CAMRA Liverpool & Districts Magazine Spring 2014 FREE

www.liverpoolcamra.org.uk email [email protected] Circulation 11,000 The MerseyAle CAMRA Liverpool and Districts Branch Welcome to MerseyAle Editor John Armstrong MerseyAle 67 Moorfields Liverpool L2 2BP Telephone 0151 236 1734 MerseyAle Contacts and Comments/news/letters/photos The Lion Tavern (Grade II Listed) is Liverpool’s [email protected] ManxAle finest Edwardian Pub. It is an extravaganza of FOOD etched glass, carved wood and beautiful tiling. See the board for MerseyAle Advertising selection of good It has a wonderful ornate wood carved bar plus Cost - Full page £200 value food two cosy side rooms one with a fantastic Half page £100 stained glass dome. The Lion Tavern is an Contact QUIZ NIGHT [email protected] award winning pub serving excellent cask every Tuesday at 9.30pm conditioned ales, cider and a large selection of MerseyAle - Read online at 40th Anniversary Edition the British Pub. The Coalition the finest malt whiskies. You can also enjoy a www.merseyale.com Anniversaries are coming thick has failed to act as promised on fine selection of tasty food from our food menu. ACOUSTIC and fast at the moment. In the PubCos that own nearly Liverpool and Districts CAMRA NIGHT November we celebrated the half our pubs, see page 31. We Second Thursday of the Main Branch Contact tenth anniversary of the launch ask you to spend a few minutes Month 8pm Jean Pownceby of the new redesigned to sign the online petition, [email protected] MerseyAle with a special www.pubscandal.org.uk and HANDPUMPS anniversary ‘10’ edition. Now just a few minutes more to Tell Contact Coach for trips only supply a varied selection of prize BOB DYLAN this edition marks the landmark Your MP- see page 29 for list of winning Real Ales (including at least one SOCIETY Ian Macadam 07521 741 586 of the 40th Anniversary of MPs - that action is needed Meets first Thursday of the by email Liverpool CAMRA, (which was urgently to save our pubs. locally brewed ale) plus hand pulled Cider Unless action is taken now Month 8.30pm [email protected] called Merseyside CAMRA 8 when established on 18th another 1,456 pubs are Liverpool Branch Chair January 1974). The inaugural expected to close before the MEET THE BREWER Geoff Edwards meeting took place in the General Election in 2015. Over 80 Malt [email protected] Third Thursday of the Globe in Cases Street and you Month 8pm can see the commemorative Women, Real Ale and CAMRA Whiskies Web Sites plaques on the wall in the A campaign success is the The Lion Tavern has one of the largest Liverpool and Districts back room. increased number of women selections of malt whisky on Merseyside POETRY GET CAMRA Branch On pages 9 to 15 you can read who are drinking real ale and TOGETHER www.liverpoolcamra.org.uk about the 2014 event at the are also joining CAMRA. Fourth Thursday of the wwwfacebook.com Globe which marked as near as Women now account for 22% Month 8pm /CAMRAliverpool possible the exact date of the of CAMRA’s 160,000 plus membership. And not only @LiverpoolCAMRA inaugural meeting. This is the drinking real ale but an QR Codes page 55 start of twelve months of V6 Adventure commemorative celebrations increasing number of women BAGUETTES Club Isle of Man CAMRA Branch and on the back cover you can are now brewing real ale in Ham breweries across the country. Cumberland sausage Meet every Wednesday www.isleofmancamra.org.uk read about the next event on Hot beef & fried onion at 8.00pm Wednesday 16th April 8pm at Read about Liverpool CAMRA’s Beef & raw onion Beef & tomato CAMRA national site the Philharmonic Hotel Hope successful Snowball campaign Cheese (Please choose from www.camra.org.uk on pages 36 and 37. our cheese menu) Street. We hope you will feel that OPEN SANDWICHES Cover Liverpool CAMRA has not just Homecooked ham served as an open Take 10 Minutes to Save the sandwich with mustard mayo & salad WEEKLY LOCALE Photo by Neil Lloyd British Pub talked the talk but walked the HAND RAISED PORK PIES See Board for future Celebrating 40 years of Liverpool This edition highlights the walk over the past 40 years Served with mustard or brown sauce Real Ales CAMRA at the Globe, Jean Pownceby, many campaign issues that Laurie Hughes, Sue Johnson and SOUTHPORT POTTED SHRIMPS CAMRA DISCOUNT CAMRA is currently involved Served with salad & toast Card carrying the cake! with. CAMRA may have won SAMOSAS MEAT OR VEGETABLE CAMRA members 10 pence the battle to save real ale and Served with mango chutney & Tzaki off pint of real ale have been described as ‘the most effective consumer group The opinions expressed in MerseyAle John in Europe’, but as we say on are not necessarily those of the Editor, Armstrong “One of the Hundred Best Pubs in the country” pages 9 and 10 we haven’t won the CAMRA Liverpool Branch or Editor Daily Telegraph CAMRA Ltd. the war. Now the war is to Save

PUB OF EXCELLENCE 2012 CASK MARQUE CAMRA NATIONAL INVENTORY PUB 3 Loss of Liverpool’s he was leaving the brewery in February. It Wapping Brewery Plans to Go Only Brew Pub Label really was going to be The withdrawal from brewing will “the End”. mean that the Baltic Fleet will lose Jean Pownceby and I set its unique selling point of being, forth on the 15th January “Liverpool’s Only Brew Pub”, but to learn what we could Mad as a Hatter hopefully the continued supply of about brewing and felt the most popular of the Wapping that the best way to do are possible later additions to the The original December plan beers by Mad Hatter will mean this was to do it! Now I 2. supply agreement. There would was for the last brew at the Baltic that the pub continues to attract could baffle you all with be an agreement with Mad Hatter Fleet to be in February, with the people to its dock road location to technical terms, and for the use of the Wapping trade Stan, Jan and Jean brew plant to then be dismantled seek out those well known beers. write at length of the name and the use of the Wapping by Stan for sale to Mad Hatter. So major change for what for over Sparge, late hopping, steamed the night before or it beer names, with the likely Mad Hatter would then install the twelve years has been Liverpool’s seaweed and sleeping yeast, but would have been even warmer in addition of ‘Brewed by Mad Hatter plant in new premises they were only brew pub. there are numerous books and there and it did get warmer once Brewery’ on the pump clips. negotiating for in the Baltic On pages 6 and 7 we present an articles which will say all this, so I the Copper was lit. Triangle area. Prior to closure and appreciation of the work and won’t. Instead I will write of the 4. As part of the sale agreement the dismantling it was intended achievements of Wapping brewer unusual view you get of Wapping So what did we do? Angus would move to the that Stan would brew a large Stan Shaw and an account of the employment of the Mad Hatter when you are putting hops into We mixed the liquor and malt and last new beer to be brewed at the Surprise Move to Sell Brewery and would be the brewer the Copper and your head is just it was a good mix with no lumps Baltic Fleet, the special Festival Ale above pavement level veiled in according to Stan, we weighed Wapping Brewery to of the Wapping beers. The plan envisaged that the Wapping beers for the 2014 Liverpool Beer steam and surprising passers by. hops, we put hops in the Copper, Mad Hatter would be brewed by Angus on the Festival, fittingly named, ‘The End’. People thought we were just going we dug out the Mash Tun, all of it John Armstrong Surprise news in December former Wapping Brewery brew to turn up, have our photos taken not just a few shovelfuls and we and then retire to the comforts of tried not to get in the way of Stan was that Simon Holt, the owner plant once it has been installed in the new premises. Simon’s Liverpool One, but we turned up and Angus when they were doing of Wapping Brewery, had Wapping – “The End” expectation was that the use of When you are having a few friends at 8 and left at 2. “important stuff”. I admit we decided to cease brewing at his the brew plant from Wapping plus As the brewing area is a tad tight didn’t take our wellies so didn’t pub the Baltic Fleet by February round, you have to make a few Angus’s experience of brewing the preparations don’t you? Organise and the ceilings a bit low. I did take part in the clearing up, but 2014 and to sell the brew plant Wapping beers under Stan Shaw’s the catering, buy the drinks, wonder if Stan was 6 feet tall that is a small oversight on our supervision, should help maintain to Liverpool’s recently perhaps even make some of it before he moved to Wapping and part. And we learnt the the style and taste of the beers established Mad Hatter yourself. Well Liverpool CAMRA is the low ceiling and pipes knocked importance of temperature and despite the change of premises. Brewery. At a December having a few friends round to the him into a size better suited to the the difference that makes, the The owner of Mad Hatter, Gaz briefing meeting with Crypt in February, so we had to brewery, but he says this isn’t the importance of a good knowledge Stan Shaw Mathews, would continue to brew prepare as well, so what did we case. When we arrived, there was of maths and chemistry, why you MerseyAle Simon revealed the his own extensive range of Mad amount of Wapping beer to do? We got brewing. This had steam coming out of the hot don’t want to get rid of all of the main elements of the plan to Hatter beers at the new brewery. ensure continuation of supply to been pencilled in our “to do” list liquor tank and the liquor(or hot protein, the difference between be as follows. It is not decided yet as to what will the Baltic Fleet whilst waiting for for over a year, so we hadn’t water to the non-brewers) was aroma and bittering hops and why be the future of bottled Wapping the new Mad Hatter premises to thought it was especially transferred into the Mash Tun, you would want to late hop. And 1. The reason for the decision is open. beer, nor what happen regards where cold water was added to lots more technical stuff that we that Simon wishes to concentrate noteworthy, until we knew that However in the event there have sales of cask Wapping beer to the bring it down to 71 degrees once wanted to know about, but I’ve on running and developing his our brewing would take place at been delays in finalising the new free trade. These would be it reached the Mash Tun bed. promised not to write a brewing pub, the Baltic Fleet, and to divest Wapping with Stan Shaw and that premises including the need for decisions for Gaz as the new Fortunately everything had been article, but we did take notes. Not himself of responsibilities for the owner. bad for a few hours. brewery. The Wapping brewer substantial roof work. Consequently the brew plant in Jean returned a week later to help Stan Shaw is retiring at the end of 5. As MerseyAle went to press the February and this has precipitated the cellar of the Baltic fleet has not Stan rack the beer into casks. been dismantled, and discussions position was that Stan had retired So that’s how we brewed The End. the decision about the future of and the new premises for Mad the brewery. As reported in the were underway for Mad Hatter to It featured on the Wapping use the existing plant for brewing Hatter had yet to be finalised. The section at the CAMRA Liverpool Winter 2013 edition of MerseyAle, existing plant in the Baltic Fleet whilst the new premises were Beer Festival Crypt and it will be the original intention was for Stan cellar had not been dismantled finalised. available in bottles. Its 4 American to train Angus Morrison to take and discussions were underway hops, Chinook, Citra, Eldorado over as brewer. This training has for Angus to continue brewing at 3. The Baltic Fleet would enter with a smidge of Summit, give it a been underway with Angus being the Baltic employed by Mad Hatter into a supply agreement with Mad responsible for some of the recent and producing Wapping beers for full hoppy yet surprisingly fruity Hatter for the brewing and supply Wapping brews. However Simon’s the pub. flavour, and for its 5% strength it is decision to withdraw from the of around four Wapping beers, the As will be appreciated from the deceptively easy to drink – so responsibility for the brewery and best seller Summer Ale, Baltic above, this is a work in progress beware. And this truly is The End. to sell the brewing equipment to Gold and the award winning and elements of the plan may yet Jan Sorsby Mad Hatter, has led to a change of Wapping Stout. The Wapping change further. direction. Smoked Porter and Wapping Bitter

4 5 That we call the And Stan won’t be disappearing Winner of either. Brewing is still in his blood and he is seeking a new challenge Stan the Man beginning is by helping the recently Stan Shaw, Many often the end established Melwood Brewery on Wapping Brewery a part time basis to further And to make an develop their beers. Brewer CAMRA Some years ago a conversation on end is to make a another Liverpool CAMRA coach trip in the Three Kings pub in The Beginning National Hanley Castle, led to Stan beginning accepting a challenge to brew a TS Eliot – Little Gidding – classic 8% India Pale Ale to and The End - Awards challenge the Meantime IPA And not only Liverpool in Four Quartets produced by the Meantime drinkers. Stan’s beers have The Good News is that Brewery in Greenwich London. Wapping gained the highest national The result was the Liverpool Beer beer awards. Very few of there will be a Festival Special ‘Passage to Liverpool’. That conversation also Britain’s one thousand plus Brewery 2002 Beginning in the End included these comments from brewery brewers can say they Continuity of the Wapping beers Stan explaining his enthusiasm to have won a Champion Beer developed by Stan will be accept and rise to the challenge: to 2014. Award from CAMRA at the achieved by two means. Angus “My watch word has always been Great British Beer Festival and Morrison who has been working that ‘to stand still is to stagnate’. In my beginning is the Winter Ales Festival. Well with, and learning from, Stan for Something I learned from Phil my end Stan can point to not just one Burke at Passageway was that it is such award but a fist full, with important to always develop and TS Eliot – East Coker – improve and to seek for in Four Quartets Wapping Stout, Summer Ale, Wapping Smoked Porter and perfection. If you don’t do that you stagnate.” Over a pint on one of our many Baltic Gold all being national Stan said he would do it and his you’re Head Brewer, you go to And Liverpool real ale drinkers great Liverpool CAMRA coach award winners. ‘price’ would be the opportunity prison!’ The Head Brewer, he will raise a glass to Stan for that trips, I asked Stan Shaw, who has to brew some beer. Ironically Stan explained, holds the licence and is and his twelve years of been the brewer at Wapping Fittingly for many years up to 15 of was not personally fond of Phil’s accountable if things go wrong. achievement. Brewery in the cellars of the Baltic Stan’s Wapping Brewery beers then famous St Arnold beer! But to most people, the name of TS Eliot expressed it thus; Fleet pub since its inception, have been showcased together on He and Phil became friends over Wapping Brewery is synonymous about how he got into brewing. the bar at our annual Beer Festival the next two to three years, and with the name Stan Shaw and it is in the Metropolitan Cathedral We shall not Stan got the chance during that he that has won the many awards In the Beginning was a Crypt. This February, ten were time to help him with the brewing, for its beers over the years. available to enjoy whilst reflecting cease from Stainless Steel Kitchen but then Phil decided to move on. However, looking back, he said on Stan’s twelve years of Simon Holt, who runs the Baltic that although he had always He told me ‘it all started in the achievements.. exploration Fleet, bought the brewery, which wanted to brew beer, the request Ship and Mitre’. The licensee at They included the aptly named had already started to brew house to do it for real full time was the time, Dave Stevenson, was ‘Journey’s End’ and ‘The End’ as, And the end of beers for his pub, and Stan was initially daunting: talking about needing some work not only is Stan retiring from asked to install the plant into the done in the kitchen fitting Wapping at the end of February all our exploring basement of the pub. “It was terrifying at first. Would stainless steel surfaces, but said but the brewery plant is to be sold This was in December 2001. Stan, people like what I brewed? I knew the quote he had been given for to Mad Hatter and moved Will be to arrive his friend Tommy and other work that Liverpool was full of the work was very high. Stan, who elsewhere. The status of the Baltic colleagues, set to on the job and discerning drinkers, and I’d lie is an engineer by profession and Fleet as Liverpool’s only brewpub where we started the first beers were brewed there awake for hours at night thinking was then working in that capacity, will also disappear as there will no in January 2002, and so Wapping about brewing recipes and what said he could do the work, and for longer be a brewery on site. See And know the Brewery was born. Stan’s would work and what wouldn’t much less money, but it would page 4 for the full story. Photo Anthony Abbot engineering company had been …...But Simon had faith in me and have to be on Sundays because of CAMRA committee members Jan place for the first going ‘down the pan’ at that time, though it felt like muddling his other commitments. Sorsby and Jean Pownceby were several months, will be brewing he told me, and when Simon through, it soon all fell into place. time Phil Burke, who was then running privileged to be able to help Stan the Wapping beers at the new asked him if he would like to And out of 130 brews, I’ve only Passageway Brewery in the and Angus brew ‘The End’, by Mad Hatter brewery using the TS Eliot – Little Gidding – become the brewer, he said yes. ever ‘crashed’ three. But I can still Queens Dock business area, definition the last of Stan’s new brewing plant relocated from the in Four Quartets He declined, however, to take on spend weeks thinking about a new heard about Stan’s talents and beers that will ever be brewed Baltic Fleet. Both these factors the title of Head Brewer, saying brew” asked him if he could also do underneath the Baltic Fleet. See should help to maintain the style Jean Pownceby with additional that if things went wrong ‘If I’m Well, we discerning drinkers some welding work at the page 5 for the story of brewing and flavour of the beers. material by John Armstrong Head Brewer, I go to prison, if certainly have enjoyed Stan’s brewery. beers over the years. The End. 6 7 Liverpool CAMRA Celebrates BEST EVER 40 Years of Success Fighting for Real Ale - but now the Battle is WATERLOO for the Survival of the British Pub.

Liverpool CAMRA will be holding Exhibition festival at the Everyman CAMRA Fight Back a programme of events throughout Theatre to show everyone how good CAMRA’s fight back was to prove 2014 to celebrate the founding of real ales were and the range of so effective that not only was real the Merseyside CAMRA Branch in beers still available. Merseyside ale saved for the nation, but over 1974 and the ensuing campaign soon proved to be one of the most the following forty years there was Beer that succeeded in saving Britain’s active campaigning branches in to be an explosion in real ale national drink, real ale. CAMRA and that has continued brewing with currently 1,147 7 breweries in Britain producing over When over thirty people packed throughout the forty years.” 5,200 different beers, the largest Festival into the tiny back room at the Globe Dark Days pub on Cases Street on 18th number of breweries since the The 1970s were dark days for real May 1st/2nd//3rd/4th 2014 January 1974, they little realised 1930s. CAMRA has been described ale and Britain’s traditional that they were helping to form as the most effective consumer Old Christ Church, Waterloo breweries. CAMRA had been what was to be described as the organisation in Europe. established just eighteen months most effective consumer group in Membership has rocketed from a previously by four beer drinkers Europe. The meeting at the Globe few thousand in 1974 to over concerned at the accelerating loss was held to form a Merseyside 160,000 in 2014. of Britain’s national drink – real ale branch of the recently launched So has the war been won? - and its replacement with inferior 200+ Campaign for Real Ale, (CAMRA). Unfortunately not says Geoff pressurised keg beers brewed in The meeting was to prove to be a Edwards, Chair of the Liverpool massive beer factories. Nationally pivotal moment in saving Britain’s and Districts Branch of CAMRA Real Ales the brewing industry was being national drink, real ale, in the pubs dominated by six large beer of Merseyside and across the companies, known as the Big Six, “CAMRA’s campaigning country. & Ciders which were taking over and closing won the battle to save and A Real Buzz I down local real ale breweries such promote real ale, but the war First time over Bank Holiday! Jean Pownceby, who was at the as Threlfalls and Bents in is not yet over. The new I meeting and became a founder Liverpool, and replacing them with Extended Sunday Session member of the new Merseyside nationally distributed and threat is to the very existence Branch, recalls; advertised keg beers which lacked of the British Pub. We are in with additional bands (from 12 - 8pm) “There was a real buzz in the room as everyone resolved to fight for real danger of losing that iconic ale and set up the Merseyside British national institution, MAY BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND CAMRA Branch. Laurie Hughes the pub. Twenty six pubs are Principal Sponsor who was the Chair of then recently closing every week due to established Chester CAMRA branch made an impassioned speech of how cheap supermarket beer, the important it was to fight for our excessive financial demands national drink and how important of the large pub companies CAMRA was in that battle. We set that own nearly half the www.morecrofts.co.uk up the Merseyside branch there and then and there is a brass plaque country’s pubs and the high BUY ADVANCE TICKETS TO on the wall of the back room at level of Government excise the Globe to commemorate the taste and character. Higsons had LIVER POOL converted many of their pubs to duty on beer. CAMRA has landmark event.” AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT sell only keg beer and real ale was saved real ale but without RGA NI “Within a few months we had O C hard to find across Merseyside and pubs to serve it in real ale BREWERY launched a CAMRA newsletter at: www.waterloobeerfestival.com nationwide. It looked as though will again be under threat.” called the Mersey Drinker, (later to real ale could disappear from become MerseyAle), and organised Britain’s pubs within a very F the first Liverpool Real Ale Beer few years.

8 9 The real ale and to visit the pub, so as to give hard pressed pubs and especially women and young their customers some relief. people. In 2012 Liverpool CAMRA CAMRA is also pressing the won a national CAMRA award for Government to introduce a Membership Innovation for its strong Code of Practice for Pub CAMRA is promoting the message Bringing New People to Real Ale Companies which has the teeth to Globe that real ale is the unique selling Snowball Campaign, whilst curb their excessive financial The Globe is a small, very cosy traditional two roomed local point of the pub, the only place to MerseyAle was judged National demands which are driving many opposite Central Station and close to main shopping area. enjoy a pint of cask conditioned CAMRA Magazine of the Year in pubs to close. See page 29 for how It is a very lively pub and is popular with both locals and real ale. 2005. to contact your MP and press for a visitors alike. Watch out for the sloping floor! Liverpool CAMRA works actively In 2013 CAMRA won a victory in Fair Deal for the Pub. to promote our pubs and to persuading the Chancellor to drop CAMRA is as needed today as Opening times 11am (10am Sat) -11pm . encourage people to visit them. the Beer Duty Escalator which it was in 1974. It is only through Sunday 12-10.30 increased beer duty annually, campaigning and customer Telephone 0151 707 0067 The Liverpool Branch produces a thereby making more pubs pressure that we will save our pubs CAMRA Merseyside’s free Liverpool Real Ale Pubs map uneconomic. Beer Duty rose 42% in and the real ale that is sold in them. inaugural meeting took showing the location of over 125 place here 40 years ago the period 2008 to 2012 during CAMRA won the battle of 1974. pubs in the city selling real ale. The in 1974 which 5,800 pubs closed. For the Now let’s win the war of 2014! Join Branch holds real ale tasting events 2014 Budget CAMRA is pressing CAMRA today and save our real in pubs to attract new people to try the Chancellor to freeze beer duty ale pubs.

The Branch would like to 5 thank Sue and Brian for Celebrating their generosity and Handpumps 17 CASES STREET L11HW hospitality and all the staff 10 the 40th for their hard work in making it such a great celebration – truly one to Anniversary remember. When you are arranging a 40 year celebration, the crucial thing of Liverpool is to find those people who could say ‘I was there’! CAMRA There were only four people who are currently active in CAMRA who Nick and the staff welcome you to the were at that inaugural 1974 event – at the Globe Jean and Clive Pownceby of famous Swan with its unique atmosphere It was in the back room of this very Liverpool and Districts Branch, pub that CAMRA Merseyside was Bob Lockhart, for many years a and great range of fine cask ales. formed 40 years ago, on Friday 18th Wirral activist, and Godfrey Best Rockers jukebox in town! January 1974. When the current Boardman of Southport Branch. Branch started to think about how to F Always available: celebrate its 40th year, there was no WOBBLY BOB - HYDES BITTER debate – the first event had to be on those very premises as close to that Plus ROSIES TRIPLE D CIDER date as possible. In the early autumn Jean Pownceby PLUS A GREAT SELECTION OF GUEST BEERS approached Sue Johnson, the licensee of the Globe , who was FROM A WIDE RANGE OF BREWERIES immediately enthusiastic about the Large stock of Belgian Bottled Beers idea and willing to do all they could to make it a good night. This was OPEN UNTIL 1am THURSDAY - followed by meetings and phone 2am FRIDAY and SATURDAY calls over the next few months which flew by, and on Friday 17th January, a very special event was held in the 3 FLOORS - FAMOUS HEAVY ROCK JUKEBOX - FREE WI FI Globe taking over most of the pub and not just the back room. It was a 86 Wood Street Liverpool Tel 0151 709 5281 huge success.

10 11 But a simple appeal in MerseyAle To mark the occasion there was a Liverpool Real Ale Beer Exhibition Pouring beer into the Albert Dock. PubCos with their excessive brought forth the original Chair, Bob splendid cake with the Liverpool on the stage of the Everyman When Whitbread closed Higsons financial demands on licensees Thurlow, who had been instrumental CAMRA 40 logo baked by ‘Sonia’s of Theatre. Brewery and transferred the which are driving pubs to closure. in bringing several people to that Waterloo’ and a display of balloons brewing to Sheffield, Liverpool CAMRA surveys show that Bob Thurlow very first meeting – and landing around the pub from ‘ Exclusive CAMRA gained massive press shockingly 57% of pub licensees Occasions of Waterloo’. Most people try to break out of coverage by emptying a barrel of earn less than £15,000 a year, which The Liverpool Echo ran a half page Strangeways. We must be the only the fake Sheffield Higsons into the for the hours they work is below article on the 40th Anniversary event people who have tried to break in ! Albert Dock where it belonged. the statutory minimum wage. Two with a photo of the founding Liverpool Only it wasn’t beer it was tea we great losses have been our inner members grouped outside the Globe. CAMRA was had filled the barrel with! It city pubs, many of which sold real Jean Pownceby protesting certainly made the point about the ale and have now been about the fake Sheffield Higsons and the Here are some comments we takeover of received about the evening; Liverpool CAMRA Pledge badges Higsons by Not to Fake Higsons. Whitbread Ian MacMillan Brian Vardy (universally Kevin Buckley • The whole evening was brewery’s beers. Beer choice was referred to as inspiring. limited to just Bitter and in some Twitbread) DAFT - Committee member Tony Bob Thurlow • It was a fantastic night. Thanks cases a Mild. Children were usually who had Molyneux used to delight in for all the hard work. not allowed in pubs. There were bought and attending meetings with keg himself a job in the process! • Many thanks for last Friday around 650 pubs on Merseyside closed many traditional family brewery executives, opening the It took a little more ‘homework’ to evening - superb organisation, and only 215 sold real ale. A real ale breweries. The windows and unsettling them by find some other people, in particular beer, food and company. An number of pubs lost real ale and top brass from Whitbread apologising for having a persistant a certain Laurie Hughes, then of excellent "do"! had tanks installed in the cellar into including the Chairman Miles case of DAFT – Disfunctional Anal Chester Branch which was up and • Brilliant event, thanks, and so which beer was pumped from a Templeman were at a private do at Flactulence Trauma. running before Merseyside, who good to see so many familiar road tanker and served under gas the Strangeways Brewery. We addressed that very meeting and faces again. Kevin Buckley pressure. inspired all present with his • I really enjoyed the other found a side door was open and evangelical zeal for real ale and the night; some great speeches. went in with our “Whitbread Tour It was different back in 1974. Pubs Ian MacMillan – Committee Member campaign to preserve it. Thanks to • Thanks for last Friday night. of Destruction” tshirts and Save didn’t open until 11.30am at the and Editor of the Mersey Drinker Brian Vardy, current Chester Chair, Speeches were great and it was Higsons badges . earliest and closed at 2.30 or 3 in demolished, and secondly real ale In 1974 you knew who the enemy for seeking out Laurie for us, and it good to catch up with several Kevin Buckley the afternoon. They didn’t reopen in the suburbs, where few pubs still has to be said Laurie’s 2014 speech old friends. until 5pm or 6pm and closed at was. It was the Big Six brewing offer it and many have been was equally as impassioned as his • An excellent evening, If you wanted to run a beer festival 10.30pm. Very few pubs sold food. company conglomerates which converted into family dining areas. 1974 one – recognising that in 2014 especially meeting people in 1974 there was only one way you Most pubs were tied to a particular dominated the brewing and pub Dave Cunningham Chair of Merseyside there are now new battles to be whom I haven't seen for ages, or could get the beers. Hire a van and brewery and only sold that industries. In 2014 it is not so clear and later Liverpool CAMRA fought, especially those to Save the in some cases not previously! go to the breweries direct and cut. Now we have the numerous British Pub. • For us young ones I thought collect it yourself. We started at F There was also the ‘spotting’ of some of the speeches were very Belhaven in Scotland and worked vaguely familiar ‘blast from the past’ inspiring. The passion they had. our way down through Yorkshire, to Mel James-Henry faces at beer festivals held in the city Never realized how involved Nottingham, back to Lancashire Toasts the 40th during the autumn and early winter, some were. It's important not to and into Cheshire. We collected and pleas to people to try to recall lose those stories, that history. barrels from the last brew at others from those early days – and it worked! We included people not only from that first night, but also those who Some Highlights from the had been around and actively Speeches involved in the very early years and those who had played prominent It was only when I opened the Daily parts in each of the separate Post the next morning and saw a Branches that developed from the photo of myself at the Globe that I core Merseyside Branch – Wirral, read I had been elected the first Southport and, more recently, Chair of the new Merseyside St Helens. There were just three Branch of CAMRA! It must have apologies from those who could not been a good night at the Globe! make the night, but of those who Bob Thurlow the first Chair of said they would come, it was 100% Merseyside CAMRA turnout! Over 30 people crowded into the tiny Merseyside CAMRA quickly got to the Yorkshire Clubs Federation Globe, in addition to the current work. Within a few months we had Brewery. We truly were the original committee members. Many tales launched the Mersey Drinker white van man! were told and memories recounted newsletter and had run the first Colin Batho and shared. 12 13 campaign to save real ale. Now Don’t Forget - the issue is the survival of our Even Corporates pubs. My message is that don’t forget even the powerful large Need Customers corporate need customers. Tell I look back fondly on having had them and the government as the opportunity to make the main forcefully as you can that they are speech at the inaugural 1974 killing our pubs. The battle goes meeting rallying support for on and it is a battle to save our joining CAMRA and proposing pubs. Make your voice heard! formation of Merseyside Branch. Long live CAMRA! I am also proud that I was Laurie Hughes main speaker at responsible for putting the Globe the 1974 inaugural meeting in the very first Good Beer Guide. We had a simple message in 1974. Speech Highlights edited by John As customers say NO to being Armstrong Laurie told what to drink. We won that

Clive Pownceby and Sue

14 15 Roscoe Head MerseyAle news Roscoe Head plus theatre bars upstairs. The opened at 14 School Lane off PUB NEWS operation of the bistro and bars has Hanover Street and close to CAMRA Liverpool & Districts PUB of the YEAR 2012 News on CAMRA been franchised out to a catering Liverpool One. It is located on the company and there is an agreement first floor above the Home shop. It Member Discounts with Liverpool Organic Brewery is very spacious with a wide Ship in a Bottle Beer Shops in for the supply of cask and bottled selection of British, European and Whitechapel Liverpool and West beers. The next edition of other World beers. The difference Kirby on Grange Road opposite the MerseyAle will carry a full review here is that you can buy the beers to station, are offering a 10% discount of the new bistro. consume in the shop as well as to to card showing CAMRA members. take away and there are armchairs The Abbey on Hanover Street A new pub, Dawsons , has opened in which to sit and enjoy the beer. continues to offer a good and well in the premises vacated by the In this respect it is similar to advertised discount to CAMRA music shop of the same name Southport’s Inn Beer Shop on Lord members. The Abbey was sold which has moved to larger Street. The venture is connected to separately to an Exeter based premises on Williamson Street. This www.homecoffee.co.uk company by the liquidators of the is a sports type bar, with two hand Smith & Jones pub group, prior to pumps serving JW Lees Bitter . On Cains Pubs the rest of the group’s pubs being my visit the beer was on offer at £2 The Cains pubs, owned by Hoylake www.roscoehead.co.uk sold to the Stonegate group. The a pint, but there was no publicity pub continues to offer a good to encourage people to buy the variety of real ales. real ale.

The Milo Lounge has been trading at 88-92 Lark Lane since September. It serves Bristol Beer Factory Toga Man (4.2) which is the house beer for the 'Loungers' group. This joins their other outlet in Liverpool, the Brasco Lounge at 27A Mann Island. CONSTANTLY This group offers a modern style of outlet, a cross between a pub and a Inns, were closed at the end of CHANGING November as the licences were not The Roscoe Head is a true English renewed. Dr Duncan’s reopened after a week and has continued to public house with lots of character. GUEST BEERS Not far away, the Central on 6 offer some guest beers from Ranelagh Street, is also offering a One of the few pubs in Liverpool different breweries, including Try our delicious home-cooked food CAMRA discount off their beers and indeed Great Britain to have Ironbridge, Portobello and XT served Mon- to Fri 11.30am - 2.30 pm supplied by Thwaites, Copper survived the onslaught of the super during December. The Edinburgh Dragon and Theakstons . I have not in Wavertree is also trading pub chains and remains unspoilt. seen any Moorhouses beers here QUIZ NIGHT normally again, but the Brewery The Roscoe Head is a very special recently. Tuesday Commencing 9.30pm - max 4 players to a team watering hostelry. Tap has not reopened. FREE BUFFET Around the corner on Renshaw coffee shop. Other outlets on Real ale can be found down the Street, Inn Liverpool is also offering Merseyside are the Haro Lounge in The Roscoe Head is a town local PLAY YOUR CARDS RIGHT FOR CASH PRIZES road from the Brewery Tap at the a discount for CAMRA members. Formby, the Otto Lounge in with customers from all walks of Tuesday night after quiz bottom of Stanhope Street, where They continue to have a couple of Heswall (in the old Kwik Save the Coburg is now serving Sharps life, the backroom debates are MUSIC QUIZ changing Liverpool Craft beers on building) and the Marino Lounge Every Thurs Commencing 9.30pm Doombar. always entertaining whether it be tap. at Marine Point, Wallasey. politics or football on the agenda CRIBBAGE NIGHT Milo Lounge is next door to Que the banter is always good. Every Wednesday Evening New Real Ale Outlets Pasa Cantania that continues to sell Anfield Pubs The Flat Iron , on the corner of Return of the Everyman Theatre a beer from Liverpool Organic, Walton Breck Road and Anfield and Bistro – after a two year closure often Bier Head . Road, started selling a beer from Winner of many awards and one of only SEVEN pubs to feature in every edition for a complete redevelopment, the Liverpool Organic Brewery on of the Good Beer Guide. Over 40 years of Good Beer Guide entries! new building opens on March 1st. Homebrew is a new speciality real Liverpool match days during the 24 Roscoe Street L1 2SX Tel: 0151 709 4365 It features a new bistro downstairs ale and craft beer store that has F 16 17 autumn. Unfortunately, several The White Horse has a new matches have come and gone Licensee Jeff Ainsworth former The recently with no beer available. licensee of the Bear and Staff in The Brunel has not been serving Gateacre has taken the reins at the real ale all the time, with none White Horse in Woolton Village. He being available on a few recent took over from long serving Belvedere match days. licensee Mike Morris who retired. Traditional 2 room community pub This leaves the Arkles as the only Jeff plans to continue serving four Grade II Listed situated in the heart of pub near Anfield regularly selling real ales from the Punch Tavern's Liverpool’s Georgian Quarter. Winner real ale. This Greene King pub range and is open to suggestions of of CAMRA pub of culture 2011 usually has IPA, Abbott and other popular beers.. Home cooked Speckled Hen available. food will still be served afternoons Liverpool’, takes place on the Cask Ales from Local and and early evenings and on Sundays second Saturday of each month. Regional Brewers the popular Sunday Roasts will be Real Ale in Garston Singers, musicians, poets and One minut e from Philharmonic Hall on offer. The pub will retain its cosy The Swan (nicknamed the Duck) sketch writers with a political slant village atmosphere and continues Ideal for pre-show drinks on James Street in Garston has are welcome to perform. to have a popular quiz night on started serving a real ale again. The Only Liverpool Pub with Wednesdays. The Head of Steam at Lime Street I enjoyed a pint of Wychwood Lined Glasses for Cask and Jeff has had a great deal of station now has new owners who, Hobgoblin at the end of January. European Lagers experience in the pub trade having as with the other pubs they own, The Masonic 35 Gladstone Street Large Selection of Gins available at the been at the former pub the Queens will not be supplying cask beer. Football Free Zone flies the flag for real ale in Garston on Williamson Square for three This was often a first stop for real No Fruit Machines with four cask ales available. years and The Vines (Big House) ale drinkers arriving in the city by Real Fires Opening times are 12 noon to for eight years. MerseyAle would train. Rail travellers are advised to Real Conversation midnight seven days a week and like to wish Jeff a prosperous future Food Available handy for the 82 bus and Liverpool at the White Horse and wish him South Parkway station. well as he continues the White Woolton Village Horse success as a popular village 8 Sugnall Street (off Falkner St), Liverpool local. Two Woolton Village pubs run by Punch Tavern's have uncertain Other Pubs futures. Kazimier Gardens , entrance at 32 The County Court on Quarry St Seel Street City Centre, has had a has been closed since January, house beer for the winter months, namely Noir Grano a dark wheat beer brewed at Liverpool Craft, who also supply the other beers available. Opening Times; head for Ma Egerton’s next to the Wednesday to Friday open from Lord Nelson Street station exit or 4pm; Saturday and Sunday from the Crown next to the Skelhorne 2pm; Restaurant open Thursday to Street exit for a choice of real ales Sunday. The Pumphouse at the Albert Dock The Cross Keys on Earle Street in offers beers from Greene King the business quarter, which was including their special beers. In reopened early March but is up taken on by Sean and Mike, the January American Dark was for sale. licensees of the Lion Tavern on available, specially brewed for the The Victoria also on Quarry Street Moorfields, on a three month group by Wibblers Brewery in closed after the previous licensees “Tenant at Will” contract with Essex. left the pub in early February. There Punch Taverns (see MerseyAle Another Pub Closure for is some cellar work being carried Winter 2013), has proved a success, out and the pub reopened at the especially with the lunchtime home Conversion to retail use beginning of March, but this is only cooked food trade. It will not only Non Real Ale pub, the Red House expected to be for a short term be continuing but is also to receive in Old Swan, has closed and has which still leaves the pub with an an internal refurbishment by been converted into a branch of uncertain future. Punch. The spacious upstairs Lloyd's bank. It would be a sad loss for Woolton if function room now has a regular the village was to lose two very Wednesday night booking by the Pub News by Tony Williams with popular village locals which the ex-Everyman Folk Club. A the Woolton news by Neil Lloyd village has had for many years. totally separate venture, ‘Radical

18 19 Cains Brewery Village Scheme Given Planning

The Richmond Hotel is part of the city of Liverpool's rich Permission by instead be allowed to put up just agreement that the applicant has history and has been converted into a boutique four £400,000 rather than the £1.2 million estimated will be in excess of bedroom living pad situated in the heart of Liverpool City Liverpool City which was assessed as the amount £100,000). centre. It can cater for someone in Liverpool on business required under Section 106 through to groups of up to ten people. The Richmond Council planning gain payments. Dave 5.2 The applicants have advised Hotel has an open plan kitchen-living room space with claimed that in effect the Council that the payment of this sum would Sky TV and free internet access. With its own pub below was giving Cains an £800,000 undermine the viability of the it's perfect for an overnight stay. With plenty of things CAMRA Member going on in Liverpool throughout the year the Richmond subsidy towards the cost of the scheme. To support this assertion, Hotel is a place to stay or, at the very least a place to visit Objects to £800,000 scheme. they have submitted a while in Liverpool. For details of availability etc, contact The City Council Planning report financial/viability assessment to details are bottom left on this section of the page. Council “Subsidy” on the proposal identified that an the Council’s Development Team for the Scheme application of this nature would (Regeneration). normally be required to pay a £1.2 Having considered the information, On 19th November the Liverpool million contribution in planning the Development Team have City Council Planning Committee gain under Section 106. However confirmed acceptance that the granted planning permission for the Cains claimed this would viability of the scheme is relatively Cains Brewery Village Scheme. The undermine the viability of the marginal and that payment of the £50 million project will see the scheme. The planning report states: full amount would impact on brewery building and surrounding the deliverability of the scheme. site on Upper Parliament Street “Paragraph 5.0 - Section 106 They consider, however, that developed with a small craft issues the submitted information brewery, supermarket, cinema, food demonstrates that it would be 6 rotating court, boutique hotel and designer “5.1 Proposals of this nature would appropriate to request some S106 shops. The scheme is claimed to generally require a Section 106 contribution. Guest Ales plus create up to 800 jobs. agreement for a financial Liverpool CAMRA member David contribution towards public realm, Real Bass 5.3 When formulating the required Jones spoke at the meeting and street trees, public art and 32 WILLIAMSON STREET L1 1EB contribution, consideration has objected to the approval of planning monitoring works. The amount been given to the wider benefits of [email protected] permission due to the fact that payable for the current scheme the scheme in terms of bring a Tel: 0151 709 2614 Mob: 07837653593 Liverpool City Council was would be approximately £1.2 vacant listed building back and the waiving a £800,000 contribution million (this would be in addition to replacement of the existing sheds from Cains for improvement works the cost of providing off-site on Parliament Street by buildings of to the local area. The company will highways required by the S278 F

There are 3 6 Rotating Ca sk Beers hand pumps serving a variety of Local and Regional Large selection Ales of World Beers We are one of the least expensive pubs in Warm and Friendly Atmosphere Liverpool. So come Free Juke Box inside and enjoy a good Opening Times 11.00am - 11.00pm Mon pint in a friendly local atmosphere - Fri 11.00am - 12.00pm Sat 1-3 Sir Thomas Street L1 THE LORD WARDEN LONDON ROAD

20 21 a far higher quality which will “The applicant has advised that the planned – and in time for next introduce much needed animation scheme is site specific, being year’s International Festival of to this prominent street frontage linked to the existing brewery, and Business showcase in Liverpool, and lift the quality of the area. cannot be delivered elsewhere which runs from June to July 2014. Furthermore, the applicants have and that the range of uses He said: “We’re working hard and confirmed their commitment to proposed are critical to the really starting to move on our craft encouraging the involvement and success of the scheme and its brewery on site. employment of local people overall viability. ” “We’ll have the application (for the and companies in the construction brewery village scheme) back in and operation of the development. Craft Brewery an Important with the city council by the end of Condition of the Planning this month or the first week of 5.4 On this basis, the Divisional Permission September. Manager Planning considers An important condition was “I’ve just been to Germany to look that a contribution of £400,000 incorporated in the planning at really modern craft brewing towards street trees, public realm, approval designed to ensure that equipment for Cains. It will brew all public art and monitoring should the proposed craft brewery is sorts of beer – milds, stouts, lagers be paid in respect of the scheme.” operational before work can start on the more profitable element of the and ales. That’s what we have This was the reduction in scheme, the supermarket. already (at the existing brewery) but contribution that Dave Jones it’s too big. “Section 6 D objected to at the meeting, but the “We’re planning to have the brewery The food store to be developed as Committee were advised by up and brewing beer by next year’s part of Phase 2 shall not open for Council officers that the long term International Festival of Business. trading until the works set out in benefits to the area made the The IFB is a good time to showcase the attached schedule of essential reduction a sensible approach. a local business.” repairs have been carried out to the The proposal was approved with listed building and regional craft one abstention from Councillor Ian So the ball is now in Cains’ court to brewery is operational within the Francis over the loss of "historic" deliver the craft brewery and to listed building.” iron works buildings and stables. sign up development partners able In an interview with the Liverpool to fund the £50 million cost of the The Scheme in Detail Post 15th August 2013 the Cains scheme. The Council planning report gave Managing Director Sudarghara The granting of planning the following details of the Brewery Dusanj told the Post he was permission for the supermarket, Village scheme. focusing on setting up their new hotel and leisure developments has “The scheme includes the following smaller brewery, rather than on increased the value of the Cains site uses, (with indicative floor areas outsourcing the beer – so Liverpool considerably. A possible exit given for the outline elements): may go more than a year without strategy for the site owners the seeing any new Cains ales. But he Dusanj family would be to sell the • Food store – 3891sqm gross also said that the company would site to a developer who would take • Cinema – 1033sqm gross look to get that new brewery up and the scheme forward now planning running earlier than originally • Boutique Hotel – 3919sqm permission has been granted. gross (94 rooms) • Artisan retail (food hall/ make and sell) – 1149sqm gross • Health and Fitness or Class A1 (non food)/ A5 uses – 1972sqm gross • Designer retail market – 1749sqm gross • Ancillary retail – 1401sqm gross • Restaurants/ pubs and cafes – 1814sqm gross • Car parking – 100 residential/400 general

22 23 MerseyAle Cider News

• Despite the AJ being Cider quality of the real cider which they and Perry Pub of the Year will then order for their second and many of its regular customers third drinks. Furthermore the had never tried real cider CAMRA Cider Officer will get the before. chance to guide the cider • Almost all the tasters said newcomer whilst they ponder the they would buy a real cider fruity versus real selection at the now they had tasted it. festival bar. We believe that the • Almost all of the tasters said fruit cider does have its place on a Autumn Cider they would prefer the real CAMRA bar as part of converting cider to a fizzy (Magners type) people to real cider. Project and product. • Many of the tasters had little Our 2013 cider campaign evening idea that real cider could be revealed a few lessons both for the Tasting 2013 found readily available in bars Branch’s cider team and its guest around Liverpool. tasters. Each year CAMRA branches are • Tasters that tried a fruit asked to hold a promotion to raise flavoured cider frequently 2014 Liverpool Beer Festival awareness of real cider and perry. preferred a plain real cider for Beer Festival Cider Bar Report In November 2013 the Liverpool their follow up drinks. The cider bar at the 2014 festival branch ran a highly successful featured around 34 products, many never available before at Liverpool. cider tasting at the Augustus John The last point is likely to cause a The range of ciders contained pub in the university district. The major debate in CAMRA’s cider establishment, as “Real Cider” by several unusual brands from mid AJ, as the Augustus John is more CAMRA’s own definition may Wales. As in the modern way, all familiarly known, was chosen for contain no additives what so ever ciders will be dispensed from bag- several reasons, one being that is and fruit flavoured cider may not in-box rather than plastic barrels. the branch’s Cider and Perry Pub appear on a cider bar at a CAMRA This allows the bar manager to of the Year, two that it always festival. Contentiously we in display more products at any serves around eight real ciders Liverpool understand that whilst single time as boxes can be stacked and three, that its client base were fruit flavoured cider is not “real and saves cost as the supplier does likely to be flexible enough and cider” , it will draw people to a bar, not have to make a several open to trying new products. particularly cider first-timers, and hundred mile return journey to that once these customers have collect the empty plastic barrels. With assistance from the AJ tasted the fruity ciders (which they frequently reject on the grounds of Steve Berks (CAMRA Liverpool, management, eight real cider and being too sweet), they see the Cider Officer) perrys were sourced which would represent a cross section of products available in the current cider market. The products were served in one-third of a pint glasses meaning that 250 free drink samples could be served over the evening. Products on offer included “Thundering Molly”cider and “Ravenswood Perfect Pear” perry. Customers were offered any number of samples from the range and were guided through the differences by the branch’s cider officer. The evening revealed several positive Linda Harris CAMRA Regional cider co-ordinator outcomes-

24 25 with real ale pubs and run on a regular timetable, Special Day Event ‘Buses offering an opportunity to hop on and off where and when you want. The buses are from the Merseyside and Beer’ Saturday 22nd Transport Trust Classic Bus fleet which has several buses which once ran in Liverpool, including rear March in Ormskirk platform buses. Travel on the buses is free but you are requested to buy a £3 programme which gives the bus times and routes. These can be bought on the bus or in Wonderful early 19th Century advance by post. Public House with So Join Us for A Day Out With a Difference ! Liverpool CAMRA Diary of Events 6Handpumps Branch Get Together including Quiz Old Bank Serving a varying range Waterloo Wednesday 19th March see page 55 Beer and Buses Ormskirk Saturday 22nd March of Real Ales Plus a Real Cider see above REGULAR ALE THWAITES Special 40th Anniversary Event Wednesday 16th April Join us ‘On the Buses’ for the West Lancs 8pm Philharmonic see back cover “HUNDRED BEST May Get Together Wednesday May 21st 8pm Classic Bus Day touring scenic villages in The Abbey, Hanover Street Liverpool PUBS in the COUNTRY” West Lancashire and visiting real ale pubs. 0151 709 4171 2010 2011 Daily Telegraph 12-11.30 midnight Fri & Sat We will travel on the 09.55 Northern Line train from Join CAMRA Today Liverpool Central arriving Ormskirk at 10.29 or you Phone the Membership Team on 0845 0727 807 or can meet us meet us at Ormskirk railway station join on line www.camra.org.uk. Membership by Have a drink in John Lennon’s Old Watering Hole booking office at 10.30 for the short walk to join the Direct Debit is £23 single, £28 joint, £15.50 Under 11am classic bus at Ormskirk Bus Station. 26 and over 60. Phone for disability rates. Payment The buses travel around various charming villages other than by Direct Debit is £2 more.

26 27 Tell Your MP that NOW is the Time for Government Action to Save the British Pub Spend Five Minutes to Contact on beer duty to help pubs survive. 4. Pubs are vital to the community life of Britain your MP As Liverpool CAMRA Public Affairs officer I Research has shown that if an MP receives more regularly contact our branch area MPs about than SIX letters/emails from their constituents these and other CAMRA issues, but contact by a they sit up and take notice of the issue raised. constituent carries extra weight. Our Liverpool Constituents equals votes. MPs, and Bootle and Sefton MPs have been Now is the time to raise the following issues with supportive. Yet MerseyAle is read across a much your MP; wider area of Merseyside and beyond. If you are 1. The Coalition Government must act now to reading this then please contact your MP. introduce a statutory Code of Practice in the next You can contact your MP by Queens Speech to control the PubCos whose • Writing a letter to them by name at House of excessive financial demands are driving pubs to Commons, London SW1A 1AA closure.’ • Email to their email address. Merseyside MPs 2. 26 pubs a week are closing. If action on emails are listed below. PubCos is not included in the next Queen’s Please take five minutes to contact your MP Speech due in May then another 1,456 pubs will today. close between now and the next General Election in May 2015. Helen McCall Liverpool CAMRA Public 3. The March Budget should continue the freeze Affairs Officer

Birkenhead Frank Field MP Labour Liverpool, West Derby Stephen Twigg MP [email protected] Labour / Co-operative [email protected] Bootle Joe Benton MP Labour [email protected] Sefton Central Bill Esterson MP Labour [email protected] Garston and Halewood Maria Eagle MP Labour [email protected] Southport John Pugh MP Knowsley George Howarth MP Labour Liberal Democrats [email protected] [email protected] St Helens North Dave Watts MP Labour Liverpool, Riverside Louise Ellman MP [email protected] Labour / Co-operative [email protected] Wallasey Angela Eagle MP Labour [email protected] Liverpool, Walton Steve Rotheram MP Labour [email protected] Wirral South Alison McGovern MP Labour [email protected] Liverpool, Wavertree Luciana Berge r MP Labour / Co-operative Wirral West Esther McVey MP Conservative [email protected] [email protected]

28 29 Beer Festivals Debate in Parliament shows overwhelming April – Belgian support for pub company 14th - 20th 1,456 reform May – German CAMRA's campaign to end the and the General Election. The 19th - 25th The number of pubs that Great British scandal closing pubs legislative process would then are likely to close between and win a fair deal for publicans LIVERPOOL’S PREMIER FREEHOUSE theshipandmitre.com have to start anew after the took a huge step forward on 21st now and the next General Election, resulting in further delay January as overwhelming support Election in May if Coalition and yet more pubs closing. was shown from MPs on the call to EVER CHANGING REAL ALES + DRAUGHT CIDERS Government fails to act. Many MPs were scathing about the introduce pub company reform. 15 The Ship and Mitre has the largest selection of Belgian and German Draught and Bottled Beers in Liverpool excessive financial demands of the MPs from all parties attended a PubCos, often quoting examples Parliamentary debate to press Government Fails from PubCo licensees in their Business Minister Vince Cable to constituencies of appalling Quality Pub Food stick to the Government's promise to Act on PubCos treatment. Merseyside MP Bill cooked to order including Gourmet Burgers, Wraps, Scouse, to introduce reforms before time Esterson member for Sefton spoke food served from 12-9 daily runs out and more pubs close. Tapas style dishes Scandal in the debate and is quoted below. Shadow Business Minister Toby www.thegalleyliverpool.co.uk follow us on facebook Perhaps a better title for my speech Greg Mulholland MP and Chair of log onto Perkins MP scheduled the debate (the galley) & twitter @the_galley would be, “The Great British the Save the Pub Group, speaking and called for legislation to in an earlier debate on PubCos on Pubco Scam” , for this whole sorry introduce a Pubs Watchdog and 14th October, described it as ‘The saga is a tale of one of the worst open market rent reviews. He also Great British PubCo Scam’, “one of Monday Darts - Wednesday Scouse on the House (from 6pm) Thursday - Quiz Night examples of reckless, irresponsible called for publicans to be given the the worst examples of reckless, capitalism this country has ever option to go free-of-tie and buy irresponsible capitalism this seen—a get-rich-quick scheme for their beer on the open market. Art Deco ‘Higher Room’ for hire Holds up to 55 people Catering available country has ever seen”. a greedy few that has marred lives Calling on the Minister to urgently Ship & Mitre133 DALE STREET Tel: 0151 236 0859 and closed thousands of pubs and act in the face of the “great pubco that has caused losses of billions disaster”, he declared: “If the for the UK economy, pension funds 26 PUB Government does not introduce a and the Treasury. Bill on this issue in the Queen’s Greg Mulholland MP Chair of CLOSURES A Speech [in May], it is impossible Save the Pub Group to imagine that there will be WEEK sufficient parliamentary time to Despite assurances they would act pass one in this Parliament”. to introduce a statutory Code of A regularly used word during the Practice to regulate the PubCos debate was ‘frustration’ . MP after CAMRA's Chief Executive Mike before the end of 2013, the MP expressed their frustration and Benner said: Coalition Government failed to act, Two Shops: The City Centre and West Kirby dismay at the lack of action by the leading to an opposition day “Yesterday's Parliamentary Government. Adrian Bailey MP , debate in the House of Commons debate demonstrated the Chair of the Business Over 400 products and growing on 21st January. The vast majority overwhelming Parliamentary Innovation and Skills Select of speakers urged the government support for the introduction Committee said this was a debate OPEN SUNDAYS Large selection of ciders to act immediately to introduce a of a Pubs Watchdog. he never thought we would ever Home delivery within 5 statutory Code which had real MPs from all parties spoke have to have again. He expressed mile radius 12-8pm teeth. It was pointed out that time strongly of the need for Changing range of British, Belgian, German, “exasperation and bafflement” as was of the essence as unless a bill Government action after ten to why the Secretary of State had USA and other World Beers to introduce a Code was in years of slow industry not come forward with legislation included in the next Queen’s Always new arrivals. We welcome suggestions on the PubCos. Licensees and the progress on introducing Speech which announces the 10% for beers to stock public were mystified as to why meaningful self regulation. Government’s legislative action had not been taken. We were pleased that the programme, then it would be Discount City Centre 45A Whitechapel L1 6DT CAMRA launched an online Secretary of State impossible to have a Code in place petition www.pubscandal.org.uk reconfirmed the Opening hours; 10 to 6pm Monday to Saturday. Sundays 11 to 5pm before the next General Election in for CAMRA in the week leading up to the Government's view that self May 2015. and GRANGE RD WEST KIRBY (opp station) debate which gathered over 30,000 regulation has been MEMBERS At the present rate of 26 pub signatures in just a few days and inadequate and promised that please show card 10-8pm Monday - Saturday, 12-6pm Sun closures a week that would mean which was referred to regularly by a decision would be made 1,456 pubs closing between now MPs during the debate. very soon." F 30 31 In perfect timing to coincide Key Quotes from the Debate whose business practices force out with the Parliamentary committed publicans will be dealt debate CAMRA's petition (www. Bill Esterson (Sefton Central) with effectively by some sort of pubscandal.org) which presses (Lab): May I offer an example from adjudicator? Government to introduce reforms my constituency to support the Business Secretary Vince Cable said reached over 30,000 signatures. motion and illustrate the urgency of the Government were still There was fantastic support and the matter? A constituent of mine reviewing the responses to the campaigning demonstrated from moved into her pub a few years ago consultation, and Ministers were CAMRA members to help reach this with the promise of significant weighing up the evidence to deliver The Central is a listed CASK ALES number of signatures and an investment being made in the a decision in due course. Traditional Pub excellent running commentary on property. Those repairs have never Cable concluded by reassuring MPs 4 AVAILABLE been carried out. opposite the debate was held on twitter. and those desperately waiting for Does not that illustrate why the the outcome of the consultation Central Station The next step in the campaign is to motion is so important— that: “We are trying to get this keep pub company reform in the particularly the part about rent-only absolutely right and we want with Four Real Ales public domain and to increase the tenancies—and why we need action the intervention that we make to available with a 20p pressure on Vince Cable to now? Tenants such as my be proportionate and properly discount for CAMRA announce his department's constituent cannot afford to wait targeted. card holders. intentions for the reforms soon so any longer for action. “There is no attempt to kick this that this issue can be a central part Mark Tami (Alyn and Deeside) into the long grass. We are trying to Look out for our mirrored to next year's legislative (Lab): recently met a landlord who do this properly”. walls and dome ceiling. programme. has managed to turn around a We show all sky sports with Please contact your MP and urge failing pub and increase the Debate Vote turnover. His reward is for all the BT sports plus at the races them to press the Government for At the end of the debate the extra money to be taken away in and racing uk. action now – see page 29 for how following motion was voted on: increased rent. That destroys the to contact your MP. That this House notes that two years incentive for people to work hard 31 Ranelagh Street Liverpool L1 1JP have passed since its resolution on Mike Benner, CAMRA’s Chief and bring these pubs back. Telephone 0151 709 1218 pub companies of 12 January 2012; Executive said: Andrew Gwynne (Denton and remains of the view that the Business, Reddish) (Lab): Does he share my Innovation and Skills Committee was “The Government’s disappointment that as long ago as right to state in its Fourth Report, on indecisiveness on this issue puts last January he brought a debate to Consultation on a Statutory Code for the future of many thousands of this House during which the Pub Companies, HC 314, that only a community pubs at risk. The Government performed a U-turn statutory code of practice which large pub companies have had saying they would seek to included a mandatory rent-only ten years to eliminate unfair introduce a statutory code, which is option for pub companies which own practices and to properly absolutely necessary, and we had a lengthy consultation, but very little over 500 pubs, an open market rent support their licensees but have review and an independent failed to do so. The case for in terms of the legal framework has changed 12 months on? adjudicator would resolve the Government action is Susan Elan Jones (Clwyd South) contractual problems between the big overwhelming. We urge the (Lab): With 26 pubs closing every pub companies and their lessees; Minister to come clean and week, a few hundred must have further notes that pub closures are announce whether or not the closed in the four months in which increasing, and believes that the Government will stick to their we have been waiting for the Government should by July 2014 pledge to introduce a Code and consultation on pub company bring forward legislative proposals to Adjudicator. reform. That is deeply concerning. introduce a statutory code of practice Left to their own devices the Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP): of the kind recommended by the large pub companies will The failure of the pub companies to Business, Innovation and Skills continue to force good licensees self-regulate underlines the need Committee. out of business and sell many for an adjudicator, as does the fact This motion was tabled by Labour hundreds of valued and that a number of pubs are closing. as it was an opposition day debate. The motion was defeated by 311 profitable pubs for Robin Walker (Worcester) (Con): votes to 244 but this was not redevelopment. The solution to As a member of the Select Committee, I urge the Secretary of unexpected as the Government a decade of abuse is a Code, State to take action as soon as have a majority in Parliament. The Adjudicator and an option for possible, but I do understand the point of the debate was not about licensees to pay a market rent need to listen to the consultation. the vote but to keep the pressure on only giving them freedom to buy Pauline Latham (Mid Derbyshire) Vince Cable and to show the cross- beer at open market prices.” (Con): Does my Right Hon. Friend party support for this issue. believe that the pub companies F

32 33 watchdog, a guest beer right and a market rent only PubCos Scandal - CAMRA option for licensees tied to the large pub companies.” praised for online petition Perkins praised CAMRA for organising the petition. In just six days, more than 31,500 people signed Perkins said: “CAMRA is an immensely important and CAMRA’s online petition calling for a pubs well-respected body. It has the best interests of the pub watchdog. in its heart and in its DNA; that is its raison d’être. The petition was launched ahead of a crucial “It boasts a membership of almost 160,000, a parliamentary debate asking for a pubs watchdog, staggering demonstration of the importance of real ale which was called for by shadow pubs minister Toby and pubs to people across our country.” Perkins. Now, with 26 pubs being lost in the UK every week, Members can support the campaign by going to CAMRA says a pubs watchdog is urgently required to www.pubscandal.org.uk and signing the prevent big pub companies putting many individual petition calling for the Government to stick to its publicans’ pubs under pressure and risk of closure promise of introducing a Parliamentary Bill in this due to unfair practices. year’s Queen’s Speech. Liverpool CAMRA Pub of the Year CAMRA’s Chief Executive Mike Benner said: “Pubs are closing as a result of big pub companies squeezing Remember to contact your MP about the need the profits of publicans with costly rents and high beer for the Government to act now – see page 29 2010 and 2011 prices. The Government has recognised that costly rents combined with high beer prices are damaging some pubs. “We are backing the Government’s plans to act but words and proposals need to be translated into urgent action via the introduction of a statutory code, pubs

A Warm Welcome to the Dispensary (CAMRA Liverpool & Districts Pub of the Year 2010 and 2011) from Pauline, Dave and all their staff

Good Beer Guide singles out “the landlord’s impeccable attention to beer quality”.

Up to BEERS Availab8le at any one time kept in superb condition The Dispensary provides a varied and interesting selection of real ales from the best Micro Brewers in the country. You will be surprised at the choice

RENSHAW STREET, LIVERPOOL (Formerly The Grapes) 0151 709 2160

34 35 becoming head brewers brewery. Founded by CAMRA rebrew old favourites and according to Roger Protz the members Tara Mallinson and hopefully give the people who Editor of the CAMRA Good Beer Elaine Yendall at a small six barrel drink your beer a great pint.” Tara Women Guide. plant in Huddersfield, West Mallinson, Co-founder of “It is only in modern times that Yorkshire, in 2008, they moved to Mallinson’s Brewery. just want men have overtaken women as a larger 15 barrel site in 2012 to the main brewers of beer, as help meet the growing demand. Tara and Elaine ran a very well historically it was women “Myself and Elaine set up attended Liverpool CAMRA who dominated brewing. Mallinsons in 2008 because we “Snowball Campaign” women’s to have Traditionally known as selfishly wanted to brew beers tasting event at the Lion Tavern – ‘brewsters’, it is fantastic to see we liked to drink. Brewing real see MerseyAle feature Spring more women rejoining the ale is a great job, you get to 2013 edition page 48. fun! industry and in many cases experiment with new hops, giving the chaps a run for their Pictured here are Jan Sorsby and money, such as the award Jean Pownceby of the ’Snowball winning Brewsters Brewing UK Examples of female Team’ together with new recruit Company in Lincolnshire.” brewers around Carol Cherpeau, all enjoying Brewsters the UK: themselves at the Frodsham Beer In fact one of the most important Festival in early January. The role they will invite you if you get in the UK and they are becoming brewing positions in the UK is • Tara Mallinson, Mallinson’s Brewery - Huddersfield, of the Snowball team, as has touch with Jean at increasingly influential, now held by a woman following West Yorkshire a recent high ranking promotion. been detailed in many previous [email protected] according to leading industry • Sara Barton, Brewster’s Brewing Co - Grantham Lincolnshire Emma Gilleland was this year MerseyAles, is to bring more so that she can add you to the figures. Female brewers, known • Kathryn Harrison and Amanda Seddon, Wilson Potter people and, in particular, more email contact list. as ‘brewsters’ in medieval times, promoted from Head Brewer at Brewery Manchester women to real ale. Several Jean Pownceby are adding momentum to the Marston’s to Head of Supply events have been organised thriving Real Ale market in the Chain, covering all five Marston’s • Michelle Kelsall, Offbeat Brewery , Crewe specifically for women over the And Women are UK and helping to attract new brewery brands. She believes • Emma Gilleland, Marston’s Brewery – Wolverhampton, last three years and more and Brewing the Beer drinkers. beer has become more West Midlands on- Trent, Staffordshire accessible to women in recent more women have become The number of professional More and more women are • Rebecca Adams, Jennings Brewery - Cockermouth, interested, most have joined setting up breweries or years, Lake District women brewers is on the rise in “The rise in interest in ales by CAMRA and then encouraged • Carola Brown, Ballard's Brewery - Petersfield, Hampshire women is because beer is far their friends to come along and • Sue Simpson, Brown Cow Brewery - Selby, North Yorkshire give real ale a try – a rolling more interesting these days. • Frances Moor, Elveden Brewery - Thetford, Norfolk programme really, hence the title Only ten years ago, the ‘Snowballs’! perception would have been • Claire Simpson, Belinda Sutton and Jennifer Everall (three “Carol was one of the women that ale was bitter tasting and sisters), Elgood’s Brewery – Wisbech, Cambridgeshire who got involved in our dark in colour. These days • FFion Jones, Brains Brewery - Cardiff, Wales women’s events and, following brewers are far more • Catherine Murphy, Buntingford Brewery – Royston, our recent AGM, we are experimental and this has led to Hertfordshire (Buntingford ‘Twitchell’ won Silver in the overall delighted to welcome her to the lighter beers with new aromas Champion Beer of Britain Competition at the 2013 Great British Branch committee”, says Jean, and tastes which are bringing Beer Festival). “and we’re particularly pleased women into the category. Once • Petra Wetzel, WEST Brewery – Glasgow, Scotland (West do not they have found a beer style to say that this means one third produce real ale but Petra Wetzel is German and brews her lagers of the committee now that they like, they are hooked.” and wheat beers to the German Beer Purity Law, the comprises women” . They are Marston’s also employ Reinheitsgebot). Jean, Jan and Carol, together Genevieve Upton at the Burton with Helen McCall and Sonia brewery and Rebecca Adams at James-Henry. They all have Jennings Brewery, who Emma Women Account for 22% of CAMRA Members other roles on the committee, says are now, “coming up CAMRA statistics show that the number of women enjoying real but share an enthusiastic through the ranks.” ale is on the rise. commitment to encouraging The amount of women trying real ale is also up, from 14% to 34% more women to drink real ale Mallinsons Brewery in the last three years, showing that wider availability and variety of beers is having a positive effect on the number of women and have fun doing so! Huddersfield The team are planning another giving real ale a go in the pub. One female owned and run event in early April and, if you are Women now account for 22% of CAMRA’s 160,000 plus brewery making a name for female and interested in real ale, membership – a growth of 20,000 in the last decade alone. themselves nationally is the or want to find out more about it, Brewing Beer at Jamestown by Sydney E King award winning Mallinson’s

36 37 Welcome to the 3rd

This edition we bring you news usual extensive Bushys range. of pubs triumphing over spring Pricing was very competitive for the Get Ready for a ISLE of MAN tide floods, brewery gold Isle of Man. The Bay is an imposing awards, a pub reopening, a former hotel on the sea front with panoramic views of Bradda Head Bigger and new real ale pub in Douglas, a and the beach. It was bought by quayside pubs wander in Bushys after around a decade of Better CAMRA BEER Ramsey and successful beer closure and extensively refurbished, festivals both past and reopening in 2001. The pub has since IOM Beer upcoming. been twice winner of CAMRA’s Isle of Man Pub of The Year Award. Festival! & CIDER Bushys Double Header Festival In November Bushys ran a ‘double Doghouse Brewery SIBA Gold Thursday 10th to header’ pub beer festival with back Winner to back beer festivals at The Rovers Congratulations to the Doghouse Saturday 12th April 2014 Return (Douglas), and The Bay in Brewery , Jurby, who after only a at Masonic Hall Douglas FESTIVAL Port Erin. The Rovers festival year of trading have had significant After two successful years the featured an impressive range of success in the CAMRA Isle of Man Beer beers over two Society of Festival will return in April 2014 weekends, Independent at The Masonic Hall, including the Brewers (SIBA) Woodbourne Road, Douglas, 2014 landlord Guy’s North West Beer between Thursday April 10th first attempt Competition and Saturday April 12th (the at brewing at and Festival. weekend before Easter). Food at all Public Thurs 10th - Sat 12th April 2014 Bushys brewery. Doghouse Pale Following on from last year, this Named Cherry Ale At the Freemasons Hall, Woodbourne Rd, Douglas, IM2 3EE (4.6%) won third festival will again be a pay Sessions Popper at 4.5%, the Gold medal on the door event, with live as the name in the Premium Bitter category of the Live Music Friday & music at most sessions. There suggests the competition, and also was awarded will be increased space to Saturday Over 100 Real Ales, beer was certainly not short of fruit Bronze in the overall Champion accommodate a larger range of flavour. It was brewed to celebrate Beer competition, against U.K. real ales, with around 75 beers, what was believed to be the pub’s competition featuring around 200 Age Restriction 18+ Ciders & Perries 200th anniversary in 2013. The different ales. Doghouse beers now and a substantially increased premises have had various trading feature widely around the Island in range of real ciders and perries. 10th April Thursday afternoon 2pm - 5pm (Invited Guests and CAMRA only) names over the years. For most of the free trade. This year there will be a the 1900s it was and is still separate cider and perry bar CAMRA Members free admission remembered as The Albion , but Support Manx LocAle – The featuring a choice of thirty to before that was The Cross Keys , Island of Real Ale thirty five. 10th April, Thursday evening 6pm - 11pm – Admission £3, CAMRA Members free amongst other names. With five Island breweries the Isle of The event will be opened by Man is a leading example of 11th April, Friday afternoon 12pm - 4pm – Admission £3, CAMRA Members free none other than The Bishop of This was closely followed by the CAMRA’s LocAle scheme which Sodor and Man, the Right festival at Bushys other main Island promotes beers brewed within a 11th April, Friday evening 5pm - 11pm – Admission £5, CAMRA Members £3 Reverend Robert Paterson, who outlet, The Bay , Port Erin, at the end thirty mile radius of the pub where it impressively pencilled the date is served. All the Island brewers are 12th April, Saturday afternoon 12pm - 4pm – Admission £3, CAMRA Members free in his diary a year ago, having significant supporters of ‘LocAle’, had a fixture clash at the time of thereby supporting local industry, 12th April, Saturday evening 5pm - 11pm – Admission £4, CAMRA Members £2 last year’s event! See advert left local jobs, as well as being for Festival details. environmentally friendly by reducing beer transportation miles, If you are visiting the Isle of Contact details for further information: in addition to promoting the Isle of Man for the Festival, CAMRA’s Event Organiser Bill Smith, [email protected] Man as the Island of Real Ale. What Pub online guide is now fully operational detailing all the Julie Jones Staffing Officer CAMRA as a national organisation Island’s pubs, their locations, www.facebook.com/IsleOfManBeerFestival of November. This featured over has a policy of heavily campaigning facilities and opening times at thirty beers from around twenty five for and endorsing the concept of WHATPUB.COM or online www.iombeerfestival.com U.K. breweries, in addition to the ‘LocAle’, whilst also discouraging 39 F the use of misleading pump clips thousand more barrels into the U.K. New Real Ale Pub, the Thirsty that appear to indicate beers come market in 2014. Many of the large Pigeon, Douglas from breweries and brewery contract brewing deals with chains Somewhat rarely these days, a new locations that no longer exist. Some such as Wetherspoons or pub in a traditional style has been U.K. breweries have bought out Nicholson’ s can often be pencilled smaller ones and closed them down, in up to a year in advance. and then by what some have called On Island, Okells launched the sleight of hand, have continued to Christmas St.Nick brew at the use the original pump clip with the British on Douglas quayside, with a original beer and brewery name first delivery being effected by Santa even though the original brewery no and his helpers on the night via an longer exists, with the beers now being brewed at another brewery often many miles away. This opened in Douglas just before problem has not to date been an Christmas. Superbly located on issue on The Isle of Man, with all Victoria Street, close to the Sea five breweries, namely Bushys, Terminal, the finance sector and the Doghouse, Heron and Brearley (Okells), Hooded Ram, and Old Laxey (Bosuns), all producing genuine Locales in genuine on appropriately illuminated Okells Island breweries. dray. Dr Cowbourne, the head The CAMRA campaigning message brewer, had slightly tweaked the St is please support IOM Locale as the Nick brew this year, though it landlords are choosing to do so. The remained a dark beer at 4.5% ABV. Isle of Man is currently in the midst In mid - January St Nick was of a golden age of Locale choice with followed by Okells Aile, a its five breweries. Enjoy it while you traditional smoked porter at 4.7% can! ABV. The beer has won several Strand main shopping street, the pub international beer awards. is owned and run by Robert Hooded Ram Brewery McAleer, whose father (also Robert) Ramps Up Eating Out Award for The runs The Victoria Tavern , further The brand new Hooded Ram Creek, Peel down the street. The pub brewery continues its start-up, with The Isle of Man Tourism award 2013 is surprisingly spacious with a second for Best Eating Out Experience was traditional comfortable button back batch of bottled beers being prepared as MerseyAle goes to press. By February the brewery will be open for visitors to sample the ales before buying. Opening times will be Thursday and Friday 3pm until won by The Creek Inn , Peel. By 7pm, and Saturdays 12 noon until seating areas, along with tables, some margin the Creek offers the 6pm. Brewery tours can be booked seating by the bar and also ample most extensive cask ale range on for the evenings, ideally for parties standing areas for busy times. Three Island, combined with an extensive of around fifteen in size, and at £10 a or four ales feature on the single, menu featuring specials of local fish head include two free pints, a 500ml classically styled bar, with usually and meat produce. Located towards bottle to take away, plus discount on two from the Okells range in the end of Peel inner harbour, the beers purchased on the night. The addition to guest bitters. pub can be extremely busy, but the Hooded Ram cask ale has now F service is efficient and relaxed in a featured in about a dozen of the free- friendly informal atmosphere. There houses across the Island. is also a number of outside tables which help ease the pressure during Okells (Heron & Brearley) the summer. In winning the Award, Growth in UK Market The Creek proves conclusively that Interventions in the U.K. market an impressive real ale range can sit continue at pace, and it is reported happily alongside quality food and the brewery has plans to sell several service in a traditional pub setting.

41 Thirsty Pigeon pub remains a free house and as such Ramsey Quayside Pubs Rise Cask Lift can choose its own beers. Food is Above the Spring Tide Flooding served on a daily basis from noon Enjoy a Five Pub Wander until around 9pm, with a carvery on For the first time in a decade, Sundays until 6.30pm. There is to be Ramsey, including the main street, a ‘pie and a pint ‘night featuring was severely flooded during the Tynwald pies (formerly Manx pies to January high tides and storms. go), made on the premises, and there However, less than a week later, a is catering for functions available for visit to the quayside area revealed up to sixty guests. Live music is to Situated in a former bank, the pub the quayside pub stock to be alive feature on Thursday nights, and the and well, with all pubs fully up and has the original bank vault as the pub is soon to have traditional pubs cellar area. For obvious reasons running. Within a hundred yards the games. For further details contact quayside features five real ale pubs there is no outside access to the vault Robin or Nik on Tel.01624803068. area, and casks are brought into the with no less than thirteen real ales pub and moved downstairs via an on offer , making an excellent real This is a welcome return for what ale pub wander. unusual cask sized lift, which is one local described as the oldest pub concealed within a large wooden on the TT course. First up, The Stanley , opposite the boxed area to the side of the seating Note that the original TT motorbike famous Ramsey Harbour Swing areas. Light food is scheduled to be course used to run through St Johns, Bridge. One served, initially a comprehensive starting at Tynwald Green. The of the most selection of sandwiches. All in all current course is more accurately the Thirsty Pigeon is an excellent, traditional tasteful and well thought out start of Heron up, as locals have come to expect and Brearley from the McAleer family, with the pubs, the customary polite and courteous Stanley has welcome and service for which the received a much needed exterior family is well known. makeover in recent times. There are two separate rooms and a very small Tynwald Hill Inn Reopens bar area. Well-kept Okells bitter is After a protracted closure, The the staple here, and the walls feature Tynwald Inn in St Johns has pictures of the harbour in days gone by. Note the Castletown Ales clock reopened, as the last surviving pub called The (Snaefell) Mountain above the television area. in the village. It retains two separate course. They have long memories at Castletown Brewery was taken over rooms, one for dining, and one a Tynwald, which is the seat of and merged with Okells in 1986, and the world’s oldest continuous was hugely controversial at the time. parliament. The mountain course A seemingly incongruous Thwaites replaced the Tynwald route in 1911! sign is displayed on one of the beams, though not so incongruous Glen Mona as one might think, as the important Interestingly, one of only two or yeast ingredient for real ale used by three pubs on Island not to stock a number of the Isle of Man local beers was once The Glen breweries has over the years been sourced from Thwaites. traditional bar area complete with A few paces further on is The real fire for the winter evenings. A Trafalgar , a bastion northern Isle of library style wallpaper is used to Man freehouse which has featured good effect throughout, and two many times large pictures celebrating the in Mersey Manx Tynwald legislature and Ale, and a parliamentary system adorn the winner of walls of the bar area. Tynwald hill CAMRA opposite the pub is the venue for the IOM Pub of Tynwald National Day celebrations the Year. and gathering, a key day in the Mona , on the coast road to Ramsey Bushys seasonal Buggane beer was a Manx national calendar, held each (bus 3 and MER stop Glen Mona). In guest ale along with Speckled Hen July. Owner Robin has started with a complete and welcome reversal of and the permanent beers, Okells one real ale, but is testing the market this, both Doghouse and Hooded bitter, Moorhouses Black Cat. The with a view to more. At the time of Ram brews are now frequently to be walls of the pub still feature posters visit this was Bushys bitter , but the found in this rural outlet. detailing Cains’ beers, which had a F 43 long association with the Trafalgar in central bar area, with seating Correction from MerseyAle times past. available all round the pub, including a small quiet area to the Winter 2013 Edition Ten yards away is The Mitre , back of the bar, and a real fire to the Please note that it was reported in formerly a hotel, with its upstairs right of the the MerseyAle the Magazine that Harbour Bar and windows giving a pub’s harbour Reaches the Parts Others Don’t panoramic view over the working entrance. The harbour. Buggane was One local on particularly who had good form, and frequented is a seasonal the Mitre for malty bitter at forty five 4.4%ABV. years Buggane is remembered the Harbour Bar being named after a huge magical ogre like built. The establishment had been creature in Manx folklore, a theme starting to fade, but two years ago Bushys have celebrated on several the Joughin family (owners of The occasions in their beer naming, most Albert next notably the rare occasional Bushys Reach article pages 31- 33, that one of to bus beer, ‘Dalby Spook’. the National Pub of The Year station in winners, The Rising Sun at Tipton Douglas), Finally, across the market square to (1999 winner), had closed. This had secured a the imposing Royal George , whose been the case some time ago, but the long term windows overlook the square. A pub has reopened having been fully lease, with Heron & Brearley pub, two ales were and superbly refurbished and Carl and on offer, features many cask ales. Selena Joughin of the next Okells generation running the pub. Much IPA and Dave Halliwell refurbishment work is gradually Okells MerseyAle IOM Correspondent being done, and the pub is bitter. increasingly busy, serving excellent The CAMRA IOM Meetings good value quality food seven days George is Diary 2014 a week in comfortable surroundings a multi- with superb views over the harbour. roomed Meetings are generally held There are newly refurbished pub, with around the fifteenth of the function rooms which can cater for a games room to the rear, a small month, as well as occasional over 100 people, and there is an side room to the right of the additional events. All are increasing buzz about the place. entrance, and an extensive welcome to attend irrespective of Downstairs a newly refurbished comfortably furnished lounge. CAMRA membership. Schooner Bar is to open more nights a week featuring live bands. The In summary the Quayside offers an Sat.15th March 2.00pm.Peel. real ales available are now spot on excellent and varied selection of Start at the Marine then stroll quality wise, and more often than pubs, all within a few yards and around town. not support Manx breweries. Okells overlooking the attractive working Thu/Fri/Sat/April ‘Jough’ a house brew only available harbour. The pricing on this visit 10th,11th,12th. CAMRA IOM in The Mitre and Albert Douglas is was found to be extremely Beer Festival at Masonic Hall, featured, along with award winning competitive, with beers available at Doghouse Pale Ale, and Okells £2.50 to £2.75 per pint. Douglas. bitter on this visit. Tue 15th April 7.30pm Railway, Steam Railway Rail Ale 2014 Union Mills. Moving on a few yards on the corner and the Falcon’s Nest Hotel Thu 15th May 7.30pm Douglas. of the market square is the Beer Festival Start at The British, then a stroll Commercial , which had on offer The Isle of Man Steam Railway will around town. Okells again be running Rail Ale trains from Thu 5th Jun. 7.30pm Douglas at Olaf, Douglas to Castletown and Port Erin Bushys Beer Tent TT Social Bushys in 2014. See timetable for details. Evening. Buggane Additionally there will be a rail ale Sun 15th Jun.2.00pm Laxey. and service from Douglas to the Falcon’s Start at the Shore, Lower Laxey, Okells Nest Hotel Real Ale Beer Festival then stroll uphill to visit the other bitter. Port Erin Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th Laxey pubs. There is an May. unusual

44 45 Welcome to the www.vernonarms.co.uk as food, beverages and social nights a total of twenty awards on offer. Pub go, we decided it would be better to Some related to internal company just look after our customers that matters such as financial affairs and Closures have booked with us. We will look product management, but many Verno nAr ms after them well.’ were customer facing. Cheers from Jimmy and Barbara Monaghan Referring to the Ship and the Liverpool’s Thomas Rigby’s, and Hit Island Britannia, Heron and Brearley Chester’s Bear & Bille t both picked The Vernon Arms, Dale Street, Liverpool The Island has been largely immune Estates director Steven Taylor said: up awards. from the wave of pub closures that ‘It is always sad to see any pub Thomas Rigbys won Pub Team of have hit Across, where 26 pubs a closed. Compared to the UK, where the Year and was a finalist in Best Handpumps (4 Ever-changing) week have been closing. However pub closures are currently up 50 per Sales of the Year. 6 economic factors are now biting on cent to 26 a week, the Island has Larry Richards from the Bear & Billet Regulars: Rev James & Johnnie Handsome Island with the news that three pubs proven quite resilient. won Assistant Manager of the Year are to close. These are the Glen ‘However, trading for these pubs has and the Bear and Billet was also a I Guest Ciders I Big screen football Helen, The Ship, Castletown and been tough for some time and so the finalist in Team of the Year. I Belgian bottled beers I Private functions the Britannia , Ramsey, the latter two difficult decision has been made to The finalists were in a pool of three being Heron and Brearley pubs close them. Across the British Isles, I (Lathom Lounge) with one going on to win. Food Mon-Thurs 12- catered which closed on 1st February. people are going out to drink less The Prospect in Douglas picked up 7pm, Fri- Sun 12-4pm I 10% student discount At the Glen Helen on the TT course, often. As such, our focus is on the Best Cask Ale award. brothers Graham and Mike Priest listening to our customers and, Check out Great Meal Deals off food menu The customer voted H&B Pub of The have been forced to make the where our pubs enjoy a loyal Year was The Saddle , on Douglas decision to close their pub, following, we are making North Quay, run by Christine restaurant and hotel to new investments in both cost-effective The Vernon Arms offers all of the above in a friendly and safe atmosphere plus: Maccuish, who was also nominated customers, blaming the economic refurbishments and improvements as a finalist in the Manager of the conditions, and high energy costs. to our offer.’ Live entertainment Friday and Saturday Year award. The Saddle was All functions and weddings that ‘Our customers in Ramsey and extensively featured in a Mersey Ale have been booked will be honoured Castletown continue to enjoy a great Opening Times Mon-Thurs 11-11.30pm; Fri & Sat 11.30-2am depending on article in Summer 2013 (p 41). – and it will be open for this year’s choice of venues but nevertheless, customer demand; Sun 12-11pm Tel: 0151 236 6132 Further details of the award winning TT and MGP. The Glen Helen had when any pub closes, jobs are lost pubs will feature in future issues of been a regular outlet for Doghouse and the whole community loses an MerseyAle. Brewery beers. important aspect of its heritage and Graham said: ‘I feel very sad really. culture,’ said Mr Taylor. TT Beer Surprise We had six years of looking forward Heron and Brearley Awards Nigh t to a successful place and having had In an unusual and significant In late January Heron & Brearley, the development, MerseyAle has been a good reputation. ‘It’s sad for the parent company of the Island’s directly advised by a Director of an staff as well (the Glen Helen largest brewer Okells, celebrated an established brewing company, that employed ten people). There’s not a internal awards night for its North there is likely to be a tie in and lot of catering jobs around, and at West and Isle of Man managed pubs. special ale available during the TT 60 Roscoe St (corner of Knight St ) L1 9DW 0151 708 6870 this time of year there’s even less. As H&B is one of the Islands largest race period linked to a senior TT But sometimes you have to make hard employers, a number of external rider and well known racing team. decisions and not be governed by guests including Members of the Watch this space! your heart. In the end because we House of Keys were invited. The 9Handpumps event was a celebration of the Dave Halliwell are not coming out of recession as far Serving constantly company’s pubs and personnel, with MerseyAle Isle of Man Correspondent changing cask ales see firsthand what an enjoyable and welcoming time they always at least one LocAle from Community Pubs Month can have. Liverpool Organic Brewery So please encourage your friends (especially those that April 2014 do not visit pubs regularly), to have a night out in one of Opening Times; your local pubs in April to show your support. With 26 1p m -12.30pm Sun, Mon , Tues, Weds CAMRA will again be pubs closing every month imagine how you would feel if 1pm -1.30am Thurs, Fri, Saturday organising Community Pubs Month in April following the your local was one of the 26 to close next month! Pubs success of 2013’s event. This month of action gives pubs need our support. a campaign to focus promotions around and try some LIVE JAZZ EVERY More information from new marketing initiatives to attract more custom. SUNDAY NIGHT 10pm -12 Pubs around the country will be organising events and www.communitypubsmonth.org.uk For further details of music and events visit: thegrapesliverpool.co.uk special evenings to encourage people to visit the pub and So Support the Pub this April and Throughout the Year!

46 47 A licence has been granted to the would grant the application and company who brewed the strongest urged BrewDog to continue to beer in the country to open a bar in communicate with residents Liverpool - despite objections from and police. police. She said: Scottish craft beer company "The applicant has demonstrated BrewDog which operates 12 bars that this will not have a negative around the country and has two effect on the area”. oversea in Stockholm Sweden and "It's something new I think, it's Sao Paulo Brazil, applied to something this council welcomes Liverpool Council to open a venue because it's different, it's in Colquitt Street. completely different. If you were But its plans were met with here for a four o'clock licence you opposition from licensing police as wouldn't have got it, put it Nuclear Beers Arms Race well as trading standards officers, that way." BrewDog has traded on this image over fears it would add to violent of brewing strong beers leading to crime in the city centre. Colquitt Brewdog is a Controversial Compan y many challenges by licensing Street is in a zone designated as a authorities and other organisations. ‘Cumulative Impact Policy’ (CIP) BrewDog began as a brewer of real Their advertising has always been in area because of high levels of late ale, gaining a reputation for brews your face and irreverent to appeal to night disorder. Police Constable such as Punk IPA and Trashy Blond. a young audience. Unfortunately Spencer Neal said there had been a Within a few years the company this style also appeals to the loony The 25% rise in assaults in the CIP area, moved away from brewing real ale juice brigade. a policy which is supposed to mean cask conditioned in the barrel and Real Ale pubs have worked hard to the committee tends towards moved instead to brewing keg promote sensible drinking in the refusing new licensing bids. beers which they designated as social environment of the pub. Anthony Lyons, representing “craft beers”. Readers of MerseyAle They are very different to the bar Caledonia BrewDog said: will be aware that “craft beer” is a Refurbished Georgian Quarter Community Pub binge drinking culture of Concert meaningless term which has no Square and Colquitt Street. "The mission of BrewDog is one of definition of what it means, unlike Brewdog’s claim that, "The mission education and transformation. It's real ale. See MerseyAle Spring 2012 of BrewDog is one of education and not about drink as much as you can edition page 29, entitled ‘Craft Beer transformation. It's not about drink get down your throat - it's not that at – Keg Beer by Another Name? ’ as much as you can get down your HANDPUMPS all”. throat - it's not that at all”, sits rather dispensing beer from local and other micro breweries "There is a suggestion that we're Another point of controversy with uncomfortably with this nuclear irresponsible in the way we BrewDog was their pursuit of 5 arms race to claim the title of the promote our beer. We absolutely publicity in seeking to brew the world’s strongest beer. refute that. We don't do price strongest beer in the world. This Live Music - Real Ale Why in a CIP? promotions." became an escalating arms race in which they moved through It could also be said that if the - Great Food mission is education then why seek He said BrewDog was asking for a increasing strengths from Tactical to locate their bar in the premier Live music every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday licence to serve beer until midnight Nuclear Penguin at 32%, to Sink the binge drinking zone in Liverpool and close at 12.30pm, but not to play Bismark at 41% (a riposte to the which is a designated CIP and has Opening Hours Sun-Thurs 12-12, Fri & Sat 12-1. any live or recorded music. German Schorschbrau at 40%), and experienced a 25% rise in assaults. "It's about appreciating a fine craft then onward to the End of History There are many other Liverpool city Meals Served Mon - Fri 5-9, Sat & Sun 12-6. beer like you would a fine wine. It's at 55%. centre locations which would suit largely seated. It's the antithesis of FUNCTION ROOM AVAILABLE FOR HIRE Regrettably for all sensible drinkers an educational mission aimed at where guys go and stand, it's not this did not prove to be the end people with money to buy and sit the mini dress, the baseball hat, it's and it was subsequently deposed as and savour the expensive BrewDog Find us on twitter @thecaledonia and Contact Laura at: completely the opposite of that." the world’s strongest beer beers. Which begs the question “so www.facebook.co.uk/caledonialiverpool [email protected] Cllr Christine Banks, chairman of by Brewmeister’s Snake Venom why go there?” It couldn’t be the licensing committee, said it Catharine Street Liverpool Telephone: 0151 708 0235 at 67.5%. money could it?

48 49 and price that can be considered beer is always being looked are conveniently geographically acceptable. after. located to take advantage of the There are a number of reasons for 3. The beer should not solely excellent range of pubs and beers the problem: WIRRAL be purchased on a price ticket. offered in Liverpool and Chester, 1. Many Wirral pubs are tied to a Better to pay a bit more for and served by an excellent public pubco, and therefore restricted in beers that the consumers will transport system‚ - both rail and the range of beers that they can drink at a faster rate, with the bus. Very often it is as convenient to purchase, and very often the range Wanderings added benefit of better quality travel to these two areas as to seek and quality they offer are not to the of the product. out a suitable establishment on the consumers' taste. The number of 4. Increased sales may allow Wirral. Both areas offer what Wirral Wirral Beer freehouses, who are able to source Wirral Good Beer landlords to offer their beers pubs often fail to offer: a good range their beers from whichever brewery at more competitive prices. of beers, excellent quality and Guide Pubs – your they choose, are a rarity. Festivals acceptable prices. 2. Quality of beer is frequently a The Wirral CAMRA Birkenhead guide to quality real ale that they permit their licensees to Short of moving home, if you want problem due to restricted sales; cask Real Ale is the Growth Beer Festival was a landmark There are nineteen Wirral pubs in purchase, and landlords not tied to to enjoy good cask beer, you may beer, once tapped normally will annual event for many years. the 2014 CAMRA Good Beer Guide a pubco would similarly be Sector wish to consider (with certain have a shelf life of no more than 3-4 Unfortunately the excellent venue (GBG). These are the flag carriers required to extend their range. Currently, Real Ale is the exceptions) avoiding Wirral pubs, days. Lack of sales therefore creates at the Pacific Road Arts Centre was for real ale in Wirral and we urge 2. The general lack of quality could predominant growth area of the and travel to surrounding areas, to a vicious circle in that the poor closed two years ago and it has you to visit them to enjoy well kept be overcome by pubs simply brewing and pubs industries, an oasis, where you are far more quality causes consumers not to proved difficult to find alternative real ale in interesting pubs. looking after their cask beer more therefore, licensees who do not sell likely to find a larger range of beers, wish to drink it. premises that were a suitable and efficiently. Certainly, smaller 9- cask beer, or fail to maintain it in an better quality, and more reasonable 3. Many pubs seem to purchase most importantly an affordable gallon casks (for swifter turnover), acceptable condition, are losing prices. their beer solely on a cheaper price, rental. It was hoped that and a licensee and/or the potential sales and profit. Many without consideration to the desires Merseytravel would buy Pacific appointment of a cellarman, who Wirral pubs are guilty in respect of Signatories: Wirral CAMRA of their customers. Very often this Road and that it might be possible know what they are doing in the these omissions. Members Andrew Foster, Dave produces a poor range of beers that for the space to again be used for cellar, in order to ensure that the However, Wirral beer consumers Goodwin, Bob Lockhart do not suit their customers' palates, the Festival, but the purchase did or less popular high strength beers. not proceed. Pacific Road is now to 4. Wirral pubs, with some be converted to a business centre exceptions, fail to offer their beers at with offices by Wirral Chamber of OUR AWARD WINNING CIDER RANGE reasonable/competitive prices, Commerce. Again for 2014 it looks causing a further reduction in beer as though there will not be a Wirral The view given below does not sales. CAMRA Beer Festival due to the reflect the presence of Wetherspoon 5. Certain pubs are over-ambitious lack of a venue. pubs which generally serve a wide range of well kept real ales. in the number of hand-pumps they have on their bars. If the turnover of In the meantime local beer festivals Members of Wirral CAMRA have their cask sales is low, too many have sprung up across Wirral. The written the article below about the hand-pumps will simply mean that Rosie’s Triple D Rosie’s Black Rosie’s Wicked latest has been the new West Kirby Wirral Beer Desert and what might Cider Bart Wasp - Medium certain (if not all) of the beers fail to Rosie’s Cider Shop Beer Festival which had its first sell be done to improve matters. Available dry, medium or Sweet Cider Sweetness Cider be served to a satisfactory standard, Open weekdays from 10am Open weekends from 9am out event in February 2014. It was MerseyAle will publish occasional sweet Bottled and in Bottled or Draught Bottled or Draught and causing reduced sales. Better to 6.6% abv 7.0% abv held in the attractive venue of Wirral Wanderings features to medium or dry in restrict the number of hand-pumps Draught St Bridget’s Church Centre and report on the Wirral real ale scene 6.4% abv WINNER OF Rosie’s Perfect to the level of sales, thus ensuring “CIDER OF THE Pear Perry featured 22 beers plus 5 real ciders. and to highlight the quality real Rosie’s Oak increased turnover and improved Rosie’s Award Winning FESTIVAL” Medium Sweet The Festival was organised by the ale pubs. Send any comments to Ciders. Matured Dry AT THE quality. Perry recently formed West Kirby [email protected] Pressed and fermented here Scrumpy - LIVERPOOL As a measure of the lack of good in Llandegla since 2005 2012 BEER Bottled or Draughtt Community Fund, a not for profit Only available in 6.0% abv real ale pubs on the Wirral, the local ‘MADE IN WALES’ FESTIVAL organisation whose aim is to Draught THE WIRRAL BEER CAMRA branch has, for many support improvements and events years, struggled to fill the number in West Kirby. Word is that the DESERT – a Point of Rosie’s Triple D Cider of entries that the Good Beer Guide event will run again next year. View from Wirral has allocated to the branch. Dafarn Dywyrch, August 2013 saw the first Hoylake CAMRA Members Llandegla, Wrexham, Beer Festival organised by the Rosie’s DM4 Sadly, if you live on the Wirral, you Peerless Brewing Company. Again How can Wirral pubs Denbighshire LL11 3BA Cider (not Cidre) are surrounded by a beer desert. this was a very successful event overcome these T: 01978 790222 Available lightly which will run again 22nd to 25th Should you be a lover of Real Ale, M: 07812 500513 carbonated in from whatever part of the peninsula problems? E: [email protected] 500ml bottles, Situated at the North end of the Horseshoe Pass, at the August 2014 in the Hoylake medium or sweet. you live in, the chances are that you 1.They need to offer the type and www.rosiescider.co.uk roundabout where the A542 intersects the A5104 Chester/Corwen Community Centre on the corner of 6.0% abv road. The A525 runs past us half a mile to the North. Hoyle Road and North Parade, will find it difficult to find a Real range of beers that Real Ale featuring 50 plus beers with tickets Ale pub close to your home that drinkers want. This would require Available for Pubs, (Bags in Boxes) and Shops/Delis (Bottled Cider Range) being sold only on line . offers a range of beers at a quality pubcos to extend the range of beers You are welcome to call at the farm to taste and buy our Ciders and Perry

50 51 debt restructuring plan and negotiate a deal between two stakeholder groups. He was confident all classes of bondholders would end up grudgingly accepting Up for JD that the latest plan, ( the fourth Punch and its advisers have come up with), represented the best viable outcome. He told the Financial Times: “This is the final proposal. You can quite confidently say Wetherspoon that. This is the final restructuring proposal. I think they 900 [the senior bondholder groups] have got most things they back to Southport. This is the both Wetherspoon management wanted. You don't get everything you want in life. location of Britain’s first motor- and the customers pointed out that Nobody wants to have a defaulted bond. It could be a way services pub: the Hope & the emphasis of the pub was on tea mess for four or five years if it [Punch's two property Champion , a new-build JD and coffee and good value food at Punch Taverns Ducks Out estates] default." Wetherspoon pub, reported to have lower than motorway service area Mr Billingham defended his U-turn saying, “At the time it cost over £1million to create. The prices. Regards alcoholic drinks of Day of Reckoning was our final offer,” pub opens at a remarkable 4am and they pointed out that it was no If no deal is reached the two A and B securitisations closes at 1am the next day. Alcohol different than visiting any pub and Punch Perform U - turn on £2.3 Billion which actually own the pubs are in danger of going is served between 9am and 1am. driving, as the onus was on the Debt Plan 4,000 Punch Pubs Face into administration leaving investors with nothing. A pub redevelopment in Lancashire driver to not break the law and their Uncertain Future and Punch Tenants Punch management has been able to keep the business marks the 900th pub opening by passengers had the opportunity to from falling into administration by dipping into cash With only half an hour to spare, I Could Lose Thousands of Pounds pub chain JD Wetherspoon. decided to try a quick half. At £1.68 enjoy an alcoholic drink. reserves and transferring the money into the The Poulton Elk , Poulton Le Fylde for a half, making it at least £3.36 a The future of Punch Taverns and its estate of about company’s two over- indebted pub operating was official opened in January 2014 pint, the beer is obviously more The service was extremely good, in 4,000 pubs is in the balance again after the company companies. This is not sustainable for much longer. with many in attendance. including expensive than the average fact much, much quicker than the abruptly withdrew a debt restructuring deal two days Punch Pub Tenants Could Lose Thousands of Pounds the local Mayor, CAMRA regional average Wetherspoon pub where I before a vote was due at a Day of Reckoning Meeting Thousands of pub tenants could also lose up to £22.6m director Ray Jackson and JD always seem to wait ages to get on St Valentine’s Day Friday 14th February. in deposits given to Punch. The tenants had to pay an Wetherspoon Chief Executive John served. The beer choice was limited The U-turn followed opposition from a group of average £6,279 to rent their pubs from Punch, but this Hutson, who heralded the opening though. I asked for a Sharp’s Doom bondholders whose support was crucial for the had not been ring fenced and could be lost if as a further sign of the company’s Bar, which did not look right and restructuring proposal to go ahead. Punch has been administrators are called in. continued good fortunes, was promptly taken off. Instead I forced to drop the debt restructuring plan despite Greg Mulholland MP, chair of the Parliamentary Save commenting; could have had the locale Windsor stating that the plan was their final offer. It claimed the Pub group, wrote to Punch chief executive Stephen “Wetherspoon continues to go & Eton Knight of the Garter , but that if the plan was not passed there was a serious Billingham about the deposits but said: from strength to strength and I am instead opted for the Fullers danger of default on the loan, leading to having to go "I asked Stephen Billingham if he would act to rectify delighted that the company has London Pride , which was very into administration and a "potentially significant loss this, and to separate the deposits to ensure they would be reached this milestone. We will well kept. of value.," The main bondholder group are major safe, but he has simply ignored the question. continue to open new pubs and institutional investors who believe the Punch plan It was clear that Punch Taverns' creditors were not going create jobs for many more years to Anyway, the evidence is attached, benefits shareholders of the company at their expense to back the proposed restructure and with the writing on come. with a photograph of me outside and therefore they will not support the plan. the wall, they have managed, it seems, to secure what Wetherspoon success is a result of the pub with beer in hand: my first- Punch has Unsustainable Debts of £2.3 billion may only be a stay of execution. So now there is a pause, its fantastic hard-working and ever beer at a motorway services Punch,has run up debts of £2.3 billion, the result of an the bondholders, who surely must realise that the PubCo talented staff in the pubs and at just a few days after the pub expansion spree buying pubs before the financial crisis model is dead, should talk direct to Punch tenants about head office, together with its opened. triggered a downturn in business and a massive drop a realistic and sustainable future." extremely loyal customers.” in the value of the Punch pub properties on which the The much needed redevelopment of Speaking personally, I don’t know borrowing was secured. For some time the debt has Punch Spent £50 Million on Consultants Advising on Restructuring . the pub cost approximately £1.4 Wetherspoon’s prices, and more in what all the fuss is about. I quite been regarded as unsustainable and Punch has been Punch has spent £50 million on consultant advising on million and is hoped to have line with the prices at the often pull off the motorway when I described as a ‘Zombie Company’ barely able to pay restructuring a company which now has a shareholder created around 60 jobs. company’s airport pubs, but I guess am driving home on a long journey the interest on its debt, see MerseyAle February 2013 value of only £80 million. the rent and/or Council Tax for the to have a meal and a pint of beer as edition. Punch's plan was their fourth attempt to The 900th opening is the outcome of Punch spent £20 million on debt restructuring advice privilege of being sited on a I will not pay the prices at the solve the debt crisis but was always in doubt given the the business growth commitment from Goldman Sachs and Blackstone, plus under motorway services or eat junk food. opposition of the major bondholders. by JD Wetherspoon to open up to 50 motorway is more expensive than former Chief Executive Ian Dyson, there was an outlay So what if Wetherspoon’s have built The decision to return to reopen negotiations between pubs a year over the past three the High Street. of £30 million on advisers to demerge the company a pub on a motorway: it is long Punch’s management and bondholders marks a U-turn years. into two pub divisions, Spirit group which now On the day of opening the pub overdue that drivers and their for Punch’s management. In January Punch stated that its restructuring proposals were “final”. Having contains the most profitable pubs leaving the less JD Wetherspoon Open Britain’s received massive national press passengers can get a decent meal ducked out of the Valentine’s Day vote, Punch’s aim is profitable pubs in the other division. First Motorway Pub coverage, including live interviews and a pint of real ale without either The announcement of Punch’s U-turn on the debt led by the BBC, with customers and being ripped off or going miles out now to hold further debt negotiations which may lead On the way home from a recent trip to new proposals that would be put to a meeting in to a slump on the already very low share price. Wetherspoon management. The of the way to get a decent meal and to Eastbourne by coach, our driver April. Punch's shares dropped 5% to 11.875p, thereby ban drink and driving campaigners a decent beer. announced that we were pulling In 2011 Punch parachuted in a restructuring expert, valuing the heavily indebted company at less had complained about the dangers into Beaconsfield services at Executive Chairman Stephen Billingham, to develop a than £80m. junction 2 on the M40 on the way of tempting drivers to drink, but David Williams 52 53 MerseyAle Credits Liverpool CAMRA Editor John Armstrong Branch Get Togethers [email protected] CAMRA A Campaign of Two Halves Layout Design Our ‘Get Togethers’ are held on the third Wednesday of each month Dennis W Jones and all members, plus people who are interested in becoming Photographs members or just finding out more about we do, are welcome to Neil Lloyd come along. They are held in different real ale venues each month, 16 www.neillloydphotography.co.uk and these are advertised in CAMRA’s national magazine, What’s [email protected] Brewing, here in MerseyAle and on our website handpumps Dennis Jones www.liverpoolcamra.org.uk Dave Halliwell They used to be called Branch meetings but we were conscious that Serving many people found this and the style of the meetings too formal. In 2011 we therefore decided to change both the title and the format Contributors Traditional Ales of the meetings with a view to encouraging more people to come Steve Berks along and providing opportunity for them to interact socially with Ciders and Perry Andrew Foster both the committee and other members and interested parties. Dave Goodwin Dave Halliwell Special Features A Traditional Neil Lloyd This has proved very successful. Most months we have a special feature to the evening. Last year, for example, we had two Meet the Bob Lockhart Friendly Pub with Brewer nights, two Heritage pub nights, a pub walk, a performance Helen McCall by the Love History, Love Real Ale players, a Chair’s quiz night and a Great Jean Pownceby an extremely popular Pub Games night. We have had Pub Games as Atmosphere, Jan Sorsby part of the Pubs Festival in 2012 (see MerseyAle, Spring 2013 edition) THE BEST CHOICE Real Fire Dave Williams and it was clear people wanted another! OF ALES IN Tony Williams ST HELENS! and an Ever We are conscious, however, that we are a ‘campaign of two halves’ and that the business aspect should not get lost in all the emphasis on the fun element. It is important that people are kept up to date Beer Festivals Changing range of Printed by with national and local issues and have the chance to contribute to Printfine, Liverpool throughout the year Real Ale the debate on these and get actively involved, if they wish. So this 0151 242 0000 will continue to happen at the beginning of meetings but will not www.printfine.co.uk A C AMRA REGIONAL A Runner-up for the dominate the whole evening. CAMRA So what is coming up for the social aspect in the next 2-3 months? Pub of The NATIONAL PuB OF THE YeAR YEAR Quiz and Get Together at The Old Bank South Road Waterloo Wednesday 19th March – 50 yards from Waterloo railway station Southport CAMRA across pelican crssing and turn left. This will feature a quiz by I Ian Garner 01704 876819 Branch member Kevin Toal, so do come along and join a team and Draught Continental Beers [email protected] test your brain power! I Tuesday - Quiz night 9-30 pm www.southportcamra.org.uk Wirral CAMRA See back cover for 40th Special Event and page I Thursday - Curry and Jazz Night Dave Hutchinson 01516 440625 27 for Beer and Buses [email protected] I I Cask Marque Good Beer Guide 2013 www.wirralcamra.co.uk wwwfacebook.com Open Mon & Tues 2-11 Wed - Sun 12-11 Isle of Man Branch Contact /CAMRAliverpool Angela Aspin 01624 491613 - We are now serving Quality mobile 07624 491613 @LiverpoolCAMRA Homecooked food [email protected] Trading Standards liverpoolcamra.org.uk Liverpool CAMRA MerseyAle Wednesday - Sunday. 0151 233 3002

Advertising in MerseyAle If you wish to place an advertisment you should contact us by May Edition Due out mid Opinions expressed in MerseyAle email at; [email protected] you can send in your May. Last Copy deadline Cooper St. St Helens Tel 01744 751289 are not necessarily those of the advert design and copy by attachment, or ask us about design. date Monday April 28th. Editor Liverpool Branch or CAMRA Cost is £100 per half page, £200 full page payment in advance. 54 55 Special 40th Anniversary Event On Wednesday 16th April 8pm at the Philharmonic Hotel Hope Street in the upstairs Dining Room which has been specially reserved for us.

We are having a special night as part of our 40th Victorian Society and is devoted to pub heritage and birthday celebrations (see article pages 11-15.). We pub preservation. He has written a forthcoming book are delighted that the original Branch Chair from 1974, titled ‘Inn Liverpool’; and last but not least, he can Bob Thurlow, will be coming along to talk to us. There regale people with many stories of outrageous pub will be a screen and projector for illustrating the talk. jaunts! Don’t miss the chance to hear him and to Bob opened our celebration evening at the Globe meet him and other people who have helped to build (see article) and he is an inspiring and entertaining CAMRA locally over the years. speaker. Moreover, he has a wealth of knowledge about the history of pubs in the city, including many Some come along and join in the 40th that have sadly disappeared. He was a member of the Anniversary Celebrations!

Liverpool CAMRA Coach Trips 12th July – Bishops Castle for the annual pubs festival. Bookings are now being taken 2nd August – West Yorkshire. Pontefract & for the following trips. Wakefield. 6th September – Staveley & Ulverston in Cumbria 12th April – Derbyshire Tour – this trip is nearly full – for their festival. enquire re seats available 10th May – Ludlow Shropshire for the SIBA beer To book email [email protected] festival and town pubs Cost £12. (£15 non CAMRA Members) Coach departs from opposite the Ship and Mitre Dale Street at 10am 7th June – Cumbria probably including Kirby returning there about 9pm Lonsdale, Dent and Kendal