Aot autumn 2015

The FREE Magazine of the Thanet Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale

Quarterly Autumn 2015 Circulation 2500

BAR NONE - Local Pub News Page 4

KENT PUB OF THE YEAR

LONDON TRIP

Page 11

Page 8

THEN & NOW

DESTINATION GLASGOW

Page 10

Page 12

WHAT’S THE EDITOR GOT TO SAY? Sad to see that the Council refused planning permission for a micropub by the Hare & Hounds traffic lights with their main reason for refusal being that the proposed use would give rise to unacceptable levels of nuisance, noise and disturbance that would harm the living conditions of nearby residential properties. I daresay that the applicant's decision to apply for a fenced outside area in front of the building didn’t help their cause. It seems strange nonetheless considering that there is already a pub opposite the site along with at least five takeaways very close by. It is a busy junction most of the day and the additional footfall to the micropub would be minimal, so why did the Council not just include a condition that the applicant couldn’t have the outside area? I hope they appeal the Council’s decision.

Talking of micropubs, CAMRA has just released the sixth edition of its popular “Cellarmanship” book, a must-have publication for any prospective micropub landlord - indeed any landlord for that matter - who wishes to serve real ale correctly. I would commend it as the definitive guide to storing, serving and caring for real ale. See advert on page 23.

And talking about adverts, if you run a business have you ever thought about using Ale of Thanet to advertise yours? The magazine is seen by over 2500 pub goers throughout Thanet and beyond and we have very competitive advertising rates. For more information email steve@thanet-camra.org.uk with ‘ad’ in the subject box.

That’s it for this issue.

Cheers Steve Saunders

BRANCH EVENTS

CONTENTS

Below is a selection of branch activities BRANCH SOCIALS

4 - Bar None - Pub News 6 - CAMRA Press Release 7 - CAMRA Press Release 8 - A London Trip 10 - Then & Now 11 - Kent Pub of the Year 12 - Destination Glasgow 16 - Name That Pub? 19 - Montefiore Celebration/Pubs Selling Local Beer 20 - CAMRA Cider Press Release/Kent Cider Makers 22 - News from Thanet Breweries 24 - Kent Breweries 25 - CAMRA Press Release 26 - CAMRA Press Release 27 - Membership Application Form

A Social gathering where branch business isn't normally discussed - everybody welcome

Friday 4 December London Tavern Margate CT9 1PN - 7.45pm BUSINESS MEETING A Social gathering to discuss branch business - all members welcome

Thursday 5 November 2015 Montefiore Arms, Ramsgate CT11 7HJ - 8pm ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING A gathering where branch business is discussed - members only welcome

Saturday 30 January 2016 London Tavern Margate CT9 1PN - 11.30am Our meetings and events are sometimes subject to change so keep up to date by visiting our website at www.thanet-camra.org.uk or our facebook page where full details of these and other up and coming events are listed.

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ALE OF THANET Autumn 2015 — Published quarterly by Thanet CAMRA - the Thanet Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale. © Thanet CAMRA 2015 - Circulation 2500 - Printed by printcarrier www.printcarrier.com Any views or comments expressed in Ale of Thanet may not necessarily be those of the Editor, Thanet CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale or their officials.

The taking of advertising does not imply that Thanet CAMRA or the Campaign for Real Ale endorse the pub, product or service on offer.

Campaign for Real Ale Limited 230 Hatfield Road, St Albans AL1 4LW Tel: 01727 867201 www.camra.org.uk Picture contributions this issue are from Beery Steve, CAMRA, Martin Baldwin, Dennis Brandrick, Ruth Pearshouse & Suzanne Foad (MLFH) while articles were contributed

by CAMRA, Martin Baldwin, Beery Steve & Dennis Brandrick.

Articles, letters, pub reports & news, photos and suggestions are always welcome.

Please email them to: steve@thanet-camra.org.uk with ‘FAO AOT’ in the subject box or send to Ale of Thanet c/o 31 Nash Court Gardens Margate CT9 4DG Maps used in this publication are downloaded or are based on data from Open Street Map © OpenStreetMap contributors, CC BY-SA www.openstreetmap.org BRANCH EVENTS Visit our website at www.thanet-camra.org.uk or contact Graham on 01843 835793 for further details.

BRANCH DETAILS Chairperson: Julian Dungey chairman@thanet-camra.org.uk; Secretary: Dennis Brandrick - secretary@thanetcamra.org.uk; Treasurer: Debbie Aris debbie@thanet-camra.org.uk; Membership Secretary: Jez Laming; Pubs Officer and Aot Editor: Steve Saunders - steve@thanetcamra.org.uk Branch Contact: Graham Rickett - branch@thanet-camra.org.uk All correspondence should be addressed to: Thanet CAMRA c/o 11 Sea View Road, Broadstairs, CT10 1BX Tel: 01843 835793 or emailed to: branch@thanet-camra.org.uk.

Bar None Local Pub News WELCOME to this issue’s Bar None.

BROADSTAIRS BARNABY RUDGE, Albion Street

This pub was bought by Thorley Taverns in the summer and has been given a makeover and reverted back to its pre-

1960s name the George Inn. PAVILION & GARDEN ON THE SANDS Harbour Street

A new conservatory housing a bar area with seating has been built on part of the outside decking area.

LORD NELSON Nelson Place Thanet Council’s decision not to allow

at least three different London Tavern signboards have been uncovered.

RAMSGATE MICROPUB Margate Road An application to turn office premises by the Hare & Hounds traffic lights into a micropub was turned down by the Council on the grounds the proposed use would give rise to unacceptable levels of nuisance, noise and

the conversion of the pub into five dwellings was overturned on appeal by a

Government inspector and the property is now in the throes of being converted.

MARGATE FEZ MICROPUB 40 High Street A planning application has now been

disturbance that would harm the living conditions of nearby residential properties. We shall have to wait and see if the applicant appeals this decision.

JEKYLL & HYDE High Street Has reverted back to its previous name ‘Macies’.

WESTGATE-ON-SEA MICROPUB, Station Road A planning application to turn retail premises that is currently an antique

submitted to the Council to convert the former Margate Card Centre, next door to Sands Hotel, into a micropub.

OLD COTTAGE High Street Work is slowly progressing on converting the pub into a micro-brewery, pub and restaurant. Many structural problems have been found within the premises and these are all being sorted out.

LONDON TAVERN, Addington Street New owners Carl and Nancy Hilliard hope to have the place reopened by the

furniture store into a micropub has been approved by the Council. Nothing further is known of the applicant's plans.

That’s it for this issue.

Cheers

middle of November after finding that more work needed to be done on the pub than originally planned, including a complete rewire. During the renovations

Steve Saunders If you have any pub news or views please email me at: steve@thanetcamra.org.uk

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Micropubs Leading the Way for Better Beer as New Research Shows 70% of Pubs Now Serve Real Ale New research released to mark the launch of the Good Beer Guide 2016, shows 70% of all pubs now serve real ale, compared to just a third when the book was first published in 1975.

Rather than just traditional pubs going back to their roots though, it seems a different type of drinking establishment is gaining momentum and getting real ale into thirsty drinkers' hands: the micropub.

The growth of micropubs - from zero ten years ago to a predicted 200 by the end of this year - has helped to get real ale into spaces which would not accommodate a traditional pub, filling the gaps on our high streets and improving choice for beer drinkers.

Roger Protz, Editor of the Good Beer Guide 2016 says: "Micropubs prove the old saying that ‘small is beautiful'. Many of them are based in disused buildings; they have low overheads and can offer beer at sharper prices than many traditional pubs.

They have carved out a new relationship between drinkers, publicans and brewers."

The first micropub, the Butcher's Arms in Herne, Kent, is based, as the name suggests, in an old butcher's shop. It was launched 10 years ago by Martyn Hillier, who was named CAMRA's Campaigner of the Year for 2015 for his inspirational work in launching the Micropub Association and encouraging beer lovers to open small pubs in empty premises.

Hillier says there are well over 150 micropubs in the UK - all of which serve real – and that he expects this to grow to over 200 by the end of 2015.

"Micropubs go back full-circle to how pubs used to be, when people actually talked to one another. If you get fifteen people together in a nice environment then conversations are going to spark." But Martyn is keen to stress that beer is equally important too "The quality of beer is parallel to the conversation and is the reason people visit in the first place – real ale is central to everything for us."

The pub's beer casks are mounted in the old butcher's freezer room, where there's room for just eight casks. Overheads are minimal and the biggest start-up investment was installing air conditioning to keep the beer fresh and cool, taking the total spend on the pub to just £5,000.

The single room pub has space for 10 people sitting and 20 standing. "The record number of customers has been 37 – and that was like being on a London Tube train!"

Martyn says.

The success of the Butcher's Arms quickly spawned more micro-pubs in Kent. Herne Bay now has two while Margate has three and Dover four. A former funeral parlour in St Peter's near Broadstairs lives up to its roots by specialising in holding wakes.

Prices are also kept keen by the low overheads and customers are involved in choosing what appears on the bar by requesting beers for the pub to order, with a focus on locally sourced micro-brewery beers.

Editor Roger Protz adds: "Micropubs are appearing like mushrooms at dawn and are offering beer lovers choice, keen prices and convivial meeting places. They now exist as far north as Northumbria, across into Lancashire, in Wales and the West Country.

There are two in that bastion of beer-making, Burton-on-Trent, which is not short of traditional pubs as well."

The Butcher's Arms and over 4,500 other independently selected pubs feature in this year's Good Beer Guide.

CAMRA's Good Beer Guide 2016 is available from camra.org.uk/shop, via Amazon, or in all good bookshops.

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Brewery boom hat trick as British brewing grows by 10% for third consecutive year ● 10% net growth in British breweries for third consecutive year ● Now 1,424 breweries in the UK ● 204 new breweries featured in the Good Beer Guide 2016 ● Over 11,000 different real ales now brewed ● One in six pints sold in British pubs now a pint of real ale The number of breweries in the UK has increased by over 10% for the third consecutive year bringing a huge increase in the choice and availability of cask beer to drinkers across the UK. The statistics, released to mark the launch of CAMRA's Good Beer Guide 2016 show that 204 new breweries have opened in the past 12 month, taking the total number to 1,424 – the highest it's been since the 1930s and 40s.

Editor Roger Protz says: "The great British beer revolution rolls on and appears to be unstoppable. More and more new breweries have been launched to keep up with the demand for full-bodied, full-flavoured beers. Britain now has more breweries per head than any other country and the range of beers on offer is the best in the world, ranging from the palest golden ale to the darkest, pitchblack stout."

With well over 11,000 different real ales, that's an average of around 8 per brewery, now being brewed in the UK the choice for drinkers has never been better.

Gone are the days when a brewery made just one or two different beers, as brewers expand their repertoires to include porters, stouts, IPAs, fruit beers, or even beers aged in wine and whisky casks.

Brewers are also creating British versions of famous Belgian styles such as saison, strong brown ales and sour beers that use wild yeasts rather than cultivated brewers' yeasts. But it's a truly British beer style that is proving most popular "The great success story of the moment is IPA, which stands for India Pale Ale. Long before the first golden lagers were produced in central Europe in the middle of the 19th century, British brewers developed a pale beer for export to ‘the Raj' in India. Now it's back with a bang and scores of brewers are producing their interpretations of IPA, including the American style that bursts with fruity hops."

As real ale continues to outperform the rest of the beer market one in six pints of beer sold in a pub is now cask ale, with 634 million pints consumed a year while kegged ales – such as John Smith's and Tetley's – are in decline.

While the brewing bug has struck across the UK, it is London that is leading the way and reclaiming its place at the centre of British brewing "London is the most remarkable success story. Today there are 74 breweries operating in the capital, compared to 54 a year ago. There are so many packed into areas such as Bermondsey and Hackney that weekend ‘brewery crawls' have become a popular part of the London drinking scene" But it's not just London brewing that's thriving, says Protz. "London is closely followed

by Greater Manchester, which has 19 new breweries, including four in Stockport and arguably the most amazing new brewery name, Zymurgorium in Irlam."

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A London Trip On Saturday 1 August I organised for the branch an afternoon trip to London, sadly due to illness and additional work commitments of some of the branch members who were originally planning to come, only two other members were aboard the 10.53 Margate to St. Pancras train with me, branch Secretary Dennis Brandrick and branch stalwart Mick Minter.

Arriving in the capital around 12.20 we headed for our first port of call, Mabel’s Tavern just off the Euston Road, a Shepherd Neame pub serving a selection of their beers. We then continued towards Euston station and the Royal George, where London beers are available alongside national branded beers. I sampled a Hackney Red Ale before heading to our next stop, the Doric Arch, named for the celebrated Euston Arch demolished as part of the station's 1960s redevelopment. This Fuller’s pub, at the entrance to Euston station, was at one time the Head of Steam free house, and Fuller’s still maintains a guest beer policy with beers not only from regional brewers but also small micros. A hen party was in so a quick pint of Tiny Rebel Dirty Stop Out and we were away to the Bree Louise, an award-winning free house just beyond the station. A good selection of ales (real and craft) along with real ciders are on offer here with the drinks menu on a TV monitor. A pint here and we head back to the station where we find the next two pubs, each occupying a Grade II listed Portland stone entrance lodge, which, along with a war memorial, are the only survivors of the 60s Euston redevelopment. The Euston Tap is situated in the West Lodge and features up to 8 changing cask beers, which are indicated on a large chalk board, served through beer taps on the bar’s back wall. The downstairs bar area is small but a spiral staircase leads up to an upper floor with extra seating (and the toilets). Across the road, in the East Lodge, can be found the Cider Tap, which serves up to five real ciders.

Leaving here with a little time to spare before the train back to Thanet we headed to the Euston Flyer, a Fuller’s pub on Euston Road, opposite the British Library.

A pint here and we were soon on our way home; minus Dennis who was staying the night in London before heading to Glasgow (see Destination Glasgow on page 12). All three enjoyed the afternoon and another is planned for 2016.

Steve Saunders The pictures document the trip clockwise from top left.

REAL ALES

CIDER WINE

THEN & NOW Before 1800 the area of Margate where Marine Drive is now was unspoilt marshland, however with the growth of Margate as a tourist resort such a prime seafront area did not have to wait long for development. A road was built in 1808 and it was soon followed by a terrace of houses, one of which included the Cinque Port Arms Hotel. This balconied hotel with its ten letting rooms adjoined a colonnaded bathing house. Its prime location next door to popular seafront attractions made it one of the Cobb brewery's favourite houses; in the early 19th century it was their most lucrative, situated a stone's throw from the old Margate Sands station (now Arlington House) and Dreamland was established in 1925, the site next door was occupied by Sanger's Hall by the Sea and Zoological gardens. The pub’s original name reflects the distant past when Margate was administered by the Cinque Port of Dover. There is also an element of pun in the name, given that the pub had originally five bars, each with its own door; 'cinq portes' means five doors in French. Sadly, the pub lost some of its five doors when Thorley Taverns took over the pub in the 90s, lowering the floor in the lounge bar to that of the saloon bar and making the pub open planned and changing the name to the Punch & Judy at the same time.

The pub got another new name in the noughties when it became known as (bracket) - while the former basement bar became ‘The Bit on the Side’. This year the pub has become the HQ and ticket office for the revamped Dreamland Amusement Park, while the basement bar has reopened as The Quarterdeck.

Pictures: this page top - as the Cinque Ports in the 1930s, then as the Punch & Judy in 1998 and 1997. Opposite page top as (bracket) in 2011 and as Dreamland HQ in 2015.

The 1930s picture is courtesy of Suzanne Foad and the Margate Local & Family History Facebook site (MLFH).

YARD WINS AGAIN

The Yard of Ale has beaten off the Bell and Jorrocks, Frittenden to be judged Kent CAMRA Pub of the Year 2015. It now goes forward into a super-regional round up against the Anglia, London and Surrey & Sussex winners. Good luck to them.

Picture at top shows Ian Noble & Shawn Galvers receiving their certificate from Kent regional director Kae Mendham & East Kent area organiser Jeff Waller. Above some shots of the winning pub.

Destination Glasgow This summer I managed to finally take a return trip to Glasgow, a city that I last visited 10 years ago, and it was really good to see how it's changed, and is constantly changing, for the better. This change is particularly prevalent with its excellent, and ever increasing, selection of Real Ale pubs.

After our last branch outing to London in August, I left Beery Steve and Mick Minter at the Euston Flyer and headed to my overnight hotel before going north on the train the following morning. As that Sunday also happened to be my birthday, I took the opportunity to treat myself to first class travel with Virgin Trains and made full use of the complimentary breakfast in the lounge at Euston before boarding. A nice thing about travelling with Virgin on the West Coast Main Line is that they also stock their own bottled ale, this is called Tilting Ale and is produced for the train operator by Redwillow in Macclesfield. It's a hoppy pale ale at 4.1% and goes very nicely with Sunday Roast at 125mph! A couple of bottles of Tilting Ale and a snooze through the Lake District (although not missing the temporarily altered station sign at Penrith, which had been changed to Kenrith to tie in with the Kendal Calling festival) helped the 5 hour journey north of the border fly along and before long I was staring out at the Clyde as our train was arriving at Glasgow Central. Central is the larger of Glasgow's 2 mainline termini and boasts a very commanding position in the city centre, right next to the Clyde and straddling Argyle Street. Its 15 high level and 2 underground platforms are a very fitting arrival point in Scotland's largest conurbation. A small detour was made at Central to take me to Buchanan Bus Station, which is around a 10 minute walk away, and Hydra located behind Queen Street Station, the other major city centre terminus, where I could purchase my travel card for the week. At £18, this covers unlimited use of the Trains, Buses, Subway and some Ferries anywhere in the city centre dual zone and is particularly good value. If you're planning to head a little further afield, then more zones can be purchased for approximately £6, which covers the entire outer Glasgow city zone. It was then time to head off to my hotel, which was in a very favourable position on the banks of the river at Finnieston. An area of the city previously full of dockyards, but now much changed after the old Queen’s Dock was filled in during the 80s to create the SECC conference centre, which has since been joined by the Armadillo and Hydro buildings on the north bank and the new offices for both Squinity Bridge Scottish Television and BBC Scotland across the River in Govan. In fact, the hotel breakfast room and bar had a great view out over the river and I enjoyed a couple of pints looking out at the illuminated Clyde Arc, or the squinty bridge as it’s known locally.

Being my birthday, it was definitely an evening worth heading out for a beer or two, and I took the opportunity to take advantage of one of the benefits of being a BrewDog shareholder and enjoy free beer on my birthday in a BrewDog bar. BrewDog Glasgow sits in a perfect location at the western end of Argyle Street, approximately a mile from Kelvingrove Museum where I was staying and directly opposite the famous Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery. Kelvingrove is definitely worth a visit if you’re in Glasgow as it contains some of Scotland’s most important works of art as well as

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telling an excellent history of the city. The park that borders the museum is also well worth a wander on a summer’s day and I encountered Weegies barbecuing, Pipe Bands practising and plenty of people running and cycling through the park on the day I chose to explore. The decor of BrewDog is similar to all their bars, in the functional industrial style, and features a commanding slate and brick built bar to one side at the rear of the room and high metal tables with stools in the centre. Obviously, most of what they produce now is Craft Keg, but my first experience of a BrewDog beer was at the Jolly Judge in Edinburgh in 2009, when I drank a Cask version of their Black IPA Zeitgeist. Very enjoyable it was too, and I’ve been a fan ever since.

Monday brought my first full day in the city and I was fully intending to act like a tourist. So, camera and waterproof jacket in hand (yes, both are definitely needed in the Scottish Brewdog summer!) I waited for the next open-topped tour bus to arrive and proceeded to venture off around the city. The tour is definitely a good way to get your bearings, although I made the mistake of believing everything that the colourful commentator was telling us, and found myself at lunchtime in what was supposed to be Glasgow’s premier Real Ale pub, but actually did not have as an inspiring selection as I was hoping.

However, my afternoon soon changed my perception of Glaswegian pubs for the better. After a visit to the new Riverside Museum in Partick, which was the city's replacement for its old Transport Museum in the Kelvinhall, I took the Ferry across the river to Govan, from where it's only a short walk to Govan Subway station and then a 10 minute ride on the Clockwork Orange, as Glasgow's underground The Laurieston railway is colloquially known, to Bridge Street, home of the Laurieston Bar. From the outside, the Laurieston doesn't look like much.

Crammed in as it is on a street corner and underneath the mainline into Glasgow Central, it looks like somewhere that should probably be avoided from the outside, especially when you're told that this is the edge of the Gorbals area of the city, it's brings up all sorts of images in your mind. But, I'd been told about the Laurieston by some friends who have Riverside Museum a flat in Glasgow, I was told how it was their favourite Glasgow pub and how I had to visit it. I soon got an inkling why as I crossed the road from the subway, hanging on one side of the building was a banner, proudly proclaiming "Glasgow and West of Scotland CAMRA Pub Of The Year 2013". As soon as I saw that, I knew it was worth a look inside. What a look it is, when you venture through the door you're initially presented with a choice, turn right into the lounge or left, as I did, into the public bar and in doing so, travel back in time to the 1960s. The Laurieston is a last bastion of the way Glasgow pubs would have been 50 years ago, still with its Formica table tops, high bar with 1960s stools, traditional pie warmer on the bar and friendly looking staff behind the bar. Also, the delightful sight of 6 hand pumps sitting on the The Laurieston Interior bar. The Laurieston has become a bit of a Glasgow Tap for the Fyne Ales Brewery and on the day I visited Jarl, Maverick and Rune were available, along with Jaw Brewing’s Drop. All served in excellent condition, in glasses

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that have been cooled to the optimum temperature to compliment the beer and ensure it stays cellar cool for as long as possible. I was lucky to receive a guided tour of the premises from Jimmy, one of the pair of owning brothers. The Laurieston really is a gem, the walls of the bar decorated with hundreds of photos documenting its history along with many beer related artefacts. To the rear of the bar is the secluded smoking area, which was originally the close, or staircase, which lead up to the first floor of the building, which was removed after the war by the railway company.

Heading into the lounge, it’s a far more salubrious affair, decorated in red flock wallpaper and matching shagpile carpet, but still with the same Formica tables! To one wall of the lounge is the original 1960s jukebox, which is free to play, a nice touch in many of today’s pubs. After indulging in a Scotch pie and Gravy and sampling the entire Ale range, it was time to make my way back to my hotel ready for the evening, although I had enjoyed my time in the Laurieston that much, I did return later in the week.

That evening, I made my way to Hillhead, and the famous Byres Road, where I eventually found myself in Tennent’s Bar. Tennent’s (no link to the Lager Brewery) is famous as being the last pub in Glasgow to allow women entrance. Incidentally, since that occasion, every manager at the pub has been a woman. It regularly serves 8 or 9 Real Ales from a horseshoe bar in what is quite a cavernous room, and soon starts to reverberate once several people are talking. Although there is a smaller room off to one side should you wish somewhere quieter to drink or eat. Regular beers are Harviestoun Bitter and Twisted, Timothy Taylor's Landlord and Caledonian Deuchars, whilst the guest beers on the day I visited were Wadworth 6X, Brains Rev James, Stewart Brewing 80/- and Bass.

The Drygate Tuesday saw me continuing my touristy adventures, and after a visit to the Glasgow Science Centre in the morning, home of the impressive Glasgow Tower, the tallest freestanding structure in Scotland and the only building in the world capable of rotating through 360 degrees to face into the wind. Unfortunately, on the day I visited, it was rather too windy for the tower to be open, so I Drygate Fomenter missed out on the view from the top.

At least that gives me a reason to go back! I eventually made my way to the East End of the city and the outskirts of the area of Dennistoun (rather apt for me) where, nestled between the Necropolis and the vast Tennents brewery is the gem of Drygate.

Drygate is the UK's first experiential brewery and is a collaboration between brewers who have previously been at Fyne Ales, Harviestoun and Traditional Scottish Ales. The decor at Drygate is very similar to that of BrewDog and is The Drygate Interior most definitely on the functional style, although if you pick the right spot to sit there are great views through the large glass windows into the brew house. Tours of which are also available on selected days. Drygate's brew house bar serves excellent food and has an impressive beer line up, boasting 4 cask and 20 keg lines. Although from counting it would appear that 4 of the keg lines have been replaced by gravity fed taps, which are in addition to the 4 hand pumps on the bar.

Usually the own brews are found on the hand pumps whilst any guest ales are on gravity. Some of the house brews available on my visit were: Seven Peaks, a 5% Mosaic IPA, which has a very fruity flavour; Reflex, 4.2% Red Ale and is nice and

THE HARBOUR ARMS ALE AND CIDER HOUSE STONE PIER MARGATE REAL ALE AND CIDER SERVED FROM THE CASK STUNNING BEER, CIDER AND VIEWS the-harbour-arms.co.uk harbourarmsmargate@btinternet.com 07776 183273 Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

rounded on the palate; Pale Duke, which as you can imagine is a Pale Ale at 4%.

The guest lines were taken up by Tennents Unpasteurised, which has had almost as little distance to travel as the own brews, having only come from next door! Williams Bros Froach; Cromarty Finders Keepers; along with Burrowhill Dry Cider. There is also a bottle shop in the brewhouse that sells both Drygate products and some hard to find imported craft beer for take away. Drygate is nice and easy to find, with the open top tour buses stopping right outside and High Street railway station is only 5 minutes’ walk away.

Whilst in the area, the Necropolis is definitely worth a visit and offers some commanding views of the Merchant City.

Tuesday evening enabled me to indulge in another National Piping passion, that of Museum Campanology, and I took the short journey on the Subway to Kelvinbridge and St Mary’s Cathedral to invade their practice night. Bellringers are prime candidates for becoming CAMRA members as they are as passionate about Ale as we are and going to the pub after practice is standard procedure, the Glasgow ringers are no exception to this!

They make their way down to the Bon Accord at Charing Cross, which, conveniently is near Charing Cross Station. The Bon Accord is one of the city’s famous Ale pubs and at one time was a bastion of English ex-pats in the city. It houses an impressive 10 hand pumps on the bar, all of which were serving Ales brewed in Scotland and in excellent condition. A pleasant evening with good company and good beer.

With the weather forecast turning decidedly Scottish on the Wednesday, it was most definitely an indoorsy kind of day, so after a visit to the National Piping Museum in Cowcaddens, where I discovered that I'm still incapable of getting a decent sound out of a set of

GUESS THE PUB? Our photographer has taken the view from outside some of Thanet’s real ale pubs - can you guess which ones.

Answers on page 26.

w ④ ⑥

①

③ ⑧ ⑦

⑤ ⑦

pipes, I set out to explore the retail side of the city. Suffice to say, that being a bloke, I was soon rather bored of this and needed a beer! Taking advantage of a break in the weather for a run along the Clyde from my hotel to Partick and back, I then met my friend Craig, who loves in Glasgow, for an afternoon in the West End. Wandering first to BrewDog, we then headed for the Three Judges, which is another gem of a pub.

Situated on a street corner on the Dumbarton Road, right at the bottom of the Byres Road, the Judges features a good selection of Real Ales and offers discount to card-carrying CAMRA members (always remember to keep your card with you!). A delightful pint of Houston Barochan, which is a traditional Brown Ale at 4.3%, Russet in colour, this is a very hoppy beer with a lingering fruity nose and very satisfying. It was then a wander up the Byres Road to Hillhead Book Club, which is a modern bar in a converted Cinema, retaining all the original wall and ceiling decoration, whilst putting its own functional furniture into the heart of the building. The steaks here are excellent, and cooked perfectly to liking, which goes very well with the Fyne Ales Jarl which I chose to accompany it with. A nice feature of the HBC is their retro-games area on the mezzanine floor, which features not only classic board games from the 80s and 90s, but also original Nintendo and Sega MegaDrive games consoles, connected to old 14" CRT televisions. A definite hark back to my childhood! A pleasant wander through Kelvingrove Park brought us back to Argyle Street and the Brass Monkey, where more Fyne Ales were on order. This time a Craft Keg beer called Sublime Stout. At 6.8%, it's hardly sublime on the strength factor, but more than makes up for that in taste, which is warm and rounded with a hint of liquorice and lots of bitter roasted malt.

From here it was a short wander to Exhibition Centre station for the train to Partick and a change onto the Subway to Bridge Street for another visit to The Laurieston.

Thursday brought a complete change in the weather, and the shorts were most

definitely on, which was a nice way to end my time in the City as Thursday was the last day. Although it was a completely full day, that wasn't to end until well after 10pm. Starting with a final leisurely breakfast overlooking the Clyde, my venturings initially took me to the Lighthouse in Mitchell Lane, which is now Scotland's national centre for Design and Architecture and rather fittingly was designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Entry is free into the building, which includes an exhibition about Mackintosh and his connection to Glasgow. There are also 2 viewing galleries, one accessible by lift, the other at the very top of the building and only accessible via a spiral staircase from the third floor, 4 stories below! It's definitely worth the climb to the top though as the view over Central Glasgow, George Square and Buchanan Street is excellent. Keeping with the Mackintosh theme, Scotland Street School Museum was next. This is a building that Mackintosh designed for the city council as a school and operated as such until 1979. Like all of Glasgow City Council's museums entry is free and is another worthwhile visit within easy reach of the Subway (Sheilds Road). Requiring refreshment, it was then back into the City Centre and the Horseshoe Bar, which still retains its traditional layout and amongst the regular beers (Deuchars, London Pride and Bitter and Twisted) there was also a guest ale, Al Murray The Pub Landlord's Beautiful British Beer, which as we all know, is brewed by our friends at the Ramsgate Brewery. I'm pleased to report it had travelled well and was in just as good condition as when I had drunk it in Thanet. Finding a couple of Wetherspoon vouchers nestling in the bottom of my wallet, I thought that a visit to the Counting House was in order. This, as the name suggests, was formerly a bank, and the building still retains a lot of its original character. It's easy to tell where the cashiers counter used to be and the door to the manager's office now leads down to the toilets! Another new beer for me to try here: Knops Musselburgh Broke.

A pleasant 3.5% session beer, which I found the following week on the Volunteer Arms at the GBBF. If you happen to come across it, it's worth sampling a pint or two.

A revisit to Drygate for dinner, accompanied by Pale Duke before venturing to the Islay Inn on Argyle Street, another famous Glasgow pub for some sampling of Islay single malt whiskies. (It's got to be done in a pub called the Islay!)

Which before long found me collecting my suitcase and heading back to Glasgow Central for the journey home. Not wanting to waste a day travelling in both directions I had opted for the Caledonian Sleeper service to Euston, which departs Glasgow at 23:40, arriving in London around 7am the following morning, giving a full day in the city with travel and without the need for an extra night's accommodation. Boarding the train around 10 o'clock, I was soon settled into my compartment and made my way along to the lounge car. For a train, the Sleeper doesn't particularly feel like one, and I had to keep looking out of the window to remind myself of the fact we were still sat at the Platform in Glasgow. A good selection of beer, The Sleeper Berth wine and Whisky is available along with freshly prepared food.

I can vouch for their Haggis, Neeps and Tatties washed down with Belhaven IPA. This is also the only train in the United Kingdom to feature leather sofas, so you can be comfortable whilst enjoying the fare. Gently pulling out and crossing the Clyde right on time, it wasn't long before we passed through Motherwell and I decided that bed was calling. A little under 7 hours later, I was alighting in Euston ready to finish my journey home and arrive in time for breakfast. Having thoroughly enjoyed my time In Glasgow, it’s definitely opened my eyes to the beauty of the city, something I’d not seen before and I’m really looking forward to returning. Hopefully next time, it’ll be a little branch outing and some of you may be joining me. Haste ye back!

Dennis Brandrick

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Celebrations at The Montefiore Arms Eddie Gadd celebrated his first year in the Monte on Monday 21 September, which although technically a couple of weeks late, was timed nicely to coincide with the launch of this year’s Green Hop Ale. All early birds were treated to their first pint free and every one let their hair down at the rabble-rousing party. There were four varieties of Green Hop ales available; micro-brewers The Four Candles, Attwells and Isla Vale joined the Ramsgate Brewery by providing their first Green Hop brews. I’m sure all will agree that it was a wonderful event and wish Eddie every future success.

Martin Baldwin

THANET PUBS SELLING LOCALLY BREWED BEERS

Birchington Wheel Alehouse Broadstairs Bradstow Mill, Chapel, Charles Listed below are pubs and Dickens, Dolphin, George Inn, Little Albion, Pavilion, Tartar bars that are known to Frigate, Thirty-Nine Steps regularly sell real ales from Dumpton breweries within 20 miles of Brown Jug Thanet.

Margate Ales of the Unexpected, Thanet CAMRA cannot guarantee Harbour Arms, Hoy, Lifeboat, Mechanical Elephant, Two the availability of a local ale or Halves, Wig and Pen the quality of the ale served in Minster any establishments listed and Hair of the Dog, New Inn, cannot be held responsible for any Minster & Monkton Royal errors or omissions to this list.

British Legion Club

Pegwell Sir Stanley Gray Ramsgate Artillery Arms, Churchill Tavern, Comfort Inn, Conqueror Alehouse, Elephant & Castle, Hotel De Ville, Hovelling Boat, Mariners, Montefiore Arms, Oak Hotel, Queen Charlotte, Queen Head, Red Lion, Rose of England St. Peters Four Candles, Yard of Ale Westgate Bake & Ale House Reading Street (St. Peters) White Swan

Robin Hood and Little John wins CAMRA’s National Cider Pub of the Year A Nottingham pub that reopened less than 18 months ago has won the ultimate cider award and has been named winner of the Campaign for Real Ale, CAMRA, National Cider Pub of the Year 2015.

The Robin Hood & Little John in Arnold, Nottingham, has been named the best place in the UK to drink Real Cider by CAMRA. The pub has a long history dating back to 1750, but closed down in 2013 before having new life breathed into it in August 2014 through a partnership between Nottinghamshire's Lincoln Green Brewery and Leicestershire's Everards Brewery, under the management of Anthony Hughes and Lorraine Swain.

Owner of Lincoln Green Brewing Company and Lincoln Green Public House Company, Anthony Hughes says “Firstly may I say how delighted Lorraine, Mark and all of us at Lincoln Green are to have won this amazing award! I’d personally like to say a huge thank you in particular to Ray Blockley for the support and advice he’s given us over the last twelve months in all things ‘apple’ – I know that much of our success is as a result of the little things we’ve implemented after many discussions with Ray and we’re very grateful to him.”

Since its reopening and new management, the pub has won the Nottingham CAMRA

Kent Cider Makers Badgers Hill Farm (Pippin Cider) T: 01227 730573 Beardspoon Beer and Cider Works W: www.beardspoon.com Biddenden Cider T: 01580 291726 W: www.biddendenvineyards.com Big Tree Cider T: 01474 705221 / 07973 677123 W: www.bigtreecider.co.uk Broomfield Orchard T: 01227 362279 W: www.broomfieldorchard.co.uk Castle Cider Company T: 01732 455977 Chafford Cider T: 01892 740437 E: ballenden@supanet.com Core Fruit Products Ltd

T: 01227 730589 / 07885 800826 W: www.corejuice.co.uk Double Vision Cider T: 01622 746633 Dudda’s Tun Cider T: 01795 886266 W: www.duddastuncider.com East Stour Cider Co T: 07880 923398 E: danbaldwin@tiscali.co.uk Gibbet Oak Cider T: 01580 763938 W: www.gibbetoak.co.uk Green Oak Farm Works T: 01304 821630 W: www.greenoakfarm.co.uk Hush Heath Winery T: 01622 832794 W: www.hushheath.com Johnson’s Farmhouse Cider T: 01795 665203 Kent Cider Company T: 01795 521317 / 07738 573818

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Cider Pub and Nottingham CAMRA Pub of the Year 2015 as well as being named the East Midlands Pub and East Midlands Cider Pub of the Year.

The pub has become famous for its ‘real cider’ which is made from pure fruits with no additives or chemicals and served naturally still, unlike commercially produced cider which is force-carbonated to give it fizz. Real perry is produced in exactly the same way as real cider but with pear juice instead of apple juice.

Sarah Newson, the organiser of the Cider Pub of the Year competition had this to say about The Robin Hood & Little John, “This is an amazing achievement for a pub that not only just re-opened last year, but had never even been in the competition before. A great feature is its 'cider wall' which enables the cider and perry to be served at a consistent cellar temperature, providing the customer with an excellent drinking experience.”

The pub’s cider wall features eight ciders and perries which are always from smaller producers rather than big brands, Anthony Hughes had this to say about winning, “We fully support CAMRA’s definition of real cider and acknowledge the recent amendment to remove the criteria that ‘no added flavourings to be used’ and to allow ‘pure fruits, vegetables, honey, hops, herbs and spices, yet no concentrates cordials or essences’ to be added.”

Anthony Hughes added, “We aim to ensure that our customers understand the provenance of our ciders, and what it contains with informative articles in our table top menus.”

CAMRA voted at their last AGM in Nottingham to widen the definition of real cider to include versions produced with natural added fruits and spices, such as the popular ‘Blush’ ciders which have raspberries added after fermentation giving both a unique flavour and colour to the cider.

W: kentcider.co.uk Kentish Pip Cider T: 01227 830525 / 07710 253690 W: www.kentishpip.co.uk Kingswood Cider Company T: 01227 709387 E: newingkevin@yahoo.com Little Stour Orchard T: 07771 711252 W: www.littlestourorchard.co.uk Longtail Cider E: markwwarnett@yahoo.co.uk Magic Bus Cider T: 07887 747569 E: chris8mel@ntlworld.com Merry Moon Mersham, Ashford TN25 6NU T: 07707 309041 E: jo-anna.bottomley@btinternet.com Northdowns Cider T: 07747 343892 Pawley Farm Cider T: 01795 532043 E: pawleyfarmcider@tiscali.co.uk

Pippins Cider Company T: 01892 824544 W: www.pippinsfarm.co.uk Rough Old Wife Cider T: 01227 700757 / 07768 364353 W: www.rougholdwife.com St Dunstan's Cider E: r.f.lancaster@sky.com Stiles Cider T: 01795 830615 E: MikeBispham@aol.com T: 01227 700757 / 07768 364353 W: www.rougholdwife.com Tiddly Pomme’s Wooley Pig T: 01795 529100 W: www.tiddlypommeshop.co.uk Turners T: 07825 394164 W: www.turnerscider.co.uk Wise Owl Cider T: 01233 850664 E: wiseowlcider@gmail.com

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NEWS FROM THANET BREWERIES ATWELLS, ST. NICHOLAS Brewed some Green Hop beers after securing a few fresh hop batches via Eddie at Gadds’. They are very keen to establish their own yeast strain and are currently looking into the best way to do this but until that point they are using fresh yeast in all their beers other than experimental brews.

Beers they produced over the Summer have included St Nicholas Summer Pale (5% ) and Margate IPA (5.4%) launched in the Ales of the Unexpected and which received good reviews in Margate’s Two Halves. They launched Golden Chinook (5.7%) a very spicy piney beer which has been dry hopped to help give it a distinctive aroma. The reason for making stronger beers is that they are looking into bottling some - they received a batch of bottles at the end of September - and this works much better and the beer keeps better if it has a higher ABV. They have also brewed Northern English Brown Beer (4.1%) a beer containing 6 different malts and only using a small amount of a single variety of hops.

They are planning to open a brewery shop - a premises licence application for the brewery has been submitted to the Council - and hope to have it up and running by Christmas.

MARGATE BREWERY, MARGATE Work is slowly progressing on converting the Old Cottage pub into a micro-brewery, pub and restaurant. Many structural problems have been found with the premises and these are all being sorted out, with brewing to commence in 2016.

RAMSGATE BREWERY (GADDS’), BROADSTAIRS Brewed for the Green Hop Festival (September – October) Gadds’ Green Hop Ale - 4.8% - First brewed in 2010 – Eddie has grabbed a sackful of hops straight from Humphrey’s Gardens and created proper ‘fresh hop’ ale.

The beer has extremely crisp resinous hop notes with the malt taking a back seat.

Gadds’ Green Hop Export Ale - 6.5%, - Using ripe hops from Humphrey’s Gardens to create a hoppier ale, similar drinking experience as the Green Hop Ale but brewed stronger to survive the journey over the Medway and out of Kent, distributed in Key Keg. Brewed for the Autumn Gadds’ Rye Pale Ale - 4% - Crisp, hoppy and spicy; another unique pale ale but this time crafted from malted Rye & Kentish Bramling Cross hops for a satisfying, long finish. In its fifth consecutive year, this ale just gets more popular every year.

Gadds’ DoppelHop - 6% - Oktoberfestbier – pale amber and on the ‘refreshing’ side of hoppiness! Lederhosen, dirndls and steins of bier: something for everyone.

Gadds’ Dark Conspiracy - 4.9% - An ESP production – this rich, smooth, dark ale combines great flavours from English, German and Belgian malts with a careful blend of American and Kentish hops to give a truly complex drinking experience; scheduled for November.

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The following pubs regularly stock Ale of Thanet: Birchington: Wheel Alehouse Broadstairs: Chapel, Thirty-Nine Steps Margate: Ales of the Unexpected, Harbour Arms, Lifeboat, London Tavern, Mechanical Elephant, Two Halves Minster: Hair of the Dog, New Inn, Minster & Monkton Royal British Legion Club Pegwell: Sir Stanley Gray Ramsgate: Artillery Arms, Churchill Tavern, Comfort Inn, Conqueror Alehouse, Hovelling Boat, Montefiore Arms St. Peters: Four Candles, Yard of Ale Westgate: Bake & Ale House Many other pubs in Thanet and throughout East Kent and beyond also stock Ale of Thanet irregularly. It can also be viewed online at issuu.com/aleofthanet or downloaded from the branch website

12 Bar Brewing Company Marden TN12 9QJ 07860 165048 / 07739 695129 www.12barbrewingco.co.uk Attwell's Brewery St Nicholas-at-Wade CT7 0PQ 07966 586642 www.attwellsbrewery.com Bexley Brewery Erith DA8 2AJ 01322 337368 bexleybrewery.co.uk Brew Buddies Swanley Village brew-buddies.co.uk Canterbury Ales Chartham CT4 7HF 01227 732541 www.canterbury-ales.co.uk Canterbury Brewers Canterbury CT1 2RU 01227 455899 www.thefoundrycanterbury.co. uk/canterbury-brewers Caveman Brewery Swanscombe DA10 0LQ 07769 710665 www.cavemanbrewery.co.uk Four Candles St Peters CT10 2AT thefourcandles.co.uk G2 Ashford TN23 1EH 01233 630277 www.g2brewing.com Goachers Tovil ME15 6TA 01622 682112 www.goachers.com Goody Ales Herne CT6 7NP 01227 361555 www.goodyales.co.uk Hopdaemon Brewery Newnham ME9 0NA 01795 892078 www.hopdaemon.com Hop Fuzz Brewery West Hythe CT21 4NB 07858 562878 www.hopfuzz.co.uk/ Isla Vale Alesmiths

07917 037611 ripplesteambrewery.co.uk Rockin' Robin Brewery Boughton-Monchelsea ME17 Margate CT9 5DJ 4LR 01843 292451 01622 747106 islavalealesmiths.co.uk www.rockinrobinbrewery.co.uk Kent Brewery Romney Marsh Brewery West Malling ME19 5JN New Romney TN28 8AN 01634 780037 01797 362333 www.kentbrewery.com www.romneymarshbrewery.

Larkins Brewery com Chiddingstone TN8 7BB Shepherd Neame 01892 870328 Faversham ME13 7AX www.larkinsbrewery.co.uk 01795 532206 Mad Cat Brewery www.shepherdneame.co.uk Faversham ME13 8XU Simply Hops 07960 263615 Paddock Wood TN12 6DQ www.madcatbrewery.co.uk 0800 1075073 Maidstone Brewing Co www.simplyhops.com/aboutMaidstone ME16 0DZ simply-hops 01622 757705 Swan on the Green Millis Brewing Co Ltd West Peckham ME18 5JW South Darenth DA4 9LB 01622 812271 01322 866233 www.swan-on-the-green.co.uk www.millisbrewing.com Time & Tide Musket Brewery Eastry CT14 0BX Maidstone ME17 4AG 07840 327265 07967 127278 timeandtidebrewing.co.uk www.musketbrewery.co.uk Tír Dhá Ghlas Brewery Nelson Brewery Dover CT17 9BY Chatham ME4 4TE 01304 211666 01634 832828 www.cullinsyard.co.uk/brewery www.nelsonbrewery.co.uk Tonbridge Brewery Old Dairy Brewery East Peckham TN12 5HF Tenterden TN30 6HE 07962 016286 01580 763867 www.tonbridgebrewery.co.uk olddairybrewery.com Turnstone Ales Old Forge Brewery Whitstable CT5 1DN Mersham TN25 6NU www.facebook.com/pages/Turn 01233 720444 stone-Ales/766476196759941 www.thefarriersarms.com/brew Wantsum Brewery ery Hersden CT3 4AL Pig & Porter 0845 0405980 Royal Tunbridge Wells TN2 3EF www.wantsumbrewery.co.uk 01424 893519 Westerham Brewery pigandporter.co.uk Crockham Hill TN8 6SA Ramsgate Brewery 01732 864427 Broadstairs CT10 2YD westerhambrewery.co.uk 01843 868453 Whitstable Brewery www.ramsgatebrewery.co.uk Maidstone ME17 2AY Ripple Steam Brewery 01622 851007 Sutton CT15 5DH www.whitstablebrewery.co.uk

KENT BREWERIES

Tiny Rebel’s Cwtch Crowned Champion Beer Of Britain At The Great British Beer Festival After over a year of local tasting panels and regional heats leading up to the finals, the Campaign for Real Ale, CAMRA, has announced that Tiny Rebel’s Cwtch has been crowned the Best Beer in Britain.

The Newport brewed real ale was named Overall winnersthe Supreme Champion over a host of other finalists in ten different beer Gold – Tiny Rebel, Cwtch categories (Bitters, Best Bitters, Strong Silver – Kelburn, Jaguar Bitters, Golden Ales, Milds, the Speciality Bronze – Dancing Duck, Dark Drake class and also the winter beer Mild styles of Porter, Gold – Williams Bros, Black Stouts, Barley Silver – Rudgate, Ruby Mild Wines and Old Ales, and Strong Bronze – Great Orme, Welsh Black Bitter Old Ales and Gold – Pheasantry, Best Bitter Strong Milds), Silver – Acorn, Barnsley Bitter including beers from both micro- Joint Bronze – Purple Moose, Madog’s Ale & Timothy Taylor, Boltmaker brewers and large regional brewers.

Best BitterNik Antona, Champion Beer of Gold – Tiny Rebel, Cwtch Britain Director, spoke in praise of Silver – Highland, Scapa Special today's winner saying: “The Champion Joint Bronze – Barngates, Tag Lag & Salopian, Beer of Britain title is the most coveted Darwin’s Origin titles in British beer, for over 30 years Golden Alebrewers have put forward their real ale in Gold – Kelburn, Jaguar the hope it will win and this year Tiny Silver – Adnams, Explorer Rebel’s Cwtch is a very worthy winner of Bronze – Blue Monkey, Infinity this prestigious award” Strong BitterThe man who brewed Cwtch – which is pronounced ‘cutch’ and means cuddle in Gold – Dark Star, Revelation Silver – Salopian, Golden Thread Welsh – Head Brewer Gareth Williams Bronze – Grain, India Pale Ale said what it meant to win, Speciality Beer “I feel like I’m dreaming! This is the ultimate award to win in our eyes and Gold – Titanic, Plum Porter after winning at the Great Welsh a few Joint Silver – Kissingate, Black Cherry Mild & Saltaire, years ago this feels even better. It’s just a Triple Chocolate crazy feeling and we’re massively proud.” Bronze – Hanlons, Port Stout Co-founder of the brewery Bradley Champion Winter Beer of Britain (from category Cummings, added this on the beer itself, winners announced in January 2015)“We were brought up on real ale and we Porter - Elland Brewery love traditional styles, Cwtch is our Stout – Dancing Duck, Dark Drake modern version of a traditional bitter, with Barley Wines and Strong Old Ales – Lees, Moonraker extra hopping for a more pronounced bitterness and aroma. It’s new world and Old Ales and Strong Milds – Purple Moose Champion Bottled Beer of Britain winners old world all in one.”

This year's Silver went to Kelburn, Jaguar (Sponsored by Beer Hawk) Gold – Harveys, Imperial Extra Double Stout (Renfrewshire) whilst the Bronze award Silver – Fyne Ales, Superior India Pale Ale went to Dancing Duck, Dark Drake Bronze – Mordue, India Pale Ale (Derby).

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CAMRA announces the top 16 pubs in Britain The best pubs in Britain as judged by CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, have been released to mark the launch of the Good Beer Guide 2016, which publishes today.

The 16 regional finalists of CAMRA's Pub of the Year competition will go forward and have a chance to win THE 16 FINALISTS the National Pub of the Year competition, won Central Southern - Rising Sun Berkhamsted HP4 2EG last year by The East Anglia - White Horse Sweffling IP17 2BB Salutation Inn in East Midlands - The Old Poets Corner Ashover S45 0EW Gloucestershire. Pubs Greater London - One Inn the Wood Petts Wood BR5 1LA are judged on their Greater Manchester - Crown and Kettle Manchester M4 5FE atmosphere, decor, Kent -Yard of Ale St Peters CT10 2TU welcome, service, Merseyside - Cricketers Arms St Helens WA10 2EB value for money, North East - Steamboat South Shields NE33 1EQ customer mix, but most importantly – South West - Sandford Park Ale House Cheltenham GL50 1DZ quality of beer.

Scotland and NI - Stockbridge Tap Edinburgh EH4 1HN The Good Beer Guide's Surrey - Surrey Oaks - Newdigate, RH5 5DZ Editor, Roger Protz, Wales - Bunch of Grapes Pontypridd CF37 4DA commended the top 16 Wessex - Plough Inn Little London RG26 5EP pubs set to feature in West Midlands - Hail to the Ale Wolverhampton WV6 9EF the guide, West Pennines - Drovers Rest Carlisle CA5 6DB. "Being named in the Top 16 in Britain is Yorkshire - Kelham Island Tavern Sheffield S3 8RW something these pubs The National Pub of the Year for 2015 (chosen from the should be hugely above finalists) will be announced in February 2016 proud of and is testament to how hard each of the pubs work to get this far, winning their local and now regional pub award. The next step for all of these pubs is to be judged against each other in the National Pub of the Year competition, which will see one of the 16 crowned as the best pub in the whole country."

TRADING STANDARDS If you feel that you have been treated unfairly in a pub, club or bar you should contact Trading Standards by either speaking to an advisor on 08454 04 05 06 or visiting www.kent.gov.uk//tradingstandards

GUESS THE PUB? Did you guess correctly

q George Inn Broadstairs w Lanthorne Broadstairs e Lifeboat Margate r Belle Vue Cliftonville t New Inn Minster y Sheldons Margate u Canterbury Bell Westwood 26

IN A IT R B

UB P EW R B T S E L L A M S 'S