White Lion, Pailton Saved by the Community
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
FREE Spring 2020 Magazine of the Rugby & District branch of CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale @rugby_camra @rugbydistrictcamra inntouch.camra.org.uk White Lion, Pailton Saved by the Community Now the hard work begins Follow their Journey on Page 8 and in future InnTouch editions Branch Diary & Events Inn Touch is designed and printed for Rugby & District CAMRA by The following events are open to all Catshill Design CAMRA members. Non-members are design.catshill.com welcome to attend social events. 2000 copies are Details are correct at the time of going distributed to pubs, bars and other to press. Please visit our website, outlets in and around Rugby rugby.camra.org.uk for up to date information. Find a local beer festival at Additional articles, online copies bit.ly/WestMidBEER including back copies and advertising rates are available from Branch Meetings inntouch.camra.org.uk Chairman Andy Imrie March 2020 [email protected] 6th-7th - Rugby & District CAMRA Vice Chair Richard Potter Beer Festival, Arnold House. See [email protected] website for details rugby.camra. org.uk/viewnode.php?id=95003 Secretary Malcolm Harding [email protected] Wednesday 18th - Branch Meeting at Raglan Arms, Rugby CV22 6AD from Treasurer Kevin Quealy 8:30pm Membership Secretary Mike Allsop April 2020 Beer Festival Organiser & Socials Steve Durrant Wednesday 15th - Branch Meeting at [email protected] Rugby Tap, Rugby CV21 3BY from 8:30pm Pubs/Clubs Officer Chris Pickard May 2020 Inn Touch Editor Gaynor Imrie [email protected] Wednesday 20th - Branch Meeting at Seven Stars, Rugby CV21 2SH from Webmaster Andy Imrie 8:30pm [email protected] Advertisements June 2020 [email protected] Wednesday 17th - Branch Meeting at Website inntouch.camra.org.uk Raglan Arms, Rugby CV22 6AD from 8:30pm Rugby & District CAMRA rugby.camra.org.uk Branch Social Events Citizens Advice consumer helpline 03454 040506 (Mon to Fri, 9am to Mystery Mini Bus trips - 5pm) First Come First Served CAMRA Ltd 230 Hatfield Road, St Contact Steve Durant 07969 199 135 Albans, AL1 4LW Tel: 01727 867201 Leave the Raglan Arms at 7:15pm The views expressed in articles are those of Friday 27th March, Friday 24th individual contributors and are not April, Friday 29th May, Friday 26th necessarily the views of the Rugby & District June, Friday 31st July Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale Ltd. Rugby & District CAMRA accepts no liability in relation to the accuracy of advertisements, readers must rely on their own enquiries. It should also be noted that acceptance of an advertisement in this publication should not be deemed an endorsement of quality by Rugby & District CAMRA. 3 25 Lutterworth Road, LE17 4JU Tel: 01455 203371 We pride ourselves on good ales, including our very own 'Daylight Robbery',a4.0% best bitter. Good food, 4.7 ratings on Facebook, 4.6 ratings on Trip Adviser withacertificate of excellence for two years running. Open Tue-Thu 17:00-23:00, Fri 15:00-00:00, Walcote Sat 12:00-00:00, Sun 12:00-20:00 THE SQUIRREL INN 33 Church Street, Rugby CV21 3PU 01788 578527 A small, independent and historic pub offering A long standing entry in the local and nationally brewed ales, real ciders and a CAMRA Good Beer Guide. warm welcome from the Squirrel Dream Team. Open Monday to Saturday from 12 noon Live music Wed & Sat and some Sundays and Sunday from 4pm. 4 Richard Potter Vice Chair Rugby & District CAMRA Bridgnorth in a Day A grey January day saw a King’s Head offered bus full of thirsty Rugby & Hobsons Twisted Spire, the District CAMRA members Golden Lion a Holden’s cross the river Severn and pub served Toffee Porter enter the town of which fortunately had no Bridgnorth, after a sharp left discernible taste of toffee turn we arrived at the and the Harp a Banks’s Severn Valley Railway (SVR) pub. The locals were station on the edge of the friendly and made several town. Though there were no recommendations for other trains running the SVR pubs to try, taking their volunteers were busy advice we descended back maintaining the steam towards the river via the railway’s facilities but we steep twisting cartway on had other things on our which was located the mind, so headed to the first Black Boy, the only pub port of call the left on the road which Railwayman’s Arms apparently used to be home located in one of the old View from the to over twenty! The board waiting rooms. A fine bank of Funicular Railway outside proclaimed they beer engines were a CAMRA award welcomed us and a winning pub so we quick pint of GWB’s entered and could soon Hambrook pale ale see why, it was very was consumed as we busy and served a good worked out a plan for range of beer from the day. which I tried the excellent dark Bewdley Bridgnorth’s town Severn Side Stout. centre is located on top of a hill which We completed our explains why it is descent back to river called High Town! The Bell & Talbot level and crossed to the This was presumably Black Horse and were a good defensive position in the days then left with a decision, should we when these things mattered but today head back up the hill for another one or caused a long line of drinkers huffing back to the start on the level path. The and puffing their way up. The reward, answer was back up hill but using the for those that made it, is a historic easy option of the funicular railway, this compact town centre with a good range gave great views out across the Severn of pubs which are rarely more than a and deposited us back in the town couple of minutes walk apart, and often centre. Next stop was the White Lion a lot closer. Due to Bridgnorth’s location which was originally the Hop and close to the Black Country the beer on Stagger brewpub, but the brewery has offer was a mixture of traditional now moved a few miles up the road and brewers (Bathams, Holden’s and it now acts as the tap. An excellent Banks’s) and newer more rural locals. scotch egg was washed down with the very good citrusy Strategic Blonde. The Bell & Talbot, a 19th century coaching inn, rewarded our climb with a We were now running late for our pick pint of Bathams Best Bitter, this up so rushed back to the SVR station traditional beer tastes slightly sweet by via a very modern looking foot bridge modern standards but is still a fine pint. leading directly to the station and The pubs then came quickly as we wishing we had more time to explore an headed to the high street and sensibly excellent drinking town. switched to halves, the slightly posher Ivan Farroll 6 Meet the Licensee The Bull, Sheep Street, Rugby This is a new feature to showcase Rugby well received & District pubs and clubs. If you are a by Andy’s licensee and would like to be included regular CAMRA please email the editor at members. [email protected] When you join CAMRA one of Andy Dunkley has been in the trade for the benefits is the last 25 years. He is passionate about £30 of his pub, customers and real ale. The Bull vouchers to forms part of a large number of pubs use in a year. owned by the Stonegate Pub Company. This pub The Bull has a range of activities and shows the key Photo: Chris Pearson events taking place during the week. sports events Tuesday - Pool Night, Thursday - Quiz on screens Night (with the prize being a £20 beer around the tab), Saturday - 70’s & 80’s disco. pub, but there The Bull has regular beers from Greene are quiet King, Timothy Taylors, Wadworth and sections if you Fullers and if any real ale drinkers just have a favourite - ask Andy and he want a will see if he can get the beer in chat and Andy behind the bar for you. chill. The Bull does accept your CAMRA Photo: Chris PearsonGo give it a try and enjoy the vouchers - this is a great move by warm welcome you will receive Stonegate Pub Company and is from Andy and his team. LIVE MUSIC FRIDAY & SATURDAY REAL ALES BREAKFAST SERVED LIVE SPORT THURSDAY,FRIDAY, SATURDAY,SUNDAY facebook.com/londoncallingrugby londoncallingrugby.co.uk CASTLE STREET, RUGBY CV21 2TP 7 Saving the White Lion, Pailton Episode One Pailton used to have numerous shops and pubs. Our last shop is now closed and the last remaining pub the White Lion, an old coaching inn, has been empty for about six years now. The building has fallen into disrepair. It is a grade II listed building, parts of which are possibly 16th and certainly 18th century. Pailton Parish Council (PPC) has just purchased the White Lion public house on behalf of the community of Pailton. It is a now community asset. In order to do this the “Save the experts. We have recently consulted with White Lion Committee” (set up by PPC) the community via a questionnaire as to delivered flyers to every household, what people would like the building to explaining that they were suggesting contain, e.g. pub, restaurant, shop, post purchasing the pub as a community hub office, cafe, accommodation, garden etc. in the heart of the village to benefit the We are also researching possible funding whole community.