Swiggin in Wiggin : September 2012 - Wigan

Chester has long been a favourite Wigan CAMRA
branch members and, of course, is the birthplace
of CAMRA!
In September 2009 there were 39 pubs serving
Cask in the City Centre alone, but by June 2012
that had grown to over 50, excluding several
new outlets just over the river, near the weir at
Handbridge.
Arriving in Chester, our first port of call was the
Old Harkers Arms which is on the bank of the
Shropshire Union canal and part of the Brunning
and Price chain. Here the permanent beers are
Brunning and Price Original (brewed by Phoenix
Brewery at Heywood) and Weetwood Cheshire Cat
with six constantly changing beers. Bookcases
adorn the walls and the ceiling is made of port
wine boxes!
Next door is another excellent venue called
Canalside which stocks five changing real ales. It
opened in November 2011 and is known locally
as “Swiftys” after the owner Gary Swift, who also
runs the Eaton Hotel above the pub. I tried two
house beers “Swifty’s Golden Glow” and “Swifty’s
Barley Mo” both of which were on fine form from
the recently opened Swifty’s brewery. This 2.5
barrel plant is situated on the ground floor and
can viewed from both inside or outside of the pub,
whilst walking along the canal pathway. The pub
also has a lovely glass-walled outside area giving
great views of the canal life going by!
Proceeding along the canal,
about a 10 minute walk, is
Telford’s Warehouse at the Canal
Basin Tower Wharf. A lovely pub,
particularly in the Summer if you
are able to sit out. Inside this
converted warehouse, with large
windows overlooking the canal, is
a crane that used to lift the barges
from the canal when they entered
the warehouse. Now it stocks three
changing guest beers and a guest
cider, with live music featured
every week and is Chester and
South Clwyd CAMRA joint Pub of
the Year 2012.
A stroll around Chester
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Passing through the city and down toward the
River Dee, other pubs to look out for include : the
Pied Bull, the 2011 Pub of the Year for the Chester
branch, which stocks six changing guest beers and
has a micro brewery in its cellar ; the Bear and
Billet, owned by Okell’s Brewery from the Isle of
Man and close-by, one of my favourite pubs, the
Spitting Feathers Brewery Tap which was converted
from an old Jacobean Hall with a high ceiling and
walls hung with tapestries. When it opened it
won an English Heritage award for the best pub
conversion and it serves seven changing beers and
a guest cider. A truly wonderful pub and one not to
be missed when visiting the city, especially as it is
the other joint winner of the local CAMRA branch
Pub of the Year for 2012.
Across the road, the Cross Keys has been sold
by Punch Taverns to Joules Brewery from Market
Drayton, and now serves their Pale Ale and Blonde
Beers, both of which were on good form on my
visit.
Cross over the river and in Hartington Street, tucked
away you will find The Carlton Tavern, a Hyde’s pub
that also has three guest beers although I stuck to
Hyde’s Original, a perfect end to my day in Chester.
Article by Barry Seale.