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PRESTON PARADE

from Ale Cry 132 - Spring 2023

from Ale Cry 132 - Spring 2023, page 18

Chorley Chatter

Two branch awards have been won by Preston pubs and you can read about them in separate articles elsewhere in this edition. Congratulations to Dan at the BLACK HORSE in winning our Pub of the Year award and also to the ORCHARD pub for being our Spring Pub of the Season. Well, what else is happening in our City? Firstly, the WINCKLEY STREET ALEHOUSE duly reopened in December with up to four changing real ales and 10 keg and craft ales on sale. It now has an electronic beer board to help you make your choice. It also joins the select few pubs like the Guild Ale House which welcomes dogs. It is closed Monday and Tuesday, opens at noon all other days and closes at 11pm (6pm Sun). Lunchtime and evening meals are served and there is an outside pavement drinking area. Payment is by card only.

The great news is that Preston has a brewery again, with the CHAIN HOUSE BREWING COMPANY receiving permission to on cask and craft keg from Rivington, Chainhouse, Polly’s, Mobberley and Pentrich breweries next to a range of draught Molson brands. As per Mark’s mission statement when he first took over, there is truly something for all beer wise. relocate its brewing plant from brewer Ryan Hayes’ garage in New Longton to a former joinery workhouse on Market Street West. It has been installed and brewing has commenced. There is also a taproom with two cask beers and fourteen craft lines featuring both Chain House and guest beers. The brewing plant is on view from the taproom, so you can enjoy a pint and watch the next batch being brewed. In addition to Chain House beers being brewed on this plant, Haydn from the, now sadly closed, Crankshaft brewery has been invited to keep his hand in by doing the odd collaboration with Ryan on the Chain House plant. One you can look forward to seeing on the bar is a strong West Coast IPA, with others to follow. Entrance for now is through the garden of the next door Lost Bar off Clayton’s Gate, and the alleyway alongside. The Taproom is closed on Monday, but is open 4–11 Tues to Thurs, 1–midnight Fri noon–midnight Sat, and noon–9pm Sun.

Work has begun on the massive student accommodation block behind the MOORBROOK on North Road. Plans were submitted three years ago and worries were expressed at the time about the pub being overlooked, and all the noise and dirt being generated during construction. Let us hope that when these flats become occupied, generations of new students will become customers of their nearest pub.

Following complaints about beer changes at the PLAU which saw Wainwright appear on cask and Molson Coors products take over the keg taps, new leaseholder Mark O’Rourke has installed 7 new draught lines for independently brewed keg and stated that ‘brewers of good cask’ will occupy the hand pumps, which have been moved to the lower bar area. A recent visit saw beers from Rivington and Mobberley alongside permanent fixture Wainwright

A couple of local pubs have had reviews of their licence after incidents occurring on the premises. As a result, the STANLEY ARMS on Lancaster Rd. has been ordered to use plastic glasses after 10pm and to employ additional door staff. This popular pub can get very busy at weekends, but it seems a bit unfair when other venues of similar ilk do not have similar restrictions. Maybe after another review this condition will be withdrawn. The other pub reviewed was the TULKETH TAP ROOM at Ashton, but the good news there is that the micro has been given permission to continue opening, subject to some strict conditions. Even better is that they have applied for an alcohol licence for the next door Americanstyle diner which is currently being readied. Meanwhile, a new bar called the AVIARY has opened next door to the Tap End microbar at Lane Ends. No sign of any real ale there yet, but the TAP END is benefitting from people coming to the area because of the six pubs/clubs/cafes/bars in such a small area. Bad news at the Tulketh Tap’s sister pub, the FRIARGATE TAP, where there are plans to remove two of the handpumps, leaving just the one serving real ale there.

News of a couple of pubs on the fringes of the City: unfortunately at the GRAPES at Goosnargh, Nicola and Mark will not be renewing their tenancy at this traditional country pub. With the fuel cost rises and cost of living crisis, the sums no longer add up. To date, no new tenant has come forth. We can expect many more such cases in the coming year. One that has gone is the SADDLE at Lea, which has finally been demolished, with the construction of a petrol station that is taking its place now under way. Have they not heard that they are doing away with petrol cars, or do they know something we don’t? Finally, people power has won at the NEW BRITANNIA in Heatley Street, where the landlord has seen the error of his ways in removing the pool table from the pub. The table has been restored to its place in the room to the left of the entrance, and this has led to the return of many people who had gone elsewhere to hone their skill at this popular bar room game.