Issue32|Spring 2018 |www.heartofstaffordshirecamra.org.uk West Midlands CAMRABranchMagazineofthe Year 2017 Magazine of theHeart of Staffordshire branch of CAMRA Incorporating Uttoxeter &Districtsub-branch andcovering Stafford x Stone x Eccleshall x Penkridge x Gnosall x andsurrounding areas Eccleshall crawl | Page 18 Tributes to Mike andSally | Pages9,32 Beer Festival datesannounced | Page 11 CAMRAʼsbig decision | Page 24 andmuchmore... Carefully crafted print range Offering you crisp, balanced, multidimensional print solutions, which are pleasing on the palate and your pocket. l Business Cards l Promotional Flyers / Posters l Menus l Order Forms l Outdoor and Indoor Banners Warwick Printing Company Ltd Caswell Road, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire CV31 1QD Tel: 01926 883355 Email: [email protected] www.warwickprinting.co.uk Spring2018 WinnerofWestMidlands CAMRABranchMagazineofthe Year 2017 Welcome Ihavetobegin withthe sadnews that Mike Harker, well-knownand much-lovedstalwartof In this issue HeartofStaffordshire CAMRA, hasdied. It is fair to say thatMike’s dedication to CAMRAwas Chair’schat/Branch Diary 5 second to none,and without himthismagazine Puband Club news 6 wouldnot havegot backupoffthe ground.But most importantlywehavelostareally good mate. Remembering Mike 9 We payfulltributetoMike on page 9. 11th Beer &Cider Festival 11 We lost anotherfriendrecentlyinSally Lavender —it was only last issuethatIwrote aboutthe cider Brewery news 12 tastingsession Iattended that Sallyled. How Pubofthe Season 15 brilliant and engagingshe was. Mike andSally both putinsomuchtotheircommunities,and IzaakWaltonBrewhouse 16 have left us all thankfulfor having knownthem. Eccleshalltrail 18 We’re in Eccleshallthisissue,withaguide to the AWalkonthe Mild Side 21 sevendrinkingestablishments there, andthe new breweryjustdownthe road.We’ve also just Pubs on the101 23 announced the dates forour 11th annual Beer and Cider Festival—allthe genonpage11. CAMRAmembers weekend 24 Ihopethatyou enjoy reading .Your Uttoxeter&District news 26 feedbackiswelcome,asare ideasfor articles,help Potteries news 31 with advertising, distribution...and my puns are stillfeeble.[That’s notaspellingmistakeonthe Contactus/Contacting you 33 frontcover though.] ‘Doing the19’ 34 All the best, CAMRAmembership 35 Andy Murray [email protected] Beer at Heart is publishedquarterly by HeartofStaffordshireCAMRA. Designed and edited by AndrewMurray. Opinions expressedare those of the authorand may not representthose of CAMRA, thelocal branch or editor.BeeratHeart is (c)CAMRALtd. PrintedbyWarwick Printing www.warwickprinting.co.uk Nextcopydeadline: 12th MAY2018ADVERTISINGRATES ON PAGE 29 Issue32|Spring 2018 | Chair's Chat Branch Diary Welcome to the first magazine of the new NB dates and venues are subject to change, year. Hopefully by the time you read this the so before making a special journey please worst of the winter will be over, it seems to check the diary on our website: have dragged on relentlessly. Also by now all www.heartofstaffordshirecamra.org.uk/diary the groundwork for Good Beer Guide 2019 will WHAT IS CAMRA be completed along with the selection of our MARCH various Pubs of the Year. THURSDAY 15th: ’RISING STAR’ AWARD An item close to my heart now that the PRESENTATION—the STAR INN, Penkridge, Railway in Norton Bridge has been closed for 8.30pm. All welcome. over 18 months is the role of the ‘Pubs at the Heart of the Community’. Research by Oxford THURSDAY29th: BEER FESTIVAL PLANNING MEETING—Bird in Hand, University shows that “people who regularly Stafford 8pm. All welcome. use a local pub have more close friends, are happier, are more trusting of others and feel APRIL more engaged with their community.” Reliable research also confirms that “sensible drinking THURSDAY 12th: SPRING PUB OF THE is good for you!” SEASON PRESENTATION - the RED LION, Bradley, 8.30pm. All welcome. I agree with both these statements. Rural communities like mine are becoming more TUESDAY 17th: BRANCH MEETING - ROYAL and more isolated, and Staffordshire County EXCHANGE, STONE, 8pm. All members Council’s decimation of subsidised bus services welcome. will be a further blow to villages and country THURSDAY 19th: BRANCH TRIP TO pubs, also having some effect on urban areas STAFFORD HOCKEY CLUB BEER FESTIVAL and facilities. Riverway, Stafford, 7pm. All welcome. So sit back with a pint and enjoy our award- FRIDAY 20th—SUNDAY 22nd: MEMBERS’ winning magazine.* WEEKEND & AGM—University of Warwick Neil Butler near Coventry. Chair, Heart of Staffordshire CAMRA MAY SATURDAY12th: BRANCH TRIP TO ’MILD IN MAY’ TRAIL, BIRMINGHAM - depart from Stafford station at 11.25am. All welcome. JUNE TUESDAY 5th: BRANCH A.G.M. - SHREWSBURY ARMS, Stafford, 8pm. All members welcome. *Beer at Heart won ‘Best Branch Magazine’ at the West Midlands CAMRA awards ceremony SUGGESTIONS FOR SOCIALS? Contact on 30th December. It is our second award in social@heartofstaffordshirecamra.org.uk two years, following Best Newcomer in 2016. Issue 32 | Spring 2018 | Pub and Club news STAFFORD round these parts, will take place from Good news: Slater’s application to open a Thursday 19th—Saturday 21st April. bar in Stafford has been approved and work The Princess Royal was in the local paper as has started on the premises. It’s next door planning permission was granted (for the to the Butler’s Bell. fourth time) to demolish it and build houses More good news: Titanic are opening a on the site. However, we are told that its café/bar in Baswich/Weeping Cross called future as a pub is secure for now. bod after its address in Bodmin Avenue. They are hoping to welcome their first KNIGHTON customers at the end of March. The Haberdashers Arms is hosting a gig by banjo man Dan Walsh on 6th April. STONE Edison’s opened in the high street October last year, closed shortly after Christmas. There's a repossession notice in the window and the inside has been gutted. Pubs are a tough business right enough. Langtrys which has been closed for several months is undergoing a bit of a facelift. Freshly painted and seemingly some new windows and hanging baskets. Fingers crossed we may yet see a revival. Even more good news: the Star & Garter We have a new licensee at the Talbot – has extended its CAMRA discount: 15p off a welcome to Trudi & partner. Three handpulls half, 30p off a pint, all day every day! The (and maybe more to come) along with both offer applies to their real ciders too. Sky and BT Sport and pool. Live music on Even even more etc etc: real ale is coming Saturday nights and Trudi has lots of plans! back to No.7 Market Square. Joule’s have purchased Crown Wharf with The Spittal Brook closed unexpectedly the intention of putting a pub (taphouse in before Christmas and is still closed as we go their words) on it. It adjoins the canal and to press. The Bell in Haughton also was part of the original Joule’s brewery remains closed. The Tap & Spile re-opened complex. More on this in our next issue. in November but closed again in mid- In mid-February it was announced that the February. Darlaston Inn has been sold and would The Floodgate and the Bird in Hand are close on 1st March. We do not know at both looking for cribbage players. Apply present if it will continue to be a pub. within. BROCTON Stafford Hockey Club’s annual Beer and The Seven Stars finally reopened on 20th Cider Festival, usually the first of the year February and is serving three or four ales 6 | www.heartofstaffordshirecamra.org.uk although the emphasis is as an upmarket Tenancies/leases etc. available include: dining venue. Star, Copmere End (freehold) Swan, Forton (freehold) Rising Star Red Lion, Great Chatwell (retail PENKRIDGE Partnership, Marston’s) In recognition of the great work that Ali Crown, Hyde Lea (lease) and Richard Heath have done at the Star Shrewsbury Arms, Kingstone Inn since taking over last Autumn, we’ll (freehold) be presenting them with our Rising Star Horse &Jockey, Penkridge (tenancy). award (appropriately enough) on Lamb, Stafford (tenancy) Thursday 15th March at 8.30pm. All Luck Penny, Stafford (lease) welcome to join the celebration. Spittal Brook, Stafford (tenancy) Tap & Spile, Stafford (lease) ANYPLACE Hare and Hounds, Stramshall Anypub (freehold) Landlords—your pub news could have Pheasant, Stone (lease) been here. Drop me a line with short snippets about your upcoming events, real ale promotions, beer festivals etc. editor@heartofstaffordshirecamra.org.uk AA Recommended, AA Pick of the Pubs, The Good Pub Guide’s Staffordshire Dining Pub of the Year. As recommended in: Les Routiers in Britain; Which? Guide. FREEHOUSE RememberingMike We were much saddened by the loss of Mike Harker who passed away on Friday 12th January2018atthe ageof71. Mike’s last 12 months hadbeentough following afallinJanuary2017inwhich he sustainedafractured skull. He spentsix months in hospital and althoughhe appeared to be making good progress his health never fully recovered. Mike had been aCAMRA member since the seventiesand had attendedmany CAMRAnational AGMs over the yearsbut it was in 2006 thathestarted attending Over the last twelve months,understand- localbranchmeetingsand socials. ablywithall he’dbeen through,Mike wasn’thimself.The Mike thatwewill He re-joined the localbranchduringa remember was the jovial,talkative man transitionalperiodasin2007 thebranch (sometimesitwas hardtoget awordin amended itsconstitutionand changedits edgeways!), who caredabout real ale, cider name from Staffordand Stonebranchto and pubs. He was alwaysgoodcompany HeartofStaffordshire