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publicised on our website and Facebook pages. ... pages 15-17. RM. 2. August - September 2016 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch ..... and 4.8%), Best (3.6%), IPA (3.2%, 5.0%, 5.2%, 6.3%), Copper .... before hosting a Question and.
theleicesterdrinker www.leicester.camra.org.uk FREE Issue 106 August / September 2016 The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch

Circulation 5,000 throughout Leicestershire & Rutland

Jim’s Jaunt p24

Pub of the Month! p20

Mild Trail p4-5 Everards Rebranding p19

INSIDE Brewery News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p6 Pub News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p7 Out & About . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p10 Club of the Year. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p14 Beer Census. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p22 Facebook/leicestercamra

@LeicesterCAMRA

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EDITOR Rob Macardle Please send contributions to [email protected] Website: www.leicester.camra.org.uk Facebook: Leicester Campaign for Real Ale The Drinker welcomes letters, news, views and articles for possible publication. Please keep it brief and to the point and supply your name and address (this will only be published with your permission). The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Editor, Leicester Branch, or CAMRA. ADVERTISING RATES 1 /6 page £ 35 + VAT 1 /4 page £ 50 + VAT 1 /3 page £ 66 + VAT 1 /2 page £ 85 + VAT 1 page £160 + VAT Back Page £190 + VAT Series Discounts available on 1/4 page and above VAT Registration Number: 102 0964 57 CAMRA Recommends that if you are in any way dissatisfied with the measure of your pint in any of Leicestershire & Rutland’s pubs, contact the Trading Standards. Details below. • City of Leicester Council has now moved from New Walk. All Weights & Measures enquiries should be referred to Citizens Advice 03454040506 or www.citizensadvice.org.uk • Leicestershire County Council 2000, E-mail: [email protected] • Rutland County Council Offices, Catmose, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6HP. • Trading Standards are part of Environmental Health. All initial enquiries to Rutland County Council can be made through the customer services team. 01572 722577 Leicester CAMRA makes every effort to publish the Leicester Drinker on time, however sometimes due to lack of copy being received it may be a few days later than advertised. Leicester CAMRA cannot accept any responsibility for advertisements taken that feature a dated event that has occurred before publication is published. Postal Copies can be obtained from S. Collier on 07504 829830 or email: [email protected] 16 South Drive, Leicester LE5 1AN (Please supply stamps) www.camra.org.uk

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August - September 2016

FROM THE EDITOR Welcome to the August/September edition of The Leicester Drinker. With the summer still struggling to get under way it seems bizarre that, as I write, we are but a few weeks away from The Great British Beer Festival. Even stranger, we are already making plans for Cask Ale Week in October when, perversely, we’ll be celebrating... er, cider! The truth is, that whilst Cask Ale Week is an industry wide initiative, CAMRA’s focus in October is the apple concoction. With the harvest complete and cider presses dusted off cideries will leap into overdrive. So, what does this mean locally? Well, for some time now, cider and cider production has been spreading from its stronghold in the West Country and Welsh Marches; there are an increasing number of pubs selling cider hand pumped or box-bagged and Leicestershire and surrounding counties now have a healthy number of producers. All in all we felt the time was right to instigate our first Cider Trail. This will be similar in format to the Mild Trail with stickers to collect towards a trail T-Shirt. The T-shirt design was not finalised before we went to press but will be publicised on our website and Facebook pages. For the uninitiated there will be at least one opportunity for some tutored tasting, and, if there are any pubs holding a cider festival between September 19th and October 18th, please let us know. All the details are on pages 15-17. RM

ADVERTISE IN THE LEICESTER DRINKER!

With a circulation of 5,000 and an estimated readership of three times that number, The Drinker reaches licensees and pubgoers alike and is available free of charge in almost 200 outlets. The newsletter is published every two months by The Campaign for Real Ale, prices to advertise start from £35 plus VAT. Contact [email protected] in the first instance. LEICESTER DRINKER ADVERTISING/COPY DEADLINES 2016 LD107 Oct/Nov LD108 Dec/Jan

Recommended Absolute 14/09/2016 21/09/2016 16/11/2016 23/11/2016

The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch

The Stamford Arms, Groby 10% CAMRA DISCOUNT ON ALL CASK ALES • New Play Area for Under 12s • Family Garden • Tuck Shop • No Smoking Area

• 5 Star Accommodation • Available for Bed & Breakfast • WiFi • Holiday Lets Available • Shires Magazine Pub of the Year • CAMRA Pub of the Month February 2015 • 7 Cask Ales & Cider Always Available • Food Served from 11am - 10pm

Fine Food & Real Ales

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Open 11-11 (11.30 close Fri & Sat) Food served 12-9 (8 Sun)

74 Loughborough Road, Hathern, LE12 5JB

 Wi-Fi  Beer Garden  Children’s Play Area

01509 646688

www.anchorinnhathern.co.uk

The Leicester Drinker

www.leicester.camra.org.uk

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“MILD THING – YOU MAKE MY GLASS SING” MILD MONTH

Mild in May 2016 » by Shawn Collier

Our Mild in May event has been a success with 32 pubs and clubs participating. Thanks to all for your efforts. The 33rd spot on the collection form was reserved for a wild card and this has seen a wide range of other venues selling a mild. Maybe we can get some of those to join in fully next year? The wild card also produced a couple of well-travelled entries from The Royal Oak near London’s Borough tube station and stickers from our near neighbours Nottingham’s Mild Trail! In the opposite direction two members from Bristol have submitted forms. The two branch socials organised were blessed with sunshine, although the first one did see a thunderstorm develop while we were in Barkby. We didn’t get too wet as a couple of taxis conveyed us to Syston where the usual hospitality of the Social Club was enjoyed as we watched Leicester City’s coronation as Premier League champions. On the 28th May thirty-six souls boarded the 1961 vintage Bristol bus for a countryside crawl, a few having taken

advantage of breakfast and an early sticker at the High Cross. First stop was in the leafy Glenhills suburb at the Sports and Social Club where milds were on from Dow Bridge, Timothy Taylor and Hoggleys. This was also a pick up point. CAMRA members are welcome here for 50p admission that is soon absorbed by the reasonably priced beers. This venue is an unknown to a few members but gets approving comments once discovered. Next was a recent Pub of the Month, the General Elliott at Willoughby Waterleys. After a few pints poured, Castle Rock Black Gold was replaced by Phoenix Black Shadow. Then it was on to The Plough, Bruntingthorpe where Kendricks 1823 was on. A well presented garden area was ideal to enjoy the beers on offer. Leaving Bruntingthorpe there was brief concern as we were followed by a police riot van but this soon overtook and sped off as everyone looked forward to the next stop. The garden area at the Chandlers Arms was another suntrap to relax in and enjoy the Magpie Four for the Boys. It was now becoming too easy to get comfortable but the time soon came to say our goodbyes and return to the bus, but not before taking a group photo in the ‘team kit’. One of the longer sections of the day took us to the Fox and Goose at Illston on the Hill. This delightful venue is in a small village off the B6047, unfortunately not on a bus route. There is always a warm welcome and a well kept pint to greet those making the effort to visit though; on this occasion we enjoyed Hyde’s Indie Mild.

Glenhills Sports & 4

Social Club

August - September 2016

A final stint through country lanes saw the bus pull in at the Cow and Plough, Oadby where Belvoir Dark Horse is a regular The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch

here. A good selection of beers is always available and once the sticker was obtained they were also sampled. It was time to take my leave as it’s only a short taxi ride home from the C&P, though others continued towards Leicester to the drop off points and to collect a few more trail stickers. All venues are to be thanked for good service as, to avoid congestion at the bar, initial orders were phoned through and were waiting for us on arrival. Thanks also to Gary for timetabling the day and to Martin, our driver, for conveying us around.

photo

Mild Trail team

MILD TRAIL RAFFLE WINNERS (selected by random number generator)

Malt Shovel: Sunday Lunch for 2. . . . . . . . Tom Logue Steamin’ Billy Shirt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Susan Shirley Swan & Rushes: Bottled Beer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mike New Dow Bridge Mild x 3 Bottles . . . . . . . . . . Steve Johnson, Gary Akiens & Tim Gunnion (Bristol)

The Fox & Goose

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STARTING 1ST AUGUST TO JOIN ASK @ THE BAR

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                          

REAL ALE CLUB



                

The Criterion



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   To all pump clip collectors!                                                            We have over 1000 clips that we      Andy    Sept Robins 1 ST         RD   Sept           Sansome 3 Al            TH                        8 Sept Smashing  Club    Merryfield are selling with the                      TH        10 Sept Russ              TH      TH                  Griffiths   Sept proceeds going to:        15         Andy             

17 Sept Ruthie Coles

               

ND                

   22 Sept Cliff Bywater  24  TH      Waterway Recovery Group                   Sept  Blueswamp   

TH         Sept         29     Open Mic      Acoustic                                                Plus 10 Special Ales                                    



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1st - 3rd September

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         

              



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  

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  

The Leicester Drinker



     TH             Highly             4TH Aug Kenny Wilson  6 Aug      PUMP CLIP + PUB MEMORABILIA       Strung                    TH          TH   Club   Smashing Aug    Chris   Conway   Aug        11   13   FESTIVAL/SALE                  TH     Cole     Aug       TH    18   20 Aug Razors    Jp                + The  Carlton                  TH   Aug   25     Doyle Open Mic   TH                27      Aug Joe

www.leicester.camra.org.uk

5

BREWERY NEWS ANSTEY This one-barrel brewery operates on a

part-time basis; it intends increasing capacity in the future and to relocate at a brewpub.

BARROWDEN has relocated to an industrial unit in Whetstone from the Exeter Arms, which Martin Allsopp has now sold.

BEARDY MONKEY (Melton Mowbray) - Focus

remains on two core beers at present although work has commenced on a new bitter. Aiming to up double production to 2 brews a week with a further 18 gallon fermenter.

BELVOIR won the green flag for passing the SIBA Quality Audit.

CHARNWOOD The newly installed fourth

fermenter has been well used weekly to keep up with demand. Two beers have been brewed for Steamin’ Billy, “Ruckin Flanker’ 4.2%, for the Six Nations and highly popular ‘Vardy’s Volley’ 4.0%, celebrating Leicester City’s Premiership success. Two new seasonals have been launched recently, Outback and Charmer, both going into bottle as well. Two awards have been won; Castle Rock Managers chose it as their New Brewery of the Year and the Commercial Achievement Award in the SIBA National Business Awards.

ELLISWOOD changed ownership in April. New

owners Darren and Louise Lavender will continue to brew Elliswood beers as a partnership.

EVERARDS continue brewing their monthly seasonals. Crowning Glory, a 4.8% Golden Ale, was brewed to celebrate Leicester City’s Premier League success. For June, the European Championships were marked with a 4% Golden Ale, Three Tigers brewed with 3 European hops, Tettnang (Germany), Olicana (UK) and Styrian Bobek (Slovenia). For July, 4.5% Stateside Rye was brewed with Rye and 5 hops (Magnum, Fuggles, Goldings, Cascade and Columbus). In August, Carnival is a 4.3% Golden Ale brewed with Galaxy and Cascade hops for the 2016 Rio Olympics and September’s transport-themed beer is Midland Red, a 4.5% bitter brewed using Willamette, Columbus and Amarillo hops. With Halloween in mind, October will see Black Annis Porter. A general re-branding exercise in July is covered on page 19. GAS DOG Due to continuing health problems,

the new plant is still not up and running but there should be some brewing in the summer.

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August - September 2016

GOLDEN DUCK (Appleby Magna) now have a

regular outlet at Netherseal Social Club where No. 8 is on permanently at the moment. They were at Market Bosworth Rail Ale Festival in July and the Sir John Moore Foundation for the Queen’s Birthday on June 11th. GREAT CENTRAL’s festival special, the GT3, was popular at Leicester beer festival, and the second cask sold well in a local pub. They supplied four casks to the Rail Ale festival at Barrow Hill and their Hymek Mild appeared in a number of Leicestershire pubs for the Leicester CAMRA Mild in May Trail. Plans for a second fermenter in the brewery have been put on hold due to space constraints but brewer Neil Rowley is in the process of sourcing equipment to resolve this issue. LONG LANE has suspended operations for the foreseeable future due to family illness. LANGTON For Leicester BF their festival special was First Flight (4.2%), a light copper coloured beer having a malty caramel character with soft fruit flavours and medium bitterness. Due to its popularity, they did a further batch in April when Sovereign (4.2%) marked the Queen’s 90th Birthday. Their 2nd annual beer festival in July featured a dozen different beers from Micro-breweries in South Wales plus a half-dozen of their own. Two new brew tanks and another 10 barrel fermenter will take the brewery’s production capability to a potential 35 barrels a week. Langton brewed Empress Ale is proving to be a great success and was served on draught in the House of Commons Strangers Bar in late May. Q BREWERY have a new beer, St Mary’s Mild, a 3.5% traditional dark mild, a malty taste with hints of chocolate, just supplied to the Newark CAMRA BF (along with Ridgemere bitter and Q Hop) and the Gas Tap micropub in Melton Mowbray. Bottle beers are available from Metro Wines (Syston) and Bottle Mix (Kettering). Following a summer break, they will firing up the copper again for the Britannia Inn, Queniborough BF. WEST END Leicester’s first brew pub for many years is brewing once or twice per week. Three beers from the 2.5 barrel brewery (+ 2 or 3 guests) are available at any time. Beers are described on the board behind the bar by style, ABV and malt and hops used. Brews so far include Pale (3.8% The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch

PUB NEWS PUBS

The CAMRA discount at The Last Plantagenet has been amended (see below). There are new tenants at The Sir Robert Peel and The Hind (the latter has four beers from Caledonian: Flying Scotsman, Golden XPA, Kick-Off and Olde Station Clock plus London Pride). Following the recent incident The King Richard lll has re-opened with a temporary landlord. The makeover at The King’s Head has been delayed but the pub remains open as normal. The Bowlturner’s Arms has opened as an electrical shop; CAMRA is checking whether planning procedures for ‘Permitted Development’ have been followed. The Horse & Groom (Queniborough) has now re-opened. In Walcote, villagers have formed The Black Horse Community Benefit Society. With a local

benefactor, they have purchased the building and refurbishment is well under way. The group is looking for a tenant with a good track record to run the pub. Tel: Kate Green on 01455 556672. Anyone over 18 interested in shares in the pub should e-mail [email protected].

MISCELLANEOUS

A number of local members attended a training course in Nottingham on 11th June, as a result of which we now have a Leicester Beer Tasting panel. Members are Dave Huddart, John Jones, Jenny Timothy, Martin Scott, John Spencer (chair), Andy Stenson and Jamie Stenson. A coach from Telford & Bridgnorth CAMRA visited Leicester on 18th June; they were very impressed with the pubs they visited and beer quality.

LAST PLANTAGENET DISCOUNT

The 10% discount…can now be used on meal deals including our clubs and deli deals (all of which include a drink). Although we have reduced the amount of discount it allows us to extend the variety of meals on offer. When [applying] the 10% discount to a club it also discounts the drink, so the cost is virtually the same as the 20% off but you wouldn’t get a drink. Changing our discount means it will be far simpler for both your members and the team – with a wider variety of choice on meals and a drink included the price is approximately the same as the 20% off where a drink would have to [be] purchased separately. Lisa Townsend (Manager)

and 4.8%), Best (3.6%), IPA (3.2%, 5.0%, 5.2%, 6.3%), Copper (4.2%) and Gold (4.0%). A Mild (3.8%) was brewed for May. Future plans include offering brewday experiences, settling on a couple of permanent beers and adding a stout or porter as a fourth beer from the brewery on the bar. BAKERS DOZEN The 5% mosaic hopped pale Electric Landlady is popular and has recently won a craft beer award locally. 2015 summer seasonal beers are now available and, working collaboratively with the Three Blind Mice brewery in Ely, a new beer will be produced in July. Beers have featured in Festivals at Cambridge, Grandchester and Newark. GRAINSTORE continues to go from strength to strength under Tony Davis’s son Will and Peter Atkinson. 12 beers are brewed regularly as well as seasonal beers. Grainstore Cooking and Ten Fifty remain as the best sellers. For the Euro 2016 tournament their special was Metatarsal. The summer quenchers are Summer Gold (4.5%) and the pale, citrus, Mumbo Jumbo (3.8%). STONEY FORD is a new small batch brewery, based in Ryhall, Stamford currently brewing cask-conditioned beers around Stamford. The Leicester Drinker

www.leicester.camra.org.uk

Pub News relies greatly on input from the public and the trade. CAMRA members will generally visit premises with an existing real ale commitment so information on new stockists and outlets is particularly welcome. Thanks on this occasion to Philip Tiplady, Jim Reay, Andrea Arthur, Gary Akiens, Steve Peck, Shawn Collier, Terry Lock, Gary Waterfield, Graham Campion.

LOCAL BREWERY WEBSITES Bakers Dozen bakersdozenbrewing.co.uk Barrowden n/a Beardy Monkey n/a Belvoir belvoirbrewery.co.uk Charnwood charnwoodbrewery.co.uk Criterion thecriterion.co.uk D. O’Brien dobrienbrewery.co.uk Dow Bridge dowbridgebrewery.co.uk Elliswood theelliswoodbrewery.co.uk Everards everards.co.uk Gas Dog gasdogbrewery.co.uk Golden Duck goldenduckbrewery.com Grainstore grainstorebrewery.com Great Central gcbrewery.co.uk Langton langtonbrewery.co.uk Long Lane See Golden Duck Market Harborough MHbrew.co.uk Parish n/a Pig Pub piginmuck.com/brewery Q Brewery qbrewery.co.uk Shardlow n/a Stoney Ford stoneyfordbrewco.co.uk Très Bien tresbienbrewery.com West End Brewery facebook.com/WEBLeicester

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Three Men on a Bus . . . ag ain!

I’m glad to see the new Leicester bus station is finally operational. During the chaotic alterations we came up with a new definition of a bus as a vehicle that goes twice as fast when you are after it as when you are on it. We three no-longeryoung chaps are still meeting there or at St Margaret’s midmorning to see where bus passes can take us to by lunchtime. We have even surprised ourselves just where you can get to with a bit of planning. Nottingham has featured in recent trips and we will have to go back as, much as we try, we just cannot get round them all. Quickest way is the Derby Skylink from St.Margaret’s (every 20mins) switching to the no.9 in Loughborough. During recent trips we took in Canning Circus and then the Canal area. (Nottingham CAMRA have a good map http://nottinghamcamra.org/pubcrawls_23_63039421.pdf) Of the numerous pubs round Canning Circus there is another Organ Grinder but first we found the Hand on Heart (Derby Road), a bit of a one off free house fronting cliffs with caves which double as a smart dining area. A great range of more unusual ales and CAMRA discount was on offer when we were there. Nearby there was another unusual pub, The Raglan Road - very much an Irish themed bar on two levels; a very comfortable feel about it and a great range of ale. Another well worth a visit is the Malt Cross, a listed former music hall. Owned by a charitable trust and a pub since 2014. Unusual! Very good ales on offer and apparently change regularly. We tried others but these were the most interesting. Walking back towards the town centre the Crafty Crow is an odd new establishment near the Castle with lots of old recycled brewing paraphernalia and to us it seems to almost have an American feel. About 10 pumps though, with beer all from smaller producers, well worth a visit. Next visit, on a lovely sunny day, we went for a canal walk. We got off at the Vat & Fiddle, a welcoming real pub near the railway station

8

August - September 2016

The Horse & Plough, Bingham with a small garden. Moving on and by now looking for a bite to eat we went into two quite strange establishments beside each other. First, the Fellows Morton & Clayton (FMC) Canal Street, presumably a converted warehouse; very popular and a great location and range of ale. Next door, and sharing the same canal frontage, is a real oddball. I kid you not, but there is a full size canal boat in the bar. Imaginatively called the Canalhouse Bar it is an attractive themed pub in an old museum. It is built over a spur of the canal hence the moored-up boat and there is a bridge between both sides of the bar room allowing you to look down at it. Great ales again but, as with its neighbour, the food was a bit limited, a bit fancy and a bit pricey. We wandered down the canal for about half a mile and away from the fleshpots and found the Navigation on Wilford Street. A simple Marston’s local, it had some wonderful ales and cheese and onion cobs. Saved! We walked past a nearly empty Trent Bridge cricket ground where there was a county match on (there seemed more security staff than customers) and searched out the Stratford Haven, a strange thin pub recently created on conversion by Castle Rock; numerous great ales and pub grub. Last trip we went out to Bingham (buses from Trent Bridge every 10 minutes). The White Lion has unusual guest beers and a remarkable range of very good value meals; the Chesterfield is a good local in an interesting building but the best of the bunch is the Horse & Plough with many great ales and real ciders and very good food; worth a visit all by itself. Nottingham will be down for a further visit.

Free Rider

The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch

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ꌀ㜀㔀

9

www.leicester.camra.org.uk

The Leicester Drinker

OUT & ABOUT Saturday 28th May Westfest at The Western had the usual mix of beer, food and music with footfall boosted by the large numbers in town for the Kasabian gigs at King Power stadium. Back at the Western, Warlock, fronted by local legend Ken Spencer who has been doing his stuff since 1959, knocked out Blues, R&B and Rock ‘n Roll.

Sunday 29th May Despite there being a lot of excellent food available and Rustie Lee (below) giving cookery demonstrations, there was no drink to be found this time at the Leicester Summer Food & Drink Festival. The on-site bar offered nothing exciting on tap and only bottled Everards Tiger or Two Tribes gave any cause for temptation. The Corn Exchange did good business as a consequence, but a great pity that the F&D organisers can’t do something to re-balance its offer. Oh, there was no cheese either!

EVERY DAY IS A MINI BEER FESTIVAL HERE! OUR ‘REAL ALE’ TURNOVER IS AMAZING!!! TRY OUR EVER CHANGING GUEST BEERS THEY’RE GREAT!!

NOW OPEN 4.30pm to 11pm MONDAY TO THURSDAY AND ALL DAY FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY ‘TWITTER’ @systonsocial

NEW MEMBERS ALWAYS WELCOME CAMRA MEMBERS FREE ENTRY WITH CARD

2015    

10

     

 

2016    

 

August - September 2016

The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch

with the Editor Saturday 4th June As with the Food & Drink Festival, the Riverside Festival proved a disappointment from a beer point of view. Although the music was generally good, there was no Real Ale marquee this year and the overworked mobile bar had only a couple of keg offerings from the Ringwood stable. Most interesting for ale drinkers was the presence of Hoskins’s old delivery truck re-located from its usual home at Leicester Museum of Technology.

The Leicester Drinker

www.leicester.camra.org.uk

continued on pg 12

››

11

›› from pg 11

Stuart Morley ready for action

Thursday 9th June... was the first day of the Stamford Arms Beer Festival where the CAMRA Membership Stand (above right) made an outing for a couple of weeks. This is a pub that has seen an upsurge in interest from Real Ale drinkers and many regulars have signed up

Saturday 11th June In a chance meeting at The Exchange I saw John and Jane Jones. Between 1985 and 1988 they were licensees of the Rainbow & Dove when it was a Hoskins house and one of the foremost Real Ale pubs in the city. They still take a keen interest in the Real Ale scene and wished to be remembered to customers who made the pub such a vibrant part of the eighties “circuit”. 12

to CAMRA off the back of the good range of beers and ciders available and the members’ discounts. The festival beer list had some interesting beers, too. Mr Grundy Blighty, Derby Dashingly Dark and Dark Star Festival were all in excellent shape.

Jane & John Jones, formerly of the Rainbow & Dove

Thursday 23rd June Phoenix Arts was the venue for CAMRA’s Revitalisation of Ale meeting. The forty or so attendees took part in a presentation-cum-surveycum-discussion around the future of CAMRA as an organisation. Presented by Tom Stanier and James Lynch from CAMRA HQ some of the key themes included the Craft Keg versus Real Ale debate and how this affects CAMRA’s relationship with young drinkers, the mismatch between the brewing boom and the availability of outlets to sell brewers’ output, how foreign beers fit into the mix, where cider fits into the equation and the importance of pub preservation.

August - September 2016

The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch

Wednesday 29th June The Horse & Trumpet in Wigston was the venue for the annual Everards v CAMRA Skittles Match, unfortunately concluding with a familiar result for CAMRA. After a 44-44 tie in the first leg, neither team performed well in the second and it finished 39-35 in favour of the brewery. Former Sir Robert Peel licensees Julian and Karen Watson

are now in charge at the H&T so an excellent spread of food was a given. A tasty chicken curry or a fiery chilli made for a difficult choice, but most people decided to try a bit of both without disappointment. Back at the skittles alley a keenly fought third leg finally went 47-42 to Everards for a 2 ½ - ½ victory. There’s always next year...

Wednesday 6th July

Thursday 30th June For the first time in a quarter of a century Everards have undergone a full re-branding to coincide with their scheduled re-location of brewery and warehousing facilities. The official launch event took place at The Cradock, Knighton, and apart from the formal introduction and corporate video presentation, Richard Everard received an elegant print of the original Southgate Brewery from the brewery’s graphic designers. Everards also took the opportunity to confirm long-term sponsorship agreements with both Leicester Tigers and Leicester Riders. The latter’s Tyler Bernardini and Chairman Kevin Routledge were there with two of the trophies the team picked up this season and representatives of Tigers and Leicester Squash were also on hand. More details of the re-branding appear on page 19.

The Leicester Drinker

www.leicester.camra.org.uk

CAMRA Chief Executive Tim Page was in Leicester. Local CAMRA Chairman Shawn Collier, Branch Secretary Philip Tiplady and myself met him at The Western before moving on to the West End Brewery where brewer/ proprietor Josh Gray gave Tim, Shawn and Philip an impromptu viewing of his 2.5 barrel brew room. Tim was greatly impressed by the West End setup and Josh’s enthusiasm and hospitality. We were later joined by Social Secretary Gary Akiens and Young Members’ Secretary Tonii Leach and enjoyed some interesting discussions on various issues facing the licensed trade. We then moved on to the well-attended Branch Meeting at The Highcross where Tim addressed the membership present about how he sees his role and the future of CAMRA before hosting a Question and Answer session. 13

CAMRA CLUB OF THE YEAR 2016

The award ceremony took place on Friday 17th June to coincide with the Club’s ever-popular Beer Festival where CAMRA Branch chairman Shawn Collier was on hand to present club chairman Mark Newton with the certificate (pictured right). As always, the club’s hospitality was first rate and with so many beers available disappointment on any level was unlikely. The Club now goes forward to the regional rounds, where it has done well in previous years.

Photo courtesy of Lynsey Wheat

Although most of CAMRA’s activities are geared to pubs, we do not neglect other outlets that are committed to Real Ale and members clubs regularly feature amongst drinkers’ favourites. Three or four are regularly commended but once again, Syston Sports & Social Club is Leicester CAMRA Club of the Year.

THE BRITANNIA, QUENIBOROUGH

THE BRITANNIA, 4TH ANNUAL BEER FESTIVAL QUENIBOROUGH

4TH ANNUAL BEER FESTIVAL Friday 26 – Monday 29th August th

Friday 26th – Monday 29th August

20 Real Ales over the Weekend 20 Real Ales over the Weekend Live Music Friday & Saturday Night from 9PM



• •

Friday & Saturday Night from 9pm

E MUSIC! LIVLive Music Sunday & Monday Afternoon from Sunday & Monday Afternoon from 3pm 3PM

Home-made Paella in The Beer Tent from 1pm Sunday Home-made Paella in The Beer Tent from 1pm Sunday BBQ BBQ in the Garden from 1pm Monday in the Garden from 1pm Monday

20% Discount for Camra Members on Monday 20% Discount for CAMRA Members on Monday 12-6pm 12-6pm Open All Day, Every Day from 12 Noon Open All Day, Every Day from 12 Noon

For further information: The Britannia, Queniborough (0116) 2605675

www.britanniaqueniborough.co.uk or follow us on



14

For further information: The Britannia, Queniborough (0116) 2605675 www.britanniaqueniborough.co.uk or follow us on FACEBOOK

August - September 2016



FACEBOOK

The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch

Leicestershire Cider

THE LEICESTER CIDER TRAIL

#leicester cider

19th September to 18th October

Thirsty Farmer. Based at Sutton Bonnington in

CAMRA celebrates and promotes traditional cider and perry every May and October. This year sees the first Leicester Cider Trail, open to all drinkers of traditional cider, (made with fermented apple or pear juice, served out of a bag in box or through a hand pump) and not just CAMRA members.

Charnwood Cider. Rob Clough uses a wide variety of

The format is simple: visit the pubs, collect a sticker when ordering a pint or half pint of traditional cider or perry, and attach the sticker to the grid. When you have 10 stickers, fill in your name and address and send the completed form for the chance to win a Trail T-Shirt (sizes are M, L, XL and XXL and women’s styles are available).

Nottinghamshire, Andrew Fear draws on his family cider making tradition to make Thirsty Farmer cider. The style is very much that of the West Country (the Fear family come from Somerset) using traditional cider fruit to make a fruity drink with plenty of soft tannin. locally grown apples at his base near Bradgate Park, blended to make a number of crisp refreshing ciders in the Eastern Counties style, as well as the more modern blended style. Look out for Disco Cox, made with Discovery and Cox apples.

For those wanting to discover more about traditional cider there will be a tutored pub crawl on the 8th October. Look out for details online.

LIVE music saturday - monday

CONTINUES OVERLEAF...

Bottle Kicking Cider Co. At Hallaton, Rob Morton uses locally grown and Gloucestershire apples to make several ciders, made with a blend of apples (cider, eating, cooking) or in the eastern Counties style. The most widely and regularly available is Scrambler, but a number of fruit flavoured ciders also appear in city centre pubs.

Please be mindful that things do go wrong from time to time, and pubs may run out of cider at very busy times. Leicester is a great place to drink cider, which is available in more pubs than are taking part in the Trail. The Wild Card spaces are for these pubs: write in the name of the pub and the date, and ask bar staff to initial it.

LEICESTER CIDER TRAIL

The East Midlands have become a real centre of traditional cider production, with Leicestershire leading the way, as local cider makers use traditional cider varieties together with eating and cooking apples. The three East Midlands cider makers whose products are most frequently found in Leicester pubs are:

Thursday 25th - Monday 29th August 2016 • In addition to our normal range we will have an extra 15 ales and 5 ciders all with a transport theme • Food available all weekend E [email protected]

ter LE3 0GA Road, Leices 70 Western

The Leicester Drinker

T 0116 2545 287 W www.steamin-billy.co.uk

www.leicester.camra.org.uk

15

Attach your stickers here:

See below for pub locations

THE LEICESTER CIDER TRAIL

The Exchange

Last Plantagenet

King’s Head

The Criterion Freehouse

William Wygston

West End Brewery

Old Horse

The Charlotte

The Western

The Globe

High Cross

Swan and Rushes

WILD CARD

WILD CARD

WILD CARD

(Pub name & staff signature) (Pub name & staff signature) (Pub name & staff signature)

19 September - 18 October

The Queen of Bradgate

Real Ale Classroom

Bowling Green

The Blue Boar

Stamford Arms, Groby

The Corn Exchange

Black Horse, Aylestone

The Salmon

Beerhouse, Market Harborough

Most of the pubs on the Cider Trail are in the city centre but the following bus/ transport information may be useful: PUB

POSTCODE

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Swan and Rushes* William Wygston (Wigston)* Old Horse* Real Ale Classroom * Black Horse (Aylestone)* The Western (off Bede Island)* Stamford Arms (Groby)* Beerhouse (Market Harborough)

LE1 5WR LE18 1DR LE2 1NE LE2 2DA LE2 8NA LE3 0GA LE6 0DJ LE16 7GL

(F) 47/49/84/84A/85/87 (A) 47/47A/48/48A/49/49A (A) 40 (CB) 31/31A (A) 31/31A $ 84/84A/85/87(A) 40(CB) $ 50/50A/51/52 (A) 18/19 (F) $ 26/28 (A) X3(A)X7(SC)44(CB) $ Railway Station nearby

Key to symbols: (A) Arriva (F) First Bus (CB) Centrebus $ Not in view from bus stop, venue a short walk away. * Venues can be reached with a Leicester Flexi bus ticket. 16

August - September 2016

The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch

Cider Trail Rules and Information 1. The Cider Trail runs from 19th September to 18th October inclusive. When you buy a pint (or a half pint) of traditional cider or perry served from a bag in box or hand pump in a pub on the Cider Trail ask the bar staff for a sticker for the grid. For the Wild Cards, which can be any pub in the Leicester CAMRA branch area, insert pub name, date, and ask bar staff to initial. 2. Traditional cider may be fruit flavoured, but not carbonated, bottled or pasteurised. 3. Only one sticker from each participating pub. 4. Be patient if traditional cider is not available. There will probably be a good reason. 5. Everyone who collects 10 or more stickers will have the chance to receive a T-Shirt kindly sponsored by some of the Trail participants. Shirt sponsors are in bold on the Trail Grid. 6. There will be a tutored tour of some of the pubs taking part in the Trail on Saturday 8th October. See branch web page for details.

ON THE

7. Final date for receipt of entries is 1st November 2016. Forms may also be handed in at The Charlotte. 8. Have a great time, and if you’ve found a great cider, tell your friends!

CIDER TRAIL

Please complete to claim: Name: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Address:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ......................................................................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Post Code:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Email (opt):. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Phone (opt): . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CAMRA Membership No. (if applicable): . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Signature: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . T-shirt size (subject to availability, please tick):

M

L

XL

2XL

Ladies’ style T-shirt required

Yes, I am interested in joining the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA)

SEND TO: LEICESTER CIDER TRAIL, 16 SOUTH DRIVE , LEICESTER , LE5 1AN The Leicester Drinker

www.leicester.camra.org.uk

17

18

August - September 2016

The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch

REBRANDED In 1849 the Everards story began when William Everard purchased the Southgate Street Brewery in the heart of Leicester and declared that “No effort should be found wanting in the production and supply of genuine ale of first-rate quality.” Today, one hundred and sixty-seven years later the business is still independent and family owned with an exciting new chapter ahead as it enters its sixth generation. As revealed in Leicester Drinker (issue #105 p6) the business has plans to create a new home close to its current site in Leicestershire which will feature a state of the art ale brewery, first-class office facilities, a cutting edge Café Bar and an industry leading cycle centre all in a green field setting. There is a brand new logistics centre at Optimus Point, close to Glenfield and, pending planning permission on their current site, Everards are hopeful to be on the move in 2017. In the meantime, they continue to invest in the business and in July rolled out a re-branding programme. Everards own over 175 pubs across the East Midlands and over the past couple of years the look of these has evolved to reflect the fact that they are all run as independent businesses. Working with each licensee, the famous Everards green signage is gradually being replaced with signage that best fits the area and the building. The time was right, therefore, for an updated Everards logo that reflects their heritage while looking to the future. Founder William still features and the new wording is classic and modern, taking inspiration from logos of the past. Chairman Richard Everard explains, “We’re championing our home county and highlighting that we’re ‘Everards of Leicestershire’. We have seen the importance of independence and local and we think our new look reminds people that we are very definitely both.” The beers have a new look too featuring Leicestershire icons, the Tiger and the Fox. The Leicester Drinker

Above: Rebranded pump clips Left: Erika Hardy & Stephen Gould Enderby based agency, Juice, has created a fresh but classic look for the beers, each piece of artwork underpinned by a clear supporting narrative and the rebranding process has supported local businesses by sourcing everything from drip mats to glassware from Leicestershire and adjacent counties wherever possible. Tiger highlights the local link having received special permission from the Royal Leicestershire Regiment to use their laurels and scroll to connect the beer to the history behind the name. The new logos also help drinkers decide which beer is for them with the introduction of colour and taste information. Beacon Hill, for example, is badged as an amber ale which is lightly hopped and moreish. Detailed notes about the re-branding of the beers can be found on our website: www.leicester.camra.org.uk For further information visit www.everards.co.uk, search for ‘Everards’ on Facebook, find @everards1849 on Twitter or everards1849 on Instagram.

www.leicester.camra.org.uk

19

PUB OF THE MONTH June 2016: The Real Ale Classroom, Stoneygate

T

he Real Ale Classroom only opened last autumn but is already building a loyal following. Based in Allandale Road, Stoneygate, it has filled a desperately needed niche in what is a poorly served part of the city for pubgoers. This micropub is a converted shop that itself seats only a couple of dozen people but with a small beer garden to the back and pavement seating out front providing space for overspill it never feels uncomfortable, even when busy.

Award W inner

The owners are Ian Martin and Steve Tabbernor and true to their background as teachers the simple but effective décor

The

Salmon 10 Ales, 2 Ciders Hot & cold cobs & light bites Open: Sun-Thu 11-11 Fri-Sat 11-12 Darts players welcome Dog friendly

Sky/BT Sport @_thesalmon_

The Salmon

thesalmonleicester.co.uk 20

August - September 2016

has an educational theme including a blackboard for the beer list, school desks for tables, a portrait of Matthew Arnold, a school bell and beer styles displayed in test tubes. Beers and ciders are served by gravity from a wooden cooling cabinet. Whilst Ian taught up to the end of the summer term, Steve hung up his chalk for the new enterprise back in October..

I

t was our great pleasure to recognise this welcome addition to the Real Ale fold when we presented the pub with our Pub of the Month Award for June on Wednesday, June 22nd. For those that don’t want cask, there is a good selection of bottled beers, ciders, spirits and wines. CAMRA discounts are available. Thus far nobody has thrown a board rubber at me, but I’m sure its only a matter of time before I get “caned” and I’m now looking for a reason to be kept here in detention. RM

The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch

The Leicester Drinker

www.leicester.camra.org.uk

21

The

King’s Head Leicester CAMRA PUB OF THE YEAR 2016

10 Cask Ales, 8 Real Ciders Open: 12pm-12am every day @_thekings_

thekingsleicester

King Street, LE1 6RL

2nd Leicester Real Ale Census On Saturday 11th June 2016, twelve members of Leicester CAMRA visited over 50 pubs in the Leicester City centre to complete the annual census, taking a snapshot of the variety and availability of Real Ale and Real Cider in the city on a single day. The results are looking most favourable for our favourite tipples. We found 129 different real ales available, an increase of 16% on the variety that we found last year. There were in fact 193 Hand Pumps dispensing ale on the day! It was also good to see 29 of the beers available being brewed within Leicestershire & Rutland. There were 66 different breweries represented including Market Harborough & West End, 2 new additions to the Real Ale scene in the county since last year’s census. It will come as no surprise to many that Leicester’s own Everards Tiger was the most offered beer, equalled by Sharps Doom Bar, both available in 7 venues in the city. The number of venues open and selling real ale had dropped from 50 in 2015 to 48 this year but with new Micro Pub ‘The Blue Boar’ opening soon and a couple of Everards Pubs due to reopen shortly there really is a lot for Real Ale and Real Cider fans to enjoy in our city.

Bakers Arms, Blaby, LE8 4PQ

0116 2787253 thebakersarms.com

22

August - September 2016

For the first time this year we also recorded the availability of real cider and found 33 different real ciders from 17 different producers. These were available in 21 of the venues surveyed in the census. Old favourites Westons Old Rosie and Westons Rosie’s Pig were the most widespread available in 6 and 4 venues respectively. Local producers were also represented with Bottle Kicking Cider Co. as well as 3 different ciders from Charnwood Cider. Complete details of the survey can be found at www.leicester.camra.org.uk The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch

A L O C A L F AV O U R I T E , T I G E R I S P E R F E C T LY B A L A N C E D T H A N K S T O C A R E F U L LY S E L E C T E D

BRITISH HOPS PREMIUM MARIS OTTER MALT. The Tiger is synonymous with Leicestershire after the Royal Leicestershire Regiment were nicknamed ‘The Tigers’ in 1825 following long service in India. It’s also the name of our local rugby club, the Leicester Tigers. This is their Official Beer as it is for the many local teams and that’s why our Tiger is roaring! Perfect with red meat, game, Melton Mowbray pork pies.

OFFICIAL BEER OF LEICESTER TIGERS RIDERS ABV 4.2%

JIM’S JAUNT Thornton, Markfield & Field Head by Jim Reay

Boarding at St Margaret’s Bus Station (Stand SJ 5) I caught the 11.57 Arriva 26 destined for Coalville and alighted in Thornton at 12.30 next to The Reservoir pub. With two pubs and one club to visit in Thornton before moving on, and as the club didn’t open until 14.00 this gave me ample time for a walk down Reservoir Road, which the bus had just passed, before popping into my first venue. After walking for a furlong I found myself outside Thornton Nurseries (a.k.a. The Fuchsia Centre). Set in the ground in front of the garden centre is a large sheave wheel from the pithead winding tower of Bagworth Colliery. The proprietor of the nurseries told me that he’d rescued the wheel that was just laying around when the colliery closed as it has special significance for him. When his grandfather suffered a broken neck in a mining accident, he was elevated up the mineshaft to the surface by this very wheel and vowed that his grandson would never work down the mines. Just short of a hundred yards further down Reservoir Road is the bridge over the reservoir overflow, the genesis of Rothley Brook. Built in 1854, the reservoir hasn’t been used as a source of drinking water since 1982 and in 1997

The genesis of Rothley Brook

Pit wheel from Bagworth Colliery 24

August - September 2016

The Reservoir |nn, Thornton Severn Trent Water granted public access to the reservoir and surrounding land for recreational purposes. Popular with walkers, anglers and bird watchers, this refuge for a diversity of wildlife was designated as a Local Wildlife Site in 2005. Thornton is within the civil parish of Bagworth and Thornton, two villages historically linked from at least as far back as the 1086 Domesday Book. Although Thornton itself is unrecorded in the Great Survey, Bagworth is listed as the Manor of Bageworde, which doubtless included Thornton as the two have always been in the same parish. Thornton goes back well over a thousand years with a name generally thought to be of Saxon origin. Thorns still grow in great abundance, hence the “Town of Thorns”. Agriculture was the mainstay occupation until the late 19th and early 20th centuries heralded the arrival of coal mines in the area necessitating the building of new houses to accommodate the influx of colliers and their families. Prior to this, almost all of the dwellings in the village were owned by the Countess of Warwick before been sold at a Grand Auction in about 1919. Since then, many privately owned houses have been built, superfluous farmhouses turned into family homes and council houses sold to sitting tenants, as were colliery houses when many pits in the area were finally closed in the 1980’s. As with many villages these days, Thornton could be described as a dormitory settlement occupied, for the most part, by commuters. The Reservoir Inn reopened its doors after a full refurbishment in December 2013 and was evidently so renamed because of the reservoir’s proximity. During its existence the pub has undergone several name changes. Originally it featured for over a century in the village as The Bull’s Head. Over recent years it was enlarged and the name was changed to The Tipsy Fisherman, probably in homage to anglers frequenting the pub following a good day’s sport and then, when Steamin’ Billy acquired the pub, it was renamed The Steam Trumpet commemorating an accident that occurred locally on the Leicester and Swannington Railway in 1833 when, on almost its first run, a steam locomotive named Samson collided with a The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch

horse & cart on a level crossing outside the Stag & Castle Inn (Both the railway line and the pub have long since closed). The engine driver said the accident might have been avoided if he’d been able to attract the attention of the cart driver sooner, a remark that directly led to the invention of the steam engine whistle, or so-called steam trumpet. The pub consists of a front of house public bar with many original features including an oldfashioned kitchen range fuelled by a central open fire between two ovens, a lounge bar to the rear, a restaurant area to one side and two more dining rooms situated in the rear extension. Adjacent to the car park is a partially covered paved patio with picnic tables. Real Ales available were Steamin’ Billy Bitter & Skydiver plus Charnwood By George. Turning left out of The Reservoir Inn I very soon walked past the still unopened Thornton Working Men’s Club and continued for a short distance along Main Street to The Bricklayers Arms. The Bricklayers’ Arms has been in existence for many years and has traded as part of Everards estate since 1911. Reputed to have been kept by members of the Dilks family since the early 1600’s, the last Dilks landlord was Arthur Dilks, who was born at the pub and retired soon after his 65th birthday in 1982. The pub was so called because besides being licensed victuallers the Dilks family traded as builders. It is understood that their employees were paid, and in all probability some spent, their wages in the pub. There is a central Public Bar with a snug like annex to one side and a Lounge Bar/Restaurant to the other. Floors of oak boards in the Snug and quarry tiles in the Public Bar plus exposed ceiling timbers and a fireplace set back in what appears to have once been an inglenook fireplace all enhance the old rural ambience. To the rear are plenty of picnic tables on a small concrete patio area and a large lawned garden with some

Arms, Thornton The Bricklayers

The Thornton (Thornton & District WMC) children’s play equipment. Patrons can gain access from the garden to a pathway that circumnavigates Thornton Reservoir. Real ales available were Everards Tiger, Sunchaser & Ascalon. From The Bricklayers’ Arms I retraced my steps back to the club. Thornton & District Working Mens Club is situated in a former farmhouse but is believed to have originally convened at The Stag & Castle public house that existed in The Hollow near to the railway bridge between Thornton and Bagworth. If correct, the club has existed for quite some time as The Stag & Castle doesn’t appear in any trade directory after 1896. To attract more customers, the club was refurbished in 2013 and by-named The Thornton. At this same ›› continued on pg 26

Leicester’s first Micro Pub. A micro beer festival everyday... Real Ale straight from the Cask 22 Allandale Road, Leicester, LE2 2DA. 0116 319 6998.

The Leicester Drinker

www.leicester.camra.org.uk

25

Markfield , d a e H ’s ll The Bu

The Queen’s Head, Markfi eld ›› from pg 25 time, whilst retaining its loyal members, it extended a welcome to non-members and starting trading much like a pub. The premises consists of a small public bar with a pool table room annex and, to the other side of the front door, an enchanting homely snug type room located in the former farmhouse kitchen with genuine ceiling joists and a log burner set within an authentic inglenook fireplace. Towards the rear of the club is a concert room used for regular live entertainment, bingo and projecting live televised sport onto an enormous screen. Out back is an enclosed astroturf garden with picnic tables and children’s play equipment. Everards Tiger and Wells Bombardier were on offer. Leaving the club, I returned to The Bricklayer Arms and turned right across the pub car park and through the gate bearing a sign saying “Access to Reservoir Walk for Patrons only”. I followed the sward path down to the reservoir and turned left along the track that circumnavigates Thornton Reservoir. After the track turned right taking the bridge over Thornton Brook, which is one of the two principle feeds into the reservoir, I soon encountered a yellow way-marker post (YWP) indicating the way to my left along The Leicestershire Round. The footpath was straight on, keeping the hedgerow to my left for a short while until reaching a pair of YWP where the route carried on in the same direction but transferring to the other side of the hedgerow. The Leicestershire Round continued more or less in a straight line and was easily followed, courtesy of YWP and well-trodden. It took me through woods, open grassland and over Carr Brook, the other principle feed into the reservoir, until it passed under 26

August - September 2016

a bridge carrying the M1 Motorway. Staying on the lane leading from the M1 and disregarding all footpaths veering off each side I eventually emerged in Forest Road, Markfield, where The Bull’s Head was to my immediate left. Markfield dates back to at least AngloSaxon times when the village was known as Mercenfeld, a name still quaintly used for the village’s primary school. Mentioned in the Domesday Book as Merchenefeld, the settlement developed as a small hillside village along Main Street and around the Parish Church. During 17th and early 18th centuries, the inhabitants were mainly employed in agricultural work, along with a wide range of tradesmen working within the community. The 19th century heralded a gradual change in the village as it expanded to meet the needs of successive forms of industrial employment, including framework knitting, mining and quarrying. Markfield’s Hill Hole Quarry was the source of very old and very hard volcanic rock called Markfieldite but in common with Thornton, Markfield is largely now a commuter village. The Bull’s Head is an early 19th century public house that is now reputedly the oldest enduring pub in the village. It’s a traditional wet trade driven two roomed locals’ hostelry, which plays regular host to two darts teams, two pool teams and a domino team plus occasional poker nights. This Marston’s house consists of a public bar with a pool table and a smaller intimate lounge bar. Locals’ lore suggests that in long bygone days a milking parlour occupied what is now the lounge bar whilst a small cottage was situated at the other end of the pub leaving just a very small licensed premise in-between the two. Out the back is a large partially covered tarmacadam courtyard furnished with picnic tables. Pedigree was the single real ale. From The Bull’s Head, I went straight over the road and walked up Church Drive to Markfield’s Parish Church of Saint Michael & All Angels. A blue plaque affixed to a cottage adjacent to the church affirms Markfield’s close links with the Methodist movement, verifying that its founder, John Wesley, paid thirteen visits here between the years 1741-1779. He was permitted to preach within the parish church, but when his congregations became too large to be confined on the pews, he took to preaching on the village green immediately outside the church. Carrying straight on from the Village Green I veered slightly right and took the footpath through Hill Hole Quarry Nature Reserve before turning right at the YWP to walk around the edge of the allotments. I turned left when the path emerged on Upland Drive, continued to the end of the road and turned left again for a short distance along Main Street, at the end of which the Queen’s Head was just to my left on Ashby Road. The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch

The Fieldhead Hotel

Coach & Horses, Field Head

The Queen’s Head is an archetypal village locals’ watering hole, another Marston’s house reliant solely on wet trade. Entering the front door took me directly into the traditional public bar with its exposed black ceiling timbers and quarry tile floor. To my left was an area, with no servery, more akin to a lounge bar that, in turn, had a snug annex. To the rear was a partially covered and heated block-paved courtyard with picnic tables and a shelter dedicated to smokers’ needs. Further picnic tables adorned the large lawned garden that lay beyond. Marston’s Burton Bitter & Pedigree were on offer. Destined now for Fieldhead, I turned right out of The Queen’s Head and carried on along Leicester Road until the carriageway veered left towards a large traffic island but I stayed on the causeway which continued straight ahead, crossing Launde Road and straight on far about 150yards to The Coach & Horses. The Coach & Horses is in the district of Fieldhead, a small settlement adjoining Markfield but actually within the district of, and administered by, Groby Parish Council. This former traditional coaching inn has traded since about 1842 and has been part of Everards estate since 1925. The pub consists of a large central public bar off which is a larger than average snug, with a darts board. Adjoining the public bar is a lounge bar that leads in turn to a sector that is now occupied by a restaurant with two dining rooms adjacent to the kitchen. Prior to conversion into a restaurant this area was the former skittles long alley that for many years previously existed as a small shoe factory. Quarry tile floors and exposed woodworm ravished ceiling beams and joists enhance the old world ambiance. The large back garden has a heated smokers’ shelter, tarmac and lawn areas furnished with picnic tables and children’s play equipment. Available real ales were Everards Beacon, Tiger, Sunchaser and Original plus St.Austell HSD and a Real Cider (Thatcher’s Heritage). From The Coach & Horses I crossed over the dual carriageway via the pelican crossing, taking note of the timber bus shelter to my right from where I was to start my journey home. I turned left towards The Fieldhead Hotel, a short distance ahead. The Fieldhead Hotel was originally built as a The Leicester Drinker

farmhouse and out buildings in around 1672. Although identified with the settlement of Field Head, paradoxically it isn’t actually in Field Head but within the parish boundary of Newtown Linford. During more recent times it has been extensively renovated and extended to become a hotel owned by Green King. In keeping with the original buildings the extended parts are aesthetically constructed of local materials in the form of Mountsorrel granite walls and Swithland slate roofs. The main bar is a very large room off which are half-a-dozen or so small dining rooms situated in the original farmhouse thus oozing with character. A function room, “The Charnwood Suite”, is set in what was originally the cowshed and the beer cellar inhabits the former stables. Outside to the left is a paved courtyard with timber garden furniture. Real ales available were Greene King IPA & Field Head (House Beer) and Purity Pure UBU. Leaving The Fieldhead Hotel I retraced my steps back to the aforementioned timber bus shelter to start my journey home after a really pleasant day out. Connected by a ramble along a section of the Leicester Round, the settlements I’d visited shared seven venues, having between them fifteen different real ales. Cheers,

Jim Reay THE

CHANDLERS ARMS SHEARSBY 0116 247 8384 Country Pub of the Year 2 0 0 9 - 2 016

Saturday 20th August

10th ANNIVERSARY EVENING • FREE HOG ROAST • • LIVE MUSIC FROM BODGER’S MATE • LUNCH WED - SAT 12 - 2 EVENING TUES - SAT 6 - 9 SUNDAY LUNCH SERVED 12 - 3 SEE WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS

www.chandlersatshearsby.co.uk

www.leicester.camra.org.uk

27

FESTIVAL DIARY

28

Month From

To

Ales

Ciders

Food

Ents

July

Fr 29

Su 31

Yes

Yes

Yes

Bands

Ad/Details

Where? Samaritans, Aylestone

Aug

Fr 5

Sa 6

Yes

Yes

BBQ

Bands

Malt Shovel, Barkby

Aug

Tu 9

Sa 13

300+

Yes

Variety Yes

Great British, Olympia, London

Aug

Th 18

Su 21

Yes

Yes

BBQ

Bands page 21

Black Horse, Aylestone

Aug

Fr 19

Sa 20

40+

Yes

Yes

Music

Dovelands School, Western Park

Aug

Th 25

Mo 29

Yes

Yes

BBQ

Bands page 15

The Western

Aug

Fr 26

Mo 29

Yes

Yes

Yes

tbc

page 22

The Bakers Arms, Blaby

Aug

Fr 26

Mo 29

20

tbc

Yes

Music

page 14

Britannia, Queniborough

Aug

Fr 26

Mo 29

15+

Yes

Yes

Music

page 29

Oadby Royal British Legion

Aug

Fr 26

Mo 29

Yes

Yes

Yes

tbc

Sept

Th 1

Su 4

18

3

tbc

tbc

Sept

Fr 2

Su 4

70+

Yes

Yes

Bands offthetracks.co.uk

Off the Tracks, Donington

Sept

Th 15

Sa 17

70+

Yes

Yes

Music

Hinckley Beer Festival

August - September 2016

westernpark beerfestival.org

The Bell, Gumley page 9 page 18

The West End Brewery

The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch

Leicester CAMRA Branch Diary 2016 Wed 3

Aug

Branch Meeting

19.30

Black Horse, Aylestone (stc)

Wed 31

Aug

Pub of the Month

20.00

The Charlotte

Wed 7

Sept Branch Meeting

19.30

Ale Wagon

Wed 28

20.00

The Criterion

Sat 1

Sept Committee Meeting Oct Social Trip

Wed 5

Oct

Branch Meeting

19.30

The Dove, Evington

Wed 12

Oct

AGM

20.00

Regent Social Club

Provisional date

NOTES

Presentation 21.00hrs

sathve e date

Membership Cards required

Branch Contact Shawn Collier: 07504 829830 or email: [email protected] For Saturday and Sunday trips Gary Akiens: 07815 825039 or email: [email protected] For a fully up to date Branch Diary, please visit www.leicester.camra.org.uk and click on Diary on the left of the page.

OADBY ROYAL BRITISH LEGION

BEER FESTIVAL BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND

FRIDAY 26TH - MONDAY 29TH AUGUST

15 GUEST BEERS & CIDERS • LIVE MUSIC FOOD • EVERYBODY WELCOME FACEBOOK: OADBY ROYAL BRITISH LEGION OR: OADBY LEGION BEER

0116 271 4415

The Leicester Drinker

www.leicester.camra.org.uk

29

CAMRA discounts available locally All locations are in Leicester unless indicated in brackets. Information given in good faith and liable to change. Some discounts may be modified or restricted where special promotions are on offer. (New additions in bold) The Anchor, Hathern Black Horse, Aylestone Bowling Green The Castle Hotel (Kirby Muxloe) Crown (Anstey) Dog & Gun (Keyham) Duffy’s Bar Exchange, Rutland Street The Friary, Hotel Street General Elliott (Willoughby Waterleys) Glenhills Sports & Social (Glen Parva) Globe, 43 Silver Street Golden Shield (Fleckney) Hind, London Road Malt Shovel (Barkby) Marquis Wellington, London Road Nag’s Head (Glenfield) Narborough Arms (Narborough) Old Horse, 198 London Road Parcel Yard Queen of Bradgate, High Street Queens Head (Saddington) Queen Victoria (Syston) Real Ale Classroom Red Lion (Gilmorton) Red Lion Inn (Rothley) Rose & Crown (Houghton on the Hill) Royal Standard Rutland & Derby, Millstone Lane Slug & Lettuce, Market Street Stamford Arms, Groby Syston Social Club (Syston) Western Winstanley (Braunstone Town) W - Corn Exchange, Market Square W - Highcross. High Street W - Lord Keeper of the Great Seal (Oadby) W - Last Plantagenet, Granby Street W - Sugar Loaf (Market Harborough) W - White House (Scraptoft) W - William Wygston (Wigston) The Yews (Great Glen)

10% off Cask Ales CAMRA discounts/privileges for specific events 10% discount on Cask Ales & Real Ciders 10% discount on Cask Ales 10% off Cask Ales 30p/pint on real ales CAMRA discounts on special events 10% off Cask Ales, Ciders & selected items 10% off real ales 10p/pint & 5p/half Real Ales Temporary Visitor Membership for 50p with CAMRA card 30p/pint 20p off Real Ales 10p off Cask Ales 10p/pint on Real Ales & Traditional Cider 10% 15p/pint on Cask Ales 10% off Cask Ales & Ciders 10% CAMRA card gives same discounts as a Steamin Billy Card. 10% discount on Cask Ales 30p per pint 20p off Guest Ales 20p/pint & 10p/half off Real Ales 30p/pint 20p/pint & 10p/half 20p/pint 10% off Cask Ales 10% off Cask Ales 10% 10% off Cask Ales Temporary Visitor Membership with CAMRA card CAMRA card gives same discounts as a Steamin Billy Card 20p/pint off guest ales standard 50p vouchers accepted and 20% off food (excludes Club combos) standard 50p vouchers accepted and 20% off food (excludes Club combos) standard 50p vouchers accepted only standard 50p vouchers accepted and 10% off food, including Clubs standard 50p vouchers accepted and 20% off food (excludes Club combos) standard 50p vouchers accepted only standard 50p vouchers accepted only 10% discount on Cask Ales

W prefix denotes Wetherspoon outlets accepting CAMRA vouchers. One voucher per visit rule generally enforced. Non-CAMRA loyalty card schemes available to all customers:

30

Black Horse, Aylestone

“Cheaper by the dozen” - £5 voucher on collecting 12 stamps.

Chandlers Arms (Shearsby)

1 for 10 loyalty card

Exchange, Rutland Street

£2.50 card gives a range of 10% discounts

The Friary, Hotel Street

“Love Cask Ale” - every 7th pint free

Queen of Bradgate, High Street

1 for 10 loyalty card

Sir Robert Peel, Jarrom Street

50p card, Visit www.sirrobertpeelleicester.co.uk for details

The Steamin’ Billy Card

£2 card gives various discounts. Details at www.steamin-billy.co.uk

August - September 2016

The Newsletter of Leicester CAMRA Branch

Fai r on dea b tax eer l now !

A Campaign

of Two Halves

7EZI &VMXEMR W 4YFW

Join CAMRA Today Complete the Direct Debit form and you will receive 15 months membership for the price of 12 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/joinus or call 01727 867201. All forms should be addressed to the: Membership Department, CAMRA, 230 Hatfield Road, St Albans, AL1 4LW.

Your Details Title

Direct Debit Surname

Single Membership £24 (UK & EU)

Forename(s)

Joint Membership £29.50 £31.50 (Partner at the same address)

Date of Birth (dd/mm/yyyy) Address

For Young Member and other concessionary rates please visit www.camra.org.uk or call 01727 867201.

Postcode Email address Tel No(s)

Partner’s Details (if Joint Membership) Title

Non DD

£26

Surname

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

Forename(s)

Date

Applications will be processed within 21 days

Date of Birth (dd/mm/yyyy) Email address (if different from main member)

Campaigning for Pub Goers & Beer Drinkers

01/15 08/16

Enjoying Real Ale & Pubs

Join CAMRA today – www.camra.org.uk/joinus Instruction to your Bank or Building Society to pay by Direct Debit Please fill in the whole form using a ball point pen 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 Service User Number To the Manager

9 2 6 1 2 9

Bank or Building Society

Address

FOR CAMPAIGN FOR REAL ALE LTD OFFICIAL USE ONLY

This is not part of the instruction to your Bank or Building Society Membership Number Postcode Name

Name(s) of Account Holder

Postcode

Instructions to your Bank or Building Society

Bank or Building Society Account Number Branch Sort Code

Please pay Campaign For Real Ale Limited 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 Campaign For Real Ale Limited and, if so will be passed electronically to my Bank/Building Society.

Signature(s)

Reference

Date

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 accept instructions to pay by Direct Debits. If there are any changes to the amount, date or frequency of your Direct Debit The Campaign for Real Ale Ltd will notify you 10 working days in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed. If you request The Campaign for Real Ale Ltd to collect a payment, confirmation of the amount and date will be given to you at the time of the request If an error is made in the payment of your Direct Debit by The Campaign for Real Ale Ltd or your bank or building society, you are entitled to a full and immediate refund of the amount paid from your bank or building society - If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay it back when The Campaign For Real Ale Ltd asks you to You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by simply contacting your bank or building society.Written confirmation may be required. Please also notify us.

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

The Leicester Drinker

www.leicester.camra.org.uk

31

ABV 4.2% A local favourite, Tiger is perfectly balanced thanks to carefully selected British hops and premium Maris Otter malt. The Tiger is synonymous with Leicestershire after the Royal Leicestershire Regiment were nicknamed ‘The Tigers’ in 1825 following long service in India. It’s also the name of our local rugby club, the Leicester Tigers. This is their Official Beer as it is for the many local teams and that’s why our Tiger is roaring!