Pub News: September 2007

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2007: December | November | October | September | August | July | June | May

Cross Guns, Avoncliff

Has been refused planning permission to build an extension to house new toilets and disabled access to the pub by district council officers under delegated powers. Was visited on 13 September by the branch. The entire range of five beers was sampled and found to be excellent. The range comprised Box Steam’s Blind House, Reverend Awdry and Tunnel Vision alongside Theakston’s Old Peculier and a very highly rated Moor’s Old Freddy Walker.

Filos, 1 Beaufort West, London Road, Bath

This pub appears to be under new management. This article, slightly edited by me, appeared on the Bath Chronicle website on 12 September:

A popular former sports bar in Bath has been re-opened by an Australian couple who fell in love with the city. Melina Salzone and her partner Brett Aveyard, originally from Adelaide, have now settled at Filos in London Road.

In January this year they arrived in the UK and met friends who run the Wagon and Horses pub in Batheaston. The couple were offered the chance of running the Bathampton Mill, also in Batheaston, where they worked for around seven months. Now they are about to re-open the former Filos Sports Bar on London Road.

The new landlords, both 33, have decided to drop the sports aspect of the business and place more emphasis on live music and the arts. Melina said “We've cleaned the place up a lot. We'll be putting on food as well and there is a juke box on its way. Filos is going to be somewhere to come and relax, have a drink and listen to some music.”

The new landlords are also intending to open the pub from noon. (It had been 4pm under the previous owners.) They will also be encouraging local students to submit artwork to be placed on the walls and sold within the premises. The business will be officially re-opened tonight [12 September] with a performance from local acoustic guitarist Steve Robinson.

Forester & Flower, 172 Bradford Road, Combe Down, Bath

This pub, in its new guise and under its new name, was first visited by the branch in a very well attended social on 5 September. Beer range consisted of Butcombe Bitter, Bath Ales Gem and Newman’s Mammoth. The new interior preserves the former Forester’s Arms layout. The design and feel in both bars, however, have been utterly transformed. It is now very much a food orientated pub and seems already to have attracted a popular following. One survivor of the original décor is mounted fish on the back wall of the left-hand bar.

Former King Edward’s School, Broad Street, Bath

There is the possibility that this building, which has been empty for years, may be converted into a hotel with bar. I found this article on the Bath Chronicle website:

A new policy to keep a lid on drink-related problems in the centre of Bath is on the verge of its first test. An application has been lodged that could pave the way for the long-disused former King Edward's School to be given a new lease of life as an upmarket hotel. The Grade II listed building has stood empty since July 1990 and fallen into a state of disrepair. The building is owned by Samuel Smith Old Brewery, which floated plans for a twelve-room hotel there two years ago. The application was later withdrawn.

Now an application for a premises licence for a hotel, complete with restaurant, lounge and a bar, has been lodged with Bath & North East Somerset Council in the name of Michael Martin. Under the proposed terms of the licence, alcohol would be served between the hours of 10am and 11pm Mondays to Saturdays and from 12pm to 11:30pm on Sundays. Ten years ago the brewery firm wanted to use the building as a super-pub with a capacity of 483 people. That scheme won planning permission but was refused a licence.

The application comes as firms wanting to open new pubs and clubs in the centre of Bath now have to prove they will not fuel anti-social behaviour. The new policy was agreed by the council last week after three years of discussion over the best way to control drink-related problems. The cumulative impact policy, also known as a saturation policy, has been fought for by pressure groups, residents and the police since 2004 when the council took over responsibility for alcohol licensing from the courts.

Spokesman for the Bath Society pressure group Major Anthony Crombie said although he wanted to see the historic building restored he had reservations about the new application. Major Crombie, a backer of the new policy, said "we have been campaigning for a very long time to have King Edward's School restored but we are concerned about the licence side because when they last tried for a licence there was a capacity for 483 drinkers. The magistrates refused the application for the licence and that decision was upheld on appeal. They said it would be contrary to the public interest to have a licence there but we're concerned the hotel would be open to the public. It has a courtyard, the former school playground, and still has a capacity of 483 and people could go and drink there. We are doubtful that a small hotel of that size would be viable (without opening to the public as a drinking venue) and it certainly wouldn't pay for the restoration of the school.

The former school is on English Heritage's list of at-risk buildings.

I think the italicised comments sum up the prevailing attitude to drinking in Bath among the city elders.

Olde Farmhouse, 1 Lansdown Road, Bath

There was a large entry in the August news about the sudden closure of this pub. As at Tuesday 25 September it was still closed.

Plough, Bradford Leigh

Under new management. The new landlords are Les & Carol Clayton, who formerly had the White Lion in the centre of Bristol, where they had increased the beer range from three to seven and held three beer festivals a year. The range almost always included one of Wickwar's excellent dark beers (Station Porter and Mr Perrett's Stout). Very often they would have guests from the likes of Tring brewery. The White Lion has been entered for the 2008 Good Beer Guide, which ironically was launched two weeks after Les & Carol had left for the Plough.

Olive Tree, Badcox, Frome

There has been a change of management at this pub. After four and a half years the previous landlords pulled their last pint and are heading for a new life in Greece. Adrian Moore and Nikos Andriakopoulos, owners of The Olive Tree, handed over the bar on Friday 31 August and are now taking a holiday before deciding on their future plans. Mr Moore and Mr Andriakopoulos acquired the pub, previously known as the Ship, in 2003 and, with help from Scottish & Newcastle, had the place extensively refurbished and renamed the Olive Tree. The pair's decision to leave has saddened customers but Mr Andriakopoulos is confident the new owners will be just as popular. He said "I miss my home country of Greece and so we are hoping to start a new life there. We have had so much fun here and the biggest challenge was getting the bar and clientele we wanted. The business has gone from strength to strength and I am very proud of the gardens.

Nettlebridge Inn, on A367at Nettlebridge

This scenically located roadside pub, situated between Stratton-on-the-Fosse and Oakhill has been re-named the George and is under new management.

Mill, Rode

Visited recently by a branch member. Beers available were Butcombe Bitter, Marston’s Pedigree and Blindman’s Golden Spring.

Stumbles Inn, Town Street, Shepton Mallet

First visited by the branch on Wednesday 19 September. Found to be an excellent pub with two cask beers available, Matthew’s Bob Wall and Newman’s Mendip Mammoth, both in excellent condition. A genuine discovery for the branch.

Paxcroft Mead, Hilperton, near Trowbridge

It is believed likely that Marston Inns will be given the go ahead to build a new pub on this large area of new housing on the eastern edge of Trowbridge. Development Control Manager David Hubbard was due to recommend to the district’s planning committee that a legal agreement be amended to allow a pub to be built instead of health care facilities as no health care providers had shown any interest in moving on to the estate.

Organ Inn, High Street, Warminster

The large front window was smashed in the early hours of Sunday 19 August causing £2,000 worth of damage. Landlord Daniel Keene has posted an offer of a reward for information that leads to a conviction on the board that now replaces the window. A cash reward from Crime-stoppers, of which Mr Keene is a member, is also available. Mr Keene admitted that it would be at least another month before the window can be replaced. Inspector Steve Douglas said that a number of leads are to be followed. CCTV evidence had been seized and statements have been taken.

Rose & Crown, East Street, Warminster

Has won support in its bid to provide facilities for smokers. It has been given permission to install a cigarette bin in front of the pub and erect a smoking shelter at the rear.

Weymouth Arms, Emwell Street, Warminster

This seventeenth century pub closed on Friday 7 September. Owners Enterprise Inns have stated that there is no truth in a rumour that the pub has been sold off for good and that the plan is to have it up and running again with new landlords as soon as possible. A spokesman for the pub-owning company said that the pub will have some work done on it before new people move in and that the aim is to restore the pub to its former glory. It will be closed for at least two weeks. Originally built as a private house, the building became a pub in the 1930s. It was named the Weymouth Arms but was known informally as the Drum & Monkey because it had a reputation among travelling entertainers as a place for cheap lodging.

Poplars, Wingfield

This Wadworth’s owned pub has won the brewery’s 2007 Floral Display and Garden Competition. Wadworth Brewery chief executive Charles Bartholomew and former gardener to the Queen, Jim Buttress, presented the award to the winning landlords on Monday 17 September. Bernard and Carol Camish have been landlords of the seventeenth century inn for the past six years. Their prizes included a £150 garden centre voucher, two barrels of 6X beer and some champagne.