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Pulling the Plug on CCTV on Plug the Pulling Where Next on Pub Closures? Pub News p14 From From Important - Readers and Advertisers Notice The Leicester Drinker will revert to its normal bi-monthly cycle WHERE NEXT from October. Articles and advertising copy should be sent to [email protected] by 9th September. Later submissions ON PUB CLOSURES? may be considered but not guaranteed. In Issue 87 of the Leicester Drinker we highlighted the tax changes resulting from the The Drinker welcomes letters, news, views and recent budget. While the 1p cut in Beer Duty articles for possible publication. Please keep it brief and to the point and supply your name got the tabloid headlines it is the ending of the and address (this will only be published with beer duty escalator that gives more long-term your permission). The opinions expressed in encouragement in stemming the tide of pub this publication are not necessarily those of the closures and not before time. The North- Editor, Leicester Branch, or CAMRA. West of England is generally regarded as the Issue 89 October / November 2013 most resilient part of the country in terms Copy Deadline: Monday 16th September 2013 of pub culture and despite a much-needed ADVERTISING RATES thinning out of outlets serving unremarkable Quarter Page £38.50 +VAT keg, Manchester, Liverpool and most large 1/3 Page £55.00 +VAT towns are still generally well served. More Half Page £66.00 +VAT worryingly, as I discovered on a recent visit Full Page £121.00 +VAT Colour +50% to the Rossendale Valley, some of the smaller VAT Registration Number: 102 0964 57 towns are losing pubs at an alarming rate. Rawtenstall, for example, despite the overall EDITOR economic climate, could not be described as Rob Macardle especially depressed and generally has few Please send contributions to empty shops, but of its five town-centre pubs, [email protected] only The Queen’s Hotel is currently operating. Website: www.leicestercamra.org.uk The Crown is being re-furbished and the other Facebook: Leicester Campaign for Real Ale three are closed and for sale. It was therefore CAMRA Recommends that if you are in any way particularly timely to receive a letter from dissatisfied with the measure of your pint in any CAMRA member Roy Denney. of Leicestershire & Rutland’s pubs, contact the Trading Standards. Details below. Former Bank Manager Roy was involved in • City of Leicester Council, Consumer Protection financing the pub trade but was careful only Service, New Walk Centre, Welford Place, to lend to those operations he felt would Leicester, LE1 6ZG (0116 299 5600) succeed. He attained an intimate knowledge • Leicestershire County Council 2000, of the trade and over time was able to pass on E-mail: [email protected] • Rutland County Council Offices, Catmose, his knowledge and recommendations of best Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6HP. practice. Travelling extensively in rural and • Trading Standards are part of Environmental quite remote areas he recognises just how Health. All initial enquiries to Rutland County welcome and valued village hostelries can Council can be made through the customer be, not just to people passing through but as services team. 01572 722577 centres of the local community. Leicester CAMRA makes every effort to publish the Leicester Drinker on time, however sometimes due to lack of copy “Given a few days I could name 100 pubs that being received it may be a few days later than advertised. have closed within 30 miles of where I live and Leicester CAMRA cannot accept any responsibility for that is a real concern. Loss of choice is bad advertisements taken that feature a dated event that has enough in the suburbs but when that pub is occurred before publication is published. the only social centre of a small community it Postal copies from K. Satterly: 0116 253 0990 / 07803 601220 e-mail: [email protected]. is a disaster.” 16 Colwell Road, Leicester LE3 9AX(Please supply stamps ) Roy thinks that successive governments are www.camra.org.uk largely to blame. “I despair when I see how

2 July - September 2013 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch the industry is being decimated. The apparent than is sustainable from….profits…. [so that health problems some people experience by publicans] end up struggling to make a fair overindulgence is not being balanced against living. Unfortunately for many years there has the social cohesion of having such outlets and been a queue of uninformed amateurs who the stress relieving benefits of a few drinks in a like a drink willing to take over pubs and many social environment..” By hitting the pub trade people who want to retire to run a pub. It is a and respectable drinkers as a way of stopping hard business and they fail fairly quickly but binge drinking Roy argues that the authorities ….even that get-out-of- jail-card is drying up are mis-directing their efforts. and [desperate] pubcos are doing what they He observes that most trouble occurs in city know best – increasing rents even further.” centre bars, often fuelled by “pre-loading” Roy would like pubco licensees to be offered (drinking in advance with cheap off sales). a normal tenancy where an agreed rent for “There are steps that the government could a fixed period can only increase in line with take to encourage responsible drinking in the property market at fixed review dates. pubs. Surely it is better that younger people Mechanisms already exist for rent reviews and learn to drink amongst their elders within their arbitration so no new regulatory authority communities?” would be necessary and, as a “true” business “The first and most obvious step would be owner, the licensee should also be free to buy to remove VAT from on sales [to] give pubs product in line with customer demand. [an immediate] 20% edge on supermarkets So where do smaller brewery companies fit and offies (sic). Even on a revenue basis into Roy’s plan? “ [Those] that still maintain …. increasing tax levied on alcohol is their own houses are by and large…fairly counterproductive …. those who [continue] competitive…but [by] putting managers in drink less and many don’t go out as often…. rather than offering tenancies they would find the net result is despite higher rates of …new competition keeps them on their toes. taxation the take actually goes down”. They will not survive unless they can compete Roy’s second contention is that the market so I would make any legislative framework needs to be genuinely competitive and to ban only apply to owners of over 100 pubs.” one sided contracts. There was a phase where While Roy accepts that his ideas are not the “….greedy breweries….wanted two bites of whole answer to the problem he feels that it the cherry and put managers into their pubs. would be a start. Clearly the net VAT effect No real reward structure equals little product at the bar is unlikely to be anything like 20% care and the obvious results. All traditional as somewhere in the supply chain somebody pub tenancies are a joke. If you run a good is going to have to absorb irrecoverable business you are punished by an increased input tax, but Roy has a good handle on rent. No other business would penalise the numbers. He concludes “…it is difficult success.” without detailed statistics but, rule of thumb, Most brewers have now sold the bulk of I calculate that [if my measures their houses to pubcos who have contracts were adopted] the average with specific breweries so there has not publican would be some £11,000 been any significant benefit for the guest per year better off even allowing ale business. Roy believes that many pubcos for him passing on a good slice appear to be run by accountants with very of the VAT savings but as a little understanding of the trade and have result getting back only 10% of responded to adversity by increasing rents, lost trade.” and consequently prices, thus contributing to a spiral of decline. “Large pubcos take more Rob Macardle

The Leicester Drinker www.leicestercamra.org.uk 3 Pulling the plug on CCTV Early in June, and following fears that those businesses that do act responsibly, surveillance cameras were becoming particularly in the current climate [but are] a legal condition of every licence as focused on irresponsible promotions and a matter of course, the government bad management practices that can result in crime and disorder”, and supporting a announced that pubs in England proposed national body to oversee CCTV and Wales with no history of trouble usage the reality for the past four years has will no longer be forced by local been markedly different. In many parts of the authorities to install CCTV systems. country, pub landlords have been told they As far back as March 2009 the Information must install CCTV, costing several thousand Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the privacy pounds, to monitor entrances and exits or watchdog, had expressed serious concern at face losing their licence. the prospect. At the time there were fears that Now, the Department for Communities and the Policing and Crime Bill would introduce this Local Government is to issue new guidance as part of mandatory conditions for licensing to encourage police and local authorities to and the ICO sought assurances that “…the use consider whether putting in new cameras is of CCTV…be reasonable and proportionate… “appropriate” in all cases. Community Pubs to maintain public trust and confidence”. Minister Brandon Lewis said: “CCTV has a role The Home Office under the then Labour to play in stopping and deterring crime in Government said that the mandatory code anti-social behaviour hotspots, but well-run would target bad practices “that can result in community pubs that don’t have a public crime and disorder” but that while the bill’s order problem shouldn’t be tarred with the mandatory code could allow CCTV to be made same brush.” Nick Pickles, Director of Civil a requirement there was no plan to do so. liberties campaign group Big Brother Watch, The ICO said that “Installing surveillance in a welcoming the announcement, said “People particular pub to combat specific problems of should be able to enjoy a quiet pint without rowdiness and bad behaviour may be lawful, being constantly recorded on camera. This… but hardwiring in blanket measures across brings some long overdue common sense to entire areas and including pubs where there a situation where councils were driving up has been no history of criminal activity is likely the cost of a pint by demanding pubs spend to breach data protection requirements.” thousands of pounds on CCTV where there are In 2009 the Department announced that no problems to deal with.” it was in discussion with the alcohol retail The new code of practice will form part of The industry on draft mandatory conditions, Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, currently discussions that the ICO endeavoured to be before Parliament. included in. Despite announcing that “…[the] new proposals are not intended to penalise Rob Macardle

4 July - September 2013 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch

also now in circulation. New brews will be based on “Leicestershire Legends” and Tigers captain Geordan Brewery News Murphy is first with 4.5% Geordan 15 Bitter. Once established, brewer Steve Plews aims to relocate to Belvoir brewery is very busy. A new 23 barrel his own micropub. www.gasdogbrewery.co.uk fermenter increases brew capacity to 100 barrels. Appleby Magna’s Golden Duck report that their RU Using near original Basford recipes, a bottled version Six Nations golden brew Lunny’s No.8 (4.8%) sold so of Shipstone’s Bitter is to be marketed by the acquirer well they’ll continue it for the Lions tour. Tommo’s of the company trademark. Mild (3.4%), a one-off for Mild in May used 3 different www.belvoirbrewery.co.uk malts to give a dark smooth chocolate flavour. Dow Bridge continue to work to capacity. Their ever- www.goldenduckbrewery.com popular mild sold at record levels in May and on the Langton now have a facility for personalised labelling back of best-ever trading figures new premises are of bottled beers. Aside from their standards (Caudle, being sought in the Catthorpe area. Inclined Plane, Hop On and Bowler), a number of www.dowbridgebrewery.co.uk seasonals have been produced. The brewery were In June, Everards introduced a new 4.5% abv particularly pleased with feedback for Leicester beer, Artigianale Bitter, with a lime pepper flavour. Festival special All H’Ale. www.langtonbrewery.co.uk The popular 3.7% golden Whakatu makes a re- Aside from sterling work assisting Gas Dog find its appearance with Equinox to follow in late August. A feet, Parish again brewed 4.4% On Ur Bike for the further three pubs have been purchased for Project annual Rutland-Melton International CiCLE Classic William; The Black Boy (Headington, Oxford), The in April. Cheshire Cheese (Buxton), and, intriguingly, The Black Dog (Oadby) which is next to The Fox, an existing In May the brewery celebrated its 30th anniversary Everards house. www.everards.co.uk with a special brew. Summer seasonal Trudy’s Tipple (4%) is now available. www.grantsfreehouse.net Half-barrel micro Gas Dog, based in premises adjacent to Parish Brewery in Burrough on the Hill, At time of going to press there was nothing new to launched its inaugural 4% Bitter to coincide with report for Pig Pub (www.piginmuck.com), Long Lane Leicester Beer Festival in March. Its 4% Dark Ale is (www.matchlesshomebrewing.co.uk) or Shardlow.

6 July - September 2013 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch Pub News Company. No news on when the Shakespeare’s PUB NEWS Head, Southgates is to re-open under its new ownership and information is sketchy about the Beer fate of The Ship. The Lounge, Aylestone is now selling Real Ale The Blue Moon, Hunters Rest and, saddest of all, (Bombardier, Hobgoblin and Everards Tiger). The Black Boy all look likely to be redeveloped. Winstanley, Braunstone Town, now has three The Old Library at Oadby is set to close and The guest pumps and has introduced CAMRA Crown at Ibstock is up for sale. discount on guest beers. The Rutland & Derby, Leicester, The Malt Shovel, Barkby ,The Bull’s Miscellany Head, Blaby and The Plough, Littlethorpe now The Black Horse in Aylestone has replaced the also offer CAMRA discounts and card carrying CAMRA discount with a loyalty scheme open to CAMRA members can now access the Glenhills everyone where a stamp is given each time a pint Sports & Social Club, 2 Court Road, Glen Parva, of guest beer (non-Everards) is purchased. Once for a 50p temporary membership fee (several 12 stamps have been collected a £5 voucher real ales available). In the City Centre Duffy’s (ex can be claimed. Also in Aylestone, the site of the Red Tent) has sold both Hobgoblin and Doombar Rutland Hotel is now a new doctor’s surgery. In of late. Firebug, Millstone Lane, sells Bombardier , new incumbents from Blackpool took and Hobgoblin. Synergy (ex-Longstop etc) was over at The Star & Garter on June 17th. selling Byatt’s Meridian Bitter and Byatt’s Gold (?) in April. The Orange Tree, High Street, is now Pub News relies greatly on input from the selling two guests in addition to the customary public and the trade. CAMRA members will generally visit premises with an existing London Pride. real ale commitment so information on new Bars – Pros stockists and outlets is particularly welcome. The Dovecote, Coventry Road, Narborough has re-opened as a pub after being boarded up for 2 years. There had been fears the plot would be sold for housing. A full refurbishment has been The Offie carried out and, although food orientated, four real ales are available - Theakston’s XB and Old Specialist Merchants Peculiar, Deuchars IPA and Caledonian Golden XP. Shakespeare Inn, Braunstone Lane has National Trade Beer Retailer re-opened with a new tenant after a month’s of the Year 2005-08-10 unexpected closure. The newly refurbished Sir CAMRA National Beer Retailer Robert Peel re-opened on June 27th and now of the Years 2008-2010 offers CAMRA discounts. - National Deliveries - Bars - Cons - 500 Different Beers - Loaf (which always had some Real Ale) has - 300 Selected Wines - closed and is currently vacant. Dwarf & Giant - 100 Unusual Spirits - is now closed though hasn’t sold Real Ale for a long time. The Varsity Berridge Street, the 142 Clarendon Park Rd, Leicester only Sports Bar with Real Ale in the City Centre, www.the-offie.co.uk remains closed for refurbishment. The Almanack [email protected] th (Highcross Centre) closed on 18 June; had four Tel. 01509 413970 day hand pumps and sold Otter and Purity beers – no 0116 2701553 eve indications as to future plans from the Peach Pub

The Leicester Drinker www.leicestercamra.org.uk 7 PASSIONATE 148mm x 210mm:Layout 1 5/6/13 15:30 Page 1

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Cambridge Day Out One beer here that most people were drinking was Hop Back Entire Stout, very nice it was too, despite being £1.75 a half. Next was Cambridge Blue. The small front revealed a large expanse inside and quite busy with customers as well, many of them from our trip. There were something like 12 beers on, I had Grainstore Red Star. At this point a sit down in the park with a Kebab was a good Idea, then off to The Sampling the beers in Cambridge Tram Depot (Yes, it’s a pub!) This is an Everards house and a converted depot used for horse drawn trams. No evidence Our day trips continued on Saturday 1st whatsoever architecturally, but very June with a trip to Cambridge. With a full modern inside. Although Guest Beers were bus, we set off on time as always, with the on, I did have Tiger. weather promising a nice day out. While heading for The Elm Tree I passed We arrived before most pubs opened. an interesting looking place The Free As always, I set out to try as many Good Press, but ignored it initially as it was a Beer Guide pubs as possible. On arrival, I Greene King pub. Curious to see if it was as noticed that we were close to Live and let interesting inside as the outside, I peered Live, which was about to open, so a few of through the door only to find that it was us set off there. There were about six beers probably the best pub so far. Alongside the to choose from, I had Tring Sidepocket. GK beers were three guests; the Hop Back It was soon identified that the prices in Crop Circle was superb but at £1.80 a half! Cambridge were high at £1.65 a half but worse was yet to come. Now having reached The Elm Tree, a pale green colour outside, a busy bar inside Next on the list was The Devonshire Arms. and a large range of beers. Black Country This Milton Brewery pub was set back from BFG wasn’t as good as back in town, more the street and empty on arrival. I opted for expensive too. Next was the smallest Are you passionate Tiki reasonably priced at £1.45 a half and pub in Cambridge, St Radegund (Havana very nice. Club) with one small room which was about running a pub? Next was The Kingston Arms. This was half packed with drinkers. A quick half of Milton way down a residential street and quite a Dionysus and off to Cambridge Brewpub. few of our party were already there. Many Not what I expected, thoroughly modern Join Everards, we put you at the heart of everything we do. of the customers were eating here, so a inside and looked like an office block quick half of Crouch Vale Brewers Gold, outside and packed with people. Not my Can you picture a great future with Everards? then off to the next pub. type of pub at all, but since I was here, I To find out more, contact us today. had half of their own Kings Parade, but A couple of streets away was Geldart, a wasn’t impressed. pub with a rustic feel. It had a gramophone Call: 0800 056 4111 player and vinyl records for customers to Next was a quickie as departure time was or visit: www.everards.co.uk play (something I do at home all the time). fast approaching. This was The Maypole

@EverardsTiger facebook.com/everards The Leicester Drinker www.leicestercamra.org.uk 9 The Maypole The Devonshire Arms

The Geldart

Picturesque day trip to Cambridge

where a St Austell Proper Job went down well. Two rooms and yet not many people Spoilt for choice at The Cambridge Blue in, it was a nice pub. Now to the place nearest to the bus, The Pickerel. This was next to the river where Gary had suggested we go punting. This pub had low arches and was dimly lit and full of our party. After my flying half of Woodfordes Nelsons Revenge it was all aboard the coach and off The Western to St Neots. Apart from higher prices than those in Leicester, I also noted two other Cornish Beer & Cider Festival things. Many of the pubs were thriving in Friday 23th – Monday 26th residential areas and there were folk on their bikes everywhere. Wish I had taken August 2013 mine along! 10 Ciders & 10 Beers + more inside We had visited St Neots on a previous trip Live Music From 6pm Friday and 3pm and called in The Pig & Falcon, which we also did this time, but the owners had Saturday, Sunday and Monday taken on a new pub in the town, The Hog & Flamin’ Mo’s Pizzas all weekend Partridge. Both with a good range of beers 70 Western Road, Leicester, LE3 to finish the day off. Follow us on Facebook Many thanks to Gary for another excellent TheWestern Leicester @SteaminBilly1 trip and our new driver for a safe and Call 0116 254 5287 pleasant journey on his first trip with us.

CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE FOR DETAILS Keith Williams www.steamin-billy.co.uk

10 July - September 2013 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch BEER JOHN SMITH’S FESTIVAL – No Nonsense? From June the alcohol content of John Smith’s Extra Smooth is being reduced from 3.8% to 3.6%. At the same time, the price per pint is set to rise 2.5p in response to “high tax rates, rising costs of production and reduced beer consumption”. The reduction of alcohol content is set to save Heineken, who brew the beer at Tadcaster, a whopping £6.6m duty per year, though that figure is likely to be lower following the recent budget changes. Heineken say the reduction in alcohol content brings John Smith’s in line with its competitors including big rival and equally poor Tetley Smoothflow from Carlsberg and claims that the gravity reduction will “not. impact on the flavour” (what flavour? Ed).

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The Leicester Drinker www.leicestercamra.org.uk 11 CARLING’S OWN GOAL

Courage Directors 1 Molson Coors 0 swallowed the Burton company. Despite the restrictive covenant, Alton, being a pleasant Over two decades Molson Coors has spent town, is ripe for housing development and tens of millions of pounds trying to persuade Molson weren’t slow to submit numerous football supporters to drink its products, so planning applications, at one juncture giving it must have been particularly embarrassed the club one month’s notice to quit. by its tangle with Wessex League minnows Alton Town. Reminiscent of a Carling Cup Despite only having 150 regular fans, the upset, Alton appear to have got the better club garnered 4,000 names on a petition of the multinational. and instigated a “don’t drink Carling” boycott across East Hampshire. Although there’s an “The Brewers” started life in the 1920’s as uneasy truce it seems that Coors are now a Courage works team and a far-sighted ready to accept that they’re not going to get covenant between Courage and the anything other than an unpleasant headache local council decreed that the pitch and if they pursue their current course of action…… surrounding land be designated recreational a bit like drinking CBL, really. in perpetuity. Eventually Courage succumbed to Bass and, in turn, Molson Coors has

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12 July - September 2013 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch Cains no Rarer than a longer able Duck-Billed Platypus? In May Liverpool brewer Cains announced that it Ask anybody who’s spent any time in Australia was shutting its loss-making supermarket own and they will tell you that in Perth you’ll drink label brewing and canning arm and suspending Swan. In Sydney it’ll be Tooheys or Hahn, all brewing with the loss of 38 jobs, due to the pressures of an “extremely competitive and Castlemain in Brisbane and Carlton or Victoria difficult trading environment”. Staff were told that Bitter (VB) in Melbourne. In Tasmania you’ll the brewing business was “no longer economically see Boag’s or Cascade. With the exception of viable or sustainable” after losing a major contract Adelaide’s Cooper all the breweries in Australia last October and its biggest single customer halved are now owned by two mega-brewers, but its order early this year. regional loyalties to “State of Origin” brands are It was only in April that the company revealed still strong. One name is strangely absent from plans to convert its landmark site off Parliament the list (or as one famous Australian might say Street into a £50m “brewery village”, but it is that “Can you see what it is yet?). Marketed widely very plan that means it will not be able to recruit any new long-term customers. Production of by Super-Ocker Paul Hogan, as the “amber Cains-branded beers will be sub-contracted to a nectar” in the 1980’s Foster’s has been almost third party while its own brewery is closed and just unobtainable in its homeland for two decades, 18 jobs remain at the site. The brewery village plan as the vast majority of it is now brewed in the will be submitted to Liverpool City Council in the U.K. under licence. So “Foster’s – Australian for summer and, if approved, work could start next Lager” and “Think Australian, Drink Australian” year and last for at least 18 months. The original Grade II-listed redbrick building would be restored are actually built on a myth. What makes it to house a smaller craft brewery, shops, a hotel even more dubious is that for the first hundred and a rooftop sky bar. The sheds in Parliament years of its existence Australian beer was of the Street would make way for a supermarket with British ale variety until in 1885 some German apartments above. Sudarghara Dusanj, Managing immigrants introduced lager to Melbourne under Director of brewery parent RC Brewery said “we the name Gambrinus. When two Irish-American want to create a major new tourism and leisure brothers added refrigeration into the equation, asset for the city which would secure the future of the Cains beer brand for decades to come.” chilled lager became instantly popular as a cooling drink in hot Australian summers. In time Although Cains says it will resume craft brewing Foster’s became part of the Carlton & United if the brewery village gets the go-ahead, it is little consolation for those left jobless. The financial Brewery and ultimately SAB Miller. The worrying deterioration has been so rapid that some thing is how many people are being duped by workers of 20 years’ service were informed over the misleading advertising. So, just to clarify; the phone on a Friday afternoon not to return to Foster’s is made in Britain by a South African work the following Monday. Letters to staff were multinational based on a Central European stark to say the least. “You will be aware that beer style adapted by Irishmen using American over recent weeks RC Brewery has been facing increasing financial difficulties … the company is technology and advertised as an Australian no longer economically viable or sustainable [and] product that can’t be bought there and is not in a position to make any payment to you in despised by most of its population. As Dan and connection with your employment to date, nor in Brad might say, “Bad Call”. relation to [its] termination. However, you may be able to claim …pay arrears, notice pay, holiday pay As an aside, has anybody ever seen those other and redundancy pay via the Redundancy Payment “locally-loved” products Krona margarine in Service” Scandinavia or Piat d’Or in France? R.M.

The Leicester Drinker www.leicestercamra.org.uk 13 CAMRA – Beer News Saturday 9th March BARKBY AND SYSTON As part of a survey for the new attendance of diners and drinkers. Five Whatpub? website Shawn Collier Thwaites beers were on offer – Wainwright, Nutty Black, Original, Lancaster Bomber spent a pleasurable March Saturday and Bravado. A guest is also offered, on this in Barkby and Syston. In a short tour occasion Elgoods Golden Newt. The pub is he found over twenty different beers planning a beer festival in August (see diary available in a small area. entry, Ed) when they will be free to decide what beers to order. To reach Barkby, First stop was the idyllic Centrebus service 100 from Leicester to setting of Brookside Melton Mowbray runs hourly until early in Barkby and the evening Monday to Saturday. Brookside Inn. Leaving the main road through Moving on a couple of miles I arrived at the village , a winding Syston. From the Leicester direction go road leads to the pub. over a railway bridge and immediately On entering a bar area on the right is The Midland Railway opposite the entrance to Syston is to the right and to the The Brookside left a larger room where Railway Station. Built as the Railway home cooked meals are Inn in the late 1840’s with the arrival served. On offer were Marstons Pedigree , of the Midland County Railway, the outside still Jennings Bitter and Ringwood Old Scrumper. shows its former owner, Crossing the village I arrived at The Malt Ansells, and it is Shovel on Main Street. One of the oldest now with Punch. Inns in Charnwood, dating back 750 years, it The inside is bears witness to the Borough’s malting past. open plan with It was bought by someone called Merton pool table and from De Percy in 1271, when it was probably dart board at already very old. Recent times have seen one end and an another chapter in its history when acquired open fire and tables for eating by Blackburn brewer Thwaites. A sizeable The Midland Railway outside area stretches to the at the other. One brook. Entering cask beer was the main available, Black Sheep Bitter. Next it was off room there is to the older part of the town. The Dog and a central bar Gun was refurbished by Steamin’ Billy in 2011 on the far wall and a large picture of Billy can be seen on the and a small outside wall. The company believes in the restaurant traditional pub and their premises reflect this. area off to A mix of modern and traditional décor and fittings complement the building. Tradition The Malt Shovel the left; there was a healthy shows with a bar, lounge, toilets out back

14 July - September 2013 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch between the Oakham Brewery. Banks’s Bitter and Mild are a two and a small permanent offer and four further handpumps courtyard. It was serve other beers from the Marstons family time for lunch and guests. Reading the website provides an and a cheese insight to the early days with a brief history; and onion cob looking at today’s and sausage roll scene it’s difficult accompanied a to visualise but The Dog and Gun Tipsy Fisherman. community spirit Other beers noted prevailed and were Steamin’ Billy Skydiver, Belvoir Dark those founder Horse and a selection of guests. Blackboards members should display what’s on, coming next and the bar be commended. snacks and hot dish At the centre of of the day. A short the town is The The Syston and District Social Club walk away is High Fox and Hounds. St and the Queen On this occasion it wasn’t visited as I had been Victoria. This told there was no real ale available. It has former coach house since been confirmed that this pub does serve is 200 years old Marstons Pedigree and occasionally others. and Everards have Food is available with a European influence. traded here since Plans are in hand to freshen up the décor The Queen Victoria as it was 1922. Some readers during this year. may remember a makeshift gym at the Photos of Queen Victoria courtesy of Everards rear of the pub as being a base for local boxer Tony Sibson from 1980. A variety of events Syston & District and entertainment were advertised. Licensee Zoe is from Syston and having worked around FROM 1SocialST FEBRUARY Club FEATURE the county, arrived back at the Queen Victoria High Street, Syston in 2011. She has a passion for creating and BREWERY IS GRAINSTORE OF OAKHAM offering good quality, value for money A SELECTIONWe are a Forty OF One GREAT Year Old BEERS! food. On the bar AN ‘VEARLYillage Social WARNING Club ’ OUR were Everards with a passion for Real Ale Beacon, Tiger ANNUAL BEER FESTIVAL WILL BE HELD At the end of every month we and Original ON THE 14TH, 15TH JUNE 2013 plus Oakham feature a brewery, it can be from Ales Bishop’s ALWAYSanywhere 6 EXCELLENT in the REAL UK ALES AT REASONABLE PRICES Farewell. Come and try us we always have Returning along CAMRA6 Excellent MEMBERS Real Ales FREE available ENTRY High St the The Queen Victoria as it is today at reasonableWITH CARD prices final stop was SEE OUR WEBSITE the Syston and Camra Members Free entry with card District Social Club which offers a warm www.systonsocial.co.ukwww.systonsocial.co.uk welcome to Camra members and a good selection of beers. A carpeted room with tables and bays provides a comfortable environment for all. The club frequently has brewery weeks, at the time I visited it was

The Leicester Drinker www.leicestercamra.org.uk 15

Camra – News Mild in May - A Walk on the Mild Side

CAMRA nationally has been doing its bit over recent years to revive interest in Mild as a beer style. It was only in the early fifties that Bitter overtook Mild as the predominant domestic was Dark Congregation (Abbeydale) 5%. The beer style. Generally lower in alcohol content, party then crossed Bede Park and the River Soar Mild was the working-man’s drink, something to arrive at the Swan and Rushes. A choice of that could be quaffed at lunchtime to replenish three here: Potbelly Captain Pigwash 5%; Flipside fluid lost in the foundry or by the kilns without Dark Denomination 4% and Grainstore Rutland too much risk of being drunk at work. As the Panther 3.4%. An enjoyable hour soon passed nature of the workplace changed and disposable and on we went. The other activity of the day income increased, Bitter consumption took being the launch of the Leicester Ale Trail leaflet, hold and Mild retreated even in its traditional Gary Akiens organised a promotional photo as strongholds. It was against this background of we left the Swan. Next stop was the King’s Head. half a century of decline that CAMRA initiated The advance party were able to try the offering Mild in May to encourage brewers to produce, from Plain Ales which ended as I ordered. Black pubs to sell and customers to drink it. Other Country Ales Pig On The Wall 4.3% was the other areas have embraced the concept for several Mild on offer. It was then on to the Barley Mow. years and created Mild Trails,etc but this was Everards Amber was on offer along with Elgoods Leicester’s first foray, a modest amble around Black Dog 4.3%. A buffet had been organised and the City Centre on Saturday May 18th. (Ed). was eagerly consumed. Thanking the staff for Organiser and Local Membership Secretary, their efforts and suitably refreshed we headed Shawn Collier, takes up the story. across town to the High Cross. Both of Falstaff’s Around 13.00hrs branch members gathered Milds ended as we entered but Rutland Panther at The Western; some were newcomers to a was available. To their credit two more Milds branch social and others new to trying Mild. The were being readied. informal nature of the day saw some join later; Final stop was The Criterion. A tweet earlier others miss the end and a few start, head off informed us that there was a choice of four elsewhere, but be there at the finish line. First waiting: Titanic Mild 3.5%; Slaters Monkey Magic Mild of the day was Everards Amber Mild 3.4%, 3.4%; Oakleaf Maybee Mild 4.6% and Revolutions which provided a nice light start, a reminder Severin Dark 3.3%. Pizzas were also in demand that there are light as well as dark Milds. With and rounded off a very enjoyable afternoon. darker (and stronger!) beer on offer some took Thanks to all pubs visited for their hospitality the opportunity to sample. Particularly nice and also to all those who stocked Mild during

16 July - September 2013 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch May. Hopefully this will encourage year round demand. Next year We have been asked about a Mild Trail similar to other branches, involving the collection of stickers from participating pubs, to acquire t-shirts, certificates or other freebies. This is something we want to look at for 2014 and will discuss in due course. THE BRITANNIA INN The Last Word QUENIBOROUGH Just wanted to say AUGUST 23rd-26th BANK HOLIDAY how enjoyable the Mild Pub Crawl was…. BEER FESTIVAL WEEKEND it went really well and the pubs were pleased to see us - 15 Real Ales & 5 Ciders plus the mild was very nice. I have never got drunk on Live Music on Friday Night mild before ! (Gary Akiens) & Sunday Afternoon

The Mild Crawl For full details see our website http://www. britanniaqueniborough.co.uk/ Sir Robert Peel re-opens The long-needed refurbishment of the Sir Robert Peel has been completed and the Jarrom Street premises re-opened on June 27th. The refurbished Sir Robert Peel Everards have carried out a sympathetic upgrade of the pub that looks set to become a welcome addition to Leicester’s Real Ale scene. Julian and Karen Watson, formerly of Wigston’s Star and Garter, have an excellent record of commitment to real ale and already look to have a winner on their hands. Mindful of the pub’s decline over the last twenty years, Everards have taken a pragmatic view on the best way forward for the property and have afforded the new tenants a lot of flexibility in the range of beers on offer. Of the eight hand pumps, only one is tied to the brewer and for the convivial opening night there was a fine selection of ales and ciders on offer. Apart from Everards Tiger there was Burton Bridge XL Mild, Black Hole Cyborg, Hapax Copper, Wentworth Imperial, Kingstone Challenger and Thatcher’s Heritage. One of Leicester’s smaller pubs, the food offer is necessarily restricted by the lack of kitchen space, but freshly-filled cobs are available together with Pork Pie and Three Cheese Sharing Platters; ideal beer food! A stand-alone loyalty scheme is being launched and CAMRA discounts also apply, although prices are pretty keen in any case. The re-vamped pub is sure to be a pre-match hit with Rugby and Football fans (BT Sports TV is available) and is sufficiently close to both the Infirmary and DMU to attract a regular clientele. Definitely one to be supported!

The Leicester Drinker www.leicestercamra.org.uk 17 The Oadby Sausage & Cider Festival June 15th & 16th Oadby Wyggestonians RUFC

the show with 210 pints sold by 3 p.m. on the Sunday. I went for the uber-dry 6% Burrow Hill Dry and found it had an “apple-core” quality common in Normandy but seldom found in the U.K. Not to everybody’s taste, but exactly how I like my ciders to be. Having tried the drink, I headed for the food…. Wellingborough’s Duncan Brown is a young man with a passion for his product. The son of a former pig-farmer, he trained as an actor but found himself in the usual thespian Crispin Slee and Oadby Wyggs position of no roles and needing to earn a Chairman Chris de Luca living. Reluctant to work in a bar or wait on tables he headed to a sausage shop and The Sausage & Cider Company is a Social ended up a sausage-maker! Ironically, he Enterprise based in Pattishall, near started making sausages at the same time Towcester. Their aim is to spread this West as his father gave up pig farming; so all his Country tradition throughout the Midlands by teaming up with Rugby Clubs in a 50-50 profit sharing arrangement whereby the host club bears no risk. With a handful of similar events under his belt proprietor Crispin Slee, originally from Ledbury, has an impressive list of Sausage & Cider events planned throughout the summer including one at Hinckley RUFC over August Bank Holiday. For those requiring something different there were Rocktails, Cocktails and Pimms, but the Tasting Notes listed 33 orchard-based options, so why look elsewhere? The 25 ciders included two fruit- enhanced versions, together with 6 perries and 2 cider/perry blends. At a standard £3.50 a pint/£1.80 a half regardless of gravity, pricing Duncan Brown was kept simple and Broadoak Moonshine, a dangerously drinkable 7.5%, proved the star of

18 July - September 2013 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch meat is bought-in. With impressively high meat contents, Duncan says that what he throws away as waste is better than some manufacturers put in. He takes pride in always buying British meat, uses no additives and no preservatives and won’t sell anything more than three days after manufacture unless it’s been frozen. His Price List has 47 styles (pork, chicken, beef and vegetarian) , nearly 60% of which are gluten-free. Of the 20 choices available at Oadby the three most popular sellers were two spicy beasts, Anglo-Indian and Mexican Picante and the safe option 98% meat Cumberland. I went for The Ploughman (chuck steak, caramelised onion and cheddar cheese) and was very impressed, though I did notice one called Beijing Black, so when CAMRA starts a Good Sausage Guide… As with any inaugural event there were teething problems and Mr Slee had to contend with some online criticism on the Saturday. Although always intended as an Adult Event, the main discontent was over children’s activities and availability of soft drinks. Some The people thought the £3 Adult entrance fee excessive, but with live music, portable toilets Chandlers and marquees on hire and three ex-Ghurkhas on security it was easy to see where the Arms money had been spent. Sunday’s entrance Shearsby fee was commendably dropped to £2 as a 0116 247 8384 goodwill gesture and I can’t say I heard any Country Pub of the Year dissenting voices in the time I was there. That 2009 - 2012 said, it was a pity that there couldn’t have been a few local ciders on offer and local A Freehouse serving up to 7 Real Ales musicians might have swelled the crowds including local micros more by bringing their entourage, but a worthwhile event nonetheless and certainly Home cooked food served one for cider aficionados to embrace next year six days a week if Chris de Luca and his colleagues at Oadby Wyggestonians decide to repeat it. 3 Course Sunday Lunch £11.95 For further information contact Crispin at 20p per pint discount on ales for card carrying CAMRA members www.ciderbods.co.uk and Duncan via www.chandlersatshearsby.co.uk www.brownsgourmet.co.uk R.M.

The Leicester Drinker www.leicestercamra.org.uk 19 Ale Alfresco Words by Rob Macardle & Gary Akiens (based on suggestions received from With the British summer now well upon CAMRA members) us (fingers crossed!), what can be better than enjoying a fine pint of real ale in a Main Street, Illston-on-the-Hill is a tad more great pub beer garden? rustic; there are many pots of flowers, some with There is a wide choice in the city and runner beans and lettuce. county, so come outside and enjoy. North of Leicester The White Horse, White Horse These are some of our favourites but Lane, Birstall is handy for Watermead Park and we’d like to know what you think. The Great Central Railway. The Gate Hangs Simply send details, with pictures if you Well, Fosse Way, Syston has the best of both wish, to webmaster@leicestercamra. worlds; a garden for families plus another “secret org.uk and we’ll list them on the garden” just for adults by the River Wreake. Around Leicester CAMRA website. Bradgate Park, there are a number of choices. In the City, The Old Horse, The Bradgate Inn, Main Street, Cropston has a London Road has a long large garden whilst its neighbour, The Badgers’ back garden with an aviary Sett offers both formal alfresco dining and a and a tardis (really!) and more relaxed picnic table option. The Bradgate, The Rutland & Derby Newtown Linford has a nice open space, more a Arms, Millstone Lane terrace than a garden, but worth a visit. In Ratby, has a courtyard with roof all three pubs have decent outside areas, The terrace. At Aylestone Railway’s is a little too close to the road, and The Black Horse, the well manicured Bull’s Head garden probably Narrow Lane features edges it against the more homespun Plough. Desford has two contenders, The Blue Bell in a good selection of Tardis in the Garden baskets and tubs and the centre of the village and The White Horse, a a newly laid lawn. To favourite with families. the south of the city the multi-award winning Chandlers Arms Fenny Lane, Shearsby has views of the pretty village and green and the nearby Queens Head, Main Street, Saddington enjoys great views of the reservoir. If you like being near water a canal side pub is always worthwhile. The Foxton Locks Inn, Foxton is the choice of many but if that’s a bit off the beaten track for you don’t forget The Navigation at Kilby Bridge. Many pubs in the Harborough area have outdoor facilities and a particular favourite is The Bell, Main Street, East Langton with its pretty front The Old Horse Beer Garden lawn, flower beds and baskets. The Fox & Goose,

20 July - September 2013 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch Marie & Errol welcome you to... The Tom Hoskins A Community Pub with pocket-friendly prices for the Mature Drinker 131 Beaumanor Road, Leicester LE4 5QE Phone – 0116 266 9659 We are Cask Marked with up to 6 regularly changing Real Ales * Cold Cobs Available * Friday Meat Raffle Sunday Quiz * We cater for Small Functions * Onsite Barber

Image: Andy Melbourne (Thursday Lunch until Sunday Afternoon) * FRIENDLY WELCOME TO ALL - COME AND GIVE US A TRY THAT’S THE STILE Gary Akiens reports on the Real Ale Ramble 29.6.13 With the Chandlers Arms’ Summer Beer Festival to get to, and the nearest bus route being a few miles away, the first ever Leicester Ramblers at the ready CAMRA “Real Ale Ramble” was devised and a dozen hardy souls gathered at Leicester’s Last out of the village into countryside. Plantagenet for a hearty breakfast, (and beer Jim, who had done a recce of the route, for yours truly), before getting the 49B bus disappeared through a hedge and over a ride out to Fleckney. At the Golden Shield we stile. We all thought we better follow and met up with others from Wigston and Market it took us onto the “Leicestershire Round” Harborough, plus Jim Reay who had already footpath. Stiles were going to become a walked several miles from . common feature on this section of the walk, After an hour or so enjoying either the beer and they seemed to get more challenging garden or the Rugby on TV, drinking some very as we went. There was a different obstacle nice Grainstore Ten Fifty and Church End Bats to negotiate first, though, as the first field in the Belfry, it was time to set off on the main contained several horses that took a shine to part of the Ramble, a walk of 2.5 miles what was in Carl’s bag! With some trepidation to Shearsby. we avoided causing a stampede and the The first mile or so took us along Main Street footpath then took us through some thistly

The Leicester Drinker www.leicestercamra.org.uk 21 meadows and crop fields. A clear divide Navigation house beer, brewed by Tetleys. between the fit and the less nimble was The Ramble wasn’t over yet though, as we evident; Jim, despite being the oldest, was still had 1.5 miles of walking to go, onward the fittest and led the more agile off into the to the centre of Wigston Magna. Jim’s distance, whilst I accompanied those taking a local knowledge was great as he took us more leisurely pace. down some back streets and alleys known Alter just over an hour of lovely countryside as the “Wigston Lanes”. The Star & Garter and far too may stiles to mention, we was our destination for some further liquid emerged at the old A50 from where it was a refreshment and a nice sit down. We then short walk down some pretty back lanes in jumped onto a bus back to Leicester, where Shearsby to the Chandlers Arms. Welcoming there was time to pop into the Sir Robert cheers were heard from several CAMRA Peel on Jarrom Street, newly reopened members who had driven there. We all after a very nice headed straight for the beer garden and the refurbishment. twenty or so beers under the gazebo. It didn’t All agreed it take me long to sink the first pint! Several had been a hours were spent enjoying the fine range of very enjoyable beers & ciders available and increasing our day out and already glowing suntans. resolutions for future “Real Ale I’d arranged taxis to take us to our next pub Rambles” were stop, the Navigation at Kilby Bridge. The made…….. canalside seating was great and I tried the Ramble Gangnam Stile

KING’S HEAD KING ST. LE1 6RL thekingsleicester.co.uk * 10 REAL ALES AND CIDERS * * QUIZ WEDNESDAYS 9PM * * FREE WIFI - PUB GAMES * * YARD AND ROOF TERRACE * * WARM AND FRIENDLY WELCOME *

22 July - September 2013 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch

Here we go Samaritans As a sports fan one of the great Beer pleasures of an away trip is the opportunity for a pre-match pint in a Festival Many people different town. At the time of writing would think of The the Tigers fixtures were not available Samaritans when in but here are a few real ale outlets despair and need you might like to try when following someone to talk to. (L-R) Selina Conroy, Lance Sullen, Erica Pickles, Leicester City. That’s true, but they 24 July York – something of a real have no financial Claire Murgatroyd and Sarah Davies ale heaven, it’s difficult to go wrong support from anywhere in the city centre. The authorities, just Maltings, Tanners Moat is the “must- the funds they raise themselves, which for Leicester’s group is around £72,000 a year. do” and for those limited for time, Lawrence Street is the place to go Long standing Leicester CAMRA Branch members Lance where the Rook & Gaskill and Waggon Sullen and Claire Murgatroyd are volunteers for the & Horses are in close proximity. Samaritans and last year decided to have a Beer Festival to raise funds. This was a success, so this year with rd 3 Aug Middlesbrough – all too easy improvements, they held their second one at the Anne this one as Middlesbrough, large as Elizabeth School of Dance in Aylestone which was opened on it is, boasts just one GBG entry, The Friday 17th May by Leicester City Mayor, Sir Peter Soulsby. Star, 14 Southfield Road. Sponsors included Raw Brewery who supplied beer and 6th Aug Wycombe – midweek games equipment and Butcombe and Everards Breweries for beer usually mean one pub only; make it and staff from The Swan & Rushes and The Salmon. Leicester The Bootlegger, 3 Amersham Hill in CAMRA’s Cider team leaders Paul and Susan Shirley helped High Wycombe with the set-up; in all there were 22 beers, 4 ciders and 2 perries. 17th Aug Derby – Derby has an The event almost sold out and managed to raise £3,500 for impressive 15 pubs in the 2013 GBG. the Samaritans who are there for you 24/7 whenever you The Brunswick Inn, 1 Railway Terrace, need to talk to them. is the pub of choice, but gets crowded on matchdays, so if you have time seek out Dirty Duck’s Exeter Arms, 12 K Williams Exeter Place, or the Five Lamps, 25 Duffield Road, which always offers a Crossword LD87 good selection of unusual ales. Congratulations go to winner Nigel Spence of Birstall. We also 31st Aug Charlton – depending how you received correct answers from Brian Smith, Mark Nicholls, travel, Central London might be best Roger Corbett, Sam Loveday, Pete Loveday, Bob Lucas, as near to the ground there are few Graeme Malen, Peter Tomlinson, Ralf Edge, Ian Walpole, options. The Dog and Bell. 114 Prince Philip Robinson & Mick Smith. Street, Deptford S.E.8 is one to try. Across-1 Trumans,7 Thorne 8 Odcombe 9 Oast 10-Bass 12-Oldspot 14-Enville 16-Yomp 18-Dent 20-Initial 21-Gornal 22-Larkins 21st Sept Blackpool – One trip that some will make a weekend of but if Down-1-Trouble 2-Uncas 3-Alma 4-Sterile 5-Colonsay 6-Unesco 11-Spitting 12-Oldmill 13-Tipples 15-Neeson 17-Oribi 19-Vier. you only have time for one pub the cosy Pump & Truncheon, 13 Bonny Due to the lack of a sponsor there is no crossword in the current issue, but the King’s Head, King Street, has now kindly agreed to donate prizes Street is near the Central Pier and for future competitions and will also be honouring Nigel’s prize voucher. walkable from Bloomfield Road.

24 July - September 2013 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch

Sheffield Double Chris Greenwood loves drinking in Sheffield. So much so that he visited twice in quick succession, the second time for his birthday… His recommended option is the 07.55 National Express, Leicester to Sheffield (£10 approx) that arrives around 10.20, a time when The Sheffield Tap a lovely refurbishment of the old railway station waiting room is ready to serve! The pub The Kelham Island Tavern has a great choice of real ale and interesting World beers, at a price! He had the Thornbridge Tapped Brew South Pacific Best, “…a decent mix of hops and malt, but not the hoppy beer I all enjoyed the Irwell Works Costa Del Salford. hoped it would be” By the time you read this, the This was a balanced bitter with a good bitter pub should have a micro brewery on site, with finish. My Captain Cook Porter had a pleasant this and other beers. He also tried Thornbridge roasted barley finish.” Wild Swan and Fyne – Sanda, Black I.P.A., a good “A couple of minutes walk is the Fat Cat. This example of beer style growing in popularity is the pub that led the real ale revolution in (generously hopped with liquorice notes). Sheffield. I met some friends here tucking into The next pub opens at 11am. Henry’s Bar is a the good value food and, of course, a few beers modern pub with up to 13 beers. Chris had the to wash it down. I had the Two Roses Cascade, Empire – Mick the Miller. A bubblegum start led a pleasant, hoppy beer and the Black Jack to an astringent bitter finish and the Brew Co. Double Bluff. This was another very good [one] Yorkshire County, a straightforward bitter with from the Manchester brewery, some sweetness a pear drop finish on the tongue. His visit two to start, with a really good, long bitter finish”. weeks later was less successful. Three beers Another ten minutes leads you to the were cloudy and not very nice and he met with Wellington, one of Chris’s favourite pubs. He some resistance when returning them to the continues, “ I really like their Little Ale Cart bar. The mid brown Wharfedale – Nightshade beers. The Somerleyton? Hall had a gentle was malty with a bubblegum finish and the start, with a good hoppy finish. Next was White Rose Stairlift To Heaven was rather thin Millstone – Baby Git, which was very dry, again with a little bitterness in the finish. with a good hoppy finish. Before I moved on, I Past the town hall and downhill you finally had to try the Little Ale Cart The Brockelsby. A get to Shakespeare’s, a down to earth, multi lovely hoppy beer with a grapefruit finish; one roomed pub with lots of Yorkshire beers. Here of the best beers of the day for me [and] like Chris had the Clark’s Western Pioneer “A pine their other beers, great value. The L.A.C Melton needles start led to a pleasant, pioneer hop Hall and Craven were both beautifully hoppy finish [and] I drank a beer I had not seen for beers with a lovely long hoppy, bitter finish”. ages, Old Dark Attic by Concertina Band Club. On his birthday stagger he sampled WSB This was a pleasant mild with caramel notes Truffle Oak Stout. This was his favourite dark with some bitterness. I was about to leave, beer of the trip, so he had two!. A lovely dry when the friendly barman put Mallinsons stout with a good roasted barley, bitter finish. Saturn on. I really like their beers, so I had a A further 15 minute walk takes you to the half. It was a good refreshing beer with a nice Hillsborough Hotel. This was Chris’s first visit hoppy, bitter finish” Chris rates this pub as “… and found it a relaxed, sprawling pub. He very relaxed, with a good choice of micros. We engaged in conversation with the friendly

26 July - September 2013 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch brewster who told him about which hops On his second visit he paid homage at the were in her beers and a little bit about the Kelham Island Tavern, twice winner of the brewery (the Wood Street Brewery). The CAMRA British pub of the year. As usual it was friendly lady at the bar served him a half of busy with plenty of people conversing and W.SB. Sparkleberry, more grapefruit than berry enjoying their beer. He found the Pictish Bishop flavour and very pale with a long bitter finish. a balanced, bitter, sweet ale and easy drinking. He found the Yellowood I.PA. a bit sweet for The Gadd’s Dogbolter Porter was rather too an I.P.A. but had a decent hoppy finish. Their sweet for him with its butterscotch finish. Devilwood Stout was also quite sweet, with The Harlequin had Great Heck with a lovely molasses notes, but had a decent bitter finish. hoppy Nelson Sauvin and The Brew Co. Aussie, Again, he rated this another great value for Aussie, Aussie had a lot of Australian hops (no, money pub. really?). A Brew Co. Hop Monster followed (a His next stop was another relaxed pub, the beautiful, grapefruity beer with a long lasting, Gardener’s Rest. Home to the Sheffield Brew bitter finish) and Arkwright’s Chocolate Stout Co. you will find a large range of their beers provided a happy ending (a good bitter stout with a few guests. Here he had their NZPAII. A with some chocolate notes). Happy to note pleasant Kiwi hopped bitter and the Sheffield that the pubs not only have a great choice of Hot Chocolate. A little thin at first, getting beer, but rarely have the same beers on at the more chocolaty as you go down the glass. He same time, Chris also liked the prices too. also found Toolmakers Brewery Blonde here. It was a little thin but improved with a decent Abridged from an original article written by hoppy finish Chris Greenwood

The Leicester Drinker www.leicestercamra.org.uk 27 Fri 2 – Sun 4 Aug Swan & Rushes, Cider & Cheese Festival Real FESTIVAL Scrumpies & Gorgeous Cheeses Live Music Sat from 9pm with Delaney’s Angels – DIARY Rock’n’Roll’n’Blues www.swanandrushes.co.uk Wed 10 – Sun 14 July (Pub Event) Derby CAMRA Summer Beer Festival - Thu 8 -Sat 10 Aug Assembly Rooms, Derby. Now in its 36th year, Poppies Burton Park Beer Festival (home this is a major event in the ale drinkers’ calendar. of Kettering Town FC) Polwell Lane, Around 300 beers and ciders. New this year will be a Burton Latimer, Northants NN15 5PS. 24 marquee in the market place outside the Assembly real ales and 4 ciders. www.facebook.com/ Rooms with extra beer and seating. Details at PoppiesBeerFestival (Club Event) www.derbycamra.org.uk (CAMRA FESTIVAL) Fri 16 – Sun 18 Aug Mon 15 – Sun 21 July Black Horse, Aylestone Beach Party Theme The Criterion Cheese, Cider & Perry Festival, Festival – Beer, Cider & Rum. Live Music 44 Millstone Lane, Leicester. every day. Fancy Dress Comp, etc CAMRA VIP www.criterionvenue.co.uk (Pub Event) preview 15th. Full details www.blackhorse- aylestone.co.uk (Pub Charity Event) Thur 18 -Sat 20 July The 3rd Rutland CAMRA Beer Festival, Fri 23 – Mon 26 Aug Rutland County Museum, Catmos Street, Old Horse, London Road , 4th Annual Beer Oakham (10 mins walk from the rail station). Festival 15 Ales & 6 Ciders, Live Music, BBQ, Features 40 real ales - a good spread of light Face Paints, Bouncy Castle, Fancy Dress, Tug and dark ales and some festival specials. www. of War, Steve Walsh and more. Full details rutlandcamra.org.uk. Beerlist download available. www.oldhorsepub.co.uk (Pub Event) Vintage bus trip from Leicester & Sileby Fri 23 – Mon 26 Aug www.leicestercamra.org.uk (CAMRA FESTIVAL) Britannia Inn, Queniborough, Beer Festival 15 Ales & 5 Ciders, Live Music Fri Fri 26 – Sun 28 July evening & Sun Afternoon. Full details www. Market Bosworth Rail Ale Festival, held at britanniaqueniborough.co.uk (Pub Event) Market Bosworth Station and the Battlefield Line Railway, Leicestershire. 40+ real ales, Fri 23 – Mon 26 Aug ciders, perries & Fruit Wines. Beers on the trains. The Western, Leicester. Cornish Beer & Cider Bars and beers by Hinckley & Bosworth CAMRA. Festival 10 Ales & 10 Ciders, Live Music Fri Dr. Busker Fri & Sat evenings. Frequent trains with evening from 6pm Sat-Mon from 3pm. Flamin’ steam & diesel locomotives. Up to 10 Traction Mo’s Pizzas. www.steamin-billy.co.uk for full Engines in steam. Morris dancers. Camping, Caravan details (Pub Event) & Mobile Home pitches available. Leaflet download Sat 24 – Sun 25 Aug from www.leicestercamra.org.uk Hinckley Cider & Sausage Festival, Hinckley (CAMRA assisted event) Rugby FC, Leicester Road (Club Fundraiser Event) Fri 2 –Sat 3 Aug Malt Shovel at Barkby Beer Festival. 12 ales Fri 30 –Sat 31 Aug plus 10 ciders. Live music all weekend plus BBQ food Golden Shield Beer Festival, Main Street, available. CAMRA members receive 20p discount Fleckney, Leicestershire LE8 8AN. Tel 0116 per pint. Centrebus service 100 from Leicester stops 2402366 12 Real Ales. BBQ. Live Music on nearby. (Pub Event) Saturday. (Pub Event)

28 July - September 2013 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch Leicester CAMRA PUB OF THE Leicester CAMRA YEAR AWARDS Branch Diary 2013 JULY 2013 Sat 20th July Vintage Bus trip to Rutland Beer Steve Jackman and June Watson of Festival (£10) (Sileby & Leicester pick-ups). The Salmon, City Pub of the Year and Overall Sat 27th July Coach trip to Bath & Cheltenham (£14) Winner two years in a row August Wed 7th August Branch Meeting, 7.30pm, The Bulls Head, Blaby. Service 84/84A/85 bus from Leicester. Arriva Leicester Zone or “Flexi” multi- operator tickets are valid to Blaby. Wed 21st August Pub of the Month – Fox & Goose, Illston on the Hill. Transport to be provided from Leicester & Market Harborough. Please contact Gary Akiens for details. SEPTEMBER Wed 4th September Branch Meeting, Highcross, Leicester. Steve Jackman and June Watson Sat 7th September Coach trip to Bridgnorth for SVR Beer Festival, Ironbridge & Shrewsbury (£tbc) Keith Williams with Steve & Karen Crompton of Wed 25th September Pub of The Month - The Chandler’s Arms, Shearsby, County Pub of the Golden Shield, Fleckney. Committee Meeting Year for the fifth consecutive year precedes the presentation. Transport to be (photo courtesy of Bob Spree) provided from Leicester. Please contact Gary Akiens for details. For further details on trips see the Social Events Page at www.leicestercamra.org.uk or call Gary Akiens on 07815825039. Trips are not restricted to CAMRA members and typically cost around £13 with variances according to distance and time of year. Notes Branch Contact: K Williams: 07989 272717 [email protected] Keith Williams with Steve & Karen Crompton 86 Bonchurch Street, Leicester LE3 5EE For Saturday and Sunday trips: This Year’s clear winner in the Pub of the Year Gary Akiens: 07815 825039 was The Salmon which polled a whopping 185 votes. The King’s Head (82) took second and the or e-mail: [email protected] Criterion (69) pipped the Chandler’s (65) for third. For a fully up to date Tenth placed Dog & Gun, Syston (13 votes) was Branch Diary, please visit second most popular County pub. In all 48 pubs www.leicestercamra.org.uk received votes from the 138 CAMRA members who and click on Diary on the left voted, around 9% of those eligible. Full results are of the page. available on LeicesterCAMRA website.

The Leicester Drinker www.leicestercamra.org.uk 29 CAMRA discounts available locally (New additions in bold) All locations are in Leicester unless indicated in brackets. Information given in good faith and liable to change.

Barley Mow, Granby Street 30p/pint Black Horse, Aylestone CAMRA discounts/privileges for specific events Bridle Lane Tavern 20p/pint Bull’s Head (Blaby) 20p/pint Chandlers Arms (Shearsby) 20p/pint

Glenhills Sports & Social (Glen Parva) Temporary Visitor Membership for 50p with CAMRA card Globe, 43 Silver Street 30p/pint Malt Shovel (Barkby) 20p/pint on Real Ales & Trad Cider Marquis Wellington, London Road 10% Old Horse, 198 London Road 10% Plough (Littlethorpe) 10% Red Lion (Gilmorton) 30p/pint Rutland & Derby, Millstone Lane Real Ales charged at £3 Sir Robert Peel, Jarrom Street 10p/pint off Guest Ales Slug & Lettuce, Market Street 10% Syston Social Club (Syston) Temporary Visitor Membership with CAMRA card Tudor,100 Tudor Road 10% Winstanley (Braunstone Town) 20p/pint off guest ales W - Corn Exchange, Market Square 20% off food and 20p/pint off guest ales under 5.5% W - Highcross. High Street 20% off food and 20p/pint off guest ales under 5.5% W - Lord Keeper of the Great Seal (Oadby) 20p/pint for Real Ales W - Last Plantagenet, Granby Street 20% off food and 20p/pint off guest ales under 6% W - Sugar Loaf (Market Harborough) 20% off food and 20p/pint off guest ales under 5.5% W - White House (Scraptoft) Standard 50p vouchers only W - William Wygston (Wigston) 20p/pint for Real Ales W prefix denotes Wetherspoon outlets accepting CAMRA vouchers. One voucher per visit rule generally enforced. Discounts at Wetherspoons cannot be combined (e.g. 50p voucher and 20p/pint on the same drink). 20% food discount not applicable on some Food & Drink combos such as Curry Club, Sunday Roast Special and Burger Special.

Non-CAMRA loyalty card schemes available to all customers: Black Horse, Aylestone “Cheaper by the dozen” - £5 voucher on collecting 12 stamps. Sir Robert Peel, Jarrom Street 50p card gives a range of discounts. Visit www.sirrobertpeelleicester.co.uk for details The Steamin’ Billy Card Various food and drink discounts for a one-off card fee of £2. Details at http://www.steamin-billy.co.uk

30 July - September 2013 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch 07 / 13

The Leicester Drinker www.leicestercamra.org.uk 31 SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL HERO

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BGP - June-July 148mm x 210mm.indd 1 28/06/2013 11:36