Free Houses Done Three Ways

I first mentioned the Hand and Marigold in Bermondsey last July. It is a handsome free house, and we've been a few times and like it.  If you want to know a bit more about it, I suggest you read this piece from the Southwark News which lays out the story of the pub's resurrection in excellent detail. 

The pub itself is handsome, well laid out inside and the staff in my experience are helpful. Glasses are oversized ensuring a full pint and the cask beer is well-chosen, and by and large has been in very good condition when we've visited. Perhaps it is the times we've chosen, but it hasn't been very busy when we call in, but us being a bit older (ahem) it tends to be during the day.  They are however extending it by opening a room downstairs, so hopefully it is doing fine. One observation is that twice we've called in winter and both times the pub has been pretty cold.  Maybe that's a money saving exercise, but it doesn't really do it for me.  I expect to be warm in the pub.

Bermondsey has its share of interesting pubs, and we are still coming to grips with them. It takes us about half an hour or forty-five minutes to walk to most parts of it, so we can get a bit of exercise too, which is good.   This we did a couple of Sundays ago, and it gave us the chance to check out another pub we'd heard of - Simon the Tanner. Its website describes itself as a "dinky destination for quality and relaxed vibes in Borough, Bermondsey and London Bridge." Well, it can't really be in all three, but I can see what they are driving at. CAMRA's review of it is slightly more down to earth "In a quiet road off busy Bermondsey Street, the Simon is a mid-terrace, modestly sized Grade II-listed pub. A former Shepherd Neame outlet, it is now a free house. The three regularly changing real ales are from small breweries, and there is sometimes also real cider."

It was around four o'clock when we popped in and the place was fairly quiet. The welcome was friendly, and I was offered tasters of the cask beers on offer, before settling on that rarest of beasts, a cask dark mild. On a fairly cold winter's day the pub was warm and cosy, though surprisingly empty given that Sunday lunches were available. Nonetheless, I liked it and I think we'll certainly be back which is recommendation enough when you think about it.

Leaving the pub, we headed back across Tower Bridge and one of our local pubs, the Sir Sydney Smith in Dock Street. This is a smashing little ex Truman's  pub with a good mixed clientele.  We remember the pub when we first hung about the place twenty odd years ago. Then you could have filmed Goodnight Sweetheart's pub scenes without changing much at all. It has since been sensitively modernised, but retains a very cosy and friendly feel with three cask beers. It, too, was pretty quiet, so perhaps the busyness of London pubs just doesn't extend to Sunday afternoons and early evenings?  Given that quietness, I skipped the Harvey's Best and we finished our weekend with imported Bavarian Helles in the shape of Hofmeister, which was no hardship.

So there you have it. Three free houses, all with different approaches and all worth visiting. I'll take that. You should too if you are in the area.

All are good bets for decent cask ale too which is always something to look for. The Sir Sydney Smith isn't at all far from Tower Hill Tube. I don't think other than snacks you can eat at the hand and Marigold, but you certainly can at the other two.

There are plenty of other decent pubs near these pubs too, which is always worth bearing in mind. 

  

Off Piste in Limehouse

Leaving the delightful Wilton's Music Hall, we set off along Cable Street towards Commercial Road and our planned stop at the Clement Attlee in Limehouse.

The first part of the walk passes through a mix of housing, some old and some much newer. On the way we passed several long-closed pubs. First  we passed the Crown and Dolphin, which had been a pub since 1850. It finally closed in 1992 after a fire and has since been converted into flats. It is also connected to a famous murder, but you can look this up should you be interested. Not far away stands the former Cable Street Inn, once a Meux house, now operating as a rather smart bed and breakfast. Just a few steps further along, the Ship has also made the transition to residential life and is now flats.

It’s a slightly melancholy little stretch for pub spotters, but at least these buildings are still standing — which is more than can be said for many of their counterparts elsewhere in the East End. 

On a cheerier note the Clement Atlee is not only still trading, but is thriving if that Saturday afternoon was anything to go by. Externally it looks fantastically old school, but inside it is much more modern. CAMRA describes it as "pleasant and inoffensive" which does sum it up. Operated by the Craft Beer Company, it offered four cask ales on this visit and a huge bank of 21 keg taps selling a variety of beers and lagers.  Service was routine. No great welcome and our fellow customers were happily engrossed in their own business which is fair enough. My beer - a house beer from Kent Brewery was excellent, so I had two. E enjoyed Flensburger Pils. Again the stereotype of unfriendly Londoners was trumped when we were engaged by another couple and advised not to miss the nearby Old Ship though we would be too early for the Drag-Act Cabaret. Who could pass that kind of tip up? Not us for sure.

Set on a backstreet beside a pleasant square just off Commercial Road, the Old Ship is a classic street-corner local. There are still traces of its former Watney's ownership in the external signage giving it a slightly time-capsule feel. Inside it was absolutely packed, almost entirely with men in their fifties to seventies who, almost without exception, were enthusiastically knocking back pints of Foster’s. Clearly everyone knew everyone else. Nobody paid us much attention - but in a friendly, unbothered sort of way - and within minutes we felt part of the scene. We even found a seat in the bar area. The old-school barmaid gamely tried the handpump for Timothy Taylor’s Landlord, but without success. Clearly nobody had asked for it all afternoon. Following the Foster’s trend though was a step too far, so we settled on Camden Hells instead, which actually was pretty good. 

On leaving we noticed the Queen's Head across the square, so being in that frame of mind we headed there. Alas on peering though the window, it was utterly empty, so we swerved it in favour of the Prince Regent which proved a good call.  This is another corner street local. It wasn't that busy, but the landlord greeted us very warmly and a local, sitting at the bar immediately started chatting. We discussed football for a bit then got talking to two old boys seated by the door. On hearing my accent they immediately made it clear they were Still Game* lovers, and we spent ten or fifteen minutes recalling favourite bits of the show. It turned out they had gone to school together 40 odd years ago. One now lived in Derby and one in Kent, but they still meet up every month or so for a catch-up and pub crawl. A lovely tale and two very nice gents.

There was a cask beer on offer, Shep's Spitfire, but we settled on genuine Spanish lager from Victoria Malaga. A bonus was the offer of a discount, offered by the landlord showing us a board which read "Discount for Students or Over 65's.". " Do you qualify under either of these?" he asked with a grin. We stayed for two drinks at a bargain £8.78 for a pint and a half.

We headed back to Aldgate on the 15 bus. Very handy for us. It had been an interesting day out, and we learned that some great little boozers still lurk in the backstreets of the East End.  More exploring is clearly required. 

Having read up a little, perhaps we were a bit hasty in missing the Queen's Head. We will try it again and give it a fair chance.  The photo below on the left shows what we missed in the Old Ship. Next time for sure. Sorry too for the formatting. The limits of Blogger.

* If you don't know about Still Game, you really ought to give your head a wobble. 

 

Wilton's Music Hall

Wilton's Music Hall in Graces Alley, E1, is less than a five-minute walk from our London flat. It’s the oldest surviving music hall in the world and has stood in its current form since 1859. There’s also a bar selling cask beer that’s open to the public during performances.

We’ve owned our flat for 29 years and, despite always meaning to visit, we never quite got round to it. We hadn’t even walked past it. Last Saturday we finally corrected that oversight.

Just off Cable Street — where the East End fought Mosley’s fascists in the 1930s — you turn a corner and step straight into the past. it’s all a bit run-down outside, and even more so once inside: bare plaster walls, the odd bit of stone carving, and plenty of wood. It looks a relic of the past in every way, but it is fascinating. Much as we both enjoy a bit of Gilbert and Sullivan, we decided a full dose of Iolanthe wasn’t quite what we wanted that afternoon, so we popped in for a drink on our way further east. To the left of the impressive entrance doors is a sort of exhibition room cum box office and to the right the bar. It’s impressive in a slightly ramshackle, rather charming sort of way. All wooden floorboards, rickety non-matching tables and chairs with some church pew like seating round two walls. The bar itself is an ornate affair, and it serves, on this occasion at least, two Adnams beers on cask with another for a guest beer, not in use.

The clientele was quite something. As former season ticket holders at the Oldham Coliseum, they were of a type we sort of recognised; young women and men, in adventurous clothing looking as though they'd smeared themselves with superglue and dashed through a wardrobe; older, slightly unworldly types clutching paper plates of chips in one hand and a glass of wine in the other, searching fruitlessly for a seat. There wasn’t one. It was a refuge for people who appeared to have wandered in from slightly different realities.

On the beer front my Adnams Ghost Ship(in an Adnams glass) was just fine, while E appreciated her over measure Bitburger. We found a precarious spot against a wall to watch proceedings. This was about forty minutes before the performance started, and the place was busy, though mostly with wine drinkers.  Then came the usual countdown, delivered by a very sultry East-European-sounding voice for the start of the performance. The room quickly emptied until we were, suddenly the last customers.  As we emptied our drinks, the Front of House manager anxiously inquired if we'd missed the warning calls and seemed relieved that we hadn't. We left, leaving the bar staff to clear up chip plates, glasses and sundry debris ready for the interval and the returning patrons.

We enjoyed it a lot, though next time we’ll arrive when the doors open — if only to secure a seat. The rest was pretty well perfect.

 

The prices were  decent too, I think around £5.50 for the Adnams and £6 something for the Bitburger. The bar staff were obliging and cheerful, happily giving me a real glass, not plastic when I mentioned I wasn't here for the performance.  

Next up. Lost Pubs and Off piste in Limehouse 

A Trip to Poshley

I'm a bit of a fan of the Tweedy Pubs channel on YouTube. If you haven't come across it, Tweedy is something of a pub historian, wandering around London (and occasionally further afield) exploring pub history, architecture and stories. His videos have introduced me to corners of London I'd barely thought about before, and I've quietly built up a mental list of places I'd like to visit.

Last Friday after breakfast we had a little bit of business to deal with at the nearby Nationwide Building Society, and then had planned to wander towards town. As we dithered, a bit undecided, E suggested something better  why not do a Tweedy Pubs area?"  Maida Vale had caught my eye in one of the videos, so that quickly became the plan. Being just opposite Aldgate station, it was easy enough to hop on the Tube. We travelled down to Baker Street and changed onto the Bakerloo Line — wonderfully rattly and gloriously old-fashioned, running the oldest trains on the network, the 1972 stock. I’ve always had a soft spot for that sort of thing, having grown up in a railway family.

Maida Vale station lies deep underground and currently has only one escalator in service. We drifted slowly upwards while watching the opposite escalator, closed for renovation, where the brave were gingerly picking their way down the steep incline to the platform. We joked about attempting the same later with a full cargo of beer aboard — though as it turned out, that particular challenge never arose. 

Emerging into the daylight on rather a posh road and with a handy roadside map giving us our bearings, we set off down Elgin Avenue, along a very grand road to the proposed first stop, the Warrington Hotel.  What a beauty!  Grade 2 listed, with a portico entrance with imposing marble columns, the word "opulent" is the right one. I suggest you to have a look at what CAMRA says. It does it more justice than I could.

The outside of the pub had given us a foretaste and inside was even more grand. A pub though, no matter how ornate or humble, is only as good as its offering and here we were not disappointed. The landlady herself greeted us. Sharon was welcoming, friendly and happy to chat. Two cask beers were available, and I chose Twickenham Naked Ladies which was well-kept in this Good Beer Guide entry. Sharon also showed us a recently published book that mentioned the pub and outlined a suggested crawl around the local area. Most importantly, she gave us a firm recommendation: whatever we did, we shouldn't miss The Prince Alfred, just five minutes away down an even grander street than Elgin Avenue.

The walk didn't disappoint and took us in no time to the Prince Alfred, a Young's pub and again, a Grade 2 listed Victorian building.  Once more I will turn to CAMRA for a full description which you can read here. The pub was fairly quiet, but we settled into one of the snugs, both of us ducking under the low "pot boys" service doors mentioned by CAMRA.  Sadly, the welcome here was less than wholehearted and the beer, Young's Special in my case - Bitter was also available - was rather flat and over-vented, though the underlying taste wasn't too bad. Nonetheless, the whole experience of such an unspoilt pub was worthwhile and it may well have appealed more on a busier session. 

Across the road was Real Drinks a off-licence selling wine on one side and beer on the other. You can have a drink here, either on four keg lines or from the bottle with a reasonable corkage fee. We were warmly welcomed from the barman/ shop assistant, and settled on Augustiner Edelstoff for me and Helles for E.  The little space soon filled up and so jolly it was we stayed for two. Despite the location, the prices were very reasonable indeed, and the barman happily took E outside to point out some of the houses occupied by the famous.  Not that the names meant much to me. All popular culture passes me by.

We decided to call it a day for the area. Our nearest tube had become Warwick Road, a few hundred yards away, thus avoiding the precipitous stairs at Maida Vale. But we weren't quite finished and it was off back to Charing Cross for some Czech beer in the highly recommended Stranded on the Strand in cental London.  If you like Czech beer, offered either in UK or Czech style, this is for you. I enjoyed a couple of glasses of dark, while E had a glass of ordinary Budvar.  The place was busy which was gratifying as some had forecasted it wouldn't do so well. Next was the 15 bus and back to ours for a well deserved curry on Leman Street. 

 So Maida Vale? We enjoyed it.  The Warrington Hotel and Real Drinks offered totally different drinking experiences, but were extremely enjoyable. We missed out on others, so we'll be back. You can't say fairer than that. Recommended.

The curry was a touch confusing, as I had thought we'd agreed on a takeaway, but E thought we were eating in. We ate in!  At least the flat didn't smell of curry, though our clothes did.

The Czech beer is way better in the actual Czech presentation. Don't make the mistake of ordering British style just to get a pint. Two thirds Czech is the way to go. 

 

 

Rammed

We returned to London for the first time this year last Thursday afternoon. We should have been there earlier the week before, but we had overlooked the revamping of signals and track at Manchester Piccadilly, resulting in its effective closure and trains starting at Stockport. Bugger that, so we came a bit later, but as always after checking the flat, sorting out mail and whatnot, off we set for our usual first night venues. We are nothing if not creatures of habit, so first stop - the Aldgate Tap. We know the manager and the owner - both Johns - the latter of whom E had oddly bumped into the previous day in the Oxford Road Tap where she partook of refreshment before Priscilla Queen of the Desert. 

Alas, it was not to be. Thursday is the new Friday for office workers in post Covid London, and despite the large outdoor drinking area (which we always avoid anyway due to smokers), the inside was bedlam. It isn't that big and with a long queue - yes a queue - at the very small bar and every inch of space taken, we decided to abandon ship. It wouldn't have been pleasant, though no doubt it was very remunerative for the various Johns.

Plan B. Just across the road is the Three Tuns. This is a nice little boozer, with from experience, a very friendly landlady and a pretty acceptable pint of Harvey's Best. My main complaint about the place is that the seating is completely of the poseur table variety, which with high stools is uncomfortable at the best of times and more so when busy. But we needn't have worried. Outside was a merry throng of office worker types and a peer through the window rewarded us with a sea of backs and no visibility of the bar whatever.  Another hasty retreat was beaten.

What now? Well, one of the most attractive pubs in the area was just a few moments away. Craft Beer Co St Mary Axe is more or less under the Gherkin and internally a very appealing pub. Large windows, exposed brickwork, some lovely breweriana including both mirrors and enamels, the sort of lighting that just makes you want to stay. A good customer mix and decent mixed seating all help make for an attractive visit. What can possibly go wrong?  Well, try the usually odd selection of cask beers at your peril. They are in my experience, invariably from breweries that could do with taking a serious objective look at their offerings and served poorly at top dollar. So why go at all?  The ambience is just fine, and they do have London Black, albeit at a price.

The pub as always in London had quite a few standing outside, but there was a bit of room inside. We squeezed onto a table by invitation and I nipped to the bar for a London Black and a half of German pilsner for E. I then returned the bar to correct severe overcharging which I hadn't noticed at the time. As an aside, the cashless move often means a card machine being quickly thrust under your nose in a busy pub, in a way that means you often can't readily see what the charge is. The other side of the coin is it shows up instantly on my banking app, so my £15 charge for a pint and a half resulted in a £3.50 refund. Still about the priciest drinks of the weekend I believe.

Does that tale end there? Alas, no.  My nitro poured London Black looked suitably Guinness like at first, but within minutes, the head had all but disappeared, leaving a flat black liquid with a thin scum of head.  The gas was clearly in need of a fresh bottle or the regulator needed re-calibrating, but my heart wasn't in another complaint, so I endured, and we left as soon as we could. No amount of visual and sensory appeal can overcome poor beer. 

Now one poor pint in a three pub visit isn't a good outcome, so we went back towards our flat to the pub I mentioned in my last (long ago) blog. Ye Three Lords was busy with a decent crowd, and again we were invited to share a booth. The London unfriendliness myth was being shattered and while I still didn't trust the cask, Budweiser Budvar was very tasty and provided suitable refreshment in a very pleasant and comfortable atmosphere, which when you boil it down, is the name of the game.

So, what do I conclude?  Beer in London is still variable in quality. Some pubs are better than others - much like anywhere - and Londoners aren't that miserable, a theme that was repeated and confirmed throughout the weekend. Prices are ouchy and Thursday is indeed the new Friday.  With that settled we scuttled off for our usual first night in London Pizza Union evening meal.

I remarked to E while in Cask and looking at the Dryborough's mirror on the wall, that I'd bet the flat that I was the only one present that had ever drank Dryborough's beer. Hell, apart from E, probably the only one who's ever drunk Draught Bass, also represented on the brickwork. But I wouldn't have bet the flat on that!

Next up - yes there will be more, as London inspires me. Tales from Poshley aka Maida Vale coming soon.

You'll have to do without photos. I didn't take any. 

A Proper Pub Once More

Years ago, we used to visit a pub at the far end of the Minories, fairly near our flat.  And I mean years ago - probably fifteen or so since we last went in. Then the Three Lords was a Young's pub and I recall it being fairly traditional and selling cask beer. Over time though it was pulled apart inside and instead of a mixed clientele it became a place with a few posing tables and a mostly young after the office kind of vibe. It offered unbearable music, shoulder to shoulder standing drinkers braying at top volume, and became just the sort of place that we actively avoid. So we actively avoided it. For years and years. Though we passed it by many times, the Three Lords was dead to us. A few months ago we noticed it was closed and kind of assumed that after Covid office workers were thin on the ground and its time had passed.

Enter Will Hawkes, whose London Newsletter I subscribe to - and worthwhile it is too - who advised that the pub was undergoing renovation and would be leased (I think) to London Brewing Company. That sounded promising and a few weeks ago, we passed it, still closed but with evidence of being worked on. We kept an eye on it and I understand it opened a week or two ago, so last night we called in. I am glad to say we immediately liked it.

Now Ye Three Lords, the place is a pub again. Entry is through a kind of foyer and, depending on your point of view, it has rather subdued lighting or is a bit gloomy. To the right is a long bar festooned by many taps dispensing London Brewing's keg offerings and others. In the middle is a set of wickets with, on this visit, four cask beers on offer.  On the left are sets of comfortable banquette type seating set to face each other, with some room dividers nicely breaking up the space.  Walls are painted black, dark grey or dark blue. In the circumstances, it was hard to tell.  Ceiling lights and bar lights are fabulous and look as though they cost a bob or two. The bar back sports spirits and is mirrored and looks good.  The pub was warm on a cold evening, and the staff - obviously new - easily outnumbered the customers. We counted six behind the bar at one point. With a boss hovering about and two chefs in the kitchen, more customers are certainly needed to make that equation add up, but let's assume this was for training purposes.  It is early days.

As I surveyed the beers, I was offered tasters.   Naturally, I tried the "best" bitter first, which wasn't to my taste at all. Slightly spicy with woody Fuggles dominating, it was, shall we say, typically Southern in profile.  I had a taste of the Ruby Mild and settled for a pint. At 3.4% it was fine, but no more. Clean with berry notes, but unremarkable. Without tasting, I ordered a pint of 100 Oysters a 4.6% stout which was, seemingly, Champion Beer of London in 2023. It was pretty black and like the mild, clean, which I like, but was undistinguished. Even with better conditioning and a tight sparkler, I doubt if its game could be raised much higher. Its champion status may well tell you more about the competition than the beer itself.

In summary, the cask beers were clean, but hardly raised the spirits. This was just ordinary. They lacked that peak of conditioning that sets things apart, but frankly you'll never do great things from these beers. They do sell Budvar, which E had, so who knows, that may have to be my tipple there and maybe the keg stuff is worthwhile? We shall see.  The tables all had menus and beer and price lists on them. A big tick there. All prices, including the beers were clearly listed, and I'd say were fair for the area.* 

I think there was no more than six or seven customers in and lacked atmosphere, but clearly on a busier night, it may have felt better. I’m told the downstairs area is rather swanky, but we didn't go there or to the toilets, so no comment on those.   

So, will we come back again? Yes. Overall, we liked it. It was comfortable, we enjoyed the background music which had actual words in it, the layout, the bar and the lovely lights. Was the welcome warm? Initially yes, but the person who served me hadn't passed his warmth on to his many colleagues, but, as I said, early days. 

To give you an idea of prices, a half of Budvar and a pint of beer - same price for both - was £8.55. To compare, a pint of Mallinsons Bitter and a half of Bitburger in the nearby Aldgate Tap was £7.80. Both were way better in the latter.

We noted the bar in Fullers Chamberlain Hotel, more or less opposite was rammed. Usually dead when we go.

Location, Location, Location

Last week, on a visit to London, we decided to walk over Tower Bridge to the Hand and Marigold in Bermonsdsey, and hence along Tooley Street to the Sun Wharf, a new Wetherspoons, in the former London Dungeon.  In October the tourist hordes have died down somewhat and our walk along Royal Mint St to the rear of the controversial sometime to be Chinese embassy, was an enjoyable one as we checked out yet another high-rise building being squeezed into the smallest of spaces.  On the bridge, gratifyingly, we didn't have to dodge photo taking visitors quite so much.  We noted a foreign, but unidentified warship, moored to HMS Belfast and the ever-changing skyline, before walking along Tower Bridge Rd and its nose to tail city bound traffic.

I have mentioned the Hand and Marigold favourably before and, on this Thursday, late afternoon, it was very quiet.  The friendly barman was line cleaning and mentioned he'd have rather a good porter on soon. Fine by me. In the meantime, a very decent pint of Lacon's Norfolk Gem was no hardship. I liked the taster I had of an Abbeydale beer a lot less and disagreed mildly with mine host about its distinct but denied whiff of vinegar, but all was redeemed by the aforementioned porter, Abyss from Other World Brewing, which hails from near Edinburgh it seems. This was an absolute belter of a beer. Highly recommended, as is the pub.

Moving on along Tooley Street, the Shipwright's Arms may be located in a bustling and increasingly refined area, but it still maintains more than a touch of its working-class roots. 

Inside, the atmosphere is lively, with a mix of commuters and local characters - geezers if you will - mingling around the large circular bar. The traditional woodwork and tiled shipbuilding murals add to the appeal of this classic pub. Outside, in that peculiar London way, we noted drinkers spilling out onto the streets, opting to stand and drink on the pavement rather than squeeze into the packed indoor seating.  The whole thing, inside and out, was going like a fair. It was good to see.

Of course, into each life a little rain must fall. There were three cask beers. Doom Bar and its stablemate Sea Fury along with Southwark Brewing's London Pale Ale which I had (in an abomination of a Sharp's branded glass) and found thin, weedy, and pretty flat. This was a shame, but this pub is better than its beer choice and was enjoyable despite it.

And so to our destination. Just past London Bridge Station which is in itself a railway wonder of the world and sharing its arches, is JDW's newest London pub - well probably - the Sun Wharf.  Inside this is a maze of separate areas which are served by one large and long bar. You could easily get lost inside, though, so packed it was. Exploring was rather difficult, and I'm pretty sure given there was more than one entrance, that I must have missed bits of it.  Service was good, though, and I noted that a couple of staff seemed to have been allocated solely to bring glasses back for washing and to clear and wipe tables. Given the throng inside, they were needed. I had an excellent pint of Buckingham Best, which of course had gone off when I returned for another.

There is little doubt that the Sun Wharf will succeed. It is in a prime position, has more passing trade than you could shake a stick at, and is reasonably priced. It is almost like a giant station bar. I'll still spend more time in the Hand and Marigold though.

Given the traffic, we walked back to Tandleman Towers South, thus missing out on the chance to use our bus passes. I still couldn't identify the unknown warship, given the darkness and the distance.

Unwisely, we called into the Goodman's Field as we passed. That was a bad idea, but overall, albeit by a majority, London cask passed muster.

I have had no end of trouble formatting photos in Blogger recently. It used to be easy, and now it just isn't if you want them to wrap. Apologies.

Two Cheers for Licensing Review

There has been much coverage in the press - almost all of it sensational - in the past few days about the Government's proposals to review and modernise the laws which govern licensing.  The laws and rules have not been looked at in any great depth since the Licensing Act of 2003 which at the time was thought rather revolutionary and far-reaching, but is now seen as restrictive and over officious.

The new Labour Government set up a working group to look at how to reduce barriers in the licensing system and to examine and propose changes. It included UK Hospitality CEO Kate Nicholls, British Beer & Pub Association chair Nick Mackenzie and Night-Time Industries Association CEO Michael Kill.

The proposals are well laid out in the trade paper the Morning Advertiser which is linked.  Most seem sensible and non-controversial. My comments in italics:  

• A one-time (twentieth anniversary) licensing condition ‘amnesty’ to modernise and streamline licences

          Seems sensible 

• Hearings and appeals – various recommendations, including a strengthening of the objections procedure to prevent unnecessary and unsubstantiated objections

         About time. Too many objections are given too much weight in decision making 

• Remove the hard-copy local newspaper advertising requirement

          Clearly outdated and outrageously expensive to no real purpose 

• Improve the potential for licensed premises to better use their outside spaces by removing regulatory barriers, improving licensing decisions, simplifying processes, and achieving greater consistency

 Rather than protect outside space from unwarranted intrusion, this has been used as a stick with which to stop businesses using available space and for local authorities to exercise their  predilection for pettiness

• Increase the maximum entitlement for Temporary Event Notices (TENs) for licensed premises (that is those with existing premises licences) to help generate new opportunities for existing businesses. 

          Sensible. This applies to premises only, not to personal licences which have different conditions

• ‘Sunset clause’ on blanket hours and other policies to avoid situations where a restrictive policy is put in place to deal with a specific issue, but the policy in effect runs forever or is continually renewed using the original out of date evidence base 

          This is so obvious. What happened and was appropriate years ago is often automatically included for the future, despite circumstances changing

Other measures will include a review of licensing fees, extended blanket hours for specific local events, a review of the late-night levy and removal of early morning restriction orders.  

So far, so sensible. Reviewing legislation from time to time is only logical - laws need to evolve with the world they govern. Few could deny that pubs today are operating in a very different landscape to 2003, when the current Licensing Act became law. And that Act itself came after years of consultation in what already feels like another era.

What’s striking in this latest review is the number of gentle digs at Local Authorities and their often cautious stance on change. Naturally, that’s not what the headlines focused on. Even the BBC led with “longer opening hours” and the predictable link to anti-social behaviour. Meanwhile, pub owners across social media were quick to point out what’s really hurting the trade - and they’re right. Soaring inflation, rising wages, shifting consumer habits, higher taxes, sky-high utility costs, the cost-of-living crisis, and unfair competition from supermarkets all pile pressure on an already stretched industry — and that’s just the start of the list.

Still, the review itself is a step in the right direction. Although The Guardian focused wrongly on “Pubs to stay open until early hours in push for UK growth” -  those extra freedoms will help. But real progress would mean tackling the everyday issues that make both running and visiting pubs increasingly uneconomic.

When I say Local Authorities can be “cautious,” perhaps that’s being kind. At times, they can be obstructive, unhelpful, even tone-deaf  - though, to be fair, there are exceptions.

There isn't an end date for consultation, so don't expect to see things change immediately. 

 

Munich Observations Part 3

Alright folks, we’ve sorted out what to drink and the limitations of Helles, Munich’s undisputed favourite. So, what’s next? Well, the obvious question: where do you actually drink it?

Now, in some German cities it can be a bit of a hunt. In places like Augsburg or Frankfurt, decent spots are few and far between, and in others – Lubeck, Wiesbaden and plenty more – the good drinking spots feel tucked away, almost like a secret. But Munich? Totally different story. Here, beer is front and centre. You’ll find bars, pubs, beer halls and gardens pretty much wherever you turn.

On our recent trip, naturally, we tried a few old favourites, though we started in a bar near our hotel. Near the main rail station, but on the nicer Northern side of it, which is a bit of a tip too.  Here you can find decent mid-price hotels in a safe area and still walk to the main areas of Munich in 15-20 minutes.

First up has to be somewhere that sells Augustiner, and we of course plumped for the Augustiner Grossgaststätte, a traditional beer hall with a small courtyard beer garden - which I've never set foot in but have looked at - right in the middle of Munich's Marienplatz pedestrian zone. Here a first surprise. The name has changed, and it is now the Augustiner Stammhaus, but otherwise the same inside - a vast cavernous place, which when filled is very jolly and, even when not, great for people watching. So:

Beer Halls

Generally run by the big breweries in Munich and for indoor drinking and eating (though just drinking is very common.) When busy they have a unique atmosphere - noisy and boisterous - and when quiet, brilliant for people watching. Table service, which will often be surly or indifferent when busy, but try a bit of German when it is quiet and things will likely change.  There will usually be tables outside, depending on venue.  Inside you will usually find more Germans drinking, and as sharing tables is the norm, you'll usually find someone to chat to, sometimes in English, but as always a little German is appreciated. The best of them?  You can't go wrong with the Stammhaus, Augustiner Brauhaus, Löwenbräu Keller, Paulaner Brauhaus, and my own favourite, the Weisses Brauhaus,  and of course, the Hofbräuhaus.

The Hofbräuhaus needs a special mention. This vast hall on more than one level and an outside area is legendary. Yes, the Nazis held rallies there, but they did in many of Munich's beer halls - it is just that most where they did, either don't exist and more, or are no longer beer halls. Here on my last visit and every one before, beer was always only available in litres, but no doubt, moving with the times, half litres are now sold. My visit this time was a tad spoiled by chronic short measure and where I found out that the beer is automatically dispense to the servers by a machine in predetermined measures. A traditional band in Bavarian attire plays continuously in theory, churning out drinking tunes, but they often seem to prefer to just sit and chat unless, of course, you cross their palm with silver.

This is a place where gawping Japanese (and other) tourists will wander in one door and out of the other, just to see the place and take photos. They won't buy anything. Food is hearty, but slow in coming. At busy times, you'll pay up front for both food and drink. Drink the dunkel here. It is rather good and the atmosphere unique.

Bars, Pubs and Restaurants 

Of course, Munich has pubs or bars. In the suburbs they are plentiful, but even in the city centre, or just a few streets away, are decent pubs, as you'd expect mainly to serve the local population. Don't expect much difference in the beery offerings, though, as the Munich big six dominate.  A top tip though to find something more exotic is local restaurants. It is usually fine to sit outside and just have a drink, but be conscious of how busy it is if not eating. Often you'll find beers from breweries outwith Munich, but you mustn't expect too much different in terms of style. A choice of beers from Greater Bavaria, albeit helles or weissbier does make a change though, and usually the people watching is slightly different too.

In the centre you are well served by pubs from Tegernsee, Ayinger and plenty from the Big Six. Just find one you like the look of.

Beer Gardens 

Drinking in Munich in summer when the weather is fine usually attracts you to a beer garden. These are plentiful, vary from massive like the Augustiner Keller to some cosier ones such as Seehaus, by a lake in the Englischer Garten.  When it comes to beer gardens I'd really recommend that you use one or more of the many internet guides as you can then decide if it is what you have in mind.  While they are certainly variations on a theme, all have their charms whether it be atmosphere, music, clientele or whatever, but do go.

My own favourites are probably the Augustiner Keller and perhaps oddly, the Biergarten am Chinesischen Turm, which is not so touristy as you'd think and has a fab atmosphere.  Do look up beer garden etiquette before you go to avoid confusion though.  There is no fee to go in, you find your own table - sharing is the norm -  fetch your own beer having gone through the turnstiles ( unless there is a tablecloth when it is waiter service) and pay the cashier as you leave the turnstile area.  Cash is preferred, but cards are much more normal now.  Food is always available and you select your own and pay on the way out of the serving area.  You can bring your own food, but not drinks, which will be from just one brewery. And you may have to pay a deposit on your glass, which can be a bit confusing to redeem. Just watch the Germans and do what they do and you'll get the hang of it.

So there you have it.   Munich is an easy-going beer drinking city.  You will find Germans having a drink with breakfast, lunch and dinner. They will watch the world go by with a cold half litre bottle bought from a shop - that's fine if you want to. There are hidden gem beer gardens and stalls and kiosks in public parks, as well as massive beer halls and more. If the weather is fine, drink the occasion and even if the beer is a bit samey, relax and take in the scene, remembering, if you can, that the beer is just an accompaniment to your enjoyment!

One thing to note is the German people generally are very pleasant and usually happy to pass the time of day with you. A bit of  German helps, but they love to practice their English.

Munich is very walkable and flat, but public transport, while not exactly cheap, is plentiful.  

If you are wondering what to do if you are in Munich in winter or when it is pissing wet, both of which I have experienced, just hunker down inside. You'll be fine. Better than fine.  Pubs, beer halls and restaurants will be rammed and a lot of fun.

A Bitter Lesson in Birmingham

While many members of the Campaign for Real Ale were sceptical about moving the Great British Beer Festival (GBBF) from its London home to the NEC in Birmingham, it is doubtful if many of us were prepared for how badly it would turn out.  A whopping £320,000 loss was surely not in anyone's mind, and must have exceeded by far the worst case scenario presented in the business case for it.

As someone who has worked at countless Great British Beer Festivals and organised or jointly organised the National Winter Ales Festival and latterly for a number of years, the Manchester Beer and Cider Festival - a large event in a very beery city - the thing that haunts you most is "Will anyone turn up and if they do, will they come in enough numbers to at least break even?"  You spend countless hours beforehand trying to size and scale the event to appeal to as many visitors as possible, and to offer them an attractive event that will make that, not only possible, but likely enough to write it all down in a proper business case and then convince the Campaign's Festival Scrutineers that it can be done.  In our case, and I'm sure at the NEC, organisers are getting hourly door counts to see how things are going. Firstly you need to pay the rent and if numbers look good, it is likely that the other main expense - beer - will take care of itself.  The relief when you see the numbers adding up is palpable.

I can only imagine the GBBF organiser's horror as door numbers were absorbed and the realisation that it wasn't going to be a success, and actually reaching the dreadful conclusion that the main question to consider was "How bad is it going to be?"  It is likely that realisation at the organising end of things, was an early one and that in the meantime, the show must go on. That must have been hard and I truly feel for them.

The Campaign, to its credit, did not try and hide the true horror of the loss and while it is easy to be wise after the event, the NEC did not appeal to many old hands for many fairly obvious reasons. It wasn't in a big city centre. The area wasn't that attractive and transport links would likely mean that casual visitors were unlikely and there would be no or little after work crew dropping in.  Above all, the NEC isn't an attractive building like Olympia, or indeed Manchester Central.  However, a business case must have been made, and it is hoped that this was on merit as it is tempting to some to think that holding this flagship event after cancellation the year before, was a now or never decision.  

So, what next for CAMRA?  The GBBF in its two forms (The winter event which was the National Winter Ales is now GBBF Winter) will now not take place, and likely will never take place again.  There will be a huge tightening of belts.  Writing to members Ash Corbett-Collins the National Chairman wrote:

• The Great British Beer Festival and its Winter counterpart did not attract enough visitors to cover the cost of holding them, resulting in a substantial loss.
• Our membership figures – like many other organisations – are simply not growing. The hard truth is we are unlikely to return to pre-2020 levels.
• Our festivals are getting more expensive to hold, with fewer affordable venues.
• The cost of running a membership organisation and business is also increasing. 

Ash finished as follows:

"While I hoped I would never need to send this message, my number one priority is seeing our Campaign survive and thrive. Our 50 plus year history must be protected and I am determined to see CAMRA continue for the next 50 years.

Doing nothing is not an option. If we do not act now, the stark reality is we will not exist in the future." 

CAMRA though, is not alone in this existential threat. All voluntary organisations are suffering the same effect. Younger people have other priorities nowadays. Either way, it does suggest that big CAMRA beer festivals will slowly die out as members get too decrepit for the physical effort. Demographics do tell the story here, and actually as folks get older, maybe targeting retirees than hopefully pursuing younger members is a better way of doing things, but this would inevitably change what we do - and in fact this is happening already.  Some festivals have been cancelled as there just aren't enough able volunteers

As I wrote on Seeing the Lizard's blog, Birmingham was CAMRA's Ardennes Offensive* - a last tilt and throw of the dice for GBBF, and while not as devastating, it will hasten an inevitable retreat. Though a collapse of the Campaign is unlikely - assuming it can overcome the loss - it will likely presage an emphasis on local campaigning and indeed, socialising, which is still an attractive part of the Campaign. (The national picture isn't always a main concern locally anyway.)  While us old gits are still alive we'll carry on and there will still be a bit of national lobbying while super complainant status is still with us. After that? Who knows, but it is hardly a bright picture overall.

In the meantime, as long as real ale - cask conditioned beer exists - there is a case to promote and protect it.  That presently, at least, means CAMRA, but the reputational damage is immense and the shock to the finances a heavy blow. I support Ash in steadying the ship, but he is correct to highlight the writing on the wall. 

 * The German's final large scale attack to ward off the inevitable defeat in the West during World War 2.

I also know that the cost of hiring venues, large and small is getting beyond CAMRA's means in many cases. Beer festivals are more difficult than ever, generally.