Pub News: November 2007
- Abbey Ales, Camden Row, Bath
-
Maximus, the latest occasional ale from Bath's Abbey Ales, has proved so popular that the brewery has had to stay in production over weekends to meet demand. The 5.0% malty ale, launched at the Bath Beer Festival, sold out almost immediately it went on sale. The beer is only sold locally to pubs in the Bath area. One of the first pubs to fire off a repeat order was the Coeur de Lion, Abbey’s own pub in the city centre, where manager Julian Waters experienced an immediate surge of demand. Maximus was brewed as a one-off to celebrate tenth anniversary of Abbey Ales and of brewing in Bath in modern times.
- Griffin Inn, Monmouth Street, Bath
-
Believed to have closed permanently, but in fact reprieved at the last minute, the Griffin has re-opened with a new landlady. Nothing has been changed and no refurbishment is likely to be undertaken until the future of this pub is more certain. Bath Ales Gem and Barnstormer were found to be available during a recent visit.
- Olde Farmhouse, 1 Lansdown Road, Bath
-
Still closed with no information on its future. Presumably the pub is still owned by Wadworth’s.
- Ring o’Bells, 10 Widcombe Parade, Bath
-
We gather that this food oriented pub sold recently for a cool million.
- Lamb, Clandown, near Radstock
-
Visited for the first time in many years by the branch on Thursday 22 November. It was the last stop on a minibus of the rural area to the north of Radstock. The Lamb is an unpretentious friendly locals pub with a regularly used skittles alley. Three cask beers are normally available at any one time. At the time of our visit these were Bath Ales Gem, St Austell Tribute and Hidden Old Sarum. All were in first class condition.
- George, Long Street, Croscombe
-
This pub has just won the major accolade of the Good Pub Guide's New Pub of the Year. The real enthusiast Canadian landlord holds a regular spring beer festival and recently held a winter mini-beer festival over the weekend of Saturday 17 November.
- Old Ham Tree, Holt, near Bradford-on-Avon
-
This Wadworth’s own pub has new landlords. Chris and Sue Metcalfe moved in during October. The couple have brought in a new chef and have revised the food menu to take it back to traditional wholesome pub fare such as sausages and mash, steak and ale pies, mixed grills and Sunday lunches. The main cask ales are Henry’s IPA and 6X. The Old Ham Tree was the featured pub in the Wine & Dine section of the 23 November edition of the Wiltshire Times.
- King’s Arms, Monkton Farleigh
-
Featured pub in the Wine & Dine section of the 16 November edition of the Wiltshire Times. There’s a cut-out-and-keep free wine voucher which, until 31 January 2008, can be used to claim a fee bottle of wine for table bookings of two or more people. Business partners Simon Blagdon and Vince Hanley took over the pub around eighteen months ago. The article implies that quality cask beer is important feature of the pair’s business aims. The pub recently gained a Cask Marque accreditation. The King’s Arms has linked up with Neston Farm Shop to provide free-range meat for the pub’s impressive dinner menu. Cocktails are also a feature of this pub. Could be worth a visit.
- Rising Sun, 61 Woodmarsh, North Bradley, near Trowbridge
-
This friendly village local, which closed suddenly around the beginning of October, has now re-opened, presumably under new management.
- Oakhill Inn, Fosse Road, Oakhill, near Shepton Mallet
-
This pub is now under the new ownership of the people who have the King William and Garrick’s Head in Bath. To celebrate the acquisition the new owners are to run a beer festival featuring ten real ales and four ciders along with live music on the weekend of Saturday 1 December.
- Anchor & Hope, Frome Road, Trowbridge
-
A launch night was held on Saturday 24 November to mark this pub’s recent refurbishment. Since being taken over by Mike Lee improvements have been made to the pub both inside and out.
- Sir Isaac Pitman, Market Place, Trowbridge
-
The Wetherspoon’s Beer Festival at this pub was remarkable. Over the two-and-a-half weeks of the event dozens of beers from near and far featured, mostly in excellent condition, making the pub a genuine oasis of real ale within the town. Manager Rob has made a special effort to promote real ale here since he took over the Sir Isaac Pitman around nine months ago. Box Steam is to become the regularly featured local brewery in the normal range of around seven cask beers. A beer speciality evening, which was quite well attended by the branch, was held on Monday 12 November. A small article on this featured in the 16 November edition of the Wiltshire Times.
