Don't Drink & Drive! - Norwich and Norfolk CAMRA

No. 135 Nov. 2005-Jan. 2006 FREE 

Don’t Drink & Drive! 

Norwich Designated 

Driver Scheme 

See page 13 for details 

Beers of the 

Festival 

Full list of winners on Page 2 

In this issue: 2 Beers of the Festival • 2 SIBA award winners 

• 4 Steady Pints • 6 On the trail of Real Ale in California • 8 Round The 

Houses • 13 Don’t drink and drive • 14 Letters • 16 Good Beer Guide 

2007 nomination form • 18 Winter Ale Trail 2005/06 • 21 Homage to 

Youngs, Crawshay & Youngs • 24 Enterprise Inns deal • 26 Beer 

Festival logo competition • 28 Music and Real Ale • 30 Branch Diary 

Email: Newsletter norfolknips@yahoo.co.uk of the Norwich & Norfolk Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale 1

Beers of the Festival 2005 

The Beer of the Festival at this year’s Norwich Beer 

Festival was Green Jack Brewery’s Orange Wheat, a 

4.6% ABV wheat beer. 

The full list of winners, Speciality — 1 Green 

selected by visitors to the Jack Orange Wheat 

festival, is as follows: 

(Suffolk); 2 Cairngorm 

Beer of the Festival — Trade Winds (Highlands 

Green Jack Orange 

& Islands); 3 Hanby 

Wheat (Lowestoft, 

Joybringer (Shropshire). 

Suffolk); runner-up — Golden — 1 Winter’s 

Spectrum Blinder 

Golden (Norfolk); 2 

Cider — Banham Rum 

(Norfolk); third — 

Oulton Ales Sunrise 

Cask. 

Winter’s Golden 

(Suffolk); 3 Hopdaemon Foreign Beer — Liefmans 

(Norfolk). 

Golden Dove (Kent). 

Kriek. 

Category winners: 

Mild — 1 Sarah Hughes 

Ruby Mild (West 

Midlands); 2 Triple FFF SIBA award winners 

Pressed Rat & Warthog 

(Hampshire); 3 Old 

Results of the SIBA Eastern Region Beer Competition 

Chimneys Military Mild held at the Bedford Beer Festival in October: 

(Suffolk). 

Overall winner: Gold — Crouch Vale Brewers Gold; 

Bitter — 1 Woodforde’s joint silver — Fenland Smoke Stack Lightning, Oakham 

Wherry (Norfolk); 2 

Bishops Farewell. 

Okells Bitter (Isle of 

Category winners: 

Man); 3 Northern All- Mild: Gold — Fenland Smoke Stack Lightning; silver — 

Nighter (Cheshire). 

Milton Minotaur; bronze — Bartrams Marld. 

Best Bitter — 1 

Bitter (up to 3.9% ABV): Gold — Oldershaw Mowbrays 

Woodforde’s Nelson’s Mash; silver — Oakham JHB; bronze — Iceni Elveden 

Revenge (Norfolk); 2 for Gold. 

Millstone Windy Miller Best Bitter (4.0-4.5%): Gold — Crouch Vale Brewers 

(Greater Manchester); 3 Gold; silver — Iceni Fine Soft Day; bronze — Elgood’s 

West Berkshire Doctor Golden Newt. 

Hexters Wedding Ale Premium Bitter (4.6-4.9%): Gold — Oakham Bishops 

(Berkshire). 

Farewell; silver — Newby Wyke Bear Island; bronze — 

Strong Bitter — 1 

Milton Jericho. 

Spectrum Blinder 

Strong Ale (5%+): Gold — Oldershaw Alchemy; silver 

(Norfolk); 2 Mordue IPA — Elgood’s Greyhound SB; bronze — Milton Cyclops. 

(Tyne & Wear); 3 

Porter, Strong Mild, Old Ale & Stout: Gold — 

Winter’s Revenge 

Mauldons Black Adder; joint silver — B&T Edwin 

(Norfolk). 

Taylor’s Extra Stout; Spectrum Black Buffle. 

Old, Stout and Porter — Speciality Beer: Gold — Oakham White Dwarf Wheat 

1 Beartown 

Beer; silver — Oldershaw Regal Blonde; bronze — 

Pandamonium 

Wolf Straw Dogs. 

(Cheshire); 2 Palmers Bottled Beer: Gold — B&T Edwin Taylor; silver — Wolf 

Tally Ho (Dorset); 3 

Granny Wouldn’t Like It; bronze — Highwood Jolly 

Timothy Taylor Ram Tam Ploughman. 

(West Yorkshire). 

2 Web: www.norwichcamra.org.uk/

Email: norfolknips@yahoo.co.uk 3

Steady Pints 

Pub News 

● The Trafford Arms, 

CAMRA’s Norfolk Pub of 

the Year, did not progress 

beyond the regional round 

in the national Pub of the 

Year competition. The 

Swan, Little Totham, Essex, 

was selected as the East 

Anglian Pub of the Year 

2005. 

● Amongst all the 

publicity about smoking in 

pubs, the Cock Inn, 

Drayton, became a smokefree 

zone in September. 

● The Champion, 

Chapelfield Road, 

Norwich, has won the 

Best Beer Quality award 

in Greene King’s 

Excellence Awards 2005. 

Pub closures 

● In recent weeks 

Norwich has lost three 

more pubs — the Earl of 

Leicester (Dereham 

Road), the Little John 

(Armes Street) and the 

Morrison Lodge (Harvey 

Lane) have all been 

demolished to make way 

for housing developments. 

● A revised application for 

conversion of the Mill 

Tavern, Millers Lane, 

Norwich, into flats was 

submitted to Norwich City 

Council in October. 

Brewery News 

● Since the last issue of 

Norfolk Nips, the county 

has gained another two 

breweries. The longawaited 

Fat Cat Brewery 

is now operational at The 

Shed, Lawson Road, 

Norwich, and is currently 

producing two regular 

brews: Fat Cat (3.8%) and 

Top Cat (4.7%). At the 

Chequers, Binham, is the 

Front Street Brewery, 

producing four beers: 

Sunshine Blonde (3.9%), 

Binham Cheers (3.9%), 

Callums Ale (4.3%) and 

Unity Strong (5.0%). 

● Woodforde’s Norfolk 

Ales is to continue with its 

sponsorship of Norfolk 

Rugby Football Union, 

bringing financial support 

to all levels of rugby in the 

county. 

● Woodforde’s Wherry 

was awarded a gold 

medal in the bitter 

category of CAMRA’s 

Champion Beer of 

Britain competition in 

August and also picked up 

the overall bronze medal 

in the competition. 

● And Woodforde’s 

Nelson’s Revenge was 

recently selected as the 

silver award winner in 

the cask ales best bitter 

category at Drinktec 2005, 

in Munich, beating 70 

other beers to achieve the 

award. 

● Also at Drinktec 2005, 

Elgood’s Golden Newt 

was highly commended 

in the cask ales class 2 

(3.9-4.5% ABV), being 

short-listed for final 

judging and narrowly 

missing out on a medal. 

Champion Beer of 

East Anglia 2005 

This year’s CAMRA 

Champion Beer of East 

Anglia awards were as 

follows: Gold — Oscar 

Wilde, Mighty Oak Brewery 

(Essex); silver — Old Style 

Porter, St. Peters Brewery 

(Suffolk); bronze — Village 

Bike, Potton Brewery 

(Bedfordshire). 



On the trail of Real Ale in California 

After spending a year 

living and working in 

Norwich, joining CAMRA, 

enjoying real ale and 

completing Woodforde’s 

Trafalgar Ale trail (48 

pubs!) my recent return to 

southern California was a 

bit of a shock to the 

system in more ways than 

one. 

However, with the 

encouragement of some 

friends who know beer, I 

set out on what could be 

called the “search for real 

ale in California.” 

My first foray was to the 

Belmont Brewing 

Company or BBC as they 

like to call it, which is in 

Belmont Shores, just south 

of Long Beach, California. 

BBC is a brew-pubrestaurant 

and they have 

been handcrafting their 

beers, using only natural 

ingredients, since 1990. 

The restaurant has a 

varied menu, including ale 

battered fish and chips, 

steak, pastas, salads, etc. 

The view from the two 

covered patios, right on 

the beach, is of the blue 

Pacific, with the Queen 

Mary in the background. 

The large tap room has a 

welcoming feel and it’s 

nice to enjoy a pint 

surrounded by the 

gleaming brewing vessels. 

As for the beer, their 800 

barrel annual production 

consists of five types and a 

special brew of the month. 

The Head Brewer, 

known only as Blackwell, 

The restaurant area at the Belmont Brewing Company 

prides himself on the 

consistency of the brews, 

and BBC customers seem 

pleased, knowing they can 

rely on the beer to be 

exactly as they expect. 

Their most popular is 

Marathon (4.5%) which is 

described as a light ale, 

golden colour with mild 

hop flavour and bitterness. 

Next popular is Top Sail 

(5.5%) more copper 

coloured, medium 

bitterness with a toasty 

malt flavour. 

Strawberry Blonde 

(4.5%) is also a favourite, a 

fruit beer with blonde 

colour and quite a nose of 

strawberry. 

The brewer has recently 

added a Pale Ale (4.8%). 

My personal choice, 

however, was Long Beach 

Crude (6.5%), a robust 

porter which their advert 

says is “not for the weak at 

heart.” It is very dark, 

chocolaty and it was 

delicious! 

At the time of our visit, 

the brew of the month 

was an India Pale Ale. 

Price comparison is also 

interesting: 20 oz. (UK 

pint) $4.75, 16 oz. (US 

pint) $3.75, pitcher $12. 

You can get a 64 oz. 

“growler” to go for $12 

first time and then $8 refill. 

A taster set of five brews is 

$4. 

An interesting article on 

the origin of the term 

“growler” can be found at 

www.beeradvocate.com/ 

news/stories_read/384/ 

So, if you find yourself in 

southern California, are 

near Long Beach (about 25 

miles south of Los 

Angeles), and fancy some 

real ale, a visit to the BBC 

would be well worth your 

time. 

Alexis Ciurczak 

www.belmontbrewing.com 



Round The Houses 

Our “First Friday Fives” have been going strong for 

several years now, visiting five pubs in the Norwich 

area on the first Friday of each month. We nearly 

always manage to come across something new or 

different, so the effort is usually worthwhile. 

male clientele, which 

struck me as slightly odd. 

Maybe I should just stop 

people-watching in pubs! 

Anyway, another quite 

pleasant trek in Thorpe St. 

Andrew. It’s just a shame it 

was not a bit warmer so 

that we could have 

enjoyed the riverside 

gardens at three of the 

pubs we visited. 

Adrian Hennessy 

The August First Friday has a modern interior and 

Five took us along 

is obviously popular with 

Yarmouth Road, starting at its twenty-something 

Thorpe Green and heading clientele, with current 

towards the city centre. indie-rock music on in the 

So our first pub was the background. 

Rushcutters, a Chef & But that didn’t stop it 

Brewer family pub/ 

from having Black Sheep 

restaurant. It was certainly Best (£2.50) and Fullers Our October Friday Five 

busy with diners but the London Pride (£2.50) was a city centre walk 

riverside terrace was not available on handpump starting at the Woolpack 

very busy, probably 

from the brightly lit bar. on Golden Ball Street. 

because it was a rather 

Further along Yarmouth Here, in this large onebar 

pub, we were treated 

chilly evening. 

Road is the Town House, 

We had a choice of three a Beefeater restaurant with to a choice of four real 

ales on the handpumps: quite a large bar. 

ales: Greene King IPA, 

Adnams Bitter, 

The real ale range was Woodforde’s Wherry plus 

Woodforde’s Nelson’s less than when we last guest ales Charles Wells 

Revenge (£2.42 a pint) visited on a First Friday Bombardier and Dr. Okells 

plus Timothy Taylor’s Five, now being Greene IPA from the Isle of Man, a 

Landlord (£2.38) — there King IPA and Marston’s beer which is a rarity for a 

always seems to be quite a Pedigree (£2.24). 

guest in this part of the 

decent range of quality 

country. 

Pedigree seems to have 

beers on sale here. 

improved in consistency We left the Woolpack to 

Onwards, to the Buck, and quality in recent times, find our next pub, the 

right by the parish church. usually being pretty 

Thorn, was closed, so we 

This compact, cosy bar had drinkable these days, as it walked along Ber Street to 

a choice of two real ales was here. 

number three on our 

on offer, Adnams Bitter 

route, the Horse & Dray. 

We finished at the 

again plus Greene King IPA 

Mustard Pot, an Adnams Tonight was karaoke 

(both at £2.40 a pint). 

tied house. There was the night and when we arrived 

There was a big TV 

usual choice of Adnams the party was in full swing 

screen dominating one Bitter (£2.30) and 

with lots of eager budding 

end of the bar, showing a Broadside (£2.50) plus singers waiting their turn 

chart music programme, London Pride (£2.40) and to display their vocal 

which was rather 

Davenports (£2.40) as talents. 

distracting, but the pub has guests. 

After purchasing our 

quite a pleasant 

The pub was fairly busy beers, from which we had 

atmosphere. 

and if our group hadn’t a choice of Adnams Bitter, 

A short walk took us to been there it would have Broadside or Explorer we 

the Rivergarden, which been an almost exclusively Continued on next page 


Cont. from previous page Woodforde’s Great Eastern the north Norfolk 

plus beers from 

countryside we finally 

walked round to the rear 

Nethergate and Tindalls. arrived at our first pub, the 

of the bar by the patio. 

There were also a large Three Pigs in the village 

The patio door was open 

range of St. Peter’s bottled of Edgefield. 

and being a mild night for 

beers on sale. 

Here in this large open 

early October most of us 

went out on to the patio At this stage our group planned village pub that 

where the dulcet tones of separated into two with we have visited before on 

the karaoke diminished the first, which I was in, mystery trips we found as 

into the background. 

going on to the 

usual a large range of real 

Cricketer’s Rest leaving ales on offer from well 

The pub’s resident dog 

the others behind in the known established East 

soon joined us on the patio 

Rose to catch us up later. Anglian brewers, Greene 

when a man started a 

King Abbot and IPA, 

Louis Armstrong 

There was no real ale 

Adnams Bitter and 

impersonation! 

available so we made 

Broadside plus 

another alteration to the 

After a very enjoyable 

Woodforde’s Wherry. 

advertised route and went 

pint of Adnams it was time 

to the Freemasons Arms, The pub this evening 

to depart and we had to 

only to find out later, that was very busy with a large 

leave via the same way we 

by the time the second number of customers 

came in which meant 

group arrived at the 

enjoying an evening meal 

running the gauntlet past 

Cricketers, they were from their extensive 

the DJ hosting the karaoke 

serving Greene King Abbot menu. A good pub to visit, 

who was positioned near 

Ale. 

particularly if you want to 

the doorway. 

find somewhere for a 

The Freemasons, like the 

He made a few 

good evening meal. 

Rose has a large choice of 

comments insinuating that 

real ales available. These We thought, though, 

we CAMRA people could 

included Oakham JHB, beer prices were a little 

only take one beer, but it 

Winter’s Golden and 

steep, for example, Abbot 

was all in good humour. 

Adnams Bitter, reasonably was £2.80 a pint and 

On now to the next port priced at £1.80 and £1.90 Wherry at £2.40 a pint. 

of call, the Berstrete a pint. 

After leaving the Three 

Gates. On arriving at the 

We went and sat in the Pigs we continued 

pub we found that the 

new bar that has recently northward through Holt 

only real ale pump had its 

been added as an 

and then on to Wiveton 

clip turned round, so there 

extension at the rear of the where we made a stop at 

was no real ale on that 

pub. 

the Bell, which is situated 

night. 

adjacent the village green 

This was a good place to 

As we had now drawn a 

next to the village parish 

end an enjoyable nights 

blank twice this evening, 

church. 

drinking. 

we decided to alter the 

advertised route and try 

Warren Wordsworth 

Here at another village 

local many of the 

out the Rose. 

Our September mystery customers were also 

Here we were treated to 

a large choice of real ales 

including, Buffy’s Bitter, 

Spectrum Stoatwobbler, 

coach trip took us 

northwest out of Norwich 

along the Holt road. After 

quite a long ride through 

eating their evening 

meals. Real ales on offer 

here were Woodforde’s 

Continued on next page 


Round The Houses continued 

Conti. from previous page 

Wherry and Nelson’s 

Revenge. 

To get to our next pub in 

the village of Langham we 

had to negotiate some 

very narrow lanes with 

tight bends but we 

eventually arrived at our 

destination, the Bluebell, 

which is a very old flint 

whitewashed building that 

dates back to the 17th 

century. 

Inside the main part of 

the pub is split into a bar 

area with red brick floor 

tiles and a carpeted lounge 

area. There is also a 

separate dining area 

whose walls are adorned 

with RAF memorabilia 

depicting scenes from the 

now disused local World 

War II airbase. 

Real ales on sale here 

were Shepherd Neame 

Spitfire and Greene King 

IPA. 

Our last port of call for 

the night was at Binham 

Chequers. This summer 

the pub became a 

brewhouse pub selling its 

own beers from the Front 

Street Brewery. 

These include Sunshine 

Blond, a refreshing light 

quaffing ale at 3.9%, 

Callums Ale, a medium 

strength well balanced 

bitter at 4.3% and Unity 

Strong, a strong sweet 

heavy malty brew at 5.0%. 

They also sold a beer 

from Fenland Brewery as a 

guest ale. 

Altogether this was 

another enjoyable rural 

ramble round village pubs 

in the north of the county. 

It might be said that 

some of the pubs were a 

bit food orientated but it 

was nice to see that they 

all sold a selection of real 

ales dispensed in good 

condition and our last pub 

gave us the chance to 

sample some beers from 

one of the county’s 

newest micro breweries. 





Don’t drink and drive 

The Norwich Designated Driver Scheme will be 

launched on December 2nd at the Plough, St. 

Benedicts, Norwich. 

The idea is to offer 

designated drivers free or 

reduced price soft drinks, 

initially over the Christmas/ 

New Year period but with 

plans to continue all year 

round. 

It has been organised by 

Bob Garrard, barman at the 

Plough, along with 

landlady Marcia 

McClarence. 

The pubs involved in the 

scheme are: the Plough, 

St. Benedicts, plus the 

Adam & Eve, Bishopgate; 

Catherine Wheel, St. 

Augustines; Fat Cat, West 

End Street; Kings, King 

Street; James I, Drayton 

Road; Lawyer, Wensum 

Street; Murderers/ 

Gardeners Arms, Timber 

Hill; Plasterers Arms, 

Cowgate; Spencers, 

Prince of Wales Road; 

Trafford Arms, Grove 

Road; Unthank Arms, 

Newmarket Street; and the 

York Tavern, Leicester 

Street. 

Publicity material 

provided by the Portland 

Group will be on display in 

all participating pubs. 

The scheme is being 

backed by several 

breweries including 

Adnams, Wolf and Fullers, 

plus the suppliers of J 2 

O 

soft drinks. Loyal Taxis 

have also helped with 

support for the promotion. 

It has the support of 

Norfolk County Council 

and Norfolk Police, plus 

Norwich MPs Ian Gibson 

and Charles Clarke, who 

hope to attend the launch. 

www.desdriver.co.uk 


Letters 

Dear Editor, 

As subscribers to your 

excellent Norfolk Nips, we 

visited Norfolk during 

August, ready and willing 

to try as many real ales as 

possible. 

Whilst most were high 

on taste, we were 

generally disappointed 

with the actual condition 

of the ale and lost hope as 

our week went on. 

We drank in a variety of 

Great Yarmouth pubs, as 

well as other well 

publicised houses in 

Ludham Bridge, Thurne 

and Norwich. 

Almost without 

exception the beer served 

lacked substance and the 

watery nature meant that 

the head disappeared 

often after just one drink. 

In our home county we 

are used to the first drink 

and last drink from the 

glass being the same, with 

the head staying with the 

beer to the end and no 

loss of quality. 

Is this down to the way 

the drink in pulled or is it a 

regional difference in 

tastes 

It’s ironic that the best 

pint of Abbot we have had 

is from a pub just one mile 

away from where we live 

and this is difficult to 

understand. 

Hope you can help and 

we would appreciate any 

comments. 

Special mention must go 

to the Mariners Arms and 

the St. John’s Head, in 

Yarmouth. Both made a 

real effort to welcome us 

and talked us through the 

ales on offer. 

Sean Clarke and 

Tommy Jackson 

Yorkshire (by email) 

Dear Editor, 

How can anybody with any 

sembelence of sense 

condone smoking in 

conjested public places 

If you got your way (may 

my lungs forgive you!) and 

a split bar had half 

dedicated to these 

disgusting carcinagenic 

practices, would you want 

to be the bar person stuck 

in there if you were a nonsmoker, 

no I thought not. 

I believe there should be 

more CAMRA emphasis 

placed on the ever rising 

bar prices around here, we 

were recently charged 

£2-40 at the Reedham 

Ship FOR MILD!! 

The old joke rings true 

that a friend did not enjoy 

a day trip to the capital 

because of the dirt and 

crowds, but at least the 

beer prices were cheaper 

than Norfolk! 

Delivery charges cannot 

be blamed when you look 

at the extortionate prices 

in the pub OPPOSITE 

Adnams brewery, or the 

local prices for 

Woodfordes brews, we all 

know good old 

Weatherspoons can make 

a healthy profit selling all 

such beers 50-70p a pint 

cheaper, so can we have a 

push to shame these 

brewery’s/publicans into 

charging reasonable 

prices, after all, your 

concern about loss of all 

the pubs nationally has its 

cause in the expense of 

going ‘to the local’ and 

competing with the 

supermarkets. 

GW & A Sylvester, 

Brundall, via email 

● Any comments on 

points raised (not about 

the spelling, please!), or 

about anything else 

relating to pubs and 

breweries, should be sent 

to Norfolk Nips, 

1 Colmangate, 

Pottergate, Norwich, 

Norfolk NR2 1DY. 



CAMRA Good Beer Guide 2007 

Nominations are now 

being accepted for 

possible entries for the 

2007 CAMRA “Good Beer 

Guide”. The deadline for 

nominations will be 

Tuesday, 20th 

December, 2005. 

You may submit 

nominations by post using 

the form below to Warren 

Wordsworth (Pubs 

Officer), 16 Grove 

Avenue, Norwich, NR1 

2QD. 

CAMRA Good Beer Guide 2007 

Pub Nomination Form 

Name of pub(s) and location(s) 

Please include a brief 

description of the pub with 

your reasons why it merits 

an inclusion into the GBG. 

This is not necessary if the 

pub is in either the 2005 or 

2006 guide. 

I will bring along a list of 

the pubs nominated to 

date to the November 

Branch Meeting on 

Tuesday 15th at the 

Feathers, Aylsham, where 

those present may add to 

the list. 

Otherwise your last 

chance is at the December 

Branch Meeting, Tuesday 

20th December, at the 

Railway, North Elmham. 

The voting will take 

place, as usual, at the 

February Branch Meeting, 

2006 (venue yet to be 

confirmed, please see 

“What’s Brewing”) with 

voting procedures 

unchanged from previous 

years. 


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..................................................................................................................................................................... 

..................................................................................................................................................................... 

Attach a brief description if your nomination(s) is not in the 2005 or 2006 GBG. 

Your name ................................................................................................................................. 

Your address .............................................................................................................................. 

..................................................................................................................................................................... 

Please note, THIS IS NOT A VOTING FORM 

The selection of pubs is via the voting meeting at the February Branch Meeting, so 

please do not send more than one nomination form for the same pub! 



Winter Ale Trail 2005/06 

Norwich & Norfolk 

CAMRA, in association with 

the Wherry and Bittern 

Lines Community Rail 

Partnerships and ‘one’ 

Railway is again presenting 

a Winter Ale Trail, running 

from November 1st until 

March 31st, 2006. 

Just pick up a trail card in 

one of the participating 

pubs (see below) and get a 

stamp or signature from 

the bar staff when 

purchasing a drink. 

Complete 20 pubs and 

win a free Bittern or 

Wherry Lines Rover. 

Complete all 25 pubs and 

win a Rover and an Ale 

Trail T-shirt. 

To win a Bittern or 

Wherry Lines Rover your 

completed form should be 

sent with seven different 

Bittern or Wherry Lines 

tickets and one 

BroadsHopper bus ticket. 

To win a Rover ticket and 

T-shirt your completed 

form should be sent with 

10 different dates rail 

tickets and two 

BroadsHopper bus tickets. 

Anglia Plus tickets count 

as one ticket, Anglia Plus 

3-day tickets count as 

three tickets. 

The participating pubs 

are: 

Acle Kings Head, 

Brundall Yare, Cantley 

Reedcutter, Coltishall 

Railway, Cromer Buffers, 

Gt. Yarmouth St. Johns 

Head, Gt. Yarmouth Two 

Necked Swan, Gunton 

Suffield Arms, Horstead 

Recruiting Sergeant, 

Lowestoft Oak Tavern, 

Lowestoft Triangle, North 

Walsham Orchard Gardens, 

Norwich Coach & Horses 

(Thorpe Road), Norwich 

Rosary Tavern, Norwich 

Wig & Pen, Reedham 

Railway, Salhouse Bell, 

Sheringham Lobster, 

Sheringham Wyndham 

Arms, Somerleyton Dukes 

Head, Stiffkey Red Lion, 

South Walsham Ship, Wells 

Ark Royal, Woodbastwick 

Fur & Feather, Wroxham 

Broads Hotel. 




Homage to Youngs, Crawshay & Youngs 

It’s been sad to follow the 

then and since, what 

shameful demise of the 

enemy bombs failed to 

Earl of Leicester, yet 

obliterate, the motor car 

another of the more 

and the mercenary 

interesting Norwich 

madness of planning have 

buildings to be lost and 

accomplished: the new 

replaced with something 

Fellmonger was 

stereotyped and dull. 

demolished for 

It was a grandiose 

construction of the Inner 

rebuilding of an older pub 

Link Road in 1967. 

acquired by Youngs, 

Other, more recent, ex- 

Crawshay & Youngs in the 

Y.C.&Y. casualties have 

late 1800s. 

been the Crawshay Arms 

Youngs, Crawshays had a 

and the Kingsway. 

special appreciation of 

The Earl of Leicester, 

buildings, as evident in Oval Rock House, the pub another fine example of 

their sympathetic and no has since been disfigured no-expenses-spared 

doubt costly restoration somewhat as the Wagon & architectural flair, skill in 

and renovation of some of Horses. 

construction and taste in 

the most historic pub 

The Tuckswood 

both interior and exterior 

buildings in Norwich, resembled a large but design, has followed its 

including the Mischief well-proportioned cricket equally meritorious 

Tavern, and the Old Music pavillion – it was 

predecessors in the 

House and the Old Barge unceremoniously knocked Youngs, Crawshay & 

(now the “Dragon Hall”) in down for a McDonalds. Youngs estate. 

King Street. 

If you can bring yourself What would Norwich be 

Alas, Youngs, Crawshay to stand by the abandoned like now if the 1945 plan 

& Youngs ownership was gold mine that was once had been adhered to more 

not sufficient to save the the White Lion and look up closely I like to think there 

quaintly timbered old Tiger Oak Street towards the would have been more 

in Fishergate from the dual carriageway, you green spaces, there might 

onslaught of the motor car, might visualise the site of still be two railway 

a fate shared by the 

the Fellmonger. 

stations; moving the 

Peacock at the corner of Youngs, Crawshays 

county’s main hospital two 

Westlegate and Red Lion rebuilt this pub in the late 

miles out of town would 

Street. 

1930s. A large, square but 

have seemed daft. 

The pubs newly built for not unattractive building, Two huge shopping 

Youngs, Crawshay & 

the site of which had been malls would have seemed 

Youngs displayed unusual expanded to take 

superfluous and would 

individuality in their 

advantage of some slum only have lead to more 

designs. 

clearance in the area. traffic chaos… 

What is now Refreshers, Unfortunately, the 

More of Norwich’s 

previously the Raven, is incendiary bombs in 1942 buildings, old and new but 

perhaps the most plain. destroyed the new 

all with character, might 

The Oval at Costessey building but undaunted, still be with us to grace 

had a certain elegance for Y.C.&Y. rebuilt it again to what used to be known as 

all its functionality. Later to the pre-war design. 

a fine city. 

become the oft-lamented As elsewhere in Norwich 

Ken Chapman 




Enterprise Inns deal 

The Branch’s Christmas 

Crawl takes place on 

The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) has 

Friday December 

announced that it has secured a major supply 

16th, visiting the 

following pubs: 

agreement with Enterprise Inns, the UK’s biggest 

pub operator. 

5.00 p.m. Trafford 

Arms, Grove Road; 5.30 

Effective from October news for licensees, 

King’s Arms, Hall Road; 

3rd, the majority supply of drinkers and our members 

6.15 Freemasons Arms 

locally delivered cask ales alike as it means a huge 

(ex Billy Bluelight), Hall 

into around 9400 tenanted increase in the number of 

Road; 6.45 Rose, 

pubs will be conducted pubs who will be able to 

Queens Road; 7.30 

through SIBA’s Direct benefit from the 

Ferry Boat, King Street; 

Delivery Scheme (DDS). continued growth of 

8.00 Steam Packet, 

SIBA’s Direct Delivery locally brewed beer. ” 

Crown Road; 8.30 Adam 

Scheme enables local 

Grant Simpson, of 

& Eve, Bishopgate; 9.15 

brewers to deliver directly Enterprise Inns, said: “We 

Wig & Pen, Palace Plain; 

to retailers’ outlets, thus have been really 

9.45 Plasterers Arms, 

connecting micro suppliers impressed with the 

Cowgate; 10.15 King’s 

with macro customers. efficiency of the DDS 

Head, Magdalen Street. 

All this is done in an operation and the benefits 

And the following 

administratively simple of providing of ‘local beers 

day, the Christmas 

and cost-effective manner for local pubs’. This deal 

Crawl of Norwich by 

whereby there is only one allows Enterprise to steal a 

West Norfolk Branch 

contact point for the 

march in meeting the 

of CAMRA will visit: 

multiple customer’s 

growing consumer 

headquarters, namely SIBA demand for locally sourced 11.00 a.m. Angel 

central DDS staff. 

products and we are 

Gardens, Angel Road; 

11.45 Whalebone, 

So the benefits of local delighted to offer our 

Magdalen Road; 12.30 

sourcing are maximised for licensees yet another 

Duke of Wellington, 

the customer while 

extension to their cask ale 

Waterloo Road (for 

administration burdens are range.” 

lunch); 1.30 The Shed, 

minimised. 

www.siba.co.uk 

Lawson Road; 2.15 

The new arrangement 

Dyers Arms, Lawson 

has been acclaimed as a 

Road; 3.00 Magpie, 

major breakthrough for 

Magpie Road; 3.45 

SIBA as it represents the 

Plasterers Arms, 

widening of DDS from 

Cowgate; 4.30 King’s 

Enterprise’s former Unique 

Head, Magdalen Street; 

pubs to the newly 

5.15 Ribs of Beef, 

expanded Enterprise Inns 

Wensum Street; 6.00 St. 

estate. 

Andrew’s Tavern, St. 

SIBA has 480 members 

Andrew’s Street; 6.45 

made up of independent 

Belgian Monk, 

brewers, suppliers to the 

Pottergate; 7.30 Steam 

industry and pubs, which 

Packet, Crown Road; 

are committed to handcrafted 

beer. 

possibly Rosary Tavern 

and Coach & Horses for 

Nick Stafford, SIBA 

those with stamina or 

Commercial Director, 

late train goers! 

commented: “This is great 



Beer Festival logo competition 

Entries are invited for the competition to design a 

logo for the 29th Norwich Beer Festival. 

The festival will be in 

late October 2006, in St. 

Andrew’s & Blackfriars’ 

Halls. 

We are looking for a 

design that reflects the 

culture of Norwich and 

Norfolk in conjunction 

with the drinking of real 

ale. 

It must also, as you may 

have noticed, contain all, 

or part of, a dragon. 

The latter is important as 

that is now an established 

part of our festival logos. 

If there are any relevant 

anniversaries or 

celebrations in 2006 that 

can be incorporated then 

please feel free to do so. 

We are not looking for a 

ready made final, full 

colour version — a rough 

idea that can be worked 

on is just as worthy of 

consideration. 

Entries, which should be 

on A4 paper, can be in 

black and white or up to 

four colours and should be 

sent to Beer Festival 

Logo Competition, 15a 

St. Augustine’s Street, 

Norwich NR3 3BY to 

arrive by February 10th. 

The winner will have the 

satisfaction of seeing their 

logo displayed over most 

of Great Britain and will 

receive £100 and a 

selection of products 

displaying it. 

The winning logo will be 

selected at the first beer 

festival planning meeting, 

in February 2006. 

Next Nips 

Feb.-Apr. 2006 

Advertisement deadline: 

Friday, January 6th 

News and articles deadline: 


Publication date: 




Music and Real Ale 

Traditional Jazz 

Sun. Nov. 20th (1.30-4.30 year and always an 

p.m.) — Just Jazz Good interesting selection of 

Lakeside Country Club, 

Time Jazz Band (Special 2- unusual beers. 

Quarry Lane, Lyng 

course Sunday roast Dec. 30th-Jan. 2nd — Jazz 

It was reported in the last available at a reasonable Weekend with good 

edition of Nips that 

price) 

selection of bands 

following the closure of the It is hoped that further Mar. 31st-Apr. 3rd — Jazz 

Norfolk Dumpling in July dates will be arranged if 

Weekend 

the Jazz Club had been left 

this one is a success 

homeless and sessions had 

Mainstream/ 

been suspended. 

Duke’s Head, King’s Lynn 

However, Audrey and Chris Sun. Nov. 13th (11 a.m.-3.00 Modern Jazz 

Buxton came to the rescue p.m.) — Jazz Brunch with Green Man, Rackheath 

and offered the club the 

Just Jazz Good Time Jazz Real ales including 

use of Lakeside Country 

Band 

Woodforde’s Wherry, Adnams 

Club. They recently moved Feathers Hotel, 

Bitter and Broadside 

there from the Forge, at Market Place, Holt 

Every Tue. (except. Dec. 27th 

Billingford, having 

and Jan. 3rd) — Full 

Greene King IPA and Abbot Ale 

previously been at the 

programme, bands vary 

First Fri. every month — 

Entertainer (now Angel 

Dec. 20th — Christmas Party 

Lumiere Rouge Ragtime 

Gardens), in Norwich. 

Night with The Vintage 


The venue has Adnams ales 

Hot Orchestra 

King’s Head Hotel, 

on offer plus “Lakeside” 

house bitter on handpump 

Beccles, Suffolk 

Dereham Jazz Society, 

and also offers good 

Selection of Adnams beers plus 

Football Club, Aldiss Park, 

facilities, including food. Greene King IPA and occasional 

Norwich Road, Dereham 

The first session with 

guest 

Real ale sometimes available 

Freetime Old Dixie Jass Every Sun. eve. — Red 

Every Wed. — Full 

Band, from Holland, on Oct. Beans ’n’ Rice New 

programme, bands vary 

22nd was a great success. Orleans Jazz Band 

Wed. Nov. 23rd — The 

Benny Goodman sound 

Tue. Dec. 13th — Christmas Tally Ho, Mettingham 

with Derek Cubit’s New 

Party Special with Phil (nr. Bungay), Suffolk 

High Society Jazz Band 

Mason’s New Orleans All Adnams beers plus guest 

Keith Chettleburgh 

Stars and Christine Tyrrell Every Thu. — Sole Bay Jazz 

(booking advisable, 


further details from Keith 

on 01603 812782) 

Pykkerell, High St., 

Locks Inn, Geldeston, 

Tue. Jan. 10th — Barry 

Ixworth, Suffolk 

01508 518414 

Tyler’s Original Dixieland Greene King IPA and Abbot Ale Winter opening: Wed./ Thu. 

Jazz Band 

Last Fri. every month (not. open 5 p.m., Fri.-Sun. 12 noon 

Dec.) — Dixie Jazz Bandits Every Thu. (9 p.m.) — Folk 

Reedham Village Hall 

with Mary Lou Lambert session, alternating 

Real ales available 

(vocals) and special 

between Tosh and open 

Sat. Nov. 12th — Barry 

guests (Keith Nicholls in sessions with Murphys 

Palser’s Savoy Jazz 

Nov.) 

Lore 

Crown, Banningham 

Seacroft Holiday Village, Sat. Nov. 12th — Klunk 

Good choice of real ales 

Hemsby 

Sat. Nov. 19th — Tim’s 

This venue became well This venue deserves special 

Birthday Bash with the 

known for the annual Jazz mention because, unlike 

Sweatbeats Ska Big Band 

Day held there until last most such holiday villages, 

(free event) 

year and they are now this one always lays on four 

Sat. Dec. 3rd — Dub Reggae 

planning to put on monthly real ales on gravity 

Night (£5) 

Sunday afternoon sessions, especially for the three Jazz 

Sat. Dec. 31st — New Year 

starting with: 

Weekends held there every 

Dub Reggae Night (£5) 



Branch Diary Dates 

Pick-up times for coaches: 6.47 junc. Southwell Rd./Grove Rd.; 

6.55 junc. Old Palace Rd./West End St.; 7.00 Boundary Rd. (bus 

stop nr. Whiffler); 7.02 junc. Mile Cross La./Eversley Rd.; 7.04 

Sprowston Fire Stn.; 7.08 Heartsease (Plumstead Rd. bus 

stop); 7.15 Wig & Pen, Palace Plain. 

Tuesday, November 15th 

Branch Meeting – Feathers, 

Cawston Road, Aylsham 

(8 p.m.). Free coach from 

Norwich, usual pick-ups 

as above. 

Friday, November 25th 

Mystery Coach Trip – Route 

unknown! Tickets £3, 

email Ray Parker, Social 

Secretary 

ray.parker10@ntlworld.com 

to reserve seats. Usual 

pick-ups, as above. 

Thursday, December 1st 

Beer Festival Debriefing – 

Rosary Tavern, Rosary 

Road, Norwich. 

Friday, December 2nd 

First Friday Five – Plough, 

St. Benedict’s Street 

(8 p.m.) then Ten Bells, 

Micawbers, Alibi, Coach & 

Horses (Bethel Street). 

Friday, December 16th 

Branch Christmas Crawl – 

See page 24. 

Saturday, December 17th 

West Norfolk CAMRA 

Branch Christmas Crawl 

of Norwich – See page 24. 

Tuesday, December 20th 

Branch Meeting – Railway, 

North Elmham (8 p.m.). 

Free coach from Norwich, 

usual pick-ups. 


First Friday Five – Duke of 

Wellington, Waterloo 

Road (8 p.m.) then Angel 

Gardens, Rosebery, 

Whalebone, Dyers Arms. 

Tuesday, January 17th 

Branch AGM – Venue to be 

arranged. See “What’s 

Brewing” or website. 

For up-to-date information about branch 

events visit the branch website at 

www.norwichcamra.org.uk 


Published every 3 months 

by the Norwich & Norfolk 

branch of the 

Campaign for Real Ale 

© N&N CAMRA 2005 

Norfolk Nips is produced and 

distributed by members of the 

branch in their own time 

Edited by: 

Adrian Hennessy 

1 Colman Gate, 

Pottergate, 

Norwich, Norfolk NR2 1DY 

Tel 0779 067 5057 

Fax 0871 661 6367 

Email 

norfolknips@yahoo.co.uk 

Views expressed in Norfolk Nips 

are not necessarily those of the 

editor or of CAMRA 

Printed by: 

Gallpen Colourprint, Norwich 

Norwich & 

Norfolk branch 

Chairman: Wendy Parker 

Tel. 01603 300292. Email wendy.parker26@ntlworld.com 

Secretary: Mike Andrews 

Tel. 01603 408856 

Social Secretary: Ray Parker 

Tel. 01603 300292. Email ray.parker10@ntlworld.com 

Branch website: 

www.norwichcamra.org.uk 

Branch mailing list web page: 

groups.yahoo.com/group/CAMRA_Norwich 

If you are unhappy about the service you get in a pub, 

i.e. short measures, lack of a price list, or misleading 

listing of products, contact Norfolk County Council 

Trading Standards Department at County Hall, 

Martineau Lane, Norwich NR1 2UD.

Don't Drink & Drive! - Norwich and Norfolk CAMRA

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