Norfolk CAMRA Pubs of the Year Named! - Norwich and Norfolk ...

Special
Festival section
* see pages 42 - 58
& CASK FORCE
No.152 Spring 2010
Norfolk CAMRA Pubs of
the Year Named!
Also inside:
BREWERY TEES ON TOUR
NORFOLK’S TRUE HERITAGE PUBS part 5
PUB AND TRADE NEWS
PUB POST–ITS
NORTH NORFOLK PUB REVIEWS
FREE
Newsletter of the Norfolk Branches of the Campaign for Real Ale

Mariners is named
Branch Pub of the Year
the Mariners pub in
Howard Street, Great
Yarmouth, as featured on
our front cover is
Norwich & Norfolk’s Branch
Pub of the Year 2010. It is the
first time a pub in the
Yarmouth has won this award.
This friendly warm and
welcoming back street
community local beat off
competition from around a
dozen pubs to win the award.
It has been owned by Shaun
Underdown for the past five
years who also owns The
Mariners Compass in Gorleston
and has recently purchased the
Mariners Rest in Lowestoft. The
pub brings to the Yarmouth
public a wide range of real ales
concentrating particularly on
beers from local breweries such
as Woodforde’s, Wolf, Green
Jack and Norfolk Square. The
pub also sells a range of real
ciders.
The Mariners will now go into
a head to head competition
with the winner from West
Norfolk Branch, The Angel at
Larling to determine the
overall CAMRA Norfolk Pub of
the Year.
Warren Wordsworth
Brewery tee’s on tour
in response to the photograph
of Branch Chairman
Graham Freeman wearing
Humpty Dumpty Brewery
t-shirt taken at the Acropolis in
Athens featured in last NIPS,
Richard Dixon of Spixworth has
submitted us with the
following photo that features
himself (in the middle) with
two barmen, taken in Tequila’s
Bar and Grill La Paz, Baja
California in Mexico.
He states “I spend some time
working for an airline and this
was my local. I took a few
Woodforde’s t-shirts to give
away! No real ale of course but
a nice a dark bottled beer
called Indio from the Cerveceria
Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma
of Guadalajara would go down
well with a tequila chaser!”
Norwich & Norfolk Branch
Chairman: Graham Freeman
Tel: 01603 687495
Email: chairman@norwichcamra.org.uk
Secretary: Carolyn Jones
Tel: 01603 865505
Email: secretary@norwichcamra.org.uk
Social Secretary: Tim MacDonald
Tel. 01603 865505
Email: socialsecretary@norwichcamra.org.uk
West Norfolk Branch
Chairman: Phil Buffham
Secretary: Ian Bailey
Contact: Bruce Ward
Tel: 01485 609107
Branch websites:
www.norwichcamra.org.uk
www.camra.org.uk/wnorfolk
Branch mailing list web page:
groups.yahoo.com/group/
CAMRA_Norwich
Published every 3 months
by the Norwich, Norfolk & West
Norfolk branches of the Campaign
for Real Ale © N&N CAMRA 2009
Norfolk Nips is produced and
distributed by members of the
branch in their own time.
Edited by:
Mike Baldwin
& Warren Wordsworth
Email: chairman@norwichcamra.org.uk
Chris Lucas
Email: chris-stig@tiscali.co.uk
Views expressed in Norfolk
Nips are not necessarily those
of the editor or of CAMRA
Design & Production:
Daniel Speed - Tamoko Design
Email: dan@tamoko-design.co.uk
Distribution:
Norwich and Norfolk District :
Tony Miles jabbamiles@gmail.com
West Norfolk District :
Ros Harre r.harre@btinternet.com
Advertising:
For advertising enquiries please
contact Chris Shilling on:
Tel: 01778 421 550
Mobile: 07736 635916
Email: chris@shillingmedia.co.uk
SPRING 2010 | 3

As I write this there is still
snow on the ground.
Although it looks pretty it
puts people off visiting
pubs thus resulting to a loss of
trade. However when the snow
finally melts hopefully people
will get out more as it's essential
that we support our Pubs
and Local Breweries. I expect
most of us will be planning our
exciting ventures and we will
try and keep you updated of
forthcoming events.
I have good news in that we
now have a new Editor for
Norfolk Nips, Mike Baldwin.
I trust you will be gentle with
him. Our Branch gets stronger
and we will shortly be making
a presentation to our 2000th
member, so watch out for
further details. In March our
new Branch Committee is
elected and we have to decide
our future campaigning
strategy. I've been concerned
by the excessive rate increases
imposed on our Pubs and I intend
to focus on this if I’m re-elected.
Some of us will be attending
the National AGM in the Isle of
Man to represent our Branch
and we will report back to you
later. You will have noted the
recent publicity surrounding
NORFOLK NIPS | Chairman’s Letters
Too much Winter Olympics?
The Ferryboat and the plans to
reopen as a backpackers hostel.
We have been strongly
campaigning for a Pub on this
site and we intend to be fully
involved in developments.
Finally, our congratulations go
to The Mariners Tavern in Great
Yarmouth which is our Branch
Pub of the Year 2010. It's very
encouraging to support a Pub
which has promoted real ale
and hopefully this will raise the
overall profile in the Yarmouth
area. Well done.
Graham Freeman
Chairman Norwich & Norfolk CAMRA
Breweries & Beer festivals
New Year, new brews,
Beeston brewery has
added three new brews
to its list. Sterling, Dry
Road and Squirrel’s Nuts.
Whilst the Fox and Hounds at
Heacham has added three to its
list - Warrior, Apache and
Huron, with three more in the
pipeline over the next three
months.
Its a busy time at the moment
for our committee members,
with the good beer guide
surveys, price surveys and pub
of the year to be sorted out
.With only 28 pubs from our
region able to into the GBG
.And with more candidates
then last year, there is obviously
going to be some
disappointed landlords and
some good pub’s excluded.
Last year saw more beer festivals
in our area. Than previous
years and I hope this trend
continues. And hopefully we’ll
see the snow disappear before
Easter, when there are several
festivals in our area. Including
union jack, Roydon and fox &
ounds Heacham, followed a
week later by the Stag at West
Acre and the Black Horse Thetford
at the start of May.
A beer festival involving west
Norfolk branch and Wissey
valley brewery is being
discussed possibly for
September in Downham.Fox
and Hounds Heacham and
Stuart House Kings Lynn have
fests in July, Coach & Horses
Dersingham and the Wash &
Tope Hunstanton are in
September, Weatherspoons
will have festivals through all
their pubs. Globe - Kings Lynn
and Lattice House - Kings Lynn
being two in our area. Angel at
Larling end of July The start of
August and August bank
holiday will see the Union Jack
and Fox & Hounds again.
There will obviously be others
and would be please to hear of
them. I hope to see you at
some of them and hope you
enjoy the selection of ales
Finally, congratulations to the
Angel at Larling on winning the
West Norfolk pub of the year award.
Buff
Chairman W.Norfolk camra
SPRING 2010 | 5

DUKEof WELLINGTON
TRADITIONAL REAL ALE HOUSE
14 REAL ALES
GRAVITY SERVED
available all year round from
our glass fronted tap room
CAMRA Good Beer Guide Listed
CAMRA Norfolk Pub of the Year 2003
Diary Date:
Summer Beer Festival
August 27th- Sept 4th
6 MORE ALES
ON HAND PUMP
Welcoming
REAL FIRE
Open
Monday to Saturday 12noon to 11pm
Sundays 12noon to 10.30pm
Just 15
minutes walk
from the
City Centre
Come and enjoy our Tap
Room with a selection of
Belgian bottled beers,
Schneider Weiss, Erdinger
and Dunkel.
91 - 93 WATERLOO ROAD | NORWICH | 01603 441182

NORFOLK NIPS | Words from the Editors
A Period Of Madness!
The last few weeks seem to
have compressed the
normal fairly even spread
of CAMRA duties into a
time of chaos in the West
Norfolk branch.
We have had GBG surveys to
complete, a selection meeting
to decide on the pubs to be
included, nominations for Pub
of the Year in West Norfolk,
voting on the nominations and
voting on regional beer of the year
(a short pause to catch breath).
I have had to participate in
the, frankly, arduous process of
visiting loads of pubs doing
surveys, then voting on the
results of two competitions
(not quite there on beer of the
year), which has required the
consumption of yet more real
ale. Then to add insult to injury
I have been forced to visit our
POTY, the Angel at Larling
The Ed’lines
Having spent all my
working life in the Print
and Paper Industry and
having a passion for Real
Ale, becoming Editor of Norfolk
Nips is, well, an opportunity
too good to miss.
The newsletter has certainly
changed over the years and is,
in my view, possibly the best
free read in Norfolk.
where I was obliged to sample
yet more of the accursed stuff!
If this keeps up I am going to
start enjoying it!
It has been a busy period for
the branch, with the marvellous
problem of enough
eligible pubs for the GBG to
provoke a real debate on the
qualifiers! What a good sign
that such a healthy increase in
good real ale pubs has
occurred in our area, although
overall many pubs are still
being lost.
Travelling around the area
reminds you what is at the core
of a good pub - good beer,
good atmosphere and good
company. Personally, I like a
pub where you feel comfortable
no matter if you arrived by
shanks’s pony or limousine,
young, old or somewhere in
between!
Could it be even better? Of
course it could, and some new
features will be introduced,
starting with the Prize Competition
in this issue.
Future articles will include the
Distribution of Nips and how
you can help get this fine publication
into even more pubs.
I am delighted to hear that
Mike Baldwin has become
editor on behalf of the Norwich
branch and would like to say
welcome to the production
team; I look forward to meeting
you soon.
Two final points; Firstly I
would like to thank all the
branch members for their
efforts in providing copy for
this ever improving magazine, we
couldn’t produce it without you!
Secondly I was deeply
saddened to hear of the
sudden passing of Nick at the
Artichoke, one of the great
characters of the Norfolk real
ale scene.
I’ll miss chatting to him both
at the Artichoke and before
that in the St. Andrews Tavern.
God speed, Nick.
Chris Lucas
Editor - West Norfolk Branch
But what would you like to
see in Nips? – (Please bear in
mind that we would not wish
to see Nips only available on
the top shelf!). Let me know.
Time for a beer
Cheers!
Mike Baldwin
Editor - Norwich and North
Norfolk branch CAMRA
SPRING 2010 | 7

Pub News | NORFOLK NIPS
Pub News
The Constitution, Constitution
Hill has recently closed as
has The Cock Inn along with
Blue Moon Brewery at Barford,
(see Brewery & Trade News)
which closed in January.
It is sad to report that The
Woodside, Thorpe St
Andrews that was featured in
last NIPS “Norfolk’s True
Heritage Pubs” has closed and
is on the market for sale freehold
with an asking price of
£400,000. It would be a great
shame for Norwich to lose a
pub like this as the interior is
one of the few examples left of
an early post war Bullards pub.
The Walnut Tree Shades in
central Norwich is closed at the
moment. There is apparently,
as reported in local media a
dispute between the landlord
and the owning pubco over
rent payments.
The Cross Keys at Dilham
has closed and been put on the
market for sale freehold with an
asking price of £250,000.
The Cottage on Silver Road
as reported in last NIPS was
reopened in December now
being owned by Mauldons
Brewery in Sudbury. See “A North
Norwich Pub Crawl” on page
32 for more details.
The Reindeer, on Dereham
Road, Norwich, a pub that has
a recent history of opening and
closing reopened again at the
end of January. The previous
8 | SPRING 2010
landlord who took over in
November lasted just 18 days.
The pub’s new bosses are
Michael and Dawn Dormer
who previously ran The Rose
Tavern in Rupert Street.
The Mermaid, Hedenham is
reported to have at last
reopened again after a long
period of closure.
An application has been
lodged to South Norfolk
District Council to convert The
Queens Head in Hempnall,
which closed over a year ago
into a private dwelling.
The Mustard Pot in Whinburgh,
near Dereham which
has been shut for almost a year
has been reopened as a Mexican
themed pub and restaurant by
new landlord Phil Tye.
The Ferryboat in King
Street Norwich, which has
been closed since July 2007 has
been purchased from Greene
King by Deepdale Backpackers
& Camping of North Norfolk.
They intend to reopen it as a
hostel with ensuite rooms,
family rooms and a few dorms.
They will offer canoe hire, cycle
hire and a café as part of their facilities.
Their press release also states
that they intend to run a small real
ale pub on the site as well.
The Leopard, Bull Close
Road, Norwich has reopened in
February after a period of
extensive internal refurbishment.
According to their press
release “Out has gone the pool
table, fruit machine, smooth
beers and dreary decor. In has
come a tasteful refurbishment
sympathetic to a real ale pub
with a brand new bar housing
four real ales and continental
beers, open fire and a new
licensee with over 20 years
experience”.
The Locks Inn at Geldeston
is hosting a large number of
events in the next few months.
These include “May Fayre”-
Sunday 2nd May including
maypole and Morris dancing
plus a hog roast. Sat 12th June,
an all day music festival
featuring folk/roots based
bands. They are also having
regular music sessions on
Thursday nights and Sunday
afternoons throughout April
May and June. See pub website
for more details
http://www.geldestonlocks.co.uk/
Brewery and Trade
News
Barford Cock and Blue
Moon Brewery Closes
In a seeming never ending
succession of pub closures, a
particularly sad occasion took
place on the 18th of January
when Peter Turner called it a
day at the Barford Cock in the
light of the current difficult
trading conditions for small
businesses, and the licensed
trade in particular.
It is a great personal

disappointment to me as I have
already noted in a Pub Post-it
in a previous edition of Norfolk
Nips the Barford Cock
contains my favourite pub
room in South Norfolk and is
the home of one of my
favourite beers, Blue Moon
Hingham High.
Personal feelings aside, the loss
of Peter from brewing and pub
running is a large one indeed.
For those younger readers of
this magazine it is probably
worth looking back over Peter’s
long career.
His first brewing venture in
Norfolk was back in 1981, with
one of the first micro-breweries
in the county, when he
founded the Star Brewery in
Duke Street, Norwich, to
supply the adjacent Golden
Star and the free trade.
Unfortunately, this ceased
brewing in the following year
when it was sold on and
renamed the Tap Brewery
which continued until 1984
when it too closed.
Peter’s next Norfolk brewing
venture was the Blue Moon
Brewery at Seamere, Hingham
which started in 1997 and
closed in 2002 when operations
were transferred to the
Barford Cock.
Peter’s regular beers were Easy
Life, Sea of Tranquillity, and for
winter the fantastic Hingham
High which recently won East
Anglia Beer of the Year.
Peter continued brewing at
Barford until roughly two years
ago when he decided to
concentrate on the pub side of
the business and contracted
out brewing of the Blue Moon
beers to another stalwart of the
Norfolk brewing scene, Dave
Winter based in Norwich.
On behalf of the Branch I
would like to wish Peter best
wishes for the future and,
perhaps selfishly, hope he is
soon tempted back to brewing
so I for one can continue to
enjoy his Blue Moon beers,
especially Hingham High.
Michael Croxford
Fox Brewery - Buff reported
details of a recent conversation
with Mark. No conclusion
could be reached as some
people were not at the meeting
who could have answered. Fox
have 3 new beers: Warrior
4.4%, Apache 3.8% & Huron
4.1%. They expect 3 more over
the next 3 months.
Changes in brewing personnel
are also reported.
Woodforde’s win CAMRA
award
Woodforde’s ‘Admiral’s
Reserve’ has been named
CAMRA’s “Champion Strong
Bitter of East Anglia”. This beer
which is a 5% tawny coloured
strong beer with a distinctive
nose and flavour of sweet malt
and rich fruit has been declared
winner of the Strong Bitter
category of CAMRA East
Anglian beers award 2009.
Elgood’s launch new beer
NORFOLK NIPS | Pub News
Wisbech brewer Elgoods are to
launch a new beer, Snakeslayer,
a black stout brewed at 4.5%
in March.
The Norfolk Ale Shop,
situated in the village of Ringstead
(Near Hunstanton) has
come to our notice as stocking
over sixty local ales alongside
country wines and rooms of
collectables and art. Please see
the advert for opening times.
News from
the West
It seems that the ‘must have’
accessory for any pub these
days is a big banner that says
‘Under New Management’.
Around Kings Lynn these have
been seen at the Woolpack,
the Bentinck and the
Mayden’s Head. I haven’t
visited any of these yet, but
there appear to be handpumps
in the Maydens Head, so it
could be worth a look. Out of
town, the Crown at Middleton
was taken over in November
and it is steadily gaining a
reputation as a place to eat.
We went out there for their
‘Cuban Evening’ and despite
them having no record of our
booking, they fitted us in and
we had an excellent meal.
Some of our party tried the
Mojitos (hoping, perhaps for
the inspiration to try the Salsa
lessons) but I preferred to drink
the Woodfordes Wherry.
I never used to be a great fan
of this beer, but it seems to be
getting better and better. Does
anyone know if they have
Continued Overleaf
SPRING 2010 | 9

THE ARTICHOKE FREEHOUSE
at Broome
Up to 8 Real Ales (4 on gravity)
3 Belgian Fruit Beers
Outstanding selection of Scottish
malt & Irish Whisky
Opening Hours
12pm to 11pm weekdays & Sunday
12pm to 12am Friday & Saturday
Closed Mondays
(Except Bank Holidays)
162 Yarmouth Road, Broome, Bungay
NR35 2NZ Tel: 01986 893325
On the 580 and 588 Anglia Bus routes
NORFOLK CAMRA PUB OF THE YEAR 2009
Lunchtime Meals
12pm to 2.30pm weekdays
12pm to 4pm Sundays
Evening Meals
6.30pm to 9pm Tuesday to Saturday
(Booking is advisable)
Beer garden and ample parking
10 | SPRING 2010

changed the recipe? Maybe
my taste buds are maturing.
Also close to Kings Lynn is the
Dray and Horses in
Tottenhill, which has had a bit
of a makeover and has been
mentioned as worth a visit.
Also been refurbished is the
Red Cat at North Wootton.
We are told that this has
helped to double the trade and
that the beer is very good. It is
a bit out of the way, but they
do have a website which
includes a map.
Just east of Lynn is Bawsey
Sandboy. Well known for its
food and salsa lessons, the
landlord seems to be increasingly
keen on his beer. There is
always a good selection and we
hear that there are plans to
hold a beer festival – dates to
be decided.
Yet another place where you
can try Salsa is the Queens
Arms, an Elgoods pub in Kings
Lynn. Sadly the beer suffers
from what the landlord
described as ‘gas assisted’ hand
pumps. If you want to try a
good pint of Elgood’s the
Victory in Clenchwarton can
usually oblige and I hear that it
is also often available at the
Live and Let Live in Lynn.
There are now over 600 small
breweries in the country, with
over thirty of them in Norfolk.
I suggest that one of the
reasons for this is that Wetherspoons
champion these
microbreweries, and we are
fortunate to have two fine but
contrasting examples in Kings
Lynn. The Lattice House
must be one of their finest old
buildings and unusually was a
pub before they took over.
The current management team
are very keen on their beer and
have been along to out meetings
to share their vision and
address some of the criticisms
that our members have voiced.
I think they have done a fine
job and if you want a quiet pint
in town this is an excellent
choice. Across the Market
Place is the Globe. Bigger,
louder and probably with a
younger age profile amongst
the customers, this is perhaps
more of a choice for a party
night, yet they sell beer good
enough to be listed in the
Good Beer Guide.
Just round the corner is probably
the most interesting pub
in Lynn. The Crown and
Mitre You could spend hours
looking at the various artefacts
that decorate the pub, many
connected with ships and
trains. Five or six interesting
beers were on the pumps
when we called in and plans
for a brewery on the premises
seem to be advancing.
In January we struggled
through the ice and snow to a
meeting at the Railway Arms
on Downham Market station.
This was my first visit and it
was wonderful to sit in front of
the roaring fire on a cold night.
As well as trying the beer,
have a look at the book room,
and just for once hope your
train is late.
Finally, places with a less
certain future. There are signs
outside the Fenman opposite
NORFOLK NIPS | Pub News continued
the station in Lynn offering the
pub up for sale. This has been
a popular pub for many years
and should be a good investment.
Out in West Winch the
lights have gone out at the
Sportsman. Famous for its
carvery, it has been the only
pub in the village since the
Cock turned into a restaurant.
Lets hope it opens again soon.
Also still dark is the New Inn
on Wootton Road in Lynn.
At least the building still exists,
and as the reopening of the
Grimston Bell shows, this
means that there is still a chance
something can be done.
Lattice House - Lynn
Along with a series of brewery
trips, they expect a visit from
Nethergate Brewery (from
whom they had various beers
on) on the 13/14th April.
Albert Victor - Castle Acre
Currently closed but due to
reopen on Saturday (13th)
under a recent barmaid.
Rampant Horse - Gayton
trade poor, only IPA on tap.
Crown - Downham
trade links with Jenyns Arms,
Denver & Foldgate,
Stradsett. 5 beers on tap.
Compasses - Snettisham
recently raised £600 for
Tapping House.
Bedingfeld Arms -
Oxborough up for sale, £600k.
Great Dane’s Head
Beachamwell, £495k, both of
these seem serious.
SPRING 2010 | 11

Pub Post Its | NORFOLK NIPS
Pub Post-its
As always, remember that these post-its are subjective and reflect the personal experience of
our correspondents. Please feel free to email your post-its in to norfolknips@yahoo.co.uk - and
if you really like the pub, why not nominate it for next year’s CAMRA Good Beer Guide?
Bicycle Shop
Bicycle Shop (17 St Benedicts St). Basement bar
has Adnams Bitter and sometimes Broadside on
gravity. Normal range of cafe food and drink on
the ground floor but includes two or three
changing bottles of brewery conditioned beer
eg St Peter's Organic and Shepherd Neame's
Bishop's Finger. Friendly service in cafe and bar.
Star - Lessingham.
With the “Doom & Gloom” of the present Pub
trade, it's good to see a change of ownership
turning the business around, as at the
Lessingham Star. As with the previous owner,
the Buffys Bitter, (£2.45 pint), Adnams and
Woodforde’s Wherry were all in excellent
condition, this with a warm welcome from the
hosts Sue and Mike are bringing in the
customers. The food operation is now
under-way after a re-vamp on the restaurant and
the employment of a new chef.
Crown Catfield.
Three constantly changing “Real Ales”, and the
regular Greene King IPA, all of which are usually
in good condition, along with some tasty Italian
food can be enjoyed at the “Crown” in Catfield.
This small but cosy pub is run by friendly hosts
Nando and Pauline and maybe near closing time
you will receive another very warm welcome
from the loveable Labrador dog called Max.
Dray & Horses
2 ales and friendly.
Rose & Crown - Snettisham
‘fine’.
Crown & Mitre - Lynn
‘very good’.
12 | SPRING 2010
Crown - Middleton
‘very good’.
Angel - Larling
‘very good’.
Crown, Fakenham
Still closed, reports of local concern.
Ten years on
The Fox & Hounds at (Heacham) are celebrating
ten years since the arrival of Mark.
Briston and his partner Marie. When they
arrived at the pub they were told by the
outgoing landlord that they would never sell
real ale there.
Two years later not only were they selling real
ale but they started the fox brewery, since then
they have built a new brewery and have recently
added two new conditioning tanks to cope with
the large increase in order for their bottled beer
and are looking at some more fermenting equipment.
As Chinnook hops have become unobtainable
this beer has been replaced with “Warrior” 4.4%
pale ale. Also there are two other new brews
available from the fox they are “Apache” a 3.8%
light ale and “Huron” a 4.1% dark malty beer.
Over the next three months mark intends to
produce three more new ales. Ninety minute
IPA. A stronger follow up to his sixty minute IPA.
A coffee stout and an imperial IPA.
The fox over the years has won several awards
for their beer and has recently won East Anglian
Best Beer in its category for Grizzly. Congratulations
to the fox and here’s to another ten years.

CELEBRATING THE VERY BEST OF 40
INDEPENDENT PUB BREWERS.
(25 ALES PERMANENTLY ON SALE)

The Mermaid Inn
Church Street, Elsing Dereham,NR20 3EA
Tel: 01362637640 Email: the.mermaid@zen.co.uk
Great Pub Food Menu
Try our famous Steak and Kidney Roly Poly
with thick beer gravy. We cook our own Ham in
real ale, we can't cook it quick enough!
INFLATION BUSTER MON - FRI ONLY £4.95!
Freehouse, Real Ales, Real Food,
Real Welcome!
Look us up in the CAMRA Good
Beer Guide 2010 or the CAMRA
Good Pub Food Guide.
We have internet café facilities!
REAL ALE SHOP
BLOFIELD
Visit the shop at
Blofield Leisure Centre, 58 Yarmouth Road,
Blofield, Norfolk, NR13 4LQ
Or
Visit our brewery shop at
7 Estcourt Road, Great Yarmouth,
Norfolk, NR30 4JQ
Tel: 01493 854484
email: beer@norfolksquarebrewery.co.uk
www.norfolksquarebrewery.co.uk
Queen’s Head
and Waveney Brewing Company
Traditional Village Pub with a brewery
producing permanent and seasonal
ales on site
Large beer garden, traditional games, lunchtime menu and a good
selection of real ale, spirits and soft drinks
Listed in the Good Beer Guide every year since 2000.
14 | SPRING 2010
Station Road, Earsham, Norfolk
Tel: (01986) 892623

NORFOLK NIPS | West Norfolk POTY
West Norfolk Pub of the Year
iam pleased to reveal that
West Norfolk CAMRA pub of
the year is…….(Rustling of
envelope)
The Angel at Larling!
The Angel has been in and
out (and in again) of the
ownership of the Stammers
family since the current landlord’s
grandfather bought it in 1913.
The current incumbent
Andrew has run the pub for
most of his adult life eventually
wresting control of the pub
from Norwich brewery he
transformed it into a bastion of
real ale.
As he said to me at Norwich
beer festival, last year, “I do it
because I still love it”.
The Angel hosts an annual
beer festival, every August,
which is by far the largest in
West Norfolk.
Andrew has always been a beer
enthusiast and this is reflected
in the quality and choice of
beers at the Angel. Although
very popular with diners from
near and far, the Angel retains
a real feel of the rural farming
based community of which it is
the heart.
Since being bypassed by the
busy A11, it has gone from
strength to strength, and is
much easier to pull into!
When asked for his reaction
to the news that he had won
our branch award he reacted as
only a lifelong canaries fan
could, he was, “over the
moon”. I think you can see that
quite clearly in the accompanying
photo!
The Angel will now go
forward to compete for the
Norfolk pub of the year, with
the Mariners at Yarmouth,
good luck to both.
SPRING 2010 | 15

NORFOLK NIPS | Norfolk CAMRA Branch Calendar
Norwich CAMRA Branch calendar
16 March Branch AGM.
Only Card carrying members
admitted. Venue Take 5,
Tombland Norwich. 8pm.
26 March
Campaign Coach Trip
2 April First Friday Five - Kings
Head, 8pm then Mischief, Ribs
of Beef, Slug & Lettuce, Steam
Packet
16-19 April CAMRA National
AGM Douglas Isle of Man.
20 April Branch Meeting
25 April Beer Store Clean
& Tidy session.
29 April Beer Festival Planning
Meeting, White Lion 8pm
7 May First Friday Five Dyers
Arms, Magdalen Road,
Whalebone, Lord Rosebery,
Angel Gardens, Duke of
Wellington
18 May Branch Meeting
4 June First Friday Five
Coach pick-ups: 6.47pm junc.
Southwell Road/Grove Road;
6.55pm junc, Old Palace
Road/West End Street; 7.10pm
Heartsease Roundabout,
(Harvey Lane side); 7.15pm
Norwich Railway Station,
(Thorpe Road bus stops).
Please contact Social Secretary
Tim MacDonald E-mail
socialsecretary@norwichcamra.org.uk
or 01603 865505
in advance if you wish to board
the coach on any part of the
above route.
For updates on the social
calendar check
www.norwichcamra.org.uk
with the full branch events
calendar. You do not have to
be a member to come on the
Branch meetings, coach trips or
the First Friday Five. If not a
member why not attend any of
these and if you enjoy them then
perhaps you may wish to join!
Cask ale and bottled beer
available to drink in over
200 WOLF
BREWERY PUB
OUTLETS,
local TESCO supermarkets or
visit our Brewery Shop
Please telephone
01953 457775
for direct orders
SPRING 2010 | 17

Norfolk’s True Heritage Pubs 5 | NORFOLK NIPS
This series of articles highlights the pubs whose interiors have been little altered in the past 40 years
or so. This issue features two pubs with a connection of both suffering enemy action as well as an
open/close story – one that is open, but may close in the coming years; the other was closed in 2008
but I am delighted to report that when it reopened in 2009 its historic interior had been preserved.
Duke of Connaught, Norwich
© Michael Slaughter 2009
The lounge bar of the Duke of Connaught, Norwich
tucked away off the
Dereham Road in
Norwich and not far from
the Fat Cat you will find
the Duke of Connaught at the
corner of Livingstone Street
and Speke Street. The original
Duke of Connaught was an
end of terrace pub that was
destroyed by enemy action in
1942. The pub was rebuilt as a
single storey building by
Steward & Patteson in 1954
and has been little changed
since it opened. The brewery
18 | SPRING 2010
purchased the house at 60
Grant Street for use by the
tenants and even though the
front door of the pub faces
Speke Street both the pub and
the house are on the same set
of deeds with an address of 60
Livingstone Street! The public
bar on the right retains its original
bar back with cupboards
and drawers, and the original
bar counter, which has been
re-covered with new Formica
panels and a new Formica top
added over the original red
one, which can still be seen on
the flap for staff access to the
servery. The bar back fitting
continues through to the
lounge on the left but the
present counter is a replace-
The exterior of the Duke of
Connaught, Norwich

ment for the original quarter
circle one which had a pink
Formica top! Another good
reason to pay a visit to this pub
is to sample the range of
Winter’s Brewery beers on offer
– the Duke of Connaught
seems to operate as the
brewery tap. However, don’t
delay seeking out this ‘timewarp’
pub as on his retirement
landlord Paul Waller tells me
the pub is likely to be demolished
– he holds planning
permission to convert the pub
to building plots – unless, he
says, anybody comes along to
buy it as a pub!
The Duke of Connaught, 60
Livingstone Street, Norwich
NR2 4HE is open Mon to Fri
from 7.30 to 11; Sat 12.30 to
4; 7.30 to 12; Sun 12 to 4;
7.30 to 11. No food is served.
Real ales on sale are Winter’s
Bitter and Winter’s Golden on
handpump occasionally joined
by the other regular Winter’s
beers Revenge or Storm Force
which are served from a
polypin. Winter’s Mild, the
2009 Champion Beer of
Norfolk, is sold on an air pressure
pump. Phone number is
01603 629805.
NORFOLK NIPS |
The Duke of Connaught, Norwich
acts as the brewery tap for
Winter’s Brewery of Norwich
Dunstable Arms, Sheringham
in Sheringham the Dunstable
Arms on the Cromer Road
(A149) re-opened in
February 2009 after a
closure of seven months and a
sprucing-up by licensees Paul
Andrews and Diane Langley-
Tompsett. I am delighted to say
the only change they made is
the cutting of a doorway
between the public bar on the
Right: The unusual
1930s brick bar at
the Dunstable
Arms, Sheringham
Below: The exterior
of the Dunstable
Arms, Sheringham
left and the saloon bar on the
right – previously you could
only access each bar via its own
front door.
The Dunstable Arms was
re-built in 1931 in Tudor-style
with a veranda to designs by
Buckingham and Berry of
Norwich for Steward &
Patteson. It has three rooms
and still retains many original
features. On the left is an
extension added in 1945/6 in a
Continued Overleaf
SPRING 2010 | 19

The Real Ale Shop
Branthill Farm, Wells-next-the-Sea,
NORFOLK NR23 1SB
ON THE B1105 FAKENHAM- WELLS RD
The pub with no bar, ales
direct from cask.
Watch www.nelsonslocal.co.uk for forthcoming events.
Tongue twizzling food, and great value.
Check our website for
Tuesday Lunch QUIZ - 60 questions
& a bowl of soup £4.95
Live music every Thursday from 8.45pm.
All details on the website.
Real fires. Huge garden.
Come & visit Nelson’s local.
Walsingham Road, Burnham Thorpe Norfolk PE31 8HN
01328 738241
Over 50
bottle conditioned real
ales from 15 Norfolk
brewers who all use
Branthill Farms
famous malted barley.
TEL: 01328 710810
www.therealaleshop.co.uk
South Norfolk’s Best Kept Secret
The Pelican Inn
Tacolneston
01508 489 521
Four Local Real Ales on Hand Pump
Bottled Norfolk Real Ales In our
New ‘Real Ale Shoppe’
WINNER OF THE SOUTH
NORFOLK ‘PUB OF THE
YEAR AWARD’ 2009 /2010.
Special Discounts to CAMRA Members
Alfresco Dining for 60 people
New Outside Summer Bar & Grill
With 3 Beer Festivals a Year
20 |SPRING 2010

NORFOLK NIPS | Heritage Pubs continued
Above: The lounge at the Dunstable Arms, Sheringham –
a partition used to separate it into two rooms
Right: The 1930s floor to ceiling fireplace in the club room,
now dining area, of the Dunstable Arms, Sheringham
similar style to the original (the
pub is reported to have been
damaged by enemy action in
1940). On the right is the
saloon bar with its original
counter, fireplace and parquet
floor. When built a wooden
partition separated the saloon
bar from the rear ‘club room’
(wording from the original
plans - ask if you want to see
them). You can still see signs of
where the partition ran, and
when it was removed in the
early 1980s the timber was reused
for the present bar back
fitting in the public bar. The
former club room, now a
dining area, is in "Tudor hall"
style with a high ceiling and
exposed timber beams. It has a
magnificent full height
chimney breast in brick and
tile. The public bar
retains its original
bar counter, unusually
of brick, a brick
fireplace, timber
frieze, parquet floor
and some fixed seating. A brick
arch from 1945/6 links the
public bar with the left hand
room, which was converted in
the early 1980s from the off
sales and a previously private
room and has no old fittings.
The Dunstable Arms is
situated at 27 Cromer Road
NR26 8AB and open from
11.30am (12 Sun) every day.
Freshly prepared food is served
lunchtimes and evenings every
day and there is a carvery on a
Sunday from 12 to 6. The real
ales on sale are Adnams Best
Bitter, Adnams Broadside and a
guest beer, which could be
from an independent or micro
brewery. Phone number is
01263 824825 and the pub is
‘children-friendly’.
Text and photographs by
Mick Slaughter of CAMRA’s
Pub Heritage Group.
If you require photographs of
your pub interior / exterior
you can contact Mick on
01733 390598
or email
m.slaughter45@ntlworld.com
to discuss your requirements.
SPRING 2010 | 21

West Norfolk visit Norwich | NORFOLK NIPS
There’s snow business like
pub crawl business!
West Norfolk CAMRA
went to Siberia for our
2009 Xmas pub crawl,
or at least it felt like it!
Nah, Norwich as usual, the ice
and snow meant a tricky drive
for Nige (train next time?!),
it took us 40 minutes to get to
Thetford from Feltwell, mind
you we stopped and got some
very picturesque photographs.
Stig was with us, he was due to
travel to Austria early Sunday
morning for a holiday, reckon
we had more snow here!
Having eventually arrived in
Norwich and parked up, taxi’d
from the rail station to our first
pub of the day (only half hour
late, not bad!), The Whalebone,
a superb venue to start
with a good choice of ales,
I plumped for Adnams Pale
Champion. A good group to
start of around ten or eleven,
including some Norwich
CAMRA members, fresh from
their own shindig the night
before. A short slither to the
Duke Of Wellington, landlord
Dougie has turned his establishment
into a fine ale house
with an impressive beer list
(some handpump, some
gravity), I went for a LocAle
(geddit?) in Wolf Golden Jackal
(possibly my fave Wolf ale,
though Straw Dog runs it close).
Is it a bird, is it a plane, or is it
Eddie The Eagle?! Nope, ‘tis the
22 | SPRING 2010
Cidershed, more hardy souls
joined the group, Fat Cat ales
and guest beers, had an old
favorite in Kelham Island Pale
Rider. And a big surprise for
yours truly, the branch
presented me with an
engraved beer tankard, to
thank me for my nine years as
Chairman which came to an
end at our AGM last October,
I was gobsmacked!
Thanks Peeps!
Next a slippy stroll to the
bottom of Mousehold Heath
and the Heath House, our first
visit to this roomy pub and I
think everyone liked it, supped
Elgood’s Festive Feelgood as
myself, Nige, and Jeff had a
mini pool match (honors even).
A downhill slalom along Silver
Road brought us to The
Cottage, recently bought by
Mauldon’s Brewey, we were
greeted by TEN handpumps,
not only Mauldon’s but guest
ales as well, we were all pretty
impressed, I enjoyed Silver
Adder and Black Adder (bend
over Black Adder!), my pub of
the day. Myself and Stig were
tad late leaving after the
others, aso we missed the Ketts
tavern, but I hear it was very
good. And away to the Adam
& Eve, Norwich’s oldest pub
and also haunted I believe, a
few of our American friends
joined us here (which gave us a
total of about 30 or so on the
day, good going everyone!),
I continued the Mauldon’s
theme with Mole Trap.
Was I drunk or was someone
wearing a kilt?! A short wee
walk along to the Wig & Pen
(cold wee?!), where we were
greeted by the news that
Norwich City had beaten
promotion rivals Huddersfield
Town 3-0, go Canaries!
Celebrated with a drop of
golden Oakham JHB, real ale
champers! Onwards ever
onwards, once more into the
breach dear friends, alas poor
Yoda he is green as well, sorry
readers, waxing lyrical there!
The Ribs was next, Grain
Bitter proved a top drop, also
top were the lovely young
ladies behind the bar, bootiful.
Some headed home or hotel
around this time, whilst a few
of us got all Thai’d up (groan!)
at The Vine, JHB again and
Wolf Coyote, this small pub has
been transformed into a superb
Thai restaurant/bar, my spicy
pork and rice was delicious,
give it a go soon. Myself and
Pete ‘Disco’ Wells (explanation
later!) popped into the Belgian
Monk for a spot of something
different, Belgian beer
(obviously), Ter Dolen Blonde,
Blonde’s have more fun!
We found a few of the
remaining crawlers in the
Steam Packet, another recently
Continued Overleaf

NORFOLK NIPS | West Norfolk visit Norwich - continued
reopened pub after a spell on
the sidelines, it hadn’t changed
much, had some Wherry, then
it was me and Pete again,
keeping to the schedule we
headed off Riverside way to a
very packed Queen Of Iceni
(big Wetherspoon’s place).
Now, it may have been the
cold outside, it may have been
all the ale he’s supped during
the day, but Pete ‘Disco’ Wells
did his best John Travolta
“Grease” impression and
proceeded to boogie away
with the pretty young things,
I didn’t know where to look!!!
I know, drink my Wolf Granny
Wouldn’t Like It, but would
Granny like Pete’s dancing?!
Following Dancing With
The Girls we hikes up the hill to
the Coach & Horses, nice Gold
ale, and singing Xmas carols
with a packed house ended the
night off in style. But the fun
wasn’t over , oh no, “Disco”
fell over in the snow so we got
a taxi back to Chez Wells,
another Belgian beer (Corsondonk?),
and air guitar in Pete’s
kitchen ‘til 3am! Crikey, I was
cream crackered!!!
After a good few hours kip,
well rested, a bright cold
morning greeted us. We felt
like breakfast, a bus eventually
turned up after an hour’s wait,
we headed back to a much
quieter Queen Of Iceni for a
nice big fry-up, Disco Pete had
some ‘hair of the dog’ (more
ale), I just had a cup of tea.
We met Nige in the Coach
& Horses, he’d been on the
Norwich Ice Sculpture Trail,
we had a pint of CHB, said
goodbye to Pete (back on the
diet mate!), and made our slow
way home. Oh, Stig and Jackie
made it to Austria for theie
Xmas holiday. Many thanks for
all those who turned out in
tricky weather conditions,
I reckon it was one of our best
crawls ever. Get ready, the next
one is already planned!
Cheers!!!
Tim
SPRING 2010 | 25

NORFOLK ALE SHOP
REAL ALE
REALISTIC PRICES
OVER 60 ALES ON SALE
FIND US INSTORE AT
THE GENERAL STORE
41, HIGH STREET, RINGSTEAD.
PE36 5JU. NEAR HUNSTANTON.
Telephone; 01485 525270
Email. generalstore41@aol.com.
OPEN SEVEN DAYS
8am -5.30pm.
EXCEPT TUES/WED/SAT
CLOSING AT 1pm.
6 St Martins Palace Plain,
Norwich NR3 1RN
01603 625891
www.thewigandpen.com
This warm and friendly 17th century Freehouse is to the
north side of Norwich cathedral. Owned by Craig & Lynne
McLaren since 1993. ‘The Wig’ as its affectionately known,
has built a reputation for fresh, fast, affordable British cuisine.
• Good Ale • Good Food • Heated smoking area
• Comprehensive Outdoor Dining Area
Sky & ESPN Sports TV • Late Night Opening • Real Fire
Look out for our Cask
Marque Plaque.
This guarantees beer quality
in the Wig & Pen and the
opportunity to
TRY BEFORE YOU BUY.
For the 13th successive
year, the Wig & Pen has
been included in
CAMRA’s Good Beer
Guide. We are very proud
of this achievement.
26 | SPRING 2010

NORFOLK NIPS | Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth at Christmas Time
running under the entire area of
the pub and a separate tradesman’s
entrance. The pub is easy to
locate on the 1885 OS map on
the wall next to the photos of
Yarmouth’s herring fleets.
So, all is not lost, good beer is
Avisit to Great Yarmouth is
often accompanied by
feelings of apprehension;
which pubs have closed
since the last visit? Unfortunately
the fears proved to have
some grounding. Croppers Bar
and the Haven Bridge are again
closed (after recent positive
mentions in Nips) as is the
Dukes Head. More dramatically
the Gallon Pot (GBG regular
situated on the corner of the
market place with its Lacon’s
leaded windows and cask and
tankard frieze) is also closed at
the moment, though its sister
taverns on the market place,
the Feathers and the Market
Tavern are still trading.
More permanently closed, the
Ship has lost its Lacon’s side
window and bar, apparently
destined to become a clinic.
The front of the Talbot has
been rebuilt to remove any
clue that it was once a great
free house. More worryingly
the Dolphin has been boarded
up so long that the fabric of
the pub, roof and beautiful
decorated brickwork is deteriorating
fast. Even the golden
mile is suffering with both the
Marine and the Barking Smack
closed. The Elephant and
Castle, with its Lacon sign isn’t
just closed, its carved wooden
frontage has been ripped away.
What a sad reflection of Great
Yarmouth’s brewing heritage.
Time to cheer up with a beer,
so off to the Bricklayers, a
corner local with its name on a
huge tiled plaque, ex-Lacons of
course. The new landlord is
promoting real ale at £2 a pint,
the Thwaite’s Bad Elk was
seasonably excellent.
Onto the Red Herring round
the corner, an oasis of calm
and normality for the real ale
enthusiast (except for the freeform
jazz on the piano courtesy
of the landlord’s children). The
Herrin’ always has six beers on.
It was purpose built with a cellar
available but it needs you to
come and drink it to keep the
pubs open. Start at the Tudor
Tavern which I noticed had
reopened as I left for home and
ask for cask.
Got a
short pint?
If you believe that you have
been treated unfairly in a pub,
club or bar, you should contact
the Trading Standards service
by writing to them at Norfolk
Trading Standards Service,
County Hall, Martineau Lane,
Norwich, NR1 2UD or faxing
them on 01603 222999.
A wide range of consumer
information and advice is also
available online from the
Consumer Direct website at
www.consumerdirect.gov.uk
SPRING 2010 | 27

The City’s favourite local
The Ribs
A GENUINE FREE HOUSE
9 Cask Ales - 6 Lagers and Local Cider
Global Bottled Beers - Award winning Wines
Brand new look and hi tech cellar
Riverside seating and smoking area • Delicious home cooked lunches
Wensum Street, Norwich NR3 1HY
Tel: 01603 619517 www.ribsofbeef.co.uk
Quiz Monday evenings - Blues Nights 1st Sunday of each month
Sunday Roasts 12 noon- 5pm
Book a table for four or more people for Sunday Roasts
& receive a Complimentary bottle of house wine.
28 | SPRING 2010
FREE HOUSE
COAST ROAD, WALCOTT,
NORFOLK NR12 OPE
Telephone
(01692) 650371
Proprietor since 1989: STEVE BULLIMORE
OPEN FOR FOOD & DRINKS
ALL DAY, EVERY DAY, 11am - 11pm
Food available all day until 10.30pm
10% off food and drink on production of CAMRA membership card
FOUR REAL ALES & CIDER
www.lighthouseinn.co.uk

NORFOLK NIPS | Brewery Visit
On a Cold Winter’s Night
The final brew was The Dry
Road, an old fashioned IPA at
5% abv. Drinking far too easily
for its strength, this beer, made
using a single variety hop,
again has a Branthill connection
since the road in question
is the pub free one from Wells
to Fakenham, bypassing the
apparent dens of iniquity of
Walsingham off which is the
lane leading to Branthill Farm
on which, coincidentally, much
of the barley which ends up in
Beeston beers is grown.
When the snow of
Christmas/ New Year
had melted, although
the thermometer still
remembered it, an intrepid
group of West Norfolk CAMRA
members fulfilled an invitation
to visit Beeston Brewery.
Mark Riches (better known to
some of our readers as the
contents of a red boiler suit
working the cellar at Norwich
Beer Festival these last few
years), the brewery’s owner,
had asked us across to sample
some recent additions to his
range of beer. Unfortunately,
breweries, apart from their
small office area, do not come
heated so, truth to tell, at
temperatures such as these the
taste buds are not what they
can be in a warm pub. Nevertheless
we did our best.
Starting with the weakest,
Squirrel’s Nuts, a dark mild at
3.5% alcohol which had done
well at last October’s Norwich
Beer Festival and has also been
spotted around a number of
local pubs. It came over as a
good supping mild with plenty
of character which will go well
as a quick lunchtime drink or
will last the pace for a longer
session.
Next came Stirling, a full
bodied red bitter at 4.5% abv.
Specifically commissioned for
The Real Ale Shop at Branthill
Farm so available in bottles, the
name comes from the nearby
North Creake wartime airfield.
A well drawn contemporary
picture of the bomber of that
name (leading to aircraft talk
amongst those who know
more of the subject than I do)
was discovered in a surviving
building on the site. A reproduction
of this adorns the label.
For about the first time ever
we were pleased to leave a
brewery (apologies Mark,
nothing wrong with your
brewery but you must
remember the weather) to
sample the hospitality of The
Bull at Litcham where Mark had
arranged for some much appreciated
food and some more
Beeston beer. Worth The Wait,
as the wag amongst us always
says when served the beer of
this name. Thanks Mark.
Ian Bailey
West Norfolk
Branch Diary
27-8th March Theakston’s
Brewery etc. Meet 11.30 at the
Black Sheep brewery, Masham.
24th April Cambridge crawl,
Starting 1030 at the Red Lion
Histon.
13th April Stag, West Acre
11th May, White Hart,
Downham Market.
17th July (provisional), Ely
crawl
SPRING 2010 | 29

Distribution - whatever the weather! | NORFOLK NIPS
Nips In Blizzards!
First Saturday in January
and time for a “Nips/Cask
Force” distribution run.
Could have picked a better
day for it, as the weather made
driving ‘fun’, snow blew blizzardlike
on and off throughout the
day. As I was driving it made
me concentrate a lot harder
than usual, but my traveling
companions, Nige and Stig,
kept me amused with many a
snow themed quip.
Our first stop was the Green
Man at Methwold Hythe, a
few in on a wintry day in this
pleasant pub (food looked
good too!), a soft fizzy one for
me (Oh, Matron!), the guys
went for St Austell Tribute,
which was the only ale on
(they normally have at least
two, sometime three). Then it
was out into the snow and
away to Downham Market,
after some tasty fish ‘n’ chips to
warm us up and satisfy our
hunger(!), magazine drop
number two at a GBG regular,
the Crown Hotel, Nige and
Stig tried the Theakston’s Black
Bull Bitter which was okay, had
a sip of it and found it decent
but not brilliant, there were six
ales on offer, the quality of the
real ale at the Crown is usually
of a high standard.
Then along to a new venue
for us, at the town’s railway
station is a small pub/café
called the Railway Arms,
complete with model train
30 | SPRING 2010
running high on the walls, nice
fire too, I had a half of Nethergate
Three Point Nine, the
other two had Elgood’s North
Brink Porter, a nice pub if a bit
on the small size (but then,
they say, size isn’t everything!).
We decided to give the Live
& Let Live a go, a pub that
used to be in the GBG years
ago, it’s next to Tesco’s, GK IPA
and Fuller’s London Pride
(which was good so sayeth
Nige), another cola for me,
pleasant enough pub I
thought. And so we left snowy
Downham Market, headed
back along the A10 to an
equally snowy Southery, and
one of my fave local pubs, the
Old White Bell. A half of
Theakston’s Big Elf for me,
Peter and Nicola also had a
Wadworth Xmas ale called
Xmas 6X I think, we played
pool and then watched
Reading v Liverpool’s FA Cup 3rd
Round tie (Peter’s a Reds fan).
So there you have it, come
rain, come snow, come shine
(when?!), or even hurricanes,
nothing stops us spreading the
good word! Cheers!!!
Grant Holt’s Tackle (Tim again!)

Starting with this edition of
NIPS, we will be holding
regular competitions. Our first
competition is a pub sign
quiz. Opposite are ten images
depicting signs of local Norfolk
pubs.
NORFOLK NIPS | Competition
Do you know your local pub signs?
1 2
Please complete
a) The pub’s name
b) The town/village that it is
located in.
One mark will be awarded for
each correct answer.
To enter you may either complete
the form below and send in your
answers to ‘NIPS Pub Sign Quiz’
c/o 16D Cricket Ground Road,
Norwich NR1 3BQ or alternatively
E-mail to chairman@norwichcamra.org.uk
giving your name and
address.
4
5
6
3
Thanks to Maurice Bobbitt for
supplying photographs of the pub
signs.
Entries must be received by
Monday 17th May. The winner will
be announced in the next edition
of NIPS and will receive a mystery
prize.
7 8
9
10
Pub Name
Town / Village
1. a b,
2. a b,
3. a b,
4. a b,
5. a b,
6. a b,
7. a b,
8. a b,
9. a b,
10. a b,
SPRING 2010 | 31

North Norwich | NORFOLK NIPS
A North Norwich pub crawl
Elizabethan ceilings in Norwich.
Now take a left along Colegate,
with its splendid houses
and two fine non-conformist
meeting houses, the Octagon
and the Old Meeting House,
and past two of Norwich’s late
medieval churches - a brief
architectural history of the city.
At the end of Colegate is the
Golden Star, a busy characterful
pub with Greene King
and guests (Big Red from
Ossett Brewery or Rev James
from Brains on recent visits)
and a bar billiards table if you
When I moved into
“Norwich over the
Water” a few years
ago, there wasn’t
much pub life north of
Colegate - not for real ale
drinkers, anyway, with a few
stalwart exceptions like the
Duke of Wellington and the
Plasterers. But that’s all changed
- so that now you can have a
pretty good pub crawl without
ever crossing the Wensum back
into the city.
You might want to have a
quick ‘city’ drink before
crossing Fye Bridge at the Wig
& Pen, which always has a
good selection of well kept
ales. Then it’s straight up
Magdalen Street to the King’s
Head - though noting that the
splendid King of Hearts has
bottles from St Peter’s Brewery
32 | SPRING 2010
Above: Wig and Pen
in its excellent, and inexpensive,
café. If you’re starting at
lunchtime, it's worth popping
in to the King of Hearts not just
for the café, but to see the art
collection, a lovely medieval
courtyard, and two of the finest
King’s Head
fancy a game. It has an illustrious
place in Norwich beer
history as the home of Pete
Turner’s first brewery and pub -
in the days when Watneys was
still the name of the game and
real ale was hard to find.

Cider Shed
Cross over Duke Street and
keep going along Colegate,
past the splendid flint flushwork
of St Miles, till you find
yourself on Oak Street where
you’ll turn right to find the
White Lion. This is another
illustrious pub in Norwich ale
history - it was here that Colin
Keatley set up shop before
eventually moving on to the
justly famed Fat Cat (but that
would have to be another pub
crawl...) Until a couple of years
ago, the pub belonged to
Enterprise, was boarded up,
and looked very sad indeed -
now Milton Brewery of
Cambridge has stepped in and
things are looking up again.
It’s a proper old style pub,
warm red tiles on the floor, lots
of woodwork and a pub piano,
and if you’re feeling hungry by
now and the hour is appropriate
you might consider
investigating the excellent, and
good value, menu as well as
the ales.
From here, up to the inner
ring road, take a right along it,
and follow the pedestrian link
to come out on to Magdalen
Street.
The King’s Head has already
been branch pub of the year
twice. You could, if you wanted
to, define it in terms of negatives;
no keg, no fizzy lager, no
muzak. You could, if you
wanted to, say that it has a
rather limited selection of real
ales - that is, almost nothing
NORFOLK NIPS | North Norwich
from outside East Anglia, and
very little from outside Norfolk.
But when you’ve got almost 30
breweries in the county, and
when there are usually ten ales
on, in excellent condition,
including a stout or a porter
and a mild, you can’t really
complain. There’s also a good
selection of foreign beers,
including real lager, Belgian
ales, and specials. No cooked
food, but excellent pork pies.
Besides, you’ve got a chance to
play bar billiards. Again!
Go up Magdalen Street now,
up to the traffic lights at the
end of the street and turn
right, take a left fork along
Silver Street to come out on
Silver Road just below The
Cottage. This pub has just
been taken over by Essex-based
Mauldon’s Brewery, so their
ales (including the celebrated
Black Adder, recently seen from
the wood!) are a star attraction,
but there’s also a good list of
other ales including some
rarities. With Clive and Sally
Continued Overleaf
Whalebone
SPRING 2010 | 33

North Norwich continued | NORFOLK NIPS
(ex Wig & Pen, George at
Thurton) now back in Norwich
after a detour to Sudbury
where they ran the Mauldons
brewery tap you would naturally
expect the beer to be pretty
good. It’s still early days and
the pub feels a bit new, but get
a good crowd in as we did at
the beer festival presentation
evening and it buzzes nicely. If
you live in Norwich and you
haven’t been yet, you are
missing out!
Up Silver Road, hit the main
road and take a right, then
right again into Gertrude Road
to visit the Heath House, the
furthest point north on this
trip. I was glad when we visited
this pub on a First Friday Five
to find two Tipples beers in
excellent condition (and
they’re damn good ales, too),
and a great welcome. It's not a
regular stop on the real ale
circuit but deserves to be better
known - particularly when
there’s a beer festival on.
Go back to the main road -
Sprowston Road - and take a
left to find the Cider Shed.
Now at this point on the pub
crawl I have a bit of a problem
as when I’m here I really like to
drink the Rum Cask cider, but
alas, mixing drinks is never a
great idea. So this time I’ll have
to go for a beer - one of the Fat
Cat ales (this is the home of the
brewery) or one of the many
guests from around the
country. The Cider Shed is a
huge barn of a place, very
different from the intimate,
low-ceilinged pubs we’ve
mainly visited on this crawl,
and if you manage to visit on a
34 | SPRING 2010
Duke of Wellington
day when there’s live music
(that's pretty often!) the place
can be really buzzing.
From the Cider Shed, take
Lawson Road towards the
Whalebone. Lots of good
beer here, with JHB a regular.
I’d have to say the Whalebone’s
beer festival last year
was, I thought, one of the best
pub beer festivals I’d ever been
to in terms of range and
rarities, and in terms of beer
quality I think most of the
Norwich Beer Festival cellar
team would be quite happy
with what was served up!
Smokers will appreciate the
superb facilities in the sheltered,
heated garden at the back - for
the rest of us there are two bars
of different character and a little
snug, all in all a nice little pub.
From the Whalebone, turn
back down Magdalen Road,
then take a right almost immediately
down Waterloo Road to
our last stop, the Duke of
Wellington. (Wellington,
Waterloo - obvious really.)
A range of ales on handpump
and on gravity, Erdinger wheat
beer and some Belgian fruit
beers on pump, and a chance
to play another traditional pub
game, Ring-the-Bull.
Living in North Norwich, I
rarely make it as far as the Fat
Cat or even the Belgian Monk
these days; there’s just too
much going on without ever
having to cross the river!
Andrea Kirkby

Angel Gardens
Free House
Under same ownership for 22 years
Six reasonably priced Real Ales
including three guest ales
Home Cooked Food
Live Music on Saturdays
Beer Garden with heated smoking shelter
2 Bars (with one for Private Hire)
Ample Car Parking
96 Angel Rd, Norwich NR3 3HT
01603 427490
email: ikwarren-angel@tiscali.co.uk
www.norwichinns.com
BARRELIEF
MANAGEMENT
Your local Bar Relief to cover for
your Holidays or Sickness.
Personal Licence Holder.
Food Hygiene Certificated.
Please Call Brian Mayhew on
01603 301356 or 07714657752
to discuss your requirements
email: brmpubservices@aol.com
www.brmpubservices.co.uk
26 St Leonards Road
Norwich NR1 4BL
01603 618734
A real gem,
well worth a visit.
A
PUB
A GREAT VENUE
FOR WORLD CUP
ACTION!
Eight real ales to choose from, two of
which change regularly.
Two pooltables upstairs.
Pork pies and other light snacks
available all day.
Hog roast available sundays.
Lovely enclosed beer garden with
large sheltered smoking area.
Only a ten minute walk from the
train station and city centre.
Open all day from 12 noon everyday.
Sky Sports and ESPN
Looking forward to a ‘MILD MAY’!
SPRING 2010 | 35

Alby Horse Shoes Inn
Freehouse
Situated on the A140
Norwich/Cromer Road
Up to 5 Real Ales including Wherry & Mardlers
Home cooked Food - locally sourced
We are In it!
Food Hygiene Rating
HHHHH
Cosy Woodburner in both bars
Margaret & Richard Rushmer look
forward to meeting you
01263 761378
www.albyhorseshoes.co.uk
The Railway
Freehouse
Station Rd, North Elmham
01362 668300
In the current Good Beer Guide,
CAMRA members and
supporters of local microbrewers
REAL ALES • REAL FOOD
REAL PUB
Colin & Julie Smith
look forward to
seeing you!

THE ANGEL INN
FREEHOUSE
WEST NORFOLK CAMRA
Pub of the year 2010
Open all day every day
Excellent home cooked meals available
from our award winning kitchen
Cosy lounge and public bars
Five Real Ales including Adnams
and 4 guests (including Mild)
Large Beer Garden with play area
En-suite accommodation
Camping and Caravanning available
Larling, Norfolk, NR16 2QU (17th Century former coaching inn)
Tel: 01953 717963
38 | SPRING 2010

He should have
gone to the
EATON COTTAGE, UNTHANK RD,
NORWICH 01603 453048
SURLINGHAM
OPENING HOURS
ALL DAY, ALL YEAR, EVERY DAY FROM 11am-CLOSE
FOOD AVAILABLE ALL DAY, FROM 12 TILL 9pm
Picturesque riverside walks, RSPB reserve, On Norwich’s
doorstep. Moorings available. Open Fire, Real Ales.
Good traditional Home Cooked Food,
Main meals from £6.95
All Functions catered for. Live Music, Quiz Nights.
Small Children and Dog friendly.
You will receive a Warm and Friendly Welcome
from Sonia, Andy and All at the Staff at The Ferry
Ferry Road, Surlingham, Norwich, Norfolk. NR14 7AR
Tel: 01508 538659 Email: surlinghamferry@googlemail.com
Website: www.surlinghamferryhouse.co.uk
Fine Real Ales,lagers,wines and spirits
All Sky Sports • A traditional pub
Good covered outside areas • Doggies welcome
“a festival of beers every day”
Offering four real ales and
excellent food we are sure you will
have a great time.
40 | SPRING 2010
17th Century timber beamed pub.
From Norwich & Acle head to Salhouse
and at the mini roundabout follow the sign
to Wroxham, we are 200yds on the right.
Open all day every day, food is served:-
Monday 12-2
12-2 & 6-9 Tuesday to Sunday
12-3 Sunday for plated home cooked Sunday lunches
with homemade Yorkshire puddings and fresh
vegetables. Booking advised if dining.
Quiz Nights every Wednesday from 8.30pm
Every 3rd Tuesday of the month is
Moules &Frites Night
A meat raffle is held every Sunday at 4:30 pm.
‘Andy Russell finds plenty of appeal with a family outing to
a 17th century pub’ - EDP Eating out October 2009
Tel: 01603 721141 www.salhousebell.co.uk

NORFOLK NIPS | GBG Surveys around King’s Lynn
King’s Lynn Trot
Three intrepid pub crawlers
visited King’s Lynn to do
some GBG surveys and
check out some other
lesser known public houses and
this is what we found.
Our first stop was the Tudor
Rose just by the Tuesday
Market Place, which is a very
old hotel bar with lots of
beams and paneled walls.
With just the one beer on,
which although served very
cold was pleasant enough.
Onto the Lattice House,
which has many student
memories and was one of the
first places where I discovered
Real Ale as a youth. Glad to say
JD Wetherspoons have not
changed the character of this
beautiful building one bit…unlike
other pubs of the same chain this
one retains the intimacy of
smaller drinking areas and is very
cozy…the beer is also very good.
Next stop was the other
Wetherspoons at the Globe
which although more traditionally
a typical layout for this chain
still retained a great character
and very helpful and attentive
staff and also a good choice of
real ales. We decided at this
point to visit the Crown &
Mitre and what a pleasant
surprise this pub is with four
superb real ales rarely seen in
this part of the UK and
wonderful maritime knickknacks
and friendly staff.
After refreshing ourselves with
a hearty plate of fish and chips
each is was time for part two.
I requested we stop at the
Elgood’s run, Queens Arms
on London Road. A quiet
scruffy pub with dare I say
electric pump fake hand pulls
(in the style of real ale hand
pumps) not a good sign and
we hurriedly drank our pints
which were not too good…it is
sad that this pub has been
neglected and nobody else was
left in the pub after leaving.
Next was The Live and Let
Live where we sat in the back
lounge and were faced with
three Tom Woods and an
Elgood’s beer…not exactly
inspiring but better than the
previous house. We observed
someone barely awake at the
bar whose head was nodding
forwards and backwards only
to wake occasionally to sup his
beer. It was fairly jovial apart
rom that poor fellow but not
exactly where I’d choose to
end up on a Saturday night
out. Last but not least was the
Stuart House Hotel and
back to “normality” with
decent Wherry and decent
clientele (not that I’m a snob or
anything!). On the way back
home the next day I left my
drinking partner at the
Lifeboat in Thornham whilst I
jaunted up the coast a little
way to see my mother for a
few moments which lasted an
hour and a half…I returned to
the Lifeboat where my mate
was having a great time and on
his 4th pint talking to anyone
and everyone. It is great that
these sorts of pubs exist still
and actually promote conversation
and genuine company.
Finally, we stopped at The
Rose and Crown in Snettisham
which was also
excellent and further
protracted (in a good way!)
the journey home.
The Old White Bell
Hi Chris, I have been meaning
for sometime to drop a line to
try and put an end to rumour.
The Old White Bell at
Southery has not closed, is not
due to close and has no plans
to close anytime soon. I have
been hearing for a good few
weeks now, ok, maybe a few
months, that our pub is
closing. This is simply not true.
Nicola and I have been here for
just over 7 years and have no
plans, in spite of current market
climate, of throwing the towel
in. I'm too damn stubborn for a
start! This rumour seems to
have been heard further and
further away and, as you can
imagine, can not be good for
trade, although I haven't
noticed a sharp decline. I just
want to set the record straight
before my trade does take a
nose-dive.
Anyway, thank you for
reading my rant, and Nicola,
and I hope to see you soon.
Maybe over the scorching
summer we are due!
Best regards, Peter Smith.
SPRING 2010 | 41

Heath House
Norwich
Traditional Family Pub
BEER FESTIVAL
21st - 27th JUNE 2010
Ales from near and far • Open from 12 noon every day
A brand new beer will be making its debut at the Heath House Beer Festival.
RASPBERRY VELVET from tipples brewery Belgian style raspberry beer made exclusively with
malt produced from barley grown at Branthill farm North Norfolk.
Pub Food Served
Wednesday to Saturday
6pm to 9pm (12noon to
5pm on Sun)
Broadland raspberrys and a specially developed blend of yeast.
Raspberry Velvet has been planned by the brewery for
a good while and we are looking forward
to the final tasting!
Just 10 mins from
the Cider Shed
The Heath House, 99 Gertrude Rd, Norwich, Norfolk NR3 4SG Tel: 01603 406417
2nd ALL NORFOLK
3rd and 4th APRIL 2010
OVER 30 NORFOLK ALES & CIDERS
AT LAKENHAM-HEWETT RFC - ADMISSION £2.50
OPENING TIMES Saturday 1200 ‘til 2300 Sunday 1200 ‘til 2100
BBQ-HOG ROAST
LIVE MUSIC
CAMPING AVAILABLE
The New Clubhouse
Norwich Road
Swardeston
Norwich NR14 8DU
beerfestival@lakenhamhewettrfc.co.uk
42 | SPRING 2010

Norfolk Pub Beer Festivals
- Spring / Summer 2010
Beer Festivals
Spring / Summer 2010
Hello and welcome to the
Norfolk Nips and Cask
Force Pub Beer Festival
feature. This year Norfolk
is awash with Real Ale festivals
and events being held at a pub
or hall in a local town or village
near you.
With there never being so
many micro-breweries in the
UK, now is a great time to
sample some of the myriad and
exciting flavours on offer from
this resurgence of British craft
brewing and cider making.
To help you on your journey
we have provided a diary of as
many of the events as we could
find over the coming three
months, included a map of
Norfolk and markers which
show each event.
To help you plan your travel
to and from these events we
have also included a brief guide
to bus and train travel and
where to find further information
and timetables.
Many of the festivals listed in
the diary dates also have
advertisements in this section
so please refer to these for
more detailed information on
entertainment, opening times
and range of ales and cider on
offer.
A large percentage of these
festivals will be family friendly -
with outdoor food, entertainment
and gardens to sit and
play in so why not take the kids
out for a country walk and fit a
pint or two in at the same
time.
On a final note - the adverse
weather over winter will have
caused many of our beautiful
village pubs to suffer from lack
of trade, please make the effort
to support these last bastions
of our rural drinking heritage
through the fairer weather of
spring and early summer. Your
support is sorely needed or the
next time you feel like sitting in
a village beer garden in the
summer sun - the pub may
have been forced to close its
doors forever!
SPRING 2010 | 43

Annual Beer Festival
13th, 14th & 15th August 2010
The Dabbling Duck is a Highly Acclaimed, Award Winning Pub situated in the heart of the unspoilt
Norfolk village of Great Massingham. Located only 20 minutes from the coast, Great Massingham
with its picturesque village green, duck ponds and local walks is one of Norfolk’s best-kept secrets.
Phone 01485 520827 www.thedabblingduck.co.uk
The Dabbling Duck, Abbey Road, Great Massingham, Kings Lynn, PE32 2HN
44 | SPRING 2010

A beer festival is near you!
18-20 Mar St Neots Booze on the Ouze Beer
Festival. Priory Centre,Priory Lane, St Neots,
Cambridge, PE19 2BH
Beer Festivals section
18 7-10 May Cottage, Cromer, Beer Festival, in
conjunction with “Folk on the Pier” Festival including
live Music Lunchtimes and Evenings
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
25-29 Mar White Lion, Oak Street, Norwich, Beer
Festival
26 Mar-5 April Murderers/Gardeners,
Timberhill, Norwich Beer Festival
1 - 5 April Beer festival with 8-9 Real Ales Union
Jack, Roydon. Music on the 3 - 4 April
1 - 4 April Geldeston Locks Easter Beer Cider
and Music Festival
2-5 April Angel Swanton Morley Easter Beer Festival
- 25 Cask Ales and Ciders
2-5 April Fox & Hounds Heacham, 10th Easter Beer
Festival
2 – 5 April Kings Head, North Lopham Easter Beer
Festival
8 2-9 April Royal Oak, Poringland Easter Beer Festival
9
3-4 April Lakenham- Hewett RFC,
Swardeston Beer & Cider Festival
7-10 April Maldon Beer Festival
10 10-11 April Stag, West Acre.
Civil war battle re-enactment on April 10th
and 11th.
11 25 April Earle Arms, Heydon St Georges Day
Beer Festival - Tug of war
21-25 April Bury St Edmunds Beer Festival
12 23-25 April Kings Arms, Norwich Beer Festival to
Celebrate St George’s Day.
13 22-25 April Cottage, Norwich St George’s Beer
Festival
14
April 29-May 3rd White Horse, Chedgrave Beer &
Cider Festival including Live Music
15 30 April-3 May Black Lion, Little Walsingham
19
14-15 May Elysian Beer Festival
21-30 May Whalebone, Magdalen Road, Norwich,
Beer Festival
24-29 May Cambridge Beer Festival
26-31 May Dove, Ipswich, Beer & Cider Festival,
BBQ & Oompah band.
20 27-31 May Pelican, Tacolneston Beer Festival
21 28 May -6 June White Horse, Overstrand,
Beer Festival
22 28-31 May The Mariners, Yarmouth ‘White Rose’ Beer
Festival
1-5 June Colchester Real Ale and Cider Festival
23 17-21 June Hill House Inn, Happisburgh beer festival
24 18-21 June Kings Head, Filby, Beer Festival
25 18-20 June Nelson, Norwich ‘Ready for Summer’
Beer Festival
26 22-27 June
The Vine, Dove St, Norwich. Summer Beer Festival
27 1-4 July Beehive, Norwich - Annual Beer Festival
28 13-15 August
Dabbling Duck, Great Massingham Beer Festival
29 11-13 June
Jolly Sailors, Brancaster
30 21-27 June
Heath House, Norwich
31 23-25 July
Crusaders Rugby Club, Beckhithe, Little Melton
32 23-25 July
Reedham Beer Festival
16 30 April-3 May Kings Head Holt beer festival
17 1-3 May 1st Thetford Beer Festival, The Carnegie
Rooms, Cage Lane, Thetford, IP24 2BA
SPRING 2010 | 45

A beer festival is near you!
The numbers on the map match the numbers next to the events described on page 45. This map is to show yo
29
15
6
Little Walsin
28Gt. Massingham
3
Roydon
10West Acre
17
46 | SPRING 2010

Beer Festivals section
u the general area and is not to scale!
18
16
21
ngham
23
11
Heydon
5
22
24
Filby
31
1
2
19
30
25 26 27
12 13
14
9
8
Poringland
32
20 Tacolneston
4
Geldeston
7 North Lopham
SPRING 2010 | 47

Geldeston Locks Inn
Locks Lane, Geldeston
NR34 0HW Tel: 01508 518414
LOCKS EASTER BEER, CIDER AND MUSIC FESTIVAL
THURSDAY 1st to SUNDAY 4th APRIL
MUSIC:
THURSDAY 1st FOLK SESSION 9pm
FRIDAY 2nd - FOLKY FRIDAY WITH CRUMBS FOR COMFORT, WAXIES DARGLE & MURPHY’S
LORE - 8.30pm
SATURDAY 3rd - RED MECCA - rock/pop classics and anthems from the sixties to today
- every song a crowd pleaser - 9pm
COUNTRY SUNDAY THE 4th - with BAZ & MARK, THE GUTTER BOYS, THE HENRY BROTHERS
& THE RUM BROTHERS 1pm to 8pm
OPEN ALL DAY EVERY DAY FROM 12, ALL SESSIONS FREE ENTRY
CURRIES OF THE WORLD FRIDAY 6pm TO 8.30pm, BARBECUES AND HOG ROASTS OVER THE WEEKEND,
FOOD 12 to 2.30pm AND 6 TO 8.30pm EVERY DAY
www.geldestonlocks.co.uk for more information
48 | SPRING 2010

Beer Festivals section
SPRING 2010 | 49

KINGS HEAD HOLT
6 BRILLIANTLY KEPT REAL ALES
Including the ever popular Adnams Bitter, Broadside and Woodfordes
Wherry. Proudly providing 3 guest ales (143 in one year and rising!)
Giving everyone a fantastic accompaniment to our ever growing grill
menu. So why not try a delicious locally sourced steak cooked to
perfection on our char-grill!
3 stylish, comfortable, yet affordable B&B rooms for single, double or family use
Recently re-furbished ‘George’ Lounge with Snugs and quiet corners
Come pull up a stool, grab an Ale at ‘The Question mark Bar’ and put the
world to rights!
Live music throughout Spring, Summer and Autumn
Enclosed Courtyard Beer Garden in the heart of the Appleyard
BEER FESTIVAL
Friday 30th April - Monday 3rd May
To find out more you can visit our website
http://www.kingsheadholt.org.uk/, give us a call on 01263 712543,
or just come on down and give us a try, you won’t be disappointed!
The Cottage
C R O M E R
Traditional Norfolk Free House
Four Real Ales always available
including Woodfordes Wherry, Greene King
IPA and two ever-changing guest ales
Sandwiches always available
Function rooms for hire
Open daily 11am-2.30pm & 5.30pm - 11pm
BEER FESTIVAL
Fri May 7th – Mon May 10th
In conjunction with ‘Folk on the Pier’
16+ Beers.
Live Music Lunchtimes and Evenings
8 Louden Rd, Cromer NR27 9EF
(Just 3 mins walk from the Sea)
Hill House Inn - Happisburgh
For 2010: FIVE DAYS
Thursday 17th June to
Monday 21st June inclusive
Over 100 Beers & Ciders (and the odd perry)
from far and wide, at competitive pub prices.
LIVE MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT
inc. Rock, Traditional Jazz, Rockabilly, Skiffle, Folk and
much more.
Family Friendly
CAMPING AVAILABLE
One Off Entry payment of £4.00 valid for the
whole weekend. (Numbered wristband - numbers
entered into a Grand Prize Draw).
For more details contact:- Clive and Sue Stockton, The Hill House Inn, Happisburgh, Norfolk NR12 OPW Tel/Fax 01692 650004
50 | SPRING 2010
The
10th
FREE PRINTED FESTIVAL
GLASS AND TASTING NOTES.
Food served all day.
Festival T-Shirts available
Come and join us at the independent festival by the sea.
Celebrate the 10th Solstice festival and 4 centuries of the Hill House.

Beer Festivals section
4th Annual Beer Festival Thursday 1st
July (starts midday) to Sunday 4th July
(‘til the beer runs out!)
Featuring over 25 East Anglian Beers
and Ciders • Charity BBQ Fri, Sat, Sun
6 Real Ales On Handpump
Belgian Bottled Beers
Lunchtime Menu
Quiz night every Wendesday
SPRING 2010 | 51

The Mariners
Ale and Cider Houses
Now at:
GREAT YARMOUTH
The MARINERS
NORWICH & NORFOLK
2010 PUB OF THE YEAR!
‘White Rose’ Beer Festival
(Yorkshire’s Finest!)
Bank Holiday Weekend
Fri May 28th - Monday May 31st
25 Beers + Ciders + entertainment
69 Howard St South, Great Yarmouth NR30 1LN
Tel 01493 332299
LOWESTOFT
THE MARINERS REST
Easter ‘Champion of
Champions’ Beer Festival
Fri April 2nd- Monday April 5th
Our FIRST Beer Festival – Approx 20 Beers
Rotterdam Rd, Lowestoft NR32 7ES
Tel 01502 538813
GORLESTON
THE MARINERS COMPASS
8 Real Ales plus a selection of Ciders
21 Middleton Rd, Gorleston NR31 7AJ
Tel 01493 659494
52 | SPRING 2010

Beer Festivals section
Travelling around Norfolk
Norfolk is well served by train and bus services
between all the major towns, villages
and out of Norfolk via Kings Lynn and
Norwich. There are also many cycle and
walking routes available for the more adventerous
beer hunter or those with families looking
for a full day out with some excercise thrown in.
The Coasthopper route sets off from Kings
Lynn and covers Hunstanton - Wells -
Weybourne - Sheringham - Comer and many of
the smaller villages in between.
Other services include X8 covering Kings Lynn
to Fakenham and Heacham.
National Express andEast Midland Trains
Services run everyday into Norfolk from Ely,
Peterborough, Cambridge and Ipswich.
All services pass through Norwich where you
can then go on to the coastal Norfolk towns of
Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft, Cromer and
Sheringham.
Go to www.nationalexpresseastanglia.com
or www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk to check times
Heritage Train services
Mid Norfolk Railway
Travelling between Dereham - Yaxham -
Thuxton - Kimberley Park - Wymondham Abbey
This volunteer run railway has a variety of
locomotives including a fleet of heritage diesels.
Go to www.mnr.org.uk to check times.
The North Norfolk Railway
Travelling between Sheringham - Weybourne -
Kelling Heath Park - Holt
The North Norfolk Railway offers a 10.5 mile
round trip by steam train (vintage diesel trains
on some journeys) through a delightful area of
North Norfolk designated as being of
outstanding natural beauty.
Go to www.nnrailway.co.uk/timetable.php to
check times.
Bus Services
Norfolk Green run a number of Bus services into
and around Norfolk.
X5 and X6 services from Fakenham to Norwich
covering many villages including Little Snoring,
Erpingham. Aylsham and Mile Cross.
There is a large map of the routes available for
download at:
www.norfolkgreen.co.uk/timetables/
The X1 First group service runs into Norfolk
from Peterborough passing through Kings Lynn,
Narborough, Swaffham and several other
villages to Norwich. The service then runs on
through Acle and Great Yarmouth.
Cycling
Norfolk has hundreds of miles of quiet country
lanes and roads to explore. To help you, East of
England Tourism has developed a range of Free
circular Cycling Discovery Maps.
These are available at:
www.visiteastofengland.com/
visitor-information/cycling-discovery-maps2.aspx
The Sustrans National Cycle Network passes
through Norfolk and is designed to make
cycling fun, safe and simple as you cover huge
stretches of the UK.
One third of the Network is completely free
from motor traffic, using old railway paths,
forest tracks, country parks and bridleways, and
the rest uses quiet minor roads and
traffic-calmed streets in towns and cities. so if
your having a drink - get out of the car and on
yer bike!
SPRING 2010 | 53

Mark & Marie offer you a warm welcome to the
Fox and Hounds
Heacham
Home of The Fox Brewery
We are a free house specialising in real ales. The first
pub in Heacham to be in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide.
Live Music every Tuesday • Quiz Night Thursday
10th Easter Beer Festival
Friday April 2nd to Monday April 5th
35+ Real Ales plus real ciders
LIVE MUSIC
Friday: Sylvane - Irish Folk
Saturday: Hijack Oscar - Blues / Rock
Sunday: Hillybilly Cats - Rock & Roll
See website for details - www.foxbrewery.com
Tel: 01485 570345
22 Station Rd, Heacham, Norfolk PE31 7EX
OPEN ALL DAY 7 DAYS A WEEK
The Cottage
FREEHOUSE
9 Silver Road, Norwich, NR3 4TB.
Tel: 01603 665535
www.thecottagenorwich.co.uk
Up to ten real ales on handpump
Continental draught beers • Bottled Belgian beers
Live Music every Sunday from 4pm
Tapas every Tuesday from 7pm
Lunchtime menu Mon - Fri 12 – 2pm
Breakfasts every Saturday from 10.30am
Sunday Roasts 12.00 – 3.00pm
OPENING HOURS
Mon-Fri 11.30am-11pm Sat 10.30am -11pm
Sun 12.00-10.30pm
St George’s Beer
Festival
Thursday 22nd – Sunday 25th April
Over 40 real ales and ciders
54 | SPRING 2010

Earle Arms
Heydon
Beer Festivals section
Traditional Norfolk
freehouse and restaurant
Sunday 25 April
St Georges Day
Tug Of War, plus live band
and mini beer festival
3 Real Ales always available
Woodfordes Wherry, Adnams
Bitter and Black Sheep
01263 587376
Satnav: NR11 6AD
(Just off B1149 Holt - Norwich Rd)
NORFOLK ALE FESTIVAL
plus Live Music and
‘Fun & Games in the Garden’
Friday June 11th (5pm-Midnight), Saturday June 12th
(11am-Midnight) and Sunday June 13th (12-10.30pm)
Big Screen TV for World Cup action
The Kings Arms
22 Hall Rd Norwich NR1 3HQ Tel: 01603 766361
St George’s Day
Friday April 23rd – Sunday April 25th
Celebrate St George’s Day with us for the
best of the English pub!
See
www.kingsarmsnorwich.co.uk
for details
Or join us on Facebook!
SPRING 2010 | 55

Beer Festivals section
Simon and Karen welcome you all to
their traditional family pub.
www.whitehorsechedgrave.co.uk
Pig n Falcon - St Neots
LIVE MUSIC
WED, FRI + SAT
3 large heated
smoking areas
SUMMER
BEER FESTIVAL
see website
for details
Great selection of real ales (new Guest ale every Friday)
Fine dining and excellent company
Spring Beer Festival
Thursday April 29th - Monday May 3rd
Up to 20 real ales and ciders offer plus
Live Music and Morris Dancing.
We hope to see you there.
Phone us on (01508) 520250 to book
or for more details
ALES TO DATE
220
FROM 9/4/09
Huntingdonshire CAMRA
MOST IMPROVED
PUB OF THE YEAR
2010
‘Rock and Ale’ every weekend with up to
16 Ales & ciders
from £1.85 per pint as at January 2010
Open 10am (11am Sunday) til’ late Monday - Sunday!
www.PignFalcon.co.uk
Tel 07951 785678 – New St, St Neots – PE19 1AE
56 | SPRING 2010

Beer Festivals section
EASTER
SAUSAGE & ALE FESTIVAL
The Kings Head
North Lopham (Near Diss)
400 year old thatched country pub
Fri April 2nd – Monday April 5th
15+ Beers Including Champion Beers of Britain
and OVER 50 types of sausage (including Vegetarian and Gluten-free varieties)
For full details SEE OUR NEW WEBSITE www.lophamkingshead.co.uk
Real Ales at sensible prices: Woodfordes Wherry & Adnams Bitter plus a rotating
guest beer (4% ABV and above) PLUS Aspalls Cyder and a draught keg Mild
Home made food, freshly prepared with a selection of Vegetarian and gluten free meals
(Served Wednesday to Saturday 12 - 2.30pm & 6pm - 8.30pm and Sunday Lunch 12 noon - 3pm)
Real Fire
Opening Times: Monday 5-11pm
Tuesday / Wednesday 11.30am - 3pm and 5pm - 11pm
Thursday / Friday 11.30am - 3pm and 5pm - 12midnight
Saturday 11.30am - 12midnight Sunday 12noon - 10:30pm
Beer Garden &
ample Parking
The Kings Head, 16 The Street, North Lopham, Diss , Norfolk IP22 2NE Tel: 01379 688007
‘Ready for Summer’ Beer Festival
Friday June 18th – Monday June 21st
20+ Beers, focusing on ‘Golden’ Ales from Independent Breweries
Live Music + BBQ + Pub Grub • See website for details
10p OFF A PINT - For card carrying CAMRA members
6 Real Ales always available
Large Beer Garden and Car Park
Music: Folk every Sunday and Thursday
Traditional ‘Jam’ Session every Wednesday – all welcome!
Regular Live Bands
Sunday night Pub Quiz • Sky Sports and ESPN
58 | SPRING 2010

Music & Real Ale
NORFOLK NIPS | Beer & Music
TRADITIONAL JAZZ
Acle Recreation Centre,
Bridewell Lane, Acle
Real Ales include Adnams
Bitter, Theakstons and Tipples
Redhead
Friday 11th June – Savannah
Jazz Band.
Tickets/enquiries – Brian Davis
01493 701880
The Brook Hotel (Formerly
Quality Hotel), Bowthorpe,
Norwich (off Dereham Road)
No known sessions this quarter.
Enquiries – Rod Playford 01362
680136
King’s Head Hotel, Beccles,
Suffolk
Adnams Bitter and Broadside
plus special house beer
Matilda’s Revenge, brewed by
local brewery Opa Hays in
honour of the resident ghost,
and guest beers.
Every Sunday evening -
Red Beans ‘n’ Rice New Orleans
Jazz Band (NB. Special guest on
Sunday 21st March features
Norman Thatcher on trumpet)
King’s Arms, Market Place Reepham
Adnams Best Bitter, Elgoods
Cambridge Bitter, Woodforde’s
Wherry and Nelson’s Revenge,
Greene King Abbot Ale plus
guest beers.
Every Sunday lunchtime from
9th May to 5th September
(plus Bank Holiday Monday
30th August) in attractive
courtyard at rear of pub
(weather permitting), the
bands alternating through the
summer will be: Nene Valley
Jazzmen, Climax Jazz Band,
Dixie Mix, Norfolk Jazz and
Vintage Hot Orchestra.
(Phone King’s Arms for more
details 01603 870345)
Feathers Hotel,
Market Place, Holt
Sessions here have been discontinued
(see Red Hart, Bodham)
Red Hart, Bodham (Nr Holt)
Adnams Bitter and Broadside
First Friday every month –
Lumiere Rouge Ragtime Band
Marsham Arms,
nr Hevingham (B1149
Norwich-Holt Road)
Adnams Bitter, plus alternating
guests including Adnams
Broadside and Woodforde’s
Wherry
Third Friday every month –
Lumiere Rouge Ragtime Band
Crown Inn, Banningham
(Nr Aylsham)
Adnams Broadside, Greene
King IPA and Abbot Ale
Easter Monday 5th April (1.30
to 4.30 pm) – Simon Nelson’s
Dixie Mix
Bank Holiday Monday 31st
May (1.30 to 4.30 pm) -
Norfolk Dixieland Jazz Band
(Phone 01263 733534 for
further details)
George and Dragon,
Newton by Castle Acre
Elgoods Cambridge plus local
guest beers
Second Tuesday every month –
Black Bowler Hat Jazz Band
(Also folk music on first
Thursday every month)
Bridge House, Norwich
SAT 27 TH march NORWICH
HOT RHYTHM CLUB
20’s jazz, 30’s dance band, 40’s
swing, rhythm & blues,rockabilly,
rock n roll, ska & 60’s soul
Bell Inn, Hempton (Nr
Fakenham)
Woodforde’s Wherry, John
Smiths Cask and guest beers
Fourth Thursday every month –
Black Bowler Hat Jazz Band
Saturday 20th March – Chris
Wigley’s ‘Phoenix Phive’
Northrepps Cottage
Country Hotel, Nut Lane,
Northrepps (Nr Cromer)
Greene King Abbot Ale and IPA
Second Sunday every month
(Jazz Carvery from 12.00 –
3.00 pm) – Chris Wigley’s
Phoenix Jazz Quartet.
(Phone 01263 579202 for
further details)
Continued Overleaf
SPRING 2010 | 59

Beer & Music | NORFOLK NIPS
Dereham Jazz Society, Lakeside
Country Club, Quarry
Lane, Lyng (nr Dereham)
Greene King IPA and Old
Speckled Hen
Wednesday 14th April - Barry
Tyler’s Original Dixieland Jazz Band
Wednesday 26th May – Simon
Nelson’s Dixie Mix, featuring
Simon Nelson on
cornet/vocals, Chris Wigley
(trombone), Bill Skinner
(reeds), Kevin West
(guitar/banjo), John Benson
(bass), and Tony Wilkins
(drums)
The Buck Inn, The Street,
Flixton, Suffolk
Woodforde’s Mardler’s,
Morland Original and Adnams
Bitter are the regulars at
present, but in addition there
are guest beers, and an
increased selection in the
summer months
Every Thursday -Sole Bay Jazz Band
MAINSTREAM /
MODERN JAZZ
Green Man, Wroxham Road,
Rackheath
Woodforde’s Wherry, Adnams
Bitter, Fuller’s London Pride
plus guests
Every Tuesday – Full
programme consisting of
various bands and musicians.
For further details, phone
Barbara Capocci on 01603
413443, or e-mail
b.capocci123@ntlworld.com
Dereham Jazz Society, Lakeside
Country Club, Quarry
Lane, Lyng (nr Dereham)
Greene King IPA and Old
Speckled Hen
Every Wednesday – Full
programme consisting of
various bands and musicians in
varied styles, which usually
includes one ‘traditional’ session
each month (See above).
For further details phone
01328 863511 or 01362
696741 or visit website
www.lakeside-jazz-club.co.uk
Keith Chettleburgh
in West Norfolk
Locale was created by
Nottingham CAMRA in
2007 who wanted to
support their remaining
brewers following the demise
of local brewer Hardy &
Hansons. They were quickly
followed by York and the Isle of
Wight branches. It was then
taken on by CAMRA as a
national campaign and since
then many CAMRA branches
across the country have already
joined them to promote local
beers and breweries.
Norwich and Norfolk Branch
launched their LocAle scheme
in October at the beer festival
and I am pleased to be able to
announce that West Norfolk
Branch are now issuing LocAle
stickers to pubs in their area.
To qualify for LocAle you need
to sell at least one real ale from
within 30 miles ie. 30 miles by
road (the shortest distance)
radius of your pub at all times.
You can sell beers which do not
qualify for this scheme as long
as at least one of your beers is a
LocAle. We will supply a
customised list of qualifying
breweries for each pub participating
in this scheme.
The pubs which have already
signed up to this promotion
are listed below. If you would
like any further information
about this scheme, or run a
pub and would like to join the
list of pubs already taking part
please contact me on 01553
766904 or e-mail:
RD.EastAnglia@camra.org.uk.
Andrea Briers
LocAle Pubs in West
Norfolk
Railway Arms, Downham Market
Live & Let Live, King’s Lynn
Sandboy, Bawsey
George & Dragon, Newton by
Castle Acre
Stag, West Acre
60 | SPRING 2010

The King’s Head
Open 12.00noon - 11.00pm Monday to Saturday
12.00noon - 10.30pm Sunday
Run by enthusiastic drinkers and CAMRA members.
Keg Free Zone 14 Hand Pumps
Norfolk Ales and Cider
Mild always available
Worldwide Bottled Beers
Belgian Beers
Bar Billiards
Television-free
CAMRA Norfolk
Pub of the Year
2006 & 2008
Dating from the
14th century, the pub has
been restored to a Victorian style.
KEG FREE HOUSE
The Kings Head, 42 Magdalen Street, Norwich NR3 1JE
Telephone: 01603 620468 www.kingsheadnorwich.com

The Gatehouse Pub
391 Dereham Road, Norwich NR5 8QJ
Tel: 01603 620340
FOUR REAL ALES
Live Music, Friday & Saturday
Large garden overlooking the
River Wensum
OPEN
Mon - Thurs 12-11
Fri & Sat 12-12 • Sunday 12-11
The Shoulder of Mutton
~ Strumpshaw ~
Fine ales and good food
served in a friendly atmosphere
Real ales include
Adnams Bitter and
Broadside plus
TWO guest ale
(mainly from local
breweries)
Food served 12-2pm and 7-9pm
(Mon-Sat), 12-2pm Sundays
Pub games include Darts, Pool, Crib and Petanque!
Ian and Jenny look forward to welcoming you..
Norwich Rd, Strumpshaw, Norwich NR13 4NT
Tel 01603 712274
62 | SPRING 2010

The London Tavern
Free House
Church St, Attleborough Tel :01953 457415
Great real ales, fine wines and spirits.
Traditional food served daily, pre-booked evening
meals, Sunday roasts and Childrens menu.
Meals for large parties up to 30 catered for in our
funtion room, choice of set menu’s. Bookings only.
Parking, Disabled facilities,
Smokers sheltered garden, and Beer garden.
Well behaved dogs on leads welcome.
Christenings, Funerals,
Intimate Weddings / Civil Ceremonies catered for
IN THE GOOD BEER GUIDE 2010
Now selling
bottle conditioned beers from
The Real Ale Shop in
Wells Next The Sea
tel 01328 710810
Contact us below
for trade sales:
01603 279927
john@oleslewfootbrewery.co.uk
3 Pollard Rd, Hainford,
Norwich NR10 3BE

A Sad Loss | NORFOLK NIPS
Nicholas Frank Stim
1962 – 2009
The pub world of Norwich
and South Norfolk was
shocked and saddened to
hear of the sudden death
of Nicholas Stimpson on
Sunday, 20th December, 2009.
Nick was both a popular bar
manager, and regular imbiber,
at various watering holes in the
city and beyond. Short in
stature but big in personality;
he made his mark with all who
had met him.
Nicholas Frank Stimpson,
Little Nick or just plain Nick, all
affectionate names for him,
was born on 2nd December
1962, in Norwich. He was
lucky enough to secure a
scholarship the King Edward VI
Grammar School, or Norwich
School. Upon leaving school,
64 | SPRING 2010
he joined Stevens Howard, a
local firm of solicitors, as a legal
clerk.
It was during this time that
he developed his fondness for
Norwich pubs, in particular the
long lamented Fruiterers Arms,
and the Vine, and also his skills
as a barman at the Conservative
Club and periodically at
the Sir Garnet Wolsey.
Sadly, as like many, Nick
became a victim of the
recession of the 1990’s and
was unfortunately made
redundant from the legal
profession. During this brief
interlude in his life, he became
a regular at the St. Andrew’s
Tavern, now the Rumsey Wells,
which Nicki Howard and I had
acquired. In 1996, Nick’s big
break came when we needed
help in the cellar bar at the
St. Andrews and he duly
obliged with a stint behind the
pumps. He became an instant
success with the customers and
remained with us until we sold
the St. Andrews in 1998.
When we moved to and
reopened the King’s Arms in
1998, Nick was installed as
daytime bar manager, a post
he made his own for the six
years we ran the pub.
His attention to detail and
customer care was an underlying
feature in our success as
CAMRA East Anglian Pub of the
Year in 1999. In 2005, we sold
the King’s Arms to Batemans,
and Nick remained loyal to the
new owners.
It just so happened that in
2006, we opened the Artichoke
at Broome in deepest South
Norfolk, and sure enough, Nick
managed to take up our offer
as bar manager. The Anglian
588 service provided him with
the perfect commute every day
from Norwich, getting to know
‘his drivers’ on a personal basis.
Indeed, so good a customer
was Nick, that in 2007, they rerouted
the evening service
through Broome village, thus
negating the need for Nick to
make a trek over Broome Heath
in the dark!
Most readers of Nips will
remember Nick fondly and
have many a tale to tell. His
amazing ability to remember
names was legendary. Even if
you were a once a year
customer, you can bet your life
you would be greeted on first
name terms. He applied this
knack of memory to horse
racing, Kings and Queens,
dates in history.

pson
NORFOLK NIPS | Letter
Letter to the Editor
Monday 25 January 2010
by e-mail
A staunch Conservative, he
would often tell of the night he
danced with ‘the glorious,
blessed, divine Margaret’ at a
Tory Ball. He also courageously
stood as a candidate in the
rock solid Labour ward of
Heigham, coming a creditable
second.
In latter years, apart from the
St. Andrews, King’s Arms and
Artichoke, his favourite city
haunts were the Reindeer, the
Fat Cat and the King’s Head,
where after a long bus journey
he unwound with tales of
daring do, or any of his myriad
stories.
The pubs in Norwich, and
especially the Artichoke at
Broome, have been enriched
and humbled by Nick, and we
have all suffered a sad loss, the
like of which we’ll never see
again.
It’s time to say ‘last orders,
Nicholas, never to hear his
immortal reply ‘one large
haddock and a scampi!’
RIP Nicholas Frank Stimpson.
Slainte.
John Craft
Dear Sirs,
The comment by Steve Foyster in the last edition of Nips (that
we should tell pubs when and why they don’t get into the Good
Beer Guide) is worthy of further debate. Although CAMRA
exists to speak for the beer drinker, we cannot do this effectively
without doing everything reasonable to engage with landlords.
So what should we do?
Pubs that appear regularly in the guide will already have an
established line of contact with the local branch. The problems
start when a new pub is recommended. If the pub is not
included, perhaps the branch ought to produce a quick note
(verbal or written) as to why the pub didn’t get selected, and
ask the person making the original recommendation to act as
messenger, failing which I suppose it would be down to the
committee to appoint someone.
This sounds bureaucratic, and indeed it could be. But if it
results in a better and more relaxed relationship between
CAMRA and the pubs, then this ought to benefit everyone.
More, better quality pubs serving better quality beer increases
competition for GBG places, and this will in turn benefit cask
beer drinkers. And that’s where we came in!
What do others think?
Laurie Bishop
Reply from Warren Wordsworth, Branch pubs Officer
Within the Norwich & Norfolk CAMRA Branch area there are
500+ pubs that serve real ale of which just over 100 are nominated
each year, for possible inclusion in the GBG. Our branch’s
allocation is just 77 pubs.
An elaborate democratic election procedure determines which
of these 100 or so nominated pubs, (all of which are usually
suitable) are selected to go in the GBG. There is no other reason
why a pub is not selected other than that they failed to obtain
the necessary votes at the election.
SPRING 2010 | 65

The Burston Crown
Jonj, Frances, Bev and Steve
welcome you to our 16th
Century country pub.
We offer a fine range of gravity fed real ales,
excellent bar and restuarant food every day and
a welcoming, warm atmosphere. Every Thursday
evening we have a busker’s night and host live
music every alternate Sunday.
www.burstoncrown.com
01379 741257
enquiries@burstoncrown.com

THE VEGETABLE SHOP
1d HIGH STREET DOWNHAM MARKET
Come to the ONLY shop in Downham
dedicated to providing REAL ORGANIC
FRUIT & VEGETABLES plus a range of
Organic Wholefoods,Bread and Eggs.
It’s a UNIQUE EXPERIENCE!
Shop: 01366 385523
Mobile: 07967 346551
Ring Ian for details of our forthcoming
Vegetarian Feast Nights with music,
ciders and beer made with
local organic barley!
Packed full of Norfolk’s Finest
Real Ales Brewed and bottled on the premises,
Local Cheeses, Chutneys, Glazed Hams, and
Local Crafts.
Sunday Lunches • Brewery Tours
Beer Festivals • Folk Nights
If you like Beer and Food - we’re the place to try
The Hop and Hog, No 1 The High Street,
Downham Market, Norfolk PE38 9DA
01366 386658
thehopandhog@btconnect.com
www.norfolkfoodanddrink.co.uk
THE ICENI BREWERY
For ALL your homebrew needs buy
DIRECT from the ICENI BREWERY
At 3 Foulden Rd, Ickburgh, Thetford IP26 5HB
Tel 01842 878922/ 07949 488113
Or email icenibrewe@aol.com for details

The White Hart Inn
7 White Hart Street, Foulden, Thetford,
Norfolk IP26 5AW Tel: 01366 328638
19th Century traditional
pub with accomodation
in the heart of Foulden,
just outside Thetford.
With Thetford Forest right on the doorstep,
this is a great base for discovering the wildlife
and outdoor pleasures of The Brecks.
Real ale pub serving value for
money pub meals with music and
quiz nights. for full details of whats on
email:- hartpub@yahoo.co.uk
Child Friendly and dogs welcome.
En suite rooms with private entrance available.
The Historical Green Dragon Inn
Situated next to the famous Wymondham Abbey
TRADITIONAL
HOME COOKED
FOOD
All food is
locally sourced
& freshly prepared
B&B ROOMS
WITH ENSUITE
Available from
£45 per night
4 REAL ALES – MEMBER OF SIBA
CHOICE OF OVER 25 SINGLE MALT WHISKIES
LARGE WALLED BEER GARDEN
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
MURDER MYSTERY NIGHT – 25TH April
BEER FESTIVAL – 28th to 31st May
WYMONDHAM MUSIC FESTIVAL - July
Further information available on website
OPEN ALL DAY FROM FRIDAY 2nd APRIL
6 Church Street, Wymondham (01953)607907
www.wymondhamgreendragon.com

Ely winter ales
As the snow turned to rain, lots of it, make a
nice change I suppose! Myself, Stig, and
Nige traveled to Ely on the train, to pay a
visit to the local CAMRA branch’s 1st
Elysian Winter Ales Beer & Cider Festival, at the
Maltings right on the river and only a few
minutes from the station. And also pop into a
few pubs to boot!
The Maltings is venue which hosts plays and
films, also has a nice café, one of these rooms
hosted the beer festival, which had begun the
day before (we went on Saturday). A starter
pack costing 9-50 gave you a glass and five ½
pint beer tokens, 32 ales were on the list, but as
usual it was a case of going to the bar and
checking to see what was actually on, even with
reserve barrels they were running out of liquid
around 3pm (but were still letting people in),
the festival was well attended that afternoon.
The beers I tried included Crouch Vale
Blackwater Mild (good), Crouch Vale Hurricane
(superb), Crouch Vale FPA (good, I see a theme
here!), dark Star Sussex extra Stout (nice),
Highwood Mill Race (good), Red Squirrel Herts
Old (good), Highwood Old Timber (not bad),
and finally, Crouch Vale Essex Boys (them again,
lovely). As the beer ran out so did we! Headed
for the Town House, three ales (one was a
Buntingford beer), I had Oakham JHB, a large
room pub which I believe has disco’s at weekends.
Got the happy news that Norwich City
had thrashed Colchester United 5-0, revenge!
Onto a refurbished King’s Arms, London Pride
and Adnams Bitter the choice here , not a bad
pub but too ‘clean’ and lacking in atmosphere
for my liking. Feeling peckish, we went to the Ely
Fish Bar for some delicious fish ‘n’ chips , cheap
too. Back to the pubs then, me my brother Gary
in the West End House which is not far from
where he lives, ales included Courage Directors,
London pride, and Shepherd Neame Spitfire
(which we all had, good drop too. We had time
for one more stop before the train home, so into
the Prince Albert, a Greene King pub with
‘guests’, wonderful pub with tons of atmosphere,
and they have XX Mild, also had Hardy &
Hanson’s Olde Trippe and Rocking Rudolph.
Saying goodbye to Gary us three returned to the
train station and home, no time for the Fountain
or Cutter Inn (spare us the Cutter! Sorry,
couldn’t resist!).
The local CAMRA branch’s main beer festival is
in May, 14/15th, at Ely City Football Club, the
winter ales event was good but maybe a few
more beers next year people! Ely has some good
pubs which would make a good pub crawl,
hmm, I think a plan is forming! Cheers!!!
TTFN from Tim!
NORFOLK NIPS | Ely feature
Tim Spitzer
The Lobster
& Stables Restaurant
FRESH FOOD
SERVED DAILY
Vegetarian and Vegan
options available
OPENING HOURS
Monday to Thursday 10am to 11pm
Friday to Saturday 10am to 1.30am
Sunday 12 noon to 12pm
BEER FESTIVALS ON
BANK HOLIDAYS
10 Real Ales • Fine Wines • Childrens Menu
Baby Changing • Disabled Facilities
Large Beer Gardens • Dogs are welcome
13 High Street, Sheringham, Norfolk, NR26 8JP
Tel: 01263 822716 www.the-lobster.com
SPRING 2010 | 69

3
REAL ALES
ALWAYS AVAILABLE
Currently Wadworth 6X,
London Pride and
Woodforde’s Wherry

The Royal Oak
at Poringland
Come and enjoy live music on Friday and Saturday at our
EASTER BEER FESTIVAL
April 2nd - April 9th
Range of 24 Beers and Ciders available
Giant Easter Egg Raffle on sunday for East Anglian Children’s Hospice
We Don’t Have a Big Screen TV, Food Or a Juke Box
We do have 17 handpumps, with Real Ale from far and wide,
2 Real Ciders and 2 Real Ales From gravity, a large car park,
large beer garden With heated smoking shelter, darts, pool,
quizzes And crib.
We now hold THREE beer festivals a year - having added one
over the August bank holiday week end!
The Royal Oak lies at the heart of the community and new
customers are always welcome. Come along and get a real
welcome from a real pub selling real ale!!!!!!
Nick, Delia And The Team would love to see you soon.
Norwich And Norfolk
Pub Of The Year 2007
Norfolk Pub Of The Year 2007
13 years in the Good Beer Guide!
A dream of a pub situated in the village of Poringland
on the B1332 road to Bungay. The main bus route from
Norwich stops right outside.
Contact us on
01508 493734
New email: theroyaloak@fsmail.net

FREEMOUSE 49 West End Street, Norwich NR2 4NA 01603 624364
Beer Pub of the Year
GOOD PUB GUIDE 2010 - Winner for the 4th time!
Two Times CAMRA National
Pub Of The Year (1998 & 2004)
Up to THIRTY real ales available all year round
FIFTY BOTTLED BEERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
featuring 25 countries, from Mexico to Mongolia, Jamaica to Japan and China to the Czech Republic
FIFTEEN DRAUGHT CONTINENTAL BEERS
INCLUDING 5 FRUIT BEERS
Part of the Oakademy
Scheme of Excellence
NOW IN OUR 20TH YEAR!
ROLLS STILL 60p TAPPITS &
POLYPINS AVAILABLE ALL YEAR!
www.fatcatpub.co.uk
Fat Cat Brewery at the Cidershed, Norwich
98-100 Lawson Rd, Norwich
NR3 4LF 01603 624364
UP TO 15 REAL ALES INCLUDING THE FAT CAT RANGE: Fat Cat Bitter3.8%
LIVE MUSIC & ARTS VENUE
01603 788508
www.cidershednorwich.net
Honey Ale 4.3%
Wild Cat 5.0%
Marmalade Cat 5.5%
Stout Cat 4.6%