rick Allen (9pm), The Brewery Tap, Peterborough Quiz Night (7.30pm), The Old Ship Inn, Pointon Karaoke, The Burghley, Peterborough

DECEMBER 26

Off the Cuff DJ Session (2pm-7pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough

DECEMBER 29

Christmas Comedy Special (6.15pm), Grainstore Brewery, Oakham Open Mic, Nobody Inn, Grantham DJ Sav (9pm), The Brewery Tap, Peterborough

No Gods No Managers (8pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough

DECEMBER 30

Acoustic Session (7.30pm), Falcon Hotel, Whittlesey Tommy Philpot, Yard of Ale, Peterborough Vinyl Night (8pm), Charters, Peterborough The High Rollers (9.30pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough

DECEMBER 31

Disco, S Bar, Stilton New Year’s Eve Dinner with Aimee Cliff (7.15pm), Grainstore Brewery, Oakham Revolver, Nags Head, Bourne Party Bash with The Zephyrs, Yard of Ale, Peterborough Vex (8pm), £10 a ticket, Lakeside Bar, Tallington Velocity, Bluebell, Dogsthorpe New Year’s Eve With DJ Sav (8pm), Charters, Peterborough The One Eyed Cats & DJ Rick (9pm3am), £10 advance tickets, £15 pay at the door, The Brewery Tap, Peterborough Ed (9pm), The Old Ship Inn, Pointon The Undefined, Golden Fleece, Stamford David James Smith (9pm), The Ostrich, Peterborough New Year’s Dico with Free Buffett, The Castle, CastleBytham DJ, The London Inn, Stamford

The One Eyed Cats & DJ Rick, December 31, The Brewery Tap, Peterborough

reviews

adventures by camper van and motorhome” and features 25 varied tours around different regions from the Northern borders to the South-West and confirms why Wales should not beoverlooked.

Gresley. The locomotive would gain the name in a ceremony at Marylebone station on November 26 1935. Subsequently the Pacific would have a long and distinguished working life in and out of LNER and BRservice.

Off The Beaten Track England & Wales

By Martin Dorey, Conway, paperback, £20.00

You may remember Martin Dorey from his TV series 'One Man and his Camper Van'? That was first screened a decade ago and since then Martin has written several books about his adventures on the road around England, Wales and Scotland with a volume on Spain soon to join them. His traditional Volkswagen camper van has been replaced by a more modern and spacious motorhome these days but his knowledgeable gen about life on the road, things to do, places to visit and stay plus what you should take with you - and what can be left at home - is second tonone. This well-packaged, information-packed volume is subtitled “Wild drives and offbeat

The many inspiring illustrations should be enough to tempt travellers to want to explore the numerous places mentioned within the 320 pages - and post-Covid many more are discovering or re-discovering the attractions of seeking out the best our countryoffers.

The Overhaul Picture – Sir Nigel Gresley

By Trevor Camp, The Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Trust Ltf., paperback, £25 Until the early 1960s, Sir Nigel Gresley’s famous stylish ‘A4’ class of locomotive were a familiar sight on trains through Peterborough and district working East Coast main line trains. After BR decided it could cope without steam locomotives, only preserved examples were occasionally seen on specialworkings.

One of these was the example named after the famous designer. The story of A4 Class Pacific order number 341 begins in Janaury 1936, the 100th locomotive built to the designs of the London & North Eastern Railway’s Chief Mechanical Engineer Sir Nigel

However, the history of the locomotive covered by this volume commences in December 2015, railway photographer Trevor Camp was asked if he would be interested in recording the major overhaul of Sir NigelGresley.

Trevor did not have to be asked twice as, unbeknown to his caller, Sir Nigel Gresley was his favourite locomotive. Over the next six years, he would take more than 650 photographs of the extensive process required to bring a steam legend back to full working order today. He also penned around 40,000 words on theproject.

Of course, keeping locomotives like this going is a continuous challenge and you can learn more – and buy the book – at: www.sirnigelgresley.org.uk David Brown

EVERY

FRI

SUN 6TH DAN POOLE 3-6PM

SUN 13TH ANNA & JIMMY 3-6PM

SAT 19TH COSMIC RODNEY FROM 10PM

SUN 20TH MARK STEVENS 3-6PM

FRI 25TH VINYL NIGHT FROM 8PM

SUN 27TH BON ROGERS-WHITE 3-6PM

EVERY

SAT 3RD FILTHY CONTACT FROM 10PM

SUN 4TH DAVID JAMES SMITH 3-6PM

SAT 10TH CHRISTMAS MARKET 12-7PM

SAT 10TH MEG MCPARTLIN 3-6PM

SUN 11TH CHRISTMAS MARKET 12-7PM

SUN 11TH PEMBROKE TENESSON 3-6PM

SAT 17TH STELLA HENSLEY & CHRIS NEWMAN 3-6PM

SAT 17TH THE DIZZY MISS LIZZYS FROM 10PM

SUN 18TH PALMY UKE BAND 3-6PM

SUN 18TH MUSIC QUIZ FROM 6.30PM

SAT 24TH CHRISTMAS EVE VINYL PARTY FROM 12PM

FRI 30TH VINYL NIGHT 8PM