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Pub News continued | NORFOLK NIPS<br />
NEWS FROM<br />
THE WEST<br />
There is a lot of doom <strong>and</strong><br />
gloom around on the pub front<br />
in West <strong>Norfolk</strong> at the moment<br />
with a whole host of pubs<br />
reported to be on the market<br />
or struggling along with<br />
temporary l<strong>and</strong>lords. However<br />
there has been enough bad<br />
news recently, so lets concentrate<br />
on the positives. Up on<br />
the coast, the Jolly Sailors at<br />
Brancaster has been taken over<br />
<strong>and</strong> although the brewery has<br />
gone it has been refurbished by<br />
the new owners, <strong>and</strong> opened<br />
again at the end of last year. It<br />
is now part of a group of pubs,<br />
which include the nearby<br />
White Horse, <strong>and</strong> the Fox at<br />
Willian in Hertfordshire, both<br />
excellent pubs <strong>and</strong> so should<br />
be well worth a visit.<br />
Another pub up near the<br />
coast, which is being refurbished<br />
<strong>and</strong> extended, is the King<br />
William at Sedgeford. The<br />
works include a new restaurant,<br />
reception area, disabled toilet<br />
& further 5 double bedrooms<br />
<strong>and</strong> is due to be completed on<br />
April 6th.<br />
When I first moved down to<br />
Kings Lynn almost 30 years<br />
ago, one of the few places for a<br />
good pint was the Bank<br />
House on Kings Staithe<br />
Square. Almost 20 years ago I<br />
remember an excellent evening<br />
when we wound up the old<br />
Seven Sisters Social club <strong>and</strong><br />
spent the remaining funds on a<br />
meal in their excellent restaurant.<br />
It was a great loss to the<br />
town when it became solicitor’s<br />
8 | SPRING 2009<br />
offices a few years ago. Well –<br />
mourn no longer. The Bank<br />
House is back! It is now a Town<br />
House Hotel with 10 bedrooms,<br />
but has also a Brasserie, Wine<br />
Bar <strong>and</strong> Coffee House. If you<br />
don’t know the place it is worth<br />
a visit just to see this fine early<br />
Georgian grade II listed building<br />
in the heart of Lynn’s historic<br />
waterfront area (which doubled<br />
as New York in the long<br />
forgotten film Revolution). We<br />
called in the other night <strong>and</strong><br />
were disappointed to find that<br />
the h<strong>and</strong>pumps seemed to be<br />
out of use. We were told that<br />
both beers had been delivered<br />
that day <strong>and</strong> were probably not<br />
ready, but I was offered a<br />
sample of London Pride. As it<br />
turned out it was excellent.<br />
During the winter you may find<br />
that they only offer Adnams,<br />
but if the dem<strong>and</strong> is there they<br />
will run two beers. Lets see<br />
what we can do...<br />
It’s all change along the riverside<br />
with the departure of Ron<br />
Bone from the Ouse Amateur<br />
Sailing Club.<br />
Ron has been looking after the<br />
beer there ever since I joined,<br />
many, many years ago <strong>and</strong> he<br />
was good enough to win the<br />
title of <strong>CAMRA</strong> national club of<br />
the year, <strong>and</strong> will be a hard act<br />
to follow. Thanks for many<br />
great pints! Almost next door,<br />
we hear that Roger at the<br />
Crown <strong>and</strong> Mitre is finally<br />
about to install the brewery that<br />
has been promised for many<br />
years. Be warned that he is not<br />
ever so keen on <strong>CAMRA</strong> (especially<br />
that ‘Scottish woman’,<br />
whoever that is), so don’t go in<br />
the stained tee shirt <strong>and</strong><br />
s<strong>and</strong>als!<br />
Another pub that was one of<br />
the must visit places in West<br />
<strong>Norfolk</strong> 30 years ago was the<br />
Woolpack at Walpole Cross<br />
Keys. Since then it had fallen<br />
on hard times but it is good to<br />
report that it is up <strong>and</strong> running<br />
again. West <strong>Norfolk</strong> Branch<br />
had a rather cold <strong>and</strong> wet walk<br />
<strong>and</strong> Sunday lunch in January<br />
<strong>and</strong> we were greeted with a<br />
warm welcome <strong>and</strong> an excellent<br />
carvery. Tuesday night is<br />
steak night, <strong>and</strong> they have an<br />
excellent chef – who will even<br />
cook you a meal to take home.<br />
If you do visit, <strong>and</strong> you should,<br />
look out for the vintage table<br />
football machine – ask about<br />
the history of it!<br />
Down at Downham Market<br />
we hear that there is a new bar<br />
on the station platform. It was<br />
due to open as I write these<br />
lines so I can’t give a first h<strong>and</strong><br />
report, but I do know someone<br />
who has peered through the<br />
window <strong>and</strong> excitedly reports<br />
the presence of h<strong>and</strong>pumps.<br />
Another great station bar in the<br />
tradition of Stalybridge, Kidderminster<br />
<strong>and</strong> Bridgenorth?....<br />
<strong>and</strong> Worksop, Bury, Portmadoc......is<br />
there something<br />
about Real Ale <strong>and</strong> Trains?<br />
Other places that have<br />
impressed recently include the<br />
Rose <strong>and</strong> Crown at Snettisham,<br />
which is the sister hotel<br />
to the Bank House. We visited<br />
early on a Sunday evening<br />
when it was very quiet, dark<br />
<strong>and</strong> cold outside.<br />
The welcome was warm <strong>and</strong><br />
there were roaring fires<br />
throughout the many rooms.<br />
Somehow it made winter more<br />
bearable.
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