Issue 51 – Winter 2012 FREE – Please take one

Newsletter of North Branch of CAMRA

100,000+ Sign Up For

shown in no small way by the Beer Petition overwhelming support for the escalator petition, which stood at Earlier this year CAMRA 105,751 on 25th November. launched a petition to raise Many thanks to those who took a debate in parliament about the time to sign the petition, but the high tax on beer in Britain, the job is only half done! Now and now it has hit its target you need to lobby your MP, don’t of 100,000 signatures (only 12 struggle to make ends meet. We assume someone else will do it e-petitions have ever reached were delighted when a motion and the more who do the better that total), CAMRA has planned for the Government to conduct a the message will get across. a mass lobby of Parliament on thorough review of the econom- The North Oxfordshire Branch 12th December to reinforce its ic and social impact of the esca- is laying on free transport to point. Coaches are laid on from lator was passed after the debate, London on 12th December all corners of the realm, includ- so we are now asking you to can- – to attend the rally contact ing North Oxfordshire, and we vass support from your local MP Chairman John Bellinger to book will carry news of this momen- to carry on the campaign. your place, now! tous event next issue. Pubs matter to the people of See online at http://www. The figure of 100,000 is signifi- this country and this has been saveyourpintlobby.org.uk/ cant as once reached it triggers an automatic debate in parlia- Andy Finds His Redemption In Beer ment. Tax on beer has risen by 42% since 2008 and is due to rise by 2% above inflation year on year, crushing pubs as they

Banbury Beer Festival Bar Manager Steve Lympany (front left) hands over the BBF ‘Beer of the Festival’ Award to Andy Moffat, brewer at Redemption Brewery, Tottenham, London. Redemption’s Trinity was voted the best beer by festival-goers at the 2012 BBF, which is amazingly full and tasty for a beer of just 3% ABV. See the Helpers’ Trip article on page 3. Visit the CAMRA North Oxfordshire Branch website – http://www.northoxoncamra.org.uk The Gate Hangs High , OX15 5DF 01608 737387 www.gatehangshigh.co.uk Three handpumps with Hooky, Old Hooky and a seasonal Hook Norton Ale A menu to suit all tastes and pockets Open every day from 12 noon Four en-suite letting rooms Facilities for camping Traditional Sunday Lunch Large secluded beer garden with ample parking A fine selection of wines and whiskies • Open log fire in winter • Dog friendly Recently reopened with a new menu and new faces. Why not pop in and give us a try!

2 Beer on Tap – Winter 2012 A Day In The City For BBF Helpers In a break from previous trips room corner pub off the main this year’s Beer Festival drag, with a high ceiling and a Helpers’ Trip made best use of bank of handpumps. Windsor & public transport, with groups Eton beers were in abundance coming from Banbury, Oxford, and I tried Eton Boatman and Charlbury and Heyford. We Kohinoor; both excellent. all met up at Seven Sisters We were then off again on a tube station for the bus ride to tube journey to the Holborn/ Northumberland Avenue and Clerkenwell area and the best a short walk to Redemption pub of the day, the Craft Beer Brewery. Co – another corner pub The brewery is on an indus- stunning, rich smooth moreish with high ceilings, this time trial estate in Tottenham and ale with a heavy hop flavour. adorned with mirrors. A bank Andy met us there with a choice Here the rest of the group of 16 handpumps faced us with of three excellent ales –Trinity, grabbed food from the Thai another 20+ fonts for interesting Urban Dusk and Big Chief. After menu and very good it looked foreign beers. 99 Red Baboons a quick tasting we were treated too. Brian was even stuck for had an interesting title so I had to a very interesting tour of the choice with vegetarian options! one, and very nice it was too. brewery, another drink and an Another bus ride took us to We had time for a few pints here informative Q&A session. Did The Abbey, which was holding before heading to the tubes and you know that Redemption took a beer and meat festival, so our our respective stations. its name from Andy’s career small offshoot group had a good I was leaving from Paddington change (previously a banker)? chat with the barman while we and the quick journey saw me at Having sought redemption enjoyed an Adnams Topaz (4%) there with 30 minutes to spare, in real ale he’s certainly brewed all round. It was then a short so it was up to the Mad Bishop some great beers and the reason walk to the next stop, Tapping and Bear, a very good Fuller’s we’d gone there was of course the Admiral. On enquiring we pub in there, for a swift half of to present the brewery with were told it refers to Admiral Milk Street Zig Zag stout before the Beer of Festival certificate Nelson who didn’t want to be the train journey home. for its Trinity. This was duly buried at sea, so his body was Thanks to Tim Wilkins for a done by BBF Bar Manager Steve kept in a barrel of brandy for the very successful helpers’ trip and Lympany, whose speech was return journey to . The remember if you’d like to help at mercifully short! crew would occasionally sneak the 2013 Banbury Beer Festival With the formalities over, a drink, which was ‘tapping the you’ll be eligible for a free place beers were drained and we start- Admiral’! This is a large one- on the next helpers’ trip. ed to drift away to the bus stop for a trip to Kentish Town to try CAMRA North Oxon Branch Contact List some north London hostelries. Arriving at Gospel Oak station Email addresses are followed by northoxoncamra.org.uk we had a short walk to our first CHAIRMAN John Bellinger PUBS OFFICER stop, the Southampton Arms – a Tel: 07427 677854 chairman@ Brian Wray pubs@ long narrow pub with the bar to VICE-CHAIRMAN SOCIAL SECRETARY the right as we entered and basic Paul Forrest vicec@ Eldon Taylor social@ PRESS & PUBLICITY CONTACT wooden furniture. The tiny gar- BRANCH SECRETARY den outside was full so we gath- Lynne Baldwin-Kramer Tim Wilkins press@ ered at a table at the rear of the Tel: 07790 118341 secretary@ PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER pub and supped from the range TREASURER Dick Palmer public@ Nick Faulkner YOUNG MEMBERS SECRETARY of ten ales and eight ciders. treasurer@ Jim Hopcraft young@ After a pint here and a bite MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY WEBMASTERS Martin Batts and to eat for most of us, we made Helen Jones membership@ our way to The Pineapple, a Geraint Jones webmaster@ BRANCH CONTACT BANBURY BEER FESTIVAL quick hike to the main part of ORGANISER town – a classily decorated pub Martin Batts contact@ Jerry Ward Tel: 07854 116408 bbf@ with a high ceilings and a bank BEER ON TAP EDITOR of handpumps. It was here that Trading Standards: Oxfordshire I had my beer of the day, Sharp’s Steve Lympany bot@ County Council, Electric Ave, Ferry Hayle Bay Honey IPA 6.6%, a Tel: 07811 667507 Hinksey Road, Oxford OX2 0BY Newsletter of CAMRA North Oxfordshire 3 Road Caulcott OX25 4ND Tel/fax: 01869 343257 This charming, thatched 16th century freehouse, in a peaceful, rural setting, offers four real ales (over 200 different ales annually) with White Horse Bitter ever present. An interesting and wide ranging menu is available lunchtime and evenings (not Sunday evenings and Mondays), served in the restaurant, bar or garden. Choose from the daily specials board or the speciality sausage menu offering 12 varieties of O’Hagan’s sausages. Small parties catered for; booking recommended No children under 10 years old Voted Pub of the Year 2010 by North Oxfordshire CAMRA www.horseandgroomcaulcott.co.uk Opening times: Mon-Sat: 12–3, 6–11; Sun: 12–3, 7–10.30 Jerome Prigent

4 Beer on Tap – Winter 2012 Branch News Saye & Sele Arms, the reopening event is too late bar manager and the proprietor Broughton for this magazine, we’ll have is Peter Creed. more details in the next edition. They are offering up to six Danny & Liz are now in their real ales with a mix of local and eighth year at this lovely sixteenth Red Horse, national breweries – three will century pub, named after Lord Shipton-u-Wychwood be regular ales while the others and Lady Saye & Sele who reside We believe that the Red Horse rotate as they sell out. Recently in the famous Broughton Castle. Donnington SBA, Spitfire, A warm welcome is guaran- has been bought by Wychwood Inns who have submitted plan- Doom Bar, and Old Hooky were teed and their choice of four ales joined by an excellent drop is always worth seeking out, with ning applications to move the bar and kitchen and extend the of Bath Barnsey and Roosters North Cotswold and Adnams Yankee. beers as well as Doombar and a pub. It is hoped that it will re- regularly changing guest ale and open sometime in the New Year. The Chequers, they are now giving card car- Quart Pot, rying CAMRA members a dis- Milton-under-Wychwood count on Monday and Tuesday. Landlord Jim Hopcraft has chal- The ales are complemented by It is understood that a planning lenged local MP and PM, David chef Danny’s varied menu of application appeal to turn this Cameron, to visit his fine hos- freshly made dishes that include once popular local pub into telry and answer some concerns his home made pastry proper housing has been rejected by the he has about the way the licens- pies! If you need a location for local council. However it is still ing trade is being handled by the your Christmas party then this closed and up for sale. government. could be the one for you and Horse & Groom, Caulcott At the time of going to press with 2013 nearly in view they he was still awaiting a response have a range of theme nights The Horse & Groom will now from No 10. As one of the best planned which can be found be closed on Monday evenings Fuller’s pubs for beer range the on their website. Though if the until further notice. It is also Chequers has been chosen to recent six-course gourmet din- hoped that Jerome’s successful trial a new beer called Traitor’s ner was anything to go by early Bastille Day beer fest will be Gate thought to be a 4.6% ruby bookings are recommended. held again in 2013, but more of beer. The Saye & Sele are now on this next edition. Jim has also arranged for Facebook, so check them out! some special ales to adorn his The Chequers, Churchill bar this yuletide with Fuller’s Blarney Stone, Banbury The Chequers re-opened early 1845, Golden Pride, Jack Frost, The Blarney Stone now does real November after being closed for London Porter and the very ale and Old Hooky was recently a while, with Frank Wildman as tasty Black Cab Stout all due to on offer. Although only available in pins it is hoped to get both handpumps working as trade increases. So get along and try Regulars at The out the latest Banbury pub offer- Chequers, Chipping ing real ale! Norton are probably not holding their Killingworth Castle, breath after landlord Wootton nr Woodstock Jim Hopcraft invited David Cameron over The opening of the branch’s for a chat about newest free house is set for the Government policy 1st December with a launch on the future of the party and a visit by Roger Protz licensed trade – but the day before. Because news of who knows?

Newsletter of CAMRA North Oxfordshire 5 6 Beer on Tap – Winter 2012 appear at some point between A warm welcome to the Branch to Zayna & now and the New Year. Will at the Black’s Head, Stop Press: The Chequers now gives CAMRA members a before or even on Christmas 5% discount on everything from Day. The festive season high- Sunday to Wednesday. light will be New Year’s Eve when The Inflatables will White Lion, Fewcott play a free gig. One not to Some very recent bad news is miss as it could be Tony & that the White Lion is currently Jacqui’s swansong. closed after falling victim to Pickled Ploughman, the dreadful floods which many parts of the country suffered from in late November. On a We continue to receive good recent visit apparently the car- reports about the recently pet in the bar was underwater. opened Pickled Ploughman, The rumour is that it will be where owners Kerr & Sarah closed for at least three months. have ditched their keg ales More details next issue. to concentrate on their four Black Boy, Milton cask ales instead. Reason enough to support this popular They have ‘curry and a pint’ Top chef Marco Pierre White outlet and try some of their nights and plan to host live music (MPW) has given the pub a excellent ales. with the third Thursday already makeover and it reopened to being folk night. They have quiz great acclaim in November. It The Mill, Kingham and darts teams and are looking sells two real ales, one is the We understand that The Mill to put together a pool team, so MPW-branded bitter brewed by will be reopening soon with if you’re handy with a cue, or are Lees of Manchester the other new landlords, who are locals. looking for somewhere to enjoy a was Adnams; and two ciders, Hopefully more next edition. good pint this could be the place. one is an MPW-branded cider, Black’s Head, Check them out at their new the other is from Weston’s. Bletchingdon website: www.blackshead.com. George & Dragon, On 1st October Zayna & Will Bell Inn, Adderbury took over at the Black’s Head. Hugo and his staff continue to do The village’s plan to buy the The pub has been totally redec- well here, running enterprising pub and use it as a centre for orated and the letting rooms theme nights and days. After cel- the community seems to have have been refurbished to a high ebrating Hugo and Jane’s birth- failed as we believe the George standard. The kitchen recently days on 14th October with all & Dragon has been sold to a received a 5-star rating from day opening, there was a Korean developer and has been ear- environmental officers. evening along with ‘Bellfest’ – a marked for ‘development’. It is Will was previously a teacher day of music acts – which saw not expected to be developed and Zayna a parenting instruc- enough ale drunk to require a as a pub! tor whose great-grandparents trip to the brewery to top up ran the Black’s Head in the 20s Fox, Westcott Barton supplies on Monday, to tide them and 30s (her grandmother was over to their next delivery. Shock news from the Branch’s born there) – so she has strong Pub of the Year as Tony & Jacqui connections to the pub and the Masons Arms, Fulbrook threaten to leave after a rent rise area. They currently serve three Reg & Marsha lodged an appli- by owners Enterprise. Locals real ales – Ramsbury Bitter and cation with West Oxfordshire have started a letter-writing Flintknapper are regulars and a District Council for change of campaign along with a petition. changing guest. use from public house to resi- With another successful beer It is open for breakfast 7–9am dential in September and the pub & music festival (see page 17) and lunch at 11am–2pm. It closed on the 28th October. Tony & Jacqui continue to serve opens for ales noon to midnight. They had planned to live in the great beer with plenty of local Dinner is 5–9pm except Sunday building whatever the outcome breweries’ ales seen on the bar. when a Sunday roast is available of the application, and change of There’s plenty of Christmas 12–4pm. Food is described as as use has now been granted. cheer planned over the fes- ‘pub grub’ with fish & chips on This very friendly local, which tive season with a great menu Fridays and venison pies making always served a good pint of for those seeking a bit of a do it onto the main menu. Hooky, will be sorely missed. Newsletter of CAMRA North Oxfordshire 7 8 Beer on Tap – Winter 2012 White Horse, Banbury The team at the newly reopened Three Pigeons, Banbury Folk music night is now a regular feature on the second Thursday of the month at the pub. Food wasn’t avail- The first night was in able until the start of November and will hopefully December, but a sam- grow as word gets round, so ple menu shows there another great reason to pop will be a high quality, along for a swift half! good choice of food. As the pub is dog Three Pigeons, Banbury friendly, I’ll have to This old thatched pub in the start teaching mine heart of Banbury opened after a the way home from major refit on 22nd November. here! This is a promising start but food will be initially only be New owners Paul & Tina Laird to what I’m sure will become available Thurs, Fri & Sat eve- have done a marvellous job of a welcome addition to the nings and Sun lunchtime whilst the renovations. The pub has lots Banbury pub scene, and I look trade builds and work on the of small rooms with comfy chairs forward to drinking many more kitchen progresses. and tables for drinking and eat- pints here. Three handpumped beers ing and the olde worlde charm The Plough, from the Wadworth’s stable are has been enhanced with wood available – Henry’s IPA and 6X panelling in some of these areas. A warm welcome to Jean Hill as standard, with Swordfish as With six hand pumps, they & Malcolm Hellyar, who have the current third option. If you currently sell Sharp’s Doom Bar, taken the reins of The Plough. want an excuse to visit, check This two-room pub with a Timothy Taylor Landlord and out the Pub Walk this issue. Purity Ubu, but they plan to traditional ‘jug & bottle’ hatch have six ales on for the summer, was home to a microbrewery at least one of which will be a until 2004 before joining the Branch Diary LocAle. Beers are looked after by Wadworth’s estate. It has seen All meetings start 8pm, other events General Manager Paul Berryman a number of tenants come and start as shown. Socials contact: Lynn go over recent years and whilst Baldwin (07790) 118341. and were in great condition. The DECEMBER choice will be led by customers, Jean & Malcolm have only via personal requests and social taken it for a trial period, ini- Sat 8th: Branch Christmas Social, networking tools, (see www. tial trade saw them having to a festive soirée around the pubs thethreepigeons.com for details). borrow ale from the Coach & of (festive dress The pub has three 5-star bed- Horses in Adderbury to meet optional), meet at Deddington rooms in the old barn adjoin- demand, so here’s hoping their Arms, 5.00pm. ing the building, which are stay is long and successful. Weds 12th: Lobby of Parliament offered on a B&B basis, with Opening hours are 12–3 and (coach travel arranged FREE) rates around £100 per night. 6–11 daily, and 12–12 Fri & Sat, JANUARY Mon 14th: Committee Meeting, Rock of Gibraltar, Enslow Meet The Brewer Event At Mon 7th: Banbury Beer Festival Planning Meeting, The Bell, The Penny Black, Banbury Mon, 21st: Branch Meeting As part of National Cask Ale hops and chewed on the malt (GBG entries), Olde Reindeer, Week, the Penny Black in that distinguishes the variety of Banbury Bicester held a Meet the Brewer ales that are available from the FEBRUARY evening – featuring James Hooky brewery. Samples of Old Clarke, Head Brewer and MD Hooky and Cotswold Lion, just Sat 9th: Branch Social, visiting two of the range of beers avail- North Oxfordshire’s favourite of Hook Norton Brewery, along pubs with his Sales Director Adam able, were offered around with Mon 11th: Committee Meeting, Windsor – which also featured many non-ale drinkers in the The Sun, Hook Norton as a North Oxon Branch Social. pub expressing surprise at ‘how MARCH We were treated to an enter- good they tasted’! taining chat with James, who The Branch also held a Sat 16th: Branch Meeting/ explained the brewing process recruitment event alongside the Social. POTY Count at The Bell, at the Hook Norton Brewery, main activities of the evening Banbury (11.00am) followed by our local independent family and added to the growing num- a trip to Reading by train brewery, of which he is the sixth ber of members living in or near Check Branch website for late events & changes generation. We also smelled the Bicester. Newsletter of CAMRA North Oxfordshire 9 Beer Festival Equipment Hire of Barrel stillage, cooling, taps, bars, etc. Barrel (9gl) Stillages/Racking, traditional wooden 2 x 9gl, 12 x 9gl Tel: Taps, Chiller Saddles & Insulation Jackets Chillers Remote • Handpumps 07770 Bar units – 2 metre long and flooring 938300 Photos and a very competitive price list are Based available on the website near Web: www.beerfestivalequipment.co.uk Bicester Email: [email protected]

10 Beer on Tap – Winter 2012 Douglas Bader Having A Beer With Von Richtofen

hat. Now let me treat such hon- but zey had to contend with the oured customers to a glass of vonderful lift of ze Fokker. I gave my finest Hook Norton beer! them … what you British say … ze run for their money! Bader: I say, that’s jolly decent of you, Mick. You certainly know Bader: Well now, chaps, we won’t how to make a chap welcome. argue about it, eh what? It’s jolly Well, Red Baron, here’s to good to be drinking with you, many a fine skirmish in the sky, old boy, especially in Mick’s Bader: I keep hoping that these eh what? spiffing pub and drinking some ghostly visits are actually re- Richtofen: Yes, my friend, here I damned fine English beer. None incarnation, but no such bally raise my glass of zis English ale to of your continental muck you luck! Just another fleeting ze German army who provided me notice Baron? spectral visit! Spectral artifi- with ze magnificent machine, ze Richtofen: Ah well, mein herr, you cial legs as well! Fokker Triplane, a truly vunderful British act so superior with your so- Richtofen: Not to worry Douglas steed to ride through ze sky, and called real ale, but you under-esti- mein herr, it is a splendid thing also for my Flying Circus! mate ze marvellous German beers. to be meeting you in zis way in Bader: Well, my dear old Hun, Zey are not all lagers you know! a public house, even if ve are ze I have to say that I think I had Mick the Hat: Well, Baron, I ghosts. We can drink many fine even more fun with my mono- would agree with that. I’ve English beers and tell each other plane, the good old Spitfire drunk some fine beers across the some heroic tales of ze air, you with its Merlin engine. A chap channel, but, I think you will must agree. couldn’t find anything more agree, my Hook Norton beer, Bader: Well, we could never manoeuvrable than that. which I serve straight from the have met in real life, or even Richtofen: Let us have another of barrel, takes some beating. locked horns in a jolly old bat- these Hook beers. Two more of Bader: Well spoken that man, your English pints please Mr Hat, if English beer through and tle, but it’s a good show when you vould be so kind. us legends can share the con- through, and served in what vivials, eh what? Mick the Hat: Baron, please call must be one of the finest public I must say, Manfred old fel- me Mick. I’ve never been called houses left in Oxfordshire, and low, this room is well set out Mr Hat before! Now, you talk by a true Englishman to his about that Fokker Triplane, but for chaps like us, makes me core, mine host Mick. didn’t you find yourself out- Richtofen: I vill give ze English feel as if I’m back in the for- classed by one of those Sopwith ‘Cheers’ to that my good friends, ties. I say, landlord, old bean, Camels? I’m only telling you even though we were fighting for what’s the name of this hos- what I read about it. different nations in the air, ve can telry? Richtofen: You English were so be ze good old pals in the English Mick the Hat: Gentlemen, proud of your Camel, hah! All I alehouse. Cheers! I welcome you both to the can say is zat my record flying my Peyton Arms at , Albatross and my Fokker takes Bader and Mick: Cheers! and you can call me Mick the some beating. Ze Camel proved Look out for ‘Wallander have a beer with Hat, because I always wear a more manoeuvrable eventually, Frost’ in the next issue Second North Oxon Branch Cider Producer Starts Up received at local beer festivals through pubs and beer/cider has encouraged him to increase festivals, and he believes this will The Barton Cider Company was production to 700 litres and to allow Barton Cider Company to incorporated in July 2012 to ‘go commercial’. grow organically. enable cider maker Kevin Isaac, The cider is traditional This year’s harvest and press- to sell his cider. English farmhouse-style dry ing was six weeks later than Previously Kevin donated his cider made from a blend of usual (normally maturation is at small production to charity or local apples and fermented and least eight months). However, has given it away (though he matured in stainless steel and we’re hoping the first opportu- did drink some himself). Kevin glass vessels. Kevin’s signature nity to try their new production comes from an old Devon fam- cider, Golden Bough (7.5% abv), will be at Banbury Beer Festival, ily so should have cider in his will be continued by Barton 9–11th May 2013. blood. He began making cider Cider Company, along with A website is under construc- seriously in 2008 following a some new blends. tion but we’ll also report any huge apple harvest from his Based in Middle Barton, Kevin news about this exciting new own trees. Positive feedback hopes to sell mainly locally venture here in Beer on Tap. Newsletter of CAMRA North Oxfordshire 11 The at Westcote Barton Tel: 01869 340338Fox ­­­­­Inn www.the-fox.co.uk

NORTH OXFORDSHIRE CAMRA BRANCH PUB OF THE YEAR 2012

Seeing Out The Live Music Every “Pub Of The Year” Weekend up to Year Christmas in Style! with a free live Christmas Party INFLATABLES Dates still available

performance and Christmas

on New Year’s Day Eve

n Up to Five Real Ales n Homemade Food served every day n Sunday Roast 12.00–3.00pm n Regular Live Music n Quiz Nights Wednesday n Large Suntrap Garden

12 Beer on Tap – Winter 2012 but there are a number of slight- Why Do We Drink Beer? ly more ‘rational’ answers which help to justify the habit. It may seem a stupid question • ‘Getting drunk on beer is a Beer, in moderate and regular to ask, but the answers are not great pleasure’ quantities, is genuinely good for as obvious as you may think! • ‘I’ve always drunk beer’ you. After all, there are lots of • ‘I love that full feeling with a Beer has a high water content things in life that you can drink, stomach full of beer’ compared to many other alco- and beer is only one of them. • ‘the flavours are so varied’ holic drinks, and this helps to If you asked the question • ‘It’s so much better than water’ disperse the alcohol around the ‘Why do you drink beer?’ to a • ‘It isn’t fattening’ body in the least harmful way. group of people, here are some • ‘It’s legal and you can enjoy Beer is a safe way of quenching of the answers you might get: life’ the thirst, and, in the past, was • ‘…..because I’m thirsty’ • ‘I can get together with all my friends’ considered safer than drinking • ‘it makes me feel good’ water as the alcohol content • ‘I like to drink beer with my • ‘If you stick to beer it doesn’t make you ill’ killed any microbes, as did the mates’ long boil the beer undergoes in • ‘I love the taste and I like to The truth is hidden some- the brewing process. drink lots of it’ where among all those answers, Being legal, and served in pub- lic houses, beer provides a won- derful vehicle for getting together Beers We Have Tapped with friends. We’ve now had both the 50th pubs appeared. The pub culture Beer is available all over the Beer on Tap and the 40th volume was successively hit by drink- world in various forms and of the Good Beer Guide. These, driving laws, the smoking ban, strengths. and many more beer guides high taxation, high rents, and I think back to when I first and books, have been filling my cheap drink in supermarkets, started drinking. I was in my bookshelves since I first joined resulting in today’s unprecedent- teenage years in Oxford in the CAMRA in 1974, and now ed rate of pub closures. 50s. When you went to a party, would seem to be a good time to So, what now? The obvious which was most weeks, what ‘do something more with them’. thing seems to be to prepare did you do? You went to the off- I’ve long harboured the fancy a booklet giving the results of licence and bought the cheapest that I could start a file on every the research, pub by pub, but bottle of wine available (about mention of every North Oxon a few tasks remain before that 20p in today’s money …) and so pub in every CAMRA publica- can be undertaken. There was a did everyone else! The conse- tion over the 40 years. Sounds short period (1975–1983) when quence of this, as I quickly found easy – but, after many months, I CAMRA published guides to out, was that you got ill very am only now coming to the end Real Ale in Oxfordshire: I have quickly, drinking this gut-rotting, of the first stage of the project. the first and last of these, but so-called, wine. It wasn’t long The result is a 70-page file that can anyone lend me the 2nd and before I caught on to a shrewd lists everything – town by town 3rd editions of 1977 and 1979? ploy. On arrival at the party, I and pub by pub – with all the Were any other Oxfordshire deposited my appalling bottle of guide entries and news items guides published after 1983? the cheapest wine in the kitchen in chronological order. There is There then followed a sort of and looked for any beer in sight. also a supplementary 30-page ‘Dark Ages’ where little info is This came in various forms, file giving details of all the beers available, other than the national sometimes bottled, or in giant that have been mentioned. GBG, until Beer on Tap appeared seven pint cans, or tinned. This 40 years is a long time, and in 2000. Many pubs listed in the was a much better drink. I could both the pub and beer scenes old county guides vanish with- enjoy a drink and still remain have changed out of all recogni- out trace (though some doubt- upright enough to enjoy the party tion. In the 70s and 80s the pub less survived under different and get home without being ill. world was dominated by tied names), and it would be good houses run mostly by Morrells, to account for all of those. And This was the start of my love Morlands, Bass-Worthington going back to pre-CAMRA days, for beer. It provided a consist- (which included M&B and does anyone have a copy of the ency of quality, the pleasures of Charrington), and Allied (which second edition of Oxfordshire alcohol, and got me home in one included Ind Coope and Halls of and Buckinghamshire Pubs by piece.. Oxford). Our own Hook Norton John Camp, supposedly pub- It sometimes helps to ask your- Brewery is the only constant fea- lished in 1969? Cheers! self a question in life. ture throughout. Dave Shirt I wonder why you drink beer? In the 90s pubcos and gastro- [email protected] Geoff Clifford Newsletter of CAMRA North Oxfordshire 13 GODDARDS LANE, CHIPPING NORTON OX7 5NP 01608 644717 • www.chequers-pub.com

Regular quiz night, live music and other happenings 6 TOP QUALITY ALES FINE WINE DELICIOUS FOOD Our restaurant and barn can be booked for meetings and parties 5% discount on everything for CAMRA members with card Sunday–Wednesday

A TRADITIONAL ENGLISH PUB NEXT DOOR TO THE THEATRE

GREAT TEW OXFORDSHIRE

Email: [email protected] Tel. 01608 683653 Food is served daily in the bar 12–2.30pm utu Dog friendly utu The restaurant is open in the evenings Situated in the village of Great The Falkland6.30–9 pm ArmsTew, The Falkland Arms is the quin ­tessential 16th century Eng- utu lish country pub. Featuring up to Open all day seven real ales, traditional cider, utu country wines, and a large selec- tion of whiskies served in a friendly Accommodation atmosphere, it also has a beer garden available overlooking the Great Tew estate. Website: www.falklandarms.co.uk

14 Beer on Tap – Winter 2012 Six Things For Organisers Not To Do

At A Beer Festival dium rock at maximum ampli- fication I’ll go to a stadium. The With at least one beer festival why the diameter of a ‘straight’ tribute act that you’ve secured every week during summer glass appears to be greater at to entertain your customers within a 10-mile radius of home, the mouth than the base … it’s is not there to make their ears it seems like happy times for the because it is. Ensure you explain bleed. You’ve provided them drinker, less so for the publican to your bar staff that the half- with a venue and an audience: or charity organiser faced with pint point is therefore more than they need you more than you stiffer competition. Winning halfway up the glass. need them. So you’re allowed to that competition depends on Inventing money but forget- adjust the volume. what they do (serving beer in ting to invent change Insufficiently bland food excellent condition in a friendly If you decide to use tokens or There’s little point in issuing a manner is a good start) but also printed sheets, recognise that what they don’t do. This article programme referring to the apri- your customers will want to cot notes or the toast flavour or identifies six practices likely cash in their unused credits on to discourage customers, all the aromas of oranges of the lov- leaving your virtual world (see ingly-crafted beers that you’ve encountered in June and July at Banbury Beer Festival for how local festivals. carefully selected, then limiting it’s done). Issuing £10 sheets food options to Chicken Madras Hefty entry fees and of vouchers with no facility for glass charges or hot chilli that overwhelm change deters the customer who those delicate flavours. There is I’ll pay an entry fee for char- doesn’t intend to stay long, or a reason why Indian restaurants ity, or for a non-pub venue. I’ll who wants just one more pint sell Kingfisher and Cobra. Bread, just about pay a deposit against but won’t pay £10 for the pleas- cheese, pasta and chunky chips returning a glass intact (as long ure. Do you want their business will be fine, thanks. as it really is glass), but I won’t or not? One festival I visited was free pay more than the price of a Over-amplification of these practices. I spent £40. pint for entry, and I won’t pay I like ‘Roxanne’ and ‘Whiskey Another perpetrated most of for a polycarbonate glass I’ve in the Jar’ as much as the next them: I spent £20. Think on no intention of taking home. person, but if I want to hear sta- that, landlords. Furthermore, an entry fee penal- ises the moderate drinker. If beer is £3.30 a pint, a £3 entry Recent Pub Scores And Scorers fee raises the price of a pint to £4.80 for someone drinking two Top 10 scorers pints and £3.80 a pint for some- Name From Count Average Min Max one consuming six. John Bellinger Branch 18 3.63 1.5 4.5 Putting a price premium on Paul Beasley Branch 12 2.57 0 3.75 half-pints Jim Sargeant NBSS 11 3.19 2 4 Alan Mitchell Branch 11 3.58 2.5 4.75 You’ve gone to some effort to Richard Palmer Branch 11 3.53 2.25 4.5 offer a dozen or more beers to Andrew Thomas NBSS 10 3.17 2 4 attract people to your festival. Brian Wray Branch 10 3.47 3 4.25 Stephen Lympany Branch 9 3.75 3.3 4.6 Your customers want to honour David Hill NBSS 8 2.87 2 4 that effort by trying several Paul Forrest Branch 7 3.63 3 4 different brews. So why price halves at £1.90 when a pint is Top 10 pubs Score Average Min Max £3.40, or £1.80 when the pint is Name Count Score Score Score £3.20? It comes from the same Bell Inn, Lower Heyford 3 4.33 3 5 barrel, whichever quantity is Mill Arts Centre, Banbury 1 4.25 4.25 4.25 drunk. Hardly an encourage- Fox Inn, Westcote Barton 2 4.21 4 4.5 ment to responsible drinking. Rose & Crown, Charlbury 2 4.12 3.5 4.5 Delivering scant measures Penny Black, Bicester 8 4.09 3 5 Fox Inn, 4 4.03 3.5 4.25 Using lined glasses and filling Masons Arms, Swerford 1 4 4 4 them generously wins good- Butchers Arms, 1 4 4 4 will. In the absence of lines, Tite Inn, Chadlington 2 4 3.75 4.5 remember that there is a reason White Horse, 1 3.92 3.75 4

Newsletter of CAMRA North Oxfordshire 15 Banbury’s Newest The White Horse at Banbury Cross Cask Ale Pub Up to 10 Real Ales

Home Cooked Food with local produce

50–52 North Bar Street, Banbury OX16 0TH

Tel: 01295 277484

16 Beer on Tap – Winter 2012 Round-up Of Some Recent Festivals Lyn pours a Puddle Duck at Live music was of the highest The Bell, Lower Heyford Beer calibre with a rare acoustic set Festival for the Inflatables as one high- best weather of the point, the other was the upbeat weekend and though rock ’n’ roll of the Hellcats. not as busy as last A truly great weekend of year it was still a very music and beer and one which I busy day for the staff. hope will be here next year (Ed’s As with last year I note: … or maybe not!). found myself on the The Trigger Pond Annual wrong side of the bar on the Sunday, Beer & Cider Festival working on the ‘Ale The pub had a marquee set up Bar’. Fortunately, I in the beer garden to house the had tried most of the 15 ales and 12 ciders on offer. beers available before This left the pub to serve non- The Bell, Lower Heyford the Sunday. The beer festival festival drinkers and diners as Beer festival comprised 12 beers (as one usual. There was no particular theme Back to its usual slot of the never turned up) across the full to the well-kept beer selection, weekend after the August Bank range of styles and strengths, coming from a diverse range of holiday, Lyn organised another colours and flavours. breweries; including well known outstanding festival. Trade was brisk and the ones like Everards, Greene King, A steady Friday led to a manic first to run out was the Hooky Caledonian, Young’s, Marstons, Saturday helped by the appear- Cotswold Lion, quickly followed Thwaites and, of course, ance of the excellent Darwin’s by Thwaites Half Nelson. Two XT beers sold well with the Wadworth (the Trigger Pond Wish who played their music set amazing XT5 beer of festival for being a Waddie’s house) and and rocked the Bell! me though it was tight run with some lesser known – such as the I made it over on Sunday for the Thwaites. Kite Brewery, Carmarthenshire a few hours and the beers had and Island Ales from the Isle already started to run out with of Wight. The ciders & perrys Rat Race from Blackwater hav- came from several producers: ing already gone. I was helping Westons, Hereford, Thatchers out, well sort of hindering really, and six from the Original Cider but after Lyn managed to prise Company. me out from behind the bar I This festival is the first I have had a quick half of the excellent been to which combined the Great Yorkshire Pale, a very tasty traditional (the ales & ciders), 3.8% pale ale followed by the with the bang-up-to-date in the passion fruit perry which Lyn Jordan serving at the bar at The Fox form of a webcam and a live strongly recommended and a top recommendation it was too! Again another top beer festival from one of the Branch’s top pubs, one to check out next year. Fox Inn, Westcote Barton Beer and Music Festival Another weather-defying extravaganza from the Branch’s Pub of the Year. The beer fes- tival ran over August Bank Holiday from Friday to Monday, but the main focus was the Sunday when Tony ran his annual music festival. A large crowd enjoyed the The crowds at The Fox, Westcote Barton Beer Festival

Newsletter of CAMRA North Oxfordshire 17 The Rock of Gibraltar Enslow Bridge, , Bletchingdon OX5 3AY Tel: 01869 331373

Christmas Menu Two courses Available every day for lunch or dinner from 1st to 30th £16.00 December (except 25th December when we are closed for our family celebration) Three courses Starters – all served with bread and butter £19.50 • Spicy roast parsnip soup Children under 12 • Smoked salmon, crab and avocado pot half price • Game terrine with toast • Roasted beetroot and goat’s cheese salad Mains – all served with roasted parsnips and a selection of vegetables in season Large groups welcome – • Roast turkey with roast potatoes and all the trimmings book for 12 people • Roast beef, roast potatoes and Yorkshire pudding and the organiser • Slow roasted pork. apples & peppers with herby mash dines free • Pesto and olive crusted fresh cod with new potatoes (8% service charge will be • Festive vegetable filo tart filled with butternut squash, added to the bill) cranberries, walnuts and blue cheese, served with roast potatoes Puddings and cheese We can cater for large • Christmas pudding with brandy sauce parties of up to 60 people • Double chocolate cheesecake with cream – with a choice of the • Sticky pear and ginger pudding with custard full Christmas menu or • Raspberry Cranachan trifle celebration buffet. • Cheese board (£2 supplement) Stilton, Red Leicester and Mature Cheddar with choice of biscuits or bread with Please ask for details butter & full selection of trimmings Filter coffee or tea served with mince pies (£1.50) The Rock of Gibraltar Canal side pub, restaurant and tea room Enslow Bridge, Nr Bletchingdon, Oxon OX5 3AY Tel: 01869 331373 e-mail: [email protected] www.therockofgibraltar.co.uk Proprietors: Faith and Stamatis

18 Beer on Tap – Winter 2012 Twitter feed (following the hash Squadron Leader Tim Briggs was tag #triggerpond), both displayed about to get married, so mates on a large TV screen above the came from all over the country to help him celebrate! Woof! Woof! stillage. The technology ‘failed’ us, however, when we took a Steve had a BBQ going food break in the restaurant and and a really nice pie and tried to order a couple of beers mash. There was live using Twitter – but when we music on each day, from turned up at the marquee to pay folk singer Holly Perkins; for the beer, it wasn’t ready as the Paul Drummond with people serving hadn’t noticed our his banjo and the White tweet! Another great idea was the Horse’s very own chef, ability to vote on the beers via Jake, who can sing and text, with results being displayed play guitar as well as he live on the TV screen. can cook. were Castle Rock, Nottingham, A further innovation was the For me, the beer of the festival Springhead and Blue Monkey. ability for anyone with an iPhone was the Bristol Beer Factory’s A pleasure at this venue is to to become a virtual DJ by choos- Acer at 3.8% ABV which was take a walk outside, on different ing the music being played, via golden and hoppy. This was a levels, to listen to some excellent Apple Remote. This led to some well organised festival and I hope groups playing at the bandstand, well known songs being aired Steve will put on many more in or to take in the view across and a good amount of beer- the future. the City then down to the Olde fuelled singing from the very Trip to Jerusalem and other fine good natured crowd. Nottingham Beer Festival buildings directly below. We had a great evening and Held in the splendid grounds of We bumped in to some inter- will certainly be returning next Nottingham Castle in October, esting people there, including year. Thank you Trigger Pond. this huge Beer Festival is worth some RAF guys dressed as dogs, The White Horse, Banbury a mention. This year, they broke and had some great conversa- Beer Festival the world record for the most tions. If you fancy a change from real ales available at a festival as the Great British Beer Festval This was both the White Horse it had over a thousand! next year, or just visit festival pub’s and Steve’s first beer fes- It featured all breweries within of note, I strongly recommend tival, so Steve had help with 20 miles of the festival with ales Nottingham on 9–12 October sourcing the beers from Alan of from over 500 breweries. It is a 2013. Hope to see you there! the White Horse Brewery. They really popular event, and I was Geoff Clifford chose beers from the south-west glad I booked tickets in advance (but not the usual Tribute and via the internet. This meant that BEER FESTIVAL DIARY Doom Bar) and in all they had I got a good price and also could JANUARY 22 ales, from breweries such as enter early on the Saturday. Bristol Beer Factory and Exe 23–26: CAMRA National Winter The beers were in excellent Ales Festival, Manchester Valley Brewery plus a couple of condition and not a drop was Sheridan Suite. 300 + real ales cask ciders. The ales were served wasted of my 24 third-of-a-pint ciders and foreign beers. See from the bar’s 10 pumps as well glasses. Since the demise of http://nwaf.org.uk/ as a separate area, where they Nottingham’s big breweries it 25–27: Rose & Crown, Charlbury were served straight from the is amazing how many micro- Winter Beer Festival. Around cask. breweries have sprung up in 20 real ales plus four ciders/ the region since perrys. Food available Fri/Sat evening plus Sat afternoon (CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide lists MAY 27 breweries in 9–11: CAMRA BANBURY Nottinghamshire BEER FESTIVAL. 90 Real ales and 38 in plus cider and entertainment neighbouring JULY Derbyshire). Among 26–28: Fox, Souldern Beer the larger ones Festival. details to be finalised Faye and Nina, serving OCTOBER at the bar at the 9–12: CAMRA Nottingham Beer White Horse, Banbury Festival. 1000+ real ales and Beer Festival ciders

Newsletter of CAMRA North Oxfordshire 19 Road Trip Round New England: The

Vermont Brewers Beer Festival, Planning Burlington VT I have always been led to believe that wedding anniver- The early itinerary saries are important events, consisted of three bars, and that the bigger the number six breweries and 25 the more important it is. So it brewpubs. But this was would have to be something to change many times spectacular to celebrate a 30th. over the months as other Planning began well in places of interest were advance, 12 months to be pre- discovered. cise. The decision was taken These other places of inter- propelled? A good enough rea- to spend two weeks touring est were railroads and they son for the change of route! around New England, and it were on our preferred route. Not so fast, there are other would be in May. The adventure There was a tram museum considerations, not least get- took a positive turn when I dis- in Kennebunkport, a narrow ting there and driving around. covered the Good Beer Guide to gauge railway in Portland and Flights were searched for and New England compiled by Andy a full size railway in Conway, booked, likewise a car. I wanted Crouch. This gave new meaning New Hampshire. Well, beer and a Ford Mustang but settled for to our holiday. No longer would trains go together, don’t they? a Dodge Charger. And visas. it be just a road trip, it would This was beginning to be a They won’t let you in without now be a pub crawl! major logistical pub crawl. a visa waiver. Oh, and most A route was drawn up. Start- More brewpubs and brewer- importantly, tickets for the beer ing in Boston we would head ies were discovered; the itiner- fest! north to Portland in Maine, ary went through many changes The cost of these came as a then across New Hampshire to as some were added and some shock. $30 each for a four-hour Burlington in Vermont, down were deleted. session! 17:30 to 21:30. For through Vermont to Brattleboro The next significant change this you get entry (obviously) and finally east across was the discovery that there a free festival tasting glass and Massachusetts back to Boston. was a cog railway (built in 15 beer vouchers. Each tasting, Then came the first of many 1868 and the oldest in the because that’s all it is, is just alterations to the itinerary. We world) running to the top of three US ounces. If the beer is found there was to be a beer Mount Washington in New under 8% it costs one voucher festival in Burlington during Hampshire. Initially it was and if it is over 8% it costs two July. This had to be included! deemed to be too far off our vouchers. I’ll not complain Accommodation was the route, but, hey, you can’t miss about entry charges to beer first priority and suitable B&Bs such an opportunity. At 6,288 festivals here and I’ll certainly were found in the above cit- feet above sea level and a train go and enjoy the GBBF at £6 for ies and provisionally booked ride to the top it just had to the day and beer by the pint! only to find that the beer fest be done. The modification to A final check showed eve- was scheduled for later in the the route saw several watering rything to be in order. The month. Hurried emails to the stops deleted, but I was sure final itinerary now boasting B&Bs ensured a change of date it would be worth it. Did I say eight bars, 12 breweries, 21 with no problems. that the first train out in the brewpubs, three railroads and, So now we had somewhere to morning at 08:30 was steam of course, one beer festival. sleep over and a raison d’être. Only time will tell how many But what to do in between? we get to visit! But it’s going to With the aid of the GBGNE it be great fun trying. was easy to decide. Although the Just the packing to do … book was five years out of date In the meantime I shall there were plenty of brewpubs peruse the list of available beers and breweries listed that could and make my 15 choices. be checked out on the Internet. Douglas & Raili Rudlin So it was a doddle to plot a Note: Douglas and Raili’s article course between A & B & C, etc., on their trip is now online at without getting thirsty. Mount Washington Cog Railway www.scribd.com/doc/110805653 20 Beer on Tap – Winter 2012 www.roseandcrown.charlbury.com Email: [email protected] Market Street Charlbury Oxon OX7 3PL Tel: 01608 810103 OPEN – Sun-Fri: Noon–1am Sat: 11am–1am • Up to seven quality real ales, two FORTHCOMING LIVE MUSIC EVENTS traditional ciders and a traditional perry See www.myspace.com/theroseandcrownpub as there are sometimes gigs at short notice • Hoegaarden Belgian White Beer, Leffe Blonde plus the rare Bavarian Schlenkerla Sat 15 Dec CLAUDE BOURBON www.claudebourbon.org Smoked Beer on draught Sat 12 Jan JAMES HOLLINGSWORTH • Good selection of English fruit wines Pink Floyd Tribute Night www.jameshollingsworth.com • Pleasant courtyard drinking area • We serve on average 40 different guest WINTER BEER beers per month, produced mostly by FESTIVAL 2013 microbreweries from all four Fri, Sat & Sun corners of the UK January 25–27 20 real ales + ciders/perrys North Oxon CAMRA Pub of the Year 2002, 2003, 2006 & 2009

Celebrating 26 continuous years in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide

Church St, Stratton The Red Lion Audley, Bicester, PUB & RESTAURANT OX27 9AG , Oxfordshire Tel: 01869 www.redlionstrattonaudley.co.uk 277225 A warm and inviting thatched country pub and restaurant. The open log fires and traditional pub fayre create a homely atmosphere for casual or formal dining in the main dining area or in one of two private rooms seating up to 16 or 45 (more if buffet style). We have an enclosed traditional courtyard garden with facilities for barbeques in the summer and dining outdoors which can be booked for private functions with the use of a marquee. Most of our food is locally produced and everything on our menu is cooked freshly to order so we are able to accommodate any special requests for variations. Our Specials board is updated on a daily basis. Our range of drinks includes traditional cask ales – Ruddles, Deuchars and Spitfire – along with other beers and a wide range of wines (see our wine list online for more details). The Red Lion has regular Live Entertainment events – check the special events section of our website for further details. Opening times: 12 noon until late every day. Food times: Noon–2.30pm and 6.00pm–9pm Mon–Sat, Noon–4pm Sunday. Proprietor: Frank O’Neill

Newsletter of CAMRA North Oxfordshire 21 The Stereotypical CAMRA Member How many times have you heard little distorted in the same way. want to find out more about CAMRA members described Next time you’re in a pub with their favourite real ales. It takes using words such as, ‘bearded’, a mate, play a little game. Spot all sorts to campaign for real ale ‘cardigan wearing’, ‘anorak’, ‘sad’, people coming in and guess but the one stereotypical trait ‘halfpinters’, etc. what they’ll order based on how is, we all enjoy celebrating our When I had the pleasure and they look. If it’s cask ale, pluck favourite drink – Real Ale. privilege of running Adderbury’s up the courage to ask if they’re So act now! Complete the finest hostelry, I often heard our a CAMRA member (have an form at the back of this issue, fellow members so described, application form to thrust at or join online … oh, the beard, often by other publicans who them if they say no, to cover up don’t worry it won’t have to go … although mine has! had had a bad experience or two the game you’re playing – unless JB with ‘aficionados’ who tried to they’ve also read this). See if tell them how to run their pub! you can spot the CAMRA-ite Certainly my experience of this by how they look, but remem- ‘type’ of customer was extremely ber they could be young or old, rare, but I can see how such male or female, gay or straight, behaviour by an individual or wearing a cardigan or tanktop, group of individuals, might with a beard or not (this also alienate a hard-working licensee applies to the men), there really who has probably been working isn’t a stereotypical CAMRA 10 hours without a break, has member, because people join had a really poor day trade-wise CAMRA for all sorts of reasons, and whose only bar staff on that whether it’s to safeguard the evening has failed to turn up; all future of British beer and pubs, this whilst he is doing his best to campaign for greater consumer keep a smile on his face! choice, fight the tax hikes that But then we all stereotype are attacking our social beer- Which is your idea of a typical CAMRA member groups of people, don’t we? drinking tradition or simply – above or below? Without being too un-PC, take lager drinkers, bus drivers, cyclists, naturists, rugby players, motorcyclists, train spotters, white van men; I imagine many of us have a mental picture of these groups, based on some kind of life experience. But you see, with the exception of one, I have at some time or another been a member of these groups Barcode Cartoon provided courtesy of Eddie Taberner. [email protected] and a CAMRA member too! And, unlike a chameleon, I don’t change to blend in with my sur- Beware Of Scammers roundings, so which of your ste- reotypical images am I, because This is aimed mainly at land- Please beware of this scam as I can’t be all of them. lords, but also as a warning to all. the magazine in question is only So it’s the extreme members It has come to our notice produced in very small num- of these groups that stand out that someone has cold-called a bers, if at all. in your memory and form your local landlord selling advertis- Landlords wishing to advertise mental image of the group as a ing space in a magazine which are welcome to approach the whole. The loud and leery lad sounds like Beer on Tap (but Editor or the Clustermaster who drinking lager, the bus driver isn’t). drops off their copies of Beer on who cuts you up when you have They are selling it at a dis- Tap and can be put on the wait- right of way, the cyclist who counted price as they say that ing list for advertising. jumps every red light that you the deadline is approaching. If you are approached by any- stop at, the naturist ... I’ll stop They call back to confirm and one claiming to be from Beer there! Therefore it’s little won- take card details. Please note on Tap please email or call the der that some people’s view of a that Beer on Tap does not cold Editor for confirmation if you CAMRA member can also be a call or take cards. have any suspicions. 22 Beer on Tap – Winter 2012 Newsletter of CAMRA North Oxfordshire 23 24 Beer on Tap – Winter 2012 ADDERBURY & BODICOTE CIRCULAR By Keith Rigley

Beer on Tap Pub Walks Plenty of pubs on a wonderfully scenic circular walk with excellent views Distance: Approx. 4.5 miles into the next field over a plank the field boundary) and after 200 (total climb: 151ft). bridge. Keep ahead, following the yards find a difficult-to-spot gap Allow: Approx 2.5 hours field’s left-hand edge and walk in the hedge on your left (you’ll Map: Explorer 191 straight along to the far corner know this is the correct gap in Parking: There are usually on- of this field (do not turn left on the hedge if you look through to road parking spaces along High a green lane on the left which see a well-defined path heading Street (past the hairdressers as goes over a ditch). At the field up to Bodicote village ahead of you enter the village from the corner, turn right (still following you through the next field). A4260) or turn left after The Bell 5 to park near the church. Bodicote Classic walk in rural countryside 4 To which also explores quiet corners Banbury of two historic North Oxon villag- Pubs on the walk route es. It has two main uphill climbs 1 Bell Inn, Adderbury (not too steep), and can be muddy 2 Coach & Horses, in places after wet weather. Adderbury Bodicote 3 From The Bell walk up High Mill Red Lion, Adderbury Street towards the A4260 and 4 Plough Inn, Bodicote turn left into Crofts Road, then 5 Horse & Jockey, Bodicote keep straight along this road A4260 where it changes to a green lane. To Go past a house called The Old Kings Sutton Post House and take a footpath Lower Grove Farm Grove to the left of the house. Mill Follow the well-defined path where it bends to the left then continue along keeping the hedgerow on your left and stay Twyford on this path (marked ‘Circular Walk’), ignoring other paths. On A4260 reaching a field, stay in the same general direction, keeping the Sor hedgerow to your left, and walk Brook into the far left corner of the field to go through a metal kiss- ing gate. Head diagonally right up the hill ahead, aiming for a course between the second and START 2 third telegraph poles. 3 At the brow of the hill go through a gate and walk straight 1 ahead, keeping the hedgerow to your right, heading towards Bodicote. Where the hedge Adderbury bends to the right, keep walking straight on, along a waymarked To To path across the field ahead. Milton & Bloxham Deddington To At the end of the field, go Deddington through a gap in the hedge Newsletter of CAMRA North Oxfordshire 25 Go through the gap in the church on your left. Keep along hedge and walk ahead, aiming this green lane down a dip then, for a brick house to the left of just after passing a hedge which a white-rendered house at the crosses the lane, go diagonally top of the hill. On reaching a left across a field, aiming to the telegraph pole near the top of right of Adderbury church spire. the hill, either turn left and go Go through a kissing gate at through a gate to join a track the far side of the field and keep up to the houses ahead or take on in the same general direction, the official (but strange) right- go through a gap in a hedge at of-way via two wooden gates the far side to enter another field High Street to find The Bell on through someone’s back garden and again keep on in the same your right). (make sure both gates are shut direction to cross a stile at the Two other Adderbury pubs are when you leave). Walk up the far side. Walk straight across a within easy walking distance by slope into Bodicote, turn right at paddock, aiming for a pair of heading back towards the A4260 the Post Office stores then turn willow trees ahead, go through where the Coach & Horses is on immediately left into Sideleigh a kissing gate and over a bridge your left and, opposite the main Road. Keep along Sideleigh road across a brook and head uphill road, is the Red Lion. A fourth then walk up the slope to pass on a track between fences to Adderbury pub (the Pickled some concrete bollards. Where the first houses of Adderbury. Ploughman) can be found on the you meet a road, turn left into After walking up a narrow path road to King’s Sutton. East Street, then turn right up between houses, turn left when Pubs on or close to the walk a narrow lane just past Corner you reach a tarmac road. Bell Inn, Adderbury. Attractive old Cottage called Chapel Lane. Keep walking along the left pub with a good range of well-kept Follow the lane round to the side of this road to pass many of Hooky ales and wide variety of food. left then, where it bends round Adderbury’s fine houses, includ- www.thebelladderbury.com/. Tel: to the right, turn left and take a ing Le Hall Place, a famous 01295 810338 Coach & Horses, Adderbury. Tel: narrow footpath (marked with house in Morris dancing circles. 01295 810 422. a “Cycling Prohibited” sign) (Inspired by Cecil Sharp, the Red Lion, Adderbury. Tel: 01295 between two high stone walls lady of the house – Janet Heatley 810269. http://www.oldenglishinns. where you will soon emerge Blunt – collected the songs and co.uk/adderbury/ right opposite The Plough pub dances of Adderbury Morris by Pickled Ploughman, Adderbury (and the Horse & Jockey pub is setting the music to piano and OX17 3NL. Tel: 01295 810327. Recently reopened and doing well along the road to your right). describing dances in fine detail. with four or five ales and good grub. To continue the walk, turn However, Blunt’s manuscripts www.thepickledploughman.co.uk/ left after reaching the road and were almost lost when, after her The Plough, Bodicote. Tel: 01295 walk past the Baker’s Arms death, housemaid Winnie Wyatt 250815. www.wadworth.co.uk/ (which should be open by now, saved them from a bonfire when banbury/plough Horse & Jockey, Bodicote. Tel: 01295 see Pubs Update, p. 29), passing the house was being cleared – 269549. http://www.horseandjockey. the church then continue ahead an event still commemorated by biz/ past the last houses of the village Adderbury Morris who dance into a narrow tarmac lane which in the grounds of Le Hall Place Beer by Bus goes down a hill. Where the (and other places) on their Day track forks at the bottom of the of Dance in late April each year. Update hill, take the right fork, go past Keep straight on along the left Bodicote Mill then take a gate side of the road then, on reach- While it’s sad that a bus com- to join a track (marked Bloxham ing a wooden bus shelter, cross pany has gone out of business, Grove Farm) and continue along the road and walk into Dog it presents a small money- this track as it winds its way up Close. Keep along Dog Close, saving opportunity for local the hill to the farmhouse. passing a recreation ground, drinkers. Stagecoach now Near the top of the hill, take cross two brooks in quick suc- runs the former RH Buses X9 a gate by the farm buildings cession, enter the churchyard (Witney–Charlbury–Chipping and keep ahead to reach a and walk to pass to the left of the Norton) route and the cost to T-junction where you’ll see a church. Leave the churchyard at anyone wishing to do our bus small windmill ahead. Turn left the far end through a lychgate pub crawl along this route is here then turn right where the and turn left to reach The Bell now £7.50 (formerly £8.40). red brick wall on your left ends pub (or walk into Church Lane Details of all bus pub crawls to take a green lane between an to take a pleasant loop around can be found at http://www. avenue of trees where you can some of Adderbury’s oldest northoxoncamra.org.uk/ soon see the spire of Adderbury houses then turn left on reaching beerbybus.php 26 Beer on Tap – Winter 2012 [email protected] www.thefoxatsouldern.co.uk Dating back to 1803 The Fox is nestled in the picturesque village of Souldern and offers: • Traditional style home cooked food. • Three Real Ales (two of which constantly rotate), sourced from around the country. • Four en-suite bedrooms.

Newsletter of CAMRA North Oxfordshire 27 The Duck on the Pond A CHARMING TRADITIONAL FREEHOUSE Open seven days a week All day Saturday and Sunday

Serving a variety of hand pulled ales and fine wines We offer an extensive menu of traditional English and cosmopolitan cuisine from our a la carte menu and daily specials board Roasts also available Sundays Vegetarian menu

These can be enjoyed in our restaurant, bar area or alfresco on our delightful patio overlooking the pond Bookings taken Parties catered for Families welcome Large beer garden and car park

Telephone: 01295 721166 Main Street, , Nr Banbury, OX15 4JE Only 10 mins from Banbury / Chipping Norton. Situated on the A361 www.duckonthepond.com

28 Beer on Tap – Winter 2012 Pubs Update nr Woodstock will hopefully them, and the closure or sale of be open by the time this edi- these places can create lasting Another one bites the dust! tion hits the streets. Also, the damage to those communities. This time the Mason’s Arms, Red Horse, Shipton-under- Under the Act, voluntary and Fulbrook closed in October as Wychwood looks likely to have community organisations and the landlord and landlady have been saved and after some reno- parish councils can nominate retired and the pub has now vation we hope it will open in assets to be included on a list become their home. This was the new year. of ‘assets of community value’ unchallenged by the village We have received news (but managed by the local authority. and the local council so despite currently unsubstantiated) that If the owner of a listed asset North Oxon CAMRA submit- the Lampet Arms, wants to sell it, a six-month now has a new team at the helm ting an objection, the change of moratorium period is triggered use has still gone through. and the White Swan, Wigginton during which it cannot be sold. Rumours abound that the is again back in business. George & Dragon, Fritwell may The saga that is the Bishop This gives community groups be subject to a change of use Blaize rumbles on with the own- time to develop a proposal and request to become housing – so ers losing their appeal (again) raise the required capital to bid with the King’s Head still shut, and, having rejected a fair offer for the property when it comes the large village of Fritwell could from the village to purchase the onto the open market at the end well be left without a pub. pub and bring it back into use as of the moratorium period. The Black Head, Stonesfield a community asset, they seem to If you’re interested in taking has had its application for just want to deprive the village over a community asset, see change of use granted so that is of its pub. http://locality.org.uk/move- consigned to history too. New ‘Community Right ment/policy/community-rights/ We are unsure as to the fate of community-bid/ where there is a The Bell, Hook Norton since it to Bid’ could save pubs link for help and advice from the closed immediately after Punch The Community Right to Bid Locality’s Asset Transfer Unit. Taverns sold it to the couple is part of the Localism Act and As ever if you don’t use it, it from the house opposite. The came into force in September could become a house! If you future doesn’t look rosy for this 2012. Across the country there need help fighting a pub closure historic pub, though the village are buildings and amenities – contact the local CAMRA Pubs has rallied round to object to its such as pubs – that are lifelines Officer whose email address is closure – we wish them well. to the communities that use at the front of this magazine. The Lamb Inn, Crawley, nr Witney – a Brakspear house – also appears to be closed still. Hooky’s New Beer Launch: The Baker’s Arms, Bodicote’s application to convert it to an A Keg Beer(!) CAMRA Director Christine Indian restaurant has been Cryne told JB: “My view is that granted. In an unusual twist, we The Crown & Tuns, Deddington if it hasn’t go flavour, it is not hear it may sell real ale – sounds – affectionately known as the craft keg as we’ve said that it like heaven to me! Perhaps more ‘pie pub’ – usually has four of needed to be ‘beer with a dis- restaurants will take the time Hooky’s ales available at this tinctive flavour brewed by to learn how to keep good beer establishment in good condi- artisans’. If the local branch and entice more ale drinkers in! tion. However, it has also been doesn’t think that it is distinc- Moko Bar in Banbury is selected as one of the four tive then it is not craft even if it closed. After good initial inten- Hooky pubs ‘trialling’ Flagship is produced by artisans. Beauty tions it never got past selling as a keg beer! is in the palate of the drinker.” Greene King beers and seemed A brilliant back-lit font pro- However, all this tinkering and stuck somewhere between a pub claims correctly that it is an pandering to current market and a cocktail lounge. India Pale Ale – but, of course, trends does not diminish the The Harrow in Enstone, The the serving temperature and its production of one of Hooky’s Bell, Long Hanborough and processing at St Austell brewery finest beers as a cask condi- Lamb & Flag, Hailey (all Greene rids this excellent Hooky brew tioned beer every October. King pubs) are all still shut and of some of its early flavour com- Needless to say, with the the first two have ‘For Sale as pounds and hence complexity. export market in mind, the Freehold’ boards up. Management at Hooky explain current keg font does not On a plus side, The Chequers, that it is being trialed as an include any reference to (or Churchill has re-opened and the export product and to attempt any portrait of) the Battle of Killingworth Castle, Wootton to meet the ‘craft’ beer market. Trafalgar … more’s the pity! Newsletter of CAMRA North Oxfordshire 29 Beer on Tap hits the heights back to North Oxfordshire and a decent pint of mild. Good call! States (see their article on page Another good call for anyone 20). At 6,288 feet above sea level jetting off this Christmas is to they travelled on a cog railway take a copy of this great publica- to get to the top, could this be tion and get a photo of you or a the highest Beer on Tap has loved one with it and send it to ever got? Although she found the Editor. We’ll publish all we the American craft beers to her receive that are not in contra- taste Raili couldn’t wait to get vention of any laws! BoT in the Algarve Here’s Martin Batt, one of the Branch Webmasters, keeping up with the lat- est Branch goings-on while having a dip in a hotel pool in the Algarve, Douglas Rudlin sent in this photo Portugal. The local beer was “nothing of his wife Raili reading the to get excited about”, so he was looking Branch News in her copy of Beer forward to getting back into the White on Tap, atop Mount Washington, Horse, Banbury for a proper pint of the New Hampshire in the United excellent White Horse Village Idiot.

The Editor reserves the right to amend or shorten contributions for publication. Copyright © North Oxon CAMRA 2012 Disclaimer: The views expressed in articles are those of individual contributors, and are not necessarily the views of the North Oxfordshire Branch, The Campaign for Real Ale Ltd. North Oxon 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 North Oxon CAMRA. Edited by Stephen Lympany • Designed & Produced by Keith Rigley, Charlbury, Oxon • Printed by Information Press, Eynsham, Oxon Lower Heyford

21 Market Square, Lower Heyford, Oxon OX25 5NY 01869 347176

• Varied guest ales from all over the UK • Five minutes walk from canal • Large beer garden • Listed in the Good Beer Guide OPEN: • Families and dogs welcome Mon–Thurs 12–3pm & 5pm–11pm; • Lunch and full menu available Friday & Sat 12–11pm; • Food served Mon–Thurs 12–3pm & 6–10pm; Sun 12–10.30pm Fri–Sun 12–3pm & 5–10pm

30 Beer on Tap – Winter 2012 Newsletter of CAMRA North Oxfordshire 31