theleicesterdrinker www.leicester.camra.org.uk FREE Issue 104 April / May 2016 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch Circulation 5,000 throughout Leicestershire & Rutland
Leicester Beer Festival 2016 p4
Jim’s Jaunt – Newtown New light through old windows p7 Linford & Anstey p22
INSIDE Local brewery news...... p6 Bus pass to beer ...... p8 Remember Kimm Wainwright. . p9 A Steamin’ Jolly Away Day. . . p11 Hoptical Illusion p7 Pub of the Year ...... p13 MILD IN MAY SPECIAL. . . . . p15 Facebook/leicestercamra @LeicesterCAMRA leicestercamra Upcoming Beer Festivals. . . . p28 Designed & Printed by AnchorPrint · www.anchorprint.co.uk EDITOR Rob Macardle Please send contributions to FROM THE EDITOR [email protected] Website: Welcome to the April/May edition www.leicester.camra.org.uk of The Leicester Drinker. Facebook: Leicester Campaign for Real Ale It’s been an eventful couple of months with The Drinker welcomes letters, news, views and articles another successful Leicester Beer Festival and for possible publication. Please keep it brief and to the continuing largely positive news on the local pub point and supply your name and address (this will and brewery scene. only be published with your permission). The opinions As a result we’re back to our standard 32-page expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of format for this edition of The Drinker and with the the Editor, Leicester Branch, or CAMRA. amount of material received we could easily have ADVERTISING RATES stretched it to 48 pages. We’d very much like to 1 /6 page £ 35 + VAT expand our number of pages but to do that we 1 /4 page £ 50 + VAT need to attract more advertisers, for without their 1 /3 page £ 66 + VAT 1 support it would be difficult to continue, so if you /2 page £ 85 + VAT know of somebody who would find it beneficial to 1 page £160 + VAT Back Page £190 + VAT reach our readers please let us know. Many of our Series Discounts available on 1/4 page and above advertisers are holding beer festivals in the coming VAT Registration Number: 102 0964 57 months so please show them your support. CAMRA Recommends that if you are in any way Don’t forget that May is Mild Month and this year dissatisfied with the measure of your pint in any of we have 32 participating venues for what is our Leicestershire & Rutland’s pubs, contact the Trading 3rd Mild Trail. All the details are on the four page Standards. Details below. centrefold but if you don’t wish to damage your • City of Leicester Council has now moved from copy of The Drinker everything is downloadable New Walk. All Weights & Measures enquiries should from our website (www.leicester.camra.org.uk). be referred to Citizens Advice 03454040506 or RM www.citizensadvice.org.uk • Leicestershire County Council 2000, E-mail: [email protected] • Rutland County Council Offices, Catmose, ADVERTISE IN THE Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6HP. • Trading Standards are part of Environmental LEICESTER DRINKER! With a circulation of 5,000 and an estimated Health. All initial enquiries to Rutland County Council can be made through the customer readership of three times that number, services team. 01572 722577 The Drinker reaches licensees and pubgoers Leicester CAMRA makes every effort to publish the alike and is available free of charge in almost Leicester Drinker on time, however sometimes due to 200 outlets. The newsletter is published every lack of copy being received it may be a few days later two months by The Campaign for Real Ale, than advertised. Leicester CAMRA cannot accept any prices to advertise start from £35 plus VAT. responsibility for advertisements taken that feature Contact [email protected] in a dated event that has occurred before publication is the first instance. published.
Postal Copies can be obtained from LEICESTER DRINKER ADVERTISING/COPY S. Collier on 07504 829830 DEADLINES 2016 or email: [email protected] Recommended Absolute 16 South Drive, Leicester LE5 1AN LD105 Jun/Jul 11/05/2016 18/05/2016 (Please supply stamps) LD106 Aug/Sep 13/07/2016 20/07/2016 www.camra.org.uk LD107 Oct/Nov 14/09/2016 21/09/2016 LD108 Dec/Jan 16/11/2016 23/11/2016
2 April - May 2016 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch The Stamford Arms, Groby 10% CAMRA DISCOUNT ON ALL CASK ALES
• New Play Area for Under 12s • Family Garden • Tuck Shop • No Smoking Area
• 5 Star Accommodation • Available for Bed & Breakfast • WiFi • Holiday Lets Available
• Fine Food Available • Quiz Nights Tuesday & Sunday • Pasta & Prosecco Wednesday • Open Mic Thursdays
• Shires Magazine Pub of the Year • CAMRA Pub of the Month February 2015 • 7 Cask Ales & Cider Always Available • Food Served from 11am - 10pm
The Leicester Drinker www.leicester.camra.org.uk 3 Leicester Beer Festival
A great success, the total attendance over the three and a half days was a tad over 5,000 and 117 volunteers worked over 2,500 hours in total. Media coverage was again improved with social media becoming increasingly important. 18 gallons of Sarah Hughes went by Friday Festival T-shirts were in great demand (see lunch as did a cask of Baz’s Bonce Blower opposite), as were the glasses. Breakages at 12.2%. Rebel MexiCoaco at 6.7% flew off apart, all 750 pint glasses and 1100 tankards the shelf (like jumping into a vat of Belgium went with just 28 of the original 900 goblets chocolate!) and Bexar Do Bears Sh*t in the remaining at the end. A number of non- Woods, treacle and black pepper porter, was Leicester festival glasses were also sold. sold out before Friday evening. Dark beers were Curries sold well, as did cobs, pies and sausage in great demand. rolls. Seacider was the first cider to go; one of the popular things about it is that it is made with apples the supermarkets have rejected. Cider bar volunteers came from Leicester, Loughborough and Grantham branches. Unlike many festivals we still feature only two fruits – apple and pear! The Festival theme proved popular
Leicester Morris performed Bottled beers were in demand too
Pipers provided festival goers with crisps Everards’ Mad Hatter sold quickly 4 April - May 2016 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch Leicester Beer Festival
Our navy blue “75 Years of the Jet Age” festival t-shirt proved immensely popular and the initial stock sold out quickly. We had a few more printed but those too soon went. We have since received a number of enquiries from people wishing to obtain one, so Festival glasses sold well we are considering having some more produced. If you would like one of the navy shirts (which are plain on the back) please contact Gary Akiens (07815 825039 or socials@leicester. camra.org.uk) together with the size(s) you require. Cost should be around £10 including P&P. If there is sufficient demand we’ll contact you to confirm payment/delivery arrangements. The Cider Bar
Apr 7TH Al Sansome Apr 2ND Haggis TH TH Apr 14 Michael Vickers Apr 9 Cliff Bywater ST TH Apr 21 Russ Merryfield Apr 16 Andy Griffith TH RD Apr 28 O pen Mic Apr 23 Graham Summers TH Apr 30 Steve Cartwright TH May 5 Joe Doyle TH TH May 12 Club Smashing May 7 Carole & Maria TH Comedy May 14 Jon Harrison TH ST May 19 Double Shot May 21 Robb Johnson TH TH May 26 Open Mic May 28 Julian Wright
The Leicester Drinker www.leicester.camra.org.uk 5 BREWERY NEWS
BARROWDEN (exeterarmsrutland.co.uk) – is GOLDEN DUCK held a well-attended inaugural relocating its brewing to Whetstone. Beer Festival in February. Sperrins, Derventio, BEARDY MONKEY, Melton Mowbray – This Alchemist and Tower also featured. Latest brew is new brewery is now up and running. Pale Ale No.2 Udders Stout (5.8%). (a 3.9% golden ale) was given its first showing at GREAT CENTRAL (gcbrewery.co.uk). Neil Rowley the Noels Arms, Melton Mowbray mid-Feb and also has confirmed the installation of new equipment. available at both Loughborough and Leicester Beer Leicester BF featured Festival Special brown bitter Festivals. Ex-scientist turned brewer Toby Chaplin GT3, after the first jet engine train which was built has now produced an IPA, Leicestershire Pale Ale in Leicester. (5.4%) and Mach One (4.0% dark ale with coffee LONG LANE is not brewing at present but notes) a festival special for Leicester BF, There are concentrating on building a customer base at plans to add a second fermenter to the existing half farmers markets in the local area to sell their stock barrel plant subject to demand. of bottled beer. BELVOIR now have a new 13 barrel fermenter PARISH is ticking over nicely. They had three beers making the total of 115 barrels. Sir Frank Whitt’ale at NWAF and a festival special, Thrust Quencher (a (4.2%) featured at Leicester BF. Ian has left the reddish ale at 4.5%) appeared at Leicester BF. Belvoir Ale House due to his wife’s health and Di is LANGTON Farrier, which hasn’t been around for quite helping out until a new manager is found. a while, has made a re-appearance. In association CHARNWOOD (charnwoodbrewery.co.uk) is now with Surj Virk, and after extensive testing, they have brewing 4 times a week after the installation of another produced bottle-conditioned Empress Ale (4.5%) with fermenter (increasing capacity by 30%). Sales have the aim of offering people an alternative expanded into south and south east Leicestershire. and better-matched accompaniment to New seasonal beers feature darker beers and different curries rather than gassy lager. styles. The shop and bar area now have additional MARKET HARBOROUGH BREWERY came seating to cope with demand. They recently produced up with a festival special for Leicester BF using a rugby themed beer for Steamin’ Billy. hibiscus flowers and a Hoppy Red which will be CRITERION/PIG PUB BREWING CO – see p12 available in March. Find them on Facebook and D. O’BRIEN are now brewing in Leicester and Twitter @harborobrewery. their beer was well received at Leicester BF Q BREWERY (qbrewery.co.uk), appeared in force ELLISWOOD BREWERY (theelliswoodbrewery. at Leicester BF including 7% festival special called co.uk) has been sold to Darren and Louise Lavender, Suck, Squeeze, Bang, Blow. licensees of The Greyhound Public House in Hinckley, TRÈS BIEN (tresbienbrewery.co.uk) Production to where it will eventually relocate. came to a standstill in January as brewer Dave took EVERARDS continue brewing their monthly a fortnight paternity leave when Bronwen gave birth seasonals. Most make two appearances but the to daughter Margot. Their Leicester BF special was 3.9% russet brown 6 Nations special Tighthead Comet,a 4.5% single hop golden ale. returned for a fourth time. In March, 4.2% Mad WEST END BREWERY The Braunstone Gate brew- Hatters Tea Party proved popular – it uses Goldings pub launched at Easter. Their three core-range beers are hops and has flavours of British Rosehip and Apple colour-coded, with drinkers able to offer suggestions to Tea. For April, St George is honoured again with 4% father and son brewers John and Josh Gray, who live Ascalon. Project William currently stands at 26 Pubs. above the premises. The aim is a community pub with A number of pubs are being refurbished with very pub quizzes, a music night and hopefully a beer club. little Everards branding outside as more are let to Also see BAKERS DOZEN (bakersdozenbrewing.co.uk) licensees running the pubs as their own business. DOW BRIDGE (dowbridgebrewery.co.uk) GAS DOG New plant is due for commissioning GRAINSTORE (grainstorebrewery.com) imminently. SHARDLOW
6 April - May 2016 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch PUB NEWS
PUBS The General Elliott (Willoughby Waterleys) now gives 10p/pint & 5p/ Hoptical Illusion half CAMRA discount on Real Ales. The Real Ale Classroom now offers As part of Everards Gold Course, CAMRA discounts of 20p/pint and 10p/half. Discounts have been which offers licensees the withdrawn at The Plough, Littlethorpe, where Simon Pick has decided to chance to have some fun and move to pastures new. Apologies to The King’s Head and its customers create a beer they can sell to for flagging up discounts that weren’t actually on offer – this information their customers in their pubs, six was given in good faith by a normally reliable source. The Salmon has Everards licensees and a member re-opened as a Black Country Ales house with 12 hand pumps. The Dove, of the Everards team got together Evington has been smartly refurbished and re-opened on March 24th to create from scratch their very with a charity night that raised £1335. Tigers’ favourites Tom Crofts and own beer that was available in Matt Smith were in attendance. The West End Brewery (formerly The their pubs in March. Not only did Looking Glass), Leicester’s first brewpub in twenty years, opened the they get the chance to brew the same night. Also in Braunstone Gate, the former “O” Bar has re-opened beer themselves at the Brunswick as The Laundry Bar with three real ales, initially Cornish Tribute, Adnams Brewery for two days as they Ghost Ship and the house ale Missing Sock were on offer. Further afield went through the whole brewing The Langton Arms, Church Langton, which struggled for several years as process and history of brewing, a Greene King house, has been acquired by the Little Britain Pub Company they also got to clean out the with the support of locals who managed to secure an ACV order from equipment, adding ingredients Harborough District Council. Less happily, the same council have refused and, best of all, tasting! to accept the nomination of the Admiral Nelson for an ACV. Still in Market Harborough, the former Freemasons Arms, in St Marys Road, which had They eventually came up with lain empty for two years, is re-opening as a pub and restaurant. To be an apparent 4.7% ABV dark ruby known as ‘The Masons’, there is talk of a microbrewery being developed style ale but featuring a selection in the outbuildings, which stand around 100 yards or so from the recently of new world hops to give it a opened Market Harborough Brewery. Foxton’s Bridge 61 now sells two full bodied hoppy, citrus, floral changing Langton beers (recently Woodsman and Welland Fox) but has character reminiscent of an dispensed with the Bridge 61,which was Caudle rebadged. American style IPA. Naturally, Kieran Lyons of The Western and Richard Thomas of Leatherbritches not being the caramel/toffee Brewery have submitted an application for a new micropub to be concoction you’d expect, they called The Blue Boar at 16 Millstone Lane. Pub of the Year details called it Hoptical Illusion. appear on page 13 but The Black Horse, Aylestone and the Beerhouse, The pubs represented were the Market Harborough were joint winners of the Cider Pub of the Year and Free Trade Inn (Sileby), Bull’s Syston & District Social Club was again winner of The Club of the Year. Head (Leicester Forest West), As we approached the Leicester Beer Festival there were 287 pages of Royal Oak (Rothley), Queen’s objections on the City Council planning website (planning@leicester. Head (Saddington), Star & Garter gov./uk Reference 20151948) regarding The Black Boy, a battle (Wigston) and Stag (Barkstone). that promises to be a long one. Whilst on the subject of planning, some readers will find an interesting map at https://www.gov.uk/ government/news/community-rights-hit-a-landmark-5000-uses Pub News relies greatly on input from the public and the (you can un-tick all the other options to show just the ACVs). trade. CAMRA members will The Past And Present Pubs Of Leicestershire And Rutland (www. generally visit premises with an pappolar.com) will be a website of interest for many CAMRA members, existing real ale commitment and further contributions are still sought. A booklet, containing some so information on new stockists historic photographs of the Beaumanor Road Brewery, has been loaded and outlets is particularly on the Leicester CAMRA website and can be found under “Useful Links”. welcome. Thanks on this Pub opening hours will be extended in England and Wales on 10 and 11 June occasion to Philip Tiplady, to mark the Queen’s 90th birthday. They’ll be able to stay open an extra two Roy Dennehy, Steve Peck, Shawn Collier, Gary Waterfield, hours on both days until 01.00. The longer opening hours also coincide with Jim Reay, Andre Hundley, games in the European Football Championships. On Saturday 11 June, Wales Dave Scholes & Anthony Sharman. play Slovakia at 17:00 BST and England play Russia at 20:00 BST.
The Leicester Drinker www.leicester.camra.org.uk 7 Three Men on a Bus out and about Great news! The unofficial St. Margaret’s another foodie roadhouse. A few hundred waiting room (aka the Salmon) has yards from where the bus dropped us, the reopened. Black Country Ales have installed Flying Childers is open all afternoon. Recently refurbished, this very large multi-roomed 10 real ale and 2 real cider hand pumps and pleasant hostelry has good outside areas for sell cheap cobs, pork pies, scotch eggs etc. when the weather is kind and an extensive It also opens every Sunday. good-value menu. More important from our Meeting midmorning to see where our bus point of view, it has some excellent ales to passes can take us we have on several occasions choose from and is back on the route of the stayed comparatively locally. One route used no.5 bus which is quite frequent. These buses recently was the no.5 to Syston and the Wreake stop on the outskirts of Queniborough if, before Valley. This goes to Melton via Queniborough returning to Leicester, you want to drop off and and Rearsby. Getting the 10.35 we were in try the two very good pubs there. Syston about 11.00 and tried one in the Fox We have also recently taken in several non-pub which was OK but not special before wandering venues all well worthwhile. A trip to Hinckley through old parts of the village to get to the Dog took in the Elbow Room and Pestle & Mortar & Gun (Steaming Billy) as it opened at 1200. Now both hiding behind shop fronts and with an that is a good pub! We all have different ideas excellent range of changing ales and ciders. about what makes a good pub and indeed our They have limited opening hours so check tastes in ales vary but I doubt many would be before setting off. The ER serves from a large disappointed with any we enjoy. We tried the chilled cabinet and has limited seating but Skydiver and Tipsy Fisherman beers and both the P&M has a more pub-like traditional bar. were in excellent condition. Another more-distant trip was a guaranteed 12.54 saw us back on a bus (this time the 128 winner in that we took in the Winter Ales which goes from St Margaret’s through Syston, Festival in Derby (Railway Round House). Four Radcliffe on the Wreake, Thrussington, Hoby, independents had their own bars offering great Frisby and Kirby Bellars to Melton). It is not easy ales. Thornbridge, Falstaff and Dancing Duck village hopping on this bus as it only runs every were not new to us but Tiny Rebel was. Not just two hours but it got us to Thrussington, which heavy winter ales but beers of all shades. was our main target. Arriving at 13.00 we were Early March is festival time. After Loughborough, dropped outside the door of the Blue Lion one of a week to remember – Wednesday an excellent the best ’real’ pubs in the County and having had visit to Salmon for their festival then a visit to the the same landlord for thirty years. A Stilton cob, Leicester Festival, not too busy on the Thursday, a bowl of chips, two excellent pints of Pedigree followed by Kings Head festival on the Friday. The and some very welcoming chat and it was time problem with major festivals is you just cannot do to move on as The Blue Lion closes at 14.00 mid them justice and, it may be our age, but we want week (not open Weds). Just time for one in the to discuss the beers we are trying and don’t see the Star before catching the next 128 to Kirby Bellars. point of bands drowning us out in the evenings. The Star is a modern smart eatery but does have a good pint and our next port of call was Free Rider
8 April - May 2016 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch SO LONG, AND THANKS FOR ALL THE FISH BEER! Kimm Wainwright, well-known to the Leicester drinking fraternity, died in February after a short illness. Most will have known him for his 12 years behind the bar at The Criterion and prior to that for a stint in The Vaults. A good number will also remember him as an avid follower of Leicestershire CCC and Leicester City FC (though those who knew him longest will remember his conveniently airbrushed affinity for Crystal Palace, too!). Kimm was one of the first friends I made in Leicester and although circumstances meant we didn’t share each other’s company as frequently in recent times, for many years we would see each other three or four days a week, be it discovering obscure country pubs on a Wednesday, snooker nights at Belvoir Billiards followed by The Magazine or kleftico and ouzo at Troodos in Glenfield or Friday and Sunday nights at Ratby’s Plough where we enjoyed literally thousands of pints of Marston’s in the days when real ale in Leicestershire had to be sought out. After his “A” levels he worked for the Inland Revenue in various offices around Leicester but mainly in Albion Street (dangerously handy for “early doors” in The Black Boy), before moving around several IR southern offices Kimm Wainwright such as Sandhurst, Guildford (where he shared a local with Eric Clapton) and Reading where he bought a tiny one up, one down quarterhouse which made for some interesting sleeping conundrums when twenty people visited at once for his house-warming and house- leaving parties (think of the military hospital at Scutari and you’ll get the picture….). Yes, when Kimm had a party it was frequently unconventional. “No dancing, King Crimson or Robert Johnson?” In Leicester it would involve polypins or those little plastic flagons that would require a visit to Hoskins’ Beaumanor EVERY DAY IS A Brewery (except the time we drank it all listening to scratchy MINI BEER FESTIVAL HERE! vinyl of Blind Lemon Jefferson and had to go back to Hoskins again the next day). On one occasion the party snacks were OUR ‘REAL ALE’ TURNOVER IS crisps of a fetching fluorescent green; a scientist friend worked on food colourings in a research facility and brought along the AMAZING!!! rejects. To those who worried about the peculiar shade of the TRY OUR EVER CHANGING nibbles Mr W would dismiss it with his not uncommon retort to GUEST BEERS THEY’RE GREAT!! the “food squeamish” (to his mind, vegetarians, curry-haters or those who wouldn’t touch a horse steak, snail or frog’s leg) NOW OPEN 4.30pm to 11pm “Don’t be such a fussy bugger, it won’t kill you!” MONDAY TO THURSDAY When he returned from Reading he settled in Groby AND ALL DAY FRIDAY, but worked in Nottingham and Derby, no mean feat for somebody who never got round to taking a driving test, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY even though he had a few lessons in his younger days. He ‘TWITTER’ @systonsocial eventually left the Revenue when redundancy became available, but during his time there he had also been an NEW MEMBERS ALWAYS WELCOME CAMRA MEMBERS FREE ENTRY WITH CARD active union representative in the Inland Revenue Staff Federation and became a senior figure within the union. Although he was undoubtedly committed to the cause 2015 2016 there was always more than a suggestion that he enjoyed
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The Leicester Drinker www.leicester.camra.org.uk 9 ›› from pg 9 the bonhomie of conferences every bit as much! One his beloved narrow boats favourite conference story was when he said he’d happily or in tents, or at sporting share a twin room with a stranger and because of events, home or abroad. confusion surrounding his Christian name, found himself Something of a bon viveur, paired, albeit temporarily, with a female delegate. She his health sometimes was horrified and he thought it hilarious…. suffered for it with bouts of Very well-read, he would love a good conversational gout and latterly diabetes, joust on many a subject, often with the express purpose but most of all he was a of winding-up someone with an adverse opinion just true character. Naturally, for the hell of it, taking bits from The Guardian, Times many of us are sad with or Private Eye as the situation demanded. Above all he his passing, but there are was never bland and frequently incredibly funny, full of so many stories that you contradictions. He loved absurd humour and I remember just have to smile about Great Central produced a us being almost evangelical in trying to spread the word that I find it difficult to special cask ale when we discovered obscure programmes such as the feel anything other than Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy on Radio 4 or the original happy to have known him. His Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin tucked away on BBC2 funeral at Gilroes was so well attended that many had to (whatever happened to them?). stand and the wake featured a special brew from Great He had an opinion on almost everything but was never Central, the proceeds from which, like the crematorium disrespectful of contrary opinions even if he totally collection, went towards canal restoration. disagreed, which he often did. Agree to disagree was There are so many “Kimm stories” that it would be easy something to which he definitely subscribed; he might to fill all thirty-two pages of this publication so this can be think you were an idiot, but defended your right to be one no more than a flavour of the man. I hope I’ve managed (and the skewed Voltaire reference wouldn’t have been that in some small way. lost on him, either). Holidays with Kimm were always engaging, whether on Rob Macardle
THURSDAY 26th - MONDAY 30th MAY 2016 LIVE MUSIC ALL • 20 Ales all sourced from Micro Breweries WEEKEND! from around the UK plus 10 Ciders! • Food available all weekend
E [email protected] T 0116 2545 287 W www.steamin-billy.co.uk 70 Western Road, Leicester LE3 0GA
10 April - May 2016 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch STEAMIN’ BILLY by Shawn Collier #JOLLYAWAYDAY On Tuesday 2nd February Steamin’ Billy invited its staff, customers and suppliers for a Jolly Away Day. The comfortable and modern Woods Coaches provided the transport and the ‘usual Steamin’ Billy hospitality’ was to be provided throughout the day. Just after 10am I met Peter Harrison at the Parcel Yard. A bacon roll was washed down with a quick half of Batemans Gold to get the day under way. It was then on to the coach to the first stop, The Railway at Hinckley. At work I pass this pub most days but this was the first visit to enjoy the inside of this well- presented street corner pub where we found a window seat to enjoy a Batemans XXXB or two and discussed brewing was on cask here, amongst others, and and pub subjects with Colin Brown from Belvoir Brewery. in fine condition. One of the spacious The day saw coaches run on various routes from Billy rooms has a large pizza oven and the pubs and soon others arrived. Fancy dress had been staff were kept busy providing lunch for encouraged and some had gone for it; a couple of the “awaydayers”. smurfs and a pirate were amongst those noted. From here it was a short run across Derby Rejoining the coach, it was up the M1 to Derby for Billy’s to The Wilmot Arms in Chaddesden. latest acquisition, The Coronation at Alvaston (above), This pub was taken over 12 months ago a large corner local in a residential area and the type of and has improved the offer in the local pub fast disappearing from the landscape these area; Batemans Hooker was enjoyed days. Here though, a thorough, impressive here before the coaches made their way refurbishment inside and out has resulted back to the Parcel Yard where the Echo in a facility the community can enjoy for Drive Band entertained and the party many years to come. The Billy beer 1485 atmosphere continued. Thanks to Craig who looked after our coach, all Billy staff involved and the drivers for putting up with everyone! Best of all, £1800 was raised for the Matt Hampson Foundation.
Dogs were welcome! The Leicester Drinker www.leicester.camra.org.uk 11 MEMBERSHIP STANDS, THE LEICESTER DRINKER AND THE BEER CENSUS All change at The Criterion Following Kimm’s sad demise (p9), now In response to various member enquiries Russell Hunt (above) has left the pub after we now have a variety of information points many years in situ as it re-positions itself as in pubs. The Last Plantagenet has a CAMRA The Criterion Brewhouse. notice board in the leaflet area to the left of the front entrance, The Bowling Green has A new 2BB brewery is to be installed in the “CAMRA Corner” next to the bar and, most cellar of the pub with two beers planned; a significantly, one of our portable membership 4.1% Best Bitter and a Pale Ale at 3.8%. Brewing is scheduled to start towards the end of April stands is now in The Charlotte. and customers will be encouraged to help out The Charlotte now stocks back issues of The with the brewing and get the particular beer Leicester Drinker and just about any CAMRA identified on the bar as their brew. A special leaflet you are likely to want or need. If “brew cam” feeding live from the cellar to a you have any unwanted copies of CAMRA screen behind the bar will give drinkers the magazines (Drinker or otherwise), this is now opportunity to keep an eye on them, too! A the place to drop-off, pick-up or swop items. “Real Ale Club” in conjunction with sister pub In addition there is now a dedicated “festival The Pig In Muck (Claybrooke Magna) will see wall”, so if you are looking to visit a beer between 30p to 50p discounted off a pint of festival sometime soon or have details of one cask ale for card carrying members. coming up, please drop in and take a look. After a couple of trial runs we’ve now made The Charlotte the distribution hub for The THE Leicester Drinker in the City Centre, and all the city centre rounds will be routed from there. Charlotte Rounds for the county are being reviewed, & but wherever possible we will continue to use The University of Leicester convenient amenable pubs, such as The Old Real Ale Society Horse, etc. By the time you read this we hope proudly present to have most of the jigsaw in place, but more distributors are always helpful, so if you have
The Big Welsh Beer an hour or so to spare once every couple of months we’d love to hear from you. Weekend The portable membership stand proved highly successful last summer and it will continue to move around various pubs Featuring 15 great guest les a from across Wales Plus real ciders normally to tie-in with beer festivals and the like. Its first stop is The Black Horse at rd Friday 3 th June 11am-‐12am Aylestone for their St George’s Festival. Saturday th 4 June 11am-‐12am Following last year’s initial beer census we Sunday 5 June 11am-‐10pm are repeating the exercise on Saturday June 11. Full details will appear on the website in @TheCharlotteBar due course. www.thecharlotteleicester.co.uk 8 Oxford Street Leicester LE1 5XZ
12 April - May 2016 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch PUB OF THE YEAR 2016 As Leicester Beer Festival closed VOTES we began to tot up the scores for 1 King’s Head 55 Leicester Pub of the Year. 2 Ale Wagon 39 For the second year running The King’s Head 3 Chandlers (Shearsby) 32 was the victor with The Ale Wagon in second 4 Black Horse (Aylestone) 29 place ahead of Country Pub of The Year, The 5 Charlotte 28 Chandler’s Arms which has now won it for 8 years in succession. Encouragingly, four new 6 Beerhouse (Mkt Harborough) 26 or re-opened pubs featured inAward the top 10, 7 = Criterion 23 which goes to show that nobodyWinner can rest on 7 = Real Ale Classroom 23 their laurels. A full report will appear in the 9 = Old Horse 19 next issue but the top ten were as shown on 9 = Salmon 19 the right.
The Black Horse, Aylestone was again a venue for Leicester Comedy Festival – spot the two comedians...
The Dove At Evington
RECENTLY REFURBISHED
Cask Ales Available
Home cooked food available
every day
Sunday Lunch served
12.00pm—5.00pm
1 Course from £9.45 2 Courses from £12.45 3 Courses from £14.95 Booking Advisable
The Dove, 48 Downing Drive, Evington, Leicester LE5 6LH
Tel: 0116 2419037 www.doveevington.co.uk [email protected]
The Leicester Drinker www.leicester.camra.org.uk 13 THE FREE TRADE INN
Friday 29th April - Monday 2nd May
Live Music with Code 44 Karaoke
27 COSSINGTON ROAD · SILEBY · LE12 7RW · TELEPHONE 01509 814494 WHAT IS MILD? Milds are black to dark brown to pale amber in colour and come in a “Mild thing! You make THE FREE TRADE INN variety of styles from warming roasty ales to light refreshing lunchtime my glass sing...” thirst quenchers. Malty and possibly sweet tones dominate the flavour profile but there may be a light hop flavour or aroma. Slight diacetyl (toffee/butterscotch) flavours are MILD MONTH not inappropriate. Alcohol levels are typically low with original gravity 30 April - 5 June 2016 of less than 1043 (abv 4.3%) and bitterness 14 - 28 EBU. #Leicestermild16 Pale milds tend to have a lighter, more CAMRA celebrates and promotes the Mild beer style fruity aroma with gentle hoppiness. during May. This is the third year of an organised Dark milds may have a light roast malt Leicester Branch Mild Trail. It is open to all; you don’t or caramel character in aroma and taste. have to be a CAMRA member. The trail is aimed at promoting the Cask Mild style of beer, which is sometimes overlooked. It also gives people taking MILD TRAILS part in the trail a chance to go and discover pubs Saturday 7th May will see us where they may not generally venture to. Join one of travel northwards to Sileby our planned social crawls, go at your own pace or a and Syston and others on the bit of both... way back. Any feedback, from drinkers or pubs taking part, will In between these two a further be most welcome and could help shape how future weekday crawl may be added. trails run. Saturday 28th May will (hopefully) Please be mindful that from time to time things go be a rural bus trip to the more out wrong and, due to unforeseen circumstances, pubs of the way venues. may not receive casks. Also, being a living product, The month was organised after a beer may not be on sale due to its condition. I had finished with beer festival Therefore a Mild may not be available so please be matters. Crawl information will be understanding. Do also check the contact list as some th nd updated on the website and via venues will be participating on selected dates only. Friday 29 April - Monday 2 May newsletter during April. A number of local pubs have sponsored a T shirt for For future years, if anyone has the event. Send in your completed forms for a chance an interest in taking on the of receiving one. Sponsors are in bold on the grid with organisation of this event it would the addition of the Steamin Billy Brewing Company. be greatly appreciated. Additional prizes have been donated by Malt Shovel Shawn (Sunday lunch for 2), Swan & Rushes (12 Belgian bottled www.leicester.camra.org.uk beers), Dow Bridge (Bottled Mild) and a Steamin Billy T @LeicsCAMRA_SC shirt. Further items may be added after this is printed… Live Music with Code 44 @LeicesterCAMRA keep an eye on the website. T’s and C’s apply. #leicestermild16 Karaoke ›› continued on pg 16
27 COSSINGTON ROAD · SILEBY · LE12 7RW · TELEPHONE 01509 814494 The Leicester Drinker www.leicester.camra.org.uk 15
ailway, ailway, Plough, Plough, R Hinckley WILD CARD The Friary Beerhouse, Beerhouse, King’s Head King’s The Western Bowling Green Bowling General Elliott, Bruntingthorpe yston Social Club Swan and Rushes and Swan S Market Harborough Market (Pub name staff & (Pub initial) Willoughby Waterleys See p18 for pub locations See p18
Sileby Syston he Salmon High Cross T & Social Club The Charlotte Dog Gun, and Free Trade Inn, Inn, Trade Free Chandlers Arms Last Plantagenet Winstanley Arms Winstanley William Wygston The Regent SportsThe Regent Real Ale Classroom April - May 2016 TheApril Newsletter - May Leicester of 2016 CAMRA Branch
Sileby Old Horse Old Aylestone Freehouse The Wheel Social Club Malt Shovel Black Horse, Horse, Black The Criterion The Criterion tamford Arms orse & Trumpet, orse & Trumpet, lenhills Sportslenhills & S The Ale Wagon The Ale The Parcel Yard The Parcel Cow and Plough and Cow G H Attach yourAttach stickers here:
“MILD THING – YOU MAKE MY GLASS SING” MILD MONTH 30 April - 5 June 2016 1616 Mild Trail Rules and Information 1) The Mild Trail runs from 30th April to 5th June 2016 inclusive. When you buy a pint (or a half-pint) of cask conditioned mild in a pub on the Mild Trail ask the bar staff for a sticker for the grid. For the Wild Card insert pub name, date and ask bar staff to initial. 2) Only one sticker from each participating pub. 3) Be patient if the pub is busy, be understanding if mild is not available. There will probably be a good reason. 4) Everyone who collects 12 or more pub stickers will have the chance to receive a T-Shirt kindly sponsored by some of the trail participants. 5) All entries will be put in a draw for the other donated prizes. Winners must have a sticker for the pub offering the prize. 6) Trail participants please note there is a 50p CAMRA member sign in fee at the Glenhills Sports and Social Club. Same applies to non-members collecting trail sticker. 7) Contact details are provided for enquiries prior to travel. Please check Whatpub for opening times. 8) Final date for receipt of entries is Monday 19th June 2016. Forms may also be handed in at the June branch meeting. 9) Have a great time! Please complete for the Draw:
Name: ......
Address:......
......
...... Post Code:......
Email (opt):...... Phone (opt): ......
CAMRA Membership No.: ...... Signature: ......
T-shirt size (subject to availability) (M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL): ......
Yes, I am interested in joining the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA)
SEND TO: LEICESTER MILD TRAIL, 16 SOUTH DRIVE , LEICESTER , LE5 1AN
The Leicester Drinker www.leicester.camra.org.uk 17 “ TAKE A WALK ON THE
“ PUB POSTCODE/PHONE PUBLIC TRANSPORT TAKE A WALK ON THE ThePUB Ale Wagon LE1POSTCODE/PHONE 1RE (0116) 262 3330 CityPUBLIC Centre TRANSPORT BridleThe Ale Lane Wagon Tavern LE1 2HS1RE (0116) 262251 33300585 5/5ACity Centre 126/127 (A) 22/25/26/54 (F) “MILD THING – YOU MAKE MY GLASS SING” MILD MONTH 30 April - 5 June 2016 22A/B/C (CB) Bridle Lane Tavern LE1 2HS (0116) 251 0585 5/5A 126/127 (A) 22/25/26/54 (F)
“ The Criterion LE1 5JN (0116) 262 5418 City22A/B/C Centre (CB)
The Friary LE1 5AW (0116) 261 9196 City Centre TAKE A WALK ON THE “ The Criterion LE1 5JN (0116) 262 5418 City Centre PUB PUB POSTCODE/PHONEPOSTCODE/PHONEPUBLICPUBLIC TRANSPORT TRANSPORT HighThe Friary Cross LE1 4JB5AW (0116) (0116) 251 261 9218 9196 City Centre The Ale Wagon*TAKE A WALK ON THE ThePUB Ale Wagon LE1 1RE (0116)LE1POSTCODE/PHONE 262 1RE 3330 (0116) 262 City3330 Centre CityPUBLIC Centre TRANSPORT King’sHigh Cross Head LE1 6RL4JB (0116) 251254 92188240 City Centre
Bowling Green*“ BridleThe Ale Lane Wagon TavernLE1 5XW (0116)OldLE1 Horse2546496 1RE2HS (0116) 262251 City33300585 Centre City5/5ALE2 Centre 126/127 1NE (0116) (A) 254 22/25/26/54 8384 31/31A (F) (A) King’s Head 22A/B/CLE1 6RL (CB) (0116) 254 8240 City Centre TAKE A WALK ON THE
The Criterion*“ Bridle Lane TavernLE1 5JN (0116)TheLE1 262 Parcel 2HS 5418 (0116) Yard 251 City0585 Centre 5/5ALE2 126/127 0BQ (0116) (A) 261 22/25/26/54 9301 Railway (F) Station and City Centre buses “ PUB OldPOSTCODE/PHONE Horse PUBLICLE2 1NE TRANSPORT (0116) 254 8384 31/31A (A) The Criterion LE1 5JN (0116) 262 5418 City22A/B/C Centre (CB)
TAKE A WALK ON THE 31/31A/48/80 (A) 22/54 (F)
The Friary* “ ThePUB FriaryAle Wagon LE1 5AW (0116)TheLE1POSTCODE/PHONE Parcel261 5AW1RE 9196 (0116) Yard(0116) 262 261 City3330 9196 Centre CityPUBLICLE2 Centre 0BQ TRANSPORT (0116) 261 9301 Railway Station and City Centre buses TAKE A WALK ON THE The Criterion TheLE1 Pub 5JN (0116) 262 5418 CityLE1 Centre 6TF City Centre TAKE A WALK ON THE Bridle Lane Tavern LE1 2HS (0116) 251 0585 5/5A 126/127 (A) 22/25/26/5431/31A/48/80 (F) (A) 22/54 (F) High Cross* PUB TheHighPUB FriaryAle Cross Wagon LE1 4JB (0116)LE1POSTCODE/PHONE 251 5AW4JB1RE 9218 (0116) (0116) 251262 261 City92183330 9196 Centre CityPUBLIC CentrePUBLIC TRANSPORT TRANSPORT RegentThe Pub S&S Club 22A/B/CLE1 7DA6TF (CB) (0116) 223 8006 48/80City Centre (A) King’s Head* HighKing’sTheBridle Ale Cross LaneHead Wagon TavernLE1 6RL (0116)LE1 254 1RE4JB6RL2HS 8240 (0116)(0116) 251254262251 City9218333082400585 Centre City5/5A Centre 126/127 (A) 22/25/26/54 (F)
The AleThe Wagon Criterion TheRegentLE1 Salmon 5JN 1RE S&S (0116) (0116)Club 262 262 5418 3330 CityLE1 Centre City4QA7DA (0116)Centre 223253 80062301 City48/80 Centre (A) MILD SIDE MILD 22A/B/C (CB) The Charlotte* BridleKing’sOld Horse LaneHead TavernLE1 5XZ SwanLE1LE2 2HS6RLand1NE (0116)Rushes(0116) 254251254 City 824005858384 Centre 5/5ACity31/31ALE1 Centre 126/127 5WR(A) (0116) (A) 233 22/25/26/54 9167 88/88A (F) (F) 47/49/84/84A/85/87 (A) Bridle LaneThe CriterionFriary Tavern TheLE1 Salmon 5JN5AW 2HS (0116) (0116) (0116) 262 261 251 5418 9196 0585 CityLE1 Centre 5/5A4QA (0116) 126/127 253 2301 (A) City 22/25/26/54 Centre (F)
OldThe HorseParcel Yard SIDE MILD SirLE2 Robert 1NE0BQ Peel(0116) 254261 83849301 Railway31/31A22A/B/CLE2 7DD(A) Station(CB) (0116) and 254 City 0715 Centre Asbuses Swan and Rushes $ Last Plantagenet * TheHigh Friary Cross LE1 6FD (0116)SwanLE1 255 5AWand4JB 5492 (0116)Rushes (0116) 251 261 City9218 9196 Centre31/31A/48/80 CityLE1 Centre22A/B/C 5WR (0116) (A) (CB) 233 22/54 9167 (F) 88/88A (F) 47/49/84/84A/85/87 (A) The CriterionParcel Yard LE2LE1 5JN0BQ (0116)(0116) 262261 54189301 RailwayCity Centre Station and City Centre buses King’s Head SlugSirLE1 Robert and 6RL Lettuce (0116)Peel 254 8240 CityLE1LE2 Centre 6DP7DD (0116)(0116) 255254 53700715 CityAs Swan Centre and Rushes $ Swan and Rushes*The CriterionTheHigh FriaryPub Cross LE1 5WR (0116)LE1 233 5AW6TF4JB 5JN 9167 (0116) (0116) (0116) 251 261 26288/88A9218 9196 5418 (F) City31/31A/48/80 Centre 47/49/84/84A/85/87 City Centre (A) 22/54 (F) (A) Old Horse TheSlugLE2 Western and 1NE Lettuce (0116) (off 254Bede 8384 Island) 31/31ALE3LE1 6DP0GA(A) (0116)(0116) 255254 53705287 50/50A/51/52City Centre (A) 18/19 (F) $ The Salmon* The FriaryHighTheRegentKing’s Pub Cross Head S&S Club LE1 4QA (0116)LE1 253 4JB6TF7DA6RL 5AW 2301 (0116) (0116) (0116) 251 254223 City9218 82408006261 Centre 9196 City48/80 Centre (A) City Centre The Parcel Yard BlackTheLE2 Western Horse0BQ (0116) (Aylestone) (off Bede261 9301 Island) RailwayLE2LE3 8NA0GA Station (0116) and 283254 City 72255287 Centre 84/84A/85/87(A)50/50A/51/52buses (A) 40(CB) 18/19 (F) $ $
Old Horse* King’sTheRegentOld HorseSalmon Head S&S Club LE2 1NE (0116)LE1LE2 254 6RL7DA4QA1NE 8384 (0116)(0116) 254254223253 31/31A 8240800683842301 (A) 48/80City31/31A Centre (A) (A) MILD SIDE MILD High Cross Bull’sLE1 Head 4JB (Blaby)(0116) 251 921831/31A/48/80LE8 City4DN (0116)Centre (A) 278 22/54 9799 (F) 84/84A/85 (A) SwanThe Parcel and Rushes Yard BlackLE1LE2 5WRHorse0BQ (0116)(0116) (Aylestone) 261233 93019167 88/88ARailwayLE2 8NA (F)Station (0116) 47/49/84/84A/85/87 and 283 City 7225 Centre 84/84A/85/87(A)buses (A) 40(CB) $
The Parcel Yard* OldThe HorseSalmon LE2 0BQ (0116)LE2LE1 261 4QA1NE 9301 (0116)(0116) 254253Railway 83842301 31/31ACityStation Centre (A) 31/31A/48/80 (A) 22/54 (F) MILD SIDE MILD King’s HeadThe Pub CowLE1 and 6TF 6RL Plough (0116) (Oadby) 254 8240CityLE2 Centre City2FB (0116) Centre 272 0852 80 (A) (15min walk) Sir Robert Peel ” Bull’sLE2 Head7DD (0116) (Blaby) 254 0715 As31/31A/48/80 SwanLE8 4DN and (0116) Rushes (A) 278 22/54 $ 9799 (F) 84/84A/85 (A) TheSwan Parcel and Rushes Yard LE2LE1 5WR0BQ (0116)(0116) 261233 93019167 Railway88/88A (F)Station 47/49/84/84A/85/87 and City Centre22(F) buses (A) 22B (CB) (Both 15 min walk) Regent Sports & SocialTheRegent Club* Pub S&S Club LE1 7DA (0116)223CowLE1 and 6TF7DA 8006 Plough (0116) (Oadby) 223 48/80 8006 (A)City 48/80LE2 Centre (A) 2FB (0116) 272 0852 80 (A) (15min walk)
Old HorseSlug and Lettuce ” LE2LE1 6DP 1NE (0116) (0116) 255 2545370 8384 City31/31A/48/80 Centre 31/31A (A) (A) 22/54 (F) Sir Robert Peel MILD MONTH May 01 - June 02 2014 DogLE2 and 7DD Gun (0116) (Syston) 254 0715 As SwanLE7 1GN and (0116) Rushes 260 $ 9366 5/5A (A) 100/128 (CB) $ Syston
RegentThe Salmon S&S Club LE1 7DA4QA (0116) 223253 80062301 48/80City Centre (A) 22(F) 22B (CB) (Both 15 min walk) The Wheel (Oadby)*SIDE MILD The Pub LE2 5DP (0116)LE1 271 6TF 2231 31(A) 40City (CB$) Centre X3 (A$) The ParcelSlugThe Western andYard Lettuce (off Bede Island) SystonLE2LE1LE3 6DP0GA 0BQSocial (0116)(0116) (0116) Club 255254 261 53705287 9301 City50/50A/51/52LE7 Centre Railway1GP (0116) (A) Station 260 18/19 9086 (F) and $ 5/5A City (A)100/128(CB) Centre buses $ Syston Swan and Rushes MILD MONTH May 01 - June 02 2014 DogLE1 and 5WR Gun (0116) (Syston) 233 9167 88/88ALE7 1GN(F) (0116) 47/49/84/84A/85/87 260 9366 5/5A (A) (A) 100/128 (CB) $ Syston
BlackRegentThe Salmon Horse S&S Club(Aylestone) LE2LE1 7DA4QA8NA (0116) 223253283 800623017225 48/8084/84A/85/87(A)City Centre (A) 40(CB) $ Black Horse SIDE MILD (Aylestone)*The Western (off LE2Bede 8NA Island) (0116)MaltLE3 283 Shovel 0GA 7225 (0116) (Barkby*) 25484/84A/85/87(A) 5287 50/50A/51/52LE731/31A/48/80 3QG 40(CB) (0116) (A) 269 18/19$ 2558 (A) (F) $ 10022/54 (CB, (F)direct) 5/5A(20 min walk) SwanSir Robert and RushesPeel SystonLE1LE2 5WR7DD Social (0116)(0116) Club 254233 07159167 88/88AAs SwanLE7 1GP(F) and (0116) Rushes 47/49/84/84A/85/87 260 $ 9086 5/5A (A) (A)100/128(CB) $ Syston
BlackBull’sThe Salmon HeadHorse (Blaby) (Aylestone) LE2LE8LE1 4QA4DN8NA (0116) 253283278 230197997225 84/84A/8584/84A/85/87(A)City Centre (A) 40(CB) $ Syston (25min walk) Cow and PloughSIDE MILD The (Oadby)* PubSlug and Lettuce LE2 2FB (0116)MaltLE1 272 Shovel 6DP 6TF 0852 (0116) (Barkby*) 255 80(A)(15min5370 CityLE7 Centre walk)City 3QG Centre(0116)22(F)22B 269 (CB)2558 100 (CB, direct) 5/5A(20 min walk) CowSwanSir Robert and and Plough RushesPeel (Oadby) TheLE2LE1 Plough 5WR2FB7DD (0116) (0116)(0116) (Littlethorpe*) 272 254233 0852 07159167 88/88A80As Swan(A)LE19 (15min (F) 2HSand (0116)Rushes walk)47/49/84/84A/85/87 286 $ 2383 X44 (A) (HB) 50 (5min walk) Narborough ” Bull’s Head (Blaby) LE8 4DN (0116) 278(Both 9799 15 84/84A/85 min walk) (A) Syston (25min walk) RegentSlugThe S&S Western and Club Lettuce (off Bede Island) LE1LE3 6DP0GA 7DA (0116)(0116) (0116) 255254 223 53705287 800622(F) City50/50A/51/52 Centre 48/80 22B (CB) (A)(A) (Both 18/19 15 (F) min $ walk) CowSir Robert and Plough Peel (Oadby) WinstanleyTheLE2 Plough 2FB7DD (0116) (0116) (Littlethorpe*)Arms 272 254(Braunstone) 0852 0715 80As Swan(A)LE3LE19 (15min 2WB 2HSand (0116) (0116)Rushes walk) 289286 $ 00462383 104X44 (A)(HB) 50 (5min walk) Narborough
Glenhills Sports” & Social Club* LE2 9JB (0116) 277 1398 84/84A/85/(A) 40(CB) $ MILD MONTH May 01 - June 02 2014 The SalmonDogTheBlack Westernand Horse Gun (Aylestone) (off(Syston) Bede Island) LE1LE7LE3LE2 1GN0GA8NA 4QA (0116)(0116) (0116) 260254283 253936652877225 2301 5/5A50/50A/51/5284/84A/85/87(A) (A) City 100/128 Centre (A) (CB) 40(CB)18/19 $ (F) $ Syston $
Slug and Lettuce StamfordWinstanleyLE1 6DP Arms(0116) Arms (Groby) 255 (Braunstone) 5370 City22(F)LE6LE3 Centre 0DJ2WB22B (0116)(CB) (0116) 287(Both 289 5616 0046 15 min 26/28/29/29a104 walk) (A) (A) WinstanleySIDE MILD Arms (Braunstone)*Bull’s Head (Blaby)LE3 2WB (0116)LE8 289 4DN 0046 (0116) 278104(A) 9799 84/84A/85 (A) MILD MONTH May 01 - June 02 2014 Swan andTheSystonDogBlack WesternandRushes Horse Social Gun (Aylestone) (off(Syston)Club Bede Island) TheLE1LE3LE7LE2 Wheel 1GN1GP0GA8NA 5WR (0116)(0116) (Oadby) (0116) 260260254283 9086936623352877225 9167 5/5A50/50A/51/5284/84A/85/87(A)LE2 (A)(A)100/128(CB) 88/88A5DP 100/128 (0116) (A) (F) (CB) 271 40(CB) 18/19 $ $ 2231 47/49/84/84A/85/87 (F) $ Syston Syston $ 31 (A) 31a/X3 (A) (A) $ 40 (CB) $ Cow and Plough (Oadby) StamfordLE2 2FB Arms(0116) (Groby) 272 0852 80 (A)LE6 (15min 0DJ (0116) walk) 287 5616 26/28/29/29a (A) The Western” (off BedeBlackSystonMaltBull’s Island)* Shovel HeadHorse Social (Blaby)(Barkby*)(Aylestone) Club LE3 0GA (0116)LE2LE7LE8 254 1GP3QG8NA4DN 5287 (0116)(0116) 260283269278 50/50A/51/52 9086722525589799 5/5A84/84A/85/87(A)84/84A/85100 (CB,(A)100/128(CB) (A) direct) (A)18/19 5/5A(20 (F) 40(CB) $ $ min $Syston walk) Sir Robert Peel WilliamTheLE2 Wheel 7DD Wygston (Oadby) (0116) (Wigston) 254 071522(F)LE18LE2 As 5DP22B 1DR Swan (0116)(CB) (0116) and 271(Both 288 2231 Rushes8397 15 min 47/47A/48/48A/49/49A31 walk) $(A) 31a/X3 (A) $ (A) 40 (CB) 40 $ (CB) Cow and Plough (Oadby) LE2 2FB (0116) 272 0852 80 (A) Syston (15min (25min walk) walk)
Stamford Arms” (Groby)*Bull’sMalt Shovel Head (Blaby)(Barkby*)LE6 0DJ (0116)ChandlersLE8LE7 287 4DN3QG 5616 Arms(0116) (Shearsby) 278269 26/28 97992558 (A) 84/84A/85100LE17 (CB, 6PL direct) (A) (0116) 5/5A(20 2478384 min walk) Public transport unavailable MILD MONTH May 01 - June 02 2014 Slug andTheDog Lettuce Ploughand Gun (Littlethorpe*) (Syston) WilliamLE1LE19LE7 1GN 6DP2HS Wygston (0116) (0116) (0116) 260 (Wigston)286 255 9366 2383 5370X4422(F) 5/5ALE18 (HB) (A) City 22B 1DR100/12850 (CB)(5minCentre (0116) (CB) walk)(Both 288 $ 8397 15 minNarborough Syston 47/47A/48/48A/49/49A walk) (A) 40 (CB) (Participating 30 Apr Cow- 14 andMay) Plough (Oadby) KeyLE2 to 2FBsymbols: (0116) 272 0852 80 (A) Syston (15min (25min walk) walk) ” Chandlers Arms (Shearsby) LE17 6PL (0116) 2478384 Public transport unavailable
MILD MONTH May 01 - June 02 2014 Syston Social Club LE7 1GP (0116) 260 9086 5/5A (A)100/128(CB) $ Syston TheWinstanleyDog Ploughand Gun (Littlethorpe*)Arms (Syston) (Braunstone) LE19LE3LE7 2WB1GN 2HS (0116) (0116)(0116) 260 289286 9366 00462383 10422(F)X445/5A (A)(HB) (A) 22B 100/12850 (CB)(5min (CB) walk)(Both $ 15 minNarborough Syston walk) Dog and Gun (Syston)*The Western (off BedeLE7 Island) 1GN (0116)(A)LE3 Arriva 260 0GA 9366 (0116) 5/5A254 (CB)5287(A) Centrebus100/128 50/50A/51/52 (CB) $ (A) Syston Rail station 18/19 (F) $ $ Not in view from StamfordMalt Shovel Arms (Barkby*) (Groby) KeyLE6LE7 to 0DJ3QGsymbols: (0116) (0116) 287 269 5616 2558 26/28/29/29a100 (CB, direct) (A) 5/5A(20 min walk) MILD MONTH May 01 - June 02 2014 DogWinstanleySyston and Social Gun Arms (Syston)Club (Braunstone) LE7LE3 1GN2WB1GP (0116) (0116)(0116) 260 260289 9086 93660046 5/5A104 (A) (A)(A)100/128(CB) 100/128 (CB) $ $ Syston Syston bus stop, venue a Black Horse (Aylestone) (F) LE2First 8NAbus (0116) 283 (HB)7225 Hinckley Syston 84/84A/85/87(A) Bus (25min walk) 40(CB) $ Syston Social Club* TheMalt Wheel Shovel (Oadby)(Barkby*)LE7 1GP (0116)(A)LE2LE7 Arriva 260 5DP3QG 9086 (0116)(0116) 271269 5/5A 22312558(CB) (A)100/128(CB)$31 100Centrebus (A) (CB, 31a/X3 direct) (A)5/5A(20 $ 40 min Syston Rail(CB) walk) station$ $ short Not in walk view away. from SystonStamford Social Arms Club (Groby) LE7LE6 0DJ1GP (0116) 287260 56169086 5/5A26/28/29/29a (A)100/128(CB) (A) $ Syston bus stop, venue a Bull’s HeadThe Plough (Blaby) (Littlethorpe*) *(F) AllLE8LE19First venues 4DNbus2HS (0116) can(0116) be 286 reached 278 2383 (HB)9799 with X44 Hinckley a (HB) SystonLeicester 84/84A/85 50 Bus (5min(25min Flexi walk) walk)bus (A) ticket Narborough except these where an add on ticket General Elliott MaltTheWilliam Wheel Shovel Wygston (Oadby)(Barkby*)L (Wigston)E8 6UF (0116)LE7LE2LE18 247 3QG5DP 1DR 8058 (0116)(0116) (0116) 271269 288 None 22312558 8397 (see 3147/47A/48/48A/49/49A100 (A)Mild (CB, Trail 31a/X3direct) Social (A)5/5A(20 $ 28th (A) 40 min (CB) May) walk)40 $ (CB) short walk away. TheWinstanley Plough (Littlethorpe*)Arms (Braunstone) shouldLE19LE3 2WB 2HS be (0116) (0116)purchased. 289286 00462383 www.leics.gov.uk/transport_downloadsX44 104 (HB)(A) 50 (5min walk) Narborough www.whatpubcom (Willoughby Waterleys)Cow andWilliamChandlers Plough Wygston Arms (Oadby) (Shearsby) (Wigston) * LE2 AllLE18LE17 venues 2FB6PL1DR (0116) (0116)can be 2882478384 reached 272 8397 0852 with Public47/47A/48/48A/49/49A a SystonLeicester transport 80 (A) (25min Flexi(15min unavailable walk)bus (A) ticketwalk) 40 except (CB) these where an add on ticket ” WinstanleyStamford Arms Arms (Groby) (Braunstone) shouldLE3LE6 0DJ2WB be (0116) (0116) purchased. 287 289 5616 0046 www.leics.gov.uk/transport_downloads 10426/28/29/29a (A) (A) www.whatpubcom Malt Shovel (Barkby)*KeyChandlersThe to Plough symbols: Arms (Littlethorpe*) (Shearsby)LE7 3QG (0116)LE17LE19 269 6PL2HS 2558 (0116) 2862478384 100 2383 (CB, PublicX44 direct) (HB) transport22(F) 50 5/5A (5min (20 unavailable22B walk) min (CB) walk) Narborough (Both 15 min walk) The Wheel (Oadby) LE2 5DP (0116) 271 2231 31 (A) 31a/X3 (A) $ 40 (CB) $ (A)WinstanleyStamford Arriva Arms Arms (Groby) (Braunstone)(CB) CentrebusLE3LE6 0DJ2WB (0116) (0116) 287 289 5616 0046 Rail station 10426/28/29/29a (A) (A) $ Not in view from MILD MONTH May 01 - June 02 2014 Dog andKey Gunto symbols: (Syston) OtherLE7 1GN (0116) East 260 Syston 9366 Midland (25min 5/5A walk) (A) 100/128 Mild (CB) Trails $ Syston Nearby... TheWilliam Wheel Wygston (Oadby) (Wigston) LE2LE18 5DP 1DR (0116) (0116) 271 288 2231 8397 3147/47A/48/48A/49/49A (A) 31a/X3 (A) $ bus (A) 40 stop, (CB) 40 $ venue (CB) a (F)Stamford First bus Arms (Groby) (HB) HinckleyLE6 0DJ Bus (0116) 287 5616 26/28/29/29a (A) $ Not in view from Railway, HinckleySyston(A) ChandlersSocial Arriva Club Arms (Shearsby)LE10 1AP(CB) (01455) CentrebusNottinghamOtherLE7LE17 612 1GP6PL 399 (0116)(0116) CAMRAEast 2478384 260 Hinckley Rail 9086A well Midlandstation Public established transport 5/5A158(A) (A)100/128(CB) 48 unavailable trail (SC) Mild shortthroughout walk Trails$away. 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See(CB) Nottingham( SC)StagecoachCentrebus https://twitter.com/NottinghamCAMRA 14th Drinker trail thisNo.121 year or (also RRailail see stationstation ND121) $ Not in view from 18 bus stop, venue a (F) First buswww.nottinghamcamra.org,www.valeofbelvoircamra.comwww.mansfieldcamra.org.uk(HB) Hinckley https://twitter.com/NottinghamCAMRA (also 14th Bus see trail ND121) this year (also see ND121) $ not in view from bus stop, venue a short walk away. short walk away. www.valeofbelvoircamra.comwww.mansfieldcamra.org.uk (also 14th see trail ND121) this year (also see ND121) 18 * All venues can be reached with a Leicester Flexi bus ticket except these where an add on ticket * Venues can be reached with a Leicester Flexi bus ticket. 18 shouldwww.mansfieldcamra.org.uk be purchased. www.leics.gov.uk/transport_downloads (also see ND121) www.whatpubcom Add on tickets available to other venues just outside the flexi zone. 18 www.choosehowyoumove.co.uk/everyday/public-transportOther East Midland Mild www.whatpubcom Trails Nearby... Nottingham CAMRA A well established trail throughout Nottingham and the 18 surrounding area.April See- May Nottingham 2016 The Drinker Newsletter No.121 ofor Leicester CAMRA Branch www.nottinghamcamra.org, https://twitter.com/NottinghamCAMRA www.valeofbelvoircamra.com 14th trail this year (also see ND121) www.mansfieldcamra.org.uk (also see ND121)
18 The Leicester Drinker www.leicester.camra.org.uk 19 January 2016 PUB OF THE MONTH The Exchange
ike the January 2015 winner, Babelas, this a couple of year’s first POTM award went to a café successful Lstyle bar with a commitment to Real Ale, beer festivals giving the lie to the belief that it’s necessary instigated by to have “eleventeen” handpumps to be in the erstwhile bar running for an award. In fact The Exchange has manager Dan just three; two for beer and one for cider. McGarry they As an income stream real ale and cider are now firmly in the Locale represents around just 5% of the business’s fold with Langton, Charnwood and Tres Bien turnover, but is seen as an essential part of regularly on offer together with Bottle Kicking the overall customer offer. Originally there ciders. By stocking real ales there is a feeling was no real ale available when The Exchange that they are getting more pre- and post- opened and no real necessity to take the show trade from The Curve that they hadn’t cask route, but sisters Cassie and Lauren seen before. Proof of what we already knew – were persuaded by their mother’s belief that cask ale should be in every bar! Award it would be a good addition to their range. The Exchange is holding its next realWinner ale Initially there was some Cornish Tribute, festival April 21st – 24th with 20 casks and Sharp’s Doombar and the like but following 6 ciders on offer.
20 April - May 2016 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch
Rutland CAMRA Beer Festival and ALE TRAIL 2016 June 23rd to June 26th
Rutland County Museum, Catmos Street, Oakham, LE15 6HW
Small BUT friendly…. sup and chat with fellow minded people. Sit on hay bales in our agricultural museum setting. Award Good simple food available. Winner About 40 interesting real ales and 10 cider/perries/wine bar No crush, just smiles! Great entertainment.
Follow our ale trail round the real ales pubs in the town which will offer you another 100 real ales!
“One of the nicest, friendliest festivals I have ever been to” .visitor response sheet 2015
Details of opening Hours Thurs 11 - 8.00. Fri 11 – 8.00 Sat11 – 8.00 Sun12 – 4.00 Free entry at all times for CAMRA members . Non-members also free except from 4.00pm onwards Fri & Sat. (£1) Glass hire £2.00 refundable
www.rutlandcamra.org.uk Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RutlandCamraBranch/ Twitter https://twitter.com/RutlandCAMRA
The Leicester Drinker www.leicester.camra.org.uk 21 A5.Enjoyment.ad:Layout 2 20/12/13 09:22 Page 1
JIM’S JAUNT Ne w t own Lin ford Bradgate, Newtown Linford & Anstey by Jim Reay Starting on a Saturday morning at St. Margaret’s Bus Station, Bay 7, I boarded the 11.13 Roberts Coaches 120 and alighted in Newtown Linford, directly opposite The Bradgate, at 11.36. As this pub doesn’t open until noon, I had time to walk down to the park entrance to see Leicestershire’s only surviving police box still used by the local constabulary where PCSOs Fiona Lacey and Tom Lloyd were sporting enough to pose for a photograph, Fiona confessing to being a big Dr. Who fan and delighted to have her very own TARDIS. Newtown Linford’s history is closely entwined with that of Bradgate Park and owes its very existence Leicestershire Constabulary to the park which was established as a deer park suitable for the chase by the 13th century, providing Snug. Another small intimate dining area, with one the gentry with both sport and food. At that time table to seat eight, is to the front of house, set in the land was in the ownership of the Ferrers family the large bay window. Towards the rear of house who decided to re-house tenants living within is a spacious Restaurant adjacent to which is a the park enclosure to a nearby purpose built new homely area called the Drawing Room. Yet another town situated at the ford over the River Lin; hence dining room is situated to the left of the front the name Newtown Linford. The Bradgate Estate, entrance and this in turn leads to a staircase taking including Newtown Linford, was bought by the one to the Loft Room furnished with one large Grey family in 1445, the villagers remaining their table able to seat up to twenty people for a meal tenants for 480 years when, in 1925, the estate was or conference. Adjacent to the large rear car park auctioned off in 227 individual lots by direction of is an enclosed lawned garden with picnic tables Mrs. K.H.V. Grey. The auction raised the then grand and children’s play equipment. Also outback, on sum of £226,110 for Mrs. Grey, enabling some split stages, are decked and block paved terraces villagers to buy their own land and houses while others had their homes sold over their heads. with garden furniture. Everards Tiger & Original plus Brunswick Last Orders were the available real ales The Bradgate Hotel was sold as an auction lot together with Weston’s Rosie’s Pig Cider. If you’d like to enjoy the freedom of running your own pub, our job is to supply all the help and components you to Everards for £6,400 and has traded as part of need. Your job is to craft a great pub that delivers joy to your customers, and build a great life for yourself. their estate ever since. Behind the 20th century My next port of call was The Linford, just short of a facade is an older village inn, where carriers used to furlong to my right on the other side of Main Street. refresh themselves and change their horses. Today The Linford is an unaffiliated private members club Can you picture a great future with Everards? described by the local authority as a Key Unlisted although a foyer notice clearly states “The Linford To find out more, contact us today Building, it is indeed a dominant building in Main welcomes non-members. Visitors are required Street. On entering the front door, the public bar to sign the visitors’ book”. Part of village life since was just to my right leading further right to two 1926 it’s hardly surprising that it is referred to Call: 0800 056 4111 cosy dining rooms known as the Library and the locally simply as The Club. Formerly affiliated to or visit: www.everards.co.uk ›› continued on pg 24 @EverardsTiger facebook.com/everards 22 April - May 2016 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch A5.Enjoyment.ad:Layout 2 20/12/13 09:22 Page 1
If you’d like to enjoy the freedom of running your own pub, our job is to supply all the help and components you need. Your job is to craft a great pub that delivers joy to your customers, and build a great life for yourself.
Can you picture a great future with Everards? To find out more, contact us today
Call: 0800 056 4111 or visit: www.everards.co.uk
@EverardsTiger facebook.com/everards ›› from pg 22 The Royal British Legion Clubs, its official title is The Newtown Linford Ex-Services Club. The original timber structure had a previous existence as a tea-room, at a farm in the village, before being dismantled and re-erected in its present position. In 1928 a brickwork extension was constructed to the front of the club and now forms the foremost operational region. The front entrance leads into the main bar to the left which is furnished with no Linford Club less than six leather settees, whilst to the right of the bar is a games room with a pool table, darts board and table football. The wooden hut at the back became a function room that was eventually rebuilt in brick in 1960 and extensively refurbished in 2012. Available real ales were Bass and Titanic Plum Porter. Turning left out of the club I continued along Main Street and straight on up the causeway to the side of the road known as Sharpley Hill. Plodding up this long steep incline, I was overtaken by two streaks of shocking-pink in the form of male cyclist whizzing uphill, closely followed by a young lady The Grey Lady jogger. Maybe if I donned go-faster shocking-pink, I’d soar uphill with more haste? Wisely disregarding this bizarre thought, to my left was a lady of a less subdivided into two main dining areas, on different vivid hue. levels, each with a smaller annexe. Viewed through The Grey Lady is unashamedly a restaurant with the french-doors was a rustically paved patio and diners as its target clientele but it does have a a pergola, with garden furniture, overlooking an small area near the bar, designated for drinkers, undulating lawned garden, all set in over three with a table, settees, a high table and stools. The acres overlooking a woodland backdrop. Their real business is sometimes referred to as Gibsons Grey ale was Adnams Southwold Bitter. Lady, in deference to the Gibson family who have Continuing up Sharpley Hill, for a relatively short now been proprietors for the best part of 30 years. distance, I reached Hunts Hill car park to the right In the course of conversation with an esteemed of the road and walked through the car park and a long serving retainer of The Grey Lady, I was reliably small wooded area before entering Bradgate Park, informed that prior to WWll the premises was an not far from its highest point, where sits one of unlicensed establishment known as The Old John Leicestershire’s most famous landmarks, the Grade Café. On entering the venue via the foyer, I found II listed folly know as Old John. myself in a not insubstantially sized restaurant Old John Tower has occupied its commanding hilltop position since been built on the site of a former windmill during the 1780’s. Initially the tower was erected as an observation vantage point for the ladies to view a racecourse that can still be defined by large stones encircling the hill. It is said that the archway abutment, which gives the folly its distinctive beer mug profile, was added later in memory of a beer-loving estate retainer known as Old John, who met his untimely demise when a pole in the middle of a celebration bonfire burned through and fell among the revellers celebrating the 6th Earl of Stamford’s coming of age. Around the tower’s base is a conveniently situated plinth where I sat for a while appreciating the splendid panoramic views whilst catching my breath after the short but steep climb. Lungs re-oxygenated, I was ready to set off for a walk through the park to Anstey.
24 April - May 2016 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch Bradgate Park was a major lot in the 1925 auction Built in the early 1500’s Bradgate House was one and was initially offered to Leicester Corporation of the earliest unfortified mansions in England and for public use but the money needed to buy the one of the first houses of its scale to be built in brick. land could not be raised. A successful industrialist This once magnificent Tudor house became the and philanthropist, Mr. Charles Bennion, came to birthplace and childhood home of Lady Jane Grey, the rescue, purchasing the park and placing it into Queen of England for a mere nine days in 1553, a trust before formally presenting it to the people before being overthrown by Mary I. of Leicestershire for their quiet enjoyment and Nearing the house, my route took me along an recreation. It is now Leicestershire’s most visited unmetalled road and straight on to a bridge attraction welcoming over half a million visitors a over the River Lin. Once over, I followed another year. With evidence of human occupation going unmetalled road for about 100yds to a park bench, back some 14,000 years, to the Upper Palaeolithic placed to the memory of a Robert Smith, and took period, there are also suggestions that the area the path veering to the left of the seat and on to was settled in the Bronze & Iron Ages and has been a 6ft high, deer-proof kissing gate set in the high more or less continuously inhabited ever since. stone park boundary wall. I continued straight on With my back to the tower door, the way ahead the well-trod footpath over farmland until the path was a labyrinth of well-trodden paths. In the middle divided into two and I turned right along a path distance were three small wooded areas and I between the back gardens of the 1st & 2nd houses headed for the middle one of these. The route in Anstey. I then turned left along Bradgate Road away from Old John was initially down a very steep towards the village centre. slope, but soon levelled off. Reaching the walled Anstey is thought to have originated as an Angle wood, I followed the path leading round to the right settlement, although it is known that prior to keeping close to the wall, until the ruins of Bradgate this, the Romans had a significant presence House came into view; I headed straight towards hereabouts. The Via Devana (now better known the ruins taking the path passing through a gap in a by its latter Saxon name of Gartree Road) was a high stone wall. ›› continued on pg 26
Packhorse Bridge, Anstey The Crown, Anstey
Leicester’s first Micro Pub. A micro beer festival everyday... Real Ale straight from the Cask 22 Allandale Road, Leicester, LE2 2DA. 0116 319 6998.
The Leicester Drinker www.leicester.camra.org.uk 25 ›› from pg 25 key Roman Road linking Colchester and Chester, factory employees. This revolutionary development its route passed through Anstey. It is thought to provoked Anstey’s Ned Ludd to redress what have crossed the Rothley Brook at the location of he perceived to be an unfair state of affairs by the existing Pack Horse Bridge. This well-known sabotaging the factory machines; an example landmark isn’t the only ancient bridge in Anstey taken up far and wide and instigating the notorious as situated on Sheepwash Lane, now a bridleway Luddite Riots. The village still supports light industry linking Anstey to Beaumont Leys, is the other although nearly all the larger factories have now less well known King William’s Bridge. In 1696 either been demolished or converted into flats. King William III planned to visit the Grey family Anstey’s first pub was The Crown Inn which was at Bradgate from his base at Belvoir Castle but a quite a way down Bradgate Road on the right. reconnaissance of the route found the bridge over The Crown Inn is described by the Local Authority Rothley Brook to be too narrow for the royal coach as a Key Unlisted Building although clues to its and its escorting entourage so the new wider King origins are masked by externally rendered walls. William Bridge was built. The Angles named the Adjoining cruck framed cottages were demolished village Hanstige, meaning a narrow forest track, in 1960 to facilitate extension of this pub and in all but by the time of the Domesday Book, the H had probability the rendering was applied at that time. been dropped in favour of the name Anstige. After The pub underwent refurbishment in 2014 and is several changes, the spelling eventually became now essentially open plan. An area akin to a public Anstey in the 19th century. The 1760 Enclosure bar is to the front of house, with a rustic ambience Act had a profound effect on the local landscape enhanced by uncovered wooden floors, exposed as communal open fields passed into the hands ceiling timbers and a small snug to one end. of private landowners, removing the villagers’ Adjoining and set back to the left is a lounge bar traditional dependency on the land and forcing whilst set back to the right is a raised seating area. many to seek alternative employment. An early Outside, there is a beer garden, drinking terrace and local industry was framework knitting which so a smoking shelter. Available real ales were Bass and flourished that by 1845 there were no less than Doom Bar. 300 villagers working as framework knitters. In due Carrying on down Bradgate Road, just past Groby course, small manufacturers emerged, enticing Road junction to my right and next door to the home-based workers to become wage earning Congregational Church, tucked away up a short alleyway was The Stadon Sports & Social Club that reopened in December 2015 following a major refurbishment. The club’s history is closely entwined with that of Boot & Shoe manufacturers, G. H. Palmer Ltd. founded in 1885 with premises in Church Lane. The business prospered and larger premises became necessary, so these were rented on a three-year fixed term tenancy, in the property presently occupied by the Stadon Sports & Social Club. Business continued to prosper, prompting the landlord to seek a threefold rent increase when the tenancy expired. With no alternative premises available, the prudent Mr Palmer took out The Old Hare & Hounds a mortgage and bought land to build a new factory and workers houses on the corner of Highfield Street and Stadon Road. The club opened in the old factory buildings trading as Palmer’s Shoes Social Club but eventually took the name Stadon as a link with the location of Palmers new premises. The small club comprises one ground floor bar whilst the 1st floor has a games room with a darts board, pool and skittles tables plus a function room. The club is soon to introduce a second handpump on the bar to accompany the Charnwood Salvation that was available on the day of my visit. The Sports Bar, Anstey Stadon, Anstey Turning right out of the club and a short distance
26 April - May 2016 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch and an uncovered sun terrace. The one available real ale was Bass. From The Sports Bar I retraced my steps back to the traffic island where The Coach & Horses was directly opposite. Originally built as an hotel, its imposing external presence overlooks the hub of the village. A major interior refurbishment in 1991 involved the removal of some internal walls to create a more up-to-date open-plan environment whilst, at the same time, managing to retain a traditional pub ambience. The premises now Coach & Horses, Anstey consists of a large L-shaped public bar with raised areas at both ends; one end contains a pool table and fixed seating, whilst the other end connects down the road, opposite St. Mary’s Parish Church to the lounge bar with its raised area dedicated to is The Old Hare & Hounds, a former coaching inn darts. Adjacent to the car park entrance is a paved situated within Anstey Conservation area and yet patio with picnic tables and timber planters, all another pub described by the Local Authority as partially sheltered by means of a large retractable a Key Unlisted Building. Purchased by Marston’s in awning. This Marston’s house had Burton Bitter & 1900, it has been part of their estate ever since, Pedigree and Wychwood Hobgoblin available. though prior to this it was in the ownership of the The bus stop to begin my journey home was just Anstey Brewery known as Daniel Pettifer & Sons outside to the left of the pub. Left of the bus stop which dates back to at least 1846. It is a typical a recent housing development is named Ned Ludd village pub of traditional character. Viewed from Close, ensuring the machine-wrecker’s name is the front it consists of a snug to the right and a remembered in perpetuity. public bar to the left leading back into the former smoke room. At a raised level, behind the two Cheers, front bars, are two small adjoining lounge areas accessible from both bars and effectively affording Jim Reay a link between them. To the rear is a paved yard furnished with picnic tables. Available real ales were Marston’s Burton Ale, Pedigree and Help for Heroes. THE On leaving I walked straight ahead downhill to the village centre traffic island where I turned left CHANDLERS into Stadon Road. To my left, I soon passed the former Working Men’s club which ceased trading in 2009 and is now the Sapori Italian Restaurant ARMS & Bar, which has no real ale. Directly opposite SHEARSBY the Sapori are homes built on the former site of 0116 247 8384 the aforementioned Palmer Boot & Shoe factory adjacent to my next venue. Country Pub of the Year The Sports Bar Anstey started trading in 2011 in the refurbished premises formerly occupied by 2009 - 2016 the Anstey Conservative Club, and once run by Bill & Nancy Thorne whose young son Willie learned 8TH ANNUAL BEER FESTIVAL the basics of snooker on the club’s table before becoming the popular, follicly challenged and JUNE 30th - JULY 3rd moustachioed, snooker player and commentator. As its name suggests, the emphasis here is on LUNCH WED - SAT 12 - 2 sport with no less than five large screen televisions showing a varied of live sports in full HD with EVENING TUES - SAT 6 - 9 surround sound. The public bar is to the rear and SUNDAY LUNCH SERVED 12 - 3 has two pool tables and a darts board. To the front of house is a comfy lounge bar that, for obvious SEE WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS reasons, is known as the quiet room. The 1st floor table skittles room doubles as a function room with www.chandlersatshearsby.co.uk direct egress to a sheltered rooftop smoking terrace
The Leicester Drinker www.leicester.camra.org.uk 27 FESTIVAL DIARY Month From To Ales Ciders Food Ents Ad/Details Where? Apr Mo 18 Su 24 Yes Yes Pizza Yes page 5 The Criterion Apr Th 21 Su 24 20 6 Pizza Live exchange The Exchange, music leicester.com LE1 1RD Apr Th 21 Su 24 15 10 Yes Yes page 19 Black Horse, Aylestone Apr/May Fr 29 Mo 2 Yes Yes BBQ Yes page 14 Free Trade Inn, Sileby May Th 19 Sa 21 300+ Yes Yes Various railale Rail Ale, Barrow Hill festival.com Roundhouse May Th 26 Mo 30 20 10 Yes Yes page 10 The Western (WestFest) Jun Fr 3 Su 5 15 Yes tbc page 12 The Charlotte (Welsh Ales) Jun Th 23 Su 26 40 10 Yes Yes page 21 Rutland Beer Festival & Ale Trail Jun/Jul Th 30 Su 3 Yes Yes Yes page 27 Chandler’s Arms, Shearsby July Fr 8 Su 10 Yes Yes Yes Bands page 20 Langton Brewery Various see ad for details page 29 Swan & Rushes
28 April - May 2016 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch Leicester CAMRA Branch Diary 2016 Sat 9 Apr Social Trip Oxford Wed 27 Apr Pub of the Month 19.30 General Elliott, Presentation Willoughby Waterleys 21.00hrs Wed 4 May Branch Meeting 19.30 Parcel Yard Speaker Billy Allingham Wed 11 May Pub of the Year 19.00 Kings Head Presentation 20.00hrs Wed 25 May Committee Meeting 20.00 The Exchange Wed 1 Jun Branch Meeting 19.30 tbc save Sat 4 Jun Social Trip Norwich (City of Ale Festival)the Sat 11 Jun Beer Census see website for detailsdate NOTES Branch Contact Shawn Collier: 07504 829830 or email: chairman@leicestercamra .org .uk For Saturday and Sunday trips Gary Akiens: 07815 825039 or email: socials@leicestercamra .org .uk For a fully up to date Branch Diary, please visit www.leicester.camra.org.uk and click on Diary on the left of the page .
The Leicester Drinker www.leicester.camra.org.uk 29 CAMRA discounts available locally
All locations are in Leicester unless indicated in brackets. Information given in good faith and liable to change. Some discounts may be modified or restricted where special promotions are on offer. (New additions in bold) Black Horse, Aylestone CAMRA discounts/privileges for specific events Bowling Green 10% discount on Cask Ales & Real Ciders The Castle Hotel (Kirby Muxloe) 10% discount on Cask Ales Crown (Anstey) 10% off Cask Ales Dog & Gun (Keyham) 30p/pint on real ales Duffy’s Bar CAMRA discounts on special events Exchange, Rutland Street 10% off Cask Ales, Ciders & selected items The Friary, Hotel Street 10% off real ales General Elliott (Willoughby Waterleys) 10p/pint & 5p/half Real Ales Glenhills Sports & Social (Glen Parva) Temporary Visitor Membership for 50p with CAMRA card Globe, 43 Silver Street 30p/pint Golden Shield (Fleckney) 20p off Real Ales Hind, London Road 10p off Cask Ales Malt Shovel (Barkby) 20p/pint on Real Ales & Traditional Cider Marquis Wellington, London Road 10% Nag’s Head (Glenfield) 15p/pint on Cask Ales Narborough Arms (Narborough) 10% off Cask Ales & Ciders Old Horse, 198 London Road 10% Parcel Yard CAMRA card gives same discounts as a Steamin Billy Card. Queen of Bradgate, High Street 10% discount on Cask Ales Queens Head (Saddington) 30p per pint Queen Victoria (Syston) 20p off Guest Ales Real Ale Classroom 20p/pint & 10p/half off Real Ales Red Lion (Gilmorton) 30p/pint Red Lion Inn (Rothley) 20p/pint & 10p/half Rose & Crown (Houghton on the Hill) 20p/pint Royal Standard 10% off Cask Ales Rutland & Derby, Millstone Lane 10% off Cask Ales Slug & Lettuce, Market Street 10% Stamford Arms, Groby 10% off Cask Ales Syston Social Club (Syston) Temporary Visitor Membership with CAMRA card Western CAMRA card gives same discounts as a Steamin Billy Card Winstanley (Braunstone Town) 20p/pint off guest ales W - Corn Exchange, Market Square standard 50p vouchers accepted and 20% off food W - Highcross. High Street standard 50p vouchers accepted and 20% off food W - Lord Keeper of the Great Seal (Oadby) standard 50p vouchers accepted only W - Last Plantagenet, Granby Street standard 50p vouchers accepted and 20% off food W - Sugar Loaf (Market Harborough) standard 50p vouchers accepted and 20% off food W - White House (Scraptoft) standard 50p vouchers accepted only W - William Wygston (Wigston) standard 50p vouchers accepted only The Yews (Great Glen) 10% discount on Cask Ales W prefix denotes Wetherspoon outlets accepting CAMRA vouchers. One voucher per visit rule generally enforced. Non-CAMRA loyalty card schemes available to all customers: Black Horse, Aylestone “Cheaper by the dozen” - £5 voucher on collecting 12 stamps. Chandlers Arms (Shearsby) 1 for 10 loyalty card Exchange, Rutland Street £2.50 card gives a range of 10% discounts The Friary, Hotel Street “Love Cask Ale” - every 7th pint free Queen of Bradgate, High Street 1 for 10 loyalty card Sir Robert Peel, Jarrom Street 50p card, Visit www.sirrobertpeelleicester.co.uk for details The Steamin’ Billy Card £2 card gives various discounts. Details at www.steamin-billy.co.uk
30 April - May 2016 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch Fair dealA Campaign of TwoTwo Halves on beer 7EZI t &VMXEMR W ax now! 4YFW Join CAMRA Today Complete the Direct Debit form and you will receive 15 months membership for the price of 12 and a fantastic discount on your membership subscription. Alternatively you can send a cheque payable to CAMRA Ltd with your completed form, visit www.camra.org.uk/joinus or call 01727 867201. All forms should be addressed to the: Membership Department, CAMRA, 230 Hatfield Road, St Albans, AL1 4LW. Your Details Direct Debit Non DD Title Surname Single Membership £24 £26 Forename(s) (UK & EU) Date of Birth (dd/mm/yyyy) Joint Membership £29.50 £31.50 (Partner at the same address) Address For Young Member and other concessionary rates please visit www.camra.org.uk or call Postcode 01727 867201. Email address I wish to join the Campaign for Real Ale, and agree to abide by the Memorandum and Tel No(s) Articles of Association Partner’s Details (if Joint Membership) I enclose a cheque for Title Surname Signed Date Forename(s) Applications will be processed within 21 days Date of Birth (dd/mm/yyyy) Email address (if different from main member) 01/1504/16 Campaigning for Pub Goers Enjoying Real Ale & Beer Drinkers & Pubs Join CAMRA today – www.camra.org.uk/joinus
Instruction to your Bank or Building Society to pay by Direct Debit
Please fill in the whole form using a ball point pen and send to: This Guarantee should be detached Campaign for Real Ale Ltd. 230 Hatfield Road, St.Albans, Herts AL1 4LW and retained by the payer. Name and full postal address of your Bank or Building Society Service User Number The Direct Debit To eht reganaM knaB ro gnidliuB yteicoS Guarantee 9261 2 9 This Guarantee is offered by all banks and building Address societies that accept instructions to pay by Direct FOR CAMPAIGN FOR REAL ALE LTD OFFICIAL USE ONLY Debits. This is not part of the instruction to your Bank or Building Society If there are any changes to the amount, date or Membership Number frequency of your Direct Debit The Campaign for Postcode Real Ale Ltd will notify you 10 working days in advance Name of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed. If you request The Campaign for Real Ale Ltd to collect Name(s) of Account Holder Postcode a payment, confirmation of the amount and date will be given to you at the time of the request Instructions to your Bank or Building Society If an error is made in the payment of your Direct Please pay Campaign For Real Ale Limited Direct Debits from the account Bank or Building Society Account Number Debit by The Campaign for Real Ale Ltd or your bank detailed on this instruction subject to the safeguards assured by the Direct Debit or building society, you are entitled to a full and Guarantee. I understand that this instruction may remain with Campaign For Real immediate refund of the amount paid from your bank Ale Limited and, if so will be passed electronically to my Bank/Building Society. or building society Branch Sort Code - If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay it back when The Campaign For Real Ale Ltd Signature(s) asks you to
Reference You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by simply Date contacting your bank or building society.Written confirmation may be required. Please also notify us.
Banks and Building Societies may not accept Direct Debit Instructions for some types of account.
The Leicester Drinker www.leicester.camra.org.uk 31 Tiger Hops Advert 210 x 148 Portrait.qxp_Layout 1 07/05/2015 10:26 Page 1 Brewed with 100% British ingredients
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