“It is not all doom and gloom in Leek”

Firstly I’d like to wish all Leek Life Magazine readers a very happy, healthy and peaceful New Year.

January 2023 marks ten years since the setting up of Moorlands CAMRA. The area formerly came under the umbrella of the huge Potteries branch, who were one of the early pioneers of the Campaign for Real Ale movement, being formed in 1974.

Throughout 2011 / 2012 and after much discussion in The Potteries branch, it was decided that to better represent Leek and the whole Staffordshire Moorlands area, a sub-branch should be set up, to concentrate entirely on Moorlands pubs and breweries.

In the first week of January 2013, the very first Moorlands sub-branch meeting was held in The Huntsman Cheadle. We recently held our tenth anniversary meeting in the very same venue, almost ten years to the day.

At that informal meet up, we discussed some of our achievements and more importantly, raised a glass to some pubs we had lost over that period.

Obviously, the great pub town of Leek came up in conversation. We have certainly lost some local pubs over that period just like everywhere else all over the UK. But as always Leek has bucked the national trend, with having several brand new pubs and bar businesses opening their doors, making our home town still retain a far more vibrant pub scene than almost any other I know of.

If we think for a moment which pubs have been lost, The Moss Rose at the Thorncliffe turn on Buxton Road, The Royal

Oak which stood where the pharmacy is, next door to Lidl. Then at the other end of town, The White Lion at Bridge End, The Abbey Inn, Abbey Green. More recently we have lost The Flying Horse on Ashbourne Road, The Pride of the Moorlands (formally The Herdsman) Junction Road, and The Travellers Rest Leekbrook. And of course we cannot let the loss of the iconic Quiet Woman in St Edward Street go without a mention.

Well folks it is not all doom and gloom in Leek…..

I am so pleased to report that the grade II listed Quiet Woman has been bought by someone who is well known and respected in the local pub trade, and after some minor refurbishment, it is hoped will reopen as a pub once again in March, if all goes to plan.

So, at long last after a turbulent decade, grand old lady of St Edward Street will once again be added to our great list of town centre pubs, with its future secured and in safe hands.

Let’s not forget that during the first ten years of Moorlands CAMRA we have also seen a range of other new venues open. The intimate setting of Cobblers in Russel Street, the magnificent former textile mill that has been reincarnated into The Old Mill Bar and Smokehouse in Haywood Street. Then we have Beyond the Pale in The Smithfield Centre at the bottom end of Ashbourne Road, the only venue in Leek to have a rooftop seating area. The amazing transformation of the former Central Club into The Silk Mill in Market Street. And not forgetting the two intimate venues of Brew(ce’s) in Stanley Street and Spout Brew House in St Edward Street.