Author: iknoweno

The Pubs Of Leicester

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Arriving at the grand Victorian Leicester station it is only a few steps into The Parcel Yard, run by Steamin’ Billy Brew Co and a welcome sight with a high ceiling, memorabilia and worn sofas as well as a fine pint.
It was probably a bit early in the trip to visit The Globe, established in 1720 and serving local brews from Everards including the classic ‘Tiger’ (4.2% copper ale). With an historic but comfortable interior, excellent beer and location it is probably as near to George Orwell’s ‘ideal pub’ The Moon Under Water as you could find. High praise indeed.

Meanwhile over on the other side of the city centre the Phoenix Arts Centre have real ale on tap unobtrusively holding its place amongst the café bar surroundings. Nearby is The Musician pub; the one room goes back a long way to form an intimate but still spacious venue – home to a variety of music most days. The hall of fame side wall is a challenge to identify the many faces (this may require a bit of updating to reflect the current stars?). The real ale offering is limited but given that music is the priority there was enough choice for the thirsty.

The Sir Robert Peel is another long established Everards pub, comfortable and reassuringly dark as the rain fell on a March afternoon. Nearby outside the window there is an enormous student accommodation block, jarring with the timeless ambience of the pub building. The very drinkable ‘Golden Hop’ (3.5% “…A refreshing, zesty beer..”) brought a taste of spring.

Further along the road and very close to the De Montfort University was The Bowling Green, an old building recast as a fairly typical Stonegate house, aiming to please everyone with some sports screens, quiz, extensive food and a clientele of all ages (but mainly students?). There was commitment to real ale too, with Marstons ’61 Deep’ 3.8% Pale ale. (61 metres is the depth of the well at the Brewery…).

In the same area is the memorably named Two-Tailed Lion, with a distinctive modernist interior and hidden casks of many real and craft ales including Vocation Brewery’s session IPA ‘Heart & Soul’ (4.4%). Football fans began arriving for pre-match drinks here and especially later at The Kings Head, some drinking a pint of Small World Beers ‘Home from Holme’ 4.0% (A Summer Pale, “with punchy citrus and fruit flavours”). It was a heady atmosphere – supporters were mixed in their predictions but Leicester City won 4-0 to end a sequence of poor results.

A brief taste of what was available in Leicester; each pub had something to offer but The Globe is the undoubted jewel for the real ale fan…

https://leicester.camra.org.uk/

The Pubs Of Gravesend

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A fast train from St Pancras soon brings you to Gravesend; on the south bank of the Thames estuary it may not have obvious tourist sites but there is plenty of attractions for the beer enthusiast as well as some hidden history. One of the prime pub sites has to be The Three Daws, possibly the oldest pub (1400s) in Kent with its labyrinthine rooms (after three visits we still couldn’t easily find the exit), unlevel floors, waterside sun terrace and good food it was an excellent start to the trip. A pint of Maidstone Musket Brewery Golden Ale 3.8% ‘Fife and Drum’ set the tone for the quality of beer we would find, described as ‘…An ale which is akin to taking a refreshing stroll in the garden of England…..’. Indeed.

‘The air was dark above Gravesend…condensed into a mournful gloom…‘, in the novel ‘Heart Of Darkness’ Joseph Conrad described the aspect of the Thames from this coastline with foreboding but he may have been cheered by a pint of Oakham Citra, the 4.2% easy-drinker that it is always a pleasure to find behind a bar, this time in the Rum Puncheon, again with a welcoming atmosphere and a sun terrace.

Luckily so many places seem to have a micropub – The Compass Alehouse was converted from an estate agents in 2014 and follows the template of no bar, a small walled outdoor space, convivial regulars (human and dogs) and the treat of having ale dispensed visibly straight from the barrel.

A good strike rate so far but there was more to come – next to the railway cutting The Jolly Drayman has the feel of a village community pub, with its older clientele in the low ceilinged bar area, fortunately with a discrete TV to keep up to date with the Cricket World Cup Final (which at this point in the match was not looking too good…). The walled garden has two personable cats and a covered area (from nowhere it suddenly rained??) to drink a nice pint of Dark Star Hophead (3.8%).

Having been tipped off by one of the bar staff in the Three Daws we spotted the Masonic Hall with stairs leading to the cellar micro-ish pub ‘The Three Pillars’. What a find! – like walking down into the Winchester Club in TV’s Minder the place was buzzing but relaxing; the beer was excellent – Gravesend brewer Iron Pier’s Perry St Pale (3.7%) and Cast Iron Stout(4.7%) with the option of half pint tankards too.

Potentially the town of Rochester with its cathedral and castle looked like a better real ale destination but a quick visit revealed that the jewel in the crown was The Coopers Arms, with its landlord list back to 1542, feature-filled terrace (was that a Robert Maxwell gnome?) and a very refreshing cask of Thwaites Wainwright, the 4.1% ‘exquisitely lovely’ golden ale. There may be other town hostelries of this standard but we didn’t find them on our short survey, so it was back to Gravesend for a final pint at the Three Daws (as many of the others didn’t open on a Monday).

Honorary mention to Wetherspoons for their breakfasts and an effective conversion of a shop into the Robert Pocock – commemorating the pioneering printing work and historical recording by this son (1760 – 1830) of Gravesend. There is also the world’s oldest iron pier, the burial place of Pochahontas and the story of Gunther Pluschow – the only prisoner of war to escape from Britain and return home in 1915 – via Gravesend.

https://gdv.camra.org.uk/

The Pubs Of Ramsgate

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In a far corner of Kent, the seaside town of Ramsgate has an interesting hidden history and some welcoming hostelries for the discerning ale enthusiast.
Wetherspoons have done a superb job to create their largest UK outlet The Royal Victoria Pavilion ‘…A striking example of seaside architecture, this grade II listed building (the former dilapidated pavilion) had been one of the most at-risk Victorian/Edwardian buildings in the land….’ and whatever your feelings about the pub chain’s dominance it is a very pleasurable place to drink, with dedicated staff, efficient service and an outdoor upstairs large terrace along with downstairs tables almost on the sandy beach.

Meanwhile further into the town you can have a well-kept pint at The Hovelling Boat Inn, including choice offerings from local brewer Gadd’s. It is a micropub with no bar but table service and some outside seating in a courtyard. Scotch egg and pickles and usually pies complement the fine summer ale.
Hop onto the frequent ‘loop’ bus and arrive in the neighbouring town of Broadstairs, getting out next to the Mind The Gap railway themed micropub, the £3 a pint much cheaper than many of the train tickets adorning the walls. It has good sofas and a large choice of barrels clearly on display behind the bar.

Back in Ramsgate there are several bars and eateries overlooking the impressive ‘Royal’ walled harbour, with a surviving Dunkirk evacuation boat and a decaying concrete slope where prototype hovercrafts were launched from. One of these is The Goose, part of the Stonegate chain, and trying hard to draw customers from Wetherspoons. They were the only pub to give 10% CAMRA discount and with very friendly service, a pool table and four large pictures of Karl Marx, Queen Victoria, John Le Mesurier and Brenda Blethyn to give a good quizzer’s connection question (Answer: they all lived in Ramsgate!)

The find of the trip was the Ravensgate Arms up in the town, an unassuming exterior giving way to a stripped back and comfortable small pub, with superb beer and a satisfyingly obscure choice of music on the playlist. Also an honourable mention to the Royal Harbour Brasserie, at the end of the long harbour wall its location and the faded coastguard chic of the exterior and balmy sea air out on the terrace provide a suitable backdrop for a pint of Adnams Mosaic…

http://www.thanet-camra.org.uk/
https://www.ramsgatebrewery.co.uk/

The Pubs Of Manchester

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A brief encounter with a sample of Manchester’s pubs; it rained a lot so we needed somewhere to shelter…

There may be ambiguities regarding the apostrophe, but The Britons Protection near the Bridgewater Hall is a hybrid of town pub and backstreet local with a long front public bar and two other rooms. It has a historic interior and is highly rated by local CAMRA, the guest golden ale (I have forgotten the name..!) I sampled was very drinkable. The Unicorn is situated on the edge of the trendy Northern Quarter with its bars, record shops and music venues but it retains plenty of traditional charm, an interior that seems to contain various nooks, crannies and open snugs with some reassuringly cheap beer and friendly service. The open door makes it difficult to pass as the rain pounds down.

The Bulls Head behind Piccadilly Railway Station is exactly as you might expect, largish single room and people passing through rather than making an evening of it; the beer was not cheap but they made an effort with the range, also there was a pub quiz nearly happening but cancelled due to lack of contestants. More of a bar/venue than an ale pub, the Night And Day Café in Oldham Street was a quite relaxing retreat with friendly staff and the prospect of live music later in the evening.

The find of the trip had to be the Sandbar opposite the Victorian frontage of the Deaf Institute music venue in the University quarter. The unassuming exterior all seems a bit haphazard, spilling out onto the paths on a hot day as if the pub has only just taken over the building (it hasn’t, it has been there a while). The staff were enthusiastic, the food was reasonably priced (they specialize in pizza) as was the beer and it was well worth paying for a couple of pints of ‘Arizona’ a 4.1% Golden Ale (‘Dry as a desert. Refreshing as an oasis’) by the Phoenix Brewery based in Heywood, Greater Manchester.

It is a huge city, there must have been so many other hidden gems…

http://centralmanchestercamra.org.uk/

The Petersfield, Sturton Street, Cambridge

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Another new arrival on the Cambridge pub scene, this time a reboot of the White Hart on the corner of Sturton Street, more recently an eaterie called the Backstreet Bistro and now back to a pub again. It is an attractive renovation; it has a surprisingly large light and airy main room with central bar. The courtyard to one end has a slightly surreal mural of Cambridge life, with an emphasis on the terraced houses originally occupied by industrial workers in this part of the city.

There were five prominent handpumps, with a 10% CAMRA member discount on only two of these; we could have done with some discount too on the £4.30 paid for a pint of Nene Valley Bitter (New Age Chestnut 4.1%), very palatable (and gluten free). There is an emphasis on food and the gourmet fish and chips that were brought to an adjoining table looked good.

It seemed quite busy for the time of day, the staff were very friendly and efficient, there were some individual touches such as the blankets sitting on a rack ready to put around your legs on a cold evening on the terrace (how old does that make me sound?) and the distinctive feature of a ceiling area made of wine bottles?!

With the Kingston and Geldart just around the corners there are even more reasons to visit this area and seek out these neighbourhood gems….

http://www.thepetersfield.co.uk/

The Pubs Of Hull

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Hull will be ‘UK City Of Culture’ in 2017 and so there are many ongoing renovations and widespread replacement of paving stones. The free museums (including one that featured the history of the city from The Big Bang, via Romans and a life-size woolly mammoth), impressive central church and waterside developments are all in place, so what about the pubs?

The Lion And Key feels welcoming; there is an impressive array of handpumps along the high bar, plenty of old signs decorating the walls and behind the bar as well as the high ceiling covered with old pump clips and beermats. ‘White Rose Original Blonde’ and ‘Hilltop Blonde’ (both 4%) were very drinkable golden ales and ‘Summer Solstice'(3.8%) from Derbyshire’s Raw Brewery has a citrus flavour. This was probably the best pub of the visit, but the nearby Wm Hawkes was fine too; converted sympathetically from a printer’s workshop it has a good range of ales, served in handled glasses. Great Newsome Brewery ‘Pricky Back Otcham'(4.2%) is a tasty, clear golden ale (and a local name for a hedgehog?).

In the same area there was Ye Olde White Harte with the room where plotters met before the English Civil War…and Ye Olde Black Boy, hosting a “socialist meeting” in its upstairs room and providing some very nice locally sourced pork pies and Wye Valley ‘Hereford Pale Ale’.

Venturing away from the River Hull area we found The Polar Bear with its architecturally rare ceramic bar and less rare Sharp’s 4.2% ‘Atlantic’ to drink while enjoying the live music. It is on the edge of a newer road of bars and eateries, bustling on a Tuesday evening!

Following directions through an unpromising non-residential road, you eventually reach The Whalebone, a cosy pub steeped in industrial tradition. With a darts match, free refreshments, cheap beer, a raffle (I won first prize!) and Olympic cycling on a discreet TV it was a comfortable and hospitable place to be and Hull CAMRA Pub Of The Year in 2015.

As well as these and many more pubs, Hull has three Wetherspoons, including The William Wilberforce, commemorating Hull’s anti-slavery campaigner.

Another celebrated resident was the poet Philip Larkin who described Hull as ‘isolate city spread alongside water’; it definitely does have an individual history and character, of which the pubs seem to be a significant part.

http://www.hull.camra.org.uk/

The Pubs Of Histon, Cambridge

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A short cycle ride from Cambridge alongside the guided busway soon gets you to the neighbouring village of Histon, very generously populated with pubs for its comparatively small size. The starting point was The Red Lion, a free house with a large selection of beers; our choice of the day was the hoppy Bateman’s QED (4.1%), and Seamless(3.6%) from Redwillow brewery of Macclesfield (you have to like a brewery where all the beers end with ‘less’; Wreckless, Shameless, Headless etc…). The eye is drawn by the old advertising signs around the bar and the hundreds of beer mats embedded in the ceiling, the food looks good and on a warm Sunday afternoon the garden was a perfect refuge.

Then on to the unusually named The Boot, less of a beer range on offer here but the pint of Woodforde’s Wherry (3.8%) was as always a fine default choice. The pub dates back to 1686 and seems to have a good family atmosphere with extensive playground and terrace space.

The Railway Vue was rumoured to be under threat of demolition when the guided busway was planned but then the track was simply moved a few yards south and the pub lived on! It was buzzing for a late Sunday afternoon, with unobtrusive football on the big screen but there was the choice of the quieter bar and conservatory rooms. Outside in the front garden there was a band, playing smoky improvised blues, providing the perfect accompaniment to a pint from a fresh barrel of Milton Brewery’s Justinian (3.9%), its bronze colour and fresh taste definitely a favourite of mine.

There are three other pubs too, a return visit will be necessary…

http://theredlionhiston.co.uk/
http://www.thebootinnhiston.com/
http://www.therailwayvue.co.uk/

The Ship Inn, Dunwich, Suffolk

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If you travel to see the sunken remains of the medieval city of Dunwich emerging at low tide you may be disappointed (the buildings fell into the sea as the cliff was eroded and so only piles of stones are buried in the murky sand), but never mind, have a quick look round the museum then retire to the nearby Ship Inn. Due to its isolated position and the tiny size of the village there is a strong emphasis on attracting customers for food; the great majority of the clientele have journeyed for a meal but I am pleased to report that the beer offering is very agreeable too.

A pint of Summer Dream Elderflower Ale from the Green Jack Brewing Company up the road at Lowestoft is a 4% Golden Ale with a subtle flavour and evocative name. Brandestone Gold (4.5%) from Suffolk brewer Earl Soham is a richer and more satisfying treat. There is also reliable back-up from Woodforde’s Wherry (3.8%) and the frequently sighted Adnam’s Southwold Bitter (3.7%).

The main bar (with friendly staff) is in the older part of the 17th Century bulding, with two additional small dining rooms. At the back there is a summery conservatory then a half covered patio, with steps up to a large garden complete with static boat and fig tree.

http://www.shipatdunwich.co.uk/

Old Cannon Brewery, Cannon Street, Bury St Edmunds

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In a town dominated by the Greene King Brewery and its many local pubs and beers, there are still rivals; a new Adnams beer shop and café in the centre and the delights of the Old Cannon Brewery on the way to the station.

As you enter this spacious pub the large highly polished mash tun and kettle are prominent next to the bar, just a part of the paraphernalia necessary for the wondrous process of beer production. They look so immaculate that you may assume they are remnants from the past but no, as explained by the knowledgeable bar staff, the brewing takes place every week to produce the majority of the ales sold at the bar.

These include ‘Hornblower’ (4% A light coloured ale with a hoppy, citrusy over tone and a hint of blackberry), as well as a reliable session beer ‘Old Cannon Best Bitter’ (3.8% ..brewed using Bobeck hops giving a nice crisp taste. Very refreshing, absolutely full of flavour and extremely moreish). There are four other beers available, a local guest ale and then a choice from a rotating menu of their own specials and seasonals.

There is a range of high-quality food here too and I think the 3-star accommodation completes the one-stop package on your visit to Bury St Edmunds. (Other attractions are of course available in this agreeable Suffolk town…)

http://www.oldcannonbrewery.co.uk/

Thirsty Cambridge, Chesterton Road, Cambridge

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Another new addition to the Cambridge scene, ‘Thirsty Cambridge’ is a conversion from the old Thresher off-licence. Inside is a large range of wines, as well as beers in cans and bottles. At the back is a dispenser for house wines and for craft beers, four on offer when we visited.
Known as the ‘Growler System’ there is a pleasing ritual involved as the beer travels from some distant container, has the fizz of carbon dioxide added (I think?) and then satisfyingly flows into a solid litre or two litre bottle, its potency barely contained by a Grolsch-type ceramic top. This can then be taken home or enjoyed seated at one of the long tables.

We sampled the Fourpure IPA (4.2%) from London (the name coming from “respecting the four core ingredients used to make beer: grain, yeast, hops and water”) . It was very drinkable but didn’t last long…

Also available was Beavertown ‘Neck Oil’ (4.3%) and I think Yeastie Boys Digital IPA (5.7%) will have to be tried next time. The beer is not cheap here but neither is it over-priced, the service is knowledgeable and friendly and there were plenty of customers passing through. Other distinctive features of Thirsty Cambridge is the availability of ‘Hot Numbers’ coffee and the top-end food vans that park directly outside.

Sited in the Mitcham’s Corner area, already with plenty of pubs, it is certainly offering something a bit different.