Issue 2 Summer 2012 BOLTON BEER BREAKS CAMPAIGNING FOR REAL ALE, PUBS AND DRINKERS' RIGHTS “A fine beer may be judged with only one sip, but it is best to be properly sure” - Old Czech proverb In this issue Dial-a– drink A view from the boundary— Stopes Tavern In some pubs around the coun- were given a News of the 2012 Great try you can occasionally spot a two digit Northern Beer Festival remnant left over from when code, for pub society moved at a more instance if Pub Survey: A tour around leisurely pace. I am of course you fancied a the real ale outlets of Pre- referring to the apparatus shandy, 75 ston City Centre known as the 'bell push', a de- would be One members beer sampling vice used to summon a waitress dialled and if journey around Bavaria in the more select rooms of a your pre- The 2013 Good Beer Guide public house. The system was ferred tipple goes digital simple and probably worked was a Baby- without too much fuss for sev- cham then eral generations but in 1963 a dialling 17 pub in Bromley Cross decided would ensure that something more sophisti- you got it. cated could be employed. The The informa- Flag Hotel had no doubt been Landlord John Dobson serving drinks to his wife and tion was re- approached by the proprietor of daughter Joan who have just used the Genie to order layed back to a local firm called Millington & tus had its faults and from my a control box behind the bar Boardman of Darwen who was experience of working with elec- and a printout was produced in keen to showcase the latest in tromechanical telephone systems the form of a ticket showing a long line of innovative plastic there was probably a high main- table number, list of items and Articles for inclusion products. The pub, as far as we tenance factor, it probably made price for each. When the order know, was the only one in the a bit of noise as well. If you have anything that was completed the machine country to adopt the 'Genie' you wish to include in fu- automatically totalled the price. If anyone knows of other curious drink ordering system, quite for ture editions then please If anyone required something drink dispensing equipment or if submit to the editor - how long it remained is not not on the menu then double any other occurrences of the clear but it seems obvious that ‘O’ was dialled, this would then [email protected] it wasn't a great seller! Genie have come to light we'd call the waiter and the item love to know about them. Follow us on Twitter - At every table in the lounge a could be ordered ‘manually’. @BoltonCAMRA special selector unit fitted with Thanks for this article must go to The manufacturers obviously a telephone dial would be the Pub History Society and Joan Or see our website - saw the Genie as the future of placed. All of the items on the www.boltoncamra.org.uk drink dispensing but it just did- Smith. drinks menu such as beers, n't catch on for whatever rea- www.pubhistorysociety.co.uk spirits, cigarettes and cigars son. I suspect that the appara- The very unusual “directory” from the Flag Inn (below) Page 2 Bolton Beer Breaks View from the Boundary A series focusing on the pubs at the fur- Preston Pub Survey thest reaches of the Bolton Branch area No.1: Stopes Tavern, Little Lever The Old Vic provided the opening to an local Hart Brewery's ever popular Dishy enjoyable trip to our neighbours in Preston. Debbie. Sitting across from the main entrance to Almost next door is the Old Black Bull. A the railway station, the pub provides 7 real bewildering array ales with 3 from Moorhouses, including the of real ales on wonderful Pride of Pendle. On our visit offer here almost there were also ales from Burscough Brew- matched by the ery and Cuerden Brewery, brewed in Heb- number of TV den Bridge, whose Pale met with a less screens and we than enthusiastic reception. swiftly moved on A 15 minute walk down the hill and to what was un- through Miller Park to the banks of the doubtedly the River Ribble we were soon sat in the bright most beautiful You couldn't ask for a pub more on the lounge of the Continental. The Saltaire pub on the visit, boundary of Bolton. Take the 524 through Little Lever and alight just before you reach Raspberry – not too fruity - was enjoyed by the Black Horse. the Welcome to Bury sign, the Stopes Tav- a few and the Pictish Brewers Gold and The Grade II ern is well worth a visit. Elland Midsummer Night's Porter were listed multi-roomed pub with tiled floor and both superb. The Marble Continental Bitter semi-circular ceramic bar counter is on the A traditional multi-roomed pub with a cen- proved to be a little thin though. Interest- CAMRA Heritage Pub list http:// tral bar, customers can enjoy different at- mospheres depending on their mood. ingly this seemed to be the only pub also www.heritagepubs.org.uk. It sits incongru- There is a small TV screen in one room, offering a real ously in the heart of a soulless shopping elsewhere a quiet lounge area, a beer gar- cider, in this case precinct. The beers on offer are all from den, a dart board and a pool table. Two Trees Perry. the Robinsons stable and include Old Tom, one of the World's Finest Beers rarely seen The service is welcoming and despite the We had to wait a on hand pump. At 8.5%, a half was all that restrictions on choice imposed by the while for the rain was required to savour the rich flavours of PubCo owners Enterprise Inns, the licen- to ease off as this old ale, although it was slightly too sees at the Stopes serve some of the best there was long Bank Top Flat Cap in Bolton and at a very chilled to bring out its best. walk to the stu- reasonable £2.40 a pint. It is one of many local pubs signed up the CAMRA LocAle dent part of town The final stop was the Market Tavern. Only scheme aimed at promoting outlets which to find the dis- three ales but all were excellent, an exam- showcase locally brewed beers. creet entrance to ple to many other pubs that quality is more the Bitter Suite. important than quantity. The York Brewery So, one night instead of sitting on your sofa The lounge style bar was empty but that Legacy had a quality equal to that recently drinking a can of mass produced beer gave us chance get some local knowledge found from the same beer in the Masons plucked from from a supermarket slab, why not try out you taste buds and take a trip from the bar staff on other pubs in the Arms at Egerton and this ale seems to be out to try a quality beer made locally and area. The range of 6 beers included Sala- becoming a favourite amongst some mem- perfectly dispensed just a short ride away. mander Pipsqueak Porter – very drinkable bers. The Outstanding Blonde was also but lacking the body of the Elland Porter – very nice and it is a shame we don't see 2013 Good Beer Guide goes digital and offerings from Rat Brewery, Acorn, more beers from this Bury-based brewery Pictish, Foxfield and Thwaites. in pubs around Bolton. This year to coincide with the publication of the 2013 edition of the GBG a new version Taking a tip from Everyone agreed that of the highly successful Good Beer Guide the staff at the all the pubs had of- Mobile app will be launched for Apple and Bitter Suite we fered a cracking range Android™ compatible devices. This new evo- next called at the lution of the app will go live on 13th Septem- of beers all in great ber incorporating a basic version which will Dog and Partridge condition. There were be free to download and allow limited ‘near on Friargate. A plenty of styles on of- me’ searches and restrict available function- proper pub, we fer, from pale ales ality. Once the basic version is installed a were told, with the through golden ales, 12 month subscription can be purchased in oldest landlord in blondes, fruit flavoured app for just £4.99 and will allow access to Preston who often beers, bitters, milds enhanced searches by pub name, postcode decides to close and porters to old ales. and street address and will provide a greater the pub in the number of pubs for the user to browse full All that seemed to be middle of the af- listings of when looking for a pint. Detailed missing was a good ternoon if the What was on offer at The Dog & Partridge information on all UK real-ale breweries and stout. It made us won- whim takes him. The bar staff on our visit their key beers will also be made available. der a similarly diverse range would be were young and the pub stayed open. We Subscribers will also be able to record the found on a walk around Bolton town cen- pubs they have visited and input their own downed some reassuringly good pints of tre. review notes using their unique subscribers Taylor's Landlord, Tetley Dark Mild and the account.