WWW.CHEERSNORTHEAST.CO.UK // NOVEMBER 2014 // ISSUE 45 IT’S ABOUT PUBS, PEOPLE, BEER – AND YOU! cheers SHIP SHAPE SIGNAGE A PAINTER’S PROGRESSION RAISED FROM THE DEEP PORTER WITH A DRY FINNISH THE ART FREE PLEASE TAKE OF CRAFT A COPY THE CALL WENT OUT AND THOUSANDS LISTENED WELCOME Here we are, lashing on towards the year end – although there’s an awful lot of socialising to do and mountains of fun to be had before we’re once again “auld lang syne- CONTENTS ing” and bringing in 2015. The feeling of dark-night resignation can’t be helped though. CRAFT CALLED Some folks just want to hibernate – but short days should be seen 20WE LISTENED as moments to savour rather than “The beauty of the beer industry is that everybody setbacks. Take the Tyne Bar in collaborates and shares information – except Newcastle’s Ouseburn for example recipes and wives,” Dave Stone, one of the – the ever-changing light patterns, organisers of Craft Beer Calling told Cheers last huge shadows and starry skies are month. “Bringing everything together opens up all simply wonderful backdrops for sorts of possibilities with the end user – the enjoying a pint or two. pub-goer – benefitting most.” Know what? He was The logs tinkling in the fire at The absolutely right. The three-day spectacle of beer, music and street food – with a splash of gin and a Rat Inn at Anick, near Hexham, are swirl of cider for good measure – was a huge a welcome winter warmer – plus success. Upwards of 4,000 people converged on the a stroll into the late-night garden, event and the vast majority went off home very peering back at the cosy bar, pint happy indeed. in his hand, wine in hers – it’s Opportunity Knocks. Similarly at COVER: CHRISTINE PORECA (CAMDEN TOWN BREWERY) PROVING THAT SERVICE WITH A SMILE WORKS EVERY TIME the Victoria in Durham – where November specialities come in the shape of fireplaces for warming backsides, beautifully kept beer to TOP help the conversation fly, and Irish NEW YORK LATEST SUPER whiskey for rosy top-ups. DRUMMER The Clarence Villa, the Black 04 NEWS 26 COOPER Bull, Fisherman’s Arms, Twin TOM RAINEY Farms, Robin Hood, Electric Wizard and Honest Lawyer are all hugely DESCRIBED OLD, NEW, BEER-WICK attractive at this time of year – just THE BRIDGE AS do yourself a favour and shake 10 BORROWED 29 ON TWEED off any thoughts of staying put. ‘A CULTURAL Hibernation’s for rodents. You’ve got the message. The pub OASIS’. HE LIKED BATTLES & BREWERY is yours for the taking; it’s going to THE BEER AS be open when the shops have closed 14 BATTLERS 32 PROFILE – and so much better for your soul, WELL. too. November Schmovember – bring it on. DEEP SEA THE A-Z Alastair Gilmour Editor, Cheers North East JAZZ @ THE BRIDGE (SEE PAGE 13) 24 PORTER 36 OF PUBS EDITORIAL ADVERTISING PUBLISHED BY: 01661 844115 01661 844 115 While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, 07930 144 846 Gillian Corney the publisher cannot accept responsibility for omissions Alastair Gilmour [email protected] Publishers: Jane Pikett & Gary Ramsay and errors. All material in this publication is strictly [email protected] Emma Howe Unit One, Bearl Farm Stocksfield copyright and all rights reserved. @CheersPal [email protected] Northumberland NE43 7AJ www.cheersnortheast.co.uk [email protected] twitter: @offstonepublish When you have finished with We are tweeting. Photography: Peter Skelton www.offstonepublishing.co.uk this magazine please recycle it Follow us @cheers_ne OUR SPONSORS Wylam Brewery NEWS NEWS PAYING SUNDAY TIMES LIP SERVICE We’re into Movember when many of Pipe dream: The bar-restaurant at De Halve Maan in Bruges, Belgium MEANS BUSY PUB you will be sporting the beginnings of a A Northumberland pub has been named ’tache to raise awareness – and funds one of the top in the nation by The – for testicular cancer, prostate cancer Sunday Times. A recent review placed STREETS PAVED WITH GOLDEN LIQUID and men’s mental health. Globally, the Texas ranger: Brian Burgess at The Alamo – with a far-travelled copy of Cheers The Barrsaford Arms, Barrasford, near You’ve heard of oil pipelines, now Belgium associated with the congestion in Bruges’ Movember campaign raised more than Hexham (pictured above), at number has found a novel use for beer lines. De fabled cobbled streets. £345m last year, so there’s no doubting 12 in a list of the 25 best country pubs Halve Maan (Half Moon) brewery in the The pipes will be made of high quality plastic TRAVELLERS’ TALES – TEXAS CHAPTER its effectiveness. that serve food. It took owner-chef city of Bruges has decided to use pipes as and installed using advanced computer-guided So, if you can stand the jibes of looking Tony Binks by complete surprise and a means of transporting its beer from its drilling equipment. The journey time from the We asked for it! In October’s Cheers North – remember Davey Crockett?). He’s also like a 1980s porn star, get involved with staff had to turn away more than 30 brewing hall to its bottling plant – nearly brewery to the bottling plant will take just 10-15 East we requested photos of readers wearing a Durham Head of Steam t-shirt – your pub’s Movember campaign and start requests for bookings on the following two miles away. The brewery is to lay an minutes – about the time it takes to savour a enjoying a beer or two – or reading the so that’s two hits in one for Brian. those donations going in. Saturday with a similar number being underground beer pipeline to cover the nice beer. Work on the pipeline is due to start magazine – in unusual situations. Brian “When I saw the photo of the guys in Red And while you’re thinking about it, you disappointed for Sunday lunch. 1.86-mile distance to alleviate the problems next year. Burgess, from Sherburn Village, Durham, Square last month with their Hadrian Border might like to ponder over a pint of Mithril “We were pretty full up anyway,” says took up the challenge and sent this selfie beer, I thought I’ve just got to do this,” says Brian. Ales Movember (4.0% abv), brewed at Tony, “but lo and behold, the review just from The Alamo in San Antonio, Texas Contributions to info@cheersnortheast. Aldbrough St John, near Darlington, by ace turned up. It shows what that sort of (scene of the Battle of The Alamo, 1836 co.uk brewer Pete Fenwick. exposure can do. It’s nice to be recognised. The phone was red-hot for days after, and WORM TURNS IN FOR THE NIGHT we’re chuffed to bits.” After months of planning and renovation Refurbishment of the accommodation cost Tony also reports that June and July work, a County Durham pub is about to around £195,000 and has created five extra this year marked the best summer ever for fling open its bedroom doors. The Lambton part- and full-time jobs. the 19th Century, traditional pub and sales Worm, Chester le Street, has created 14, The Lambton Worm is one of three Sonnet have gone up 10% over the last two years high-end boutique-style rooms, all en-suite 43 Brewery taps, although it’s the only one with while bookings remain high for the pub’s and finished in a contemporary, luxurious accommodation. It’s the pub’s second phase of selection of double, twin and single en-suite style that features imported ornate Rococo redevelopment, following a full refurbishment accommodation. furniture and Bluetooth stereo speaker to the ground floor into a Sonnet 43 pub and www.barrasfordarms.co.uk docks. restaurant in early 2013. FAMOUSLYFAMOUSLY LOCALLOCAL 1 Gadwall Road Houghton le Spring DH4 5NL Telephone: (0191) 584 8844 Email: [email protected] 4 / CHEERS / www.cheersnortheast.co.uk www.cheersnortheast.co.uk / CHEERS / 5 NEWS NEWS Grand Central Station, Newcastle CHAMPION ALES - CHAMPION PUBS Tel: 0191 483 6792 The Centurion present their annual NYE PARTY with the Happy Cats Live Tickets on Sale NOW! 5 Real Ales always on tap. Glowing: The Half Moon, near Ripon, North Yorkshire NEW MENU NOW AVAILABLE Full English served from 6am THERE’S A HALF MOON RISING Monday - Friday in C C Hudsons A North Yorkshire village has Sheep Brewery, said: “Pubs like the Worldwide pint: Jess McConnell, Jarrow Brewery Open Mic nights - seen its only pub reopened, Half Moon are very much the heart Fortnightly on Tuesdays with support from Black Sheep of their communities, so it is great Function rooms available for private hire Brewery, after it was closed a to see Heather and Graham giving RED ELLEN AND FRIENDS EARN year ago. this one a new lease of life. Grand Central Station, Neville St, The Half Moon, in Sharow, near “As not only their local brewery, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 5DG Ripon, has been refurbished by new but Yorkshire’s, Black Sheep is HIGHLY VISIBLE PROFILE Tel: 0191 2616611 licensees Heather and Graham proud to have been chosen to be at Its ales may be inspired by Jarrow Brewery was established www.centurion-newcastle.com Raine, creating 12 jobs. the forefront of their offering.” Tyneside’s shipbuilding days in 2002 by long-standing publicans Heather and Graham have Heather Raine said: “The but there’s nothing “yesterday” and Camra enthusiasts Jess and called upon the area’s popular response from the locals has been about Jarrow Brewery’s Alison McConnell and has now Black Sheep Brewery to anchor the brilliant and they love the new look new website.