theleicesterdrinker www.leicestercamra.org.uk FREE Issue 94 August / September 2014 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch Circulation 5,000 throughout Leicestershire & Rutland
Compo-sition - p18
Walk on the Mild Side - p4
Trip to the Black Country - p12 The Queen of Bradgate - p16 Beer for the Year Competition - p29
INSIDE Pub & Brewery News . . . p6-7
Matters Arising ...... p9
Festival Diary ...... p28 Breweriana Auction - p22 Jim’s Jaunt - p24 Competition ...... p29
CAMRA Discounts ...... p30 Designed & Printed by AnchorPrint · www.anchorprint.co.uk EDITOR Rob Macardle Roll up, roll up, Please send contributions to to Britain’s Biggest [email protected] Website: Pub - The Great www.leicestercamra.org.uk British Beer Festival, Facebook: Leicester Campaign for Real Ale Olympia, London The Drinker welcomes letters, news, views and articles 12-16 August 2014 for possible publication. Please keep it brief and to the point and supply your name and address (this will CAMRA’s Great British Beer Festival will be bringing a only be published with your permission). The opinions carnival atmosphere to London’s Olympia exhibition expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of centre this summer with an extravagant circus the Editor, Leicester Branch, or CAMRA. theme complete with live-action circus performers. ADVERTISING RATES 1 But fantastic beer will of course remain the star /6 page £ 35 + VAT 1 /4 page £ 50 + VAT of the show, with over 350 different breweries 1 /3 page £ 66 + VAT offering 900 different real ales, ciders, perries and 1 /2 page £ 85 + VAT international beers to over 50,000 thirsty beer 1 page £160 + VAT Back Page £190 + VAT lovers throughout the week-long event. Series Discounts available on 1/4 page and above The festival will feature 29 bars including 11 VAT Registration Number: 102 0964 57 brewery bars run by the Nation’s biggest and best This is the first full colour issue of the Leicester Drinker and some advertising rates have changed. During the brewers of real ale, plus food and merchandise transitional period please contact the editor to discuss stalls as well as a full schedule of entertainment your requirements. on the GBBF music stage. Tickets can be purchased CAMRA Recommends that if you are in any way online at www.gbbf.org.uk/tickets. dissatisfied with the measure of your pint in any of Leicestershire & Rutland’s pubs, contact the Trading Standards. Details below. • City of Leicester Council has now moved from ADVERTISE IN THE New Walk. Please see p7 Miscellany for interim arrangements during re-location LEICESTER DRINKER! • Leicestershire County Council 2000, With a circulation of 5,000 and an estimated E-mail: [email protected] readership of three times that number, The • Rutland County Council Offices, Catmose, Drinker reaches licensees and pubgoers alike Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6HP. and is available free of charge in almost 200 • Trading Standards are part of Environmental Health. All initial enquiries to Rutland County outlets. The newsletter is published every two Council can be made through the customer months by The Campaign for Real Ale and services team. 01572 722577 adverts start at less than £40 plus VAT. Leicester CAMRA makes every effort to publish the Our next issue, published at the beginning Leicester Drinker on time, however sometimes due to of October will cover Cask Ale Week. lack of copy being received it may be a few days later Contact [email protected] in than advertised. Leicester CAMRA cannot accept any responsibility for advertisements taken that feature the first instance. a dated event that has occurred before publication is published. Postal copies from K. Satterly: 0116 253 0990 / LEICESTER DRINKER ADVERTISING/COPY 07803 601220 DEADLINES 2014 e-mail: [email protected] Recommended Absolute Address: 16 Colwell Road, Leicester LE3 9AX LD95 Oct/Nov 08/09/2014 15/09/2014 (Please supply stamps) www.camra.org.uk LD96 Dec/Jan 10/11/2014 17/11/2014 LD97 Feb/Mar 12/01/2015 19/01/2015
2 August – September 2014 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch Cask Ale Week Plans for Cask Ale week are continuing apace. theatre and other cultural elements. Leicester This year Leicester CAMRA is organising a Music Forum will be helping co-ordinate pub-based festival to tie in with Cask Ale Week bookings so musicians and other artists and the Freshers celebrations at the city’s wishing to get involved should contact Lis at universities. The plan is to keep the format [email protected] simple so that licensees can put their own All other enquiries at this stage can be made stamp on proceedings and building it around via [email protected]. As we go to a county/regional theme so that individual press the beer map is beginning to take shape landlords can choose to stock beers they know with a dozen counties already allocated and that others won’t be stocking that week. several breweries planning events. Leicester’s One element we are trying to emphasise is Cask Ale Week celebrations are actually for the that pubs are not just for drinking but host 17 day period 19th September to 5th October. all manner of events such as music, poetry,
The Leicester Drinker www.leicestercamra.org.uk 3 From the feedback we’ve had many more supported the Milds on offer. It seems a number of pubs have MILD IN bitter drinking Mild fans that were delighted to see so much available. In some pubs it was just one or two MAY REPORT across the month up to 15-20 in others. My personal by Shawn Collier experience was positive from all visits. A particular favourite of mine was Brunswick Midnight Express. Given the response we hope that Throughout May drinkers in Leicestershire enjoyed it is worth venues that wouldn’t normally stock Mild a variety of Milds. Twenty seven pubs and clubs doing so regularly, if it’s not possible permanently. participated in our inaugural Mild Trail along with a few others that also decided to stock it. Thanks to › We sold around 20 milds during the trail. We are all that took part, drinkers and pubs. The planned pleased that people enjoyed themselves that’s crawls enjoyed good weather adding to the what it’s all about. The Salmon enjoyment. A common comment is that people › Went well and incorporated it with our beer festival enjoyed visiting pubs they wouldn’t normally and - it was nice to see new faces. We had had never been in. 2 milds & sold 4 x 9’s of each. The Old Horse Around forty forms were submitted and the › Next year I will have 1 maybe 2 barrels and when T shirts were duly distributed. A number of pubs also it’s gone it’s gone [but] I have had great feedback offered other prizes. Winners are Jim Reay (meal at from it and I have seen customers completing the Black Horse, Aylestone) ; Ken Duddle (gallon of real trail. The Friary ale also Black Horse) ; Anthony Sharman (gallon of › Steamin Billy’ pubs between them sold 15 different real ale – The Western); Mr A Clarke (gallon of real milds in May. It’s always a worthwhile exercise, ale at The Salmon) and Carl Bradshaw (meal at The what was pleasing on a personal note was pubs Plough , Littlethorpe). I went to during May (not our own) who don’t usually have mild on gave me, as a mild drinker, the opportunity to indulge in one of my favourite drinks, but I am of an age to remember when mild was by far the most popular drink in any pub in the The “OFFIE” Midlands. Specialist Wine & Beer It would be interesting to know younger people’s 142 Clarendon Park Road views, as apart from us old uns and dedicated C.A.M.R.A drinkers, mild still seems to be on Over 500 Bottled Beers the decline. On a more positive note four of our 350 selected fine wines pubs have mild on permanently the other four intermittently. Keep up the good work. Cheers Online for UK Delivery Barry Lount free within Leicestershire www.the-offie.co.uk My Walk on the Mild Side E: [email protected] A Drinker’s View by Robin Worth
Opening Hours I took the challenge to visit all the pubs on the trail Sun-Fri 4.30-10.00pm because I’m a fan of this classic English Ale that once Sat 11.00am-11.00pm was the staple beer in Leicester until the advent of keg, when bitter, then lager, overtook mild. Breweries phased it out because of its flat cap image and bad practice of some lazy landlords tipping the drip 01509 413970 (daytime) trays back into mild casks creating sour tasting beer. 2701553 (evening shop) Most independents, such as Shipstone’s, persisted with dark mild, it was one of my favourites and although
4 August – September 2014 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch “Shippos” has long gone, Belvoir Brewery offering excellent Wychwood’s Full Brazilian brews something like it in Dark Horse Mild. bitter. Visiting Barkby used a fair bit of leg I visited pubs on my own, with my wife, with work to and from Syston, but it was a nice a friend, and with a CAMRA led trail from evening and tasty fish and chips from the the Plough, Littlethorpe, (where a Pub of the Catch chippy were wolfed down before Month award also took place) to Oadby’s Cow visiting the Dog and Gun for good Elgood’s & Plough. The most common mild was Burton Black Dog, before finally some Thornbridge Bridge XL, which was on in most Everard’s at the very impressive Syston Sports and houses; my favourite city mild was Steamin’ Social Club where the staff were friendly Billy Grand Prix at the Western; brewed by and enthusiastic, and certainly worthy of Belvoir and very tasty, a few pints went down its Good Beer Guide entry. my neck. My overall favourite was Shefford’s One city venue that warrants a mention is Plum at the Chandlers Arms, Shearsby; this the Regent Sports and Social Club; which is pub is the hardest to visit on the trail because difficult to find as it’s well set back on the you can only reach it by car, bike, or on foot; (hiking boots on) this cost me Sunday lunch corner of Regent Road/De Montfort Street as my wife drove home afterwards; but I and you can go by it without knowing it. sampled this superb mild, along with Belvoir, The club has a deal with Greene King and XX which was darker than in other pubs, and a mild is usually on offer. The steward used Dowbridge Praetorian Porter`. to keep the Standard in Charles Street and knows most of the Leicester pub goers. Another trail was with my friend Scott. We visited the Malt Shovel at Barkby for OK So that’s it; if you want to sample how Thwaites Nutty Black, and, although not on good mild can be; why not visit the pubs LeicesterLeicesterLeicesterthe trail, the Brookside, CAMRACAMRA aCAMRA hidden gem of aPub pub Pub Pub on of the oftrail ofthe yourselves? the the Year Year Year 2009 2009 2009
@44 M ilTlstoneh Leane, CLeicesrteri L E1t 5JerN 0116i-26o254n18 @ @44 Millstone Lane, Leicester LE1 5JN 0116-2625418 The Cri terion 44 M ilTlstoneh www.thecriterion.co.ukLeane, CLeicesrteri LE1t 5JerN 0116i-26o254n18 www.thecriterion.co.ukwww.thecriterion.co.uk BEER FESTIVAL BEER FESTIVAL BEER FESTIVAL Live 1 week long ale fest! Live Comedy 22nd-28th February LivLeivCeomedy 11 week week long long ale ale fest! fest! Comsehdyo swho w Comedy Comedy Comedy 22nd-28th22nd-28th February February show nFdri 22nd aug Fri 22 aug sndho@ 8wpm. 2 acts Fr i 22 aug @ 8pm. 2 acts @ 8pm. 2 actnsd Fri 22 aug
@ 8pm. 2 acts 5 The Leicester Drinker www.leicestercamra.org.uk For those wishing BREWERY NEWS to keep abreast of anything new, the Not an awful lot of local brewery news to report at present, but Everards have website addresses revealed their brand new limited edition for August – Checker Cab, an exciting are listed below: brew in collaboration with Mark Szmaida of Chelsea Brewing Co, Manhattan. It’s a 5% ABV bright pale golden ale, straw-yellow in colour. Combining English BELVOIR malt and a blend of Terrnanger, Northern Brewer and Magnum hops, it has www.belvoirbrewery.co.uk a distinctive crisp, dry finish with prominent yet delicate hop flavour and aroma. Customers will have the chance to take their “Checker Cab selfie” DOW BRIDGE and be in with a chance of winning a month’s supply of Everards beer, simply www.dowbridgebrewery.co.uk by uploading their photo to Facebook.com/Everards or on Twitter at @ EverardsTiger #checkercabselfie. For July, Langton Brewery offered the slightly ELLISWOOD fruity 3.6ABV Angler, and two 4.2% brews; the hoppy golden bitter, Sovereign, www.theelliswoodbrewery.co.uk and a new light chestnut beer called Traction in addition to their usual range. EVERARDS www.everards.co.uk
GAS DOG www.gasdogbrewery.co.uk
GOLDEN DUCK www.goldenduckbrewery.com
LANGTON www.langtonbrewery.co.uk
LONG LANE www.facebook.com/ longlane.brewery
PARISH www.grantsfreehouse.net
PIG PUB www.piginmuck.com/brewery
BARROWDEN www.exeterarmsrutland.co.uk
6 August – September 2014 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch PUB NEWS
Beer citizensadvice.org.uk/. Although a little outside our Newly refurbished Anstey pub, The Crown, 148 area, many CAMRA members will be familiar with The Bradgate Road now offers 10% discount on Cask Ales Shoulder of Mutton, Weldon, Northants. Four years ago to CAMRA cardholders. The Exchange in Rutland it looked set for demolition following Enterprise Inns Street has also introduced a 10% discount on Cask decision to sell the building but it is now thriving, serving Ales and Ciders for card-carrying members. The Hind LocAles on constant rotation and home cooked food. It is expecting to offer a CAMRA discount in time for has recently also extended its opening hours! the start of the football season and Syston’s Queen Victoria will be offering 20p discount on Real Ales and Riverside Festival Ciders by the time you read this. A number of members were disappointed that the Beer Tent at the Riverside Festival was not better publicised, Bars – Pros particularly as the quality was good and there were The Turkey Café in Granby Street has re-opened as some interesting beers available. Philip Tiplady wrote to 1901 (the year of its construction). This Art Nouveau Simon Brown, the City Council’s Festival & Events Officer gem has been sympathetically restored by licensee and received the following (edited) response. ”…..At the Ryan Biddles, a former DMU architecture student, and point our copy was put together for the leaflet a bar many original features have been brought back to life. provider had not been confirmed and so was not put on Sadly, there is no Cask Ale, but you could try one of the the leaflet. Some information did go out on the web and more interesting bottled beers in the cabinet or the I understand that tasting notes [were] on social media seldom-seen draught Swedish cider Rekordelig while the week before…we appreciate your comments and in you admire this wonderful building. The Old Horse, future we will look to make more of the real ale tent” London Road is increasing the number of handpumps Pub News relies greatly on input from the public and the to sixteen. The full complement is unlikely to be in trade. CAMRA members will generally visit premises with use except for festivals, but the extra capacity will an existing real ale commitment so information on new enable more efficient cellar management, particularly stockists and outlets is particularly welcome. Thanks on at busy times of the week. The Black Horse, Foxton, this occasion to Philip Tiplady, Steve Peck, David Fursdon, re-opened on 18th July serving Greene King Abbot Gary Akiens and Shawn Collier. and H&H. The Cricketer’s, Grace Road, has just had a makeover and Barlestone’s Three Tuns is undergoing refurbishment and due to re-open in August. A brand new pub, The Grove Farm, has been opened on Grove Park; primarily an eatery, it is run by Greene King’s The Stamford Arms, Groby Farmhouse Inns arm and offers Greene King IPA, 10% CAMRA DISCOUNT ON ALL CASK ALES Speckled Hen and guests. There is some cause for SIZZLER NIGHTS £12.95 optimism regarding the future of The Shakespeare’s EVERY THURSDAY FROM 6PM Head, with some interesting recent developments that CHICKEN - SALMON - STEAK - VEGETARIAN must remain confidential at present.Tatra is a new bar All Sizzler Meals include a free drink* on Northampton Street that serves draught beers and WHO KNOWS ALL THE ANSWERS? authentic food from Eastern Europe; not quite Krakow, QUIZ NIGHTS but you’ll not need to buy an air ticket. TUESDAY & SUNDAYS FROM 9PM SUNDAY LUNCH Bars – Cons 2 OR 3 COURSES SET MENU The Blues in Oadby is another pub about to become a PLUS FULL MENU AVAILIBLE supermarket, this time it is the Co-Op who are set to OPEN MIC NIGHT obtain the lease. THURSDAY 9PM WITH BACKING GROUP MEN IN SHED’S Miscellany CATERING FOR ALL YOUR CELEBRATIONS Tesco has applied for planning permission to construct BUFFETS - FAMILY MEALS - BIRTHDAYS a pub on its car park at Hamilton (planning application OFFICE PARTIES - CHRISTMAS MEALS 20140838 for those interested on taking a look). City WALKING GROUPS - OR JUST A SOCAIL GET TOGETHER of Leicester Council has now moved from New Walk, CHRISTMAS PARTY NIGHTS DINNER & DANCE all enquiries regarding weights and (short!) measures TH TH ST should now be referred to the Citizens Advice consumer SATURDAY’S DEC 7 14 21 helpline on: 03454 04 05 06 or visit the Citizens Advice website for useful information and advice. http://www.
The Leicester Drinker www.leicestercamra.org.uk 7 Brunswick A5 Landscape Advert_Layout 1 08/05/2014 11:17 Page 1
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The Brunswick will offer RAILWAY PORTER THE USUAL • Full range of six Brunswick Ales, Everards Tiger, Everards Beacon, Timothy Taylor Landlord Award Winning Ale Award Winning Ale • AND 8 regular changing cask ales
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O.G. ABV O.G. ABV O.G. ABV • Regular CAMRA discount - 20p off a pint 1040 4% 1058 6% 10381038 33.6%.6% Alan & Philippe have accolades as winners of CAMRA Pub of TRIPLE HOP BLACKBLACK SABBATHSABBATH WHITEWHITE FFEATHEREATHER the Year 2010, 2011 and 2014 while at The Crown, Uppingham & Brewer James has been brewing award winning ale at The Award Winning Ale Award Winning Ale Award Winning Ale Brunswick now for 11 years.
[email protected] or [email protected] • www.brunswickbrewingcompany.co.uk & www.brunswickderby.com The Brunswick, 1 Railway Terrace, Derby, DE1 2RU • For all enquiries please call: 01332 290677 MATTERS ARISING Beer Festivals LD 92 (Fest or Famine) & pubs, the award night hospitality was Matters Arising LD93 excellent in both cases and the licensees can In the last issue of The Leicester Drinker feel rightly proud of their achievements we published an e-mail from Russell Hunt, licensee of The Criterion. Following publication it became apparent that some readers thought his comments implied criticism of The Salmon receiving the Pub of the Year Award. He has asked me to point out that was not his intention, merely that, as a good proportion of votes are cast at the festival, The Salmon’s geographical proximity to the festival means it may well be the last pub a drinker visits before they cast their vote and certainly doesn’t do it any harm. He accepts that The Salmon would probably win anyway and has spoken to Steve to quell any misunderstanding.
In LD89, LD90 and LD93 we have In LD92 we were asked to identify followed the ongoing efforts of local those pubs that would be best for residents to get the White Lion at those wanting to drink Real Ale whilst North Kilworth re-opened. avoiding the World Cup TV coverage. Last time we reported that the new owner Now it’s all over I thought some people might is not averse to the pub being re-opened appreciate this. in some shape or form. This time we learn that there is now a For Sale sign on the building. The asking price is £375,000. The selling agents are Andrews Ashwell, which is hopefully a good sign as they are Commercial Estate Agents and it augurs well for it being sold as a pub. In LD92 we published the Pub of the Year results. Since our last issue both presentation nights have taken place. For the third year in succession the Overall award (and the City award) has gone to The Salmon whilst The Chandlers (Shearsby) was voted County Pub of the Year for a remarkable sixth year in a row. As ever, as befitting two tremendous
The Leicester Drinker www.leicestercamra.org.uk 9 GONE, but not forgotten In the space of a few weeks three of the Midlands’ leading CAMRA members have sadly died. In May, Julian Hough succumbed to oesophageal David Brett, father of current Regional Director cancer aged 54. Over the 40 or so years since Carl Brett, was Deputy Regional Director the Campaign for Real Ale was launched, few for a short time in recent years and was an showed more commitment than Julian in enthusiastic member of Mansfield & Ashfield battling for choice and fair play with regard to CAMRA who worked on the cellar team at beer and pubs in this country and was rightly Derby Beer Festival. Always helpful, David was respected for his work. described by local branch Chairman, Keith He chaired the Derby Beer Festival committee Williams as “a true gentleman”. for 20 years, and served on Camra’s national Then, at the beginning of July, Bob Jones, the executive from 2006, standing down only this first Police & Crime Commissioner for the West year as a result of his illness. His last “public” Midlands, died, aged 59. Primarily known as appearance was at the Roundhouse, in February, a Wolverhampton “born and bred” Labour as he saw Derby host the National Winter Ales politician with a particular interest in policing, for Festival for the first time. A couple of days later, which he received a CBE in 2010, he also found long-time friend Colston Crawford met him in time to serve as a non-executive director of a pub listing all the improvements he would be the Black Country Cluster PCT Boards, and was recommending for the next winter festival “even also the Campaigning Strategy Director for the though I won’t be there,” Campaign for Real Ale. BARROW ON SOAR’S ORIGINAL BEER FESTIVAL A weekend of Beer, Food & Fun With 14 Traditional Ales plus Ciders & Barbecue THE SOAR BRIDGE INN Friday 12th – Sunday 14th September Saturday Evening Live Music - Gerry Goode Saturday from 12hrs fun for kids with children’s entertainer and bouncy castle Loughborough Fire Engine plus crew in attendance Phone John on 01509 412686 for further details
10 August – September 2014 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch Cider in the City: July 2014 The Campaign for Real Ale also campaigns for well known search engine Real Cider & Perry so Susan Shirley organised a revealed that this is a new “Talk and Walk” for a handful of novices. offering from The Shepton Mallet Cider Mill, a trading Early July is a good time to explore the range of draught name of Magners GB. ciders and perries available in the pubs of Leicester. One Saturday lunchtime, half a dozen curious drinkers set Moving on to The Sir out to investigate. Robert Peel and our first perry of the day, from Broadoak, together with a white cider, Moonshine, The meeting place was the Exchange, where Bottle both on handpump. A bit of a shock to the palate, Kicking from Hallaton supply a draught cider flavoured being very sweet, and at 7.5% the strongest drink with pomegranate and raspberry, as well as bottles of the day. Next stop was timed to be the Swan and of the more traditional Scrambler. The draught was Rushes, to enjoy the range of ciders at their American found to be pleasant, but a little sweet. After a short Pale Ale festival. A choice of Pyder and Black Dragon explanation of the different styles of cider we would from Gwynt Y Ddraig for those looking for a dry cider, be encountering during the day, we moved on to The and Farmer Fear Thirsty Farmer, all the way from Pub where a welcome sight was a box of Thatchers Mountsorrel, for an easy drinking medium. While one Heritage, along with Explorer from Orchard Pig on energetic drinker headed off to see what the Western handpump. It was a good opportunity to compare had to offer (Mr Whitehead’s perry from Hampshire two Somerset ciders, one from an established brand, and Abrahall’s dry cider from Worcestershire among the other from one of the new wave of cider makers. others, it was reported) there was time to teach Gary At less than 5% both tasted a little weak to the how to play bar billiards. experienced drinkers, used to ciders fermented out to over 7%, but they were refreshing and very “appley”. Arriving at the Criterion in time for pizza, we found a raspberry cider from Westons, which was a little The two big trends in cider at the moment are the too sweet for most of us, and a more robust 7.2% growth in fruit flavoured ciders, usually in the bottle Thirsty Farmer Farmhouse. There was time for a stop but now “bag in box” and the move towards mid at the Queen of Bradgate for Weston’s Traditional strength draught ciders, designed to appeal to those Perry before finishing the day at the Salmon with the looking for something around the strength of an ale, mysteriously named Scrumpet from Sussex, a good rather than a wine. At the King’s Head we found a dry cider of traditional strength. box of Bumbleberry (cider flavoured with summer fruits) from Sandford Orchards, a delicious summer We didn’t visit all the pubs in the city centre that drink from Devon, if a little on the sweet side, and the regularly sell draught cider, but the selection above first dry cider of the day, Somerset Snuffler, a very shows something of the variety to be found in acceptable 4.8% draught. A couple of minutes with a Leicester this summer. THE QUEEN’S ARMS LEIRE, LE17 5HF - 01455 208042 NOW A FREEHOUSE! To celebrate why not join us for our 1st Beer Festival Friday 29th, Saturday 30th, Sunday 31st August from 12 noon Various Ales and Ciders Live Music Friday and Saturday Evening, Family Entertainment Sunday
The Leicester Drinker www.leicestercamra.org.uk 11 VINTAGE BUS TRIP TO THE BLACK COUNTRY – 14.6.14 by John Spencer
Setting off from Gravel Street a pretty full trip headed towards the Black Country stopping first at Wednesbury at Ye Olde Leathern Bottel (sic), a pub established in 1510, apparently, and offering Everards Xingu, Old Hooky, and the one I tried, Thwaites Wainwright, a very good beer that scored 4 in my book. This was a fairly short stop on a day of fairly tight schedules and we were soon in Posada, Wolverhampton Wolverhampton where the party split up, either to go to their Beer Festival, or, like me, a wander around some of the town’s pubs. Taking advantage of one of Gary’s excellent maps I went furthest to work my way back into the town centre (fortunately the bus did the same so not a lot of walking on the way to it). My first port of call was The Great Western, an old railway pub steeped in history, lots of memorabilia about trains and, catching my eye, a framed copy of a local newspaper, The Star, whose headline proclaimed “IT’S OURS”; a report on the 1949 FA Cup final between Wolves and Leicester City (a game I missed, being only three years old at the time). Here I had Holden’s Golden Glow and Holden’s Special, scoring 4 and 4.5 respectively (very good beers again). Next to The Hogshead in the town centre; a rambling barn-like place, and, although it wasn’t, reminiscent of a Spoon’s (Ed, see footnote), It was decked out with flags etc. for the World Cup, with many large screens, and I found my cousin in an alcove, where a few of the trip sat. I enjoyed a Brough’s
After the brilliant Cider and Cheese Festival we welcome you to our traditional real-ale pub for good beer, food and company and the following activities:- Every Sunday pm - 4.30 - 7.30 Speakeasy - Jazz with a smile Wednesday Aug 13th - Acoustic mic' night (9pm start) Saturday Sept 13th Bar billiards competition Wednesday Sept 10th, - Acoustic mic' night (9pm start) Saturday Sept 20th, - Delaney's Angel (9pm start) Live Rock n' Roll (free entry) Wednesday Oct 8th, - Acoustic mic' night (9pm start) Friday 10th October- Oktoberfest (German Beer all weekend) Saturday 18th October - The Great British & Swan and Rushes Bake-off. Bake a cake. Bring it. We'll judge it - and eat it 7pm
The Waggon & Horses, Halesowen
12 August – September 2014 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch Springfield (another 4 – maybe I will keep this up?). A short walk then led to The Posada, where Graeme Malen posed in my photo (typical). This is a smaller but cosier place with lots of little alcoves and a great atmosphere. There is a Club room upstairs with two unused floors above affording plenty of room for expansion. Here I had a Hobson’s Best again scoring a 4 ( I must be Posada, Wolverhampton spoiled). The next on the journey was The Lych Gate Tavern, another multi room pub (run by Black Country Brewery) in a wooden framed building looking quite The Lych Gate plain from the front but a much prettier view from the back. My tipple here was Plain Brewery’s Incognito, my best of the day so far scoring a perfect 5. Time had run out so now back to the bus and off to Sedgley to The Beacon Hotel, home of Sarah Hughes Brewery. This cosy local is a three room place with a conservatory and Beer garden looking over to the Brewery and my luck held out as I scored two almost perfect beers (4.5) Sarah Hughes Surprise and Three Tuns Clerks Cure. What a day? Could it last? The bus took us to Lower Gornal, though some got off at Upper Gornal to walk down later. Gary had provided a map for Lower Gornal so I stuck to that and at The Fountain I had Pardoe’s Entire (not the stout), a smooth malty beer scoring 4.5 and a Box Steam Easy Tiger rated 4 with a slightly The Fountain, Lower Gornal sherbert taste. In The Black Bear I scored another 4.5 for Kinver Black Bear IPA (presumably a house beer). I thought I was slowing down and thought it was 3.8abv – oops, it was actually 5.8 (should have gone to Specsavers!!). By now time was running extremely short and I endured a race type march back to the bus to next go to Kinver. Unfortunately the bus wasn’t where Gary said it would be, but, fortunately, we all found it just in time. In Kinver we went to The Cross Inn where my luck ran out a little scoring a 3 (still good beer) for Goddard’s Scrumdiggity and finally to Halesowen’s Waggon & Horses where, back up to 4.5, I enjoyed a Kinver Tantastic. Another great trip, getting back to Leicester on time, many thanks go to The Cross Inn, Kinver Gary and our driver whose name I seem not to have noted….. Hogshead (sic) was a short-lived chain and part of the Whitbread Group with a mixture of hand pumps and racked barrels that sat behind the bar with gravity service. There was a conscious effort to give the pubs a similar feel to a Wetherspoon’s, though the beers on offer were generally from the Whitbread “umbrella”. When the chain was broken up, some pubs were re-named Hog’s Head, some retained Hogshead and others were totally re-branded. Leicester’s Hogshead is now the Slug & Lettuce, currently run by Stonegate. The Waggon & Horses, Halesowen
The Leicester Drinker www.leicestercamra.org.uk 13 NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK The Hind The Hind on London Road has welcomed new tenants in the shape of Dave McLelland and Dubliner Caroline Edwards. Londoner Dave has been in the trade for 21 years, starting as a barman before going through the Fuller’s management programme and running several of their pubs. Starting in Oxford he eventually moved back to London and went into the hotel side, where he ran a couple of hotels over a twelve year period, before deciding to take a three-year free of tie lease on “a great little pub near Thame which we built up to its potential before selling the lease and taking a well-earned break”. Next came a stint with M&B Ember Inns. Although having a commitment to Cask Ales, Dave felt that Ember’s overall strategy was somewhat confused so he decided to move on to Battersea’s Prince of Wales. The new pub had lots of potential but the operating company’s budget wouldn’t stretch to the sort of things they had in mind so they took on Sam Smith’s Princess Louise in High Holborn for 2 years. In unison they say “very busy, a great pub”. It was a full-on seven day a week house frequented by lawyers, M.P.s, city traders, tourists and the occasional celebrity but the clientele was constantly changing and Caroline says “unbelievably, we only had about ten regulars, Caroline Edwards such was the nature of its trade”. In the end it was the challenge of THE BELL INN GUMLEY A Traditional Country Pub
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14 August – September 2014 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch dealing with the brewery that caused them “Saturday will be live bands to leave and they decided to move away and we aim to have events from London for a change of scenery. and something every night.” They spoke to Star Bars and looked at what There are also a number of was on offer. Dave said “ before we were very screens around the pub. far down the road, I hoped that we’d get a Two helpfully show the chance of The Hind. Even though we didn’t train times while a further know Leicester it just appealed to us. It was six are for TV. With a well-known because of its location opposite split-feed Sky box and BT the station and was flagged up as a pub with Sport from August, there’s potential for at least three bags of potential if someone could get it right. different sports at any one time, so handy if you’re waiting for We took a look at the refurbishment plans that train... and it just felt right”. As a final question I asked how much they knew of the pub’s I asked them how they see the pub somewhat troubled past. developing. Dave quickly flags up the five hand pumps. “We’ve got three regulars, Dave says that they knew a bit before they signed on the Bombardier, Flying Scotsman and Deuchars dotted line and obviously other things have come to light since, I.P.A. and one guest we can get through but, as he says “The history is the history, and we’re trying to get S.I.B.A. We hope to be able to support a fifth away from its past. The refurb seems to have helped and we’re real ale, if we can get it at the right price pretty comfortable with the way things are going.” through Heineken.”. He continued “food is I, for one, will be visiting a lot more often. only an extra; we’re aiming for a wet-driven pub with regular music.” Caroline adds R ob Mac ardle
The Leicester Drinker www.leicestercamra.org.uk 15 NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK The Queen of Bradgate
Nottingham-born Matt Saunders moved to Leicestershire as a five year old, living in Stoney Stanton and then Sapcote, attending Hastings High School in Burbage and Hinckley’s John Cleveland College before moving to London to take a degree in Business Studies. While a student he began working as a barman in 1989 and continued for another two years until graduating in 1991. Around the same time his mother, a teacher, decided to move from London to Bangor in North Wales. Taking a liking to the University town, Matt, aged 24, opened a bar called Fat Cat in January 1992, the first of the chain that eventually grew over 22 years to embrace fourteen outlets, mainly in the Midlands but also in Cardiff, Manchester, Leeds and Glasgow. A slighty trendier sister company, Blue, consisting of outlets in London, Liverpool. Manchester, Nottingham and Glasgow was developed between 1999 and 2006 when it was sold to Marston. Along the way, in 2003, he had also opened Deborah and Matt Saunders Melton Mowbray’s The Red House Hotel. The hotel, too, was sold in 2006, but not before he had tied the knot there with his South African wife Deborah in 2005. In 2006 Fat Cat consisted of a dozen locations and the following year, together with John Molnar and two other partners, he started Moleface, a quartet of gastropubs in some of the nicer suburbs of Nottingham, the first being the Larwood & Voce in West Bridgford. In April of last year Lloyds Bank withdrew Fat Cat’s funding at very short notice. With just three months to find a new bank the business was forced into administration, something that Matt describes as “very sad, very sad indeed”. Having had such a setback I asked him how he came to take on the Queen of Bradgate. “It really came to me when I was walking through Leicester in September 2013. Fat Cat had gone in the April so I was looking for something to do with myself. I knew the area, I knew the Orange Tree group and that they were busy [and] that Café Bruxelles was a nice place. With the investment in the Lanes, Cathedral area and the plans for Jubilee Square…the overall feel was of an area in ascendancy off the back of the Highcross”. Seeing that The Litten Tree was under offer he discovered that Red Hot Buffet were the prospective tenants so decided to take a closer look. “It seemed an interesting prospect, a Heineken site within their Star Bars division and I knew people at Heineken as I’d dealt with them through Fat Cat”. Securing a free of tie lease in the autumn, refurbishment started on site in March and the pub re-opened in May. Deborah is a partner in the Q.o.B., and she too has a history in the drinks business. After completing a nursing degree in South Africa she moved to the U.K.and worked in a bar for a couple of years, as ex-pats do, before becoming an account manager with Absolut Vodka which is how they came to meet. Subsequently she worked for Seagram and was responsible for Campari and Isle of Jura brands amongst
16 August – September 2014 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch others. Now back in healthcare as a manager in have beers of some provenance – we won’t stock care provision, she devotes a least a day a week Spanish beers from Northampton or Indian beers to the Queen of Bradgate. brewed in Tadcaster. We think it compromises I was interested in discovering more about the brand, so don’t go there. We use Heineken as the target market and the whole furniture our “stepping-stone” brand which is still brewed sales concept. in Amsterdam only – we also call it our Saturday night brand because we tend to sell the craft Matt responded “The pub has to work as a pub, beers Sunday to Friday, but Saturday is a slightly but the furniture thing is a side-line. I always look different crowd, so if they want Heineken we sell for trends. As I’ve got older I’ve got more and them Heineken. Equally our beer fridges are full more into Cask Ale and specialist lagers. I became of weird and wonderful bottled lagers but we interested in Craft Lagers and read a couple of books about it”. One is readily to hand, Boutique have one fridge we call our Saturday night fridge, Beer by Ben McFarland, full of great quotes such which has more mainstream brands such as Sol, as “lager has been commoditized, stacked high Budvar, Beck’s and Peroni but all brewed in the and sold low, it has become the fizzy, yellow proper place. opium of the masses, the lout’s preferred social lubricant. The small-minded substance celebrated in adolescence that eventually you grow out of just as soon as real beer starts to give you the glad eye. Lager, just saying the word makes you sound like a bit of a doofus.” It then goes on to say that “…just because a load of lousy beers are lagers doesn’t mean to say that all lagers are lousy”. He loves this passage and says that if he had enough room on the walls he’d have it written on them. He eschews the big brands brewed in two days, shipped out and sold in huge volumes to the less discerning in favour of the many wonderful lagers people could drink. He confesses to having taken a few risks with the lager offer. “The Cask Ale thing He continues “ …the furniture idea came from is hardly revolutionary, plenty of pubs in Leicester fitting out bars over a number of years…customers do a great selection of Cask Ale but we’ve got a often asked where [it] was sourced and I just used slightly different take on the lager thing so have to put them onto the supplier [but now] the logical some very interesting lagers, a little bit brave” next step is to do the deals myself” As I write, the Alongside Afflighem, Vedett and Fruitesse the furniture website is imminent. “house” lager is Freedom Four, a craft lager from Rugeley. “I’m trying to persuade people away “So is this the start of another chain?” I asked. “I from Carlsberg, etc on to Freedom. Some take to it don’t know, maybe, we’ve had a good start but and love it, others are not remotely interested and we’re not in any rush and there’s plenty of space walk out never to be seen again, but that’s their available here and lots of scope with the online. prerogative”. Freedom Pilsner is a 5% that equates We have a ten year lease and hope to be here for to Stella or San Miguel in a standard bar and the ten. I’m enjoying being hands-on again. With Freedom Pioneer is a very hoppy lager. They also Fat Cat I became removed from the everyday. And have a selection of dark lagers from Meantime in it’s nice to be doing it in Leicester. I have lots of Greenwich”… more niche but with something of a friends in Hinckley and they can easily pop in.” cult following, so we also take their London Stout which we stock instead of Guinness. We aim to R ob Mac ardle
The Leicester Drinker www.leicestercamra.org.uk 17 COMPO-SITIONWhen 3 became 5 - The Kidz invade Nottingham Alighting at the newly refurbished Nottingham Station, we were frog marched by former Group Scout Leader Spencer, “Giraffe-legs” Watson and Pneumatic Norah leaving JB and myself (Compo) trailing behind. My excuse was age but JB was Bell Inn due to a recent Pole-dancing accident! After mounting Kilimanjaro we finally halted at base camp, The Cross Keys, Bayard Lane. In dire need On the penultimate day of April, FOGGY (Andy of refreshment/resuscitation, we consumed Watson), COMPO (Stuart Roscoe) and CLEGG most of the excellent 6 or 7 Navigation Ales (John Spencer) were joined by Jolly Boys Virgins available and the enigmatic Shipstone’s Bitter Betty Haggerty (Norah Batty) and the aptly (nice beer, but not as I remember it!). named John Bass (Wesley Pegdon) for a visit Foggy has a reputation for eating like a horse to Nottingham by rail. Fortunately for us, and and lasted but 20 minutes before ordering Nottingham, Betty had left her curlers and a scotch egg that arrived on an 8 x 4 plank! pinny at home (as had Mr Bass!). Clegg stated that he didn’t think that dinosaurs still existed in Scotland! Overall, a splendid hostelry with excellent ale and decorated with a superb display of black & white photographs of Nottingham and a fascinating painting of Lord Byron Clough?? Check it out! Onward and upward? No, mercifully, onward and downward to an old haunt of Foggy, Compo and Clegg’s from the 60s, namely the Bell Inn, by the square. Betty, of course was too young
Cross Keys
18 August – September 2014 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch to remember hopeful that Betty will make a full recovery after and JB was still counselling (Ladies to the right, dear!) but JB has messing about had to curtail his Pole dancing career! Thank you When 3 became 5 - with coaches Nottingham, my tankard overfloweth! and buses in The Kidz invade Nottingham Wales then. We all remembered the cobbled alley but couldn’t recall Bell Inn the rear bar. Still, a very pleasant watering hole with a wide selection of ales, with tasting notes above each handpump - most useful. The range was mostly Greene King with interesting variants (Old Hoppy/Golden Hen, etc) and one The Vat and Fiddle or two from Nottingham Brewery. Our final destination was the jewel in the crown...the
VAT and Fiddle, Queensbridge Road, a stunning *A Leicester to Nottingham cheap day return is pub with a vast range of Castle Rock beers and approximately £10.20, but with East Midlands surely the best selection of cobs ever? Trains 4 people can travel together for a total I declined a Sue Pollard (too much gas?) so we of £20.40 (£5.10 each). opted for copious pints of Elsie Mo and Screech Owl. We had told the new kids about the historic cobs from our past visits but were totally THE unprepared to see on the list Hot Beef Cobs with gravy and roast potatoes; a superb meal for CHANDLERS only £3.50. JB and I agreed that it could only ARMS have been bettered with a pickled onion or two! SHEARSBY A few minutes later Betty truly distinguished 0116 247 8384 herself (or should it be extinguished?). Asking to excuse herself for a comfort break, what Country Pub of the Year does m’lady do?.... Comes running out of the 2009 - 2014 loo crying “there’s a man in the Ladies!” It was only when John asked if she had not noticed the A Freehouse serving up to 7 Real Ales urinals, that she realised her mistake. The poor including local micros chap followed beating a hasty retreat towards the safety of the city centre! Home cooked food served six days a week A glorious day in a splendid city ended as we caught the.4.00p.m. train back to Leicester, all 3 Course Sunday Lunch £11.95 well fed and watered. The aftermath of our visit 20p per pint discount on ales for card carrying CAMRA members saw a few aches and pains for Foggy and myself with Superfit Cleggy, as ever, unscathed. We are www.chandlersatshearsby.co.uk
The Leicester Drinker www.leicestercamra.org.uk 19 ub of t CAMRA P he Month
20 August – September 2014 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch AMRA Pub of the Month JuneC Pub of the Month went to The Wheel at Oadby which is run by Wayne Gardiner, originally from the village, and his Danish partner, Solvejg Jensen. Solvejg is a chef, so has been in catering Leicester Tigers used all her working life, but Wayne is a to adjourn there Quantity Surveyor/Draughtsman, so after training and when, after 18 years in Denmark, there were lots of he was offered a job with Hallam interesting bits of JUNE builders it seemed a good memorabilia on the 2014 opportunity to return to the U.K. walls. As part of Unfortunately, Hallam went out of the refurbishment business before he could take up the Punch have run a job and they had to have a re-think. timeline around the A chance meeting in Birstall’s Old Plough with a walls featuring old Oadby, previous Wheel landlords, Business Relationship Manager from Punch Taverns the Leicestershire Regiment (including some items prompted some serious research into the viability of on loan from Newarke House Museum) and, of course running a pub built around Solvejg’s culinary skills Tigers rugby club, some of whom have been in since and Wayne’s “front of house” amiability. to take a look. They spoke to Marston, Everards and Punch and very “We’ve gained a lot of satisfaction from reviving nearly took on a pub near Bromsgrove when they an old pub”, says Wayne. “One year on we’ve heard that The Wheel was available. achieved all the original goals. The big challenge is “We were very reluctant at first. When I walked in it to keep it there”. hadn’t changed in thirty years and the ghost of my grandfather was standing at the bar with his pint and whisky chaser. I can’t come back here”, he joked, but then after some research he realised that what had changed was the emphasis of the pub; everything QUEEN revolved around football, gaming and poker, so the old Wheel had died. “We wrote a business plan emphasising real ales, bringing the rugby back and VICTORIA make it into a community pub with a cricket team, a darts team, and so on. We were a little wary of 76 High St, Syston competing with the local JD Wetherspoon and The Oadby Owl but decided there was a niche so took over on 1st July 2013.” 6 Hand pumps including guests Following a refurbishment in October The Wheel Large Beer Garden re-opened in November serving home cooked fresh food using specialist local suppliers like the baker, Food Tuesday – Sunday butcher and fishmonger and things are going from strength to strength. “We go for quality not quantity Entertainment with Live Bands so we have two real ales in the week and three at the every fortnight weekends. Bass has been served here since 1939 and is our main seller and we have Doombar as our 4% CAMRA discounts now available session beer. The guest comes from SIBA and we try to keep it local.” Phone Zoe on 0116 2605750 Those of you who have known The Wheel for some time will be aware that in pre-professional days The-Queen-Victoria-Public-House
The Leicester Drinker www.leicestercamra.org.uk 21 CAMRA’s 29th National Breweriana Auction
Ever fancied owning a slice of brewing history? Then this Auction is just the thing. Run by the Campaign for Real Ale, it is returning to Burton on Trent’s Town Hall on Saturday 27th September. It again promises over 150 interesting auction lots; everything from mirrors to trays; wall signs, bottles and books. Plus there are a number of stands selling memorabilia adding to the atmosphere in this wonderful Victorian venue. Lots include mirrors from Friary Meux and Burton on Trent Worthington, a clock from Charrington is around 50 and a bust of Manchester’s JW Lees. More minutes by unusual items include a Sam Smith’s dray train from and a Marston’s snuff box and rugby fans will Leicester and find the Worthington E figurines of interest. the Town Hall, which is wheelchair There is also a nice ashtray from Marston’s accessible, is just a short walk from the but one or the rarer items is a metal notice railway station. from Atkinsons, a brewery founded in the The event starts at 11am with the opportunity mid 1800s in Aston Park, Birmingham, to view the lots and browse the breweriana subsequently taken over by M&B in 1959 and stands. Bidding starts at 12.30pm. Entrance is closed 2 years later. by catalogue (£2.50), available on the day, or If you have never been to the National £3.50 in advance by post from Bill Austin. Breweriana Auction before, the auction is For all enquiries, including postal bids great fun and an opportunity to get contact Bill as follows: 01923 211654 some great bargains that often (answerphone) , [email protected] or appreciate in value. Of course, via the following link; like any CAMRA event, there is http://gac.camrabeerengine.org.uk/ some good beer on sale all day viewnode.php?id=15796 from a local microbrewery.
22 August – September 2014 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch A5.Enjoyment.ad:Layout 2 20/12/13 09:22 Page 1
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@EverardsTiger facebook.com/everards JIM’S JAUNT A Stroll through History The Golden Fleece by Jim Reay During my formative years my pub of choice Historically, pubs often associated themselves was The Golden Fleece at South Croxton. with the area’s predominant trade as a way Each Friday and Saturday evening saw lively of gathering custom. To supplement the Ruddles County fuelled sing-songs with Eve on agricultural economy there was a short-lived the piano accompanied on clarinet by my very framework knitting industry during the first half good friend, John “the flute” Haywood. of the 19th century and “The Golden Fleece” Nostalgia and curiosity seemed good reasons to clearly recognises the local wool trade. These choose this venue and with a schedule of four days, like many villages, South Croxton has pubs in three different villages with moderately largely changed from a farming community into long walks between an early start seemed a a dormitory settlement of Leicester. good idea so I caught the 10:23 Centrebus 100 from St. Margaret’s Bus Station arriving outside The Golden Fleece was part of The Ruddles The Golden Fleece just in time for 11:00 opening. estate until it became free of tie in the late Sir Robert Peel 6 Real Ales & 2 Real Ciders New Lunchtime Menu served BT Sport Tuesday – Friday 12 – 2pm Free Wi-Fi Loyalty Scheme up-to-date beer list on twitter CAMR A Discount and our website CAMR A pub of the month Jan ‘14
50 Jarrom Street, Leicester LE2 7DD Tel: 0116 2540715 Opening times: Mon 12-10.30pm Tues-Sat 12-11pm Sun 12-6pm @sirrobpeel01 www.sirrobertpeelleicester.co.uk
24 August – September 2014 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch 1970’s when the then Landlord, Jim Elliot, reached Hungarton and turned right and walked purchased the pub shortly before Everards approximately a furlong along the road to the acquired the rest of the Ruddles estate of village. The Black Boy is unmissable, being one 24 pubs for the grand sum of £730,000. of the first buildings visible to the left on the Subsequently we’ve seen the well documented corner of Main Street. appalling demise of Ruddles’ Langham - based The pub is rumoured to have got its name Brewery which lost its independence, through when a young black slave escaped from the takeover, in 1986, followed by several more nearby village of Beeby and sought shelter takeovers and eventual closure in 1999. Now there. The more probable explanation is the extensively extended, making it akin to Dr. Who’s fact that a black boy was part of the coat of Tardis, it is huge inside belying the unchanged arms of the Burnaby family formerly of nearby appearance of the front elevation. Diners would Baggrave Hall, whose land the inn was built appear to be the main target clientele with the on. Their crest depicts a black boy holding the greater part of the interior reserved for them. rose of England in his right hand and at head Imbibers are, however, welcome in the smaller height above the motto “Pro Rege”, Latin for area adjacent to the bar. To the rear of the pub “For the King”. Whichever is true, as Mark Twain there is a car park and an extensive floodlit observed, “Never let the facts get in the way of decking area. Available beers were the two a good story.” The once separate public bar and regulars; Wells & Young’s Bombardier & Black lounge bar are now one not too large room with Sheep Best Bitter. fireplaces and exposed ceiling joists managing to The Black Boy at Hungarton was my next port maintain a convivial cottagey ambiance. Whilst it of call. Turning left downhill from The Golden ›› Fleece, after about 150 yards, I arrived! at a continued on pg 26 footpath signpost pointing left up a driveway to a private house. Somewhat hesitantly, I walked up the gravel drive and, just before reaching the house, the footpath route took me through a hand-gate to my right, and diagonally right over the lawn to a yellow way-marker post next A VILLAGE SOCIAL CLUB WITH to a stile. From this point on, the footpath was A PASSION FOR REAL ALE easy to follow, well trodden and well directed with way-marker posts. After about two and AND HOLDER OF THE a half miles through fields and a small wood, I CAMRA E AST MIDLANDS “CLUB OF THE YEAR” AWARD
WE ALW AYS HAVE 6 EXCELLENT R EAL ALES
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The Black Boy
The Leicester Drinker www.leicestercamra.org.uk 25
›› continued from pg 25 would seem that diners are the target clientele, drinkers are still made welcome. Adjacent to the front car park is a floodlit timber decked area and garden. This pub has no regular beers but does have two or three changing guest beers, on this occasion Sharp’s Doom Bar & Grainstore Metatarsal. Leaving The Black Boy and turning right down Main Street, my next destination was Houghton on the Hill. Main Street weaved to the right and Rose & Crown then left until the prominent and impressive spired 13th century Church of St John the Baptist came into view. I walked down Church Lane considerable village but it had become past the church and some white cottages and abandoned by 1469. Reputed to be one of the through a kissing gate into a field. Following the best preserved deserted medieval villages yellow way-marker posts I eventually reached a in England, perceptible undulations in the road at the junction leading to Quenby Hall and topography of the grassed fields opposite the Old walked up the road directly opposite, signposted Hall indicate the vestigal lost village. Viewed from Ingarsby, until it ended at a T-junction. I above, on Google Earth, one can clearly discern carried straight on via the footpath in the field the grassed over remnants of the well delineated opposite until the former Great Northern Railway rectangular mounds distinguishing where houses embankment (redundant since 1962) came into once stood; also perceptible are boundary ditches view. After crossing a stile I took the footpath and the hollow ways where the village streets diagonally left to the road and turned right under and lanes once ran. On the grass verge, close to the old railway bridge near to where Ingarsby the Old Hall, is an interesting plaque mounted Railway Station once stood. (I feel sure that on stone, relating a brief history of Ingarsby. many older readers will have fond memories of Leaving Ingarsby I continued along the road until this line which carried holiday specials directly reaching the A47 at Houghton on the Hill where to Skegness from the terminus at Belgrave Road The Rose & Crown was visible across the main Railway Station). The road I was now on would road to my right. take me the rest of the way to Houghton on the A popular pub name, The Rose & Crown Hill. I soon came to Ingarsby Old Hall, one of appellation emanates from 1485 when the War the very few enduring residences remaining in of the Roses concluded in Leicestershire at the Ingarsby, a tiny Battle of Bosworth where Henry Tudor of the hamlet in Lancastrian “Red Rose” dynasty defeated and the parish of slain, the last Plantagenet, King Richard III of Hungarton the York “White Rose” dynasty. Newly crowned and probably Henry VII went on to marry Richard’s niece, settled by Elizabeth of York, since when the combined the Danes red & white roses beneath a Crown has been in the late a symbol of the English monarchy. The pub ninth or early consists of a large L-shaped public/lounge bar tenth century. equally accommodating diners and drinkers. To By the time of the left side (viewed from front) is a conservatory the Domesday dining room and outside to the rear is a large Book (1086) tarmacadam area furnished with appropriate Ingarsby was a tables and chairs. Card carrying CAMRA members receive a 20p per pint discount on real ales, on
26 August – September 2014 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch this visit the two regulars, Marston’s Pedigree and St. Austell Tribute, and two guest ales, Sharp’s Doom Bar and Thwaites Wainwright. From The Rose & Crown I turned right and right again at the cross roads down Main Street bearing left at the war memorial traffic island then right, past the Co-operative store and very soon The Old Black Horse was in view on the left hand side of Main Street. Despite much painstaking research, I concluded that this pub is called The Old Black Horse, The Britannia simply because it is! This Everards house consists of one large irregular shaped room Queniborough which appears to have originally been five different small rooms. The area nearest the car is holding it’s 2nd Annual park entrance has a quarry tiled floor and is reminiscent of a traditional public bar. Adjacent Beer Festival this August to this is a cosy snug area with timber panelled Bank Holiday Weekend walls and exposed ceiling joists, whilst the other three distinct areas are more accommodating to 6pm Friday 22nd– 6pm diners. Outside, next to the large car park there is a children’s play area behind which is a boules Monday 25th August court. Regular real ales available are Everards Beacon and Tiger supplemented by two guest 20 Real Ales and a selection of ales, this time Hydes Original Bitter and Holt’s Traditional Ciders Two Hoots. So there we have it. An enjoyable country walk Featuring Local Ales, Golden connecting four village pubs which between Summer Beers & Traditional Bitters them had twelve different beers available. If this sounds good to you then, don your walking Friday & Saturday Live Music boots and follow my footsteps. Gathering that I from 9pm needed to board a 747 to return to Leicester, and as Boeing Jumbo Jets were conspicuous by their “Tequila & Blueswamp Southern” absence, I plumped for a 747 of the Centrebus variety. Sunday Afternoon from 3pm “Open Mic” in the Beer Tent
BBQ on Sunday & Monday Afternoon from 12pm until 4pm
Open from Midday to 11pm Daily
For more information www.britanniaqueniborough.co.uk The Old Black Horse Phone Us on (0116) 2605675
The Leicester Drinker www.leicestercamra.org.uk 27 FESTIVAL DIARY TUE 12 – SAT 16 GREAT BRITISH BEER FESTIVAL FRI 29 – SAT 30 AUGUST CYSTIC FIBROSIS – OLYMPIA, LONDON – www.gbbf.org.uk for CHARITY BEER FESTIVAL – GOLDEN SHIELD, information and tickets FLECKNEY 10 Ales & a Cider BBQ & live music on THU 14 – SUN 17 AUGUST BEACH PARTY – THE Saturday. Cowboy themed. BLACK HORSE, AYLESTONE BEER, CIDER & RUM FRI 29 – SUN 31 AUGUST OFF THE TRACKS MUSIC FESTIVAL (See Advert on p20) www.blackhorse- FESTIVAL - DONINGTON PARK including 70 beers/30 aylestone.co.uk ciders (See separate ad) THU 14 – SUN 17 AUGUST LEICESTERSHIRE V SURREY BEER FESTIVAL – THE CRICKETERS, FRI 29 – SUN 31 AUGUST 1ST BEER FESTIVAL AS A AYLESTONE 12 Cask Ales from the two counties. FREEHOUSE – QUEEN’S ARMS, LEIRE – Live music Fri/ Food, BBQ, Music and Cricket (see advert on p6). Sat evening – Family entertainment on Sunday (See advert on p11) SAT 16 AUGUST ONE DAY FESTIVAL – Newtown Linford Ex-Service Social Club – Beer, Music and Curry THU 11 – SAT 13 SEPTEMBER 7TH HINCKLEY (see advert on p18) BEER FESTIVAL – 70 Real Ales, Ciders & Perries, THU 21 - MON 25 AUGUST YORKSHIRE BEER Live Entertainment. (see advert on p8). www. FESTIVAL – THE WESTERN – 16 Cask Ales plus 8 hinckleyandbosworthcamra.org.uk ciders, Music, Pizza (see advert on p3) FRI 12 – SUN 14 SEPTEMBER BARROW ON SOAR FRI 22 - MON 25 AUGUST WW1 CENTENARY BEER BEER FESTIVAL – SOAR BRIDGE INN – 14 Real Ales FESTIVAL – OADBY ROYAL BRITISH LEGION – ALES plus Ciders, Live Entertainment.(see advert on p10). CIDERS & MUSIC (see advert on p15) www.hinckleyandbosworthcamra.org.uk FRI 22 - MON 25 AUGUST 2ND ANNUAL BEER WED 1 –SUN 5 OCTOBER PUB FESTIVAL - THE FESTIVAL – BRITANNIA INN, QUENIBOROUGH – 20 BRUNSWICK, 1 RAILWAY TERRACE, DERBY, DE1 2RU Cask Ales plus ciders Music, BBQ (see advert on p27) – 40 Real Ales & 8 Ciders & Perries, Music & BBQ (See www.britanniaqueniborough.co.uk advert on p28) FRI 22 - MON 25 AUGUST 5TH ANNUAL BEER FRI 10 –SUN 12 OCTOBER OKTOBERFEST – THE FESTIVAL – ROYAL OAK, LONG WHATTON – 40 Cask SWAN & RUSHES – German Beer all Weekend Ales plus ciders and perries. Music & food available www.theroyaloaklongwhatton.co.uk Brunswick A5 FestivalExtensive Landscape details Advert_Layout of Beer 1 19/06/2014Festivals 09:57 at home Page 1 and abroad can be found at www.camra.org.uk
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C C Join us for the Brunswick Beer Festival Wednesday 1st - Sunday 5th October With 40 Cask Ales & 8 Ciders & Perries Featuring: Brunswick BBQ: Thursday & Friday evening & all day Saturday & Sunday Live Music: Thursday 8.30pm & Sunday 6pm
The Brunswick, 1 Railway Terrace, Derby, DE1 2RU • Telephone: 01332 290677 [email protected], www.brunswickderby.co.uk
28 August – September 2014 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch Competition Leicester CAMRA Win a year’s worth of beer with our “Beer Master’s Tache” competition Branch Diary 2014 This year’s Great British Beer Festival will be hosted by the BEER MASTER, who has used all of his extensive knowledge to select more than 900 of the best beers, AUGUST ciders and perries from Britain and overseas. SAT 16TH – Aylestone Festival Beer To get you in the mood for this year’s Great British Beer Festival, we are giving you the chance to be the Beer Ramble – (See website for details) Master and win a year’s worth of beer. WED 27TH – Beer Festival Meeting Simply send us a photo of you holding the Beer Master’s – 7.30 p.m. The Ale Wagon Tache flyer and you could be in with a chance of winning twelve cases of beer - delivered every month direct to your door - each consisting of 18 different bottled real ales. SEPTEMBER The flyers are going to be distributed to hundreds of UK WED 3RD – Branch Meeting – pubs in the run up to the Great British Beer Festival this The Exchange, Rutland Street, tbc summer, or alternatively you can visit www.gbbf.org.uk/ competitions to download a Beer Master flyer yourself. FRI 19TH – Cask Ale Week events start. When taking your photo and choosing your location (See website for details) be creative, be adventurous, be humorous - but most importantly, be the Beer Master! WED 24TH – Committee Meeting – To enter the competition The Barley Mow, Granby Street, tbc • Download, print off, and cut out a Beer Master flyer by visiting: gbbf.org.uk/competitions (or pick one up from selected UK pubs) OCTOBER • Take a photo of you holding the moustache flyer to your face WED 1ST – Branch Meeting • Email your photo to [email protected] – 7.30 p.m. Queen Victoria, Syston • That’s it! All entries will be displayed at gbbf.org.uk/ SAT 18TH – Cider Month Pub Crawl competitions (See website for details) Deadline for entries is Saturday 16th August 2014
NOTES Branch Contact: K Williams: 07989 272717 [email protected] or: [email protected] 86 Bonchurch Street, Leicester LE3 5EE For Saturday and Sunday trips: Gary Akiens: 07815 825039 or e-mail: [email protected] For a fully up to date Branch Diary, please visit Which prompts the question - www.leicestercamra.org.uk Are you really drinking Coors Light? and click on the Diary page.
The Leicester Drinker www.leicestercamra.org.uk 29 CAMRA discounts available locally (New additions in bold)
All locations are in Leicester unless indicated in brackets. Information given in good faith and liable to change. Some discounts may be modified or restricted where special promotions are on offer.
Black Horse, Aylestone CAMRA discounts/privileges for specific events Bull’s Head (Blaby) 20p/pint The Castle Hotel (Kirby Muxloe) 10% discount on Cask Ales Chandlers Arms (Shearsby) 20p/pint Crown (Anstey) 10% off Cask Ales Exchange, Rutland Street 10% off Cask Ales, Ciders & selected items The Friary, Hotel Street 10% off real ales Glenhills Sports & Social (Glen Parva) Temporary Visitor Membership for 50p with CAMRA card Globe, 43 Silver Street 30p/pint Heathcote Arms (Croft) 10% discount on Cask Ales Malt Shovel (Barkby) 20p/pint on Real Ales & Trad Cider Marquis Wellington, London Road 10% Old Horse, 198 London Road 10% Plough (Littlethorpe) 10% Queen of Bradgate, High Street 10% discount on Cask Ales Queen Victoria (Syston) 20p off Cask Ales Red Lion (Gilmorton) 30p/pint Red Lion Inn (Rothley) 20p/pint & 10p/half Rose & Crown (Houghton on the Hill) 20p/pint Rutland & Derby, Millstone Lane Real Ales charged at £3 Sir Robert Peel, Jarrom Street 10p/pint off Guest Ales Slug & Lettuce, Market Street 10% Stamford Arms, Groby 10% off Cask Ales Syston Social Club (Syston) Temporary Visitor Membership with CAMRA card Winstanley (Braunstone Town) 20p/pint off guest ales W - Corn Exchange, Market Square 20% off food and 10p/pint off guest ales under 5.5% W - Highcross. High Street 20% off food and 10p/pint off guest ales under 5.5% W - Lord Keeper of the Great Seal (Oadby) 10p/pint for Real Ales W - Last Plantagenet, Granby Street 20% off food and 10p/pint off guest ales under 6% W - Sugar Loaf (Market Harborough) 20% off food and 10p/pint off guest ales under 5.5% W - White House (Scraptoft) Standard 50p vouchers only W - William Wygston (Wigston) 10p/pint for Real Ales The Yews (Great Glen) 10% discount on Cask Ales W prefix denotes Wetherspoon outlets accepting CAMRA vouchers. One voucher per visit rule generally enforced. Discounts at Wetherspoons cannot be combined (e.g. 50p voucher and 20p/pint on the same drink). 20% food discount not applicable on some Food & Drink combos such as Curry Club, Sunday Roast Special and Burger Special. Non-CAMRA loyalty card schemes available to all customers: Black Horse, Aylestone “Cheaper by the dozen” - £5 voucher on collecting 12 stamps. Exchange, Rutland Street £2.50 card gives a range of 10% discounts The Friary, Hotel Street “Love Cask Ale” - every 7th pint free The Pub, New Walk 1 for 10 loyalty card Queen of Bradgate, High Street 1 for 10 loyalty card 50p card gives a range of discounts. Sir Robert Peel, Jarrom Street Visit www.sirrobertpeelleicester.co.uk for details Various food and drink discounts for a one-off card fee of £2. The Steamin’ Billy Card Details at http://www.steamin-billy.co.uk
30 August – September 2014 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch 06 / 14
The Leicester Drinker www.leicestercamra.org.uk 31 TIGER BEST BITTER
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Southwell Folk Fest A5 ad Portrait.indd 1 16/05/2014 16:25