Pub News: February 2008
- Hop Pole, Upper Bristol Road, Bath
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This Bath Ales pub is under new management. The new landlords are enthusiastic and there is a good atmosphere at the pub.
- Lamb, Christchurch Street East, Frome
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Following a major renovation the Lamb re-opened on Friday 18 January. The official opening was held on Monday 11 February with an excellent attendance by the branch. There were seven beers available, including the two brewed exclusively for the pub and Matthew’s Bob Wall as a guest, all in excellent condition. An eighth handpump offered Rich’s Farmhouse Cider. Attendees were shown around the guest rooms. Meanwhile a first class buffet lunch was provided.
- Red Lion, The City, Melksham
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The controversial attempt by owners Enterprise Inns to sell this historic pub to a private property developer has now hit the press. An article on the possible closure appeared in the 15 February edition of the Wiltshire Times. The pub is in fact slightly outside the branch’s area but the local branch, North West Wiltshire, is clearly already on the case and fighting the closure. Local member Richard Putley says in the article that “Enterprise have made no attempt to sell it as a pub. They can’t claim it is unviable because the landlord tried to buy it off them to run as a pub but was told that he couldn’t. Throughout the country people are selling off pubs as houses.” Richard is urging people to write to the planning department of West Wiltshire District Council to oppose the pub’s closure. He went on to say that he had been visiting the pub on a twice-weekly basis since the campaign began and has noticed that it had always been quite lively. It is believed that there has been a pub on the site of the Red Lion since around 1220.
- Organ Inn, 49 High Street, Warminster
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The front window, which following vandalism had been boarded up for several months, has now been replaced. The landlords are planning a mini-beer festival for later in the year. Local member Phil is intending to help out.
- Weymouth Arms, 12 Emwell Street, Warminster
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We gather that new landlords, who took over this pub in September, have now left. At the time of writing there is no further information on the current management situation here.
- Yew Tree, 174 Boreham Road, Warminster
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Briefly visited on 14 February. Seems to have been acquired by Marston’s. On the two handpumps were Marston’s Bitter and one of the brewery’s seasonal beers, both in reasonably good condition, whilst traditional cider continues to be the mainstay of the pub. The interior has been thoroughly re-decorated and a new carpet has been laid but otherwise there is no change.
- PROTECTING PUBS AND HALTING THE DECLINE OF THE LOCAL
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Bristol branch has launched a group to try and halt the alarming rate of pub closures in the city and the surrounding area. The Bristol Pubs Campaigning Group intends to lobby for greater protection for pubs and to encourage local communities to use their local pub. The group’s spokesman is Peter Bridle. There’s a long piece on this on page four of the March What’s Brewing.
