Central Lancashire Branch Issue 95 Spring 2012
Ale Cry
Formerly the West Lancashire Branch
Pub of
Cricketers Host Countryfile
x
The Season
The 2012 spring Central Lancashire Pub of the Season is the Station Road/Brownedge Road crossroads in the centre of Withy Arms in Bamber Bridge. The former Top House pub Bamber Bridge, the 113, 125/126 buses stop just past the pub had been up for sale and was bought by Lee Forshaw and Alan and is only a 10-15 minute walk north from Bamber Bridge Burdett to be converted into offices. The good news for real railway station. The Pub of the Season presentation will be ale fans was they only needed to convert the upstairs for their made on Thursday the 12th of April at approximately 9pm, needs. They were asked what they intended to do with the pub please come along and try the real ales they have on offer. and would they consider letting someone run it as a pub on John Singleton their behalf. Due to other business commitments this agreement fell through and they decided to refurbish the pub and appoint a bar manager to run it. The pub has four hand pumps with their own WA ale on at all times and on my last visit they had Witching Hour from Cross Bay, Brodies Prime from Hawkshead and a Beartown beer on. The pub is open SundayThursday 11-11 and 11-01.00 on Friday and Saturday they have a Sunday roast from 12-19.00 and a Quiz on Tuesday. The pub has two rooms. There is a small Snug on the right hand side and a large room on the left, along with an outdoor smoking area and a small car park at the rear. The pub is run by James Harding, who is probably the youngest bar manager in the country at only 18 years of age with help from Rachel Middleton, Danielle Ramsbotham and Sam Connelly. The pub is located on the Station Road/Brownedge Road The roaring fires and friendly welcome at the Cricketers in Brinscall near Chorley proved an irresistible draw for the makers of a popular TV programme. The Cricketers landlady Hilary Hawron was approached in January by the BBC about filming in her pub on School Lane for their Countryfile programme. They were making a film about a book, Lost Farms of Brinscall Moors, written by local author and historian David Clayton, and needed a warm venue for interviews with villagers. Hilary, who has just celebrated four years at the pub, said: “I was happy to help out and it was a great experience. It’s been the since.” talk of the village ever The team, headed by presenter Jules Hudson, turned up at the pub, wet and cold, after filming for hours in freezing rain on the moors and woods above the village. Hilary provided soup and sandwiches and tried to keep the regulars quiet as the filming coincided with opening time. She said: “The regulars struggled a little bit to keep quiet and they were tiptoeing around so they wouldn’t interfere with the filming, but it was all good fun. “They were here for about three hours filming different people and now we can’t wait to see the finished programme.” The programme is due to be shown in April. Further information : The Lost Farms of Brinscall Moors by David Clayton is about the abandoned farms and homes on the hills and moors above the village STOP PRESS: It’s official - Hilary at of Brinscall and was published in the Cricketers will be pleased to know 2011 Jules Hudson also presents has Escape to the Country. Julie Colvin that agreement been reached with Countryfile presenter Jules Hudson, the East Lancs Branch and they and oth- landlady Hilary Hawron and pub regulars pubs in Brinscall and Abbey Village Inside this issue!!! er (inc.Hare and Hounds) are now officially : Contents: p2 Editorial,p3 South part of our branch Ribble; p4 Preston; p6 Chorley; p7 Getting Bottled, Venus, New West Lancs; p9 Letters; P11 New Year Paul Riley Abroad P12 Riley’s Rambles; P14 Lancs Area; STOP STOP STOP PRESS p15 Sea Sey p16 Sally Round, Quiz; p18 LocAle; I heard on the grapevine that The Berkeley (near the rail stations in p19 Pub Crawl?, Brinscall; p21 George Lee; Wigan) is holding a pie and beer festival over the weekend when p22 Branch Details; p23 MEMBERSHIP FORM March becomes April with over 20 ales and 8 pies to choose from. Every Thursday is Real Ale Day with all ales cut price ed ...........................................................and much more
point I’m making is that just because it’s human nature Strength in NumbersEditorial The to sit back and let the leadership take the strain doesn’t mean it’s an effective use of resources.
Last time I checked we had over 700 branch members. Now it’s over 800. You may ask yourself how, with so many members we seem to do so little. I ask myself that same question (people often catch me talking to myself). The answers simple. As with every big campaigning organisation most people are happy to just be part of it and content to be lending their support. I quite understand and we are grateful for that support. As a branch from the 800+ we have about twenty active members and from that 20 about half a dozen who do most of the work - and I’m not bleating about it - it’s a fact of life and as I said quite normal for an organisation. Our branch is typical of others in CAMRA which means that from our 130,000 members we have about 3,000 active members and a hard core of about a thousand. We still have the strength of the 130,000. When our national leadership argue our case the weight of those numbers is a powerful tool. The trouble is with large organisations, the leadership, fighting our cause tend to subconsciously take that support for granted, which is a natural thing to do. The only trouble with that is that it minimises the usefulness of the129,000 who are not so actively involved. Most branches have a press officer and I’m ours but that mostly entails passing on edicts from above (hq). We believe that the organisation needs improving to ensure that we are as effective at branch level and regional level as we are nationally. Our branch defines my position as ‘Communications Officer’ and I haven’t been doing it properly so far due to personal pressures. If I had I’d be proactive and speaking on drink related issues to local media, local voluntary and public bodies.
‘Local’s
Once the Guild’s out of the way we will look at how we can improve branch organisation to get the best out of our ‘strength in numbers’ on a local basis. Most of our 800+ members don’t want to get involved to the extent we activists do - many for example are put off by the thought of going to meetings - believe me I often feel like that myself. That doesn’t mean that they haven’t got a role to play.
Let me give you an example. I was in the Railway at Euxton where new licensees have taken over, to see if there’s any way we can support them. From there I wandered to the Bay Horse where I found a fine range of ales on tap. I didn’t know ‘til then and there are dozens of pubs like that. Wouldn’t it be great if a CAMRA member who lives round there could keep us informed of events, changes, activities so I could pass the news on via Ale Cry etc. Now it wouldn’t take much effort. I know most of our 800 still wouldn’t be interested but it would only take two or three dozen to keep us informed about every pub and club and there’s hardly any effort involved - no need to come to meetings - no need to do more than you want. I thought a little incentive might be useful so on a quarterly basis we’ll be giving tokens for 3 gallons of ale to be spent in the Leyland Lion (kindly donated by Manager Mark Batty) to the member who has done most in that qua rter to keep us inform ed on what’s going on in their locals.If you want to get in touch to see if you can help by becoming a ‘Local’s Some of the ‘Local Motif local’- contact me handpumps (details on page22) in the Leyland Lion More on this issue in the next issue......... Thanks.............Ed.
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In December it was announced that Marstons Inns and Taverns were wanting to open a new pub in Penwortham. The pub, to be located on Milbrook Way and close to Booths Supermarket, is described as being a community-style pub and eaterie that would be female-friendly and family-orientated.Marstons have built quite a few new pubs of this type in recent years, and assumedly the proposed pub would be something like the Bobbin Mill at Buckshaw Village or the Fieldfare at Chorley. Penwortham has suffered the loss of a number of pubs in recent years. First it was the ill-fated Kingsfold which is now a Community Centre, then it was the Plough which is now an Indian Restaurant, and most recently it was the Bridge which is now a Children’s Nursery. Another pub, the SUMPTER HORSE has been open under threat of closure for several years, with the unwelcome intention that it be flattened to make way for a new access road. Over the years there have been several proposals for new pubs in Penwortham. The Maltings Estate was promoted to neighbouring residents with the assurance that it would include a new pub, while there were also plans at one time that John Smiths would open a pub on Liverpool Road. Interestingly there have been rumours more recently that Wetherspoons have been looking for a suitable site in Penwortham. Back to real ale and a spot check of Penwortham’s four qualifying pubs resulted in the following. The BLACK BULL had Greene King IPA, Ruddles Best Bitter, and Caledonian Over The Bar, the FLEECE had Charles Wells Bombardier, Fullers Front Row, St Austell Trelawny, and Tetley Bitter, the PEAR TREE had Charles Wells Bombardier, while the SIR TOM FINNEY had Black Sheep Bitter and Copper Dragon Golden Pippin. The Fleece was the winner for choice on the day, but significantly on my travels I consumed my first £3 pint in Penwortham. In Leyland the QUEENS on Golden Hill Lane is currently closed. Almost certainly trade will have suffered with the appearance of the new LEYLAND LION pub on Hough Lane, the Wetherspoons house which appears to have been a been an outstanding success since opening late in 2011.
A little further afield, and in February there was some sad news from West Lancashire, with the BECCONSALL at Hesketh Bank being demolished after having been closed for some time. I have to say that I always thought this was a fascinating pub and I featured it four years ago in an Ale Cry article about ‘overlooked’ pubs in the area. Looking at photographs from the early 1900s the pub was once an impressive three storey residential hotel, built assumedly to attract holidaymakers arriving at the nearby railway station. Many BECCONSALL years ago it was badly damaged by a major fire, but it was then to be partially re-built and it remained a most distinctive building. For the last couple of years there has been an enthusiastic ‘save the bec’ campaign, but unfortunately this has not been successful and now Hesketh Bank is a village without a pub Gordon Small
3
PRESTON Preston Parade
Good news on Watling Street Rd. where The White Hart has joined the real ale fold. Two handpumps have been installed by licensee Brian Jenkinson and he can get any beer on the quite extensive Enterprise Inn guest beer list. It is early days yet,with real ale having only appeared a couple of months ago, but Brian says it is holding its own. Among beers he has tried so far are Copper Dragon Golden Pippin, Taylor’s Landlord, Thwaites Bomber and Shepherd Neame Spitfire. Brian has been at the pub for a year and was previously at the Seven Stars in Stalmine, which is on the road to Knott End. While he was there, he won a Pub of the Season award from the Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre Branch. The White Hart was originally a Catterall and Swarbrick pub and it was actually the last one they built( in 1954) before several takeovers ended in it being a Bass Charrington pub. Nowadays, it consists of a main bar, a dining area (once the public bar) and a separate games room to the rear which was once the cocktail bar. The pub is open 12-11(-1am Fri, Sat);12-10.30 Sun. Pub grub is available Tue-Thurs 12-8 and there is a very successful carvery Fri to Sun which usually runs out by 7 pm. Other attractions are entertainment Fri and Sat (DJ), live music once a month and a quiz Sun 7-9. There are full disabled facilities including w.c. and ramp entrance. With the Garrison closing down nearby possibly leading to overcrowding in the Sumners on PNE matchdays, why not try the real ale in the White Hart for a change. In the Sumners itself, two handpumps dispense real ales. Seen lately on the bar is a beer pump clip called Sumners Hotel Real Ale, a 3.7% beer which the pump clip says is brewed on behalf of Joshua Tetley and Sons.
The
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Darts - Wednesdays. Quiz Night - Thursdays. Live Football Coverage Five handpumps:
Robinsons Unicorn plus up to three guest beers always available. Holder of Cask Marque and ACE Award certificates.
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Large beer garden with children's play area.
As Tetley’s no longer brew beer, this is the first instance I have come across of a double badged beer. Some join the fold, others drop out. The Golden Cross on Lancaster Rd has had its handpumps taken out, so is no longer able to say it is the brewery tap for Arkwrights. Other pubs can make a success of it. The Lamb and Packet at the bottom end of Friargate is having a sixth handpump installed, so it can offer even more choice. Selling both standard Thwaites beers and their seasonals plus White Hart Adelphi Lamb and Packet
selected beers from other breweries, the Lamb is gaining more and more real ale lovers. Some aspire to get in on the real ale revo lution. One such is the Adelphi, on the other side of the roundabout from the Lamb. Lately it had been badged as an ‘It’s a Scream’ pub and has concentrated on the students from the nearby University. It has now undergone a major makeover costing £375k involving a complete redevelopment of the pub, with nothing remaining from its former self. The good news is that real ale will feature. Sharon Young, the manager says that they have some cask ales coming and she is very excited about it. As I write this article, we do not
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know what they might be (see stop press ed) we will let for the evening and some of them have you know next time. Sharon added that she hopes to at- apparently not been paid. A lot of money tract other drinkers than just students. She hopes it to be has been spent on the pub in the last year very much a local pub as well as for students. It will be and it would be unfortunate if this has under the auspices of the Great Traditional Pubs estab- caused the closure of thepub. Until a new lishment which is a part of the Stonegate Pub Co. Let us landlord can be found, it leaves the village hope they make a better job of it than the nearby Ship with just one pub, the Bushells already Inn which only sold real ale sporadically and seems to having gone. Luckily, real ale can still be keep closing down. By the time you read this, Robin- had at The Grapes on the village green, where Wayne and Angela look sons overhaul of the Black Horse on Friargate will have forward to seeing customers old and new. A few upcoming beer festibeen completed. As a Grade 2* listed building, no major vals can be mentioned here. Fulwood and Broughton Cricket Club are alterations of the pub can take place, but when you next holding their inaugural beer festival from April 27-29. The club is off go you can expect some changes. There will have been Garstang Rd (on the right going north) just before Broughton rounda change in the furnishings and fittings, the stuff behind about. The club itself and under the bar will have been altered, and some work has sold real ale for quite some time, done in the cellar. More important from our point of view is that the handpumps will have been moved into often getting its beers one long bank of eight on the main bar and that, besides from local micros. BROOK STREET. CHORLEY the Robinsons beers, there will be up to three ales sup- I hope to see you plied by Titanic brewery and a real cider. This is a major there. The Contichange in Robinsons’ policy and Graham, the licensee, nental is holding is looking forward to making a great success of it. Work one of its superwill have been done on the kitchen upstairs and to the festivals in mid area that was once Peters Bar, so that food will become May. The date of available. We are in line for a brand new real ale pub this should be in 3B’s Doff Cocker in the centre of Preston. Jeremy at the Continental is to an ad somewhere Guest Ales open a bar on Ormskirk Rd. near the bus station, in what in this mag. Meanwhile, this years was a noodle restaurant. It will be extended into what Good Beer Guide 2012 was once the Cooperative Building and will feature real beer festival at the ales and also proper continental lagers, both on draught Corporation Arms and in bottle. The plans are in for approval and he hopes in Longridge will Prices start from that he can get it open in July in plenty of time for the be a week later than usual to tie in with Guild. We look forward to this great addition to Pres£2.40 per pint ton’s real ale scene and if it is as successful as the Conti- the holiday for the Queen’s Jubilee and nental itself, it will be great for that area of the City. North of Preston, in Goosnargh, the Stag’s Head closed will be June 2-4. suddenly a few weeks ago with no signs of the licensee. at great double prices Staff arriving earlier in the day were told not to come in Paul Riley
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Chorley Chatter
Imperial
A new brewery has found its way to the bar top of The Swan with Two Necks in Chorley. Pennine Brewery from Batley, West Yorkshire started brewing in January this year producing some low gravity well balanced flavoured beers. Two of their beers at the Swan have been Amber Bright at 3% Amber Necker at 3.5% and Real Blonde at 4%. The Swan also had Dunscar Bridge Bombshell at 3.7% a new brew from the recently opened Dunscar Brewery of Bolton. The Prince of Wales, Cowling, has recently hosted the new range of single hop beers with Wai-iti from New Zealand and Cascade from Australia. The Rose and Crown continues to be one of Chorley’s most popular pubs, bucking national trends with plenty of young customers sampling its real ales. A recent beer on the bar was Butcombe Rare Breed at 4.2% Good news also comes from the George next door which has returned to cask ale with Bombadier, Deuchars I.P.A. and Green King I.P.A. The Chorley area may well be hosting a beer festival following the lead set by the Top Lock, Cavendish, Limbrick Black Horse, The Sea View and Chorley Barracks (Rotary Club). The Alp has been told by ‘Big Steve’ that he hopes to get a beer festival going at the Red Herring for sometime around September this year (we will keep everyone posted). The Royal Oak, Whittle is back in business, with Black Sheep, Deuchars IPA and Lancaster Blond on the bar. Down from the Royal Oak the Dog Inn now has five beers from the Thwaites range which includes the dark mild Nutty Black at 3.3%. News also comes from the 3 Bees Brewery which has finally transferred all of its brewing to the Black Bull, Tockholes, its own free house. There is the full range of 3Bs beers at the bar with Doffcocker being one of The Alp’s favourite The Alp Chorley Town Centre is a much improved real ale haven. The Prince of Wales has three beers on tap including Marstons Pale at 2.7%!!!, There is alway a good range on tap at Sir Henry Tate, The Wainwrights at The Imperial is spot on. The George as Alp has written has started selling real ale although the Bombadier he mentioned seems to be off more often than on and the Rose and Crown continues to thrive. The two disappointments are the Market Tavern which in David and Jenny Hamer’s day served a lovely pint of Doffcocker by 3Bs is now keg only. The other being the White Hart whose demise I put down to the ‘Smile’ -ing Chorley authorities, who it seems will never learn. On Chapel Street George at the Crown is hoping to introduce more pumps after the Wainwrights and changing other have sold so well. The Leigh Arms continues to do well with steady sales from his 3 hand pumps and the Railway remains one of the jewels in the crown with its range of ales from Marstons Jennings Ringwood etc. always in excellent nick. The Malt and Hops and Trader Jacks are always worth a visit and Margaret at the White Bull always has her beers on form Toad
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6
Transit of Venus
Have you ever grabbed a bottle or A Real Ale to celebrate the two of your favourite ale from off the Transit of Venus. David Henckel, one of five Lancashire supermarket shelf to drink at home rather than going down to the based artists selected by In Certain Places to make a piece pub for a pint? Well be very careful, you might be getting more, of temporary art for the Preston Guild 2012, is collaboor perhaps even less, than you bargained for. For instance, if your rating with his local brewery Arkwright’s on a real ale tipple is Jennings Cumberland Ale from the handpump down at to celebrate the Transit of Venus. The the pub you might feel a bit woozy after two or three of the 500ml Transit of Venus, when Venus passes across the face of the bottles at home. This is because the bottled version has an Alcohol- sun, is a rare astronomical event occurring in pairs 8 years by-Volume(abv) of 4.7% whereas the cask(real ale) version down apart every 120 years or so. The last transit happened in at the pub-has an abv of only 4%. Furthermore despite the picture 2004 and the 2012 transit, happening overnight in the UK of beautiful Lakeland on the bottle label the small print on the back on June 5th/6th, will be the last one in our lifetime (unlabel says that it is brewed by Marstons Pic, Brewery Road, Wolver- less ale really is the elixir of life). The inspiration hampton. This is the address of Banks's Brewery far from the came from the disused observatory on Moor Park which towering peaks of Cumbria. However if you are keen to acquire a is owned by UCLAN’s Astrophysics department: The bottle of 4% Cumberland Ale brewed by Jennings in Cockermouth Jeremiah Horrocks institute. Horrocks was the first person go to Sainsburys and look for a bottle of their own label Westmor- to record a transit in 1639 from Much Hoole – a small villand Ale which the label states is 4% abv and is brewed in Cocker- lage just outside of Preston. Further research revealed that mouth. Cumberland and Westmorland merged to form Cumbriain Captain Cook sailed to Tahiti to observe the 1769 transit 1974 and these two beers seem to be very closely related. and a huge international effort saw scientists from all over If you drink Jennings Cocker Hoop and fancy a bottle at the world recording their observations to aid in figuring home then it might have the opposite effect on you that the bottled out the Astronomical Unit (the distance between the earth Cumberland might have. Down at the pub the cask version of this and the sun) A combination of the seafaring beer has an abv of 4.6% whereas the bottled version is rolled out at connection and David’s love of Real Ale led to the idea of 4.2% and, by the way, also appears to be brewed in Wolverhampton. making a brew to celebrate the transit. The Ale, based on So the bottled version of Cocker Hoop is nearer in strength to the an 18th century recipe, is an English IPA at 7.1% and will cask version of Cumberland and the cask version of Cocker Hoop is only be available in 2012. David hopes that people might nearer in strength to the bottled version of Cumberland, got it?! recreate the beer for future transits, although he loves the All is not lost with Jennings however. Lovers of Jennings Bitter can idea that he’ll never know, and plans to have the recipe rest assured it is rolled out at 3.5% in both cask and bottle and both archived with Lancashire records office, UCLAN and appear to be brewed in Cockermouth. I have taken Jen- The Harris Museum and Art Gallery. This nings (part of the Marstons group) as an example to highlight the desire to instigate a tradition and interest in how something discrepancies between the strengths of cask and bottled beers but is archived led to the decision to create a Transit of Venus lots of breweries do it. Charles Wells Bombardier was recently Real Ale competition. The winning entry will have their reduced from an abv of 4.3% to 4.1% in cask but remains at 4.7% in name engraved on a trophy that doubles as a time capsule bottle for instance. Brewers say that the reason why bottled versions housing the recipe, receive a small trophy to keep and have are often of higher strength is because they are not drunk in such their beer professionally brewed. There will be space for large quantities at home. When they reduce strengths they claim future winners on small plaques pre-engraved with the that this to make them more of a session beer or that there are too dates of a thousand years worth of transits. So if you don’t many beers of similar strength in their range. They never say that it enter this one you’ll have to wait until 2117. is to reduce the amount they pay to the chancellor in duty. The trophy will be on display in Preston during the Guild However if Jennings Bitter at 3.5% is a bit too string for you, you celebrations and he is currently in discussion as to where it might like to try one of the new 2.8% beers that are now appearing, will be kept until the next competition. Perhaps the church mainly in bottle. The chancellor, in his wisdom, has decided that we in Much Hoole, which has a variety of items commemoratconsume too much alcohol and has therefore given generous reduc- ing Jeremiah Horrocks - including a beautiful stained glass tions in duty on beers that are 2.8% abv or less. Most supermarkets window above the altar, would be the ideal place? are now stocking 2.8 brews from Marstons (Pale Ale), Greene King The Transit of Venus Real Ale competition will be held on (Tolly's English Ale) and Fullers (Mighty Atom) at between £1 and the 4th of June in Much Hoole as part of their “Band in £1.39 for a 500ml bottle. The Fullers is the only one that I am aware The Park” event. The winner will be announced at 3pm. of that has been also turned out as a cask beer. Sam Smiths have re- For more details and to register by the 1st June visit www. duced a number of their keg beers to 2.8% including Alpine Lager, Arkwrightsbrewery.com or nip into The Real Ale shop, 47 Taddy Bitter and their Milds. It will be interesting to Lovat rd, Preston PR1 6DQ For more inforsee how these new low strength beers will go down with all those mation on the project and the other artists making work for ‘drunks’ in the House of Commons. Dave Marsden the Guild visit - www.incertainplaces.org Dave Linley
Getting Bottled
Transit of Venus
Moor Park Observatoty
NEW CAMRA WEST LANCASHIRE BRANCH
Transit Beer
In the last issue of Ale Cry it was announced that CAMRA West Lancashire had ceased to exist and that the branch was henceforth to be known as CAMRA Central Lancashire. Well it's not taken the grass too long to grow in the area and already there is a new CAMRA West Lancashire branch in existence. It's all very simple. Three years ago the West Lancashire branch (as we then were) allowed the Southport & District branch to take responsibility for five pubs in Hesketh Bank, Rufford, and Tarleton area. Although there was some objection to this within West Lancashire branch, this transfer meant that most pubs in the West Lancashire Borough area were now under the jurisdiction of the Southport & District branch. Assumedly as a consequence of our own name change, CAMRA Southport & District branch have now taken the opportunity to formally change their name to CAMRA Southport & West Lancashire branch. Gordon Small 7
The Old Vic
Also known as the Vic and Station
Tel.No.
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Fishergate Preston
Opposite Preston Railway Station CAMRA Recommended Good Beer Guide 2012 7 Handpumps in action Normally 20 different real ales available during the course of a week Two 3D screens - 4 Sky Boxes Showing: Football, Rugby Cricket, Horse Racing, Darts, Athletics, Tennis, Golf and other major events Traditional pub with traditional lunchtime bar meals Buffets can be arranged 8
Dear Ed.
Dear Ed
I refer to the article by Gordon Small in the previous issue regarding the availability of real ale in sports Dear Ed I was intrigued to read the brief history of the West clubs.This summer I have had the pleasure of visiting Lancashire Branch in the Winter 2011 issue 94 news- Fulwood and Broughton Cricket Club on two ocletter. As the first editor of Ale Cry I remember the casions and was extremely impressed with both the meeting where the campaigning name ‘Ale Cry’ was cricket and club facilities, including the quality of the decided upon. A member known to the rest of us as real ale on offer.On my first visit I enjoyed Roosters ‘Radio Purkiss’ on account of his loud delivery, came Yankee then later Bowland Dragon on my second up with the name and it was immediately agreed. trip both served in tip top condition considering they Ale Cry was very much a campaigning sheet in those were the first pints pulled at lunchtime prior to the commencement of a match.Fulwood and Broughearly days of CAMRA. Not a few feathers were ruffled and as editor of a new campaigning newslet- ton Cricket Club play in the Palace Shield cricket league on a small but picturesque ground on Garstang ter which pulled no punches you could never quite be sure of the reception you would get from a land- Road,Fulwood and is well worth a visit.Finally,I always enjoy reading Ale Cry,the editors,contributors lord, unless of course they were in the Good Beer Guide! Lion Ales, aka Matthew Brown had a third and advertisers past and present deserve every credit of the pubs in Preston at that time and the larger for producing an excellent informative colourful ones tended to sell ‘tank’ or keg beers. Boddingtons magazine. and Thwaites were the good guys and sadly of the Thanks Ian, and Jeff ‘Big Three’ only Thwaites of course remains as a real Jeff Carter, How about more letters from our brewer. Southport, Lancashire. readers - Please - Ed Although the variety and availability of real ales today is something we could only dream about in the 70s and 80s, it was the enthusiasm of those early Under 26 over 60 members who made it possible. Needless to say, toYou’d be mad noor t to join CAMRA day’s Ale Cry is a far cry from those early editions! As From £1 4 to joi n: £2 0 rea the editorial points out in his editorial, today’s villains vouchers, and 15 month membership for the lprale s ice of 12 (see page are not the brewers but the pubcos who treat their 27) pubs as real estate to be ruthlessly exploited. There is still plenty of campaigning left to do!
kinetic
On a personal note I count my time in Lancashire as one of the happiest of my life and now retired in my mid-sixties in deepest Surrey I often think about the friends and beers in those dear dead days. Lancashire folk are some of the friendliest and most welcoming in the world and I’m pleased to see some of the old ‘stalwarts’ like Dave Linley, Dave Marsden, Paul Riley et al are still very active. For me at least, the West Lancashire Branch will always be known by its old name!
At the heart of Chorley’s night life Open Sun - Wed: 12 - 12 Thur: 12 - 2am Fri - Sat - 12 - 3am
Affectionate regards,
Ian Bignall Beare Green Surrey
3 Handpumps serving real ales from local breweries from £2 a pint Live DJs Thurs - Sat Sky Sports 3D Live Music Downstairs bar for private functions
Girl Power
The number of young women drinking real ale has soared. You see them at beer festivals almost outnumbering the men. It’s a natural, often organic, healthy product. Try it for a month and you won’t go back to your ‘Zombeers’ or alcopops. If it works for you get in touch with me. Sue Riley (women’s contact)
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Golden Lion
Blackburn Road New Front Extension Higher Wheelton (opened November 2010) Chorley Quiz Night Wednesday 9.30 01254 830855 FREE Pie Supper. Large Jackpot stuart>swanton@btinternet.com www.sugarvine/goldenlionwheelton.co.uk
Tuesday and Thursday Steak Night 2 Steaks and Free bottle of Wine £13.95 Sunday Roasts 2 for £9.95
6 handpumps: 5 Thwaites + 1 exclusive to Thwaites ‘1807 Club’ GLC Outside Caterers Monday - Free Pool Sky and ESPN Sports Channels
Come down and receive a warm welcome from our friendly staff
CAMRA Pub of The Season Spring 2011
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New Year Abroad
with the rest of us hotel guests and locals. ( I’ve no photos for many of the pubs I called in at - camera battery went flat)
Almost next door to the Valley was the Cellars - another GBG Foxy told me he and Leo were going away for New Year. The pub - with good food, good entertainment, and good ale of missis and I went to Portugal one new year and it’s is some- course and a gorgeous friendly barmaid called Beverley - what thing I’ve always fancied doing again. more could you ask for) With Ebeneezer it’s Christmas as his nickname suggests but with me its new year and the heaving local boozers where you On new years day I went for a stroll to the beach where a traditional charity dip takes place annually and from there I rushed squeeze through the crowds of people you won’t see again for 12 months as you wait an eternity to be served and look in to the Sam Smiths Golden Ball in time to beat the rush (within 5 vain for someone you know, while some once a year drinker minutes it was heaving) threatens to put your lights out after a couple of Wickeds and Sambukas.Do I love new year - no!!. I tried to book into the same accomodation as Foxy and Leo fully expecting to be laughed at. As soon the hotel said yes I was on the net sorting out travel. then I packed my sunglasses, sun cream +++etc. and three weeks later I set off for sunHardy Souls taking a new years dip Busy Golden Ball ny........................................................... ............................. Following the Good Beer Guide I spent my holiday doing what ................................................................. .....Scarborough I love best sightseeing and socialising. (ed has told me he’s (well I did say I was going abroad). short of space so I’m harly mentioning the beers because most I’ve always loved the place - ever since my first union confer- pubs change them frequently and omitting many good pubs). There was a festive feel ence in 1971. I’d been wed a year and felt guilty about galla- to the Leeds Arms where vanting for a week so I brought her indoors a huge blue teddy the landlord was slicing back to ease my conscience. I’d never spoken in front of over the ham for a thousand people before so was a bag of nerves. It wasn’t just butties sold for charity and nearby I that. I loved everything about the place. Leeds Arms loved the atmosphere and 50s/60s So did Tina (her indoors) - when we visited Scarborough music in the Leeds Hotel. a few years later and several times since several times and I was looking forward to visiting the always enjoyed it. This new year was the first time on my own Old Scalby Mills locals had recommended to me and I enjoyed there for over forty years, so I’d a lot of reminiscing to do and it so much it had gone dark when I left. On the way I called in that’s best done over a pint or two The accomodation was ideal for some one with my social interests ie I was staying at the famous Good Beer Guide pub the ‘Valley Bar.’ North Riding Melodious Mick and Ebeneezer Old Scalby Mill s Brew Pub would have loved it. Award winat Scholars, the Angel and the North Riding for enjoyable ning Ales and ciders with singers pints. Those are just some of the pubs I had a fine time in... and musicians busking and generally enjoying themselves Will I be back? You betcha I will Royston
Lamb and Packet Friargate
59 Stanifield Lane Farington Tel: 01772 465908
6 Cask Ales inc. Guests
European Lagers
Open 12-12 all days Food available 12 ‘til late Great selection of bottled world wide beers and wines
Sky Sports Free Wi-Fi
Selling Tea, Coffee and Snacks Live Music Fridays Saturdays and Sundays ‘Quiz Night + Cash Bingo on Wednesdays
Beer Garden
Heated outdoor smoking area
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Riley’s Rambles......T
With Preston North End having dispensed with Phil services weeks before they usually get Brown’s two rid of their managers (29 December) we could enjoy our in the waitinging room. Arriving at our destination, we immediChristmas trip without thinking about the anticipated ately crossed to the west bound platform and entered the Jubilee phone call. We had decided that going east on the train was a better bet than going south and thus we set off on the 10.54 York train to visit Hebden Bridge and Sowerby Bridge. Book your ticket to Sowerby Bridge as you have to change at Hebden anyway, our train not stopping at Sowerby. You then have to catch the train from Manchester. You can do this trip either way around. We decided to visit a couple of pubs in Hebden first and then move on. We walked into the centre and went in The Railway on New Rd, opposite the Rochdale canal basin This good choice as it had a warming real fire (it was cold and wet day), a friendly welcome and four real ales: Castle Rock Harvest Pale. Slightly Foxed’s eponymous ale at 3.8%(both £2.70), Black Sheep Bitter and Wells Bombardier on this occasion. The pub was comfortable with the feel of a really good old fashioned boozer. When we had warmed up we walked next door to the much different Moyles. This is a modern hotel bar with leather seats and stylish tables. Again four real ales were available from the pumps, which are set back behind the wood faced bar. Pictish Brewers Gold is a permanent beer and the guests were Vale Brewery VPA at 4.2%, Nethergate Umbel Magna and Cotleigh Snowy both at 5% Camra members get a 20p discount if they show their cards. We then retraced our steps to the station to await the next train to Sowerby Bridge which is only 7 minutes away by train. If you find yourself waiting for a delayed train as we did, there are some interesting railway related photographs
The Railway Inn
Refreshment Rooms. In a former railway building, it is like a fairly basic buffet room, but the attraction is the changing range of beers. When we were there these were Phoenix Monkeytown Mild (3.9% at £2.90), Ilkley Best and Saltaire Elderflower Blond (both 4% at £2.60) and Elland 1872 Porter at 6.5% and £3.20. We had just missed the lunchtime food, due to our delay, but there was a selection of pies for us to go at. There is also an Jubilee interesting display of posters , enamelled signs Refreshment and other memorabilia for you to look at. You Rooms need a pass number from behind the bar to go the toilets. Mickey Bell forgot it the instant he came out and we had to ask again what the number was. From here we walked to The Works on Hollins Mill Lane on the western side of the town centre. This open plan pub, in an old joinery, won the Best Conversion to Pub award in 2007 and features exposed beams and floorboards. It was very busy but we managed to get a big table to ourselves( there were 9 of us). Nine real ales were on sale, three from Timothy Taylor including Ram Tam and 6 guests including Bristol Acer(3.8% at £2.80), Bank Top Flat Cap, Abbeydale Moonshine(4.3% at £3.00) Durham Cuthbert’s Cross (4.7% at £3.10) and a house beer called Works Wonder, a Phoenix badged beer (3.9% at£2.50).Because of the choice, we stayed there for an extra beer. They usually do food, but because it was Christmas week! they didn’t so we had to put off the pangs of hunger a little longer. We moved on to a gem of a pub further up Hollins Mill Lane called the Puzzle Hall Inn. Housed inside an 18th CenturyPennine house is a cosy bar lounge with a real fire. There is limited room around the bar, but again we managed to get sat down together. There are books
Steeley lane Chorley LancsPR6 0RD 01257411449 emailrailwayinnchorley@yahoo.co.uk
Jennings Cumberland and 4 changing guest ales
CAMRA pub of the Season
Cask Marque award for excellent real ales Free pool every Monday Darts and dominoes - Thurdays Free Jukebox every Tuesday
Chorley’s Premier Music Venue Live Music Friday and Saturday Evenings
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Seasonal music festivals
The Cricketers, Brinscall Hilary welcomes you to her traditional warm friendly pub
Real Fire 3 real ales including Jennings Cumberland and Cocker Hoop Sky Sports TV Large Beer Garden Families and dogs welcome Free Wi Fi
Home cooked meals including
s......Two Bridges
e l t t o B y e l r Ltd ChoG as
and magazines spread around the room, and we were made more than welcome by the strangers stood at the bar. 5 real Ales were Warfebank Compound 1 Slingers Gold(3.9%), Saltaire The Enterprise Centre Blonde(4%), Bridstones Dou Mill Lane, Coppull, PR7 5BW ble Gold%), Elland Beyond Tel: 01257 795700 Fax: 01257 795150 The Pale(4.2%) and Shardlow Narrowboat(4.3%).By now we Mobile: 07903 061 661 were quite hungry, but relief was on hand in the form of our sales@chorleybottlegas.co.uk next pub,the Fire house, back down the lane, on the corner with www.chorleybottlegas.co.uk Town hall St. It is in a prominent building dating from 1874 • All cylinders 100% HSE and fully tested and it has been stylishly converted from offices into a modern pub/restaurant which has both real ale and food Italian style. Beer wise we could choose from Timothy Taylor Landlord (a • Full range of cylinder sizes to suit any working permanent) or the two guests, Moles Tap, Slaters Original, or environment Clarks Christmas Cracker. They were good but the food was super. Ordering a pizza in the bar costs only £5 for a large one, so shared between two it was very good value indeed. The Fire- • 7 day 24 hour emergency call out for our clihouse special was nice and spicy. ents Other typical Italian meals were available so we all tucked in. Suitably refreshed, we were soon ready for a last couple of drinks. Rather than seek out other pubs, we ducked back into • Remember - Chorley Bottle Gas Ltd does not the Works to find that two of the beers had changed since we charge any deposits or rentals were in earlier, Church End Goats Milk (3.8%) and a 4.5% Salamander beer( my notes were a bit scribbled by now) having appeared. The pub had filled up considerably and • All cylinders are fully labelled for easy identifimust be absolutely heaving at night.We then headed by the back cation route (under the railway) to Station Rd and the Jubilee rooms for our last of the day. Here also a new beer had appeared, • All our gasses are 100% food grade certified somebody’s Amarillo at 4.1% I can’t read my writing. We caught the 19.19 Manchester train, alighted at Hebden Bridge, and got on the 19.36 back to Preston arriving there at 20.32. It had been another successful day out, nicely filling in that little gap between Christmas and the New Year festivities. I wonder where we will go next year. Paul Riley
THE SHAWES ARMS London Road Preston Opening Times: MON-THURS - 12 - 11 FRI-SAT - 12 - 12 SUN -12 - 10.30
3 Guest Ales and Ciders Bar Snacks Sky Sports TV Large rear garden overlooking River Ribble Families and Dogs welcome Pool Table, Dart Boards. Quiz night and play your cards right - Thursday Fortnightly DJ Karaoke
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CAMRA CENTRAL LANCS BRANCH AND LANCASHIRE AREA AWARDS Regular readers of Ale Cry will be familiar with the George Lee Memorial Trophy, the branch's premier award given to the pub, club, or organisation that is considered to have done the most for real ale locally in the previous year. Rising up CAMRA's hierarchy of awards, next in line come the Lancashire Area Awards. These are awards made relating to the geographic area covered by the non-metropolitan county of Lancashire as it has existed since the boundary changes in 1974 There are two Lancashire Area Awards, the Lancashire Pub of the Year (Lancashire POTY) and the Lancashire Club of the Year (Lancashire COTY). There are six CAMRA branches that can make nominations for these two awards. These are the four branches which lie wholly within Lancashire (ie. Blackpool Fylde & Wyre, East Lancashire, Lunesdale, and ourselves), plus two branches (ie. Southport & District, and Wigan) which cover parts of Lancashire but in addition also cover parts of other post-1974 counties. The judging rules have changed over the years, but these days the judging is carried out by representatives of each of those branches that have made nominations that year, with a particular branch not being allowed to carry out the marking of its own nomination. Although both awards go back to the 1980s, an honours board of past winners would now seemingly be an almost impossible list to compile. For the purposes of this article I have restricted myself largely to the last decade, and in particular for both awards I have gone back to the most recent occasion that our branch has provided the Lancashire Area winner LANCASHIRE PUB OF THE YEAR CAMRA Central Lancs branch's nomination for the Lancashire POTY has normally been the current George Lee Memorial Trophy holder - providing that it is a pub of course. The most recent occasion that a pub from our branch area took the honours was in 2001 when the New Britannia in Preston was voted the Lancashire POTY winner. Unfortunately it failed to retain the award the following year when nominated again, with the multi-award winning Taps at Lytham taking over as the Lancashire POTY. Since 2005 the winner of the Lancashire POTY has been presented with the Tony Buller Shield. This is a trophy that was donated by CAMRA West Lancs branch in memory of our former Chairman who had for many years carried out the POTY / COTY judging responsibilities on behalf of the branch. YEAR PUB OF THE YEAR OUR BRANCH'S NOMINATION 2001 New Britannia, Preston. New Britannia, Preston. 2002 Taps, Lytham. New Britannia, Preston. 2003 Taps, Lytham. Dressers Arms, Wheelton. 2004 Cartford Little Eccleston. Market Tavern, Preston. 2005 Taps, Lytham. New Britannia, Preston. 2006 Victoria, Gt Harwood. Dolphin, Longton 2007 Bridge Bier Huis, Burnley Bitter Suite, Preston. Taps 2008 Derby Arms, Aughton. Bitter Suite, Preston. 2009 Taps, Lytham. Top Lock, Heapey. Old Black Bull 2010 Taps, Lytham. Continental, Preston. 2011 Swan With 2 Necks, Pendleton. Continental, Preston. 2012 (to be decided) Old Black Bull, Preston. LANCASHIRE CLUB OF THE YEAR CAMRA Central Lancs branch does not have a Club of the Year award as such, but each year a suitable candidate is selected by the branch's committee members. For many years the branch's nomination was something of a formality, with there being relatively few candidates to choose from. In the early days St Teresa's Parish Centre in Penwortham was nominated each year, and it met with some considerable success being CAMRA's National Club of the Year in 1989, as well as being the Lancashire Area winner on a number of occasions. Subsequently the now defunct Ashton Institute & Social Club took over as the branch's 'default' club nomination. It was the Ashton Institute & Social Club that was the branch's most recent successful nomination with it winning the Lancashire COTY award in 2002. Thankfully these days the number of clubs in the branch area that sell real ale has greatly increased, and there are many more deserving candidates in with a chance of being rewarded by being chosen as the branch's COTY nomination. 2002 Ashton Inst. & Social Club. Ashton Institute & Social Club. 2003 Little Fat Jacks, Blackpool. Ashton Inst&SC. 2004 Hastings Club, Lytham. Ashton Inst&SC. 2005 Hastings Club, Lytham. Ashton Inst& SC. 2006 Hastings Club, Lytham. Ashton Inst&SC. 2007 Hastings Club, Lytham. (no nomination made) 2008 Hastings Club, Lytham. Bamber Bridge FCl. 2009 Read&SimonstoneConstClub Preston Grasshoppers RFC. 2010 Blackpool Cricket Club (no nomination made) 2011 Farmers Club, Ormskirk Bamber Bridge FC. 2012 (to be decided) St Teresa’s Parish Centre, Penwortham..................Over the last decade the majority of Lancashire Area Award winners have come from the Blackpool Fylde & Wyre branch area, with the Lytham pair the Taps and the Hastings Club both being honoured on five separate occasions. In 2012 the Taps continues to be in the running as a potential Lancashire POTY Award winner, while the Hastings is probably now out of the picture as Lancashire COTY, being more of a restaurant these days. East Lancashire branch has also had some success over the years with a number of one-off winners, most recently the Swan With Two Necks at Pendleton, which is currently the holder of the Lancashire POTY award. Southport & District branch has gained a couple of awards, most recently the Farmers Club at Ormskirk which just pipped our nomination, the Bamber Bridge Football Club, to win the 2011 Lancashire COTY award so it is now ten years since CAMRA Central Lancs branch has had either a Lancashire POTY winner or a Lancashire COTY winner. In the next few months we will find out whether either of our 2012 nominations are successful. Can the OLD BLACK BULL become the first pub in our area to take possession of the Tony Buller Shield? Can ST TERESA’S PARISH CENTRE regain its past glory and add to its successes of the 1980s and 1990s? Finally if you think Central Lancs branch has not had a great amount of success in these awards, then consider the record of Lunesdale branch which is believed not to have had a Lancashire Area award winner since the turn of the century. Gordon Small
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Ed’ this ‘Bee marv Cho on o the s incre Pock loca Don Plou infor love Swa mic
Sea or Sey
Bear Whittlesey Straw Festival I pose in shop window
and Music Beer Melodious Mick
Ebeneezer enjoying the entertainment The festival season started at Hubs Restaurant. three months early for Ebeneezer and me - The Straw Bear Festival at Whittlesea Free flow barrels provide the or is it Whittlesey? real ale in the Hubs beer garden
One of his relatives (Angela and husband Geoff) was daft enough to put us up and put up with us. So off we set in early January to Whittlesea or is it Whittlesey? It can’t seem to make its mind up. neighbouring the wash the sea was on its door Many years ago, step and it was known as Whittlesea. Since the the sea has moved back and it’s become ‘sey. The debate is still ongoing. Many had so many pubs (53 for a small years ago it also township) that it ran out of names, so it decided to name some alphabetically. As with most places that’s not the case anymore. Of the alphabetically names pubs only the GBG entry ‘The Letter B’ remains’
We arrived at Peterborough Train Station and gagging for a pint and a pee after the journey we revieved both needs at the Wether Drapers . spoons
Oakham Brewery Tap Humourous singalong in the Letter B
The Falcon The Ostrich
Then it was off by train to Whittlesey. We were to return to Peterborough again on our long weekend break and on our next visit to the area we’ll see more of the fascinating place and its hostelries. Ebeneezer wasn’t very well so missed 2/3 or the weekend, so it was left to me to wander round the pubs - poor me. I found them very sociable and interesting.
Wortley Almshouses
When we first arrived after a long drag from Whittlesey train station to the Bricklayers they pointed out that we’d be better by Sword Dancers in the Boat bus so on future trips to Peterborough we took their advice. A very friendly pub it was - hq for the festival - a former GBG pub. Over the weekend I had quite a few pints in The Boat, The Letter B, The Falcon, the Wetherspoons - George, the Falcon and a good time was had in each. Most festivals realise that most ‘folkies’ are real ale drinkers so it was that the Hubs restaurant had freeflow in the beer garden barrels
me In Peterborough The Oakham Brewery Tap reminded very Brew Pubs I enjoyed the much of Wisconsin and was impressive. ales and atmosphere in GBG Osterich and in the woolpack but
The Bear in the bar The Bear on the march Burning the Bear
my favourite was the Sam Smiths Wortley Almshouses. Ed told me to cut it short so see our web site for more info. Mick
Beerand Music 2
Melodious Mick
Hello 2012
Mick’s festival programme 2012 Ed’s once again told me he’s short of space so all I can do this issue is send out a call to all real ale pubs and clubs: ‘Beer and Music’ is a wonderful opportunity for you to get some I’ll be letting you know via our website in April marvellous free publicity for your venue. Steve at the Railway in which festivals I’m likely to be going to. Why Chorley put aside his cellarman duties to do an excellent report not choose some yourself from the 400+ options. Look on the ‘Spiral Earth’ web site on one of their music festivals. Jeremy at the Continental did the same. We were grateful for their efforts and I know custom Web Wise Our ‘Webmaster’ Steve Eaves (top right) puts us increased as a result. Hopefully we’ll soon have one from theHopthroughour paces in Greyfriars on a training course aimed at Pocket’s Blues Night.If there’s something happening at your getting our web site off the ground. ed local get in touch. I’d love to hear from you. Don’t know who the excellent band is at the Plough’s Friday night show but I’ve been informed that the lovely singer at the Swan’s Tuesday open mic night is Alicia. Mick
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A Sally round……Feltham
When I was a young lad living in Preston, well Plungington to be more specific, it seemed like there was a pub on every corner. I would usually meet up with my mates in our local on a Friday night and it wasn’t long before somebody said “who fancies a sally round?” For the uninitiated this means a pub crawl, walking from pub to pub with a pint in each before ending up back in our local before the last orders bell chimed. And so to February 2012 when Carole and I found ourselves in Feltham for the weekend. The purpose of our trip being to visit Carole’s parents (my future parents-in-law). It was also a return home for Carole who grew up there. Feltham is in Middlesex, near to Heathrow Airport and is famous for being the home of Freddie Mercury and Brian May of Queen, for being one of the hidey-holes of Dick Turpin who used to drink in the Green Man and for being the home of the notorious Feltham Young Offenders Institution. Freddie Mercury’s parents still live in the next street to Carole’s parents. On Saturday lunchtime we started our “sally round.” First stop was the Moon on the Square, a Wetherspoons pub. There were 10 hand pumps but only 5 beers available, these being Green King Abbot Ale, Ruddles Best, Courage Directors and 2 offerings from Eton & Windsor Brewery, Knight of the Garter and Conqueror Black IPA. Having drunk the first 3 many times previously I started with a pint of Knight of the Garter, a pale, hoppy brew with a citrus taste which certainly hit the spot. It wasn’t really to Carole’s taste though so next up we went for Conqueror Black IPA which was also in fine condition. Delicious.
I always think that pubs are full of interesting characters and the Moon on the Square was no except ion. It wasn’t long before we were approached by one of the locals. “I love that accent” he said to me ‘Where are you from?” As I told him I was born and bred in Preston he pulled up a chair and over the next half hour we pretty much had his life story. If you ever go into this pub look out for a man about 70 years old who will be drinking pints of cloudy scrumpy with single malt chasers. Shake his hand and say hello to Patrick McGregor (aka The Highlander)
Next up was the Red Lion which looked promising due to a chalk board outside promoting “cask ales”. Sadly, no real ale was on sale inside, the barman quoting lack of demand as the excuse. We made our excuses and left. We made our way to the General Roy, part of the Sizzling Pub chain. Behind the bar were 3 hand pumps but only one clip. Hobson’s choice was Young’s Special which was pleasant enough but did not inspire us to stay for another. We decided to walk to the next pub although I was dismayed when Carole spotted a Matalan and decided to go in to look at shoes. What seemed like an age later she was at the check out with chosen shoes in hand. My good humour was immediately restored when the sales assistant suddenly said “Do you want any pillows?” What a random comment I thought, comedy gold. We eventually arrived at our destination, the Load of Hay “Free house” it said outside. Inside I thought we had entered the infamous Young Offenders Institution by mistake. The clientele left a lot to be desired to say the least. The absence of any real ale confirmed our decision to leave. Our last stop of the Sally was The Beehive, a Fullers pub. Inside it was warm and cosy with big screens showing live football. London Pride, Chiswick Bitter and Fullers ESB were Chorley’s Hidden Gem available and we settled down with a Hollinshead Street pint and a half of ESB which lifted our spirits considerably. All in all, Feltham could not be described as a Mecca for CHORLEY BOTTOMS real ale but like a lot of towns there are pubs to suit different people and we enjoyed our Sally round and our weekend down South. I have to confess however, I was quite pleased to get back home to the North and God’s own county. Carole • A CAMRA pub of the season even managed to smuggle a bag of Saveloys back over the • A CAMRA good beer guide pub border. Dave Bell • 5 Handpumps serving quality Ales from The Lancashire Walks Ale Cry Quiz No 8 LocAle Breweries Quiz set by John Griffiths and Bob Clare • 8 bar areas including cocktail bar, roof 1. What caused the River Darwen to run red with blood in 1948? terrace, pool area, pleasant alcoves for a 2. What “first” did Prime Minister Harold Macmillan officially open quiet drink. in 1958? 3. What British cinema classic was filmed at Downham, near • Cocktail Bar for hire for functions Clitheroe? 4. Who made 297 first team appearances for Preston North End between 1933 and 1949? Tues: Open mic night 5. What is reputed to be Burnley’s favourite tipple? Thur: Bands 6. What was found at Cuerdale in 1840? Fri: Bands and DJ 7. Who climbed Pendle Hill in 1652? Sat: Bands and DJ Sun: Jazz, DJ & Karaoke 8. Why might you have to “leg it” at Foulridge near Colne? 9. Who led Lancashire to a hat trick of Gillette Cup wins in the early Video Juke Open: Mon-Wed: 12:12.30 1970s? Box Always Thurs: 12:1 10. A Lancashire born comedian had a song banned by the BBC Available Fri-Sat: 12:2.30 in 1937. Name the song and the comedian. Ans page22
The Swan with Two Necks
i
Quiz:
A Real Ale Paradise
The Entertainment Centre of Chorley
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16
Sun:
12:1
THE WHEATSHEAF
BEER FESTIVAL 2012
Thurs 24 May - Sunday 27 May FREE ADMISSION
Featuring a large selection of both local and regional brews Sponsored by Crabbies Black & Spiced Orange Live Music
Thursday ~ THISTLE 8.30pm~Six Piece Ceilidh Band Friday~DEL RIO RAMBLERS~Hillbilly Rock Band Saturday~THE ACCUSED 2pm~Ten Piece Soul Band THE RAINMAKERS 9pm~Four Piece Classic Rock
COLLECTING DONATIONS FOR HELP THE HEROES
THE BERKELEY
FREE ADMISSION
Festival 2012
2012 DIARY DATES
BEER & PIE BEER FESTIVAL 27-29 Wallgate, Wigan, WN1 1LD
30-31 March FREE ADMISSION
Black Horse
PIE MENU
Steak & Kidney Meat & Potato Mince & Onion Minted Lamb Game Pie Corned Beef & Potato Chicken Ham & Mushroom
Westhead Road, Croston, PR26 9RQ
Friday 13th April - Sunday 15th April
Golden Lion
40 Gerard Street, Ashton in Makerfield, WN4 9AE
Thursday 3rd May - Monday 7th May
17
Following the lead of other branches, CAMRA West Lan cashire branch (as we then were) launched a LocAle scheme in Spring 2009. By doing this the branch was putting into practice an initiative that we would actively support those licensees in our area who were selling at least one beer that had been brewed within 30 miles of their pub premises. In the three years that the Loc Ale scheme has been in operation there have been many changes to the list of participating pubs, but as things currently stand the branch has 37 LocAle outlets (36 pubs plus one club). These are listed in the accompanying table:as at 1st March 2012 • BRIDGE, Adlington (various) • WITHY ARMS, Bamber Bridge (various) • SADDLE, Bartle (Thwaites) • SITTING GOOSE, Bartle (Thwaites) • CRICKETERS, Brinscall (various) • TILLOTSONS ARMS, Chipping (various) • KINETIC BAR, Chorley (Prospect) White Bull • MALT & HOPS, Chorley (various) Potters Swan With Two Necks Kinetic • POTTERS ARMS, Chorley (Three B's) • SWAN WITH TWO NECKS, Chorley (various) • CORPORATION ARMS, Longridge (various) • WHITE BULL, Chorley (Bank Top) • LAMB & PACKET, Preston (Thwaites) • BLACK HORSE, Croston (Moorhouses) • MOORBROOK, Preston (Thwaites) • CROWN, Croston (Thwaites) • NEW WELCOME, Preston (Thwaites) • ORIG. FARMERS ARMS, Eccleston (various) • OLD BULL, Preston (Moorhouses) • HORNS, Goosnargh (various) • OLD VIC, Preston (various) • YEW TREE, Heath Charnock (various) • PRESTON GRASSHOPPERS RFC (Thwaites) • GOLDEN LION, Higher Wheelton (Thwaites) • SUN, Preston (Thwaites) • BOAT YARD, Hoghton (Thwaites) • WHEATSHEAF, Preston (various) • ROYAL OAK, Hoghton (Thwaites) • NABS HEAD, Samlesbury (Thwaites) • SMITHS ARMS, Lea (Thwaites) • NEW HALL (various) TAVERN, Samlesbury • RAILWAY AT LEYLAND, Leyland (Lancaster) • WELCOME Walton-le-Dale (Thwaites) TAV., • WAGON & HORSES, Leyland (Thwaites) • RED LION, Wheelton (various) • BULL & ROYAL, Longridge (Thwaites) • DOG, Whittle-le-Woods (Thwaites) New to this list since the last issue of Ale Cry are the BLACK HORSE at Croston, the CROWN at Croston, and the RAILWAY AT LEYLAND. Appearing last time, but now no longer eligible as LocAle outlets are the BLACK HORSE in Chorley, the GOLDEN CROSS in Preston, and the ROBIN HOOD at Mawdesley. The Black Horse and the Golden Cross have both ceased selling any real ale, while the Robin Hood is currently closed. CAMRA Central Lancashire has two real ale breweries operating within the branch boundaries. Both are located in Preston, ARKWRIGHT'S BREWERY is based at the Real Ale Shop on Lovat Road, while HART OF PRESTON BREWERY is based on the Oxheys Industrial Estate. For the most up-to-date information about the branch's LocAle outlets and local breweries, go to the branch's new website http://www.centrallancscamra.org.uk/. In each issue of Ale Cry I am featuring a selection of the branch's LocAle pubs. This time I have looked at some of these pubs in Chorley:POTTERS ARMS. I have to say that this is a pub not to be missed, or perhaps more accurately I should say that this is a pub that cannot be missed. For several months now it has presented a tasteful purple and pink psychedelic appearance to bemused passers by, but inside all is well and it remains a good traditional friendly local. The Potters Arms on Brooke Street is the one pub in the area where you can be guaranteed to find a Three B's beer, and as expected I found Three B's Doff Cocker to be on sale alongside two other interesting beers. WHITE BULL. Located on Market Street near the replacement Big Lamp, the White Bull was just the job for a quiet read on an unseasonably sunny weekday afternoon in February. No doubt this is a completely different place in the evenings, but on my visit the main accompaniment to my drink was the ticking and chiming of the pub clock. On the day there was a good choice of beers, with four being available, two of which were LocAle qualifiers, Bank Top Old Slapper and Thwaites Wainwright. No prizes for guessing which beer I had, but I think it unlikely that you will find it on sale in any of the House Of Commons bars. KINETIC BAR. My first failure in this quest to sample a LocAle beer in each of the branch's many LocAle outlets. On the day the only beer available was Black Sheep Best Bitter, but I was told that a Prospect beer would shortly be appearing. Will need to be visited again. SWAN WITH TWO NECKS. Certainly one of Chorley's more interesting pubs, the Swan With Two Necks on Hollinshead Street has had its fair share of ups and downs in recent years. Downstairs a pub with a beer garden and several separate drinking areas, but upstairs I was surprised to find that the pub has it's own outdoor drinking balcony. Of the Chorley pubs visited this had the greatest choice of beers, with three LocAle beers being available alongside two other interesting beers. The LocAle beers on offer were Thwaites Wainwright, Moorhouses Blond Witch, plus the enigmatic Mysterious Blonde (apparently also from Moorhouses). Look out for pubs and clubs in the branch area that are displaying LocAle promotional material - and in particular look out for 2012 window stickers which should now be in place. These establishments are to be recommended if you wish to support those licensees who are doing their bit for local breweries (and for the environment). Gordon Small
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It’s not a pub crawl - it’s an Ale Trail
Some 40 odd years ago when I first worked in Preston we used birthday balloon. Another had a balloon reading ‘Welcome the excuse of somebodies birthday or other special event for a back.’ I assumed he had just returned from abroad but it turned friday night‘round towner.’ There’d be around 30 of us. We’d out his wife had just started letting him out again. Bus and all wear badges with odds printed on. Bets would have been train taken on who would be the first to puke. We’d meet in Addi- companies have had the nouse to formalise this and leaflets son’s Wine Lodge at about half seven. Most of us would be on can be found on most Draught Bass and a fine pint it was too. Then two lucky lads stations. The biggest who looked after the kitty would sup up quick and move onto ones I’ve come across the next watering hole. When I say lucky They were the ones tend to travel the train who’d enter the sometimes empty pub, look at the bar staff and route across the penorder ‘17 pints of mild and 19 pints of bitter’ please. The look nines where on the on the staff’s faces was priceless. We’d to show them the colour station itself top quaof our money before they’d believe us. We’d end up in the In- lity ales and food are dian which was next to the Old Vic (the Vic and Station served. The buffet in those days). If odds on favourite Pete hadn’t won the bet bars on Stalybridge already he would by the time he was half way through his Vin- and Dewsbury are daloo. People tut at the idea of pub crawls CAMRA award winners and have been televised on James and I couldn’t handle them on a regular basis (two/three pubs May’s travels. The two bars on Huddersfield station are also in a night is my normal limit) but get togethers like the ‘round very popular. Those on the trail obviously don’t stick to the towner’ live long in the memory. We still meet but it’s now stations but wander round the towns to the benefit of the local down to half a dozen of us and the number of pubs visited each economies. CAMRA is at the forefront of the Ale Trail time has diminished proportionately These days the pub trend and has published many routes which are on CAMRA’s crawl has re-emerged in a new guise ‘The Ale Trail’ and its a national web site. The Central Lancashire Branch are CAMRA phemonenom, phenonimum, phenoneman - by gum hoping to produce a number of them for Preston Guild which this ales good. Some are very organised. Some are very disor- you will soon find on our branch web site. On the subganised and I bump into them all over the place. Some are, like ject of Preston Paul Riley and I bumped into a rum quartet of we were, workmates with the shackles removed. Others may be Preston lads who travel all over the place to see the sites and from the same club, society, CAMRA branch or just a bunch of have a few pints en route. They call themselves the ‘CAMRA friends and their numbers vary greatly from twenty or thirty to Crew’ and although not an official part of the branch they are just four or five.Sometimes they stick to one town and some- pleased to promote the organisation. With the huge numtimes they use buses or trains to follow a trail. Just today on ber of ales to choose from these days I am certain that the ‘Ale Dewsbury station there were 3 groups of 7 or 8 lads. One had a Trail’ movement wlll continue to blossom Lord Mountain
Real Ale -
Organic, healthy, with limitless flavours. A living product unlike: phoney Zombeers and Alcopops
Drink Real Ale Mother Nature’s Choice
59 Stanifield Lane Farington Tel: 01772 465908
Attention readers and advertisers:
July heralds a ‘bumper’ Summer Preston Guild issue of Ale Cry. More Pages Twice as many copies produced over 100,000 readers
as Preston is visited by people from all over the world, keen to see the sights of Preston and the surrounding townships and villages.
Advertisers:
Selling Tea, Coffee and Snacks Live Music Fridays Saturdays and Sundays ‘Quiz Night + Cash Bingo on Wednesdays
please note that it will be another twenty years before you get as Beer Garden good an opportunity to reach as wide an audience of drinkers. 5 times the readers Over 800 branch members but only a couple of dozen active. but no increase in advertising prices If you are one of the inactive majority don’t you fancy doing a bit to help fight the cause? Any help would be appreciated so (see p26) Ed 19 why not get in touch (see P22)
Ed
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OLD BLACK BULL WINS GEORGE LEE TROPHY
The winner of the George Lee Trophy 2012 is the Old Black Bull, Friargate, Preston. This automatically means that the pub is CAMRA’s Central Lancashire Pub of the Year. It is not the first time it has been awarded to Stan and Pam Eaton of the Old Black Bull; they have won it twice before, but the last time was in 1994. They have come close since, before finally topping the poll of members attending the Christmas branch meeting. The pub goes forward to compete against the other Lancashire branches to see if it can win the county award. On the night of the presentation, two beers were on sale at 1994 prices to commemorate the last time they won. For those of you who missed the event, the 1994 price was £1.40, which means that prices have doubled in the intervening years. The award was presented by branch treasurer, Paul Riley, who explained that the pub had won the award for its commitment to real ale, its success in negotiating a free of tie deal with the owners of the pub and for its many themed mini beer festivals, involving many beers never available in the city before. The quality of the beer was paramount and Paul reminded everyone that Pam was the one who ensured that the beer reached the bar in top condition. In his acceptance speech, Stan thanked the bar staff, especially the assistant manager Michael for their help in winning the award. Stan said he would be continuing his themed weeks and was looking forward to getting some unusual beers in from Ireland for the rugby during March. The George Lee Trophy is awarded annually to the pub, club or organization that had done most in the previous year for the cause of real ale in the branch area. It was insti gated in remembrance of the genial bugle blowing landlord of the Moorbrook Inn which was where the inaugural meeting of the branch took place on Monday 25th June 1973.
His enthusiasm and verve helped the branch to thrive and it is a fitting memorial to his hard work in promoting real ale when a lot of his fellow licensees were converting their pubs to keg beer.
Paul Riley
Michael, Pam Stan and Paul
BLACK HORSE, CROSTON In our Winter 2011 issue,
we reported on the Wheatsheaf in Preston, which is owned by Amber Taverns. One of the other Amber Taverns’s landlords, from the Black Horse at Croston, was concerned that it gave the impression that he does not promote real ale.We are happy to make clear that the Black Horse in Croston does serve real ale. Landlord Andrew Edmondson sells 3 real ales in the early part of the week, gradually increasing to 6 at weekends. The pub is a Locale supporter with the two standard beers from Moorhouses. The others are guest beers and Andrew can make his own choice where those come from. Andrew is planning a beer festival at the pub from Friday 13th to Sunday 15th April. There will be over 30 cask ales available, 8 on the handpumps on the bar and the rest on a special bar set up in the back room. The emphasis will be on Locale, with most if not all of the beers coming from withn a 30 mile radius. This will be complemented by Live Music and wines and cheeses from around the world. Dave Linley
The Red Herring
MILL LANE, COPPULL, CHORLEY, LANCS. Tel: (01257) 470130 Ste & Mary welcome you to Coppull’s only freehouse: An oasis in a beer desert. Guest Ales include: Moorhouses, 3Bs and many more Good Beer
Guide -Sat night entertainment, we’re in it. Sun night quiz Ring Mill function room for hire Monday to Thursday open from 3pm Friday to Sunday open from 12pm
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Attention : Pubs, Clubs, Breweries, Pubcos, Suppliers to the trade Compare our target market with local press Read on--------------
Our quarterly publication goes right to the heart of your customer base. With an estimated 30.000 ‘interested’ readers ‘Ale Cry’ reaches ale drinkers all over the UK. Every pub we go in is given customer copies and also pub copies for drinkers to read and return to the bar for others to peruse. And it’s not just to local locals - no - no - no. As all our volunteer distributors travel around the country and further afield we leave pub copies in pubs we visit on our travels: from Scotland to Devon; from Wales to Yorkshire; from Canada to Germany; from the States to Poland etc., etc., Contact us (see below) for full details of where they’ve been left and to find out how to advertise with us Other than word of mouth you won’t find a better way to get your message across - Just ask our current advertisers.
Current Prices: Double Page £300 Back Page £195 Full Page £175 Half Page £95 Quarter £55 Eighth £35 Officers and Contacts: Branch Contaact And Treasurer Womens contact: Chairman Vice Chairman Secretary Webmaster and Young members Social Secretary Communications (inc. membership & editor)
Branch Meetings (8pm): Branch Details: Branch / Socials* Committee #
Paul Riley 01772 709272 Sue Riley 01772 709272 Alan Thompson 01257 276363 Dave Linley 01772 735628 Gordon Small 01772 746118 14 Bank Parade Penwortham Preston Steve Eaves steveneavesuk @yahoo.co.uk Steve Enderby 01257 410146 Mick Clark
You’re welcome to attend any of our meetings
Apr May Jun
12 23 17 28 7 25
#Pub of Season Presentation Withy Arms (Bamber Bridge) *Anchor (Lostock Hall) #Sir Henry Tate (Chorley) *Stanley (Preston) #Fleece (Penwortham) *Branch A.G.M. - Angel (Preston)
Trips
07984 840486
NEW email address: clcamra@rocketmail.com
website- http://www.centrallancscamra.org.uk/ Published by: The Central Lancashire Branch Of The Campaign for Real Ale
Disclaimer: The views expressed in Ale Cry are not necessarily those of the Editor, the West Lancashire Branch of CAMRA, or of the Campaign for Real Ale
Thur 3rd May - Ale Cry trip to Longton and beyond. Minibus from Old Vicarage, Preston (near bus station) Leaves at 7.15 - Return to Preston 11pm. Contact Paul Riley to book a place (01772 709272) Deadline for Adverts and Articles for the Summer (Guild)Edition:: 7/7/12 Expected Publication Date: 23/7/12
Quiz No 7 Answers Quiz kindly donated by:www.lancashirewalks.com 1. 3. 7. 9.
The Battle of Preston 2. The Preston By pass – first motorway. Whistle Down the Wind. 4. Bill Shankley 5. Benedictine 6. A Viking silver hoard. George Fox, Founder of the Quakers 8. To push a narrow boat through the canal tunnel. Jack Bond. 10. “My little stick of Blackpool Rock”. George Formby.
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Proud supporter of traditional,
AMAZING OFFERS FOR REAL ALE DRINKERS
healthy, British made, real ales & CAMRA in its fight to bring this healthy, organically produced example of British culture to more people’s attention. You don’t need an existing member to recommend you to join CAMRA, but if one has, he or she could win 3 gallons of real ale , just by insterting their details here.
Name Membership No Phone No
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Accordingly, in association with CAMRA, we are pleased to announce these AMAZING offers:
•
£20 of JD Wetherspoon beer tokens •
15 months membership for the price of 12 if you agree to pay by direct debit
Once you have joined, if you live in Central Lancashire CAMRA area:
1.
Chance to win 24 pints of real ale in Greyfriars, Friargate Preston for encouraging friends to join CAMRA 2 .Chance to win 24 pints in the Leyland Lion on Hough Lane,Leyland for helping keep the branch in formed aout what’s hap pening in your local pubs
So fill in this application form below asap and post it to : FAO Gary Fowler, Wetherspoons Membership Offer CAMRA
230 Hatfield Road, St. Albans, Herts, Al1 4LW
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