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Darlington Drinker 178 Newsletter of the Darlington Campaign for Real Ale - Summer 2010 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deceit by the Handpull A HANDPUMP on a bar counter is the sign of real ale. A guarantee of unpasteurised, living, refermenting, beer drawn from an unpressurised cask. Beer with nowt taken out. At least that is what beer drinkers think - and trust. 'Trust', because hardly ever does a handpump (aka 'handpull') or the beer name clip that it carries explicitly tell a customer that the product dispensed from it is real ale (or 'cask' or 'cask conditioned'). But, sadly, not every publican or pub company or brewery can be relied upon - and once in a blue moon a drinker's trust is betrayed by the people who profit from his or her cash. We can't recall a previous local case of a pub ‘passing off’ processed, pasteurised keg beer through a handpump as real ale. But we can reveal one now: at the Travellers Rest in Cockerton, Darlington. The deceit was uncovered following the withdrawal by Heineken UK at the start of this year of their cask version of John Smith's Magnet. This was a favourite beer in this area but disappointed pub landlords had no choice but to switch to other real ales. Oddly though, 'Magnet' continued to be sold through handpumps at the Travellers Rest, alongside keg 'electric' Magnet. Darlington Drinker 177 queried this and we received an indignant call from the pub’s manager, Dave Phillips, insisting that his handpulled beer was Magnet. Keg Magnet. Darlington CAMRA took the matter up with the pub's owners, a small York-based pub chain called Ashcroft Pollard. Director Dale Pollard confirmed that: “We do indeed offer for sale Magnet keg bitter. The customer has the choice of how the product is dispensed to him. We do not sell or purport to sell Magnet cask.” A 'choice of dispense'? But of the same product!. Not 'purporting to sell cask Magnet'? Is the sale of keg beer through that icon of cask ale, the handpump, not blatantly misleading the pub’s beer drinkers?. Mr Pollard disagreed, but “not wishing to cause offence to our valued customers” undertook to seek the help of Heineken UK in 'clarifying' the matter. CAMRA too has pressed Heineken - Britain's biggest brewers following their takeover of Scottish & Newcastle in 2008 - for a ruling on their brand being misrepresented as a cask beer. Although they have no direct control over the Travellers Rest Heineken’s reputation in this country is on the line. The company cannot sit on the fence: if they do not denounce the inappropriate use of handpumps to serve their products then they are condoning the deceit. But, as went to press, we've waited and waited and heard nothing further from either Ashcroft Pollard or Heineken. Only a personal view from Heineken's PR supremo, David Jones, that it would be in the licensee's “own best interests” to cease the practice. It’s in Heineken UK’s best interests too, David. Nor have Darlington council's trading standards section been of any help to deceived drinkers, seemingly failing to grasp the issue. Perhaps they don't drink real ale. But then, neither are the customers of the Travellers Rest. And
nobody in a position of responsibility seems willing to stand up for their
rights. TWO MAJOR untruths have been told on the pub’s side during the prolonged discussions. First, that “we tell all our customers that the Magnet is not cask conditioned”. Amongst the Travellers’ drinkers who can testify that this does not happen are regulars Andy and Karen Maughan. The couple also refute the second claim: that the deceptive handpumps bear a “keg Magnet badge”. Nonsense they say: the pump clip is the standard one that was used at true cask Magnet outlets - and on Heineken UK’s marketing. Keg ‘Cask’ Con What We Said: “ONE OF the Darlington area's most popular real ales was axed at the turn of the year ... cask-conditioned John Smith's Magnet is no more. Some pubs are still in denial, with the Traveller's Rest at Cockerton continuing to serve beer through a Magnet-badged handpump. We don't know what it is but you can be sure it's not the real thing.” Darlington Drinker 177, April 2010 And What They Said: "WE
DON’T say it is cask-conditioned - we tell all our customers it's
not." Dave Phillips, Manager, Traveller's Rest, 2 April “WE ARE on the case - our rep will visit the pub next week and I will report back.” David Jones, Heineken UK spokesman, 24 April “WE DO indeed offer for sale Magnet Keg Bitter. The customer has the choice of how the product is dispensed to him. We do not sell or purport to sell Magnet Cask. I resent your comment that Mr Phillips is 'blatantly misleading his customers”. This is simply not the case. Irrespective of the above I will contact my supplier, Heineken UK, to ask for their help in clarifying this matter, as we would certainly not wish to cause offence to our valued customers. Hopefully I will get back to you shortly with Heineken's reply.” Dale Pollard, director, Tilehurst Ltd t/a Ashcroft Pollard & Co., 29 April “OUR SALES representative has investigated the matter and the licensee is unrepentant. He says the pub has been selling keg Magnet through both the usual bright tap and a handpull bearing a KEG Magnet badge for several years. We have discussed the issue with his area manager and he validated the licensee's claims. In light of these findings, I do not think there is anything more we can do at this end.” David Jones, Heineken UK, 6 May “I'M AT a loss to understand the [claim about a] 'handpull with a keg magnet badge'. The handpull has a standard pump clip and badge.” Karen Maughan, 6 May “I'M SORRY we've been unable to persuade the licensee that it is in his own best interests to cease this practice.” David Jones, Heineken UK, 7 May “I HAVE visited the Traveller's Rest and can confirm that they sell John Smith's Magnet through three hand pumps and two electric. The advertising on each pump is identical and the pumps are connected to the same store of Magnet in the cellar. I understand that there is now only one form of Magnet and that it is only available in a keg form. The John Smith's Magnet sold at the Traveller's Rest is clearly described as John Smith's Magnet so any customer would be receiving the correct beverage that they had asked for. The establishment is free to dispense the John Smith's Magnet through whatever means they wish so long as they comply with the relevant weights and measures legislation. Consequently there are no breaches of Trading Standards Legislation.” Neil Watt, Fair Trading Officer, Darlington Borough Council, 12 May “TRADING
Standards have got the wrong end of the stick - we're not complaining that
the beer isn't Magnet, we're complaining that it's not
cask-conditioned.” Karen Maughan, 22 May Darlington Drinker .…Twenty-Five Years Ago “VAUX have released details of their new policy of taking ‘guest’ real ales in some of their pubs. The number of pubs being allowed to sell non-Vaux ales now stands at 23 and is rising. All are managed houses, including the Pennyweight and Humphry’s, but also - somewhat surprisingly - the Copper Beech. The latter has not sold handpulled beer for some considerable time, if ever. The ‘guests’ are produced by independent breweries. The Copper Beech has been offering its real ale at only 65 pence.” Darlington Drinker 37, August 1985
From Middleton to Mutton and Station AS ONE PUB door opens in Middleton-in-Teesdale another one shuts. The Forresters Arms recently reopened in the charge of new tenants Fabien Hombourger and Joanna Marie, a full three years after the previous occupants left. It is now described a hotel and restaurant - and there is indeed a strong emphasis on food - but a distinct bar area remains, at the lower of the split levels, and serves cask Black Sheep and Tetley bitters. The previous short-term tenants departed suddenly in Spring 2007, apparently leaving a “tangle of paperwork”. The owners Teesdale Traditional Taverns (aka Carters) of Romaldkirk had tried to open the pub again “as soon as possible” but it was not to be. SADLY, however, just around the corner the Bridge Inn community pub experiment seems to have hit the buffers, having not opened since March. Although also owned by Teesdale Traditional Taverns it was run from Christmas 2008 by the not-for-profit Bridge Inn Trust, set up with social enterprise funding and led by director and 'social entrepreneur' Chris Jones. CONGRATULATIONS to the idyllically located, ivy-clad Shoulder of Mutton at Kirby Hill on being voted North Yorkshire Spring Pub of the Season by members of Darlington CAMRA. The Good Beer Guide-listed country inn stocks Daleside and Black Sheep’s bitters plus three guest real ales chosen by the pub’s regulars. The runner-up was the Grange Arms at Hornby, pipping the White Swan at Gilling West into third spot. IN DD 177 we reported rumours in Hurworth Place about the Station, which had been bought from a national pub company, reopened and closed again, all within a matter of weeks. The
word was of plans to demolish the once-thriving Victorian boozer and
redevelop its site for housing. Happily the tales
were wrong and the pub was reopened in late May by villager Dave Smith,
who is renting it from the owner. Dave and his partner are running the
Station themselves, and doing all the remedial jobs like redecorating, in
order to keep costs down. The pub is open from noon until midnight.
There’s no real ale at present but we are told it may appear “if there
is a demand”. So, people of Hurworth and Croft, go and demand... Mithril Launches MITHRIL ALES, the Darlington area's new micro-brewery, officially launches its beers in June. And owner-brewer-deliveryman Pete Fenwick isn't content with one public unveiling - he's organised three. If you're puzzled and think you tasted Mithril beers at some popular local free houses during May - you did. Pete produced trial brews - Number 2, Number 6 and Number 10 - to get his new 2.5 bbl (brewers' barrels) plant up and running following its installation in April. His 'proper' beers have a little more imaginative names: Local ('Beer for Local People') at 3.8% alcohol by volume, Route A66 (4%) and Flower Power (4.3%). The inaugural launch takes place just 200 yards from Mithril's Aldbrough St John base at the Stanwick on 25 June, at 8pm. The following evening (8pm) the roadshow moves a couple of miles away to the Crown Inn at Manfield, then on Sunday into Darlington itself for a town launch at the Quaker House (2pm). Everyone is welcome at the launches, if you read this in time. The beers will be available at reduced prices. Whether you taste Mithril's ales then or at another time Pete is keen to hear your views on the brews, positive or negative: use the blog on www.mithrilales.co.uk. Interested potential stockists can contact Pete on (01325) 374817 and (07792) 093245.
THE MORRITT country house hotel at Greta Bridge, in Teesdale, is holding a three day cask ale festival in late June, at which it will be launching its own ale. ‘Major Morritt’ takes its name from a previous owner of the hotel who was in residence from the early 1900s to the 1960s. The major is immortalised in a famous mural in the bar painted by the 'Guinness toucan' artist John Gilroy. Barbara Johnson, who has owned the Morritt for the past 16 years, said: ‘We thought is would be a nice way to commemorate the man who gave the hotel its name.” She
described the 3.6% ale, which is based on Thwaites Original, as
“quaffable … a lighter beer, a good summer drink, which we hope will
find favour with connoisseurs and those who just like to try something
different.” The festival takes place in a marquee
from 6pm on June 25, 2pm - late on the 26th, and 2-10pm on the 27th. As
well as other local brews there'll be cask cider, a hog roast and
entertainment. More on 01833 627232 or www.themorritt.co.uk.
Skeeby Travellers: Not at Rest THE RESIDENTS of Skeeby, near Scotch Corner, have taken inspiration from the community cooperative which saved the George & Dragon at Hudswell. They are in the throes of forming a own cooperative to save the Travellers Rest, the only pub in their village. The Travellers has presented a sorry sight for almost two years, boarded up and empty. Its closure followed several years of under investment and inflated rents levied by successive pub company owners. It was simply not possible for tenants to generate sufficient turnover to satisfy the rents, despite the best endeavours of several. So a pub that had been a thriving community hub eventually became yet another pub closure. The village looked forward to a new buyer taking on the pub and returning it to success, and several villagers looked at buying it themselves. But earlier this year the Travellers was bought by a Hartlepool developer, a Mr Whitfield, who applied to convert it into a house. The village rallied to resist this and the developer withdrew the application in the face of a likely planning refusal. In a short space of time the community has formed a committee to try to form an Industrial and Provident Society (cooperative) for Community Benefit to buy the pub. It has been delighted with the support received - a high number of expressions of interest have been made from within the community - but is still casting the net for potential investors. The vision is to generate enough investment to make a successful offer to buy the freehold and carry out imaginative refurbishment works to bring life back to the Travellers as a real community hub. That would include a rejuvenated pub, restaurant, shop and a small studio unit. The community would look to support local food production and local brewers in their bid to build a sustainable local business. The Travellers Rest Skeeby Community Pub Initiative could really benefit from wider support. Please visit www.travellersrestskeeby.co.uk for information and to express an interest in this fantastic, sustainable, community initiative. It has been an interesting and testing journey so far for the cooperative but they are determined and will not rest until reaching their Travellers Rest. Paul Bell, Chairman, TRSCPI THE
NEWLY community-owned
George & Dragon at Hudswell, south of Richmond, officially reopens on
12th June, at 4pm. Planning Matters DARLINGTON COUNCIL has approved an application from an investment company to build two houses in the grounds of the Duke of Wellington at High Coniscliffe. The local CAMRA branch had urged the council to refuse the plans, by Mercury Property Investments of Aldbrough St John, believing they “posed a threat to the future viability of the pub”. If the houses go ahead, the (already modest) number of parking spaces will be reduced and the pub's beer garden and play area be lost. All increasingly important amenities to rural pubs. The development would also remove the options for any future licensees to enhance the pub’s amenities by extending the building. And CAMRA feared that none of the receipts from the sale would go towards safeguarding the pub. The council disagreed with CAMRA's fall-back suggestion that permission be granted only if Mercury signed a legal agreement that the existing building continue to be used as a pub. MIKE AND CAROL Oldroyd have appealed against the refusal of planning permission for a change of use of the Monks Table at Welbury to a dwelling. Hambleton Council turned down the plan last November saying the couple, who bought the-then Duke of Wellington in 2007, had “failed to demonstrate that the business it is not financially viable for retention as a public house, which is a valuable community facility, or demonstrated that there is a lack of community need for the facility. The refusal notice had added that: “There is inadequate justification to prove that the public house cannot be retained as a community asset for social activities within the village that improve community well-being”. Villagers and Darlington CAMRA had objected to the proposal. The appeal will be decided by a Government-appointed inspector on the basis of written submissions. MEANWHILE, 15 miles west in North Yorkshire, Richmondshire Council has 'frozen' the planning application to convert and extend the Bay Horse at Middleton Tyas to create three dwellings, and to build a fourth in the car park. Planners
have told Darlington CAMRA - which objected to this too - that the
application “stands as invalid” while the applicant, Mr Wilkinson,
“considers the issue of affordable housing provision”. Feted at the Fest! MEMBERS OF the Darlington branch of the Campaign for Real Ale gave a warm welcome to their 300th recruit at the recent Spring Thing festival. Carol Milner of Darlington was presented with an armful of goodies - including beer vouchers - to celebrate her milestone enrolment. Carol says she and her husband, David, had been thinking of joining CAMRA “for ages”. It was while savouring their favourite ales, Theakston's Old Peculier, at the Old Yard Tapas Bar in Bondgate that they resolved “come on, let's do it now!” The three-day beer festival was a big success, with only a handful of pints going unsupped. Beer of the festival, as voted by customers, was Spring Triple Tipple from the Yard of Ale brewery at Ferryhill Station. The winning voter was J Foster of Shildon. Gwatkins’ was the winning cider. NO SOONER had the dust settled on the Spring Thing than CAMRA members began plotting the next big fest at the Arts Centre: the Rhythm 'n' Brews. The town’s 31st autumn beer and music fest gets underway on Thursday 16 September and will run through five sessions until Saturday night. Fifty-five beers, five ciders and three perries are on order, plus a range of foreign bottled beers. The Arts Centre and its R'n'B Club will be setting a small charge for the evening events; CAMRA members and the usual concessionaires will receive a £1 discount. Friday and Saturday lunchtime sessions are free admission.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Darlington Arts Centre R'n'B Club and Darlington CAMRA present The 31st Darlington Beer & Music Festival Rhythm ‘n’ Brews 2010 A Celebration of R’n’B Music and Real Ale Fifty Great British ales from independent, family and micro breweries, traditional ciders and imported bottled beers - plus top quality rhythm and blues DARLINGTON ARTS CENTRE, VANE TERRACE Thursday 16 September, 6 -11.30pm (charge tbc) Friday 17 September, Noon - 4pm (FREE) and 6-11.30pm (charge tbc) Saturday 18 September, 11.30am - 5pm (FREE) and 7-11.30pm (charge tbc) £1 off evening sessions for CAMRA members & concessions Advance booking recommended for eves R’n’B bands: No Time for Jive (Thu 7.30pm); The Bandits (Fri 7.30pm); Copperhead Still (Sat 1pm); Sundance (Sat 7.30pm) TICKETS ON SALE FROM ARTS CENTRE & DBC BOX OFFICES Tel. (01325) 486555 Don’t miss R’n’B Sunday, 19 September: Geno Washington & the Ram Jam Band, plus others in the Market Place and nearby pubs from 1 - 5.30pm ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Taste of Sun AFTER BEING accustomed to waiting for the coach on chilly winter’s evenings, the April CAMRA crawl welcomed in Spring with bright sunshine. The trip was around the northern parts of Darlington and even members with no sense of direction - other than where to find real ale - knew exactly where the driver was heading. A sprint-like journey, with a full coach, to the White Heifer That Travelled at West Park was dictated as the driver had an additional job to fit in. At this point glee descended almost into gloom: expectations of three ales being available were dashed. One handpump was off, another with Jenning's Stickle Pike ran out shortly after arrival, leaving only Marston’s Dragon’s Tale for supping. At Mowden, the Model T's beers compensated for the lack of choice at the Heifer, with Ringwood Boondoggle, Marston’s Pedigree and Wychwood Hobgoblin all in good form. Progress was made in reforming one of the trip’s lager drinkers after she tasted Boondoggle. With four trips now under her belt, reforming her taste buds seems slow but hopefully sure, if future pubs have light golden ales on sale. Onwards to the Springfield where the choice was Ringwood Best Bitter and Jenning's Cumberland Ale. Then on to the White Horse at Harrowgate Hill with old favourites Black Sheep Best Bitter and Greene King Old Speckled Hen - and glasses filled to the brim. The penultimate pub was the Railway Tavern, offering draught Double Maxim, before members walked across the road to Darlington Snooker Club where they were regaled with a variety of ales including Yorkshire Dales Buttertubs, Skinners Spriggan Ale, High House Farms Nell's Best and Yorkshire Dales Stout of This World. As the beer was accompanied by a nice selection of tempting nibbles the final coach ride back to the Dolphin Centre was far from full. Jim Hagart *THE
price of a pint varied between £1.95 in the White Horse to £2.65 in the
White Heifer. The most common was £2.50: five out of nine pint's priced. Not in Vane THE VANE ARMS at Long Newton reopened just before Christmas having been closed for precisely 898 days - but it’s built a fine reputation for its real ales in a fraction of that time. Village residents Jill and Paul Jackson took their first plunge into the pub trade when securing the pub’s freehold and now run it as a genuine free house. They normally stock at least three cask beers: Black Sheep Bitter plus two very-frequently changing guests, from unusual micros or seasonal specials from larger breweries. Paul has already received commendations for his cellarmanship and is intent on achieving Cask Marque status. The Vane even hosted its first mini beer festival during National Cask Ale Week. *Open
seven nights a week and Tuesday to Sunday lunchtimes. Ale Mail RABY HUNT: Having read about the Raby Hunt in Darlington Drinker 177 we decided to have a look in whilst out cycling. The front of the 'pub' is set out entirely for dining - I had to ask if there was a public bar and was directed to the rear. You have to squeeze past diners to get there and it is very small - more of a restaurant holding area really. I enquired about their draught beers to be told it sold only bottles - no idea what, as I had lost interest in staying for a drink. The idea that this is still an inn is totally spurious, they're simply paying lip service to the notion to satisfy the authorities. There's no way any thirsty local is going to want to use it for a sociable pint of an evening. RAY
BALAWAJDER (by email) BREWS, NEWS AND VIEWS THE QUAYS in Darlington town centre - the 'Queen's Head' as was, until a change of image a year or so ago - has taken a big step back towards tradition with the re-installation of real ale by new licensees Peter and Anne. Two changing cask beers are now normally available at the Tubwell Row pub from throughout Britain as evidenced by two of the first - Red MacGregor from Orkney and Keltek Grays Best from Cornwall. THE KING WILLIAM IV at Barton reopened in March, in the charge of new landlord Geoffrey Savage, who used to run the Wellington Heifer, a little further south at Ainderby Steeple. The real ales at the moment are Black Sheep and a 'guest' from the Enterprise Inns list, but Geoffrey likes his real ale and will try and get more if there’s demand from punters. THE
SPOTTED DOG at High Coniscliffe is once again serving real ale on handpump.
Good to hear. CAMRA
DIARY
DATES TUE 8TH JUN: Darlington CAMRA Branch Meeting: Foresters Arms, Coatham Mundeville. 8pm start. All welcome. SAT 26TH JUN: Trip to White Bear Beer Festival, Masham: Bus departs 11am from Feethams. Bookings as below. FRI 9TH JUL: Rural Coach Crawl to Upper Teesdale: Bus departs 6.30pm from Feethams. Bookings as below. TUE 13TH JUL: Darlington CAMRA Branch Meeting: Hole in the Wall, Market Place, Darlington. 7.30pm start. All welcome. TUE 3RD AUG: Darlington CAMRA Branch Meeting: Mowden Park Rugby Club, Yiewsley Drive, Mowden. 7.30pm start. All welcome.
For further information and reservations contact Pete Fenwick on 01325 374817 or 07792 093245 or via email by clicking here. PLEASE NOTE: If you wish to cancel a reservation on any of the above coach crawls we require at least 48 hours notice otherwise a cancellation fee will be charged. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Darlington Drinker is published by the Darlington branch of CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale. Circulation 3,500. News, articles and letters welcome. All items © Darlington CAMRA but may be reproduced if source acknowledged. Editor: Brendan Boyle, 6 Clareville Road, Darlington DL3 8NG; (01325) 362092; email dd@idnet.com. Additional contributors this issue: Paul Bell, Mike & Veronica Burningham, Malcolm Dunstone, Pete Fenwick, Jim Hagart, John Holland, John Magson, Andy & Karen Maughan and Barry Thompson. Advertising: Peter Everett (01325) 241388. Ad rates a snip at quarter-page £30, half page £50, full page £80; sixth consecutive insertion free. Branch website: www.darlocamra.org.uk. For colour PDF versions of Darlington Drinker see www.adrianbell.co.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. |
