Darlington Drinker 165

Darlington Drinker 165

Newsletter of the Darlington Campaign for Real Ale - June/July 2007

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130 Signs of Success!

THE Darlington Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale is celebrating its 25th anniversary by publishing with this edition of Darlington Drinker the branch’s biggest and best ever guide to places serving real ale.

Thirty-two pages packed with 130 pubs, clubs, hotels, restaurants and off-licences, complete with maps and 30 colour photos, taking this edition of DD up to a mammoth 56 pages. And all for free, thanks to the support of our advertisers - and the hard work of the CAMRA volunteers who have put in the leg (and arm) work to bring the guide to you. The places featured range from basic boozers to classy country retreats. Something for every pocket and occasion, with only one thing in common, traditional British beer - real ale. The guide covers the full Darlington CAMRA area - not just the town but the area around it, including parts of North Yorkshire and beautiful Teesdale.

Darlington CAMRA has been phenomenally successful in increasing the availability and choice of real ale around here since it was formed in May 1982. At that time, this was one of the very worst areas in England if you wanted a decent pint. In the whole of the branch area out of 200 pubs there were only four dozen serving real ale. If you tried hard and travelled widely you might track down 15 different real ales - and just five in the town itself. Today in the guide outlets you will find 80 different draught ales on sale at any one time - with 60 in town. But all is not perfect. Breweries are still folding. Community pubs are disappearing. Large pub chains are strengthening their stranglehold. But without CAMRA things would be so much worse.

So drink to ‘25 Years of Campaigning for Real Ale in Darlington’. And happy beer hunting!

*If your pub, etc, runs out of copies of the guide please contact Alan Holmes at Darlington CAMRA on (07791) 239008 for further supplies.

Click here to see the updated online Guide for our Branch area.

Save Our Snooker

THE MANAGEMENT and members of Darlington Snooker Club have vowed to fight the shock plans by the building’s landlord to convert the near-century old hall into four residential apartments.

Snooker Club proprietor Peter Everett, who leases the first floor hall above White Bros motorcycle shop at the corner of Northgate and Corporation Road, only found about the planning application by landlord Derek White when a member saw it on Darlington Council’s website. Peter was not best pleased either to read in the Northern Echo claims by Mr White that the club - for which the building was erected in 1915 - was “no longer economically viable”. A statement Mr White was not qualified to make. Peter, and his family, including mother Rita, took over the then-ailing ten table hall seven years ago and have put heart and soul into reviving it. Rita said: “My son has taken it up from nothing. We have about 300 members and we’re a real family-run business.”

As well as being a long-standing town institution, the club is an asset to the local community, catering for all ages from youngsters - there are junior coaching sessions every Sunday - to players in their 90s. Exhibition events bring the best world snooker stars to Northgate. In recent years Peter has broadened the customer base by his passionate promotion of real ale, including twice yearly beer festivals. So much so it is now a national and regional icon, first winning a place in the best-selling Good Beer Guide then achieving the accolade of CAMRA North East Club of the Year three times running.

As one member put it: “Does Darlington really need yet more apartments, probably to stand empty like so many others? Or does it want to keep this special club, a still-active part of its living history ?”.

"We must save our snooker club".

Crown Crowned, Twenty-2 First

THE CROWN Inn at Manfield has been voted champion Pub of the Year by the Darlington branch of CAMRA for the second year. On the way to winning the overall title it was named Darlington Country Pub of the Year for the sixth year running.

Branch Pubs Officer Peter Fenwick presented tenants Karen and Peter Hynes with their awards. He said: “There are 200 pubs in the our area, which covers large areas of south-west County Durham and parts of north-west Yorkshire as well as Darlington itself. For the Crown to be voted Pub of the Year by our members for two years running is a real tribute to the skills and enthusiasm of Karen and Peter.”  The couple have been at the Crown for just over five years but are already planning their 11th beer festival in September. They recently served their 180,000th pint of guest ale from the 2,500th nine-gallon firkin. Not bad for a small country pub. The Crown now goes forward to the judging for CAMRA Yorkshire Pub of the Year, a title it won in 2005.

THE ACCOLADE of Town Pub of the Year 2007 went to Number Twenty-2 in Coniscliffe Road - whose landlord, Ralph Wilkinson, also owns the Crown making a unique double. Twenty-2 goes forward to the CAMRA North East Pub of the Year judging, where it is up against the Newcastle Arms in Newcastle, the King’s Arms in Sunderland, the Ship at Middlestone and the historic Victoria in Durham City. Ralph said: “There’s a lot of hard work gone into winning these awards. We have a fantastic bunch of regulars who appreciate what we do. It shows a real commitment to real ale”.

HIGHLY COMMENDED in the contest were, Town: the Britannia and the Quakerhouse; Country: the Red Lion, Cotherstone and the Bay Horse, Great Smeaton.

Railway Terminus?

THE RAILWAY Hotel* in Otley Terrace, Hopetown, looks to have reached the end of the line, set to be the latest inner Darlington pub to be lost to housing.

Premier Homes, of Middlesbrough, have applied for planning permission to convert the imposing redbrick pub and its outbuildings into apartments. Although the present frontage is dated 1909 there has been a Railway Hotel here from at least the 1840s, built to serve workers at local foundries and at the Stockton & Darlington Railway complex. The pub has had an unstable time in recent years, with owners and licensees coming and going, and it has stood empty on more than one occasion. There has been no lack of investment, with significant amounts being spent on refurbishment as recently as 2004, but despite being available to let free of brewery tie since it last closed in February 2006 nobody has taken up the opportunity.

If the plans go ahead this will be the fourth street-corner pub within a few hundred yards to go for housing use since 2004. In Whessoe Road, the other side of the railway ‘cut’, the Globe and the Locomotive were both converted to flats, whilst the uniquely-ornamented Rise Carr suffered the worst fate of all - demolished to make way for yet more flats. At least the Railway Hotel should be spared that.

*Not to be confused with the Railway Tavern in High Northgate.

THE ROSE & CROWN at Mickleton reopened recently after six months ‘dark’. It has been taken over by Martin and Alexandra Clarkson who’ve made extensive changes, including refurbishing the ground floor to form a bar, games room and two tea rooms. Their motto is “real tea, real ale and a real friendly welcome”. The first cask beers were Black Sheep Best Bitter and Jenning’s Cumberland but Martin and Alex are inviting suggestions for guest ales from customers.

MEANWHILE, Teesdale Traditional Taverns say the Foresters Arms in nearby Middleton in Teesdale will reopen. It closed in Spring when Ben Chambers and Gemma Paskin, who had been running it for a short time on lease, departed suddenly, leaving a tangle of paperwork. Romaldkirk-based Hugh Becker of TTT told the Northern Echo: “It is our intention to open the pub again as soon as possible, but we are unable to say when that might be.”

The Great British

THE GREAT British Beer Festival will be held at London’s Earls Court from August 7-11.

Over 700 tasty tipples from small micro-breweries and large regional brewers have been handpicked for visitors to try. More than ever before. They include wheat beers, ciders, golden ales, stouts, porters, bitters, milds, bottle-conditioned beers, perries and real lagers from all over the world. There will also be food, live music, entertainment, games, tombolas, and quizzes in the comfort of a family friendly atmosphere.

Last year was the first time the ‘Showcase of British Beer’ was hosted at Earls Court following 14 years at Olympia. Over 66,000 people attended, smashing attendance records by 18,000.

Opening times and prices: Tue 7th August 5-10.30pm and Wed 8th to Fri 10th noon-10.30pm, admission £8 (CAMRA members £6); Sat 11th 11am-7pm, £6 (£4). Book early to avoid the queues and save money: visit www.gbbf.org.uk or call (0870) 380 0150.

… And the Little British

CATTERICK village is looking forward to its own mini festival, spread across various hostelries on 14th-15th July. Ale lover Tony Pelton explains: “There is real ale in all three pubs. The Oak Tree offers Sam Smiths. Over the Green, the Bay Horse has three Jennings on handpull and a guest ale. In the High Street, the Angel has Caledonian Deuchar’s and Black Sheep. At the Social Club, we hope there will be a real ale bar with four beers, although the club’s future is in the balance. There will be entertainment and given good weather pleasant seating along the beck side.”

Perfect House

CONGRATULATIONS to Steve Metcalfe and Lynda Harland, who in June celebrated five years as tenants of the Quaker House, the multi-beer freehouse tucked away in Darlington town centre’s Mechanics’ Yard.

Steve and Lynda have been behind the bar even longer, of course, as they were managers before securing the tenancy. Theirs was a double celebration as the couple have won an award from Greene King brewery, in association with the Daily Telegraph, as the ‘Abbot Ale Perfect Host Pub’ for the North East.

Steve said: “Winning is a huge honour for the team who work here with us. It is fantastic to know our customers have taken the time to vote for us”.

Legendary, Us!

THE INDEPENDENT newspaper, no less, has called it “legendary”, so little old DD can hardly be accused of hyping it up.

But in September, it’s back at the Arts Centre for the 28th consecutive year, Darlington’s very own annual beer and music festival presented by Darlington CAMRA, the Arts Centre and its R‘n’B Club. Ladies and gentlemen, we give you Rhythm ‘n’ Brews 2007. The evening sessions are expected to be as popular as ever, so as ever (and some still don’t listen) we urge you to snap up your tickets in advance. Now is not too soon. Generous CAMRA discounts. The Friday and Saturday lunchtimes (no music Friday) are, as usual, free entry, so if you prefer not to plan, we can guarantee you admission, and lots of brews then.

The Arts Centre itself has had £1 million-worth of refurbishment over the past year - including a new ‘plaza’ which should be a hit for al fresco drinking if the lunchtime weather is fine. Fifty cask beers and six ciders and perries are being ordered, as well as a range of classic imported bottled brews. Big efforts are being made to get real ales from breweries which were founded in the same year as Darlington CAMRA - 1982, twenty-five years ago.

In fact this will be a double-celebration festival because there is to be a special flying visit over the weekend from 23 members of Darlington CAMRA’s Belgian ‘twin’. The Heikantse Bierliefhebbers, a highly active beer-lovers group from Antwerp province, are making the trip as a highpoint of their own 20th anniversary year celebrations. You’ve seen some before, now meet lots more !.

Top Pub, Top Miss

NUMBER TWENTY-2 Coniscliffe Road, its guv’nor Ralph and his team are used to winning beery awards but a prize of a very different kind was presented to 18 year old bar-person Verity Walker recently. Verity was named Miss Durham. To go with the sash she won a place in the finals of Miss England. Congratulations and good luck!

*THE Guardian’s glossy Weekend supplement published a major (and generally complimentary) article on life in Darlington recently. And under the tag “The Place to Hang Out” it said that ...“Number 22 Alehouse and Canteen is a must”.

White Knight to the Rescue

THE MANY residents who, along with Darlington CAMRA, objected to the plans to redevelop the White Horse at Harrowgate Hill for 55 apartments look like being vindicated.

Although the objections - which argued that the pub was still a viable proposition - were ignored by the owner, Jay Patel, and by Darlington Council’s planning committee, a rumoured U-turn by Mr Patel now looks like coming to fruition. National pub group Mitchells & Butlers says it wants to reopen the White Horse as part of its ‘Sizzling Pub Company’ chain and has applied for a licence to open between 10am and midnight daily. M&B says its Sizzling Pubs - 200 strong, and growing - offer ‘a local drinking pub serving food on sizzling skillets’.

Oliver Devine, the chain’s marketing manager, said: “Since we launched we have made it our mission to revive food in the local pub market. We are committed to providing a welcoming, easy going environment with excellent service and great quality food at great value prices.” Mr Patel, who drew up the plans for housing development within weeks of buying the site at auction, said, a little less convincingly, that: “I want to give it back to the people of Darlington. I want it to be reopened and do a good job. I hope the people will support it”. He said that the associated hotel, which continued to operate when the pub shut last September, would be run separately.

Leading campaigner Gill Cartwright said: “It is excellent news. I am sure residents will be happy that the pub is to reopen on a long-term deal. That is what people wanted in the first place.” A spokesman for Darlington CAMRA added: “We’ve consistently dismissed the empty argument that the pub was not viable. There’s a catchment of 5,000 people in Harrowgate Hill - as many as a small town - and there’s no other pub within easy walking distance. Companies like M&B aren’t daft. They know they can do well here, and good luck to them. Now we hope they’ll reintroduce real ale, to make this a complete pub once again.”

Beer World: Amsterdam

Globetrotter ADRIAN BELL continues his mission to show Darlington drinkers that good beer can be enjoyed overseas, in our series on short-break destinations.

AMSTERDAM is one of the easiest European cities to get to from Darlington, being only 1 hour 15 mins from Durham Tees Valley Airport. It makes an ideal weekend break - and don't think of it as just the red light area, there's a lot more to this city. 

As far as beer goes, Amsterdam  has a café on almost every corner. Some only sell Heineken but most now usually stock a few Belgian offerings as well. Three beer specialist cafés are worth especially seeking out. In de Wildeman (www.indewildeman.nl) stocks a huge range of beers from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, UK and more. Gollem (www.cafegollem.nl) stocks a wide range of mainly Belgian beers. And the Arendsnest (www.arendsnest.nl) claims to sell at least one beer from every Dutch brewery.

Amongst other cafés to look out for are: the Bekeerde Suster brewpub; In 't Aepjen - housed in one of the last two remaining wooden framed houses in Amsterdam; and  Papeneiland, one of the best of the contenders for ‘oldest bar in Amsterdam’, with a small range of Dutch and Belgian brews. For an exhaustive list of Amsterdam bars take a look at www.europeanbeerguide.net.

Amsterdam has two breweries, Heineken and the much more interesting Brouwerij t’Ij (www.brouwerijhetij.nl), a micro under a windmill which brews five regular brews plus specials, most over 8%. It is only open from 3-8pm, Wed-Sun. You can walk or get the No 22 bus from Centraal Station.

DETAILS, DETAILS:

Food… Zeedijk is lined with Chinese restaurants, the streets around Leidseplein are wall-to-wall with restaurants of all types (try Indonesian) and Damrak, near the station, is lined with frituurs (chip shops) and pizza takeaways.

Sights... include the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank’s House. For more attractions visit www.amsterdam.info.

Trams... travel everywhere in town and are cheapest with a ‘strippenkart’ - 15 ticket strips for €6.80; most journeys use 2 strips.

Flights... can be booked with www.klm.com: three flights from DTV daily. It’s a €3.60 train journey from Schiphol airport to the centre.

Accommodation... can be reserved with www.bookings.org from €60/nt single, €80 double. Most rooms are small and have very steep staircases.  Try near the Leidseplein.

Sold On George

THE HISTORIC, 35-bedroom, George Hotel, in the Yorkshire bit of Piercebridge, has been bought by Tadcaster Inns, sister company to the Tadcaster Pub Company.

The acquisition should bring a period of stability to the 16th-century George which suffered when its parent company went into administration last year. The Tadcaster Pub Company was set up by businessman Jim Walsh and managing director James Crawfurd-Porter in early 2002 and has grown to a portfolio of 67 tenanted pubs across the North and Midlands. The Quakerhouse in Darlington town centre was one of the first acquisitions. Earlier this year the firm founded Tadcaster Inns to run pubs with accommodation, including 16 of their existing estate.

Mr Walsh says he would like to get up to 30-40 such pubs and hotels within five years, and he has set aside about £20m for the purpose. He said: “We are looking to buy traditional inns of quality and character that will benefit from immediate investment in physical improvements combined with the guiding hand of experienced business advisers to help continue growing trade”.

Mr Walsh confirmed, in industry-speak, that he is not giving up on pubs like the Quaker which rely on alcohol sales. “The more income streams we can provide for licensees, the more the risk is spread. But this doesn’t mean we don’t believe in single-income stream, wet-led pubs where appropriate.”

Fine Bitter Success

HAMBLETON Ales boss Nick Stafford has been explaining the decision to re-launch his brewery’s award-winning 3.6% abv Hambleton Bitter with a completely new recipe.

Nick admits that doing so after 16 years was a “very dangerous step”, and he doesn’t believe in change for change’s sake. However, the beer had met up with problems of its own success. “In 2006 we introduced Maris Otter malted barley, the absolutely finest of all malt varieties, in spite of the added cost incurred. All our brands, including the special and seasonal brews, benefited hugely from this development, but Hambleton Bitter conceivably ended up with a more complex flavour than a session beer truly required”. 

“We conducted research amongst many of our devoted drinkers and found that indeed the balance of all the ingredients had perhaps been lost. Pre-emptive action was required. “Rather than dabble about we went for a significant and highly identifiable new recipe. Fortunately it has paid off as sales for March were up by 68% on last year. The beer as a pale, light and refreshingly thirst quenching beer has scored success right across the board and it was a great way to celebrate our 16th birthday”.

*Hambleton’s next monthly specials are: July - Independence, a pale beer in celebration of American hop character; August - Racing Fuel, a round, smooth blond; September - Finishing First, amber beer, bursting with citrus character.

Ale Mail

I WOULD LIKE to take issue with George Gledhill over his memories of the original pub at Amen Corner in Barnard Castle (DD164).

 As I was born and bred in Barnard Castle and started my drinking there in 1960 I feel I should know the history of its pubs. The pub at Amen Corner was the Burn’s Head. Further down the Bank on the same side was another pub, next to Blagraves restaurant, called the Shoulder of Mutton. This was a soldier’s pub, in the days when Barnard Castle was a garrison town. Consequently, there were frequent outbreaks of fighting and general mayhem. This led to it being known locally as the ‘Bucket of Blood’. So I’m afraid George Gledhill is very much mistaken.

JACK GIBSON, Bowes WMC, Bowes

I WAS AMAZED to read in the last Darlington Drinker, that Kayani, the specially brewed real ale from Wear Valley Brewery was being sold at the Quaker House. This pub is some 500 yards from where Kayani was launched so successfully at the Garden of India in Bondgate, some six months previous.

Real ale drinkers were told then by the brewery that the owner of restaurant had an exclusive 12 month deal to promote Kayani across his Indian empire. Sounds like a good deal to me. We all know the Quaker is not an Indian restaurant, so has Wear Valley now made Kayani available to all the other real ale outlets in the area ? I hope so. Or is access to Kayani being restricted to a chosen few? Let’s see what they have to say.

ROBERT HALLEWELL (a Kayani fan), Darlington, by email

(Ian Jackson of Wear Valley Brewery replied, “I think people missed the point about the Garden of India being ‘the only restaurant in Darlington to sell it’. Factually, this still stands: a pub is one thing and a restaurant another”.)

I WAS PASSING the William Stead and I was almost moved to go in and buy a beer, when I noticed stickers on the window announcing that ‘All draught beers are super chilled at 1-3 degrees C, guaranteed’. So I didn't bother to waste my money. Surely this must refer to keg beers not real ales? But the notice does say 'All draught beers'.

ROSS CHISHOLM, Darlington, by email

(Editor: JD Wetherspoon’s operations director Nathan Wall says that cask ale in their pubs is “served within Cask Marque’s recommended ideal of 11-13 degree temperature range”, not the advertised chilled temperatures, which apply only to keg brands. Why the company’s promotional material doesn’t say so isn’t explained.)  

DD READERS will be interested to hear that the Punch Bowl Inn at Low Row, near Reeth in Swaledale, has been reopened after a few years closure, by the owners of the CB Inn in nearby Arkengarthdale.

It is not in the original building but has moved next door to the former bunkhouse. There is a large bar, with oak ‘Mouseman’ features, and two separate restaurant rooms. There are also 11 ensuite bedrooms. Handpumps serve Black Sheep Bitter and Riggwelter, Theakston Bitter and John Smiths Bitter.

DAVID HILL, North Cowton, by email  

BREWS, NEWS AND VIEWS / GUIDE UPDATES

MOWDEN PARK RUGBY CLUB has a familiar ‘new’ face behind the bar, and he’s brought new impetus to the beer choice. Peter Turnbull, who runs the highly successful Old Yard Tapas Bar in Bondgate, has taken over the management of the Yiewsley Drive clubhouse and his first priority was to install two cask ale pumps. He tells us: “We are now serving two guest ales and results have been very encouraging - Tiger sold out within 36 hours!” Non-members are welcome.

‘THE MONK’S TABLE’ is the new name for the Duke of Wellington at Welbury, a few miles this side of Northallerton. New owners Mike and Carol have overseen a £150,000-worth refurbishment of the old village local. It will serve real ale as well as “food from an extensive menu” when it reopens at the end of July.

DARLINGTON CAMRA DIARY DATES

Tue July 10: Darlington Snooker Club, Corporation Road (cnr Northgate; ring bell for entry). Darlington CAMRA branch meeting, 8pm. All welcome.

Fri July 20: Teesdale rural coach crawl: Depart Feethams (opp. Town Hall) 6.30pm, details/bookings: Pete Fenwick (01325) 374817; (07792) 093245.

Sun July 29: Darlington CAMRA annual cycle ride. About 20 gentle miles to some great country pubs. All welcome. Meet Bland’s Corner (A167/A66 roundabout, near Stressholme golf club), 11.15am. Contact Brendan Boyle (01325) 362092.

Tue Aug 7: Blacksmith’s Arms (Hammers), Preston-le-Skerne. Darlington CAMRA branch meeting, 8pm. Free bus from town for members: details Pete as above.  

Tue Sept 4: Mowden Park Rugby Club, Yiewsley Drive, Mowden. Darlington CAMRA branch meeting, 8pm. All welcome.

Thu 14 - Sat 16 Sept : Darlington Rhythm ‘n’ Brews Festival 2007. CAMRA volunteers needed to help at all sessions and to set up Mon 10th and dismantle Sun 16th;  see What's Brewing or Click here to visit our Beer Festivals section for further details.

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Darlington Drinker is published approximately two-monthly (with the odd beer break) by the Darlington branch of CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale. Circulation 3,200. News, articles and letters welcome. All items © Darlington CAMRA but may be reproduced if source acknowledged. Editor, for the 150th time (phew): Brendan Boyle, 6 Clareville Road, Darlington DL3 8NG; (01325) 362092; email brendan@bjboyle.freeserve.co.uk. To advertise, contact Fred Lawton: (07710) 493514. Rates a snip at quarter-page £30, half page £50, full page £80; sixth consecutive insertion free. Branch website: www.darlocamra.org.uk. CAMRA HQ is at 230 Hatfield Road, St Albans, Herts AL1 4LW; (01727) 867201; see www.camra.org.uk for all other real ale information.