New brewery and visitor centre for Belvoir - Nottingham CAMRA

Issue 84 February/ March 08 

FREE Please take a copy 

New brewery 

and visitor 

centre for 

Belvoir 

Stout and 

Porter Stroll: 

see centre 

pages 

Nottingham 

CAMRA 

Chairman 

retires

Useful Drinker Information 

8,500 copies of the Nottingham Drinker are distributed free of charge to 

over 270 outlets in the Nottingham area including libraries, the Tourist 

Information Centre, pubs in Nottingham, outlying villages and local towns. 

It is published by Nottingham CAMRA and printed by Stirland Paterson 

(Printers) ltd, Ilkeston. 

Advertising 

Nottingham Drinker welcomes advertisements subject to compliance with 

CAMRA policy and space availability. There is a discount for any advertising 

submitted in a suitable format for publishing, jpeg, pdf, Word etc. Advertising 

rates start from £30 for a small advert (1/16 of a page) in a suitable format. A 

premium is charged for the front and back page. Six advertisements can be 

bought for the discounted price of five (one years worth). 

Call Spyke on 0115 9588713 or 07751 441682 or email 

drinkeradvert@ntlworld.com for details. 

Publication dates 

The next issue of Nottingham Drinker (issue 85) will be published on Thursday 

27th March 2008 and will be available from the branch meeting at the Victoria, 

Dovecote Lane, Beeston. The copy deadline is Wednesday 5th March 2008. 

Editorial Team 

Editor: Spyke Golding, Sub editors: Steve Armstrong and Steve Westby, 

Distribution: David Mason 

Editorial address 

Spyke Golding, Nottingham Drinker, 218, Standhill Road, Carlton, Nottm. NG4 

1JZ Tel: 0115 958 8713, 0775 144 1682 

E-mail: nottingham.drinker@ntlworld.com or drinkeradvert@ntlworld.com 

Socials and Trips 

For booking socials or trips contact Ray Kirby 

on 0115 929 7896 or at raykirby@nottinghamcamra.org 

Web Site 

Nottingham CAMRA’s own web site is at 

www.nottinghamcamra.org 

CAMRA Headquarters 

230 Hatfield Road, St Albans, Herts, AL1 4LW 

Tel 01727 867201 Fax 01727 867670 E-mail camra@camra.org.uk 

Internet www.camra.org.uk 

Registration 

Nottingham Drinker is registered as a newsletter with the British 

Library. ISSN No1369-4235 

Disclaimer 

ND, Nottingham CAMRA and CAMRA Ltd accept no 

responsibility for errors that may occur within this publication, 

and the views expressed are those of their individual authors 

and not necessarily endorsed by the editor, Nottingham CAMRA 

or CAMRA Ltd 

Subscription 

ND offers a mail order subscription service. If you wish to be 

included on our mailing list please send seventeen 2nd class 

stamps, (standard letter @ 24p each) for one years subscription 

(second class delivery) or fourteen 1st class stamps (standard 

letter @ 34p each) for one years subscription (first class delivery) 

to Nottingham Drinker, 15 Rockwood Crescent, Hucknall, 

Nottinghamshire NG15 6PW Nottingham Drinker is published 

bimonthly. 

Useful Addresses 

For complaints about short measure pints etc contact: 

Nottingham Trading Standards Department, Consumer Direct 

(East Midlands) Contact Consumer Direct (East Midlands). 

Consumer Direct works with all the Trading Standards services in 

the East Midlands and is supported by the Office of Fair Trading. 

You can email Consumer Direct using a secure email system on 

their website. The website also provides advice, fact sheets and 

model letters on a wide range of consumer rights. Consumer 

Direct - 08454 04 05 06 www.consumerdirect.gov.uk 

For comments, complaints or objections about pub alterations 

etc, or if you wish to inspect plans for proposed pub 

developments contact the local authority planning departments. 

Nottingham City’s is at Exchange Buildings, Smithy Row or at 

nottinghamcity.gov.uk 

If you wish to complain about deceptive advertising, e.g. passing 

nitro-keg smooth flow beer off as real ale, pubs displaying signs 

suggesting real ales are on sale or guest beers are available, when in fact they 

are not, contact: Advertising Standards Authority 

Mid City Place, 71 High Holborn, London WC1V 6QT, 

Telephone 020 7492 2222, Textphone 020 7242 8159, Fax 020 7242 3696 

Or visit www.asa.org.uk where you can complain online 

Brewery Liaison Officers 

Please contact these officers if you have any comments, queries or 

complaints about a local brewery. 

Alcazar - Ray Kirby raykirby@nottinghamcamra.org 

Castle Rock - David Mason: davidmason@nottinghamcamra.org 

Caythorpe - Howard Clark: howardclark@nottinghamcamra.org 

Full Mash - Ray Kirby raykirby@nottinghamcamra.org 

Holland - Chris Watkinson watkinsonchris@aol.com 

Magpie - Alan Ward alanward@nottinghamcamra.org 

Mallard - Mick (Diddler) Kinton 

Nottingham - Steve Westby stevewestby@nottinghamcamra.org 

East Midlands Brewery Liaison Coordinator - Steve Westby 

stevewestby@nottinghamcamra.org 

Acknowledgements 

Thanks to the following people for editorial contributions to this issue of ND: 

Steve Armstrong, Howard Clark, Philip Darby, Lynne Davis, Colin Elmhurst, 

Mick Harrison, Martyn Harwood, Ray Kirby, Andrew Ludlow, Gordon 

Manning-Whitelam, David Mason, John Parkes, Graham Percy, Erik Peterson, 

Steve Rogerson, Bob Steel, Nick Tegerdine, David Thornhill, Peter Tulloch, 

Steve Westby, John Westlake and Colin Wilde. 

Front-page picture: Colin Brown at the new Belvoir Brewery Visitor Centre 

It takes all sorts to campaign for real ale 

Join CAMRA today... 

Complete the Direct Debit form below and you will receive 

three months membership free and a fantastic discount on your 

membership subscription.Alternatively you can send a cheque payable 

to CAMRA Ltd with your completed form, visit www.camra.org.uk or 

call 01727 867201.All forms should be addressed to Membership 

Secretary, CAMRA, 230 Hatfield Road, St Albans,AL1 4LW. 

Your Details 

Title Surname 

Forename(s) 

Date of Birth (dd/mm/yyyy) 

Address 

Email address 

Tel No (s) 

Instruction to your Bank or 

Building Society to pay by Direct Debit 

Please fill in the form and send to: Campaign for Real Ale Ltd. 230 Hatfield Road, St.Albans, Herts AL1 4LW 

Name and full postal address of your Bank or Building Society Originators Identification Number 

To the Manager 

Bank or Building Society 

9 2 6 1 2 9 

Address 

FOR CAMRA OFFICIAL USE ONLY 

This is not part of the instruction to your Bank or Building Society 

Postcode 

Name(s) of Account Holder (s) 

Bank or Building Society Account Number 

Branch Sort Code 

Reference Number 

Postcode 

Partner’s Details (if Joint Membership) 

Title 

Forename(s) 

Surname 

Date of Birth (dd/mm/yyyy) 

Membership Number 

Name 

Postcode 

Instructions to your Bank or Building Society 

Please pay CAMRA Direct Debits from the account detailed on 

this instruction subject to the safeguards assured by the Direct 

Debit Guarantee. I understand that this instruction may remain 

with CAMRA and, if so will be passed electronically to my 

Bank/Building Society. 

Signature(s) 

Date 

Banks and Building Societies may not accept Direct Debit Instructions for some types of account. 

Please state which CAMRA newsletter you found this 

form in? 

Direct Debit Non DD 

Single Membership £20 £22 

(UK & EU) 

Joint Membership £25 £27 

(Partner at the same address) 

For Young Member and concessionary rates please visit 

www.camra.org.uk or call 01727 867201. 

I wish to join the Campaign for Real Ale, and agree to abide 

by the Memorandum and Articles of Association. 

I enclose a cheque for 

Signed 

Applications will be processed within 21 days 

✁ 

detached and retained this section 

Date 

Save 

money by 

paying by 

Direct Debit! 

Mem Form 0108 

This Guarantee should be detached 

and retained by the payer. 

The Direct Debit 

Guarantee 

■ This Guarantee is offered by all Banks 

and Building Societies that take part in 

the Direct Debit Scheme.The efficiency 

and security of the Scheme is 

monitored and protected by your 

own Bank or Building Society. 

■ If the amounts to be paid or the 

payment dates change CAMRA will 

notify you 10 working days in advance 

of your account being debited or as 

otherwise agreed. 

■ If an error is made by CAMRA or 

your Bank or Building Society, you are 

guaranteed a full and immediate 

refund from your branch of the 

amount paid. 

■ You can cancel a Direct Debit at any 

time by writing to your Bank or 

Building Society. Please also send a 

copy of your letter to us. 

2 

www.nottinghamcamra.org February/ March 08

Phil Troop is a firm believer in real ale in real pubs and he is 

certainly not afraid to put this into practice. He is the landlord 

of the Half Moon in the Lincolnshire village of Willingham By 

Stow between Lincoln and Gainsborough. This former 

Gainsborough CAMRA Pub of the Year is a music-free haven 

with an open fire and four handpumps offering a range of 

beers. But not one to rest on his laurels he decided to listen to 

the encouragement of one of his regular suppliers, Phil at the 

Fulstow Brewery, and to start to brew his own ales. 

So back in October Grafters Brewery went into production, 

initially just to serve the Half Moon but possibly allowing beer into 

the free trade later this year. The 2½-barrel brew plant mainly 

came from Mossbrew in Sheffield although Phil added some 

equipment of his own such as the hot liquor tank. Before firing up 

his mash tun Phil went on a brewing course at Brewlab in 

Sunderland and since then he has also had 

tremendous help from the other Phil over at Fulstow 

Brewery. 

Three beers are currently produced. Traditional is a 

3.8% light coloured session bitter, Over The Moon 

is a 4% traditional bitter and Brewers Troop is fairly 

darkish, sweeter 4.2% best bitter. Incidentally the 

name Grafters was a nickname given to Phil by one 

of his regular customers who claimed that he was 

never to be seen grafting behind the bar and the 

name stuck. 

Meanwhile the wave of new breweries starting up has shown no 

sign of abating, although I have recently heard tales of a few 

planned start-ups that have now been put on hold because of the 

sudden massive increase in malt prices and a possible worldwide 

shortage of hops. 

Amongst the newcomers is The Celt Experience set up as a sister 

brewery to the well-regarded Newmans brewery near Bristol. This 

new venture in Caerphilly, Mid Glamorgan describes itself as a 

brewery inspired through Celtic history to produce a range of 

organic ales and a hand crafted lager. Also in Mid Glamorgan The 

Dare Brewery started brewing in December at the Falcon Inn at 

Godreaman near Aberdare using a 5½ barrel plant from Porter's 

PBC Brewery Installations. 

News Brewing 

Steve Westby looks at the news 

on the microbrewery scene 

Down in deepest Northamptonshire another new brewery started 

production in January. The Cherwell Valley Brewery is another 

Mossbrew installation based in Brackley. It is proposed that the 

first brew will be a 4% beer called Cropredy Bridge 1644, named 

after a famous Civil War battle over a bridge on the River Cherwell. 

Finally for now, up in Cumbria the Whitehaven Brewery started 

brewing in December on a ten barrel plant based in a traditional 

bank barn, in the quiet hamlet of Croasdale. There was a proud 

tradition of brewing in the area which sadly lapsed in the early 

years of the twentieth century when the breweries of Whitehaven, 

Parton, Egremont and Cleator Moorall all closed, but this tradition 

has now been restored and Ennerdale Bitter is the first beer to be 

launched in the town for almost a hundred years. The beers are 

brewed using soft Lakeland spring water, rising from underground 

springs on Kelton Fell in the Ennerdale valley. 

The Grosvenor 

291-3 Mansfield Road, Carrington, Nottm NG5 2BY 

Tel. 0115 9604845 

www.thebell-inn.com 

THE BELL INN, 18 ANGEL ROW, NOTTINGHAM 0115 947 5241 

COMMUNITY PUBS 

WEEK BEER FESTIVAL 

Monday, Feb 18th 

– Saturday, Feb 23rd 

20 real ales available 

ST PATRICK’S STOUT FESTIVAL 

Thursday March 13th – Monday March 17th 

17 stouts from 17 

breweries on the 17th 

Cellar Tours every Tuesday & Thursday 7.30pm 

Drink in the history ofo 

one of fEn England’s nd 

Oldest Inns 

ns 

Reopening on 14th March 

following refurbishment 

•Food served 7 days a week 12-9pm 

•Weekly curry night 

•Amateur National Poker night 

•Live entertainment weekly 

•Beer Garden 

•Function room available for hire 

•At least four real ales 

A warm and friendly pub 

www.nottinghamcamra.org February/ March 08 

3

Outlying CAMRA Branch News 

Vale of Belvoir news 

Happy New Year From VoB 

Well, another year on & deeper in debt - as long as it's all been 

spent on beer it's worth it. 

We would like, if we may, to take you back to the end of 2007 for a 

short time, just long enough for us to re-cap on the last remnants of 

the year.... 

The 29th November saw us at Old Dalby for the Belvoir Brewery Open 

Night at the new Brewery premises & visitors centre. The evening was 

very well attended and had a splendid buffet laid on; we can highly 

recommend taking a trip out to the Brewery. Colin's opening hours 

are Mon-Fri 12.00 - 8.00pm & Sat & Sun 12 - 6.00pm. Food is 

available as well as beers from the range during these times. Some 

recent beers are the seasonal Winter Whipling at 3.7% and Chestnut 

at 4.2%. Available from February is Melton Mowbray Oatmeal Stout, 

described as creamy, dark & smooth at 4.3% - we are looking forward 

to sampling some of that ASAP! Also from February brewery trips are 

offered but must be booked in advance. The brewery number is 

01664-823455. 

We are planning on having a trip out to both Belvoir Brewery & 

Brewster’s some time later in the year. If anyone is interested in 

putting your name down for these please let us know & we will keep 

you informed of dates. 

Into December and on the 13th we had our Christmas Social at the 

Marquis of Granby, Granby. We had a good turnout and the food 

was superb, and made even better by being accompanied by some 

splendid Norfolk Nog as well as the usual Brewster’s Marquis and 

Hophead, both of which are excellent beers to have with a meal. 

Into the New Year and we made a swift return to the Marquis of 

Granby on the 8th Jan to present our Pub of the Year (POTY) award. 

This winning pub was a hugely popular 

choice & the evening saw an excellent 

turnout from both CAMRA and pub 

locals. Some new CAMRA members 

joined on the night and a raffle raised 

funds for the pub’s chosen charity, the 

Notts Air Ambulance. Beers being 

offered were Batemans Rosey Nosey, 

Ossett Black Bull, & Brewster’s Ice 

Queen. If you haven't already tried the 

food at the pub you really should, it is all 

home cooked using local produce & the 

snacks handed around were very good. 

VOB Chairman Martyn 

Haywood presents POTY award 

to landlord Shaun Gilder 

Horse and Jockey 

1 Mill Street, Basford 0115 978 7883 

Hemlock, Black Gold and two Guests 

Live music - last Friday in the month 

Other Sundays - pop quiz - £50 prize & beer prizes 

Large function room available 

Weekday food lunch and evening 

Sunday carvery 

12 - 3 

The Tram friendly 

Horse and Jockey 

By Basford 

Crossing 

David Lane stop 

Sean McArdle, 

Brewster's Brewery,; 

Martyn Hayward, 

VoB Chairman; Eddie 

Fendel, VoB Pubs 

Officer; Peter 

Worsnop, VoB 

Treasurer and Bob 

Taylor, VoB founder 

and former chairman. 

Onto pub news, and as promised we have details of The Peacock, 

Redmile, that was just changing hands as we went to press in the last 

issue of the Drinker. New landlord is Alistair Graves, in partnership 

with Mike & Dee Brown of the Chequers, Elston. Alistair is familiar 

with the village as he used to run the Windmill at Redmile. The beer 

range will be from Wells & Young’s and no big changes in the pub 

are planned at the moment. Again, we have had some good reports 

but due to the festive season we have not had chance to get out 

there yet but intend to before next issue. 

The Nags Head, Harby has had a change of landlord and is now run 

by John & Kathy Cox. As we go to press, the Plough, Hickling is 

closed, hopefully waiting for someone to take it over. We will keep 

you informed. 

Onto Festival news, and Bingham Rugby club have their annual 

Festival at the Pavilion, Brendon Grove, Bingham 14th & 15th March. 

The Saturday once again coincides with the final day of the 6 Nations 

Championship. 

Our next meeting is at The Chesterfield, Bingham on Tues 5th Feb & 

our AGM is March 4th at the Black Horse, Hose. As the more 

perceptive amongst you may have noticed, we have changed our 

meeting dates from the 2nd Tuesday of the month to the 1st Tuesday 

of the month. We voted on this change at our last meeting as we 

were struggling to get our reports in for the Drinker, so it was either 

change the meeting dates or give you VERY old news, most of which 

was irrelevant by the time we went to press, so the change of date 

seemed logical. We are also having a meeting every month now, 

instead of alternate meetings & socials. All are welcome to attend 

VoB branch meetings, whether you are a member or not. New faces 

are always embraced - not physically, although this can be arranged if 

that's what it takes... A word of warning though, grown men have 

been known to get lost for days in the secretary's cleavage!! On that 

note we will bid you adieu - until next time, cheers. 

4 


Erewash Valley news 

Firstly, may I take this opportunity to wish you all a very 

HAPPY & PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR from everyone at 

Erewash Valley Branch. 

Erewash goes LocAle 

Tuesday 18th December saw the launch of Erewash Valley joining 

the successful LocAle scheme implemented by Nottingham 

CAMRA. The launch took place at The Observatory in Ilkeston, one 

of the 10 pubs in our area that have signed up to the scheme so 

far, which as you may know, guarantees you a pint of local beer 

that has been brewed within a 20 mile radius of the particular pub 

that it's being served in. 

On the night Falstaff Smilin' Assassin and Funfair Divebomber were 

available and both brewers, Jim Hallows from Falstaff and Dave 

Tizard from Funfair along with EV Pubs Officer John Parkes and 

Observatory assistant manager Darryl Stacey were there for the 

photo shoot. We were also blessed with the presence of Andrew 

Ludlow from Nottingham CAMRA, one of the instigators of the 

Locale scheme. 

Funfair beers are regularly available at The 

Observatory so this seemed the ideal 

location from which to announce our 

involvement. 

The pubs in our area that have joined so 

far are: the Twitchell and the Hole in the 

Wall, Long Eaton, the Poacher, the Spanish 

Bar, the Dewdrop, and the Observatory in 

Ilkeston, and The Railway, Inn the Middle, 

Red Lion, and Conservative Club in 

Heanor/Langley Mill. 

So if you are passing by near any of these 

pubs and fancy a pint brewed in the local 

area, why not call in and see what they 

have to offer. If however, you find there is 

no local ale to be had, please get in touch 

with any EV branch member or direct to 

myself so we can investigate. 

In the last Edition of ND we reported that 

the Tiger in Long Eaton had restricted 

opening hours. Since then I have been 

reliably informed that, following a change 

of licensee, this is no longer the case. 

Martin and Kerry have recently taken over 

Outlying CAMRA Branch News 

and opening hours have returned to normal. Both are from Long 

Eaton and the Tiger used to be their local so when the opportunity 

arose they jumped at the chance of becoming the new licensees. 

They are planning to do food early evening in the hope of catching 

hungry early doors customers, so we would like to wish them well 

in their venture. 

December also saw the opening of Ilkeston's newest free house. 

The Queen's Counsel is housed in the former Robinson Solicitors 

building in the Market Place, sandwiched between The Moon & 

Sixpence and The Market Inn. An eight month refurbishment saw 

the place completely gutted, leaving only the exterior walls intact, 

there is now an oak panelled lounge and bar on the first floor with 

another bar on the ground floor, complete with air conditioning, 

leather seating and a mix of carpet and tiles. The new owner 

promised something different for Ilkeston and it certainly is - there 

is no dance floor, loud music, flashing lights, or plasma screen TV's 

and no hot food. Unfortunately for the cask ale drinkers amongst 

us there is nothing different in the beers with 2 handpumps serving 

London Pride (as a regular) and a guest, which on our visit was Old 

Speckled Hen. 

The Queens Counsel not only has to 

compete with pubs like The Observatory, 

The Poacher, and The Spanish Bar on 

price and quality but a good choice of 

cask ales as well and with more than 20 

local breweries within 20 miles of 

Ilkeston it remains to be seen how well 

this latest watering hole will do in an 

increasingly difficult market for real ale. 

Talking of The Poacher, Pub People Co. who owned the pub have 

now sold it to Scottish Courage who have leased it back to them, in 

order to generate funds for further investment. We have been 

reliably informed that Nottingham EPA will remain as a regular, but 

guest beers will now be sourced from the Scottish Courage portfolio. 

And finally, we would like to say 'farewell' to Gavin at The Nags 

Head in Sawley, who after 15 years at the helm of this popular 

locals pub, has decided to call it a day and will be leaving very soon. 

That's all for this time folks - see you next time 

John - Erewash Valley 


5

Young people and alcohol 

alternative approaches are needed, because the current ones are obviously not working! 

6 

Nick Tegerdine, Executive Director of apas, argues for a different approach, 

including reducing the legal age for drinking in some pubs. 

There are concerns about the relationship between young people and 

alcohol. Youthful experimentation and ‘rites of passage’ arguments aside, 

we don’t seem to have understood that it’s not just that young people 

drink, it’s about what they drink, and where and how. The context in which 

drinking takes place is more important in shaping behavioural standards 

and promoting health than the fact that underage drinking occurs. 

Underage drinking is nothing new and moral crusaders must surely be 

mindful of that. What has changed is the treatment of underage drinkers as 

consumers on the one hand, and as villains on the other. 

It has become fashionable to demonise young people for a series of problems that 

have developed over the last twenty years, not all of them alcohol-related. However 

it is regrettable that society seeks to blame someone else, in this case young 

people, whilst denying or minimising our individual and collective responsibility for 

the situation. Denial and minimisation are, of course, two of the defining 

symptoms of addiction! 

Recently one of the more obvious consequences of young people over indulging in 

alcohol could be seen in the large pools of vomit on the pavements over Christmas, 

although it’s important to recognise that many adults directly contributed as well. 

The concerns are wider than that however, and this is evidenced by the many calls 

received for help and advice to do with noise and rowdyism in and around licensed 

premises. There are also calls from parents concerned that their child has been over 

served and had become unwell. Hospital admissions for alcohol-related illnesses 

and accidents for all ages are increasing fast. 

Whilst the person who has overindulged must take responsibility for their 

behaviour, most people have found their drinking limit by getting it wrong. 

Nevertheless, the more recent phenomenon of so many young people getting it 

wrong so much and so often cannot be explained in such simple terms as more 

people failing to accept their individual responsibility. 

It is after all the adults who for years have refused to acknowledge the situation 

that has been created in town and city centres (and I mean created, not allowed to 

happen). It is adults who own the shares in (and take the profits from) the 

multinational brewing businesses and pub owning companies. It’s also adults who 

manage and deal with liquor licences and it’s adults who permit some of them to 

continue to trade in such a manner that, frankly speaking, they would have found 

themselves closed down in Dodge City in 1857, let alone any North Midlands town 

in 2007. 

Alcohol does not aid physical and psychological development; on that the science is 

clear. Therefore it’s a good idea to delay the onset of drinking. However, where 

should the line be drawn in terms of age, or perhaps even in terms of quantity? I 

believe that we have this badly wrong and that society is in denial of this. 

The major variable for determining how much people drink, particularly young 

people, is a cultural one. The context in which drinking behaviour is introduced and 

in which products are marketed carries far more influence than any number of TV 

and cinema pieces with a ‘drink responsibly’ message. 

Despite the various policies in the UK that seek to delay the age of onset of 

drinking, I would argue that we are in fact encouraging under-age consumption by 

failing to deal with the situation in the round, by not dealing with the context, and 

by denying that the drinks industry has changed. The town hall clocks appear to be 

stuck on 1954. 

I noted the old Shipstones posters in a Mapperley pub last week. I reflected on the 

subtle messages in them and how they contrasted with the American-influenced 

lager adverts of today. In the former the context was relaxed, social, convivial, 

whilst the latter is to do with individual freedom with no regard for any collective 

responsibility. 

That led me, over a second glass, to reflect on how the drinks industry and the 

government are involved in a tug of war. The prize is the lion’s share of influence 

over the British drinking culture. Who wins that competition will receive huge 

bonuses, either in profits or, in the case of the Government, in reduced NHS and 

crime costs. In the middle of this is a generation of young people, either 

consumers, victims, or when the going gets tough, ‘the problem’. 

The way forward requires a fundamental attitudinal shift. The economic drivers 

that sustain the present context and the belief that drinking is just about getting 

drunk will be upset and will continue to resist change. The responsible authorities 

also resist change because they are demonstrably poor at holding up hands and 

saying ‘we’ve made some mistakes’. 


What changes do we want to see? What would make a difference? A lot of 

research has been done on the effectiveness of the current raft of alcohol control 

policies. I’ll save my comments on that for another time but here is my vision of 

how the context can be changed for the better. 

• Reduce the age of beer drinking to 16 in pubs that can demonstrate responsible 

retailing and an appropriate context to admit younger people. I would expect 

that such premises would promote local products, would provide a clean glass 

every time, and that drinking from the bottle would not be permitted. Food and 

alcohol-free alternatives at realistic prices would always be available. The 

Designated Premises Supervisor would always be present 

• Temporarily increase the age for purchasing all beers, wines, spirits and RTDs to 

21 in off licences for a period (probably five years) 

• Ban all alcohol advertising and sponsorships – no arguments, just do it 

• Strengthen the progressive beer duty (to support sustainable local industries 

which, by and large, demonstrate responsibility in what they produce and who 

they sell it to) 

• Increase the duty on alcopops and the so-called ‘white ciders’ 

• Revert to a deposit scheme for all bottles (as in Belgium and Germany for 

example). This also has environmental benefits and would be popular with 

younger people 

• Apply much stricter sanctions for servers and their employers for ‘over serving’ 

to anyone 

The problems that we face are getting worse. The one thing that we can’t do is to 

continue to try and persuade ourselves that the current measures are effective. The 

responsible authorities may continue to try and do that but that merely illuminates 

the extent their own self-serving behaviour. 

We must find a new way. No doubt readers will have their own views about what I 

have proposed and what readers believe would make a difference. I hope that you 

will feel able to share those views and I welcome the debate. 

You can contact me on: 0115 9414747 extension 68053 E-mail: nick@apas.org.uk 

The worst thing that you 

can do about a drinking 

problem is nothing 

Drinking too much, too often, and for too 

long and finding it hard to change? 

Alcohol Problems Advisory Service 

AVAILABLE • ACCESSIBLE • CONFIDENTIAL 

0115 941 4747 or e-mail info@apas.org.uk 

www.apas.org.uk

Milestone Brewery prides itself on being a quality craft brewer 

producing fine beers in both cask and bottle. Having previously 

tried and enjoyed their excellent Christmas Ale (Donner & Blitzed) I 

decided this time to sample Lion’s Pride a session beer at 3.8% 

ABV. 

The trick with RAIB’s is to pour carefully, to 

ensure that the sediment stays in the bottle, 

and to leave the beer to stand for a few 

minutes to allow any excess carbonation 

to disperse. The end result was a traditional 

copper coloured beer with a modest head. 

Immediately I was aware of a pleasant floral 

hoppy aroma combined with a hint of malt in 

the background. The beer is well balanced and 

whilst a genuine bitter ale there is enough 

‘sweetness’ to make it quite morerish. The beer 

concludes with a dry and bitter aftertaste and the 

overall impression was that of a good traditional English 

bitter. In many ways this is quite unusual, as most RAIB’s tend to be at 

the higher end of the ABV scale but in Lion’s Pride Milestone have 

produced a surprisingly robust session beer. 

Milestone Brewery can be found in Cromwell, Newark NG23 6JE and 

started brewing in 2005. They produce a range of interesting beers 

including Raspberry Wheat 5.6% (a continental style fruit beer); Black 

Pearl Stout 4.3% (authentic Irish Stout) and an Imperial Pale Ale at 

4.8% ABV. 

Milestone beers can be purchased from the brewery and Waitrose Stores 

in Newark, Lincoln, Blaby, Evington (Leicester); The Friendly Farmer, Farm 

More Bottled Beer 

More Real Ale in a Bottle (RAIB - 68) 

Shop Newark; Doddington Hall Farm Shop Doddington Nr Lincoln; 

Muskham Village Stores North Muskham and Red Zebra in Derby. 

For more information visit Milestone’s web site 

www.milestonebrewery.com or visit their shop at the brewery that 

is open 9-5 Mon to Friday (01636 822255). 

Specialist shops like Red Zebra in Derby’s Market Hall always stock a 

fine range of beers so if you are looking for something special they are 

well worth visiting. (Open Monday – Saturday 9.00 – 5.00 

(01332) 242403. Website www.redzebradrinks.com 

Award winning local beers 

fortified with flavour 

www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk 


7

All Our Yesterdays 

More from the Sneinton Treasure Trove 

In the last edition, I published the first six of a collection of 1920s pub photos found in a Sneinton house. 

Sadly, I have had no letters from people who remember anything about the pubs – maybe our readership is too young! 

I have, however, heard that they have stimulated much discussion in pubs around the county. I did receive this letter from Dorothy Ritchie 

at the Local Studies section of Nottingham Central Library, which may be of interest to some of you: 

Colonel Hutchinson, 

Castle Terrace 

1926 

Admiral Duncan Inn, 

Coalpit Lane 1926 

“Looking through the recent issue of the Nottingham 

Drinker, I was really interested to see the photographs of 

public houses in the 1920s. As part of the Nottingham 

Local Studies collection we have a substantial, number 

of photographs of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. 

These help to record the topography, buildings and 

customs of the local area, and to preserve the 

information for future generations. The collection is used 

by many researchers, often for academic or reminiscence 

purposes. I wonder if it is possible to obtain copies of your 

photographs for the Local Studies Collection. For several 

years now, we have been partners in a project to digitise 

our photograph collection and these are now available 

on the website www.picturethepast.org.uk If you 

would like to chat to me about this the library telephone 

number is 0115 9152873”. 

I shall be sending copies of the photos to Dorothy in 

batches, as soon as they have been published in the 

Drinker. 

In the meantime, here are six more from the collection 

for you to think about. The Nags Head and the Trip don’t 

seem to have changed too much in 80 years – but what 

is this Admiral Duncan? Coalpit Lane was the old name 

for Lower Parliament Street – where we still have an 

“Admiral Duncan” albeit now called “@D2” and part of 

Nottingham’s gay scene. I believe it was built in 1935 

when a new road was cut through the slums of Cur Lane. 

So did the new building replace 

the one in the photograph I wonder? Regarding the 

Flying Horse, I understand it was at 21 Colwick Street and 

was listed as still brewing in 1930 when Frank Ward was 

the landlord. Nottingham Brewery no longer owned the 

Colonel Hutchinson when 

the brewery was sold to Tennant Brothers in 1956, 

presumably it had been demolished by then. There was 

a Rose and Thistle on Upper Parliament Street that I 

remember well; it was demolished in 1977, but looking at 

a photograph of it taken in 1972 it bears no resemblance 

to the one in this photograph. And East Street is a long 

way from there – so there is clearly no connection. 

Rose and Thistle 

East St 1925 

Flying Horse, 

Colwick 1926 

Nags Head 

Mansfield Road 1924 

Trip to Jerusalem 1926 

8 


Chairman stands 

down after 

13 years 

Richard Studeny has 

announced that he is to 

stand down from his 

role as Chairman of 

Nottingham CAMRA, a 

position that he has 

held for longer than 

anyone else in the 

branch’s 35 year history. Richard informed the 

branch at the November meeting that whilst 

he would still be an active CAMRA member, 

due to pressure of work he had decided that it 

was time for someone else to take up the role 

of Chairman. Richard has worked tirelessly to 

promote CAMRA ideals and was part of the 

team that has helped make Nottingham 

Drinker the magazine it is today. Although 

unsuccessful Richard was a key player in the 

campaign to save Home Brewery and on a 

more positive note initiated the Beer and Tram 

guide. Over the years he has spearheaded 

many campaigns and been a very successful 

press and publicity officer for Nottingham 

CAMRA. The Committee and Branch wish 

Richard well in the future and although he will 

not be an active member of the Committee we 

are assured that he will continue to work to 

promote (and drink) real ale. 

Monkey Tree 

reopens 

The Monkey Tree on Bridgford Road reopened 

in December after extensive refurbishment. It 

is now twice the size and twice as 

comfortable, with a huge heated and covered 

terrace area. Whether it’s a quick early 

morning coffee or a Saturday night with 

friends there’s always a corner to make your 

own. The bar opens at 8am for breakfasts, 

coffees etc and serves a variety of food and 

drink throughout the day. Menus can be 

downloaded from this website. Along with 

the extensive wine list, usual beers, home 

made snacks the bar also serves traditional 

ales from far and near (as part of the Locale 

scheme). The Monkey Tree boasts free Wifi for 

all customers. The Monkey Tree restaurant is 

featured in the world-renowned Michelin 

Guide 2007. The upstairs a la carte eatery has 

a relaxed atmosphere and worldwide cuisine. 

Head Chef Pete Smith and his team create 

dishes from global influences but are careful 

to include locally sourced home grown 

comforts and familiar favourites along with 

one or two surprises. The diner can usually 

choose from Gourmet, a la carte or fixed 

menus accompanied by a choice of wines 

from an exclusive list; samples of all restaurant 

menus can be downloaded from their website 

at www.themonkeytree.co.uk 

Snippets 

New Owners - New 

Attitude 

This sign seen 

outside a local 

Nottingham pub 

(formerly owned 

by Hardys & 

Hansons) could 

perhaps be seen as an honest statement from 

Greene King over what they are planning to do. 

They are indeed 'New owners' and their 'New 

Attitudes' include: 

• Selling beer masquerading as Ruddles; 

Morlands and Hardys & Hansons when it is 

clearly not the original beer. After acquiring 

such famous brands as Old Speckled Hen and 

Ruddles County GK are trying to fool people 

into thinking that such beers are still brewed in 

Oxfordshire and Rutland! 

• Selling beers such as Old Speckled Hen, 

Ruddles County and H&H's Rocking Rudolph 

with lower ABV's - but despite the obvious 

saving on beer duty, the prices of beers in the 

GK estate is considerably more that when the 

pubs were owned by H&H. 

• And, of course, closing down a local brewery 

and major employer so that they can send 

beers 138 miles from Bury St. Edmunds. So 

much for carbon footprints! 

So well done GK you are indeed new owners - 

with a new attitude! 

 

 

 

70 Bridgford Road, West Bridgford, 

Nottingham, NG2 6AP 

0115 981 1419 

www.themonkeytree.co.uk 

www.nottinghamcamra.org February/ March 08 9

Snippets 

Cask Marque News 

The following new outlets have recently 

received Cask Marque accreditation: 

The Golden Fleece, 105 Mansfield Road; 

The Belle Vue, 680 Woodborough Road, 

Mapperley; The Gladstone Hotel, 45 Loscoe 

Road, Carrington; The Runner, 16 Alfreton 

Road, Canning Circus; The Hemlock Stone, 

Bramcote Lane, Wollaton. 

Horse and Groom 

10th anniversary 

beer at 1998 price 

The Horse & Groom on Radford Road, 

Basford, is 10 yrs old on 3rd February, and in 

order to celebrate they are going to be 

offering Star Bitter (similar to Shipstone’s 

Bitter) for the same price that they sold it on 

their opening night. They are hoping that 

many of you will turn out to enjoy not only 

this special offer, but also the many other 

things that will be happening on this historic 

night – full details of which are available at 

www.bartschinns.com. 

This promises to be a great night out if it is 

anything like their recent launch of their new 

hand pump which is to be totally dedicated to 

LocAle. Not only was Star from Belvoir 

brewery on sale on the new pump, but in the 

back room 8 other LocAle beers were 

availble, the most popular seller being Ouija 

Mild from Full Mash. I tried it myself, but my 

glass kept sliding around the table! 

During the night there was a debut 

performance from the recently formed band 

Park and Ride, who proved very popular and 

kept everyone entertained. There was also a 

very special visit from two City Hospital Staff 

form the Neonatal ward who were presented 

with a cheque for £1000. The management 

would like to say a special thank you to 

everyone who helped raise this money during 

the summer festival. 

Lancashire comes 

to Nottingham 

The Horse and Groom is holding a 

Thwaites Evening on Thursday 6th March. 

There will be at least 4 of their beers, 

traditional Lancashire food, and a chance to 

meet some of the people from the brewery. 

Thornbridge 

spread the word 

around the globe 

Thornbridge were delighted when their 

bottled version of Jaipur IPA was selected 

by the Beer Writers Guild committee to be 

the beer to accompany the main course 

(“Spiced Loin of Castlebridge Beef”) at the 

writers of the year awards dinner. 

Thornbridge have also been spreading the 

word for British beers across the USA after 

a consignment of Jaipur and Saint 

Petersburg were despatched in early 

December. Feedback on the beers has been 

received from North Carolina, Chicago, 

Pennsylvania and the following from a 

verbose fan in Arizona: 

Marks:15/20 - Jaipur poured from cask at 

Papago...a clear golden orange with a fluffy 

white head that lasts all the way down to 

the bottom of the glass leaving behind a 

trail of pillowy lacing. Aroma is a mild mix 

of pale malt, lemon, skunky pine hops and 

some wood. Medium body with a creamy 

cask texture. Flavour is similar to the 

aroma...muted with some hop spice and 

earthiness and finishing with some floral 

notes. 

New Thornbridge beers being brewed in 

the next month are Halcyon (7.7% - draws 

inspiration from the days when big hoppy 

pale ales were double crossing the 

equator), Ember (3.4% - a smoky pale ale) 

and a new pale ale. 

Norwegians at 

Magpie 

A recent visit to the Magpie Brewery had 

a Monty Python feel to it. Those of a certain 

age will remember a sketch involving a 

dead parrot ‘with a beautiful plumage’ - a 

‘Norwegian Blue’ and the photo shows Lars 

Flaten and ten very cold Norwegian friends 

enjoying a Magpie ale! Lars and friends 

agreed that the Magpie beers were 

excellent and enjoyed a range of LocAle 

beers during their recent weekend visit to 

Nottingham. 

Editor’s note: I’m just glad one wasn’t 

called Lars Torders! 

Steve’s smashing 

time for Pudsey 

As part of the 2007 charity bash that is 

Children in Need, thirty six Hoveringham 

villagers set Steve Taylor, head chef at the 

village’s Reindeer Inn, the challenge to 

‘ready steady cook’ each of them a two 

course meal within 20 minutes. The diners 

then donated what they reckoned was the 

meal’s value to BBC Children in Need. And 

a total of £608 has duly been passed on to 

the charity. 

Steve says each brought £5 ingredients with 

them on the evening and the oddities 

included coconut, eggs and chocolate. 

“I have to admit the dessert ingredients 

proved the hardest to use within 20 minutes 

and I ended up making a table decoration 

with some,” he says. “The chocolate could 

have been a problem but luckily I had a 

marinade recipe at hand for their venison 

and chicken. 

Chocolate and chicken…!!!!” 

10 www.nottinghamcamra.org February/ March 08

Real ales and 

ciders galore 

Graham Smith, bar and cellar manager at 

the Victoria Hotel Beeston has been 

working out some statistics for 2007. The 

pub has served an impressive 549 beers 

from 124 different breweries, and 90 of 

these were LocAles. There have also been 57 

different ciders and perries. Keep up the 

good work Graham! 

Beware of frozen 

taste buds! 

As if real ales are not already being served too 

cold in many outlets, the boys at Greene King 

have come up with a new cask ale designed to 

be served at 6 - 8 o C – far cooler than the 

recommended 11-13 o for real beers. St 

Edmunds – a name apparently chosen to 

celebrate Bury St Edmunds, the home of 

Greene King – has, they tell us, “been specially 

brewed to be served cooler than traditional 

cask beers, delivering the refreshment factor 

of colder drinks while retaining all the depth of 

character, taste and aroma you’d expect from 

a real beer”. Furthermore, we’re told, “Our 

brewing and quality team have worked 

tirelessly over the last 18 months to create a 

beer that does not throw a chill haze down to 

5 degrees. Obviously the recipe remains a 

secret but it is a great marriage of the best 

hops and brewing innovation”. 

Spotting the beer won’t be much of a 

problem, as they have designed a new kind of 

beer engine (handpump) especially for it! 

“Using groundbreaking technology”, we are 

informed, “cask supremos at Greene King 

have developed a unique beer engine that will 

allow people to choose how their pint of St 

Edmunds is served”. It seems that at the flick 

of a switch the pump will dispense either a 

Northern style pint with a tight 

creamy head, or a southern 

style with “a loose bubble 

and soft frothier head, also 

creating a tingly crisp 

sensation on the 

tongue”. 

To their credit, Greene 

King tell us that they are 

“committed to serving 

a full pint” with this 

device. 

A Great Dude 

downed daily 

The Spanish Bar in Ilkeston served a 4% beer 

specially created by Phil Mallard during the 

Christmas period with 20p a pint being donated 

to Macmillan Nurses. "Great Dude" was brewed 

in memory of former landlord John Elms who 

sadly died on Christmas Day 2006, the name 

coming from John's habit of calling customers 

"dude". The beer was sold at £1.76 a pint, the 

same price as their regular brew Quacker Jack, 

and it proved so popular that at least one firkin 

was sold every day until the whole batch had 

been enjoyed. John's daughter Hannah now 

runs this popular watering hole. 

A chance to brew 

your own beer in a 

commercial 

brewery 

Following successful festivals over the past 

three years, the 5th April sees yet another 

National Craft Brewing Festival in Derby. The 

overall first prizewinner will be invited to brew 

a batch of their beer on the pilot plant at 

Roosters Brewery in Knaresborough. 

There will also be prizes for the best beer in 

each category, and certificates for runners-up 

and other beers that are 

highly commended by the 

judges, and a form with 

written feedback from the 

judge will be given for each 

beer entered. There will 

also be an inter-regional 

competition for affiliated 

brewing clubs. The 

competition will take place 

at the The Waterfall, 

Railway Terrace, Derby DE1 

2RU ( opposite railway 

station ) on Saturday 5th 

April 2008. 

Full details, and an entry 

form, can be found at 

www.craftbrewing.org.uk/ 

extdoc/Derby08.pdf 

Snippets 

Free food for 

CAMRA members 

Brian Rigby at the Bell Inn, Nottingham is 

putting on a free buffet for CAMRA members 

on the Thursday night of his next beer festival. 

Called “The Six Nations Festival” because all 

the 20 beers will have a sports theme to their 

name, it will take place from Weds. 20th to 

Sun. 24th February. Entrance is free to all 

comers, but CAMRA members wishing to 

enjoy the free buffet need to bring their 

membership cards to gain admission to the 

upstairs restaurant where it will be laid out. 

Steve and Yvette welcome you to 

The Fiveways 

Selection of cask ales changing weekly 

Quality food served daily 

(12 - 8 Mon - Fri, 12 - 4 Sat - Sun) 

Meals 2 for £8, also snacks etc. 

Sunday Carvery 

Cash Bingo Tuesday & Sunday 

Weekly Jazz nights Tues & Weds, monthly Sun 

Quiz and Sticky Thirteens every Thursday 

Auction night every Monday 

Two function rooms available 

For details of any of the above, give us a ring 

on 0115 9265612 

Edwards Lane, Sherwood, Nottingham 


Bread and Bitter opens 

Mapperley rocks in time for Christmas 

Early December saw the long-awaited opening of Castle 

Rock Brewery’s latest addition to its award winning chain 

of pubs, the Bread and Bitter on Mapperley top. 

Tucked away behind the Plainsman, a Greene King house at the 

junction of Woodthorpe Drive with Plains Road, the Bread and 

Bitter occupies the shell of the old Judge’s Bakery, whose ovens 

finally went cold in 1991. Indeed, the fronts of those same ovens 

have been retained as a feature in the spacious, L-shaped interior, 

as have some of the original, white-glazed brick walls, now 

adorned with a wealth of interesting pieces of breweriana and the 

many awards won by Castle Rock beers in recent years. 

The floor is mostly wood 

but gives way to flagstones 

in the adjoining annex, 

which has more of a 

conservatory feel to it and 

provides much needed 

space for additional seating. Another particularly attractive and 

original feature is to be found in the ceiling panels and bar canopy, 

where illuminated stained glasswork 

has actually incorporated real bottles, 

specially flattened and assembled for 

the purpose. Peer closely and some 

of the brands can still be identified. 

James Halfpenny, an experienced 

member of the Castle Rock team, is 

the man in charge and he tells me that 

a cask-conditioned cider is scheduled 

to join the impressive array of 12 ale 

handpumps before too long. “We have 

three pumps dedicated to Castle Rock beers”, James tells me. 

“Harvest Pale and Preservation Ale are permanent, whilst the third 

will rotate around the rest of the Brewery’s portfolio”. Bateman’s 

Valiant and the powerful Thornbridge Jaipur IPA are also regulars, 

which leaves space for seven ever-changing guest beers, including 

a pump permanently dedicated to mild. Needless to say, there is 

also an interesting selection of continental bottled beers and even 

lager drinkers have not been entirely ignored. 

On the food side, breakfast is served from 9.00 am to midday, 

when the main meal service commences and continues until 8.00 

in the evening. Home baked pizzas are something of a house 

speciality and other daily specials are displayed on a chalkboard 

opposite the ovens, all carefully prepared by Nulda Lewis and her 

team in the kitchen. 

“Nulda comes from Montserrat in the West Indies”, James 

explains. “Her Caribbean Chicken is prepared to her mum’s own 

secret recipe and is likely to become one of the pub’s signature 

dishes”. 

All in all, it has been well worth the wait. The Bread and Bitter 

represents a very welcome addition to the county’s pub stock and 

to Mapperley in particular. It has all the hallmarks of another 

Castle Rock success story in the making. 

Barrie Judge and Betty 

Holmes check that all's 

cooking nicely at the 

opening of the Bread 

and Bitter. They are with 

Chris Holmes (left) and 

James Halfpenny (right) 


Win two bottles of real ale 

by answering the following 

question about the photograph 

from Spyke’s world travels 

Nottingham and Derby 

both had ice rinks in 

their main squares this 

Christmas – but in 

which city is this one 

pictured? (In the 

event of there being 

more than one 

correct answer, the 

winner will be drawn 

from a hat) 

The answer to the last competition was Aguas Calientes, Peru. 

This is the town a few kilometres from Machu Pichu where you 

can spend the night and then get a very early morning bus to the 

site, before the crowds get there. A record number of entries 

were received; all said Peru, many said Machu Pichu but five got 

the correct answer. One clever dick even pointed out that the loco 

was actually on the other end of the train – oops! But he did spell 

my name wrongly in his email! First out of the hat was Peter 

Mann, Callow Hill Way, Littleover, Derby, who receives the two 

bottles. 

Quick Quiz 31 

Happy Hour 

1. Who hosts the ITV game show ‘The Great 

Pretender’? 

2. For which premiership club does Michael Owen play? 

3. Which star sign is the sign of the goat? 

4. What was the title of Britney Spears Top Ten hit in 

November 2007? 

5. Which bone in the human body is most often 

broken? 

6. Which Suffolk town is the most easterly in Britain? 

7. Name the author of ‘The Day of the Jackal’? 

8. The Cook Straits separate which two New Zealand 

islands? 

9. Name the captain who, in a famous novel, went after 

a white whale called Moby Dick? 

10. Where were the 2004 Olympic Games held? 

11. On which day of the week is Maundy money 

traditionally presented? 

12. Which country is the largest producer of cheese? 

13. Which car did James Bond drive in ‘Goldfinger’? 

14. What do the abbreviations ‘AWOL’ stand for? 

15. What name is given to the young of a goose? 

Answers on Page 31 

NOW OPEN! 

THE• BREAD• AND• BITTER 

THE BREAD & BITTER 

153 - 155 Woodthorpe Drive 

Mapperley. NG3 5JL 

Toast of the Town 

12 Hand Pumps featuring 

regular beers, guests and cider 

Open 9am - 11pm Sun-Wed 

Midnight Thurs-Sat 

Food served 

throughout the day 

THE• BREAD• AND• BITTER 


13

Brewery Visit 

In the second in a series where 

we visit LocAle breweries, Steve 

Armstrong takes a look at the 

newly relocated Belvoir Brewery 

On 29th November 2007 Belvoir Brewery 

moved to a new location on the east side of 

the village of Old Dalby, fortunately this has 

made it more accessible to public transport 

from Nottingham. 

To get there, catch the number 19 Oakham 

(Veolia / Paul James) bus from Broad Marsh 

bus station (stand number 12). They run every 

hour during the day at 25 minutes to the hour, 

but not in the evenings or on Sundays. The bus 

runs along the A606 Melton Road and on the 

approach to Upper Broughton there are some 

splendid views overlooking the Vale of Belvoir. 

The road winds past the Golden Fleece in 

Upper Broughton and on to Nether Broughton 

where you should alight at the Anchor (you 

may be lucky and pick up a number 23 bus 

which takes you past the Brewery – this service 

is due to be taken over by West End Travel on 

28th January and bus times could change), 

alternatively get off round the corner at the 

Red House (formerly Red Lion). Walk back to 

the corner towards Old Dalby and along Dalby 

Road for about a mile and a half, the Brewery is 

on the left hand side. 

The new Brewery has a brick frontage and 

incorporates a bar and visitor centre, by the 

time you read this article it should be signed as 

the Sample Cellar. Colin Brown, the brewer at 

Belvoir explained that it has taken time to get 

the signing exactly as they wanted. The project 

is supported under the England Rural 

Development Programme by the Department 

for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and 

the European Agricultural Guidance and 

Guarantee Fund. Whilst the brewery remains 

independent, the new building and the Sample 

Cellar operation are a joint venture between 

Colin and Dianne 

Login. Dianne’s first 

involvement with 

Belvoir Brewery was 

as owner/operator 

of the Golden Fleece 

at Upper Broughton 

in 1995 when she 

was the first local 

publican to stock the 

Beaver Bitter on a 

regular basis. 

Colin began his 

brewing career at The 

Orange Brew-pub in 

Pimlico London. He studied for a degree in Bio 

Chemistry and passed brewing exams, which 

enabled him to become a brewer at 

Theakstons in Carlisle. Theakstons were taken 

over by Matthew Brown and following their 

take over and closure by Scottish & Newcastle 

Colin moved to Shipstones in Nottingham. 

Then Greenalls closed down Shipstones and 

from there he took a job at Reddish Savilles 

who provided finings and hygiene services to 

the brewing trade. After a few years of 

collecting brewing equipment he was able to 

set up his own brewery. In March 1995 Belvoir 

Brewery was born operating from an industrial 

unit at the top of Dalby Hill. The old brewery 

was extended and refitted in 2002 and the new 

equipment purchased then has been 

transferred to the new site 

The regular Belvoir beers are all brewed with 

traditional English ingredients: Maris Otter 

malts, Fuggles, Progress, Bramling and 

Challenger hops, and yeast from the old Hardys 

and Hansons strain. More exotic variations are 

included in one off and special brews. The 

beers tend to have names associated with the 

locality and with ballooning! Colin is an 

experienced balloonist having represented 

Great Britain on numerous international events. 

However the Star Bitter and Mild are named 

after and based on the old Shipstones recipes. 

The Beaver Bitter is spelt so as not to confuse 

non-locals, this brew also reflects his previous 

connection with Theakstons XB. One beer soon 

to join the Belvoir regulars is Melton Mowbray 

Oatmeal Stout a 4.3% brew packed full of 

cereals especially oats, rye and barley – look 

out for this one on the forthcoming Stout and 

Porter trail. Bottled conditioned Beaver, 

Peacock and Old Dalby are available, the nonbottled 

conditioned Melton Red is sold in Tesco 

and locally. 

At the front of the brewery is the Sample Cellar, 

which from February is being developed as an 

Exhibition and Visitor Centre, selling Belvoir 

beers, merchandise and local produce, they 

also have a full kitchen for meals. The spacious 

room can easily accommodate 100 people and 

is furnished with brewing artefacts and a bar 

billiards table. Two large windows look into the 

Brewery. Opening hours on my visit were 

Weekdays 12 – 8pm and Week-ends 12 – 6pm 

but from February these will be extended so 

check out the changes on the Belvoir website: 

www.belvoirbrewery.co.uk. Bookings are 

currently being taken for Brewery Tours, 

functions and parties. 

Locally Belvoir beers are regularly served 

at The Crown in Old Dalby village (either catch 

the West End Travel bus or walk about a mile 

further on into the village) and at the Red 

House in Nether Broughton (Belvoir Bitter and 

Red House Special). Buses back to Nottingham 

from Nether Broughton are on the hour but 

beware the last bus back is at six o’clock. 

Belvoir Brewery: The Sample Cellar, Station 

Road, Old Dalby, Leicestershire LE14 3NQ 

Telephone 01664 823455. West End Travel 

01664 563498. 

Belvoir regular beers: 

Star Mild - 3.4% abv 

Built on the foundations of a classic 

Mild Ale recipe this dark beer has a 

smooth character. A welcoming 

flow of full bodied flavours is 

followed by a pleasant rounded 

finish derived from a delicate 

balance of malt and hops. 

Star Bitter - 3.9% abv 

2005 GBBF Bronze Best Bitter 

Award. A traditional style bitter 

with plenty of character. Golden 

amber in appearance the beer 

combines a crisp dry flavour with a 

generous bitterness. Dry hopping 

with Goldings adds that final touch. 

Gordon Bennett - 4.1% abv 

Named after the infamous historical 

millionaire Gordon Bennett. A 

medium strength light chestnut 

coloured beer with a generous 

combination of mostly aromatic 

hops to give a pleasant finish. 

Beaver Bitter - 4.3% abv 

A well established favourite, being a 

premium full flavoured and well 

balanced smooth malt beer with a 

subtle blend of hops leading to a 

pleasant rounded finish. 

Peacock's Glory - 4.7% abv 

A glorious strutting display of hop 

flavours. This full-bodied light 

coloured premium beer has a 

generous helping of several varieties 

of English cone hops. 

Old Dalby - 5.1% abv 

A rich smooth ruby red coloured 

strong ale mingled with a variety of 

roasted flavours. An unusual blend 

of hops give this ale a complex 

pleasant character. 


Stout and Porter Stroll 

Nottingham CAMRA 

Stout & Porter 

troll 

8 - 29th 

March 2008 

Stouts and Porters – a history 

Porter was a London style that turned the brewing industry 

upside down early in the 18th century. It was a dark brown 

beer – 19th-century versions became jet black – that was 

originally a blend of brown ale, pale ale and ‘stale’ or wellmatured 

ale. It acquired the name Porter as a result of its 

popularity among London’s workers who carried goods 

around the City. There was no mechanised transport and 

horses were expensive so goods and supplies were simply 

carried around by these porters. The strongest versions of 

Porter were known as Stout Porter, reduced over the years to 

simply Stout. Such vast quantities of Porter and Stout flooded 

into Ireland from London and Bristol that a Dublin brewer 

named Arthur Guinness decided to fashion his own 

interpretation of the style. The beers were strong – 6% for 

Porter, 7% or 8% for Stout. Guinness in Dublin blended some 

unmalted roasted barley and in so doing produced a style 

known as Dry Irish Stout. Restrictions on making roasted malts 

in Britain during World War One led to the demise of Porter 

and Stout and left the market to the Irish. In recent years, 

smaller craft brewers in Britain have rekindled an interest in the 

style, though in keeping with modern drinking habits, 

strengths have been reduced. Look for profound dark and 

roasted malt character with raisin and sultana fruit, espresso or 

cappuccino coffee, liquorice and molasses, all underscored by 

hefty hop bitterness. Porters are complex in flavour, range 

from 4% to 6.5% and are typically black or dark brown; the 

darkness comes from the use of dark malts unlike stouts which 

use roasted malted barley. Stouts can be dry or sweet and 

range from 4% to 8% ABV. 



No. Pub Address Post code Tel No Opening Times 

1 The Bell 18 Angel Row, Market Square NG1 6HL 0115 9475241 10-11, 10-12 Thur - Sat 

2 Borlase Warren 1 Ilkeston Road, Canning Circus NG7 3GD 0115 9474247 12-11.30, 12-12 Fri & Sat, 12-11 Sun 

3 Bread and Bitter 153 Woodthorpe Drive, Mapperley NG3 5JL 0115 9607541 10-11, 9-12 Fri & Sat, 11-11 Sun 

4 Bunkers Hill 36 Hockley, Nottingham NG1 1FP 0115 9100114 12 - 12 

5 Canalhouse 48-52 Canal Street, Nottingham NG1 7EH 0115 9555060 12-11, 12-12 Thur, 12-1am Fri & Sat, 12-10.30 Sun 

6 Fox & Crown 33 Church Street, Old Basford NG6 0GA 0115 9422002 12 - 12 

7 Gatehouse Tollhouse Hill, Nottingham NG1 5FS 0115 9473952 11-11, 11-12 Fri & Sat, 12-10.30 Sun 

8 Globe 152, London Road, Nottingham NG2 3BQ 0115 9866881 11.30-11, 11.30-10.30 Sun 

9 Horse & Groom 462 Radford Road, Basford NG7 7EA 0115 9703777 11-11, 11-11.30 Fri & Sat, 12-11 Sun 

10 Kean's Head 46 St Marys Gate, Lace Market NG1 1QA 0115 9474052 10.30-11, 10.30-12.30 Fri & Sat, 12-10.30 Sun 

11 King William IV Manvers Street, Nottingham NG2 4PB 0115 9589864 11-11, 12-11 Sun 

12 Lincolnshire Poacher 161 Mansfield Road, Nottingham NG1 3FR 0115 9411584 11-11, 11-12 Thur-Sat, 12-11 Sun 

13 The Lion 44 Moseley Street, New Basford NG7 7FQ 0115 9703506 12-11, 12-12 Thurs - Sat, 12-10.30 Sun 

14 The Moot 27c Carlton Road, Nottingham NG3 2DL 0115 9540170 12-12 

15 Newshouse 123 Canal Street, Nottingham NG1 7HB 0115 9502419 12-11, 12-12 Fri & Sat, 12-10.30 Sun 

16 The Plough 17 St Peters Street, Radford NG7 3EN 0115 9702615 12 - 11 

17 Queen Adelaide 99 Windmill Lane, Sneinton NG3 2BH 0115 9580607 12 - 11 

18 Reindeer Main Street, Hoveringham NG14 7GR 0115 9663629 5-12 Mon & Tue,12-2 & 5-12 Wed - Fri, 12-12 Sat 

19 Salutation Hounds Gate, Nottingham NG1 7AA 0115 9881948 12-12, 12-1am Fri & Sat 

20 Stratford Haven 2 Stratford Road, West Bridgford NG2 6BA 0115 9825981 10.30-11, 10.30-12 Thur - Sat, 12-11 Sun 

21 Vat & Fiddle 12 Queensbridge Road, Nott'm NG2 1NB 0115 9850611 11-11, 11-12 Fri & Sat, 11-11 Sun 

22 Victoria 85 Dovecote Lane, Beeston NG9 1JG 0115 9254049 11-11,12-11 Sun 

The Stout & Porter Stroll expands again; we are now up to 22 pubs. This is the fourth Nottingham CAMRA Stout and Porter event. It’s 

three weeks of campaigning in order to promote two of the oldest beer styles still supped in Britain today. 

The stroll will take place from Saturday, 8th March through to Saturday, 29th March 2008. To support them, just visit the pubs to find 

out what is available; many outlets will be stocking several different beers throughout the stroll. Once you have sampled your chosen 

tipple, fill in the sheet above with the date and the name of the beer sampled. Once you’ve visited six pubs you can enter our draw for 

a prize. The prizes are bottles of, would you believe, stout or porter. Of course you can continue until you have visited all twenty-two 

pubs on the stroll - what could be simpler? 

Look out for Sooty Stout from Nottingham Brewery; Mr Toad from Castle Rock , their wildlife beer, a stout; Melton Mowbray Oatmeal 

Stout from Belvoir Brewery; Pitch Black from Everards Brewery; Stout Fellow from Caythorpe; Railway Porter from Brunswick; Black 

Pearl from Milestone; Puritans Porter from Springhead and many other stouts and porters that will be available throughout the stroll. 

Caythorpe Brewery’s “Stout Fellow” proved so popular with the locals when it was first tried at the Reindeer in Hoveringham that it 

has become a permanent fixture, replacing the Guinness on the bar. 

Then there are the health benefits, a pint of stout is good for your eyesight. Researchers in Canada have found that dark ales and 

stouts may reduce the incidence of cataracts by as much as 50 per cent. Men can also benefit as stout contains high levels of vitamin B, 

which can help prevent erectile dysfunction. 



How to get there Date Visited Beer 

Just off the Market Square 

Any bus to Canning Circus 

NCT bus 45 to Mapperley shops 

Next to the Ice Arena 

Near Broadmarsh centre on the waterfront 

Basford Tram Stop or NCT 70, 71, 72 bus 

Junction of Maid Marion Way and Parliament Street 

NCT Green Line bus (not No 11) opposite Meadow Lane footbridge 

Shipstone Street Tram Stop (Radford Rd stop to Nottm) or NCT 80, 81 bus 

Off High Pavement, opposite St Mary's Church 

Near junction with Carlton Road, just up from the Ice Arena 

Also rear entrance off North Sherwood Street 

Shipstone Street Tram Stop (Radford Road stop to Nottm) 

NCT Lilac line bus, just up from the Ice Arena 

Near Broadmarsh shopping centre, Station Street Tram stop 

NCT Pink Line or Trentbarton Rainbow 2, alight at junction with Triumph Rd 

Walk up Walker Street from Carlton Road and turn left at the top 

& Sun Train to Thurgarton railway station and then a mile walk along Station Road 

Off Maid Marian Way 

NCT Green line 6, 7, 8, 9 bus, near the Co-op 

Opposite Nottingham railway station 

Next to Beeston railway station, NCT 13 or Trent Barton 18 

Please note that all beers are subject to availability, please bear with the 

pubs, the beer might have just gone or the next one might not be quite 

ready. 

Also, all the pubs were asked at the beginning of January, since then 

the circumstances at the pub may have changed, perhaps a change of 

landlord, or a pub owning company changing their minds as to what 

they want on the bar. If no stout is on offer, please accept the apology 

of Nottingham CAMRA in advance - it is beyond our control! 

Mild times are on the way 

Don’t forget that May is Mild month. Throughout May the usual Nottingham 

Mild Trail will be taking place. Full details will be in the next Nottingham 

Drinker out on the 27th March, which will include the trail supplement. If 

you have never tried mild before, then May is the ideal time to find out 

about this style of beer. 

Name………………………………................................................... 

Address………………………………................................................ 

…………………………………………................................................ 

Postcode…………….... Email address………………………........... 

Visit any of the pubs above, and buy a half or a pint of Stout or 

Porter and fill in the details in the form above. You need to visit 

a minimum of six different pubs. Send your form to the address 

below by Saturday 5th April 2008. 


Nottingham CAMRA 

13 Amersham Rise 

Aspley 

Nottingham NG8 5QL 


Spyke Golding visits the Duke of 

Cambridge, Woodborough Road 

Pub Call 

Bus: NCT 45 (from City), 44 (to City): Every 10 mins daytime, 

30mins. evening, last to City: 23.48 M-Sa; 23.22 Su. Bus stop 

(Private Road) right outside 

The opening of a certain pub on Mapperley Top has renewed 

interest in this area, and if you are heading that way, you 

should not miss the Duke of Cambridge. Dating from the early 

1900s, this is a true local with a really friendly atmosphere. 

Mark and Carol Symonds have successfully run the pub for 

over five years, and are dedicated to the cause of real ale, with 

three handpumps always in use. The two regular beers are 

Caledonian Deuchars IPA and Charles Wells Bombardier; the 

third pump is reserved for a rotating guest beer. The beers are, 

needless to say, always kept in perfect condition and 

reasonably priced. 

There is a really huge clock, 

presumably ensuring that no 

one misses last orders! A 

recent addition is the patio 

area and gazebo with proper 

tables and separate wooden 

chairs. Mark told me it cost 

£60 grand, and was built 

both to cater for smokers in 

the (heated in winter) 

covered area, and simply as a 

pleasant place to sit outside 

Since alterations took place some ten years ago, there is one 

horseshoe shaped room wrapped around the central bar, but the 

hallway from the main door has the effect of separating it into two 

distinct areas, and the left hand side is still referred to as the bar, the 

other the lounge. It is carpeted but with bare floorboards at the bar, 

and there are comfortable upholstered settles and stools and 

polished wooden tables. Attractive light fittings add to the ambience 

of the pub – neither too dim nor too bright. The bar side has a 

dartboard which is still in regular use, whilst the lounge has a nice 

old fireplace, real potted palms and an occasionally used piano. 

The absolute best real ale pub in Carlton! 

For a warm and friendly atmosphere 

visit us daily, 12 noon ‘till 11pm 

Traditional Beers 

3 ever-changing guests 

Bombardier always available 

New! Covered beer 

garden, ideal for 

smokers! 

Satellite TV showing 

televised football. 

(soon to be available 

in beer garden) 

0115 961 8118 

Burton Road, Carlton (near Tesco) 

www.theblackshead.co.uk 

in the summer. There is also a 

function room available for hire, 

catering for up to 50 people. 

A welcome and unusual feature 

here is that free hot chicken wings 

are available on a help-your self 

basis from 5-7pm Monday to 

Friday! Meals of the 

straightforward pub grub kind are 

served at very reasonable prices at 

lunchtimes, except Sunday. There is a 

popular general knowledge quiz every Monday night, and music quiz 

Sunday night. The pub has its own football team too, Cambridge 

Knights, playing in the Midlands Amateur Alliance division 2. The 

team is sponsored by the GMB (General, Municipal, Boilermakers 

and Allied Trade Union) whose Midland offices are next door. They 

also supplied the pub with its plasma screen – but, unusually in this 

day and age, it does not show sports – Mark and Carol feel that this 

can sometimes attract the 

wrong kind of trade. Instead 

you will simply see a guide to 

what’s on in the pub. 

Oh, and by the way, the 

background music here is 

pleasant but quiet enough 

to be unobtrusive – a 

perfect place to enjoy the 

beer and the conversation! 

Do give it a try! 


19

In Praise of PUBlic Transport 

No. 51 of a series in which Spyke Golding looks at the use of buses, trams, trains and planes to visit pubs 

A Visit to Hartshorne in Derbyshire by bus 

I am pleased to report that the 

Department of Transport is at last 

looking into options for strengthening 

bus passenger representation. Hopefully 

this will lead to improvements in services 

– and in particular to the woefully 

inadequate services we had to suffer 

over the recent holiday period. I can see 

no excuse for not operating buses on 

Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. With a 

major football match on each occasion, 

and taxis charging up to double fare, 

how many people, unless living on the 

tram route, felt forced to drive when 

they may still have been over the limit 

from the night before? It is all very well 

to say that bus drivers deserve a break 

too – our buses are a public service and 

as such should, like the Police, Fire and 

Ambulance services, always be there for 

us. Also, I do not for one moment 

believe that there would not be drivers 

queuing up to work during the holiday 

if offered an appropriately enhanced 

rate of pay. I intend to continue to 

campaign for better holiday services and 

would seek the support of readers in 

this issue – let us no longer 

be positively encouraged to 

drink and drive or stay at 

home! Another personal 

campaign I shall be pursuing 

regards the early running of 

buses from certain timing 

points, causing passengers 

to miss them. It is a pity that 

our normally excellent bus 

services are marred by this 

practice, which achieves 

nothing and causes ill feeling 

in would be passengers who 

miss them. The worst 

offenders seem to be the 

Mansfield Road services, 

which have been known to 

leave from the stop opposite 

the Lincolnshire Poacher up 

to ten minutes early – a big 

problem if they are the last 

buses into town and 

passengers have midnight 

connections to make. NCT 

do tell me that steps are 

being taken to deal with the 

problems, and have agreed 

to meet me to discuss the 

issues – so watch this space! 

In my last article, I asked where, in our 

City Centre, could you still play darts! I 

got egg on my face with that one when 

I received a call from a pub that not only 

do I use regularly but also advertises in 

the Drinker, mentioning its dartboard! 

So, apologies to Bob and Carol at the 

News House, Canal Street, for forgetting 

them! Incidentally, no other darts pub 

has yet come to light in the City Centre 

– could they be the only one? 

Hartshorne is a pleasant village on the 

A514 between Melbourne and 

Swadlincote. The earliest recorded 

mention of the village is in the 

Domesday Survey of 1086 where it is 

described as an Anglo-Saxon settlement. 

The village lies below a sandstone ridge 

that reaches around 600 feet above sea 

level at its highest point, and it is from 

the shape of this that the village is 

believed to get its name. Viewed from 

certain angles, the hill is said to 

resemble the shape of a stag or harts 

head. Hence, it is correctly pronounced 

Hart’s Horn, not Hart Shorn. 

Getting there was pretty 

straightforward when I wrote this 

article in December and used the 

Arriva airlink 69 buses from East 

Midlands Airport to connect with a 

Skylink bus from Nottingham. But 

once again I was let down by public 

transport when I tried to return in 

the daytime to take the photographs 

on Sunday January 6th, when I went 

all the way to the airport only to find 

that the service had been changed – 

but their website timetables had not 

been updated. (I did write to Arriva 

about this, but, at time of writing, 8 

days later, I had not even had the 

courtesy of a reply) The timings were 

such as I was unable to proceed, and 

had travelled all the way to EMA 

fruitlessly! Although the 69 was still 

running, albeit to a different 

timetable, and only to Melbourne 

where you would need to change, it 

is rumoured that this may be 

discontinued shortly. So it is more 

convenient to go via Derby, where 

an Arriva 68 will take you there. This 

service runs from Morledge at 3 

minutes past the hour all day, and 

returns to Derby at 31 minutes past 

the hour until 2231 – you can use the 

Red Arrow to connect, or the R4 or 

R5 if more convenient to where you 

live. The journey time is 57 minutes. 


Alight at the furthest pub, the Snooty 

Fox (1), which is nearly in Woodville, 

the next village. There’s nothing snooty 

about this place though - it is a down-toearth, 

friendly sports bar with a 

restaurant attached. The first thing you 

will notice on entering is the new 

smokers’ conservatory stuck right on the 

front of the pub. The front bar has 

plasma screen sport, a pool table, 

jukebox and darts, and a comfortable, 

carpeted seating area. The brick and 

stone walls are painted in a lurid yellow, 

In Praise of PUBlic Transport 

with the bare floorboards. At the rear on the 

right is a small restaurant, specialising in 

“Stonegrill” meals – these involve cooking 

meat or seafood yourself, at your table, on a 

hot stone. This treat will set you back around 

£14-15. On the left at the back is a good 

public bar with barstools, darts, pool, table 

football, plasma screen sports, and a very 

nice old fireplace. There is an excellent and 

extensive outside drinking area, with lawns, 

picnic tables, flowers, shrubs and cedar 

trees. 

with lots of football prints including one of a 

very young looking Brian Clough with a 

Derby team. The back room has a carvery 

(closed on my visit) and beyond that a 

children’s room with pool. There is a pleasant 

lawn with picnic tables at the rear, with great 

views over rolling farmland. The only real ale 

on sale when I called was Marston’s 

Pedigree, but I was told that guests are 

sometimes available too. 

The Bull’s Head (2) is signed “Burtonwood, 

but, once again, Marston’s Pedigree is the 

ale. It is very food orientated – early Friday 

evening only two tables were not set for 

meals. The three original rooms have been 

partly opened out, but it is still very 

characterful with lots of horse brasses, prints, 

musical instruments, china, old bottles, and 

vintage suitcases. In the hearth you will find a 

set of miniature brass chairs, an old Imperial 

typewriter, a last and a sowing machine. Two 

large old hand operated drill stands dominate 

one area and there is a Guinness Toucan ad 

with the pub’s name on it – the toucan is 

sporting cow horns! The menu has a 

seventies feel with some up-to-date additions. 

The Admiral Rodney (3) is the only pub I 

know with its own cricket pitch at the rear – 

actually I think it belongs to the village, but 

the outside seats are on its edge. What a 

nice way to watch a cricket match! This very 

popular pub has a set of porcelain bells in the 

left hand room; the main room is carpeted 

and has comfortable upholstered chairs and 

settles, cricketing prints, and sets of stumps 

and bails. At the rear, up three steps, is a 

snug area. There’s a good range of ales here 

– Pedigree and 4 guests. They were just 

putting Thornbridge Jaipur on as I arrived – 

what a welcome! There was also a Burton 

Bridge and a Derby beer (whose name I dare 

not mention in this City) and before I left 

another one was going on; although I didn’t 

see the pump clip I did hear a rather raucous 

local telling the barmaid that he was looking 

forward to trying her Belvoir! 

The Chesterfield (4) serves good Marstons 

Pedigree, Fullers London Pride and Greene 

King Morland Old Speckled Hen. The front 

room has a beamed ceiling but lacks 

atmosphere – the furniture just does not gel 

There’s a microbrewery in Woodville and the 

place to try its beers is the Mill Wheel (5). 

This pub is fronted by a 24-foot diameter 

working water mill that used to drive the 

machinery to make screws. Upstairs is a 

popular bistro serving quality food; 

downstairs a smart but characterful bar with 

original beams and wooden support pillars. It 

is carpeted, and sports comfortable chairs 

and an old fireplace containing a modern 

wood burning stove. There is always a 

Tollgate beer from down the road; the three 

guests on my visit were Hop Back Summer 

Lightning, Oakham Bishops Farewell and 

G.K. Abbott. 


21

Ray’s Round 

A lot has been happening since the last edition, new pubs opening 

and others re-opening after refurbishments and changes of 

ownership, and news of another discount (see further down the 

column, well it’s one way of getting you to read it!!) 

22 

So this issue is not so much of a crawl, more of a grand tour! 

First up, is the new Tynemill/Castle Rock pub at Mapperley, the Bread and 

Bitter. It’s on Woodthorpe Drive (two doors down from the Plainsman), it 

has been converted from old bakery buildings (hence the name) To enter; 

you have to run the gauntlet of the smokers in the patio area. There is one 

bar area, as you enter, with twelve handpumps, and two further seating 

areas to the side and rear of this. 

The rear area has the frontage of two of the old bakery ovens, retained on 

one wall, the rest of the walls have old brewery memorabilia of those 

companies long since closed. 

On the bar you will find Castle Rock Harvest Pale 3.8% £2.20, Castle Rock 

Preservation 4.4% £2.40, Castle Rock Hemlock 4% £2.30, others that have 

been on are Phoenix Monkey Town Mild 3.9% £2.30, Copper Dragon 

Golden Pippin 3.9% £2.40, Oakham Bishops Farewell 4.6% £2.60, Hopback 

Summer Lightning 5% £2.60, Thornbridge Jaipur 5.9% £2.70 as with all 

Tynemill pubs, the beers change on a regular basis. One word of caution, 

when buying a half of a beer that is an odd number (i.e. £2.30) you will be 

charged an extra 5p (£1.20) I can only assume, that the till can’t cope with 

5p’s. 

Well worth a visit and judging by the number of people in, when I have 

visited, something that the locals have been waiting for. 

If you are going from town, get the number 45 bus from Queens Street, 

(you can get the 44, but that goes round through Netherfield first) 

My next port of call is Canning Circus; here two pubs have undergone 

refurbishments following changes of ownership. 

First The Falcon, this has been redecorated throughout, the only structural 

change being an opening in the wall between the main bar and the small 

side room and new windows put in. Upstairs, the restaurant has been reintroduced. 

All in all, the place now has a much brighter and friendlier feel. The bar, once 

again, has four cask ales available. The three regulars are: Adnams Bitter 

3.7% £2.50, Caledonian Deuchars IPA 3.8% £2.50 and Greene King Abbot 

5% £2.40. The guest beer was Black Sheep Bitter 3.8% £2.50 A welcome 

addition to the “circus circuit” 

Just across the road is The Running Horse now known as “The Runner” 

there has been a major change inside, with the bar being moved to the back 

of the pub and as a consequence, the area around the stage greatly 

increased. Two beers are on, Caledonian Deuchars IPA 3.8% £2.60 and 

Fullers London Pride 4.1% £2.60 although these can change depending on 

customers wishes. 

It will continue to be a live music venue. Monday to Wednesday will be free 

entry and Thursday to Sunday there will be a door charge, this will vary 

depending on who is playing. They will open between 7pm & 11pm, but if 

there is sufficient trade, they have a license until 2am 

And they already have some interesting bands booked, so get down there 

and support live music and get a decent drink into the bargain. 

Next, it’s down Ilkeston Road to the large island at the junction with the 

Western Boulevard (a 28 bus will get you there) 

The Crown is on the island, it has been recently refurbished and has reintroduced 

cask ale. Two ales are available; Courage Best Bitter 4% £1.90 

and Courage Directors 4.8% £2.06. (Both brewed by Wells & Young’s at 

Bedford) 

It is a large roadhouse type pub with a central island bar with seating all 

round it, there are a number of large screen TV’s dotted about and there is a 

pool table to the rear. Wednesday nights are quiz and curry nights, with the 

curry costing just £2. 

Finally, I’m back across town to Wilford Lane, and the Beeches Hotel, or 

more precisely, Oscars Bar and restaurant located therein. I have only 

recently been told about this, so if lots of people already know about it, then 

forgive me. Two Castle Rock beers are on the bar, Harvest Pale 3.8% £2.70 

and Elsie Mo 4.7% £2.70 It is a very modern lounge bar, bright and airy. 

There is one bar with a large amount of seating area; the restaurant is off to 

one side. Bar meals are also served and from the evidence of the night I was 

in, the do a lot of them. Background music is played with a large screen 


showing the music video, also there is a wide screen TV behind the bar 

showing football, but you need to be at the bar or seated close by to see it. 

So if you’re in the area, why not pop in and have a look. (The number 1 bus 

to Loughborough goes pass the door) 

And now on to the discount, this is available at the Black’s Head, Carlton 

Square, it is 20% off a pint on Monday nights only and will start on the 4th 

of February (and yes, that is a Monday!!) As usual, it is on production of 

your membership card. All beers are £2.50 a pint, regardless of strength. 

They had Black Sheep Emmerdale 4.2%, Wells & Young’s Bombardier 4.3% 

and Greene King Old Speckled Hen 4.5% on, when I was in, and they 

change on a regular basis. It is a very pleasant two-roomed pub with friendly 

staff and customers and plenty of seating to rest your weary bones. For 

those looking for a change from the wife’s cooking, or even your own, the 

pub had a curry evening on every second Thursday (it started on January 

10th) and you get a curry and a pint for £4.50 (buses 25 & 27 turn off just 

before the pub or the Pathfinder 100 to Southwell uses the stop outside the 

door) 

Now, a reminder of the other CAMRA discounts available: 

The Fox & Crown, Basford, 25p a pint, at all times 

The White Horse at Ruddington has a 20p a pint discount, which is 

available at any time. The Three Crowns, also at Ruddington, 25p off a pint, 

Sunday to Wednesday, The Queen Adelaide, on Windmill Lane is also 

offering a 20p off a pint, The Sun Inn at Eastwood, here we are being 

offered a 15p a pint discount at all times. The Navigation on Wilford Street, 

is offering 10p off a pint; all day, every day. Great Northern Inns group; 

Fellows, Southbank, The Approach and the Globe, you can get a 20p 

discount on all pints (and, 10p off a half in Southbank and the Globe) this is 

available at all times. (The Approach has all Locale beers being offered at 

£1.80 a pint between 8pm and 11pm on Mondays, so no discount on this 

day) 

And The Salutation, is offering 20p off all pints over £2.19. (Don’t forget, 

that this is in the SIBA scheme, so a lot of micro brewery beers are now on 

offer) 

So please take advantage of these reductions, so that the various hostelries 

know that we do appreciate their generous offers. 

All the above offers can be obtained by simply showing your CAMRA 

membership card. 

As the credit card 

adverts say, “never LEICESTER BEER ER FESTIVALL 

leave home without 

it”! 

12th - 

15th March 2008 

There has never We’re opening our doors 

been a better time 

again to offer at least 

to be a CAMRA 

200 

0 Beers from 

member, so if you Leicestershire, Rutland 

and 

aren’t a member, 

other areas 

plus 30 real 

Ciders 

you had better join, 

&Perries and local Wines 

quick!! 

And don’t forget 

that Tynemill with 

their ‘one over the 

eight’ promotion 

with free beer and a 

number of 

promotional items 

to be saved for is 

at the 

still going strong. 

Charotar 

Patidar Samaj 

Cheers, Ray. 

Entrance on Bay Street, 

off St Margaret's Way 

(behind J Farthings s&So 

Son 

Plumbers/Next to 

Leicester VW) 

Leicester LE1 3EB 

Contact 

Keith Williams 07989 272717 

Email: keithedmundwilliams@yahoo.co.uk 

CHURCH GATE GATE 

Festival lO 

Opening 

Times 

Wednesday esday 5pm-11pm 

Thursday 11am to 11pm 

1pm 

Friday 11am 1am to 11.30pm 

Saturday 12 noon to 11pm1pm 

Non-members: 

e 

Weds £2.00 

Thurs after 4pm £2.00 

0 

Fri after 4pm £3.00 

Sat all day £2.00 

Souvenir rF 

Festival Glass £2 Refundable 

Authentic Indian &Traditional English 

Fayre 

available abl 

le throughout the festival. 

CARD CARRYING CAMRA 

MEMBERS 

FREE ADMISSION! 

SION! 

SANVEY Y 

GATE 

To 

Clock Tower 

and London Road 

Railway Station 

CRAVEN VEN STREET STREET 

STREET 

A459 BURLEYS 

WAY 

Y 

FRIDAY Y ST 

FRIDAY Y STREET 

A6 ST TMA 

MARGARETS ARGARETS WA 

WA 

WAY 

AY 

St Margarets rets 

Church 

h 

St Margarets 

re 

Bus B 

Station 

tion 

Leics 

VW 

SOUTH CHURCH GATE 

BAY Y ST. S 

. 

CANNING NI 

PL 

GRAFTON PL 

WE ARE 

HERE 

ST. . JOHN JOHN S 

STREET 

STREET 

WATLING TLING STREET 

For further information - www.leicestercamra.org.uka.org.uk 

EET

Tales from the North 

It only seems a few weeks 

ago that I was writing to 

say that a new Landlord 

had arrived at the Green 

Dragon, Hucknall and it 

has just happened again. 

Carole Henson, previously in 

charge at the Yew Tree, 

took over towards the end 

of November and turned the 

pub back into one of the most popular venues in Hucknall. Five everchanging 

real ales are on offer and the pub is open 12-12 seven days a 

week (food available 12-3; 5-8 Mon-Sat and Sunday lunch). 

The pub has something for everyone including darts on Mondays, 

Karaoke on Thursdays and knock out pool on Tuesdays. 

Special charity nights are a 

feature of the pub and ‘Help the 

Heroes’ night takes place on 

Thursday 3rd February 2008. 

Darron remains in charge of the 

cellar, a role he has carried out 

for the last five years, and this 

ensures that all the ales are in 

excellent condition. 

The Gate at Awsworth, one of 

the finest examples of an 

unspoilt pub, now serves Greene 

King XX Mild. This follows the 

decision of GK to discontinue 

the ‘‘H&H’ Mild that they were brewing in Bury St 

Edmunds. 

The Badger Box, Annesley has also benefited from 

the arrival of Greene King XX Mild having similarly 

lost the GK version of H&H Mild. 

The Three Ponds, Nuthall has had a make over both internally and externally. The pub, which 

has a large food trade, has been smartened up and a new menu was launched to coincide with 

the pub re-opened at the end of November. Anne Lickorish, who jointly runs the pub with 

Anthony Lickorish, said that they were very pleased with the work and expected to attract new 

and old customers to the pub. Externally the garden area has been improved and a new 

children’s play area added. Currently the pub offers four cask ales from the Greene King range 

and is open 11-11 during the week and 11-12 Friday and Saturday (food 12-9). Families are 

welcome although children are expected to depart before 9.00 pm. 

The Victoria Hotel 

Next to Beeston Railway Station 

85 Dovecote Lane, Beeston, Nottingham, NG9 1JG Tel: 0115 9254049 

or visit our website at www.victoriabeeston.co.uk. 

Easter Beer Festival: Fri-Mon 21-24 March 

CAMRA Nottingham Pub of the Year 2005 

Thu-Sun 21-25 Feb: Local Brewers’ weekend 

National Good Beer Guide 1996-2008 

12 Real ales always on, including 

a mild, and a porter or stout 

Member of CAMRA Locale scheme 

Live Music every Sunday evening 

Jazz every Monday evening 

The Royal Oak has confirmed that another 

Beer Festival is to take place this Spring. The 

Festival, to be held in the Cabin at the rear of 

the pub, opens at 4.00 pm on Thursday 27th 

March. Friday and Saturday hours are 12-12 

and Sunday it will be open 12-7. 

Approximately twenty beers will be on offer, 

along with cider and in the evening live music 

is planned. Further information: 

0115 9383110. 

If you have any information relating to pubs 

in ‘the north’ please contact me at 

andrewludlow@nottinghamcamra.org 

This is a non-smoking pub both inside and out 


23

LocAle 

A New Year toast with a difference… 

LocAle Scheme tops half-century! 

Local pub goers have something to celebrate for 2008…the number of participating pubs in 

Nottingham CAMRA’s LocAle Scheme has sailed way past the half-century mark! 

Almost 70 pubs and bars have now joined the scheme, which encourages real ale outlets to offer at 

least one beer from a brewery situated within 20 miles of its front door. So more and more customers 

are finding out just how good the ales produced by our excellent local brewers really are In fact more than that, local people are 

starting to take a pride in drinking our local products rather than indistinctive national brands that have no local connections. 

The environment is also a winner as these local brews are delivered from just down the road rather than shipped in from such places as 

Bury St Edmunds, which involves a heavy truck making a round trip of 220 miles. 

Chilwell 

Dunham on Trent 

Heanor 

Chequers Inn 

Ilkeston 

Bridge Inn 

Red Lion 

Conservative Club 

Dewdrop Inn 

Langley Mill 

Observatory Poacher Spanish Bar 

Long Eaton 

Inn the Middle 

Morton 

Railway 

Newark 

Hole in the Wall 

Twitchell 

Full Moon Inn 

Southwell 

Fox & Crown 

Mailcoach 

Sutton on Trent 

Vine 

Wollaton 

24 

Old Coach House 

Bramley Apple 


Lord Nelson 

Hemlock Stone

DRIVEN TO DRINK BY 

GLOBAL WARMING 

By Erik Peterson 

Here at the Petersen Institute of Science, 

we love nothing more than frying up the 

bacon of hypothesis, slopping it together 

with the baked beans of empirical 

research and the mushrooms of scientific 

method, and serving it all up with the 

lukewarm tea of extrapolation. 

But science isn't all fun, games and 

breakfast. It also requires us to look at 

the larger world, at economic trends and 

social problems and then, confronted 

with what we see, go drink a beer. Or 

several. We here at the institute are 

pretty sure it's your round. 

This leads us to Today's Important 

Science Question: why is my beer getting 

so freakin' expensive? 

A) Because the planet hates you and is 

meting out its furious punishment. 

Q) Ah. This'd be the global warming, 

then? 

A) Oh yes. As worldwide weather patterns 

continue to have something of the Book of 

Revelation about them, crops suffer. Crops 

that provide the basics many people 

depend upon to make that which they need 

to survive. 

Q) Like hops and barley? 

A) Bingo. The hops and barley farmers can 

hardly harvest anything in weather 

conditions featuring flood/drought/raining 

toads. So what they can harvest goes to 

market at a skyrocketing price, where it is 

then bought by the breweries, who pass 

the costs onto the punters, who give their 

money to the pub landlord, who passes it 

onto the doctor in the frostbite ward he's 

now had installed at the end of the bar for 

all the patrons who smoke and now have to 

stand outside whenever they want a 

cigarette. This is how Britain's healthcare 

system is slowly becoming privatised. 

Q) But hang on a minute. I went into my 

local 24-hour super-mega-uberstore the 

other evening and they were selling that 

Euro-lager from the TV adverts for like 

12p a four-pack. 

A) That's because they're not actually trying 

to make money off the beer. They're like 

that one kid in school who was a real loser 

but came from a rich family, and he'd offer 

to buy beer for the parties so you'd be his 

mate. The beer was kind of a loss-leader for 

him; it meant your 

friends on the rugby 

team might not hold 

him upside down over 

the toilet anymore. 

Q) So the big chains 

just want to be 

popular? 

A) Totally! They're 

willing to give you all 

the beer you want as long as you hang out 

with them, maybe check out their produce 

aisles, see what you two have in common. 

Like, you like breakfast cereals? Omigod, so 

do they! Aisle three! 

Q) So if people can still get the big-brand 

bottled beers cheap in supermarkets and 

then drink them at home, what happens 

to the smaller breweries and local pubs? 

A) They assume that a discerning public's 

eventual thirst for quality will win the day. 

Q) Heh, yeah. But seriously, what do they 

do? 

A) Well, they get behind campaigns like 

Nottingham CAMRA’s LocAle, which 

encourages Notts punters to seek out 

different locally produced real ales, thereby 

supporting local brewers and doing their bit 

to cut down the carbon footprint made by 

all these big international beers so that beer 

drinkers can help improve the situation 

that's ruining the hops and barley crops in 

the first place. 

Q) Whoa whoa whoa, wait a minute. 

You're telling me that I can go out to a 

pub, look for a pint from Castle Rock or 

Nottingham Brewery ... 

A) Or Magpie or Mallards or ... well, there's 

a decent-sized list. 

Q) Right. I can look for these, sample 

some of them and in doing so be helping 

to save the environment? 

A) Yep. 

Q) I love environmentalism. 

A) Good. It's still your round. 

(This article first appeared in the 

Nottingham Evening Post) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LocAle 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Young members’ LocAle 

pub crawl 

On Saturday March 1st young members will 

be embarking on a pub crawl of LocAle pubs, 

and whatsmore, each and every one taking 

part will receive a Locale T-Shirt. They will be 

meeting at the Vat and Fiddle, opposite the 

train station on Queensbridge road at 11a.m. 

Participants will have the opportunity to visit 

some of the pubs on the scheme to assess its 

success, and, of course, to drink the beers. 

Whilst most pubs on the crawl will be in the 

city centre, there will be a quick trip over the 

Trent to West Bridgford, and a visit to Basford 

by tram. Participants should bring their 

membership cards in order to participate in 

the various discount schemes in some of the 

pubs. 

Here are some of the outlets they hope to 

visit: Bunkers Hill Inn, Hockley; 

Fellows Morton & Clayton, Canal Street; 

Gatehouse, Derby Road; Globe, London Road; 

Kean’s Head, St Mary's Gate; The Moot, 

Carlton Road, Sneinton; Newshouse, Canal 

Street; Old Angel, Stoney Street; Salutation, 

Maid Marion Way; Monkey Tree, Bridgford 

Road; Southbank, Trent Bridge; Stratford 

Haven, Stratford Road; Fox and Crown, 

Church Street; Horse and Groom, Radford 

Road; Horse and Jockey, Mill Street; Lion, 

Mosley Street. 

For more information about the LocAle pub 

crawl, please contact, Kieran Atherton, the 

Nottingham Branch Young Members Contact, 

at kieranatherton@hotmail.co.uk or by phone 

on 07738 706518. 


Across the Pond 

Andrew Ludlow takes 

the LocAle scheme to 

the New World 

At the end of last year I gave a presentation to the Central 

Florida Home Brewers (CFHB) relating to the Nottingham 

LocAle scheme. Since then I have been in regular contact 

with members of the CFHB and was pleased to be told that 

the idea of ‘localness’ is causing quite a stir in the States, so 

much so that The New Oxford American Dictionary 2007 

Word of the Year is ‘ Locavore’. 

According to the dictionary ‘Locavore’ was coined two years 

ago by a group of four women in San Francisco who proposed 

that local residents should try to eat only food grown or 

produced within a 100-mile radius (America is a big Country so 

100 miles over there equates to 20 miles here). Other regional 

movements have emerged since then, though some groups 

refer to themselves as ‘localvores’ rather than ‘locavores’. 

Ben Zimmer, Editor for American dictionaries at Oxford 

University Press said “The word ‘locavore’ shows how foodlovers 

can enjoy what they eat while still appreciating the 

impact they have on the environment. It’s significant in that it 

brings together eating and ecology in a new way” 

So next time you are in the pub tell the Landlord that you are a 

Locavore and demand a pint of LocAle! 

My thanks go to Ron and Sharon Montefusco of Dothan, 

Alabama for tipping me off about Locavores. 

Ron and Sharon run the ‘Biohazard Brewery’, although 

technically a home brew operation they use a half barrel plant 

and brew a range of different types of beers and ales. As far as 

I know they are the first in America to join the Nottingham 

CAMRA LocAle scheme – see photo. If you would like to know 

more about their brewing check out their web site 

http://biohazard.veriqikdsl.com/ 


Tasting Notes 

John Westlake has a Duvel 

of a time in Belgium... 

When a shoemaker friend of Albert Moortgat pronounced the 

straw coloured ale he had just brewed to celebrate the end of 

the Great War “a true devil of a beer”, the epithet stuck and so 

was born Duvel, one of Belgium’s almost legendary beers. 

Originally founded by Albert’s father, Jan-Leonard Moortgat, in 1871, 

the brewery dominates the village of Breendonk, not far to the south 

of Antwerp and remains to this day firmly under the control of the 

Moortgat family. However, the Company has certainly not rested on 

its laurels over the years and in addition to producing a range of 

speciality beers, including the excellent Maredsous Benedictine Abbey 

range, it has also expanded overseas. In 2003 they purchased the 

Ommegang Brewery of Cooperstown, New York, a speciality brewer 

with a reputation across the pond for its range of Belgian style beers 

and more recently, acquiring a 50 percent holding in the Czech based 

Bernard Brewery, thus providing a firm foothold in central Europe. 

However, there can be no doubt that Duvel is the jewel in the 

Moortgat crown. 

Brewed using Belgian malt, seasoned with Czech Saaz and Styrian 

hops and interestingly, fermented with a Scottish yeast strain dating 

back to 1918, Duvel is an unpasteurised, bottle-conditioned beer of 

great depth and complexity, which undergoes a unique conditioning 

process at the brewery, first in a warm cellar for ten days followed by 

a further six weeks cold-conditioning at 5° Celsius. From start to 

finish, the whole brewing process takes a remarkable two months. 

Carefully poured into its own distinctive stem glass, Duvel radiates a 

clear pale gold topped with an ample, rocky head with good 

The Queen Adelaide 

99, Windmill Lane, Sneinton, Nottingham 

Tel. 0115 9580 607 

lacework. The fruity nose boasts a powerful smack of hops with hints 

of Poire William, whilst the palate is crisp and again dominated by 

spicy hops, balanced by sweet malt flavours. The long and 

surprisingly dry finish belies the beer’s not insignificant strength (8.5 

percent abv), which can be dangerously moreish for those not fond 

of nursing hangovers! Incidentally, tipping in the sediment is an 

option preferred by many aficionados and gives the beer an 

inevitable, milky hue whilst imparting a more astringent, tart and 

yeasty character on the tongue. 

But enough of the technicalities, it’s 

time to consider where a glass or two 

might best be enjoyed, and there is 

nowhere better than some of the 

excellent bars to be found in Brussels, 

Belgium’s much underrated capital with 

its magnificent Grand’ Place and now 

so easily accessible from Nottingham 

via St Pancras International. 

Four real ales, mainly local breweries 

£2.20 pint; 20p discount with CAMRA card 

• Food served 7 days a week with choice of daily specials 

• Sunday Lunch from £6.95, two course £8.95 

three course £9.95 (12 - 4pm) 

• Happy Hours 2pm - 5pm Monday - Friday 

• FREE pool Monday - Thursday 

• Big screen T.V., Sky Sports & Setanta, Pool & Darts 

• Two beer gardens with superb panoramic views of City 

• Two function rooms available for hire 

• Conference facilities 

• Old time singalong Sats. 8.00 in the Snug Room. Wartime 

favourites! 

The iconic image of Brussels, 

bizarrely, is a diminutive statue 

of a small boy relieving himself 

but sadly, few of the 

attendant, giggling tourists 

realise just how good a 

watering hole is standing just 

behind them. 

Poechenellekelder, accessed 

via a spiral staircase, offers an 

extensive beer list in 

welcoming, simply furnished 

rooms festooned with an 

eclectic array of bric-a-brac and 

puppetry figures. 

Not far away, at 55 Rue des 

Alexiens, Fleur en Papier Dorée 

is reputedly the oldest bar in Brussels and has recently benefited from 

a sympathetic restoration, whilst just up the hill at number 67, steps 

lead down to La Porte Noire, a 16th century brick vaulted wine cellar 

with rustic bench seating and over 130 beers to choose from. 

28 


Close to the Bourse, Falststaff, 

at 17 Rue Henri Maus, has a 

more limited selection but is 

still well worth a visit, if only to 

marvel at its gloriously 

authentic, fin de siècle 

interior, whilst on the other 

side of the Bourse, Cirio is an 

equally impressive, original 

Bruxellois art nouveau café. 

From here it is a short step 

to a trio of café bars tucked 

away up blind alleys: La Bécasse off Rue Tabora and L’Imaige de 

Nostre Dame off nearby Rue Marché aux Herbes, together with 

Bon Vieux Temps, almost next door and the oldest and more 

atmospheric of the three. 

Just a few blocks towards Gare Centrale (Central Station), at 4a 

Impasse de la Fidélité off Rue des Bouchers, the Delirium beer 

café offers an awesome choice of over 2000 beers including 14 

on tap. Most of the action takes place in the cellar bar where 

old barrels serve as tables and assorted breweriana smothers 

the walls and just about everywhere else. Definitely not to be missed, 

even if getting served can sometimes be a pain. 

Closer yet to Gare Centrale, 

A La Mort Subite can be 

found at 7 Rue Montagne 

aux Herbes Potagères and is 

probably the finest surving, 

fin de siècle long bar in the 

City. Mort Subite gueuze 

beers, Duvel and a good 

few others can all be 

enjoyed in this splendid, 

historic setting, complete 

with suitably detached 

waiter service. 

Bier Circus, at 47 Rue de l’Enseignement, is about a 20 minutes walk 

away beyond the cathedral but well worth the effort. Now more a 

bistro featuring ‘cuisine a la bière’ than the simple beer café it used to 

be, Bier Circus nonetheless continues to offer over 170 excellent and 

varied brews. Meanwhile, closer to Gare du Midi and the Eurostar 

terminal, Warm Water at 25 Rue des Renards, not far from the vast 

edifice of the Palais de Justice is a cheerful, unpretentious sort of place 

and a rare outlet for draught Girardin beers. 

Finally, if time permits a trip further out, head west along the N8 to 

Schepdaal where the Rare Vos is a charming old tavern overlooking the 

Market Place. Girardin brew a splendid beer especially for them and the 

traditional Belgian cooking is both hearty and thoroughly 

recommendable, especially the horse steaks. And if it’s Sunday, 

another and very special treat lies a little further out, opposite St. 

Ursula’s Church in the pleasant village of Eizeringen. In de Verzekering 

Tegen de Grote Dorst (Insurance Against Great Thirst) is a superb 

example of the sort of simple beerhouse, which was no doubt common 

in this part of Payottenland 100 years ago. Rescued from oblivion by 

two brothers when the lady who had run the place for the last 51 years 

finally retired on Christmas Eve 1999, its two beautifully restored bars 

complete with pot stove and wind-up gramophone are only open 

Sundays and public holidays from 10.00 to13.30. More museum, 

perhaps, than drinking den, ‘Dorst’ specialises in the spontaneously 

fermented lambic beers for which the 

region is so famous and offers probably 

the best selection to be found anywhere 

in Belgium, including examples from 

Drie Fonteinen, Hanssens, Girardin, De 

Cam and Cantillon. And if that’s not 

good enough for you, they can 

probably rustle up the odd bottle or 

two of Duvel. 

Tasting Notes 

Postscript: 

In November a certain celebrated local brewer, who had better 

remain nameless, asked a fellow curmudgeon, the Irritable Cellarman 

no less, to accompany him on trip to Brussels. He had never been to 

Belgium and was keen to sample the well-regarded beers on their 

own territory. However our hero had never ever travelled on a plane 

before and was understandably feeling a little apprehensive as they 

waited at the airport for their departure, having already checked in 

online. When they announced "please proceed to the gate with your 

passport” he opened up his brand spanking new passport - only to 

find that he had brought his wife's by mistake! 

Needless to say he was refused boarding and was left standing at the 

departure gate as the plane headed off towards the beery delights of 

Brussels. However BMI found him a seat on a later flight and his wife 

made a mercy dash to the airport with his passport, so he had to 

make his first ever flight on his own, being talked through what to do 

at the other end via a mobile phone. However the weekend 

otherwise proved a success and they were only two hours late for 

their table reservation that evening for some splendid nosh and 

excellent beer at the delightful Spinnekopke restaurant that 

specialises in beer cuisine (bizarrely the name means "In The Spider's 

Little Head" ). Amongst many other very good bars they also visited 

In de Verzekering Tegen de Grote Dorst, as mentioned above, and 

found it fascinating. Although enjoying the rest of the many beers 

sampled our hero steadfastly refused to drink the various geuezes 

and draught lambics that were encountered along the way, including 

at a visit to the famous Cantillon Brewery, declaring that any selfrespecting 

British brewer would chuck these world-renown 

spontaneously fermented brews down the drain! 

So who is the local brewer in question? We are not saying me duck! 


29

Post Box 

Cold beer 

Sir, 

As the local Cask Marque Assessor I just have to reply to the comments about Cask Marque made 

by the Irritable Cellarman in Issue 83 of the Nottingham Drinker. He complains that pubs that have 

achieved the Cask Marque accreditation dispense their beers at too low a temperature. Well, it is 

true that a pub serving beers below 10 o C can achieve Cask Marque status, but they are very much 

the exception, rather than the rule. 

Cask Marque score four parameters during their inspections; temperature, appearance, aroma and 

flavour. Each parameter can be scored 5, 3, 2 or 0. Each and every beer must score a minimum of 16 

/ 20 for the account to pass. Two passes are required to gain accreditation. Within the temperature 

parameter a beer dispensed at 9.5 o C would score only 2 points. It must, therefore, score 5 points 

for each of the remaining parameters to achieve a 'pass' rating. This means that not only must it 

smell and taste perfectly acceptable, but it must not show any signs of chill haze, something that 

cask beers are increasingly likely to do at temperatures below 10 o C. 

I would agree with Irritable Cellarman that beers should not be 'warm', nor should they 

be 'room temperature' - which is usually about 20 o C - but they should, indeed, be 

served, as he asks for, at a 'good cellar temperature' - which is normally 

recommended to be 11 to 13 o C. A temperature of 10 to 14 o C scores the maximum 

5 points on our inspections. If it is 14 to 15.5 o C it scores 3 points; above 15.5 o C - nil 

point! 

If Irritable Cellarman chooses to frequent pubs that do not have Cask Marque 

accreditation, preferring them to those which are accredited, then he will run the risk of 

getting beers served at wildly varying temperatures, from very cold to very warm. In 2006 

we carried out an exercise whereby we checked the temperature of beers served at pubs 

adjacent to Cask Marque accredited pubs. I have just checked back on my score sheets and 

Plough Monday 

Sir, 

They were celebrating Plough Monday in some of the pubs near us 

in the vale of Belvoir on 7th January. Do you have any idea what 

this is about? Geoff Wallace, Hose. 

Sub- editor Steve Westby replies: 

References to Plough Monday date back to the late 15th century, it 

is the traditional start of the English agricultural year, marking the 

resumption of work after the Christmas period and falls on the 

first Monday after Twelfth Day (Epiphany), 6 January. In some 

areas, a plough was hauled from house to house in a procession, 

with the ploughmen, with blackened faces and wearing white 

shirts, knocking on doors and asking for money, food and drink. 

They were often accompanied by musicians, an old woman or a 

boy dressed as an old woman, called the "Bessy", and a man in the 

role of the "fool".. In medieval times it was common for ploughs to 

be blessed by the church the day before on Plough Sunday.Plough 

Monday plays were popular in parts of Lincolnshire, 

Nottinghamshire and the East Midlands, they were similar to that 

of Christmas Mummers Plays in that they were performed by 

young men and included some of the same story elements, such as 

the death and resurrection of one of the characters. Does anyone 

have any further information on this historic custom? 

find that the lowest temperature I recorded was 14.0 o C and the highest was 23.9 o C. One of my colleagues in Margate even found one at 30 o C. I'm surprised 

that he wasn't offered milk & sugar with it! 

Beer served too cold does loose its flavour, but beer served too warm tends to enhance all the wrong flavours - harsh bitterness, yeastiness, excessive fruitiness, 

sulphury aromas and so on. If I was faced with having to accept a beer at 9 o C or one at 17 o C I know which I would take. A cold beer will warm up; a cold beer 

won't cool down - particularly on a hot summer's day. There's nothing better than a pint of a cool (not cold) cask beer whilst watching cricket on the village 

green. Roll on summer! 

Peter Tulloch, Cask Marque 

The Irritable Cellarman replies: 

In theory Cask Marque should be an excellent scheme and I would fully support it if it were not for this issue of allowing beer to be served too cold in some, I 

certainly did not suggest all, of their accredited pubs. When I first worked as a Cellarman the CAMRA Guide to Cellarmanship was my bible and this 

recommended that the cellar should be maintained at a constant temperature of 56 o F to 58 o F (13.3 o C to 14.4 o C). I duly set my cellar thermostat to 56 o F and I 

believe my cask beer was always spot on – I certainly sold enough of it! 

By the use of the Fahrenheit scale you can tell that this was a while ago and the CAMRA book was indeed dated 1981 although that does not make it any less 

relevant for that. CAMRA issued a more substantial guide in 1997 and this recommends that the cellar temperature should be 13 o C to 14 o C and the latest 

edition, dated 2005, recommends 13 o C. Under the Cask Marque criteria pubs are going to make sure that they receive maximum score on temperature, as 

with modern cellars this should not be difficult, and your rules say that 10 to 14 o C scores the maximum 5 points. 

Now I believe that 11 o C is far too cold a temperature to serve real ale (as for 10 o C let’s not even go there!) yet this is quite acceptable to Cask Marque. Whereas 

to serve beer at 14.1 o C it scores just 3 points (the missing two points can be crucial in retaining accreditation) even though this is within the narrow temperature 

range originally recommended by CAMRA and is at a level at which the beer would be more than palatable. 

As a result, I suspect that many Cask Marque pubs could well be nudging the thermostat down to avoid any chance of reaching the 14 o C barrier, meaning 

many pubs are setting their levels nearer 11 o C than the more desirable 13 o C. This would perhaps explain my belief that overly cold beer is more often 

encountered in Cask Marque pubs than elsewhere. The solution is simple – alter the rules so that 5 points are awarded for 12.2 o C to 14.4 o C (54 o F to 58 o F in 

proper money). 

By the way it is true, because I don’t like cold beer, that given a straight choice, in an area I am unfamiliar with, I do tend to opt for pubs that do not have Cask 

Marque accreditation, preferring them to those that are accredited, but only in the case of pubs with no accreditation that are in the Good Beer Guide or have 

been recommended to me. Yes I don't doubt there are some pubs out there that are serving warm beer, I haven't come across many at all, but I am sure they 

would not survive for long. 

Extract from a letter 

to Castle Rock Brewery 

I wish you all the best and hope that you continue 

to compete with the giant ego that is Greene King 

within the Nottinghamshire area and possibly 

beyond. Amusingly, in my current job I was 

required to contact Greene King accounts about a 

public house that was previously H&H, when I 

advised I was calling about a public house in 

Nottingham the young woman in the accounts 

office immediately replied "Oh, that will definitely 

be one of ours then". I felt the need to educate 

her! 

(Name and address withheld due to my job!) 

That certainly says it all! Ed 

Hopping mad in Notts 

Sir, 

I've been reading my December issue of What's Brewing, which contains an article about hops in the 'Beer' 

section. There was an interesting line in it: “... some brewers paid a premium for North Clay hops grown in 

Nottinghamshire, which were reckoned to be best for strong keeping beers.” I've never heard of this variety of 

hop, and I didn't realise that Notts was ever an important hop-growing region. Do you have any information? 

Chris Curtis, Tianjin, People's Republic of China. 

We mentioned in "Brewery Visit" in the last edition that Magpie is to brew a beer using hops grown in a 

Nottingham garden. However hops are certainly no longer grown in the county on a commercial basis. But a 

quick piece of research on the Internet reveals that a century ago hops were indeed grown in the area. We are 

grateful to the Nottinghamshire History web site www.nottshistory.org.uk for the following information: At 

the commencement of the nineteenth century hops were grown on the land between Retford and Tuxford 

and sold at annual Hop Fairs at these places. They were also grown around Southwell. The planta¬tions were 

situated chiefly in valleys and wet situations. These hops were known in the trade as "North Clay Hops" and 

were considered much stronger than Kentish hops. At that time an area of no less than 11,000 acres was 

devoted to this cultivation. In 1880 it had dwindled to 29 acres. Now they are not grown at all. 


Beer Festivals 

Jan 31 – Feb 02 (Thu – Sat) Magpie's Beer Festival, Meadow Club Meadow 

Lane. 50 + beers plus ciders. Open Thu evening, all day Fri, Sat 11 – 3 and 5 – 11 

Feb 1 –2 (Fri – Sat) “The Black & Gold Beer Festival 2008”, The Clubhouse, 

276 Loughborough Road, West Bridgford. Fri 4-11pm, Sat 12-11pm. More 

than 15 beers, all at £2 a pint, no entrance fee. NCT bus 10 to ASDA and walk up 

hill to fire station. Arriva bus 99 to door from Nottingham and Loughborough 

(further info on www.wbhockey.co.uk) 

Feb 1 –2 (Fri – Sat) Chesterfield Beer Festival, The Winding Wheel, 

Holywell St. (5 mins. walk from station). Fri 5-11pm (£5) Quiet drinkers' sess; 

Sat 11am-3pm (£5) quiet sess (games); Sat 6.30-11pm (£5) local rock covers band 

Firecracker. Food avail. at all sessions. Entrance incl Fest glass, programme + 1st 

pint at all sessions. CAMRA concessions avail on entry. 18+ only. Tickets from 

Pomegranate Theatre Box office (01246 345222. Advance Tickets recommended 

all sessions. Entry to eve sessions advance tickets only. 

www.chesterfieldbeerfestival.org.uk 

Feb 13-16 (Wed – Sat) Johnson Arms Winter Beer Festival, Abbey St. 

Dunkirk. 

Around 25 Cask Ales over 4 days including Castle Rock. Beer vouchers 4 pints for 

£9. Live music Thursday and Saturday. Homemade curry specials. For more info 

see www.johnsonarms.co.uk, email mail@johnsonarms.co.uk or call 0115 

9786355. 

Feb 13-16 (Wed – Sat) Rotherham Oakwood Legendary Real Ale Festival + 

Yorkshire Championship Music Festival, Oakwood Technology College, 

Moorgate Rd. S60 2UH. Free bus to + from Fest with valid CAMRA memb. 

card/ Fest Ticket/ 07 Fest Glass with First South Yorkshire from anywhere in S. 

Yorkshire. Visitors to Rotherham, any bus from stop A6, Rotherham Interchange, 

goes past Fest. 200+ Real Ales, 25+ Fine Wines, Ciders, food, Foreign Bottled 

Beers, 4 entertainment areas, quiet bars, rock, blues, pop, folk, dance. (Note 

Wed/Thu for CAMRA membs + Fest invited guests only- does not incl CAMRA 

membs guests (those not membs of Campaign). Fest bars closed 5pm-6pm Sat, 

visitors can remain in warm non-drinking areas. £2 for non-returnable glass for 

CAMRA membs only Wed + Thu. CAMRA entry on door £3 all other times (incl 

non-returnable glass). Advance entry tickets not needed for CAMRA membs. 

Membership cards essential. Other entrants, all times £6 advance ticket, £9 on 

door. Reduced re-entry to Fest with 08 Fest Glass. 

Feb 18 - 23 (Mon - Sat) Six Nations Beer Festival, the Bell Inn, Market 

Square, Nottingham. 20 beers, all with sports themed names. Free admission. 

Free buffet Thu 21 for card carrying CAMRA members. 

Feb 29 - Mar 1 (Fri - Sat) Horse and Groom Winter Beers Festival, 462 

Radford Road, Basford NG7 7EA. (7 minutes walk from NET stop Shipstone 

St) Up to 17 different beers including special guests from Highgate. Live music 

from No Fixed Abode. 

March 12 – 15 (Wed-Sat) Leicester Beer Festival, The Charotar Patidar 

Samaj, off St. Margaret's Way, Leicester, LE1 3AE. 200 Beers, incl some Fest 

Specials, 30 Ciders + Perries. New LocAle bar will feature 40 Beers brewed 

within 20 miles of Leicester City Centre. Also Wine from two local vineyards + 

quality apple juices. Authentic Indian Curries + English food, incl veggie choices 

avail all sessions. Card carrying CAMRA Membs free. Souvenir festival glass £2 

refundable. Wed £2; Thu (after 4pm) £2; Fri (after 4pm) £3; Sat (all day) £2. 

www.camra.org.uk/leicester 

March 13 - 19 (Thu-Fri) St. Patrick’s Stout Festival, Bell Inn, Market Square, 

Nottingham. 17 Stouts from 17 breweries on the 17th! 

Mar 14 - 15 (Fri-Sat) Bingham Rugby Club Beer Festival, The Pavilion, 

Brendon Grove, Bingham NG13 8TN. Fri 7 - 11pm, Sat 12 - 11pm. 12 beers & 

ciders. Admission £2, 1st drink free. 

Mar 20-23 (Thu-Sat) Canal House Beer Festival, Canal St. Nottingham. Free 

admission, 20+ real ales. 

Mar 21-24 (Fri-Mon) Victoria Easter Beer Festival, Victoria Hotel, 85 

Dovecote Lane, Beeston NG9 1JG (right next to railway station) Up to 60 

beers with 30 available at any one time, traditional ciders and festival food. Free 

admission, music Sunday evening from Richie Muir, Jazz Monday evening. 

Mar 27-9 (Thu – Sat) 18th Doncaster Beer Festival. The Hub, Chappel 

Drive, DN1 2RF. 80+ Beers, Ciders & Foreign Bars. Details: Thu 5.30pm entry 

CAMRA membs (6pm rest) to 11pm; Fri + Sat 11am-11pm. Food avail until 

9.30pm. Entertainment Fri night. CAMRA members free entry all times, only 

returnable glass hire fee payable. 

Mar 27-30 (Thu-Sun) Criterion Beer Festival, 44 Millstone Lane, Leicester 

LE1 5JN (10 minutes walk from station). The Oxford vs Cambridge Boat Race 

Beer Fest. 24 beers from the 2 counties. Pizzas a house speciality. Live music 

Thursday night and Saturday afternoon. Free admission at all times. 

Beer Festivals /Trips and Socials 

Mar 28 - 29 (Fri – Sat) Burton-on-Trent and South Derbyshire Winter 

Festival, Burton Town Hall Approx 80 Real Ales + Ciders. Ales served directly 

from casks under cooling jackets. Drivers' Bar with soft drinks. Hot + cold food 

all sessions. Families welcome until 6pm. Two quiet rooms with seating. Live 

music both days: lunchtime Fri + Sat Martin Atterbury on the Mighty Wurlitzer 

organ; Fri Eve 8.30pm The Top Cats (local rock-a-billy band); Sat Eve 8.30pm The 

Mick Rutherford Band (local raw blues + covers). CAMRA members free all 

sessions. All sessions, all entrants £2 for fest glass. 

Trips and Socials 

The forthcoming mini bus survey trips are as follows, in February we visit East 

Bridgford and Shelford, March will take us to Linby & Papplewick and we will 

look at the Oxton area in April. 

I am running an evening trip to Lincoln on the first Saturday in March. See the 

diary dates for all the details. 

As always, your CAMRA membership card is required to obtain your discount. 

Quite a few people have taken me up on the reminder of up and coming trips 

and other events. The best way of contacting people is by e-mail, but due to the 

data protection act, you must give me your e-mail address. 

So I am producing a very short form, which you can use. 

If anyone wishes to “subscribe” to this new service, then please ask me when 

you see me or get in touch and we will sort out the necessary details. 

See the diary dates column for times and dates of all the trips, socials etc. 

As usual, don’t forget, that EVERYONE is welcome to any CAMRA meeting or 

outing, you do NOT have to be a member. I might present you with a 

membership form, but you can ignore it if you want, (most people usually do!) 

And as always I can be contacted electronically at: - 

raykirby@nottinghamcamra.org 

Quick Quiz Answers (page 13) 

1. Chris Tarrant 2. Newcastle United 3. Capricorn 4. Gimme More 

5. Collar bone 6. Lowestoft 7. Frederick Forsyth 8. North and South islands 

9. Captain Ahab 10. Athens 11. Thursday 12. United States 

13. Aston Martin DB5 14. Absent without leave 15. Gosling 

Canal Street, Tel. 0115 950 2419 

A warm welcome from Bob & Carole 

Canal Street, Tel. 0115 9502 419 

Traditional Beers 

Everards Tiger, 2 Castle Rock Beers 

plus 5 Guest Beers 

Guest Mild each week 

Quiz + Sticky 13s every Thursday 

Darts and Bar Billiards 

Open until midnight Friday & Saturday 

Continental Beers & Traditional Cider 

A great Malt Whisky selection 

Big screen sports 

A great local pub with a good atmosphere, 

close to Ice Arena and tram, rail & bus stations 


Branch Diary 

NOTTINGHAM AND AREA 

CAMRA BRANCH DIARY 

• Nottingham 


February 

Wed 06, 7pm: Survey trip to East Bridgford, Dept Cast. Membership card for 

discount. 

Sat 23, 5.30pm: Bus trip to Lincoln. Dept Cast. Membership card for discount. 

March 

Sat 01, 11a.m: Young Members’ LocAle pub crawl, meet VAT & Fiddle. Free T- 

shirt for all participants! Further details on LocAle page. 

Contact kieranatherton@hotmail.co.uk or call 07738 706518. 

Mon 10, 7pm: . Survey trip to Linby Papplewick area. Dept Cast. Membership 

card for discount. 

April 

Tue 8, 7pm: . Survey trip to Oxton Dept Cast. Membership card for discount. 

Book with Ray Kirby on 0115 929 7896 or by email 

raykirby@nottinghamcamra.org 

CAMRA cards must be shown for £2 discount offered on some trips. 

Branch Meetings 

All meetings begin at 8pm. Everyone is welcome to attend 

February Thu 28: AGM, Canalhouse, Canal Street 

March Thu 27: Victoria, Dovecote Lane, Beeston 

April Thu 24: Gladstone, Loscoe Rd Carrington 

Committee Meetings 

February Thu 14: Globe, Trent Bridge 

March Thu 13: Bunkers Hill, Hockley 

April Thu 10: King William IV, Sneinton 

All details on www.nottinghamcamra.org 

• Erewash 

February 

Weds. 5: Branch meeting, Needlemakers, Ilkeston. 

March 

Weds. 9: Branch Meeting, Railway, Langley Mill 

Sat. 19: Social pub-crawl around Long Eaton. Time and start point to be 

advised later. 

April 

Wed. 6: Branch Meeting, Dewdrop, Ilkeston 

Wed. 20: AGM, Spanish Bar, Ilkeston 

Ring John on 07962318605 or see www.erewash-camra.org for further details 

• Belvoir 


February 

Tue. 19: GBG Survey Trip. Contact for details 

Tues 26: GBG Survey Trip. Contact for details 

Branch Meetings 

February Tue 5: Chesterfield, Bingham 

March Tue 4: AGM, Black Horse, Hose 

Contact: martynandbridget@btinternet.com 

• Mansfield 

Contact: secretary@mansfieldcamra.org.uk or web site: 

www.mansfieldcamra.org.uk 

• Newark 

Branch meetings start at 8.00pm 

Call Dom Heneghen for more details on 01636 672770 87013 email: 

chairman@newarkcamra.org.uk or web site www.newarkcamra.org.uk 

Printed 'LocAlely' by Stirland and Paterson, Ilkeston.

New brewery and visitor centre for Belvoir - Nottingham CAMRA

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?