lincolncamra.org.uk ImpAle 1 · the aim of buying the Sebastopol Inn to secure its future for the...

lincolncamra.org.uk ImpAle 1

lincolncamra.org.uk2 ImpAle

SESSION IPA2 . 0 V 1 . 7

AVAILABLE IN CASK & KEGSEE: pale goldenSMELL: citrus, grapefruitTASTE: juicy, fruity, more-ish

three stage dry hop

= big citrus aroma

over 1kg hops/barrel

= fruity, hop-for ward character

soft water chemistry= more rounded bit terness& sessionability

MALT: maris ot ter | caramalthops: simcoe | ahtanum | columbusyeast: US -05 | IBUs 40 | ABV 4.0%

www.castlerockbrewer y.co.uk


CONTENTSISSUE 2 2017

7 - 9NewsWhat’s happening on the beer and

pub front

10What’s Brewing NationallyA round-up of CAMRA’s news from

the last three months

11Lincoln CAMRA Members’News and Branch DiaryMembers news

13Behind BarsMeet Mal at the Butcher & Beast,

Heighington

14 - 15Meet the BrewerWelbeck Abbey Brewery

16 - 17Disappearing Estate PubsLarge areas of Lincoln no longer

have a local pub

18The Art of Pub SignsPub signs as public art

19Penny Farthing SavedA village pub re-opens

20RecIMPeBeef and Smokey Joe Porter ale pie

22TravAleA walk down High Street to Sincil

Bank

23Old Ale TalesJohn Palethorpe moves on to the

Star & Garter

25Pub Quiz

26Membership Page

14 - 15WelbeckBrewery

Meet The Brewer

227


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 LeicestershireRegiment 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 theirOfficial Beer as it is for the many local teams and that’s why our Tiger is roaring!


Welcome. As you read this, you may be enjoying a pint or two at the Lincoln Beer Festival.

It’s our main event of the year and involves a lot of hard work by many volunteers.

But it’s great fun - which is why we do it.

In this issue, we have articles about Lincoln pubs that have closed and a village

pub that has re-opened. There is also a further piece on pub signs.

In Old Ale Tales, we have the final instalment of the John Palethorpe saga. And,

for our Behind Bars feature, we travel to the village of Heighington.

Happy reading.

Cheers

Steve Renshaw

Our Twitter account @Lincoln_CAMRA has over 3,300 followers, and our Facebook page Lincoln CAMRA has 400likes and counting. To help keep the success going, we need your help. Please contact us via Twitter, Facebook us or email [email protected] about your local pub’s events, be ita regular quiz, food night or a one-off event.

ImpAleEditorSteve Renshaw

DesignMatt Richards

Art Of Matelot, Matelot Marketing

Limited

PublisherNeil Richards MBE

Matelot Marketing Limited

01536 358670

[email protected]

With kind help fromBob Foulger, Aaron Joyce,

Matt Mills, Wendy Renshaw,

Ashley Sewell, John Palethorpe,

Peter Crutchfield and Mike

Holman.

ImpAle is the magazine of Lincoln CAMRA branch. CAMRA campaigns for real ale,

real pubs and consumer rights. It is an independent, volunteer-led organisation

with more than 187,000 members nationally. ImpAle is published three times a

year and is available free through pubs in Lincoln branch area and beyond. To

join CAMRA, help preserve Britain’s brewing and pub industry, get the monthly

newspaper “What’s Brewing” and a host of other membership benefits – visit

www.camra.org.uk

CAMRA is a limited company, run at national level by an elected unpaid board of

directors and at regional level by volunteer regional directors, both backed by full

time professional staff.

Consumer RightsFor complaints about issues such as short

measures contact Lincolnshire Trading

Standards on 01522 782341 or Consumer

Direct on 0845 404 0506.

DisclaimerThe views contained within ImpAle do not

necessarily represent the views of CAMRA,

the editor, or the Lincoln branch.

Campaign forReal Ale

230 Hatfield Road

St Albans

Herts

Tel: 01727 867201

[email protected]

to Issue 2, 2017

Welcome


NEWS

The Dambusters Inn at Scampton has

been named as the Lincoln CAMRA

Branch Pub of the Year for the second

year running.

Although the building is over 200 years

old, it has only been a pub since 1999.

Previously, it has been the village shop,

a post office and a private house. The

conversion is impressive, with the

interior having all the trappings of a

traditional village pub.

Landlord, Greg Algar, has been in

charge since 2009. During that

time, he has increased the number

of handpumps from two to seven,

dispensing a changing selection of

ales from breweries in the local area

and further afield. And he has installed

a microbrewery behind the pub to

produce house beers. But the most

striking feature is the collection of

memorabilia and information about 617

Squadron and the famous bombing

raid that Greg has built up.

Lincoln CAMRA chairman, Aaron

Joyce, said, “It’s a great achievement

to win the award again. Greg and his

team have worked hard to keep up the

high standards.”

The runner-up and Lincoln CAMRA

City Pub of the Year is the Strugglers

Inn on Westgate. The other city pubs

in the final were the Hop and Barley

and the Joiners Arms. The Butcher and

Beast in Heighington and the Three

Horseshoes in Waddington were the

other country finalists.

Dambusters retainstop pub title

Drinkers raise their glasses to the Dambusters Inn

VILLAGERS BID TO BUYSEBASTOPOL INN

Villagers in Minting near

Horncastle have formed a

Community Benefit Society with

the aim of buying the Sebastopol

Inn to secure its future for the

community. The pub in the

heart of the village has a history

stretching back to the 1800s but

has been closed since August

2016. If the group is successful in

purchasing the pub, they intend

to install a tenant to run it as a

free house. Potential additional

amenities might include a shop,

café, internet services and a

book exchange.

TAP TAKEOVERS ATTHE STRUGGS

Landlady, Anna, has been

hosting a series of tap takeovers

at the Strugglers Inn on Lincoln’s

Westgate. Up to seven beers

from a local brewery are available

on the evening, with the brewer

on hand to provide information.

So far, Dukeries Brewery and

Pheasantry Brewery have

featured. The next takeover

will be Welbeck Abbey Brewery

(see this issue’s meet-the-brewer

article) on Wednesday 21st June.

BEER FESTIVAL AT THE REDLION, WELLINGORE

The Red Lion in Wellingore is

holding its first annual beer

festival on 11th, 12th and 13th

August. Twelve guest ales will

be available in addition to the

usual Black Sheep Best Bitter,

Adnams Broadside and Castle

Rock Harvest Pale. Various live

bands will play throughout the

weekend.

IN BRIEF


News

Lincoln CAMRA has made a special award to Steve

Marston for the significant contribution he has made to

Lincoln’s beer scene.

In 2011, Steve started Cathedral Heights microbrewery in

the kitchen of his home. The business took off and, in

2013, Steve moved the brewery to a unit on the Churchill

Business Park at Bracebridge Heath.

Having consolidated the brewery, Steve started planning

his next project. It took him a little while to find the right

location but, in May 2016, he opened the Hop & Barley

micropub on the High Street. It was an immediate success,

so much so that it was one of the finalists in this year’s Pub

of the Year competition.

Then, in March, he opened the Craft Rooms on Clasketgate.

Downstairs is a cider bar and on the first floor there is a

choice of 28 UK craft keg and world beers.

Steve is a great exponent of DIY and he has a group of

loyal mates who have helped with the work involved in

bringing his plans to fruition. He built the brewing kit in

his Bracebridge Heath unit from scratch, and he and his

team have done all the fitting out at the Hop & Barley and

the Craft Rooms.

Special awardfor Steve

The Wishing Well in Cherry Willingham has a new

look, following a major investment by the Zest Bar and

Restaurant Group. The building has been re-rendered

and painted, and the front patio has been redesigned. In

addition, a new kitchen has been installed.

The restaurant menu offers nine different cuts of steak,

together with pub classics. However, the new management

stress that they want the Wishing Well to remain a pub for

local people.

The Oakham-based Zest Group run seven sites across

the country, including the Black Horse in Nettleham. The

Black Horse re-opened in February following an extensive

facelift and has proved to be very popular.

The Wishing Well and Black Horse both belong to

Heineken UK. Jacqui Thompson, the general manager for

both sites, is working towards Cask Marque accreditation.

Under the recent agreement between Heineken UK and

the Society of Independent Brewers, this would mean

that the pubs would be able to order real ale from local

breweries that participate in SIBAs Beerflex (formerly

Direct Delivery) scheme.

Wishing Welltransformed

Lincoln CAMRA Chairman, Aaron Joyce, presents

Steve Marston with his certificate


News

A FAB DAY AT THE RACESFerry Ales Brewery at Fiskerton is the 2017 Brewery

Partner of the Year for Market Rasen and Nottingham

racecourses. The brewery will be involved with 10

events across the two courses, including two beer

festivals (Nottingham on 12th May and Market Rasen on

30th September) as well as two of the race days at Market

Rasen which finish with concerts by Olly Murs and

The Kaiser Chiefs. Meanwhile, Ferry Ales has gained

SIBA’s Food Safety and Quality accreditation.

COUPLE LOOKING TO RETIRE AFTER39 YEARS AT WHITE HART

Chris and Rosemary Anderson have put the White Hart at

Lissington near Market Rasen on the market. The couple,

who are both in their seventies, have owned and run the

freehouse since 1978. They would like to see a younger

couple take the pub on. The 16th century building is

described by the agent as “a lovely traditional freehold

inn in a sought after picturesque village location”.

IN BRIEF

Football successboosts Cheeky

Imp salesIn 2015, Lincolnshire Brewing Company launched Cheeky

Imp (4.6% ABV) as a joint venture with Lincoln City Football

Club. The dark red, malty bitter has a hoppy aroma and

caramel notes. The brewery donates 10% of the value of

all sales of Cheeky Imp to the club’s youth academy via

the Future Imps Fund.

As Lincoln City progressed through the 2016/17 FA Cup

to become the first non-league team to reach the quarter-

finals in 103 years, sales of Cheeky Imp more than doubled,

and the brewery struggled to keep up with demand. So

far, sales have raised over £1,500 for the Future Imps. And

with the club clinching promotion back to the Football

League, there will be more pints of Cheeky Imp downed

in celebration.

Lincolnshire Brewing Company owners, Karl and Claire

Brown, have completed the move of the brewery to

buildings at the rear of their pub, The George at Langworth.

Plans for the site include beer tastings, brewery tours

and functions such as wedding receptions. At the time

of writing, the refurbishment of the inside of the pub is

almost complete and work is about to start on the outside.

Grafters Brewery in Willingham by Stow has closed. The

brewery was set up in buildings at the rear of the Half

Moon Inn by landlord, Phil Troop. Moonlight (3.6% ABV),

Grafters’ flagship brew, was crowned Overall Champion at

Peterborough Beer Festival in 2009 and 2010.

The Half Moon also won awards, being named

Gainsborough CAMRA’s Pub of the Year in 2008, 2009

and 2012. The Friday fish-and-chips evenings were

particularly popular. And a fish-and-chips meal was

included in the brewery tours hosted by Phil. The pub

and fully-equipped brewery are available to buy or lease.

Black Horse Brewing of Louth has also closed. The

brewery was featured in Issue 3/2016 of ImpAle.

Lincolnshiremicrobreweries

close


WHAT’SBREWINGNATIONALLY

March• Heineken was set to be the owner of 1,900 Punch

Tavern pubs, following the agreement of the pubco’s

shareholders. The move would mean that the Dutch

brewer, which owns the Caledonian and John Smith

brands, would have more than 3,000 pubs in the UK.

• CAMRA has just signed up its 185,000th member,

reinforcing its place among some of the top

membership organisations in the UK. Nearly 10,000

new members join CAMRA each year.

• Sheffield-based Abbeydale Brewery was set to expand.

Planned development included the installation of new

brewing vessels, refurbishment at its two pubs and

rebranding.

April• The 2p-in-a-pint increase in beer and cider duty,

announced in the spring budget, was the first rise

in five years. It risked returning to the days of the

much-hated Beer Duty Escalator which contributed to

75,000 job losses and 3,700 pub closures.

• A small village pub, which was saved from closure by

the community, has won CAMRA’s National Pub of the

Year award. The George & Dragon in Hudswell, North

Yorkshire, is now much more than a thriving pub; it is

also home to a library, a shop and allotments.

• Moor’s Old Freddy Walker (7.5% ABV) was crowned

Champion Winter Beer of Britain at CAMRA’s National

Winter Ales Festival in Norwich. The brewery, owned

by Californian Justin Hawke, scooped the award for

the second time.

May• The government has backed plans to prevent

pubs in England being demolished or turned into

convenience stores without planning permission. The

breakthrough followed a CAMRA-led campaign which

saw more than 8,000 emails sent to MPs and peers

calling for planning reform.

• Research published in the “British Medical Journal”

found that moderate drinking of beer can lower the

risk of several heart conditions. The study of 1.93

million people in the UK found that consuming up to

14 units of alcohol a week had a protective effect on

the heart compared with not drinking.

• Shipstone’s beer is being brewed in Nottingham for

the first time in 25 years. In 2013, the brand was

revived at Belvoir Brewery in Leicestershire and

production had now transferred to the Fox & Crown

pub in Basford.

If you’re not a CAMRA member, you won’t be getting allthe latest real ale, pub and brewing news delivered toyour door every month. Join at www.camra.org.uk andget What’s Brewing and Beer delivered free, plus a hostof other membership benefits.

ImpAle rounds up CAMRA’s news from the last three months

2017 BREWERY TOURS

Join one of our expert brewers for a guided tour around our traditional

microbrewery. Tickets are £10 each and with this you will enjoy two

pints of our lovingly hand crafted real ale, plus learn a little more about

the ingredients and passion which go into each pint. Tickets can be

purchased at Welbeck Farm Shop, Portland House in Sheffield, or from

the brewery directly.

BREWERY YARD, WELBECK, WORKSOP, S80 3LT | 01909 512539 | [email protected]

April 26, May 31, June 28July 26, August 30, September 27

@WELBECKABBEYBRY


Lincoln CAMRA Members’ NewsGood beer or bad beer

If you’re a keg beer drinker, you can be fairly sure that

your favourite beer will be the same wherever you drink

it. The appearance and flavour of the beer on the bar is as

it left the brewery. On the other hand, cask-conditioned

beer is still fermenting in the pub cellar, so it requires

careful handling and it has a short lifespan. Hence, the

quality of the same real ale served in different pubs can

vary dramatically.

We need to know which pubs are serving consistently

good real ale, so we can nominate them for “The Good

Beer Guide”. The most important tool we have for tracking

beer quality across our large branch area is the National

Beer Scoring Scheme. It’s easy to enter scores - simply

find the pub on WhatPub, log in with your CAMRA number

and password, and enter the date of visit and score. You

can include details of the beer but it’s not compulsory.

Scoring is bound to be subjective but, as a guideline, a

score of 3 should be the minimum standard you would

normally expect of a pub in “The Good Beer Guide”.

Please help us by entering a score whenever you visit a

local pub.

Meet the brewer - and fellowCAMRA members

Lincoln members enjoying a drink with Ken Munro of

Milestone Brewery

The Ritz, on Lincoln’s High Street, holds meet-the-brewer

evenings on the last Thursday of each month. The brewer

for June is yet to be confirmed but July will be Grainstore

Brewery and August is a Battle of the Brewers. And a

table in a prime position is reserved for Lincoln CAMRA

at the events. If you’d like to chat with a local brewer and

socialise with fellow CAMRA members, come and join us.

Keep your personal details up to date

If you move house, or change your phone number or

e-mail address, please let CAMRA headquarters know.

The HQ membership database is our only means of

staying in contact with you. You can update your personal

details via the CAMRA website (www.camra.org.uk) or by

calling membership enquiries on 01727 798440.

Members’ News

Branch DiaryJUNESun 4th Committee Meeting - Penny Farthing, Timberland, 8 pm.

Thu 7th Branch Meeting - Duke William, Lincoln, 8 pm.

Sat 10th East Midlands Regional Meeting - Railway Club, Grantham, noon.

Sat 24th Post-festival trip to Southwell. (Booking required.)

Thu 29th Social and Meet-the-Brewer - Ritz, Lincoln, 7 pm.

Check out the branch website for up-to-date details of meetings and socials.


We brew FABulous Craft Ales

FERRY ALES BREWERY

www.ferryalesbrewery.co.ukFerry Hill Farm, Ferry Road, Fiskerton, Lincoln LN3 4HUTelephone: John 07790 241999 or Mike 07500 775899

Email: [email protected]

All our Craft Ales and Lagers are available in Casks,KeyKegs, 500ml bottles and Growlers from the brewery

We can also provide a fully licenced bar for parties,weddings or other events.

Proud to SupportLincoln CAMRA

and ImpAle

Unit 1Churchill Business ParkSleaford RoadBracebridge Heath

BRITAIN’S LEADING CASK AND CRAFT BEER WHOLESALER

AWARD WINNING BEERSAWARD WINNING BEERSCRAFT BREWEDCRAFT BREWED

IN THE HEART OFIN THE HEART OFLINCOLNSHIRELINCOLNSHIRE


The Butcher and Beast, situated in

Heighington just outside Lincoln, is

believed to be the only pub of that

name in the UK. Eight years ago,

Mal and Diane Gray took it over, and

they have now clocked up a total of

eighteen years with local brewers

Batemans. Previously they ran the

Shades Hotel in Spilsby, before

making a supposedly temporary

six-month move to Wainfleet, which

turned into six years at the Royal Oak.

Mal started his career in hospitality at

the age of sixteen, collecting glasses

at a Haven holiday caravan park in

North Wales. He became a trainee

cellarman and later began working

behind the bar of a Burtonwood

Brewery pub in Prestatyn. He was

transferred as assistant manager

to another Burtonwood pub in

Colwyn Bay. Diane was working as

the catering manager at the Sealife

Centre in Rhyl, and in 1996 they took

on their first pub tenancy together.

The move from west to east came

about because Mal and Diane

wanted to work for themselves. After

exploring a variety of possibilities

in different locations, they chose to

work with Batemans Brewery. There

is an old photograph of the Butcher

and Beast on the wall of the bar, with

“William Younger” signage visible

above the door. Batemans bought

the pub in 1958 and there have been

significant changes to it, particularly

over the last eight years. The bar has

had a major refit and, two years ago,

a new conservatory dining room was

added. Most recently there has been

a complete redesign of the garden

and outdoor area, which retains its

petanque court.

Mal stresses that the pub welcomes

drinkers and diners alike, and it is

certainly very popular with both.

Dogs are welcome, with their own jar

of treats on the bar, and there are no

fruit machines or music. In addition

to regular events such as quizzes,

there are special events, perhaps

themed to coincide with something

such as St George’s Day. There is

strong support from locals, especially

for the pub’s charities which include

the Air Ambulance and the Poppy

Appeal. An informal “Grumpy Old

Men’s Club” and an occasional Ladies

Evening also raise money for other

charities, such as Guide Dogs for the

Blind and the Motor Neurone Disease

Association.

Three Batemans ales are served,

alongside three guest ales, and Mal

has found that continental beers

are becoming increasingly popular

too. In addition, he is particularly

proud of his selection of some fifty

gins, including one which is very

difficult to source. He stocks Isle of

Harris Gin directly from the distillery

on the Hebridean island, which is

served with sugar kelp water, also

supplied from there. In fact, the pub

has a specialist gin menu, complete

with notes about mixers and pairing.

According to Diane, his quest for new

and interesting gins is fast becoming

an obsession, especially if they are

out and about visiting somewhere

different.

Mal and Diane are clearly very

happy in what they do, and the pub’s

reputation is a testament to their

ambition and hard work. Their home

is above the pub and, although they

feel a private front door might be a

bonus, they also feel that living in this

rural setting with easy access to the

historic city of Lincoln is the perfect

combination.

BEHIND BARSImpAle visits a village pub with an impressive gin menu

Behind Bars


Meet The Brewer

At the Lincoln CAMRA Branch meeting of August 2011,

Claire Monk gave a talk about the new brewery she had

just set up on the Welbeck Estate near Worksop. We were

all struck by how enthusiastic she was - and how young

she seemed. In the intervening six years, a lot of water

(or should that be beer?) has flowed under the bridge for

Welbeck Abbey Brewery and for Claire.

The brewery was set up as a joint venture between the

Welbeck Estates Company and Kelham Island Brewery.

Claire was taken on at Kelham Island after completing

a degree in microbiology and biochemistry at Sheffield

University. After six months learning her craft, she was

ready to set up Welbeck Abbey, a 10-barrel plant with two

fermenters located in a listed barn on the estate.

Welbeck is a working estate comprising some 15,000

acres, straddling the borders of Nottinghamshire and

Derbyshire. It contains a historic park, ancient woodlands

and forestry, farmland, a deer park, and some of the

country’s most important rural heritage buildings. The

Welbeck Estates Company Limited manages this extensive

land and property portfolio. They work to develop the

estate’s heritage buildings to provide inspiring spaces

ImpAle travels to one of the great landed estates in the Dukeries

The old riding school on the Welbeck Estate



Meet The Brewerin which to create and innovate. This development has

attracted a thriving community of artisan food producers

and creative businesses.

In 2012, following the death of founder Dave Wickett,

Kelham Island sold their shares in Welbeck Abbey back

to the Estates Company. Since then, Claire has bought a

10% stake in the business.

The brewery was expanded in 2014 with the installation

of two more fermenters, increasing the maximum capacity

to 18,000 pints per week. And the number of employees

has also increased. Having started with just a delivery

driver, Claire is now general manager overseeing a team

of two brewers, two drivers, an accountant and a digital

marketing officer.

2014 was significant for Claire on a personal level, as

that was the year she married Thomas Roe, who was bar

manager at the Grey Horses Inn in the village of Carlton-

in-Lindrick. It’s hardly surprising that the pub acts as the

brewery tap. Tom still does the odd shift behind the bar

but most of his time is now taken up looking after their

son, Jacob, who was born in February 2016.

Claire Monk, enjoying the fruits of her labours

Before going on maternity leave, Claire oversaw the

opening of Welbeck Abbey’s first pub, or micro-bar as it is

styled. The Portland House on Ecclesall Road in Sheffield

serves Welbeck and guest ales, world beers plus specially

selected spirits and wines. This is also where you can

try Claire’s first and, so far only, foray into keg beer. Pivo

(4.8% ABV) is a premium lager brewed with Polish and

Czech hops.

As for the real ales, two of Welbeck Abbey’s core range,

Henrietta and Portland Black, were among the first that

Claire brewed. Henrietta, a 3.6% ABV golden ale, is

still the most popular, and is named after two famous

Henriettas in the Welbeck family lineage. Portland Black

(4.5% ABV) is an award-winning porter brewed in tribute

to the estate’s owners, the Duke and Duchess of Portland.

The other regulars are Red Feather (3.9% ABV) a malty,

amber beer, Harley (4.3% ABV) a lightly-citrus, pale ale,

and Cavendish (5.0% ABV) a distinctive, blonde beer.

Carlton Knight (3.8% ABV), a traditional English bitter, is

brewed exclusively for the Grey Horses.

Although the core range is aimed at the traditional beer

market, the monthly specials give the Welbeck Abbey

brewers the opportunity for experimentation. One of

these, Lady A (7.1% ABV), was Claire’s interpretation of a

Belgian dubbel beer. It was brewed with Belgian brewers’

yeast and aged in oak casks in tunnels under Welbeck

Abbey itself.

Another special, Kaiser (4.1%

ABV), proved to be so

popular that it is joining

the list of regulars. It is

a crisp, lager-style pale

beer brewed with German

hops for an authentic

herbal aroma and cereal

malt tones.

By the time this article

is published, Welbeck

Abbey Brewery should have

undergone a rebranding. It’s not

a major change - more of a “brand

botox”, as Claire calls it. The aim is to give more of a focus

to the Welbeck heritage. And a revamped website is also

planned.

There are plenty of opportunities to try Welbeck Abbey

beers, as around 350 pubs and shops within a 35-mile

radius are supplied. And, if you want to visit the brewery,

Claire hosts regular tours. She will show you around the

brewhouse and take you through the brewing process

from start to finish. The tours start at 7.30pm, last about

an hour and a half, and you’ll get a couple of pints of hand-

crafted real ale at the end.

(4.1%

le

eck

have

It’s not

f a “brand


According to CAMRA’s figures, pubs are currently closing

at the rate of 21 per week. In 1951, there were 73,421 pubs

in England and Wales and, within 20 years, that figure had

fallen to 64,087. By 2016, the total stood at 52,750.

Much has been made of the impact on villages when their

pubs close. There is even academic research on the

topic. A study of almost 300 parishes by professors at

Newcastle Business School and Leeds University found

a strong positive relationship between the presence of

pubs and higher levels of community cohesion.

However, given that there are still tens of thousands of

pubs, you might think that, if you live in a town or city, you

will still have a local within easy reach. In fact, if Lincoln is

typical, this may not be the case.

Lincoln boomed during the industrial revolution and much

of the housing in the central part of the city was built before

1900. And, of course, along with houses came pubs.

From the end of the First World War, there was a drive

to build affordable housing for working people. Council

estates were built in wedges on the outskirts of the central

area and, later in the 20th century, large estates of private

housing sprang up.

Breweries saw the potential of these new housing

developments and built pubs to serve them. But estate

pubs were not like the street-corner establishments in the

older parts of the city. They were much larger, often with

a function room, and were usually sited on a large plot at

the edge of the estate. The pubs acted as social centres

on the estates, hosting indoor games, live entertainment,

wakes, weddings and other family parties.

Here is a look at the development of Lincoln’s estates and

their pubs.

St GilesPlanning for the St Giles council estate in the north-east of

city began before the First World War and was influenced

by the garden city movement. Most of the construction

took place in the 1920s and 30s, although more housing

was added after the Second World War. And the pubs?

• Bowling Green, latterly know at the Bowlo, opened in

the 1920s. It closed in 2009 and was demolished in

2014.

• Nightingale Inn has a history going back over 150

years. It was rebuilt at some time in the inter-war

years. It closed in 2009 and was re-opened as the

Lincoln Masonic Centre in 2013.

• Roaring Meg opened in 1939. It closed in the 1990s

and a fire station now occupies the site.

Disappearing Pubs

DisappearingEstate Pubs


Disappearing PubsBoulthamThe Boultham council estate is situated in the south-east

of the city. Most of the housing was constructed during

the periods 1919-1939 and 1946-1966. And the pubs?

• Parklands opened in 1939. It closed in 2008 and, in

2014, a Co-op store was built on the site.

• Peter de Wint opened in 1966. In 2011, it re-opened as

the Crown & Arrows, under the Hungry Horse banner.

HartsholmeThe Hartsholme estate comprises residential housing

and apartment blocks built on agricultural land between

Hartsholme Park and the Boultham estate. Most of the

housing dates from the 1950s. And the pub?

• Monson Arms opened in 1963. In 2015, an application

was submitted to demolish the pub and build a care

home on the site. Locals campaigned against the

plans and the application was rejected by Lincoln City

Council. However, celebrations were short-lived as

Admiral Taverns closed the pub anyway.

ErmineThe Ermine was the final phase of Lincoln’s local authority

housing development, mainly constructed in the 1950s

and 60s. The two sides of the estate, Ermine East and

Ermine West, lie on either side of what was part of the

Roman road, Ermine Street. And the pub?

• Lincoln Imp was opened in 1957. Despite local

objections, it was closed in March 2017 and plans have

been submitted to convert it into a frozen-food store.

BirchwoodBirchwood Estate is a large development to the west of

Hartsholme Park. It comprises local authority and private

housing built between 1960 and 1980. And the pubs?

• Wildlife opened in 1963. It closed in August 2012 and

was demolished the following year.

• Barrel (formerly Green Barrel) was built by Home Ales

in their classic house style. The building is largely

unaltered architecturally and has three rooms: a

lounge, a bar and a pool/darts room.

• Black Swan, formerly the Birchwood, is in the

Birchwood Shopping Centre that was built in the early

1980s.

Glebe ParkGlebe Park is a private residential development to the

north-east of St Giles. It was constructed in two main

phases on land within the new city boundary, which had

been extended north following the re-organisation of local

councils in 1974. And the pub?

• Harvest Moon was originally an 18th century

farmhouse. It was converted into a pub in the 1980s.

It closed in 2003 and stood derelict for a number of

years. It was eventually converted to a private house

in 2015.

The impact of pub closures is most noticeable in the north

of the city. As can be seen from the map, even though

pubs have closed in the central area, there are still plenty

open. However, where estate pubs have closed, there

are large, densely populated swathes where there is no

pub within walking distance.

I’m not aware of any studies to assess the impact on

social cohesion of the closure of estate pubs. Perhaps,

because many were not particularly attractive and may

have developed a bad reputation, their disappearance

does not produce the same reaction as the loss of village

pubs.

E i

Th i f b l i i bl i h h

ErmineWest

St. Giles

GlebePark

A15 A46

LINCOLN

A158

Key Pub Open Pub Closed

ErmineEast


When we go to the pub, how often do we take the time to

look at the sign? Pub signs are like real ale; unfortunately,

some pubs don’t have any, some are uninspiring, and

some are spectacular. And the spectacular ones are

pieces of public art, worthy of space in the Collection or

any other gallery.

In the past, signs were often painted by a local sign writer,

painting a pub sign today and maybe decorating the side

of a lorry tomorrow. However, some were painted by

surprisingly famous artists, for example Michael Farrar-Bell

who designed the 1s 6d stamp for the Queen’s Coronation

and exquisite stained glass for Exeter Cathedral. Find one

of his signs or one of his ceramic plaques of a painter

hung at each Morland pub to celebrate 250 years of the

brewery, and you could have beer money for some time.

Many wonderful signs

were designed and

painted by artists

employed full-time by

the larger breweries,

whose tied houses would

provide ample work not

just for one artist but for

a team. Artists working

alongside others create

something magical and

that was the case with

these brewery teams.

Perhaps the best known

of these is the Whitbread

Artists Department who

became Brewery Artists

when, in the 1980s,

Whitbread decided there was income to be made providing

services to other breweries. As well as Whitbread, they

received commissions from Ansells, Eldridge Pope,

Brains, Morlands, Halls and others, undertaking their last

commissions in 1992.

At least one brewery, Wadworth in Devizes, still has an

in-house artist, but the majority of signs are now printed

rather than painted. Whilst I hope there will always be

hand-painted signs, some of my Lincoln favourites are

printed.

I met with Gordon Speirs from The Sign Shop Lincoln, who

designed and produced the sign for the Morning Star on

Greetwell Gate. It comprises four images, a sunset, the

silhouette of the Cathedral and two different images of

stars to make a stunning morning star. It was printed on

vinyl, laminated, mounted on a board, and re-hung using

the original frame. The sign is now a couple of years old

but it still looks good to me. Gordon explained that, unlike

painted signs, the image slowly fades uniformly (reds

fade first on painted signs). And, of course, when the sign

needs replacing, the same image can be reprinted.

All good pub signs comprise big bold designs recognisable

from a distance, but what I love are the subtle details:

the beautifully executed creases in a piece of clothing

on a painted sign or a detail in the background of the

image on a printed sign. Unnecessary but adding to the

composition, often these details are hard to make out as

the signs swing high above your head. It is testament to

the best pub-sign artists and designers that they take the

time to provide something more than the essentials for

those who choose to look.

With thanks to Nick Robertson, one of the Brewery Artists

http://www.breweryartists.co.uk

Visit Pathé News to see Michael Farrar-Bell painting a sign

in 1956 http://www.britishpathe.com/video/inn-signs

Pub Signs

TheArtof pubsigns

Peter Crutchfield considerspub signs as public art

Nick Robertson of Brewery Artists

at work


Timberland is a small village of

around 250 dwellings on the south-

eastern edge of the Lincoln CAMRA

Branch area. In common with many

other villages, economic pressures

have resulted in the closure of local

facilities.

However, the villagers and, in

particular, the Timberland and Thorpe

Tilney Parish Council, have refused

to take these closures lying down.

For example, when the village shop

and post office closed in July 2015,

a weekly outreach post office and

a monthly community market were

established in the village hall.

But, as you’d expect, it’s the village

pub that I want concentrate on. In

September 2014, the Penny Farthing

closed without warning. The following

February, a planning application was

submitted to convert the pub into two

houses and build two further houses

on the car park.

Over 80 people attended a public

meeting to discuss the plans and

express their opposition to the

proposed development. As a result,

the Parish Council wrote to North

Kesteven District Council objecting

to the planning application, and

applying to register the pub as an

Asset of Community Value. The ACV

application was granted in June 2015.

The planning application was

withdrawn but, in January 2016, it

was resubmitted. This time it was

accompanied by a document from a

chartered architect entitled, “PUBLIC

HOUSE VIABILITY TEST As prepared

by CAMRA”. This contained numerous

statements supporting the owners’

case that the pub was not viable.

CAMRA’s Pub Viability Test comprises

a set of questions about a pub and

its surroundings, and is designed

for use by groups attempting to

keep pubs open. When the Penny

Farthing document was brought

to our attention, we contacted the

architect. We were concerned that

the document was misleading and

asked him to make it clear that he,

and not CAMRA, had answered the

questions.

By the time of the second application,

the villagers were fully mobilised.

According to Parish Councillor, Lizzie

Kornat, “We were overwhelmed by

the support. On behalf of the village,

we registered all the objections raised

by the community.”

The District Council rejected the

application, so the owners appealed

to the Planning Inspectorate. Finally,

in October 2016, the appeal was

dismissed. The Inspector concluded

that, “the proposed development

would involve the loss of a valued

community facility which would

be harmful to the surrounding

community”.

The villagers were delighted with the

result, but held their breath to await

the owners’ next move. To their relief,

it was revealed that Claire Sibbons

and Michael Wells had signed a

3-year lease, and the pub re-opened

in March 2017. And on the first night,

the pub was full to the rafters.

Claire Sibbons behind the bar

Claire and Michael have plenty of

experience in the trade and are

delighted with the welcome they

have received. Michael is in charge

of the kitchen - the pub has two dining

areas - while Claire oversees the front

of house.

The pub has been smartened up

inside and out, and has a homely feel.

Food is locally-sourced and home-

cooked. Thursday is curry night and

Friday is fish and chips. A pool table

has been installed and the intention is

to enter a team into the local league.

And Claire is using social media to

good effect to publicise events.

The bar has three real ales available

during the week and four at

weekends. Theakstons’ beers make

the occasional appearance but, in the

main, local breweries are used.

Lincoln CAMRA joins the villagers

of Timberland in wishing Claire and

Michael every success at the Penny

Farthing.

Penny FarthingSAVED

Pub Saved


RecIMPeGuest contributor, Mike Holman of FerryAles is keen on matching his beer withfood.

Serves: 4 - 6

INGREDIENTS1 kg Lincoln Red brisket

4 - 6 slices of streaky bacon

Olive oil

3 red onions

3 cloves of garlic

1 large carrot

2 sticks of celery and tops

4 field mushrooms

Small amount of fresh rosemary sprigs

Salt and pepper

440 ml F.A.B. Smokey Joe Porter

2 heaped tablespoons plain flour

170 g puff pastry (ready rolled)

1 large free-range egg for basting

Optional ingredient: 120 g Lincolnshire Poacher or your

favourite cheese. Alternatively, if you want to enhance the

smokiness of the pie, use some smoked cheese

METHODPreheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas 5.

Peel and chop the onions, garlic, carrot, and celery, slice

the mushrooms, and pick and finely chop the rosemary.

Cut the Beef into 2cm cubes and the streaky bacon into

lardons.

Heat a lug of oil in a large, ovenproof pan over a low heat.

Add the onions, carrots, celery and bacon and fry gently

for about 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and gently fry

until soft. Add the rosemary and garlic and gently fry until

you smell the aroma of garlic. Remove everything from

the pan and set aside.

Turn up the heat and add more olive oil if required. Fast

fry the beef until browned with a pinch of sea salt and

one level teaspoon of black pepper. Pour in the Smokey

Joe Porter, stir in set-aside onions, carrots, celery, bacon

celery, garlic, mushrooms and rosemary. Stir in the flour

and add just enough water or ale to cover.

Bring to a simmer, cover the pan with a lid and place in

the oven for 2½ hours, or until the meat is tender, stirring

halfway. If required reduce until the sauce thickens and

the stew is rich, dark and thick.

If using cheese, grate and stir half into the pie filling, then

fill 4 individual pie dishes or one large pie dish and set

aside to cool.

Roll the pastry out to the thickness of about 4mm. Sprin-

kle the remaining cheese over the pie filling, and place

the pastry over the top of the pie dish, folding and tucking

in the edges to seal, then lightly score the surface with a

criss-cross pattern. Beat the egg, then brush over the top

of the pie and bake directly on the bottom of the oven for

45 minutes, or until the pastry is cooked.

Serve with homemade chips and garden peas.

BEEF ANDSMOKEY JOE

PORTER ALE PIE


TravALEOur TravAlers took in a few pubs on High Street asthey made their way to Sincil Bank to watch the MightyImps (Lincoln City Football Club) clinch the VanaramaNational League championship and return to theFootball League.

TREATY OF COMMERCE

This mock-Tudor pub with its flower trays blooming is

a stone’s throw from the level crossing barrier. Inside,

you find a long narrow bar with wood-panelled walls. At

the rear is a large beer garden surrounded by the ever-

expanding University buildings. There were 6 ales: 3

Batemans and 3 guest beers, of which the Exmoor Gold

(4.5% ABV) was chosen.

RITZ

A short wander down the High Street and you arrive at the

Ritz, a Wetherspoons that has taken over what was once

was the city`s entertainment centre. It still has functioning

neon signs that illuminate the exterior at night. Displayed

in the pub are posters of the acts that played this once-

famous theatre. On the bar were 10 different ales, but the

beer that stood out was Lincolnshire Brewing Company’s

Don`t Be Bitter (4.0% ABV) - a green pump clip with a

picture of a wild punk on it!

HOP & BARLEY

Further along, on the other side of High Street, we come

to the Hop and Barley, Lincoln`s first and only micropub.

Conversation is the essential ingredient in this small,

square room. With a crowd of approximately 30 people, it

was pretty snug and pre-match chat was on people’s lips.

The beer of choice was the Newark Brewery Jade (4.0%

ABV), a flavoursome pale ale.

GOLDEN EAGLE

The final pub was the Golden Eagle, opposite St Botolph’s

church. A large wall-mounted sign indicates that this

pub is part of the Castle Rock chain. Walking through an

archway into the pub yard and turning right into the bar

area, we found that the pub packed with thirsty Lincoln

City fans. Since this was a Castle Rock pub, their classic

Harvest Pale (3.8% ABV) was enjoyed in the rear beer

garden.

TravALE


The Star and Garter, Metheringham

Lincoln CAMRA member, John Palethorpe, was adopted

as a fourteen-year-old by publicans George and Grace

Leaning in July 1961. John moved in with them at the Royal

Oak on Lincoln’s High Street but the pub burned down

the following night. Having moved back to the children’s

home on a temporary basis, John re-joined the Leanings

in the November, by which time they had taken over the

Burton Arms on West Parade.

In 1963, the Leanings moved to the Star and Garter in

Metheringham, another pub owned by Hole’s Brewery of

Newark on Trent. Before their arrival, most of the trade

had been bottled beer, and the first thing George had

to do was get the beer lines renewed. He built up the

draught beer sales and, in no time, the mild and bitter was

being delivered in 36-gallon barrels.

Sales continued to increase, so the brewery decided to try

54-gallon hogsheads, which went down the drop to the

cellar with inches to spare. On one delivery, the drayman

in the cellar rolled the mat away with the first barrel so the

next one hit the concrete floor. The barrel burst and beer

went everywhere, including all over John who happened

to be sitting at the bottom of the cellar steps.

In 1967, Holes Brewery was taken over by Courage and,

some time later, 90-gallon tanks were installed in the

cellar of the Star and Garter. The long tanks had a glass

panel and John recalls that they were referred to as “iron

lungs” because of their similarity to the ventilators used

in the treatment of polio. Beer was delivered by tanker

lorries and piped into the cellar tanks.

There was a stable block behind the Star and Garter but

it was knocked down to provide a car park. The pub also

had bed and breakfast rooms. A travelling artist stayed

for a couple of nights and paid his bill with a watercolour

of the pub. John is now the proud owner of that painting.

Watercolour of the Star and Garter, signed “E Lewis ‘76”

In his teenage years, John served behind the bar but was

only allowed to drink Vimto. The regulars assumed he

was teetotal and were surprised when his Dad bought

him a half of bitter on his 18th birthday.

Shortly afterwards, John joined the RAF as a catering

clerk. One of his postings was to RAF Salalah in Oman.

When the CO found out about John’s background in the

pub trade, he drafted him into the Officers’ Mess as a

stand-in steward.

John left the RAF in 1974 and worked at the Star and

Garter until George and Grace retired three years later.

He went on to work for over 14 years as assistant steward

at the Liberal Club, followed by 21 years at Monks Road

Club.

And the Star and Garter? The pub is now owned by

Punch Taverns and serves two real ales from national

brewers. The public bar has wood panelling and beams,

with an area set aside for pool at one end. A cosy lounge

is towards the rear of the building and there is also a

separate dining room. There are four bed and breakfast

rooms.

Old AleTales

Old Ale Tales


High Brecks Farm,Lincoln Rd, EastMarkham NG22 0SN

BREWERY · WEDDING AND EVENT VENUE

Get married in a brewery#congratulations #cheers

Tel 01777 872728www.pheasantrybrewery.co.uk

PheasantryB R E W E R Y

3.8% ABV


Brewed in Nottinghamshire byThe Pheasantry Brewery

4% ABV


Brewed in Nottinghamshire byThe Pheasantry Brewery

PhePheaeeaeaeaaeaseaeaeaeaeaeaeaeaeaeeaaa anB RRR EE W E RER ERRRRR


Here are some pub quiz questions to exercise your brain. To have a chance of winning a brewery T-shirt, send your

answers by email to [email protected] or by post to ImpAle Quiz May 2017, 4 Squires Place, Nettleham,

Lincoln, LN2 2WH. The closing date is 1st August 2017. As always, the editor’s decision is final.

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE1. Which building houses the largest bell in Britain?

2. Who starred alongside Gene Wilder in the comedy film “See No Evil, Hear No Evil”?

3. What is the second most common pub name in Britain?

4. The Highbury Stadium is home to which Lancashire-based football team?

5. In Tolkien’s Middle Earth, what is the name of the Brown Wizard?

6. What type of species is a hornbeam?

7. Which textile is made from the flax plant?

8. Which county is the home of Westons cider?

9. Which car maker shares its name with the first month of the Jewish calendar?

10. “Be yourself, everyone else is taken” is a quote by which famous person?

MUSIC1. Which British band spent nine weeks at number one with a hit called “Two Tribes”?

2. Who is Peter Hernandez better known as?

3. What is the only UK number one album of the 1970s with the name of a country in the album title?

4. What is Elvis Presley’s middle name?

5. Which group provided the soundtrack to the film Flash Gordon?

6. Which well-known singer had a childhood hit with a song called “Fingertips”?

7. “Ode to Joy” is from which composer’s ninth symphony?

8. In what year was the first Glastonbury Festival held?

9. Which band had a hit with a song called “All Around My Hat”?

10. Which well-known guitarist played the role of Jack Sparrow’s father in the Pirates of The Caribbean films?

These questions were provided by our very own Kieran Cody, who is quiz master at the Victoria, Union Road, Lincoln.

His general knowledge quiz takes place on the second Thursday of the month, and a music quiz on the fourth Thursday

of the month. Be there at 8pm to get a seat - the quiz starts around 8.30pm. Liquid prizes to be won.

You can find a list of regular quizzes in local pubs on the PUBlicity section of our website lincolncamra.org.uk

The winner of the pub sign quiz in ImpAle 1/2017 was Kate Parton of Lincoln. If you would like to know the answers,

please email the editor.

PubQuiz

Pub Quiz


From as little as

£25*

a year. That’s lessthan a pint a

month!

Join the campaign today atwww.camra.org.uk/joinup

Join us, and together we can protect the traditions of greatBritish pubs and everything that goes with them.

Become part of the CAMRA community today – enjoy discountedentry to beer festivals and exclusive member offers. Learn aboutbrewing and beer and join like-minded people supporting ourcampaigns to save pubs, clubs, your pint and more.

*Price for paying by Direct Debit and correct at April 2017. Concessionary rates available. Please visit camra.org.uk/membership-rates

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