opening times Branch of CAMRA Issue 142 the Campaign for Real Ale Spring 2010

Pig ‘n’ Falcon Also inside: Potbelly Brewery Trip Most Improved Good Beer Guide Tour Pub of the Year Beer from Booze on the Ouse, St Neots Beer Festival Thursday 18—Saturday 20 March 2010 2 Support your local pub - don't give them an excuse to close it! MOST IMPROVED PUB OF THE YEAR The Pig ‘n’ Falcon in St Neots has been serve food, but the range of snacks is selected by Huntingdonshire CAMRA for extensive including 3 varieties of pork its latest ‘Most Improved Pub’ award. The scratchings, and biltong. John has plans Pig ‘n’ Falcon, formerly the Falcon, on for more substantial snacks in the future, New Street, was taken over in March last but the Pig will remain first and foremost a year by local CAMRA member and retailer ‘wet’ pub, focussed on drinkers. John Nunn in a new type of tenancy In the last 9 months the Pig has become agreement with Greene King that allows a very well established on the local music virtually free choice of suppliers for cask scene and live bands perform typically beers to be sold alongside an extended three nights a week, Wednesday, Friday Greene King range. Since the opening and Saturday. Local CAMRA member day in early April, the ‘Pig’ has won wide Nick Moore runs an ‘open mike’ session acclaim amongst local cask beer drinkers each Wednesday. for its wide and constantly changing choice of typically up to ten guest beers The Falcon was a small one bar pub, but and great atmosphere. John has imaginatively created an ex- tended beer garden, and on a busy Friday John keeps most of his cask beers in a evening it’s not uncommon for there to be ‘tap room’, where beers are served on more people in the beer garden than in gravity direct from the cask. The beer the pub! range always features beers from local breweries, and the Pig ‘n’ Falcon is in the The Pig is very much a family business Huntingdonshire branch’s LocAle scheme. and is jointly run by John and his son With at least 8 beers available all of the Brett. John is pictured below receiving the time, beers from Potbelly are regularly award from CAMRA committee member stocked, complementing the porcine Sonia Clarke. theme of the pub, and these are supple- Huntingdonshire CAMRA will announce mented by beers from Oakham, Bunting- the winner of its latest Pub of the Year ford, Elgoods, Milton, and many others. In award in March. the last 9 months the Pig has offered over 220 different cask beers. On the evening in January when CAMRA presented its award, the Pig was in the middle of a week long winter ales festival, with over 20 seasonal beers being avail- able over the period. The Pig also does real cider and perry and always has two choices, often from local suppliers like Pickled Pig and Cas- sells, but also from Herefordshire and South Wales, like the award winning Gwynty Draig, Gwatkin, and Hartland. Unusually these days, the Pig does not

OPENING TIMES 142 SPRING 2010 3 ACTION ON PUB ANTI-COMPETITIVE PRACTICES

The Government is to revoke legislation tomer service. Mike Benner, CAMRA’s that exempts the pub industry from Chief Executive, said: ‘This is very posi- banned anti-competitive practices. tive news for pub-goers, small brewers CAMRA has been urging the revocation of and struggling lessees. The Order is an the Land Agreements Exclusion Order anomaly which has for too long given le- 2004 as part of its campaign to reform the gal cover to companies which are party to beer tie to improve competition in the pub potentially anti-competitive agreements. sector in order to deliver a fair deal to pub The large pub owning companies will now users. Large pub operating companies, have to review their existing beer tie ar- principally those with 500 or more pubs, rangements in the full knowledge that they will now need to work to prove that their will be liable to severe penalties if it is beer tie agreements are fully compliant subsequently proven that they have with competition law. Currently tied land- breached Competition Law. ‘CAMRA re- lords are unable to buy beer from brewers mains supportive of the beer tie model of their own choice and are forced to pay provided that it offers a fair share of bene- prices inflated by around 50 pence a pint. fits to consumers through greater choice, The Government consultation response price competition and quality. We now states that revocation of the Order will urge the large pub owning companies to promote fairer and more open markets publicly commit to delivering on the basic and a better deal for consumers through principle that a tied tenant should be no improved prices, wider choice, greater worse off than they would be if free of tie.’ investment and higher standards of cus-

4 Check out local music events at www.huntscamra.org.uk/gigguide CASK ALE WEEK Cask Ale Week, 29th March to 5th April, for Cask Ale Week: Hare Raiser, Morris is a celebration of Britain’s national drink, Mayhem and Abbot Reserve. and there is no better time to encourage The event starts at 8.30pm sharp: first people who have never tried real ale to come first served—be early to avoid dis- see what they have been missing. appointment. The Huntingdonshire branch of CAMRA, This event is also our New Members So- in a joint event with Greene King, is invit- cial, when we ing CAMRA members to ‘Introduce a invite people friend to cask ale’, the theme of Cask who joined Ale Week. CAMRA at the On Thursday 1st April, CAMRA members S t N e o t s should come along with a friend (who is ‘Booze on the not a CAMRA member) to the Pig ‘n’ Fal- Ouse’ Beer con in St Neots, and their friend will get a Festival, and free pint of cask ale, courtesy of Greene volunteers who King. worked at the festival, to The free beer will be one of the special come and have seasonal beers Greene King are brewing a drink on us.

King of the Belgians Hartford

 Three real ales changing weekly  Traditional pub food served Monday-Saturday 11:30-2.30pm, Tues- day-Saturday 5.30-9.30pm, Traditional Big Sunday Roast 12-4pm

 Opening times: Monday-Thursday 11-11, Friday-Saturday 11-12 midnight, Sunday 12-10.30pm 27 Main Street, Hartford, Huntingdon, Cambs, PE29 1XU. Tel: 01480 452030

OPENING TIMES 142 SPRING 2010 5 A LOOK BACK IN TIME 25 YEARS AGO Greene King KK, brewed at Bury St Ed- National brewing group munds, was also under threat and had Watney Mann and Truman recently been dropped from Eaton Socon closed their Norwich Brew- pubs the Old Sun and George and ery production site 25 years Dragon. ago. The closure of the Brian and Meg former Morgans plant rep- Walker at The resented the loss of the last Angel in St Neots of the city’s four major breweries after won the ‘Best previous closures of Bullards, Steward & Kept Cellar’ Patteson, and Youngs, Crawshay & award for the Youngs. CAMRA’s then East Anglia Re- third year in a gional Organiser Paul Moorhouse blamed row in a competition run by owners the latest closure on an ‘artificial lager Charles Wells (the pub is now a Thai res- demand created by mass advertising for taurant). Watney products such as Fosters and Carlsberg, whilst traditional British-style Charles Wells became the first independ- ales have received little backing’. Rodney ent regional brewer to open a home brew Mann, Norwich Brewery’s Managing Di- pub. A brew house using malt extract was rector, also blamed ‘the swing to lager installed in their new Ancient Druids pub from ales’ for the closure. A company next to the Grafton Centre in . statement explained that the plant was an Two beers were in production, Kite Bitter ale brewery with no capacity for lager pro- and the slightly stronger Druids Special. duction. Brewing was moved to Watney There were new licensees at Charles group breweries in London and Manches- Wells pub the Three Horseshoes at ter. Production of Norwich Brewery’s cask Southoe. Brian Brocklehurst, a former Bullards Mild, reintroduced in 1982, police inspector, took over the village local ceased before the brewery closed. with his wife Janice. A major refurbish- Scottish and Newcastle tabled a £91 mil- ment had remodelled much of the interior, lion takeover bid for Matthew Brown of and work was planned to improve the Blackburn, sparking an intense CAMRA garden area. campaign of opposition, which included a St Neots CAMRA ran a visit to Greene protest in the streets of Southport during King’s brewery at Bury St Edmunds. the national CAMRA AGM weekend. There were also spring socials visiting The Biggleswade- pairs of pubs at the Prince of Wales, Hil- brewed version of ton and Kisby’s Hut at Papworth Everard, Greene King’s cask the Three Horseshoes and the Bell in dark mild, XX, was Southoe, and the Crown at Litlington and under threat after the the Darby and Joan at Abington Pigotts brewery announced (now the Pig and Abbot). A meeting was that its production was held at the Crown in Eaton Socon and the down to only 12 barrels 1985 AGM was at the Falcon, Buckden. a week. The pale mild, 6 Support your local pub - don't give them an excuse to close it! A LOOK BACK IN TIME 10 YEARS AGO Exhibition at A favourite G o d m a n - pub of chester and many local the Lord C A M R A John Russell m e m b e r s in St Neots, was lost in and there Rivermill Tavern 2000 with was a curry the closure evening at the Kushiara in St Ives follow- o f t h e ing beers at the Royal Oak. The branch’s Golden Miller at Longstowe, named after 2000 AGM was at the Rivermill Tavern in a famous racehorse that was once stabled Eaton Socon and there was an April Fri- nearby. The demand for food and family day Five at Catworth Racehorse and pubs facilities in pubs was blamed for the clo- in Ellington, Spaldwick, Old Weston and sure. The Golden Miller had been one of Leighton Bromswold. the few rural pubs in the area continuing Greene King attacked the trend towards to focus on the drinks trade alone. St nitrokeg beers and accused national Neots CAMRA responded to the continu- brewers of dumbing down drinkers’ taste ing threat to rural pubs by urging Hunting- buds. Brewing and Brands MD Brian Field donshire District Council to adopt planning said in an interview with the Brewers’ protection for pubs in its Local Plan. Guardian, ‘Their focus is on nitrokegs and CAMRA struck a powerful blow against lager. Whether they have made a mistake the tide of rural pub closures ten years only time will tell. I do not want this ago with the launch of its ‘Public House smooth rubbish. I want cask ale’. Mr Field Viability Test’. The test provides local au- emphasised Greene King’s commitment thority planners with a means of deriving to cask beer and hoped that as the nation- impartial evidence concerning the viability als continued to ignore real ale a gap of pubs subject to closure plans. Such would open in the market for regionals to pubs are often run down by owners wish- prosper. ing to cash in on high residential property Oxfordshire CAMRA members gathered in prices. A checklist enables consideration Abingdon to hand over a petition to of factors such as population density, tour- Greene Ling’s brewing director John ist potential local competition and public Redman in protest against the closure of transport. the town’s Scottish and Newcastle decided to sell its M o r l a n d l leisure operations and concentrate on brewery by brewing and pubs, despite the likelihood o w n e r s that other national brewers Bass and G r e e n e Whitbread would sell their breweries to King, sched- concentrate on hotel and leisure busi- uled for nesses. F e b r u a r y 2000. St Neots CAMRA held meetings at the

OPENING TIMES 142 SPRING 2010 7 HALF PINTS The Molson shire is ‘Pubs4Kids’, a new initiative in C o o r s which participating pubs are used as b r e w i n g youth clubs between 5.30pm and 8pm. museum in Teenagers are allowed to use a dedicated Burton on room in the pubs where they can order Trent, for- soft drinks and snacks and use facilities merly the such as pool tables and juke boxes. This Bass Mu- is a new example of the multiple use of seum, has been saved after a campaign pub buildings to provide wider ranges of run by CAMRA, local councils and Bur- community facilities, including shops and ton’s Civic Society and Chamber of Com- post offices, which has been widely cited merce. Molson-Coors had closed the mu- as a useful way of maintaining the viability seum in 2008 as a cost-cutting measure of small rural pubs. to save £1 a year. A bid to ban supermarkets from selling Minimum pricing for alcoholic drinks could alcohol has been launched on the 10 be on the way. The Government’s Health Downing Street website by Gary Hunt, the Secretary is calling for a minimum price of owner of a chain of bars in northern Eng- 40-50p per alcohol unit to be a major part land, who admits that a ban is unlikely but of the Labour election manifesto. This hopes that the petition will raise aware- follows a report by a Health Select Com- ness of the problems caused by bulk mittee of MPs that called for minimum sales of heavily discounted alcoholic pricing to tackle alcohol problems after drinks by the off trade. finding prices in some supermarkets as A Scottish pub licensee is acting against low a 10p a unit. The report claimed that local supermarkets by calling for licence the move could save over 3000 lives reviews for three local premises licences. every year. Minimum pricing is supported Jeff Ellis of the Bear Tavern in Newburgh, by CAMRA as a powerful means of sup- Fife, claims that discounting of alcohol porting pubs and encourage sensible products by the shops fails to protect and drinking as a social activity in a super- improve public health, which is an objec- vised environment as part of the pub’s tive of the Scottish Licensing Act. role in providing valuable community ser- vices. Darlington council has used the Sustain- able Communities Act to propose changes Meanwhile the Shadow Health Secretary in the law to support pubs by restricting has announced a plan to drop the alcohol irresponsible under-pricing of alcohol by units system. A future Conservative gov- supermarkets and banning restrictive ernment would provide labelling of alcohol covenants that allow pub owners to pre- content in centilitres as they believe this vent the continued use of properties as would be less confusing. The current alco- pubs after sale. hol unit is actually equal to a centilitre of alcohol. The Tory plan would also provide A private member’s bill to help local com- calorie labelling for all alcoholic drinks. munities save pubs and other local busi- nesses has been laid before parliament. A new use for pubs in South Cambridge- Leeds MP Greg Mulholland is tabling the

8 Contact the editor: [email protected], (01480) 355893 HALF PINTS bill, which calls for a change in planning with Over a Barrel (ABV 4.1%) to be the law to prevent the loss of community next brew in March. amenities without public consultation. Hook Norton Double Greene King has Stout was the first of launched a free ap- the Oxfordshire com- plication for iPhone, pany’s ‘Brewers’ providing a virtual Selection’ range of brewing game and a eleven seasonal map system to guide cask beers for 2011. consumers to pubs Aberdeen brewer Brew Dog is that have been claiming to be brewing the awarded the Greene King Head Brewer’s world’s strongest beer. Club seal of approval for the quality of ‘Tactical Nuclear Pen- their cask beers. guin’ (TNP), at 32% ABV will Kent brewers Shep- be priced at £30 for a 500 ml herd Neame have bottle. lowered the strength British Pie Week runs from 1-7 March of their Spitfire real and, as a promotion supporting a major ale, the company’s staple of typical pub food menus, is likely leading brand, from to feature strongly in pubs. Jus-Rol Pro- an ABV of 4.5% to fessional are staging the promotion, which 4.2% in an effort to will include a competition to find the best boost its nationwide appeal. pub pie. www.britishpieweek.co.uk will Thornbridge Brewery carry information about the promotion, has launched a low recipes and promotional material for pubs. alcohol cask ale named Pearl, a 3.3% ABV gold beer with a floral hop character from dry hopping with German Perle hops.

Manchester brewer To find out about live music events in Hydes has launched Huntingdonshire and surrounding areas six new seasonal go to www.huntscamra.org.uk/gigs. ales for 2010. The To subscribe to our weekly newsletter new range is named send an email to: camragol- after circus themes. [email protected] Heads and Tails (ABV 4.6%) is the To submit an event to the guide, send the details to: first new brew, and [email protected] every other month or will see the launch of a new cask beer, (01480) 477118

OPENING TIMES 142 SPRING 2010 9 PUB PIECES Congratula- Opening Times has received reports of tions to the new managers at two pubs in Eaton So- Pheasant in con, Charles Wells pub the Wheatsheaf K e y s t o n , and Enterprise Inns pub the White Horse. which won There is the ‘British’ also new section of m a n a g e - Channel 4's ment at the ‘F Word’. Royal Oak A number of and Black local pubs Bull in God- have re- manchester Black Bull o p e n e d and the f o l l o w i n g Market Inn in Huntingdon. Shepherd periods of Neame Spitfire has been noted at the closure. The Black Bull. At the Market Inn the range Crown & Cushion Bell at Saw- and quality of the real ales appears undi- try, the minished, with Potbelly brewery’s ‘Pigs Crown and Cushion, Great Gransden and Might Fly’ and Youngs Bitter as regular Alconbury Mill are all trading again. Initials beers and a changing beer on a third reports indicated that no real ale was pump has included Hobgoblin and Oak- available at the Mill but better news is ham Bishop’s Farewell. hoped for on that front. There is a new licensee at the Addison In St Neots, Arms in Glatton and good reports have Punch Tav- been received of the quality of the real ale erns’ pub the here. Kings Head is C h a r l e s expected to Wells pub reopen as a the Wool- traditional pub pack in St later this year Neots has after a major been in the refurbishment. hands of a This follows new man- the closure of ager, Peter the venue, then known as the Unique Bar Butler, who plans to take on the tenancy. and Nightclub, before Christmas after a Peter and his partner Sue Gilliband ran number of incidents which led to a closure the Woolpack some years ago, at which order and licence review by the District time the pub was in the Good Beer Guide. Council’s licensing committee. The pub is now banned from operating after midnight The Plough at Eynesbury is for sale free- or offering certain drinks promotions. hold and the leases of the Crown and the Riverview in Earith are also understood to

10 Support your local pub - don't give them an excuse to close it! PUB PIECES be on the market. ern, East London, and the White Lion, Norwich. Batemans’ pub the Favourable Lord John reports are Russell in St being re- Neots was ceived con- expected by c e r n i n g early in the M a r s t o n s New Year to pub the Priory be in the Priory in St hands of new tenants who were previ- Neots. A ously in charge of the Willoughby Arms, good range of four real ales from the Mar- near Alford, Lincolnshire. ston range is now stocked and has been noted to be in good order. The Mer- maid, Elling- A planning application has been submitted ton is offer- for repair to the roof and windows at listed i n g a pub the White Hart, Bythorn following se- b r o a d e r vere fire damage last year. range of R e a l real ales d r a u g h t than previ- cider ap- ously and pears to be they are being sourced from a number of g a i n i n g suppliers. Coming soon are Batemans more local Miss Scotland, Wychwood January Sale, o u t l e t s . Fullers London Pride and Wooden Hand W e s t o n ’ s Mad Cat Cornish Mutiny. Between 6-8 guest beers Old Rosie are planned each month. The Mermaid has been noted at the Crown at has a quiz every Sunday, and special Broughton and real cider has been tried at game dishes are served on Thursdays. the Mad Cat at Pidley. Milton Brewery have Local Son of Sid brewer, Bob Mitchell, of acquired their first the Chequers, Little Gransden, is brewing pub in Cambridge a special Chequers Ale from the berries of after buying the Dev- trees of the same name in Brampton onshire Arms in the Wood. The berries were supplied by local Mill Road area. It CAMRA branch founder mem- reopened in January. ber George Cottam, who is the This takes the Milton warden of Brampton Wood. estate to 5 pubs, with Bob hopes the beer will be existing pubs the ready for his annual St Coalheavers Arms, ; Oak- George’s Day celebrations dale Arms, North London; Pembury Tav- (see page 20 for more details).

OPENING TIMES 142 SPRING 2010 11 31st BOOZE ON THE OUSE selling a range of Belgian, Dutch, German, a n d C zec h bottled beers i n c l u d i n g examples of the most distinctive individualistic beer styles in the world, such as Trappist, lambic and wheat beers. CIDER AND PERRY The traditional cider bar will be s e r v i n g a selection of tasty traditional cider & perry, OPENING TIMES focussing on suppliers. Thursday 5pm–10.45pm FEATURES Friday all day from 12 noon–10.45pm VENUE Saturday all day from 12 noon–10.45pm. The festival is being held at the Priory Entry Including Programme: Centre, Priory Lane, close to the Market Before 7pm: £1 Square, in the centre of St Neots. After 7pm: £2 Thu, £3 Fri, £1 Sat. Families welcome until 8pm. FOOD AND DRINK No entry or re-admission after 10.30pm. A variety of hot and cold food will be Free entry to CAMRA Members at all available at all sessions. Free soft drinks sessions - A good reason to join CAMRA! will be available from the cider bar for the BEERS designated driver of your party. REAL ALES CHILDREN AT THE FESTIVAL Whilst lunchtime is the ideal time to bring We hope to serve over the course of the the family to the festival, we do allow festival over 50 real ales from all over the children into the hall up to 8pm in the UK, both from the well-established evening. independent breweries and the newer, smaller micro-breweries, with a strong CAMRA PRODUCTS STAND focus on local East Anglia breweries. Come along and chat to our staff and FOREIGN BEER learn about CAMRA, beer brewing and pubs. CAMRA and brewery products will The popular Foreign Beer bar will be

12 Updates to beer festival details - www.huntscamra.org.uk/festivals ST NEOTS BEER FESTIVAL PROVISIONAL REAL BEER LIST be on sale, including sweatshirts, t-Shirts and polo shirts, as well as books, pens, MILDS Oldershaw badges and beer mats. Adjacent will be Blackfriars Mild Caskade Milton Minotaur Mild Milton Sparta the fabulous 'Every One's A Winner' Son of Sid Muckcart Oldershaw Isaac's tombola stall. Mild Gold OTHER DETAILS Elgoods Black Dog  Digfield March Hare THE WORKERS Dark Star Over the Potbelly Pigs Do Fly Moon Stewart Edinburgh The festival is organised and run by BITTERS Gold members of CAMRA who are all unpaid Potton Shannon Potbelly Yeller Belly volunteers. We always need more IPA OLD ALES/STRONG helpers, so if you can help at any session Devil's Dyke Bitter MILDS please contact Andy Shaw (see below). Bartrams Butchers Son of Sid "Festival Hooks Ale" CONTACT NUMBER Brewster's Hop- Woodforde's Nor- Festival Organiser, Newsletter & Festival head folk Nog Programme Editor, Andy Shaw - 01480 Spire Overture B & T Shefford Old 355893 - [email protected]. BEST BITTERS Dark Also visit our Web Site for updates Spectrum 43 STOUTS www.huntscamra.org.uk/festivals. Cambridge Moon- Spectrum Black shine CB1 Buffle ADVERTISERS Belvoir Beaver Bit- Grain Blackwood A 32-page programme will be produced ter Stout for the festival. Advertising at competitive Thornbridge Lord Cambridge Moon- rates. Contact the Programme Editor for Marples shine Chocolate more information. Tring Ridgeway Orange Stout Bitter PORTERS Potton Village Bike Elland 1872 Porter STRONG BITTERS Oakham Black Hole Thursday 18th – Humpty Dumpty Porter East Anglia Pale WHEAT Saturday 20th Ale Blackfriars Whyte Digfield Merrie Angel March 2010 Monk Milestone Rasp- Hopshackle Special berry Wheat Priory Centre, No.1 Bitter HONEY GOLDEN ALES Bartrams Bees Priory Lane, St Digfield Fools Nook Knees Wolf Golden Jackal Cotleigh Honey Neots, PE19 2BH Castle Rock Har- Buzzard vest Pale LAGER 50+ REAL ALES Waveney Light- Milestone Crusader (over the duration of the Festival) weight SPICED Son of Sid Golden TSA Ginger Explo- plus Bottled Shower sion Oakham Inferno BARLEY WINE Foreign Beer Elgoods Golden Hopshackle Double Newt Momentum and Cider

OPENING TIMES 142 SPRING 2010 13 14 Join 110,000 members of CAMRA and fight for Britain’s beer heritage Manor House Hotel A traditional old country pub Serving Greene King IPA Plus two other ever changing Real Ales. 130 different Guest Ales over the last year. Full bar snack and restaurant menu. Plus now serving ‘A new Black Rock menu’ Come and cook your own meat or fish on the Hot Rock 20 Chapel Street Alconbury, Cambs, PE28 4DY Telephone: 01480 890423

The White Horse Tilbrook

Book now for our Valentines Day Menu on Saturday 13th February Two Courses for 19.99 per head. changing Guest Ale’s, a large Chef Jodi Jenny will be presenting wine list and fantastic food. Sit a special menu designed to treat in our conservatory and enjoy that someone special in your life! the views of the Cambridgeshire The White Horse Tilbrook prides countryside and our large gar- itself on providing a friendly wel- dens. We are sure you will have come, great Real Ales with ever a great time.

White Horse, High Street, Tilbrook, Cambridgeshire, PE28 0JP Tel: 01480 860764

OPENING TIMES 142 SPRING 2010 15 GOOD BEER GUIDE TOUR CONTINUED ... Part one of my tour report ended at the Buckingham Arms in London followed by a frantic dash to Kings Cross station. I made it back to St Neots in time for the branch meeting. The next morning I headed off to Dorset and the village of Worth Matravers. The Square and Compass is at the heart of the vil- Square & Compass lage with panoramic all add to the character. As befits the 2008 View from the views over national Cider Pub of the Year, drinkers Square & Compass the Purbeck had a choice of seven ciders but I re- Hills to the freshed myself with Palmer’s Copper Ale, English Channel but my first stop was the Dartmoor IPA and two local pasties. village cafe for a restorative afternoon tea. Then I worked up a thirst by trying out my new iPod on a walk over to St Alban’s Head. Perhaps it was the afternoon sun- shine but the pub was strangely quiet by day. When I re- turned in the early eve- ning the coffers were being swol- Square & Compass len by the Lounge Bar not incon- s i d e r a b l e spending power of the cricket team dis- cussing the first day’s play of the Ashes series. The pub even has its own book on sale at Blue Anchor the bar. According to ‘The Square and Compass – a Newman Century’ the earli- My next destination was Helston in Corn- est recorded evidence of the pub dates wall, a 190 mile ride but under sunny from 1772 and the stone floors, fossil mu- skies. The Blue Anchor is a rambling 15th seum, nooks, crannies and open fireplace 16 Find local pub music and other events www.huntscamra.org.uk/gigs GOOD BEER GUIDE TOUR century building with what’s believed to be the oldest private brewery in the country. I met Pete the brewer who told me about the range of S p i n g o b e e r s . Spingo is New Inn at Kilmington Keith & Pete the Brewer believed to be a deriva- bly the ‘classiest’ without being ostenta- tion of ‘stingo’, an ancient generic name tious and in stark contrast to places like for very strong beer and the range in- the Queen’s Head and The Square and cludes Jubilee (4.5%), Middle (5%), Compass. Bragget (6%) and Special (6.8%). Bragget is claimed to be a ‘true’ ale brewed with- After just over 1500 miles my tour came to out any hops and is based on honey and an end just before 3pm on the tenth day. a p p l e s . Nine pubs which encompassed the com- The local plete range of what the British pub has to tin miners offer: quirkiness; comfort; history; atmos- were once phere and not forgetting unpredictable paid their opening hours! I’d recommend the trip to wages in anyone but now there are only seven left. the Blue The Blue Anchor and the Sow ‘n’ Pigs A n c h o r ; didn’t make it into the 2010 guide. If you Pete at work let’s hope do fancy the they stayed off the Special! trip then please let My penultimate day on the road had me me know as retracing my steps back up the M5, the I’d love to A38 and the A30. The village of Kilming- actually get ton lies between Honiton and Axminster inside the and the New Inn is a classic 14th century Star in thatched Devon longhouse. After a short N e t h e r t o n trip of only 113 miles I had plenty of time next time. for a lunchtime pint before a walk into But let’s Axminster. Given the time of day I chose check the the Palmer’s Copper Ale (3.7%), electing o p e n i n g to leave the Best Bitter (4.2%) and Dorset hours first. Gold (4.5%) for later in the day when I was promised an excellent meal by the Keith Law- locals. Sure enough the meal was the son best of my trip. The pub itself was proba-

OPENING TIMES 142 SPRING 2010 17 POTBELLY BREWERY TRIP Last October, a ally the case group of volun- found out some teers from the new and inter- St. Ives Beer esting little Festival set off gems about the for a coach trip brewing proc- to visit the Pot- ess and the belly Brewery in Kettering, and call in at a peculiarities of this particular brewery. few pubs on the way back. Leaving St. The brewery is planning to expand in the Ives in the late morning, we called in via future, so watch this space. Huntingdon, Little Paxton and St. Neots Of the five other beers on offer during our and set off down the A14. Arriving in Ket- visit, the Aisling and Crazy Daze were tering, the coach had a little trouble nego- both particularly enjoyable, the latter dan- tiating the back streets to get to the brew- gerously so at 5.5% ABV. ery, but we got there in the end. On the journey back from Kettering, we On arriving at the brewery, we were de- called in to visit a few pubs. First stop was lighted to find six pins of Potbelly beers the Pheasant at Keyston. This fantastic being served - and we were told in no pub is set in an idyllic rural village, and uncertain terms that we were expected to seems a world away from the busy A14 make good headway into finishing them we had just left. As always, they had a before we left. range of good local beers on sale (which The brewery is have earned it LocAle accreditation), in- situated in an cluding Oakham Baja. Carrying on back old industrial down the A14, we also called in to the Fox unit in a fairly at Catworth. A familiar sight to anyone residential area who regularly travels that way, the Fox is of Kettering. a really convenient place to stop for some The building good beer and good food. It was recently houses not only award LocAle accreditation for stocking the ten-barrel brewing plant, but also a locally brewed beers such as those from separate bar area. The brewery has been Digfield, although on this occasion I en- operating since 2005, and in that time has joyed the Abbot Ale on offer. won various awards for its beers, most Carrying on our way, we made further notably ‘Beijing Black’. This is a 4.4% ABV brief calls in to two more LocAle accred- dark mild with lots of dark roast character, ited pubs. The White Horse at Tilbrook and in 2006 was the Supreme Champion and the Royal Oak at Hail Weston are at the SIBA both Charles Wells pubs serving their National Beer beers in fine condition. A good time was Competition. had by all and we're already looking for- We were of- ward to the next thank you trip following fered a tour of the St. Neots Beer Festival! the brewery and, as is usu- Melanie Ellis

18 Booze on the Ouse - www.huntscamra.org.uk/festival for more details A traditional old country pub and restaurant with a warm and friendly atmosphere. Traditional Sunday Lunch. Children’s menu available. Open all day Saturday and Sunday. 4 real cask ales served including Adnams Bitter, Fullers London Pride plus 2 guest ales. Bar Meals are available every day. A la carte menu is served in our restaurant Monday to Saturday. The menu caters for all tastes including vegetarian and any special dietary needs. The Pig and Abbot High Street, Abington Pigotts, Nr. Royston, Hertfordshire, SG8 0SD Telephone: 01763 853515

Theat Hemingford Cock Grey Four Real Ales from breweries such as Nethergate, Potbelly, Wolf, Oldershaw, Great Oakley, Milton, and Oakham. Cromwell Cider. National and Regional Dining Pub of the Year 2010 – Good Pub Guide.

In a continued effort to source all of our produce locally we have adopted a policy of only using breweries for our real ale within a one hour drive. Call 01480 463609 or see website cambscuisine.com OPENING TIMES 142 SPRING 2010 19 BEER FROM BRAMPTON WOOD One of the more unusual plant species So why, ‘Beer from Brampton Wood’? found in Brampton Wood is the Wild Ser- Some time ago, I advised Bob Mitchell, vice Tree (Sorbus Torminalis). There are the landlord of the Chequers pub in Little three introduced specimens close to a Gransden, that he should have a Wild barn near the Major Oaks that stand at the Service Tree on his pub sign. He now has entrance to the main ride. a micro-brewery at the back of the pub, In the past, Wild Service Tree berries called ‘Son of Sid’. Bob’s father. Sid, ran were regularly used to flavour ale and the pub for 42 years. Bob decided that he used on their own to produce an alcoholic wanted to re-create an old fashioned beverage called chequers, which was ‘Chequers Ale’ and asked me to source used to treat colic and dysentery. Quite Wild Service Tree berries. Although Bob’s what it tasted like, no-one really knows. pub is midway between two wonderful When well ripe the berries are sweet tast- Wildlife Trust woodland reserves in ing, but tend to be somewhat gritty. Hayley and Waresley and Gransden Woods, checks with the reserve wardens Wild Service Tree is an unusual name for revealed that they had no Wild Service a tree and a plausible explanation is that Trees. Wood has a few, but it the word ‘service’ derives from the Latin was easier to collect the berries from the word cervisia, meaning beer and the three in Brampton Wood. They are near Spanish for beer is cervesa. Sorbus the entrance and are not fully grown, so torminalis can be translated as ‘tree good the fruit was easier to pick. At the begin- for colic’. ning of December 2009 we upset the local Many people know these trees as che- chaffinches and collected the fruit in quers trees. Some say that the bark tends brewer’s buckets. (We did leave a lot for to peel off in rectangular strips to give a the birds). chequered effect, but this is not readily Bob has now sourced some spelt (an old evident. Another possible explanation is fashioned wheat variety often used in ale that the chequer board was an emblem for production) and some autumn honey and a drinking house that originated in ancient with this, together with the Wild Service Egypt, which could explain why many Tree fruit has brewed the first ‘Chequers pubs in Britain are called the Chequers. Ale’ in this country for probably two hun- Wild Service Tree wood is very hard and dred years. It will need a couple of months was used in the Middle Ages to make fermentation and conditioning but the crossbow stocks, whilst in the 19th cen- Chequers pub is hoping to have Chequers tury the wood was used to make gun Ale available in bottles in the spring. stocks. However the majority of the trees Bob has also bought several Wild Service were used to make charcoal. Trees from the Huntingdonshire District It is now generally considered to be an Council nursery at Godmanchester to ancient woodland indicator species, espe- plant in the pub’s garden, so that his cially in oak and ash woodland, but the grandchildren will be able to repeat the three in Brampton Wood were introduced exercise with their own ‘chequers’. along with the nearby wild cherry trees. George Cottam

20 Read Opening Times online: www.huntscamra.org.uk/news OPENING TIMES 142 SPRING 2010 21 EVENTS AND SOCIALS February 2010 – Community Pubs Tour Tues 2nd Open Committee Meeting, Market Inn, Huntingdon, (8.30 pm). Sat 13th Community pub tour. Coach tour to visit and support village pubs to the west and north of Huntingdon, visiting the following pubs: Green Man, Leighton Bromswold; Swan, Old Weston; Addison Arms, Glatton; Admiral Wells, Holme; Three Horseshoes, Wistow;Royal Oak, Warboys; Mad Cat, Pidley. See website for more details. Free to CAMRA members. March 2010 – Booze on the Ouse, St Neots Beer Festival Tues 2nd Pre-festival meeting, at the Pig ‘n’ Falcon, St Neots (8.30 pm). Sat 6th Young Members Social - a trip to Cambridge RAG Beer Festival, University Sports and Social Club, Mill Lane, Cambridge. Meet inside the beer festival from 3pm, or later! Call Helen Barnard for more information on 07866 171 176 (or if you can't find us on the day). Thursday 18th to Saturday 20th St Neots Beer Festival – Priory Centre, St Neots. Opening Times: Thurs: 5-10.45 pm; Fri 12-10.45 pm; Sat 12-10.45 pm. Volunteers welcome, contact Andy Shaw [email protected] 01480 355893. April 2010 – Cask Ale Week ‘Introduce a friend to cask ale’ Thu 1st New members’ social at the Pig ‘n’ Falcon, St Neots (8.30). Volunteers from the Booze on the Ouse festival and all new members who joined at the festival will be treated to a free pint. Also, Cask Ale Week ‘Introduce a friend to cask ale’ - see page 5 for more details. Tues 20th Annual General Meeting. Royal Oak, Warboys (8.30 pm) May 2010 – Trip to Peterborough Tues 4th Open Committee meeting at the Black Bull, Brampton (8.30 pm) Sat 15th Visit to the pubs of Peterborough, to include the Palmerston Arms, Charters, the Coalheavers, Brewery Tap, and more. Starting in the Drapers Arms at 13:00. The itinerary will be confirmed via the website. An up to date listing of social events can also be found at the website: www.huntscamra.org.uk/diary. For more information contact the Social Secretary (see below). WHO TO CONTACT Chairman: Keith Lawson, 01480 352632 (h), [email protected] Secretary: Richard Harrison, 0774 0675712 (m), [email protected] Treasurer: Edric Ellis, 01480 492213 (h), [email protected] Membership: Margaret Eames, 01480 385333 (h) Socials: Melanie Ellis 01480 492213, [email protected] Pubs Info: Roy Endersby, 01480 473364, [email protected] Campaigning: Kathy Hadfield-Moorhouse, 01480 496247 (h) Going Out Live Event Guide: Chris Knowles, 01480 477118 (14:00-22:00)

22 Updates to Branch Diary - www.huntscamra.org.uk/diary TRADING STANDARDS OPENING TIMES Your local Trading Standards organisation Opening Times is published by the is Cambridgeshire County Council Trading Huntingdonshire Branch of CAMRA, the Standards. If you have any complaints Campaign for Real Ale (© 2010) All rights about trading standards issues at local reserved. pubs, such as short measure or mislead- Views or comments expressed in this ing product promotion, please contact publication may not necessarily be those them. of the Editor or of CAMRA. They have a role to protect consumers Editor: Andy Shaw, 01480 355893 (h), from errors or frauds concerned with 07802 485449 (m), quality, description or price of goods, [email protected], 13a services or facilities and to detect and Peppercorns Lane, Eaton Socon, St rectify unfair advertising practices. Neots, PE19 8HL. Contact Cambridgeshire Trading To Advertise Standards helpdesk on 08454 040 506, To place an advert or enquire about our or at Trading Standards Division, Sackville rates please contact: House, Sackville Way, Great Cambourne, Neil Richards: 01536 358670 or Cambridgeshire, CB2 6HL. The local [email protected] trading standards web site is Printed by Lodge Printers Ltd Tel 01487 832629 www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/business/ trading/. The national trading standards Deadline for Summer 2010 issue (143) web site is www.tradingstandards.gov.uk. is Friday 16th April 2010.

THE SWAN THE CHEQUERS Main Street, Old Weston 71 Main Road, Little Gransden Tel: 01832 293400 Tel: 01767 677348 REAL ALES and REAL FOOD East Anglia CAMRA Pub of

the Year Adnams Southwold Bitter 2008 Adnams Broadside Bob and Wendy Mitchell Greene King Abbot + Guests invite you to try their unique Hunts CAMRA Pub of the Year 2004 Fish & Chips Wednesday Evening unspoilt village local with its Restaurant open Friday & Saturday own special atmosphere evenings & Sunday lunchtimes Different Real Ale each week

OPENING TIMES 142 SPRING 2010 23