Mine's a Pint - Summer 2018

Pub & Brewery News
Pub News
ARBORFIELD
It now looks like we have lost THE SWAN
as a public house as the planning application
for conversion to housing will have been
decided by the time you read this and the
view appears to be that most parties involved
were in favour of conversion. It does seem a
shame that this fine old pub could not survive
especially when you see the numbers of new
houses being built just down the road on the
old army garrison site. It now leaves just The
Bramshill Hunt and The Bull – with the latter
being very food orientated (although there is
a small bar area and a couple of beers on tap)
BURGHFIELD COMMON
Plans have been submitted which could see
Burghfield Common’s last pub demolished
and turned into flats. Developer The Keen
Partnership has applied to West Berkshire
Council to demolish THE BANTAM in
Omer’s Rise and replace it with eight flats
and 14 parking spaces. This is the latest in a
series of planning applications for change of
use or redevelopment, all of which have been
rejected so far.
KNOWL HILL
THE NEW INN is on the market (leasehold)
with an asking price of £199,950. The pub
has been run by its current owners since
2013 and offers bar / restaurant and B&B
facilities. The bar offers real ales from
Rebellion Brewery. There are 2 other pubs in
the village both offering real ale (The Royal
Oak and The Bird in Hand)
PLAYHATCH
Just outside our branch area but definitely a
Mine’s A Pint
9
friend of Reading CAMRA is the FLOWING
SPRING on the Henley Road. This
independent freehouse has been crowned
Pub of the Year by our neighbours at South
Oxfordshire CAMRA, and it’s a worthy
winner. Check out their range of six real ales
plus gluten-free and alcohol-free options,
together with a great range of home-cooked
food that includes meat, vegetarian, vegan
and gluten-free offerings.
READING
We start with some good news concerning
the long-closed CORN STORES on Forbury
Road. This was once a Fuller’s pub and
restaurant but after they gave up on it, the
premises were shut and despite a few rumours
about new owners taking it on as a bar again,
nothing happened and it looked like it was
destined to become a derelict building or be
converted into offices or flats.
Well, it now appears that the property
has been bought by the people behind the
Shurlock Inn at Shurlock Row and they plan
to re-open it as a bar and restaurant once
more. This company – Rarebreed Dining