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139 February - March 2008 FREE, PLEASE TAKE ONE OF THE YEAR 2008?

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CPW CAMRA’s Community Week Saturday 16th to Saturday 23rd February 2008

CAMRA research has shown that 56 pubs If you think your local would benefit from are closing in Britain each month, and thou - Community Pubs Week, you can “adopt” sands more face an uncertain future. The that pub and encourage them to run events. majority of these pubs are not high street Go to www.pubsweek.org and order an chain bars or theme pubs, but community information pack. pubs, recognised as important amenities for local people. The local pub, after all, is often Licensees that would like to get involved the heart of the community. with Community Pubs Week can also list what events they will be running for free on After four years of running National Pubs www.pubsweek.org. Week, in 2007 CAMRA changed the focus of the event to reflect the need to retain (Various articles in this edition of BAE pubs that serve the community. Nothing can highlight the current threat to our local match the British pub for its service and community pubs, and sadly, news of those that atmosphere. Yet pressures from deep dis - have closed since last year’s event. The area counting of alcohol in supermarkets, massive covered by the & District Branch levels of tax on beer in the UK, and of CAMRA is quite vast; with many isolated Skyrocketing property prices, have seen the rural pubs among the almost 500 we need to traditional British pub under more threat keep an eye on. We urgently need more than ever before. volunteers in these areas to report regularly with news of events happening on their own CAMRA is issuing a call to action for all ‘doorstep’, such that the branch can take the those who want to secure a future for their relevant action before it’s too late! local. By rallying behind your community pub between February 16th and 23rd, you With most of the present committee based in will be showing your support for the Peterborough and Werrington, an excellent irreplaceable backbone of British life. method of achieving this could be to set up a In 2008 Community Pubs Week will sub-branch to represent a specific area, complement a range of CAMRA-led initia - especially in the rural areas on the peripheries tives, and celebrate and promote all of the entire branch area. Any parties interest - community pubs – not just village locals, but ed in going down this route should contact our urban gems too. branch secretary, Harry Morten, for further details. – Ed) www.real-ale.org.uk 3 BAE 139:BAE128_final 25/1/08 08:44 Page 4 BAE 139:BAE128_final 25/1/08 08:44 Page 5

CHAIRMAN’S CORNER Thoughts of Chairman Murray Now that we have all hotel remaining as part of it. Cynically our got the festive season city fathers have made the closing date for over and done with, responses to the first consultation, January it’s time to come 4th, well before this publications appearance. back to reality. Were they hoping we would all be so full of During the last few Xmas cheer that nobody would notice it weeks we have learnt slipping through? of yet more plans for the destruction of yet We are continually told that all the new plans more of our local pubs and watering venues. for the modernisation of our city, are for our benefit, yet I’ve not heard one word from The Royal Oak in Walton, Peterborough any official whether some of it meets our would appear to be under threat from approval. Then again would anybody listen demolition, to make way for an entrance to to any real concerns if it meant jeopardising the proposed building of new houses on the some of the business tax that will pour into land to the rear of the pub. This is a similar the council coffers? Before some of you rush scenario that we had for the demolition of to your PCs to voice objections to my opin - the Cherry Tree in Oundle Road. That was ions, I’ve heard them all before. I’m not given originally as the reason for flattening against progress, but I do not agree that the pub. New proposals mean the saving of redevelopment should come at the expense the Cherry Tree, but knocking down the of losing our entire heritage and some of our function room and rebuilding it on the other finest old buildings. side of the pub. The Royal Oak has only got a narrow entrance to the car park at the rear, On a completely different matter, I have so access is limited. If these new plans go been a bit disappointed by our response ahead the pub would very likely be demol - received from our Wisbech area asking for ished to make a wider access to the new help in distributing our newsletter. As at this dwellings. time, only one person has contacted me vol - unteering to help us with the distribution of Another threat to one of our few remaining BAE, and he has to run his pub as well! My historical buildings, concerns the much grateful thanks to Steve Knight, of the trumpeted new development around Bowling Green pub for his kind offer. Peterborough railway station. The local press Incidentally Steve who only moved to and some of our city councillors have gone Wisbech recently has wasted no time in to great lengths, trying to convince us that re-introducing real ale back into the pub. the new station complex would not be The Elgoods owned pub now has up to four complete, without the redevelopment of the cask ales on offer for the first time in seven station approaches. Yes I agree that some years. So come on Wisbech real ale drinkers, areas of that quarter do need a facelift, but and give Steve a hand with the newsletter not at the expense of one of our only distribution around your own town. Victorian railway buildings still standing. That’s all for now folks. I refer to The Great Northern Hotel opposite the station. A very fine example of Cheers railway architecture of that era, the plans for remodelling the area do not mention the David Murray

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DIARY DATES area, . Travel by train; meet at sta - Diary Dates tion at 8am, returning for 9.30pm. Contact Bram for details.

JANUARY MARCH HOP Award Presentation at the Wed 30th Sat 8th Heritage Pubs Trip by train to Admiral Wells, Holme. Bus departs Brewery Newcastle & South Shields, contact Mick Tap 7.30pm returning by 11pm, cost £5 Slaughter for details. Tue 11th Gold Award Presentation at the FEBRUARY Royal Oak, Walton 8.30pm. (use local buses) Heritage Pubs Trip by train to Sat 2nd Sat 15th Historic Pubs of Stamford, a Wakefield, contact Mick Slaughter for details. guided tour given by Steve Williams. Meet Wed 13th Branch Pub of the Year at Peterborough Railway Station for Presentation to the Tobie Norris, Stamford. 11.30am or Stamford at 12.10pm. (Travel by Bus departs Brewery Tap 7.30pm returning train using Group Save tickets, so cost depend - for 11pm, cost £5. ent on the number of people attending) Mon 17th Celebrate St Patricks Day with a Community Pubs Week Events pie night at the Plough, Greetham. Bus Sat 16th North Northants Village Pub departs Brewery tap 7.30pm, returning by Crawl by bus, departing Brewery Tap at 11pm. Cost £11 to include a ‘themed’ meal. 3pm and returning by 10pm. Cost £15 to Wed 19th Branch Committee Meeting at include hot buffet. the Blue Bell, Werrington, 8.30pm. Sun 17th CPW Themed quiz at the Palmerston Arms, 9pm start, £2 team of 4, spe - APRIL cial priced beer offers & Young Members Event. Wed 2nd Campaigning Crawl of March Mon 18th Branch Committee Meeting at Pubs. Bus departs Brewery Tap 7.30pm, the Hand & Heart, Highbury St, 8.30pm. returning for 11pm, cost £5. “Blue Bell’s Day”. Bus tour of Sat 23rd Fri 18th – Sun 20th CAMRA Members pubs in our Branch Area called the Blue Weekend & AGM, . Bell. Bus departs Brewery Tap at 1pm Tue 22nd Branch Committee Meeting at returning at 10pm, cost tbc. the Drapers Arms, Cowgate, 8.30pm. Sat 23rd Tour of award winning & popular community pubs in the Upper Don Valley

PLEASE BOOK EARLY FOR TRIPS TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT

John Hunt is on 01406 330453 Mick Slaughter is on 01733 390598 Bram is on 07922 604988

Full details of all meetings and socials are posted on our website as soon as details are known. It’s the best way to ensure that you do not miss out.

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DIARY DATES Selected Beer Festivals (CAMRA Festivals shown in bold) The Black Swan A family-run village pub offering good food and JANUARY drinks including 3 changing real ales. With a new patio area and large beer garden next to the river. Thu 31st - Sat 2nd Magpies Beer Festival, at Notts County FC, Meadow Lane, , approx 50 ales. Lunchtime & Silly Steak evening meals Night Tues,Wed, FEBRUARY Tues, Thurs Thurs, Fri, & Sat Fri 8th – Sun 10th Out of the Vaults Beer Sat & Sun Festival, King St, Leicester, approx 35 ales. (buffets & small 2 Steaks Mon 11th – Sun 17th Trafford Arms, parties also Norwich, annual Valentine’s week beer festi - available) £10 val, over 70 ales. Check www.traffordarms.co.uk for details Thu 14th – Sun 17th Bartons Arms, High St, Aston, Birmingham, 6th Anniversary of Opening Beer Festival, over 25 ales. Check www.barton-arms.co.uk 6th Elysian Beer Friday 29th & Sat 1st Peterborough and District CAMRA 2007 Gold Award Festival , Larkfield Centre, High Barns, Ely. Improving the Pub and providing Top Quality Real Ales Over 40 ales, free shuttle bus service from Ely Station. Check www.elycamra.org.uk for 77 Main Street, Farcet Tel: 01733 240387 further details.

MARCH Wed 12th – Fri 14th Drinker Beer & Cider Festival , Camden Centre, Bidborough St (opposite St Pancras). Check www.camranorthlondon.org.uk for further details. Wed 12th – Sat 15th Leicester Beer Festival (see advert in this issue for further details) Fri 14th & Sat 15th Hitchin Beer Festival , Town Hall, Churchgate, approx 50 ales. Check www.nherts-camra.org.uk for further details. Fri 21st – Mon 24th Green Man, Scotgate, Stamford. Easter Beer Fest, approx 40 ales. Fri 21st – Mon 24th Charters, Peterborough, mini beer fest approx 30+ ales. Check www.bluesontheboat.co.uk

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A FEW WORDS FROM THE EDITOR Global Warning

In these modern times, and the reduced operations of Scottish & we are constantly Newcastle in the north-east. None of the reminded how the other big fish remain involved in the produc - world now appears a tion of real ale. They have become global much smaller place. giants, more concerned with a maximisation What was once an of profits by forcing upon us bland lager umpteen week stormy style brews with brands advertised to the hilt passage by ocean liner all over the world. The former managers of is now nothing more these breweries now control the fate of the than a daylong flight average drinker by establishing huge pub by air, and even a tedious journey by road to estates and by purchasing beer cheaply from London is now an accepted commutable their paymasters, and by controlling both the distance. Information technology has even price and availability of beer to their tenants, helped man reduce his carbon footprint, as the only losers are us. CAMRA has always businessmen can hold video conferences over supported the regional and micro breweries, the internet rather than make weekly flights which continued to brew locally crafted ales between Europe and the USA for those for the local community. Many struggled to important meetings. Unfortunately, this survive, some sadly didn’t, and others went globalization of planet Earth comes at a very along the same route as their predecessors costly price, and unless we act now in certain and went for a quick buck and sold out. But areas, our heritage may be lost forever. that quick profit comes at a hefty price!

Now don’t get me wrong here. I’m no Take Greene King as an example. GK have Luddite, and I accept that some things do been steadily buying up packages of pubs all need to change for the better, but I strongly over the country to become the nation’s believe that occasionally, some things are largest brewing landlord, and more recently, best left as they are. One such area where have purchased breweries in Oxford, this is becoming seemingly impossible Nottingham and Dunbar. With, for the time though is the brewing industry. As recently as just fifty years ago, most of Britain’s beer was produced by local breweries, who each owned a manageable estate of pubs to which it supplied beers to reflect the preferred local tastes. Already though, several of these breweries had become over ambitious, and set about swallowing up the smaller brewers to expand their operations, and thus the ‘Big Six’ evolved...enter CAMRA.

I don’t need to repeat an often told history lesson to bring us to the present day, but the only remnants of those developments now are the Carlsberg-Tetley brewery in Leeds

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A FEW WORDS FROM THE EDITOR being, the exception of the Belhaven discerning drinkers seeking out locally crafted brewery in Dunbar, the fates of Morland and products. SIBA (Society of Independent Hardy’s & Hanson’s breweries were unfortu - Brewers Association) have also assisted in nately sealed as soon as these ‘mergers’ were getting local beers in your pub in recent announced. GK used to produce flavoursome years. The major pubcos such as Enterprise ales that when originally found in East Inns now offer their tenants the choice of Anglia many years ago were well received. beers from dozens of small brewers in their area, delivered direct to the pub. In the Nowadays, their mass produced beers are Peterborough area this has been well trunked by the lorry load from Bury St received and you are just as likely to find Edmunds to the south coast, the Midlands, Bishop’s Farewell or White Squall on offer , and the whole length of the east coast when once there was only John Smiths or serving pubs as far north as the highlands. Tetley’s bitter. The free-houses in our area These bland modern versions of IPA and have also done the local breweries proud and Abbot bear no resemblance to those I CAMRA strongly believes that this is the remember just a couple of decades ago, and only way forward. that is not the only issue. GK have stamped their own branding on their pubs, destroying So during Community Pubs Week, do the individuality of many famous pubs, yourself a favour. Use your local pub and removing artistic pub signs in the aims of seek out a pint of delicious, cool, locally corporate identity. GK and others like them produced ale. There is an alternative of have led their assault on the British drinker course, but then the future’s not bright, and with military precision, and we are all now it’s not Greene! paying the price, as with very often no alternative to their beers, they can easily Cheers! control the price we must pay for them. With this step achieved, how long might it Bram be before GK and their like finally get consumed themselves by the Global Giants A T HOLYOAK and the production and supply of real ale to thousands of pubs is dispensed with? And, PLUMBING & HEATING when this happens, just how many more ‘unprofitable’ small backstreet boozers will disappear? How many more ‘unviable’ rural CORGI REGISTERED gems will be converted to housing? 01733 208437 So what is the alternative then, a change of focus maybe? Nottingham branch of CAMRA last year initiated the LocAle OR scheme. LocAle aims to promote both those pubs that sell locally produced ales, and support breweries that concentrate their 07860 569389 supply to the immediate local area. This reduces the ‘beer mileage’ thus benefiting the environment as well as providing a boost 192 STONALD ROAD to the local economy. Several other branches are now supporting this initiative, with WHITTLESEY

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LOST PUBS OF PETERBOROUGH Lost Pubs of Peterborough: Royal Oak, Milking Nook - A follow up

Back Row From L-R Les Joyce, ___ Smith, Ray Dudley, Jack Browning, Unknown, Wilf Rudd (umpire) Unknown Front Row from L-R Fred Adams (Landlord’s son), Harold Cliff, Doug Bonner, Sid Collett, Dick Dudley

I’m sure some of you will remember the The pub closed in 1958 and Mary & John’s photograph of the Royal Oak between sons continued to live in the pub until dem - Newborough and Peakirk, that appeared in olition a few years ago. The pub was the BAE way back in February 2006. It can unofficial headquarters of Newborough West sometimes take a little while for responses to End Cricket Club as the ground was directly appear but a Mrs Coles contacted me telling behind the pub and it was said that the out - me a bit more about the pub. The landlady field had to be cleaned up after the livestock of the time was Mary Adams (Mrs Coles’ had been removed before matches could grandmother, shown in the photo alongside take place. The photo above is of the team, a couple of Land Army girls) and her hus - probably dating from the 1950’s. band John Henry. Steve Williams

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ADVERTS

Good Selection Of Real Ales Beer Garden With Childrens Play Area Open All Day Friday Saturday Sunday Good Food Available - Regular BBQ’S Separate Lounge & Bar Area, Snug Room Pool Table Juke Box Darts SKY TV Quiz Machine In Bar 6 Foot Large Screen, Large Car Park Regular Live Music Saturday Evenings

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PUB NEWS at the helm. As the new owners they are very Pub News supportive of cask beer and currently have three ales on offer. They hope to raise this to four in the near future and eventually build Pubs reopening to five if there is demand. Keen to offer In this day and age of something a bit different they have placed close, bulldoze and devel - beers from the newish brewery Tydd Steam op there is always a on the bar amongst several others. There are smidgen of worry when a plans to open a restaurant in the near future pub suffers a fire. Will the and Tabitha is keen to experiment with beer place reopen or will there in some of the recipes. Watch this space or be some nice shiny flats better still give them a visit. planted in the pub’s stead called ‘Ye Olde Red Lion Close’. Thankfully in the case of A Wetherspoons for Whittlesey? the Royal Standard in Elm Rd, Wisbech The George in the Market place has been the pub was granted a new lease of life and a open for over a year now and seemed to be full makeover. The pub reopened in doing all the right things. Why then are December and all looks well. Landmark, the current owners, looking to sell the property to Wetherspoons? There are While on the subject of Wisbech, the however certain sticking points with the Blackfriars in St Augustines Road is now proposed sale. As the potential new owners open again after being closed for some time would like to open until the early hours following death of the previous landlord. there have been a few grumblings from There is no cask ale at present but an open certain quarters, namely the police and a pub has more potential to provide real ale nearby resident or two. The outcome will be than a closed one. known fairly soon.

There can be few happier people in the Spirit of the Blitz alive and well district than the villagers of Eastrea near in Stretton Whittlesey who’ve now got a nice, newly The new incumbents of the Jackson refurbished and reopened pub to frequent. Stopps in Stretton were faced with a few The Nags Head had been closed for some problems a short while after taking over the time and there were fears that this landmark pub in November. Bookings had been taken fenland pub would become housing. for the restaurant and a full house anticipat - Fortunately for all concerned the new owner ed when a couple of mishaps took place. David Lepla is for all things traditional, pubs Firstly the chef’s wife went into labour and a being no exception. The couple behind the dangerously faulty fan forced the kitchen to bar are Dorothy and Robert Paling (known close. Being a tight knit type of community, to one & all as Dot & Nog) who were land - the villagers of Stretton came to the rescue lords of the Nags a few years ago. Mr Lepla and organised an impromptu party using obviously knows talent when he sees it and their own barbeques! The day was saved and sought the couple out and made them an all enjoyed the all you can eat buffet with offer they couldn’t refuse. Gives you a warm any left over food being auctioned off in aid glow, dunnit! of the local church.

New people behind bars Stamford News The Plough at Holbeach St Johns is under The Kings Head is now open and appears new ownership with Ian and Tabitha Irving to be shifting a few nice pints with JHB,

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PUB NEWS

Black Sheep, London Pride and an Peterborough’s premier establishment is Abbeydale beer being spotted on the bar growing by the day. The North Westgate recently. Might be worth a visit then! and Station Quarter development will, I’m Although not known for its real ale, the sure, make the developers a nice tidy sum Lady Anne’s Hotel was due for a massive and most of us locals agree that something refurbishment costing a few million quid. should be done for this area of the city. Plans have now been scaled back due to the Whether the people of Peterborough will fact that it is listed and therefore may war - benefit from the increase in traffic and the rant something a little less drastic. additional shops is another argument. Another well established landmark under It’s a charity thing threat is the Great Northern Hotel There can be no better way of spending opposite the station. The developers are your time than enjoying yourself and raising keen to broaden out the approach to the money for a good cause, the most obvious station and this will unfortunately mean the place to do this is the good old pub. removal of the hotel. The building isn’t list - Locals who have done their bit in the last ed but the majority of it dates back to 1849. few months include the Hurdler in Are we willing to see this hotel demolished? Stamford who raised over £500 for talking Do you think an alternative approach to the newspapers for the visually impaired, the station could be made? Why do we need a Five Horseshoes in Barholm who handed greater through flow of traffic in front of the over a cheque for £1,100 to Macmillan station anyway, most people use public Cancer Support and the Volunteer in transport or taxi to get to the station if Peterborough whose efforts during a fancy Continued Overleaf dress night brought in £1,000. Well done and keep up the strenuous task of enjoying yourselves. ARE YOU MISSING OUT? Cider in Whittlesey Only the beer-stained Many of you will know of the Boat in Whittlesey and the Elgoods beer sold there - copy left? in. Our spy in training speaks of real cider being sold to those in the know. Are there Get any other reports of similar offerings in other pubs about the locale?

Another club to go? News that the Burghley Square club in Burghley Rd, Peterborough is in financial delivered to your door! difficulties is unwelcome and worrying. With losses of £750 a week its future is For a year (6 issues) send a £1.56 uncertain and members will be consulted cheque/PO payable to “Peterborough soon. Other clubs in the city have bitten the CAMRA” and your address to:- proverbial dust in recent years with Daryl Ling Hotpoint being the most missed. 19 Lidgate Close Orton Longueville Scrapping the Tap, and all that Peterborough PE2 7ZA The campaign has been waged for sometime now and the petition to help save

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PUB NEWS CONTINUED having a day away somewhere. Some wealthy people even pay for car parking, which doesn’t even come near the station. Removing the Great Northern would be a tragedy for the city.

Rutling in Rutland The list of closed or closing pubs grows evermore long and worrying, with some Rutland villages suffering more than most. The toll of pubs falling by the wayside makes for depressing reading, the Kingfisher in Preston, the White Horse in Morcott and the much lamented Cuckoo in Wing have all stopped trading. Whether these are permanent deletions from the list is not clear but if the trend continues finding somewhere to have a decent pint of ale in Rutland will become even more difficult. The most worrying of course is the Kingfisher. Owned by local brewery Grainstore, the pub has been closed for sometime and may be marked out for hous - ing. I would have thought that a small brew - ery would be keen to promote their beers through a village pub not close it down? A The Prince of Wales Feathers beacon of sanity in Rutland appears to be the Fox & Hounds in North Luffenham Castor, Peterborough Tel: 01733 380222 which is providing a proper pub atmosphere and a selection of pub games including a petangue team, a darts team, a pool team and a dominoes team. The beer by all accounts is excellent. Let us know if there are more pubs out there that deserve more publicity for doing a good job.

My thanks to my various foreign correspon - dents who keep me supplied with news of Now open all day the great and the good. If anyone would like with 5 cask ales, real to volunteer and report on a particular area ciders, live music and please let me know. I’m sure there is much quality home cooked lunches more news out there and there are many The Prince of Wales pubs we haven’t a hope of reaching or find - Feathers is your ing out about. We need more help. friendly village local!! Steve Williams Pubs Officer 2007 Gold Award Winner www.princeofwalesfeathers.co.uk

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ROAYL OAK, WALTON - UNDER THREAT Royal Oak: Pub Merit Awards & Gold Awards The committee feel that pubs outside of Peterborough are missing out on Gold Awards and An excellent pub so they have introduced a new Merit Award for pubs that are continuously outstanding. If you know of a under threat. pub in our area that deserves a Merit Award or Gold An overwhelming feeling of deja vu Award then please complete the following form and sometimes comes across when reading the send it to our Secretary. planning applications in the local rag. An application has been made to demolish Pub name: the Royal Oak in Walton and replace it with a housing development. The pub stands on Pub address/town/village: a sizeable plot of land and in a climate of build build build, pubs such as this are easy Reason for award: pickings. As the plot of land is essentially ‘landlocked’ and the only access to and from it is via the pub side entrances the pub has to go. Or so they say..... Your name: As we’ve lost far too many pubs in Peterborough in recent years we must do all Your phone number or e-mail address: we can to halt this devastation. Many of the Committee have already objected to the Your membership number: plans and many of the residents in the immediate area are unhappy about the increase in traffic that will no doubt ensue following this project. The pub itself is a rare thing nowadays; it has a meeting room and is used by many local groups and societies. The choice of beers is excellent and the quality brings in drinkers from far and wide. Put simply, this pub must remain and the loss of an amenity such as the Royal Oak will be a catastrophe for the area. Object NOW. If you do nothing other than object to this development straight after reading this then you’ve done your bit to preserve a bit of pub culture in the city.

Write to: Planning Control & Enforcement Section Bridge House, Town Bridge, Peterborough PE1 1HB

Application number/ref is 07/ 01797/FUL

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GOLD AWARDS AND POTY Gold Awards & Pub of the Year

The form for proposing any pub for a Gold Presentation of Gold Award to the Tobie or HOP Award appears in every single Norris - photo by Rob Barnes edition of BAE. These nominations are care - treated to a journey on a vintage London fully considered by the branch committee Routemaster Double-Decker bus. The award and where successful, the awards are made. ‘for creating a friendly local pub serving a These awards give both the pub and good range of top quality real ale’ was most CAMRA excellent publicity, especially as the deserved, and just for good measure, the presentations are usually attended by the presentation night saw the launch of the local press. Under the current branch Feathers first beer fest! constitution, all recipients of a Gold or HOP Award in any year become eligible to receive The Letter B , Whittlesea, collected an award the title of ‘Branch Pub of the Year. The on the 9th August ‘for serving a good range eventual winner is chosen by the branch of top quality real ales,’ and a very popular members, who each receive a mail-out in pub this has recently become. November every year. While everybody else was busy with their In 2007, the first outlet to receive a Gold Christmas shopping, a large branch contin - Award was the Black Swan at Farcet ‘For gent turned out for the final award of the much improving the pub and providing a year, on December 10th, to the Tobie range of top quality real ales,’ and this award Norris , Stamford, ‘for a superb renovation was presented on March 8th. of an ancient building and the re-introduction of a range of real ales.’ Once again, the On the 10th May, it was the turn of the branch struck lucky as they had their winter Prince of Wales Feathers , Castor. Branch beer festival in full swing so an enjoyable members attending the presentation were night was had by all. 16 [email protected] BAE 139:BAE128_final 25/1/08 08:44 Page 17

GOLD AWARDS AND POTY

Judging by the popularity of this pub, and the amount of people attending, it was per - haps no surprise as to what was in store?

As already mentioned, all branch members were given the task of choosing which of these four worthy winners best deserved further bestowing with the title ‘Peterborough & District Branch of CAMRA Pub of the Year 2008.’ After a very close count, the winner was announced on the 6th January to be the Tobie Norris. The POTY award will be presented on Wednesday 13th February at the pub, so if you wish to give your partner an early Valentines prezzie, then drag them down for the evening for some cracking good beer!

So now that all at the Tobie Norris can enjoy their well deserved year of notoriety, the search has already begun for their succes - sor. The Royal Oak at Walton, Peterborough will be presented with a Gold Award on Tuesday 11th March, for ‘services to the community and providing quality real ales’. What a shame that this much loved pub, an oasis in the area, is under threat of The Acre demolition to make way for an access road! 9 Acre Road, March, Please register your objection to this propos - Cambs PE15 9JD al by following the instructions in the article Tel/Fax: 01354 657116 within this issue of BAE. Food available from 12 noon It has also been agreed to give another pub, to 10pm 7 days a week the Jolly Brewer , Stamford a Gold Award, and although this will take place in Spring, Main meals, Snacks, Sandwiches, the date has yet to be confirmed. More Vegetarian, Salads, Grills, details of this event will appear in BAE140, Ploughmans, Jacket Potatoes, along with write ups of the presentations at Desserts and Children’s Menu the Tobie Norris and the Royal Oak. So what are you waiting for? If you think your pub deserves an award for outstanding Cask Marque services to real ale or for just being a won - Approved derful back street boozer? Don’t just fill in the form, SEND IT IN! Quality Ales Cheers! Bram for 6 Years

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JOIN CAMRA Join CAMRA today and help us make a difference! 56 community pubs close every month! what is happening in your area, lists of Join CAMRA’s crusade to save Britain’s pubs CAMRA beer festivals around Britain, features on different real ale breweries plus Over the last thirty six years, CAMRA, the much more! , has been campaigning on all different kinds of beer and pub issues. Free or reduced entry to over 150 We have helped to save breweries and pubs, CAMRA beer festivals, including the Great helped to introduce more flexible licensing British Beer Festival. hours, run numerous beer festivals, created Discounts on CAMRA books including the environment for new breweries to open our best selling Good Beer Guide. and thrive but our work doesn’t end there! Discounted Membership of the CAMRA Beer Club – The CAMRA Beer Club has Research in February 2007 showed that we been set up to provide a home delivery are losing more pubs now than ever before. service to enthusiasts. As a member you will A staggering 56 pubs close every month and discover and enjoy a whole range of bottle CAMRA needs your help to campaign and conditioned beers that are not widely distributed. save the pubs that under threat from closure All CAMRA members receive a £5 discount on in the future before it is too late. each mixed case of 20 beers. For more information visit www.camrabeerclub.co.uk CAMRA now boasts over 90,000 members The opportunity to become an active and we are striving to reach 100,000 member of the organisation - All members members to help us with our current are welcome to attend branch meetings, campaigns that include getting legislation socials, sign petitions to save pubs and that makes sure the consumer gets a Full breweries that are under threat from closure Pint, reducing beer duty, promoting localism and survey pubs and bars etc. CAMRA and supporting breweries and pubs. membership means different things to different people. By becoming a CAMRA member you can Complimentary Clubs – these clubs are help to make a difference. exclusive to CAMRA members and are free to join. Clubs currently running include Join CAMRA today by completing the form Fuller’s, Hook Norton, Everards and included in this newsletter, visiting Woodforde’s. Complimentary Clubs offer www.camra.org.uk/joinus or calling members a variety of promotions including CAMRA HQ on 01727 867201 free pint vouchers, brewery trips, competitions and merchandise offers. CAMRA membership represents great value. For just £20* a year, that is less that 39p a CAMRA’s highlights over the last week, you can join our organisation and 12 months benefit from the following: CAMRA launched a new Full Pint campaign, ‘Take it to the Top’, in April A monthly copy of our colour newspaper 2007. This was the first time CAMRA had ‘What’s Brewing’ – this includes news on the advertised a campaign in a national pub and brewery industry, information on newspaper. Over 20,000 people have now

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JOIN CAMRA signed the petition. If you haven’t signed the CAMRA has organised over 150 beer festivals petition yet and believe that consumers around Britain in the last 12 months includ - should get what they pay for then support ing the Great British Beer Festival at Earls this campaign today. Court that was visited by over 65,000 people.

Our annual Parliamentary reception in CAMRA Membership makes the perfect Westminster gave us the opportunity to birthday gift! lobby over 100 MPs, Lords and researchers. Do you have a friend or family member’s CAMRA awarded their Pub Design Awards birthday coming up? If so, then CAMRA in March 2007 which gives recognition for membership offers something completely innovative and imaginative design. The different to the usual socks you buy Dad or awards went to The Prince of Wales (Herne flowers you buy Mum! Bay, ), Three Pigeons (Halifax, ), The Works (Sowerby Bridge, If your friend or family member enjoys their West Yorkshire) beer and pubs then a year’s CAMRA mem - bership is the ideal present. Your present will CAMRA announced their National Pub of consist of the benefits already mentioned the Year in February 2007. The award went earlier in this article and can be delivered to to The Tom Cobley Tavern, Spreyton, your address or direct to your friend or Devon. family member.

Community Pubs Week, replaced National (* For non Direct Debit prices and concessionary Pubs Week, and focused on reducing the rates (including Under 26’s) please call 01727 closure of community pubs. Over 2,500 867201 or visit www.camra.org.uk/joinus ) pubs participated in the event by organising and promoting events throughout the week to raise the profile of community pubs. hosted a successful sell-out National Winter Ales Festival

CAMRA presented the Cider and Perry Pub of the Year award to The Valley Bar, Scarborough.

CAMRA has launched a number of books including the Good Beer Guide 2008, Good Beer Guide Prague, Beer Lovers Guide to Cricket, Beer, Bed and Breakfast, Good Bottled Beer Guide.

CAMRA has helped develop the new Cyclops tasting initiative with approximately 40 breweries on board. This scheme is aimed at new real ale drinkers and helps to demys - tify real ale by using easy to understand terms to describe what a beer looks, smells and tastes like.

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20 QUESTIONS

Do you have any pub teams? 20 Questions Yes, dominoes on Tuesdays and pool on Wednesdays. Do you have a meeting area? Yes, an area suitable for 40 – 50 people (on Mondays). Which groups use the pub for meetings? Bowling club, horticultural society, local school, parent & teacher association and, the Blue Belles meet every Friday night during summer. What’s the pub’s biggest annual event? The latest pub in our 20 Questions feature is The Gala three-day event around Spring the Blue Bell – 9 High Street, Easton on the Bank Holiday weekend (Saturday, Sunday Hill, Stamford, . PE9 3LR, tele - and Monday). phone number: 01780 763003. Mein hosts What’s the nearest bus route? are Alex Rambaldi and Cinzia Mellina. Peterborough City Council / First Choice Travel’s Village Link 404 service How long have you been in the pub (Peterborough / Stamford - Peterborough), trade? and Mark Bland 180 service (Nassington - 18 months. Stamford). What did you do before you got into What’s the nearest railway station? this trade? Stamford. I was in the catering business. What taxi services are there? Who owns the pub? 1st Choice and 3 Star (Stamford-based). I’m tied to Admiral Taverns. Do you get enough copies of Beer What are your opening times? Around ‘Ere? Mon–Wed: 12:00–2:30, 5:00–11:00; No, local ramblers use the pub and there is Thu–Sat: 12:00–12:00; Sun: 12:00–10:30. never enough copies! What real ales do you regularly sell? What do you think of CAMRA? Adnams Bitter (3.7%), Greene King Old I don’t think that CAMRA is as well known Speckled Hen (4.5%) and thinking about around this part of Lincolnshire. introducing a guest beer. Do you have Cask Marque What’s your best-selling beer? Accreditation? Neck and neck. No. What’s your worst selling beer? Don’t have one really. Calling all licensees - If you would like to Do you sell beers from local breweries? put your pub forward for the next issue then No, I’m not allowed. e-mail me your contact details stating, in Are there any interesting facts about one sentence, why your pub deserves to be the pub? the next featured pub and we’ll come visit Part of the front of the pub used to be a you. All that we ask is that you must have sweet shop; living quarters were also at the been running your pub for at least twelve front of the pub and there used to be a taxi months – CAMRA likes continuity – and service run from the pub, too. you must, of course, sell real ale! Do you have a quiz night? Cheers, No. Robert Barnes

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PUB TOUR Wandering Around Wisbech

We recently sent out an appeal to members pubs director Terry Stork or, to name but a of CAMRA (I even wrote to them all per - few. So the beer can’t be bad in this pub as sonally) for help with the distribution of it’s Elgoods! Mae has the full range of Beer Around ‘Ere, especially in Wisbech, Elgoods beers to sample. There is also a sep - before the festive season. As of this time, arate restaurant room serving very good response has been very poor, so I decided to home cooked food. Meals and bar snacks are pay a visit to the town to find out for myself served also in the bar. A pint of Cambridge whether one reason for this was a lack of went down very well. good ale around the place. It was not my first visit to the Fenland town so I did not My next visit was to a pub I had not been in believe this to be the case. before. Across the town bridge lays Alexandra Road and the Angel Inn . An excellent half hourly bus service during Another Elgoods outlet, this small compact the day whisks you across to the town in pub has a small bar area with a separate pool thirty five minutes. My first port of call was table section. Another room at a slightly the furthest from the bus station, along lower level serves as a lounge / music room, North Brink towards Elgoods Brewery. The but was closed at my visit. Two ales were Rose Tavern is the nearest pub to the brew - available; Cambridge and the Xmas brew ery but ironically not owned by them. One Snicklemas. No complaints about the of the few free houses in the town the Rose Cambridge, very drinkable. I left with the has been run for twenty odd years now by sound of the barman’s shouts of pleasure David O’Connell who keeps a fine drop of celebrating his horse coming in first at a race ale. On offer were Woodforde’s Wherry, meeting. Tinsel Toes, Elgoods Snicklemas, and Fullers London Pride. The beamed interior of the My last call was due to time running out and one roomed pub has winter scene photo - was my intended target for reasons you will graphs of Wisbech adorning the walls. I was work out. Steve Knight took over the license curious to know what the floor carpeting of the Bowling Green on Lyne Road only a wording meant. Jans Place simply was the few months ago. His first task was to get real name of David’s predecessor, the pub being ale put back into the pub after a break of in her name. A variable range of beers are some seven years! No mean feat is that. Yet normally available in the pub but, as you another Elgoods pub, this one has some may have guessed it was the festive season I great potential if a little money was spent on paid my visit. it. Four of Elgoods beers are on sale with Cambridge at £2 a pint being the cheapest I Out into the biting wind again I was glad found in the town. Steve who has been the next pub was not far away. I nearly running bars in sunny Spain for the last few always call into see Mae Turner the licensee years, used to live in Peterborough, and of The Red Lion also on North Brink back compile quiz sheets on a commercial basis towards the town centre. This would most selling them to pubs and clubs. He wants to likely be the brewery tap pub of Elgoods, as make the pub a landmark on the real ale it is regularly frequented by the brewery top scene within the town. He has very kindly officials i.e. Head Brewer Alan Pateman and volunteered to be our distributor of this

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PUB TOUR Wandering Around Wisbech

newsletter for the town pubs. So if you see him on his rounds have a kind word for him, as he is doing a much appreciated service to CAMRA.

I did poke my head around the doors of two other pubs on my tour, but alas no real ale was on sale, although they both had hand pumps on the bar. May be they had a good Xmas and had not restocked, and no I will not name them to embarrass them. I also know that there are some other outlets for good ale in Wisbech, but I will have to make a return visit some other time to fit them in.

Cheers,

Dave Murray

Cambridge Bitter 3.8% Gold Award Champion Bitter of Britain 2006 Available all year round:

SEASONAL ALES Thin Ice 4.7% Jan/Feb Old Wagg 4.0% March/April Double Swan 4.5% May/June Mad Dog 4.4% July/Aug Barleymead 4.8% Sept/Oct Old Black Shuck 4.5% Nov Snickalmas 5.0% Wenceslas Winter Warmer 7.5% Dec North Brink Brewery, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire Tel: 01945 583160

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BREWERY TOUR Fullers Brewery Tour

It was Friday, 9th November and I’d been The site has been used for brewing beer looking forward to this trip for some time; for over 350 years we were visiting one of my favourite real ale Fuller, Smith & Turner was formed in 1845 brewers – Fullers of Chiswick, London. Seventy-five percent of beer production is London Pride We all assembled at Peterborough station at Horndean’s Gales brewery was acquired 9:15am, so that we had enough time to take in 2005. advantage of the First Capital Connect return Of particular interest; no individual share - fare of four travelling for the price of two. holder of the brewery can force the others to This worked out at £11.25 per person and sell out as this has been incorporated in the also included travel on the underground. company’s constitution. And the reason that somebody might wish to do this: the value The train departed at 9:44 and from London of property – you can’t buy a flat in this area Kings Cross we travelled on the Piccadilly of London for less than £250,000! line to Earls Court and then on the District line to Turnham Green. The Griffin brewery The brewery complex was next: was a short walk from this tube station and First on the itinerary were the old Mash Tun we arrived just after noon. (six ton capacity) and the hot and cold water tanks. Then it was on to the Hop Storage The brewery visit started with a buffet lunch where we were shown samples of Fuggles at the Mawson Arms, where, Ron Finch, hop cones and organic First Gold. Fuller’s Fuller’s National Account Manager greeted don’t use a single variety of hops and they us. The beers available here were: Chiswick mainly use hop pellets, although dry hops Bitter, Discovery, ESB and one of my are used in the maturation tanks and some - favourites, London Porter. times in the barrels (depending on the beer).

After finishing our complimentary beers and In the Mill room we were shown a Boby food, we were handed over to Brian Malt Mill. Boby were their own worst enemy Laurence for our official tour of the brewery. as they went out of business some time ago Brian took us further into the brewery com - because the mills they produced were of plex and to our starting point – the Hock such good quality and never broke down. Cellar, which, incidentally, was used as a 45 grams of malt goes into each pint of beer. bomb shelter during WWII. In the brew house the modern Mash Tuns We were all asked to wear high-visibility have a capacity of 320 barrels (or 92,160 pints) jackets prior to being shown around the and are all computer controlled. Hot water is brewery. The biggest laugh of the day mixed with the grist and mashed for half an occurred at this point, as John Hunt, our hour; this is then pumped into the coppers social secretary, was struggling to find a where the hops are added; a process which suitably sized XXL jacket, one of his best takes three weeks from beginning to end. mates said, ‘Here, John, here’s one that says ‘Sumo’ on the back’. We were then shown an old Copper and a SDV (Sugar Dissolving Vessel – a new one We were given a brief history of the brewery; for me!), which was used for adding extra here are some of the details: sugar, in the form of caramel, to the beers.

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BREWERY TOUR

Next were the Fermenting vessels and the After the tour had finished it was back to the Maturation tanks where a small amount of Hock Cellar where we were able to sample: yeast is added and the beer is allowed to Fuller’s Chiswick Bitter, Discovery, ESB, mature for two weeks (ESB is matured for London Porter and London Pride; Gales three weeks). HSB and lots of bottled beers! Last was the racking plant. The equipment had been bought from Morlands brewery I’d just like to say many thanks to Fuller’s after Greene King bought them out. As per and especially Ron Finch and Brian Laurence usual, sturgeon finings are used to clarify the for a thoroughly interesting brewery tour. beer. All bottled beers are pasteurised apart from 1845. Cheers, Robert Barnes,

The Willoughby Arms

Station Road Little Bytham NG33 4RA 01780 410276

Beer Festival Traditional beamed freehouse Bank Holiday Weekend Refurbished throughout

2-5 May 2008 Wide choice of real ales & fine wines Live music B-B-Q Tasty, home-cooked food Large beer garden Open all day Four star B&B accommodation available www.willoughbyarms.co.uk

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ADVERTS THE GREEN MAN 29 Scotgate, Stamford 01780 753598 Established in 1796 as one of the ORIGINAL Stamford Ale Houses - Providing Accommodation, Lunch Time Meals and Seven Real Ales EASTER BEER FESTIVAL Fri 21st - Mon 24th March 2008 South Lincolnshires largest beer festival 50+ Draught Ales, Real Cider & Perry, Belgian Beers Live Music and BBQ, weather permitting TTEENN YYEEAARRSS IINN TTHHEE GGOOOODD BBEEEERR GGUUIIDDEE!!

THE GOAT  Frognall, Deeping St. James, Peterborough, Lincs

Graham, Debbie and staff welcome you to The Goat

Good food served lunch times and evenings

Fine selection of real ales from around the Country, five guest beers on at one time.

Belgian bottled beers available 50 single malt whiskies & real cider

Beer gardens 01778 347629

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LETTERS go dancing I’d go to The Met Lounge or Letters to Xoo bar, if I want a quiet drink I will walk across the bridge, and go to The the Editor Coalheaver’s or the Palmerston Arms. What the town really needs to revive its Unwanted Xmas Present? fortunes isn’t ice rinks, farmers markets, Dear Bram, burger vans or more pizza restaurants, it’s I just thought some of your readers might cosy traditional style pubs dotted around find this amusing? My brother Barry, well Cathedral Square and Bridge Street. known in most areas of the branch as a lover By traditional I don’t mean the return of the of real ale, was enjoying himself in the fish man, pinches of snuff or shove warmth of the Letter B, Whittlesea, just ha’apenny, but a decent pint, in clean sur - before Christmas. With a range of eight roundings and the chance for a conversation delicious ales available, lovingly cared for by if you’re looking for company and peace and landlord Bruce Rowan, he must have thought quiet if you want to be left alone. all his Christmases had come at once! Simon Stabler While awaiting with some anticipation, the (I couldn’t agree more – Ed) draw for the Xmas raffle, he took it upon himself to sample some of the wonderful Traditional Pub Games beers on offer: Adnams - Bitter, Old Ale & Dear Editor, Tally-Ho; Leeds - Hell Fire; Fox - Heacham What could be nicer than spending a few Gold; Acorn – 5th Noel; Elgood’s - Black hours in a pub with six or more friends Dog and Red Rose - Heaven & Hell. drinking, chatting, giving and taking banter Despite the availability of all this wonderful and playing pub games? beer, and much to the amusement of the rest Pubs across Peterborough have a lot of of the customers, he ended up winning a people doing just that – and you and your case of John Smith’s Extra Smooth. friends could join them. You could be Well, you win some, you lose some! playing darts on a Monday night, dominoes on Tuesday, crib on a Wednesday and pool Thanks on a Thursday at various pubs. Nikki Withers These pub games taking place on the usually quiet weekday nights, generate much needed In Search of the Perfect Town Centre Pub trade to ensure that local community pubs remain open, providing not only a much Dear Editor, welcome base for the locals to go, but also a Community Pubs Week reminds us just how venue for customers from other areas, and a poorly drinkers in the centre of town are chance to meet new people and visit city served. With a handful of exceptions, which pubs they might not have tried before. include The Draper’s and The Wortley, few If you want to join in the pub games, simply are aimed at or appeal to a cross section of ask your landlord, or get in touch with the the community. organisers. The Fayre Spot & Goodly at Bretton currently runs the domino league, Hardly a week goes by without mention that and The Hand and Heart in Millfield run Peterborough doesn’t have a night-time the crib league. economy, but is it surprising when the Cheers majority of pubs are lumped into one area of Roz Fountain town, are similar to each other, and if any - (Roz, and husband Rob run the Independent thing are more club than pub? If I want to Crib League from the Hand & Heart - Ed)

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PALMERSTON ARMS NEWS GBG 10 Year Award PALMERSTON Jolly Sailor, Ramsey ARMS NEWS Palmy Competition The Festive Beer Word Search puzzle in BAE 138 proved to be very popular and we received a dozen correct entries, with the lucky winner drawn at random being Sai Patel, who receives a gallon of beer of his choice.If you would like to get your hands on 8 pints, then have a go at this edition’s competition. Simply compose a limerick about the Palmerston Arms (Palmy). Entries must be received by February 29th, with the winner to be chosen the following evening by judges including a member of the On Thursday 15 Bateman family. Good Luck! November, 9 CAMRA members Palmy Refurbishments travelled to Ramsey Unfortunately, the pub will be closed from and were joined by a Monday 18th February for a much needed large crowd of locals refurbishment, and officially re-open at to see long serving noon on Saturday 1st March (St David’s hosts Michael Rogers and his wife Judy Day). Later in the evening, the Palmy gets Song receive an award celebrating ten con - into party mood, with complimentary snacks secutive years in the Good Beer Guide. and drinks, and a member of the Bateman family will be in attendance to welcome all. Local member Leigh Shepherd gave a short speech about the pub and described how it Young Members Event is run as proper local under Michael and Before the Palmy takes a break for its Judy’s management. CAMRA chairman makeover, the pub hosts a CAMRA Dave Murray then made the presentation. Community Pubs Week themed picture quiz on Sunday 17th February at 9pm, teams of The group were then joined by pub regular up to 4 persons welcome at £2 per Ian walker and his wife Sue. Ian is the team.Any young CAMRA members who Mayor of Ramsey and was popping in after turn up on the evening and participate in an official event. We wasted no time in the quiz can take advantage of a special offer getting him to don his mayoral parapherna - of purchasing a beer voucher for £5 entitling lia and join Micheal, Judy and Dave for a them to try any 5 different halves of beer of photograph. their choice. Young Members Contact Nikki Withers will be present from 8.30pm John Hunt onwards to meet you all and to discuss ideas for future events. Other special beer offers and complimentary snacks will be available to all who attend the evening, including the not so young customers!

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TFEATUoRE Hull and Back...

Historic Hull Pub Tour, 10th November 2007.

A visit to Hull will always be tinged with disappointment for me as the amount of pubs in the city that I would like to visit always outnumbers those that I actually manage to get through the door of. Our tour of the 10th November was just such a visit despite my best efforts to include all of my ‘must do’s’. The White Hart, Alfred Gelder St - Ceramic Our first two pubs were chosen because of Ber counter their close proximity to the station and their excellent range of ales. The Hop & Vine in ‘orchestra area’ was added. The fitted seating Albion Street and the Wellington a 5 and the stone signage also date from this time. minute walk away in Russell Street had a magnificent array of beers on offer, certainly The Whalebone in Wincolmlee is amongst too many to mention but both pubs proved the decaying industrial area alongside the popular with our entourage. The Hop & river Hull and is a reminder that this was Vine had its own little beer festival in full once a thriving area. The pub itself is a swing by the time we arrived and the superb basic pub with the added bonus of an Wellington appears to have a virtual festival all onsite brewery. the time. The Wellington dates back to the 1860’s but has been opened out in most areas. The White Hart in Alfred Gelder Street is an imposing building dating from 1904 when it A taxi to our lunch stop North of the city was rebuilt by the Hull Brewery Company provided a quick and efficient way of cover - and is an excellent example of Hull’s surviv - ing the intervening distance. The Gardeners ing gin palace style pubs. The site has had a Arms has a fairly wide range of beers on licence since around 1800 when it occupied offer but the pub lacks any real charm. Some a smaller plot. The old beerhouse was of our party decided that the Polar Bear demolished and the site enlarged when would be a good place to investigate. Alfred Gelder St was constructed. The front This pub had been built by local architects bar is beautifully preserved with the fine Freeman, Son & Gaskell in 1895 and has mahogany back fittings and the previously one of the few remaining ceramic fronted mentioned ceramic bar counter. It is now a bar counters in the country. Of the many Grade II listed building and rightly so. that were made by Doulton’s of London Unfortunately there was no real ale on offer only 21 are known to exist, luckily another on our visit. one also survives in the White Hart in Alfred Gelder Street on the other side of A short stroll through the streets took us to town. The Polar Bear was refitted and the High Street in the Old Town. The Olde extended in 1922 when a large grand domed Black Boy is a rare survivor of the many pubs that once lined old Hull’s principal

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FEATURE thoroughfare and provides an excellent the panelling is of fairly recent date, stopping off point. The pub has had a long probably from the refurbishment in 1926 history with the name being first mentioned while the plaster works on the over mantles in 1748 although it isn’t clear when the pub are of late 18th century origin. There are was granted its first licence. The trade direc - some medieval bricks in the passageway and tories first list it in 1792 when James Hayes, 17th & 18th century brickwork in many a victualler is named. In 1926 the Black Boy other parts of the pub. There is no doubt was sold to Linsley & Co who made some that the Black Boy is a unique building with alterations to the building including convert - great history attached to it and today it is a ing the front office to a smoke room and thriving enterprise serving some superb qual - adding a bar servery to the rear bar. We ity real ales. We would like to thank present assume that there had just been serving landlord Stephen Elliott for giving us a guided hatches until then. In a leaflet of the 1920’s tour and serving some exceptional beers. it is obvious the owners were keen to preserve the ‘olde world’ feel to the pub and Not too far from the Black Boy is the Old reassure prospective customers that the Blue Bell . Although the Blue Bell has been meeting rooms were still available: altered very slightly inside (a snug was removed in 1965 and an entrance to the ‘This house in bygone days was a regular street filled in) you would be troubled to see meeting house for merchants and others...we the join. The pub still retains many of its wish to intimate to those concerned that little rooms and provides sanctuary to a wide facilities for meeting there still exist. The Bar variety of customers. On a plan predating downstairs retains its old characteristics. Two the alterations there are 2 Snugs (only one rooms upstairs are available for small business of which survives), a Smoke Room and the meetings. The rooms are fully equipped for curiously named ‘Telephone Room’. The these purposes, and whilst they are part of the pub is owned by Sam Smith’s Brewery. old inn, they have a separate entrance.’ One of the highlights of our tour was Ye Olde White Hart in Silver Street, which is the centre of great controversy regarding its age and the truth behind the upstairs ‘Plotting Room’. The building is evidently of a great age with parts dating back to at least the 1660’s but whether the legend attached to the pub is true or not is more difficult to agree upon. The story goes that in 1642, Sir John Hotham Governor of Hull lived at the White Hart before it became an inn. It was in the upstairs room now known Olde Black Boy - Front Bar as the Plotting Room or Parlour that he and the Council of War held a meeting, the out - The rooms upstairs are still accessed by the come of which was the decision to refuse separate entrance and would still provide a Charles I admittance through the town perfect venue for meetings. The pub has gates. Hull at this time was generally a been the subject of several inspections by Parliamentary stronghold, an enclave amid experts and their findings can give some mostly Royalist Yorkshire, with a substantial clues to the age of certain parts of the build - arsenal. On the arrival of the King and his ing. In the upstairs rooms it is thought that Continued Overleaf

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FEATURE band of followers, which is said to have The White Hart is however a superb build - trailed back to Beverley, he demanded access ing and the beauty of the Plotting Room to the town and more significantly the must be seen. The inn was renovated in arsenal, which was property of the Crown. 1881 by local architects Smith & Brodrick Sir John Hotham had been given specific into an idealised recreation of a 17th century instructions not to surrender either the town ‘olde englishe’ inn, a sort of ‘theme pub’ if or the arsenal without the order of you will. During this refurbishment several Parliament. Hotham had suggested a items were discovered including pottery, clay compromise that would allow the king entry pipes, two swords and a ship’s chart from with a much reduced company of a dozen 1797, but most mysterious of all were the men. This was considered to be unsafe and a human bones found under the floor. The further compromise was suggested by the skull was sent to the Royal College of king that a company of 30 would be Surgeons who replied that it consisted of a satisfactory, this was refused and the king lower jaw of a child aged 6 or 7 and the rest took his leave and proceeded to empty of the cranium was of a woman aged about handed. Whether the meeting took place in 30. The skull is on display in the bar and is the Plotting Room is still the subject of said to cause all sorts of calamitous occur - debate with some sources stating that the rences if removed from the premises! building didn’t exist until 1660, others have stated that the history of the building can be The George in the Land of Green Ginger traced to the 1550’s but I have seen no was originally the vaults of the large coach - evidence for this date. The first reference to ing inn of the same name, the main body of Hotham and the White Hart comes in 1864 which was closed in 1932 and fronted when the historian Sheahan said: Whitefriargate. The building dates from the mid 18th century but was altered in the ‘The White Hart which is supposed to have 1930’s and still retains many of the features been the residence of Sir John Hotham, from the refurbishment including panelling, Governor of Hull. Upon the first floor are two mirrors and the fireplace. Its claim to fame good rooms entirely wainscotted with panels of though is the smallest window in England oak. One of these, now called the ‘Oak Room’, which is said to exist from the coaching days was formally designated the ‘Plotting when stable lads could keep a look out for Parlour’, because it is supposed that the approaching custom without getting wet! Council of War was held in it, at which it was resolved to refuse Charles I admittance within Regretfully there were some pubs that the gates of the town’. deserved a visit but time did not allow us. No visit to Hull can be complete without a pint in the Minerva , with its view of the Humber and fine selection of beers. A look at the ornate Kingston Hotel and a pint in the Bayhorse would have also been on the itinerary with sufficient time in hand. Perhaps we’ll have to save these for another day!

Our thanks to Michael Slaughter for the use of photos.

Olde Black Boy - Front Bar Steve Williams

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THAI GENTLEMEN PLEASE! Thai Gentlemen Please! Last night I was called a Luddite. They clearly are – and always have been – very Traditionally a term for someone who is against industrious people and, indeed, I count industrial change or innovation, I was tarred amongst my friends a number of the managers with the epithet because of a comment I made of such restaurants in Maldon. As a nation of about the great number of traditional English pub-goers we of course owe the whole concept public houses which have been transformed (if of falling out the pub late at night and falling that is the right word) over recent years into face forward into a bowl of sweet and sour to Chinese, Indian, Thai and Japanese restaurants. our friends from China. Before them, where else could you find a hot meal to eat in or take My friend had clearly broadened the definition away at 11 o’clock at night after a skin full? of ‘Luddite’ to embrace resistance to any (The hot-dog man packed up and went home change. I told him I was not resistant to all an hour earlier just to avoid us.) change. Change is often a good thing, but there is something about converting an English Without labouring the point, it is simply that, pub into an eastern eatery that I find abhor - to me, personally, a pub turned into an oriental rent. restaurant just ain’t right.

I have no objection to redundant pubs being I was coming home from a weekend at the turned into private houses. Indeed, as soon as World Masters darts championships along the those six lucky numbers come up on Saturday A46 a few weeks ago and spotted a red-brick night I will commence my search for my ideal pub turned into an Indian restaurant. retirement home – an old pub. It is then my intention to turn the building into a shrine to In Essex in the small village of Kirby Cross, the the trade and to include within it the world’s former “Hare and Hounds” has been convert - first Darts Museum, thus - at last - establishing ed into an Indian restaurant and takeaway a permanent home for the hundreds of boxes whilst less then a mile down the road in the of darts and pub games memorabilia that cur - Walton-on-the-Naze direction the former rently make the loft and spare room of my “Railway” had, apparently for some time, been a present home accessible only by a team of place for consuming top quality Japanese cuisine. highly trained Gurkhas – or my wife Maureen in search of the ironing board. I then thought back to “The Maypole” public house at Tiptree, a few miles from Colchester. I do not have any objection to pubs being My brother-in-law had married there in the closed and demolished as a part of a desperate early 1970s but not long after it had been but ultimately pointless bid by local councils to closed and transformed into a Chinese (or is it try and unclog our constipated road infrastruc - Cantonese?) restaurant and it has flourished ture down here in the south. ever since. I even accept that the culture of the pub and the nature and demand of the customers is Have I then for the past thirty years been in changing as decent traditional pubs are turned some kind of limbo? Have I only now spotted into garish ‘gastro pubs’ to appease young peo - that this is happening to so many of my local ple and families. I understand the economics pubs when in fact it has been happening for and the necessity for such change. However, I ages not only here in East Anglia but elsewhere? do have to bite my lip. Mr. Ludd invites your views. This feeling has nothing whatever to do with Patrick Chaplin the Chinese, the Japanese, the Indians or the 13th December 2007 Bangladeshis as a nation or as individuals. www.real-ale.org.uk 33 BAE 139:BAE128_final 25/1/08 08:44 Page 34

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