March/April/May PUB AND BREWERY NEWS
Bath and Surrounding Villages
Abbey Ales, Camden Row, Bath
Congratulations to Abbey Ales who, at the recent SIBA beer festival held at Tucker’s Maltings in Newton Abbott, won a silver medal in the mild category for its Abbey Mild. Meanwhile the brewery has recently acquired the Trinity Brewery Inn on James Street West as the fourth pub in its growing estate of pubs in and around central Bath.
Boater, 9 Argyle Street, Bath
Near to the rugby ground, and boasting a wonderful Georgian frontage and attractive riverside beer garden, this pub has recently been acquired by Fuller’s.
Cork, 11-12 Westgate Buildings, Bath
This city centre pub has been bought by the recently established City Pub Company for £2.7 million. The new company, founded by Clive Watson and David Bruce, is on a mission to acquire pubs in London and across the south of England. The Cork, formerly known as the Cork & Bottle, DYMK and Smith Bros., has two bars and an outside terrace and the business partners believe that it has the potential to be a strongly profitable enterprise. Even so, the sum paid is remarkable, especially when it excludes the student accommodation above the pub.
New Inn, 23-24 Monmouth Place, Bath
This Wadworth’s owned pub, just to the west of the city centre, has recently been taken over by Debra Diack, licensee of the nearby King’s Arms in Monmouth Street. Debra has brought back food to the pub’s offerings.
Old Crown, 1 Lansdown Place, Upper Weston, Bath
A new landlord with a clear enthusiasm for real ale has taken over at this Greene King owned pub, which is situated on the western outskirts of the city.
Packhorse, Southstoke, near Bath
This pub, one of the oldest and most idyllically situated in the Bath area, closed on Sunday 13 May. The 17th century Grade II listed building has been bought from Punch Taverns by local chartered surveyor Bob Goodman. He intends to live above the building with his family and run his own practice from the ground floor. There has been a furious backlash from villagers and residents of the nearby Combe Down area of Bath and further afield and a Save the Packhorse committee has already been set up. An e-petition had already attracted over 600 signatures at the time of writing (14 May). The Packhorse is regarded by locals as the beating heart of the village and many regulars, from the village and surrounding areas, relied on it as a social hub. It was popular with walkers and has a unique and special character. The Packhorse was a popular and well-supported pub and its future as a pub is clearly viable. Previous Landlord Stephen Peart was due to leave the premises on Tuesday 15 May. Mr Peart, formally an aid worker in some of the remotest parts of the world, including Afghanistan, where he was held under the then ruling Taliban, took over the pub in 2006. Since 2008 there had been repeated failings to meet food hygiene regulations. During a case held at Bath Magistrates Court in February, brought by local trading standards officers, Mr Peart pleaded guilty to ten charges under the Food Hygiene Regulations. He blamed post-traumatic stress disorder brought on by his ordeal at the hands of the Taliban for his failure to maintain adequate standards of cleanliness in the pub’s kitchen.
Piccadilly Ale House, Piccadilly Place, London Road, Bath
This pub, situated on the busy London Road, closed on 17 March. It has since been undergoing an extensive refurbishment and, at the time of writing, is believed to be re-opening soon.
Rising Sun, 58 Lymore Avenue, Twerton, Bath
The freehold of this pub, which was reported as closed in the last issue of Pints West, is on the market for £325,000 + VAT. The selling agents are James A Baker who, rather worryingly, are marketing this pub as having the potential for alternative use. The Rising Sun is situated in a large residential area on the west side of the city (Oldfield Park and Twerton). It has a large outdoor area and, in the right hands, would have tremendous potential as a community pub.
Trinity Brewery Inn, 49-51 James Street West, Bath
This pub, off Kingsmead Square just to the west of the city centre, has recently been acquired by local brewer Abbey Ales. The pub is currently closed for refurbishment. When it re-opens the Trinity will be a traditional pub with a contemporary stylish feel and should appeal to theatre-goers, tourists and locals alike who will be able to enjoy beers from across the Abbey Ales range along with other locally brewed beers. The food on offer will focus on British classics such as home-made pies with mash, fish and chips, roast beef sandwiches a traditional Sunday lunch plus a house special that has yet to be revealed!. The pub should open in the late spring or early summer and will be managed by Tycjan Zaleski, who is currently the manager at La Tasca in Broad Street and has extensive experience in the food industry.
East Somerset
Farmers Arms, near Spring Gardens, Frome
We understand that this pub, situated on the northern outskirts of Frome, has recently re-opened under new landlords following a long period of closure.
Packhorse, 13 Christchurch Street West, Frome
This attractive two-bar pub, which closed on at least two occasions during 2011, seems now to have re-opened on a long-term basis.
Greyhound, 1 High Street, Midsomer Norton
This Punch Taverns owned pub closed earlier this year for refurbishment and re-opened in the spring. At the time of writing it had, however, closed again for reasons unknown.
Globe Inn, Wells
After almost a year of closure the Globe Inn, Wells has been reopened
Toby Brett of Banwell House Pub Company has assisted in the refurbishment and launch of the Globe and will operate it until a suitable tenant is found.
The Globe is a Grade two listed pub, just off the city centre of Wells, which has been designed to be a comfortable environment for coffee, food and drinkers alike with a terrace area proving to be a popular sun trap.
The Globe has been extensively redecorated with new furniture, lighting and pictures throughout; the terrace has been overhauled and fitted with garden furniture ideal for relaxing with a pint of beer.
West Wiltshire
Beef & Barge, The Marina, Widbrook, Bradford-on-Avon
This large modern canalside pub on the southern edge of the town closed earlier this year for an extensive refurbishment.
King’s Arms, 24 Coppice Hill, Bradford-on-Avon
In May this town centre pub closed. In June it re-opened as an Indian restaurant. We now understand that the freehold of this fomer pub is on the market for £240,000. The selling agent is James A Baker.
Kicking Donkey, Brokerswood
This country pub, situated on a minor road around mid-way between the A36 at Beckington and the A360 at Southwick, closed last autumn and has since undergone a major six-week refurbishment. A new bar has been installed and the former black and white look of the interior has been lightened up. Under its new management this pub is heavily promoting its new menu. (There was even for a while a re-painted London cab advertising the newly opened pub at the Southwick end of the minor road.) The pub is also developing its extensive outdoor areas – a garden, children’s play area and beer garden, ready for the summer.
King’s Head, Chitterne
This pub, situated in the idyllic village of Chitterne on Salisbury Plain, re-opened relatively recently. Now going from strength to strength it is building a good local trade. Beers from the nearby Plain Ales brewery and Fuller’s London Pride feature regularly.
Update
We were very sorry to hear of the sudden death of Thea, the landlady of The Kings Head, in March after a short illness. We send our condolences to her husband Kenton
George, High Street, Codford
This pub, situated on the southern edge of the Bath and Border branch area, is under new management.
Dove Inn, Corton
This pub, tucked away in the Wylye valley, closed on 15 January for a major refurbishment and extension. It is believed that the work will take around a month. If the beer choice and quality remain the same this should be an excellent pub when it re-opens.
Prince of Wales, 94 High Street, Dilton Marsh
There has been a change of management, along with a small make-over, at this popular village local. Longstanding landlords Alan and Lynne Packman decided to retire from the pub business a year or so ago and finally sold the freehold to local pub owning company Four County Inns just before Christmas. After holding a final party on Saturday 14 January, and a last Sunday evening quiz the following night, Alan and Lynne finally moved out of the pub during the following week. The pub closed for ten days for a minor refurbishment and opened again under new landlords Dawn, Kay-Leigh and Kev on Saturday 28 January to a packed house with an Irish American band playing in the skittle alley.
Alan took over at the Prince of Wales with his father, uncle and grandmother in July 1991, having previously run the Red Lion at Arlingham in Gloucestershire. Alan married local girl Lynne a few years later. From the start Alan ran the Prince as both a real ale freehouse, with usually four ever changing guest beers, and as a pub that maintained its strong links to the community. The Prince has been in the Good Beer Guide continuously since the 1993 edition. Our best wishes go to Lynne and Alan, who continue to live in the village and look forward to using the Prince of Wales as customers.
Under the new landlords the mainstay beer of the pub has become Arkell’s 3B, with the same brewery’s Moonlight and Wiltshire Gold also regularly available. These are unusual beers for the area but already seem to have gone down well with the locals. Guest beers from other local breweries are already in hand and, at the time of writing (Sunday 12 February) cellarman Kev was just about ready to tap his first guest beer, Stonehenge Great Bustard. Meanwhile Weston’s Organic and Old Rosie ciders are regularly available.
Paulet Arms, now the Three Daggers, Edington
Another name change has taken place at this large village pub. For much of its recent history, until it closed in 2009, this pub was known as the Lamb at Tinhead. Following a massive refurbishment project this pub re-opened in early 2011 under one of its earlier names, the Paulet Arms, but more recently it has taken on another of its historic names, the Three Daggers.
Hungerford Arms, Farleigh Hungerford
This pub, situated near to the historic monument of Farleigh Castle with commanding views over the valley of the river Frome, has had an unsettled history in recent years, closing and re-opening several times. At the time of writing it is believed that this pub is again up for let.
Red Lion, 42a High Street, Heytesbury
This pub has been under new management since December 2011. The new landlords are from Australia and seem to have the right idea about how to run the pub. Beers from local brewery Plain Ales are a mainstay. We believe that the pub sold the last ever barrel of the brewery’s Arty Farty, which, due to the loss of availability of the New Zealand hops used to give the beer its distinctive flavour, has had to be discontinued. In its place the Red Lion now sells Plain Ales Innocence.
Box Steam Brewery, The Midlands, Holt
Congratulations to this recently re-located brewery which, in the recent SIBA beer festival held at Tucker’s Maltings in Newton Abbott, won a silver medal in the Speciality Beer category for its Funnel Blower.
Carriers Arms, Stockton
This pub, which is situated in the idyllic village of Stockton mid-way along the picturesque Wylye valley, has recently closed. We have no information on the reasons for closure or whether there are plans for the pub to re-open.
Woolpack, High Street, Sutton Veny
This pub, which had a major makeover around two years ago, continues to go from strength to strength. Ringwood Best is the mainstay of the pub.
Prince Leopold, Upton Lovell
This pub, just of the A36 to the south of Warminster, has just celebrated one year under its new ownership. Three real ales are always available with usually 6X, a Butcombe beer and a guest, often from Keystone brewery.
Yew Tree, 174 Boreham Road, Warminster
This pub, situated on the southern edge of Warminster, has been under new management since around the beginning of December 2011.
Castle Inn, Bratton Road, Westbury
This pub, just off the town centre, closed last year and is up for sale. Selling agents Paramount are looking for £150,000 plus VAT for the freehold. At the moment the future of this pub is uncertain.
Horse & Groom, 18 Alfred Street, Westbury
This pub, just up from the town square, closed around new year. The future of this pub is uncertain.
Railway Inn, Station Road, Westbury
This pub has had a major refurbishment, both inside and out, and is now serving Doom Bar and London Pride. Situated near the junction of Station Approach with Station Road, this pub is conveniently close to Westbury station and advertises itself as the “alternative waiting room”.
White Lion, Market Place, Westbury
This large town centre pub, which has been closed since the end of 2010, has recently been sold. Its future, however, remains uncertain.
Bell Inn, Wylye
This pub, situated in the heart of the Wylye Valley, is under new management. It is believed that the Bell is now owned or leased by the company who took over from the nearby Hidden Brewery. During a recent visit it was noticed that the pub seems to be doing well at attracting a younger clientele. Three real ales are available.