Pub of the Month

"Pub of the Month" is an award presented to the landlord or manager of a public house in the Leicester Branch area in honour of their dedication to real ale. This can be by innovation, returning a pub to "cask ale", introduction of "Guest Beers", consistently high quality beers, sympathetic restoration or any other worthwhile act  that promotes real ale in line with the aims of CAMRA. Despite its name, the award is not allocated each month but only after a pub is nominated by a branch member and approved by a branch meeting. In a similar fashion, there are awards for the Pub of the Year and Club of the Year.

Next Presentation:

Pub Of The Month July 2010 - Syston Social Club.

On Wednesday 21st July, we visited Syston by public transport, Syston and District Social Club to be precise. Opened in August 1972, the club was formerly an Ind Coope pub, The Bulls Head. Originally selling Shipstones Bitter and Mild, it has progressed over the years, with Real Ale being the main feature on the bar.  . Picture     Left, Ken Renshaw – Right, Mark Newton Mark Newton is now the Club Chairman, having been on the Committee for 14 years. He said “I joined on my 18th Birthday” Mark along with most of his fellow members are passionate about their beers. Although tied to some degree to Marstons, they usually have a range of four beers from the Marstons estate, with a couple of changing Guest Beers from Micro-Breweries. On the night, along with Banks’s Bitter and Mild, they had two house beers badged as Syston Social Club, Mild from Jennings and Bitter as  Brakspears (no longer a Brakspears Brewery) Guests were Howard Town Wrens Nest and Weatheroak Victoria Works.  Leicester Branch Chairman Keith Williams presented Mark with our Pub Of The Month award (we don’t have a club of the year certificate) for July 2010. Mark thanked Leicester CAMRA and said “It’s an honour to receive this award; we do our best to provide a good range of Real Ales for our customers”. He hoped one day to have the range as that of Sheffield’s Fat Cat and Kelham Island Tavern. Mark thanked his long standing bar steward, Ken Renshaw, who joined their Committee back in 1987 and is an important member of the team. A buffet was declared open, after which we set off for our bus back to Leicester. The Syston Social Club had a major refurbishment a couple of years ago and is now a pleasant and comfortable place to have a beer with a varied selection to choose from, given the fast demise of the pubs in Syston. K Williams

Pub Of The Month June 2010 - The Slug & Lettuce, Leicester

Our June Pub Of The Month is The Slug & Lettuce, Market St, Leicester. This pub in the "Slug"chain, under the leadership of Ian Whiley leads the field in the the promotion of and attitude to real ale. The pub has gone from two to four handpumps over the last year, joined LocAle and intends to increase real ale handpumps to six in the future. As we campaign for real ale, it would be much more difficult without the help and support of the very pubs that sell it. Amongst the many things we have campaigned for over the years, support for local breweries and introducing the younger generation to real ale are two that spring to mind. For those pubs that support our aims, together with good quality beer, and may i also say, sensible prices, we like to show our appreciation to those pubs concerned. Ian Whiley has Managed Leicester’s Slug & Lettuce in Market Street for 6 years now. He has always wanted to have Real Ale on in his pub, something he has now achieved. To us in CAMRA, this is another milestone, as Ian not only sells between four and six Real Ales, but he also joined our LocAle scheme, promising to always have at least one locally brewed beer for sale (Brewed within 25 miles of the pub) With the traditional style of local pub sadly disappearing and those remaining, un- attractive to the majority of our young folk today, the city centre bar is the new drinking place for them. It is important that real ale is present in these places, in order to give them the incentive to try it. This is something that The Slug & lettuce does well, as only a handful of bars do.  On Wednesday 9th June 2010, a number of Leicester CAMRA Branch members gathered at The Slug & Lettuce to reward Ian for his dedication to Real Ale in Leicester. Branch Chairman Keith Williams explained the importance of promoting real ale to the younger generation and the support to local and small Micro-Breweries and presented Ian with Leicester CAMRA’s prestigious Pub Of The Month award for June 2010. Ian said “This means the world to me, even more than winning the Night Owl Quiz” he continued to thank Leicester CAMRA for recognising his efforts and praised Andy Sales and Kelvyn Martin in particular for their invaluable help and support over the last year. A buffet was brought out for all to help themselves. The beers on for the evening were Oakham Inferno and Asylum, Green Jack Mahseer IPA and the LocAle for the evening, Belvoir Great Expectations from Old Dalby. Watch out for the next Slug & lettuce Beer Festival too, or just call in and sample a pint yourself. K Williams

Pub Of The Month July 2009 - The Old Horse, Leicester

Our July Pub Of The Month was The Old Horse, London Road Leicester. This Everards pub is run by Dee and Kevin Shepherdson and has been for the last 14 years. The pub has recently had a new conservatory complete with disabled access and has one of the largest gardens imaginable for a city pub. Dee and Kevin were presented with their Pub Of The Month award for July 2009. Kevin commented that it was totally unexpected but was delighted to receive it. He also thanked Leicester CAMRA for recognising his efforts as so did Matthew Creenan, the pub’s Business Development Manager, who was also present. We finished the evening with a buffet enjoyed by all.  K Williams

Pub Of The Month June 2009 - The Harrow Inn, Thurmaston

On the evening of Wednesday 10th June, as is becoming customary for such occasions, a hardened band of marauders (Leicester Camra members) visited The Harrow Inn, Thurmaston, to bear witness to the proceedings. Since taking over the establishment, Licensees Nick and Lisa Tanner have made major improvements to the pub, both to the fabric and also to the products to be found on sale. When approached, Nick enthusiastically signed up to support the Leicester CAMRA LocAle initiative and remains a valued supporter of the scheme. In a way, the Harrow has come full circle. For many years, until 1991, it was a Shipstone’s house. After Shipstone’s closed their Old Basford Brewery, Nottingham in 1991, one of the brewers (Colin Brown) was made redundant and set up Belvoir Brewery in Old Dalby. Some of the beers from his ‘new’ establishment are ‘as near as you can get to drinking Shippo’s again’ and The Harrow Inn, proudly, sells Belvoir Bitter and Mild on a regular basis. After a ‘chin wag or two’ amongst the gathering, Lisa and Nick were duly presented with their Pub Of The Month award for June 2009. They thanked both Leicester CAMRA, for the recognition shown to them, and also Colin Brown (who had somehow materialised in our midst – was it by bike, truck or tardis?), for supplying such a quality product at very competitive prices and for helping to make the pub the success it has become. ‘Richly deserved, long may you run’, we’d say! K. Williams and Withay

Pub Of The Month Jan 2009 - Out of the Vaults, Leicester On Wednesday 14th January 2009, a number of Leicester CAMRA Branch Members met at the former Out of the Vaults, King St, Leicester to present a posthumous award for the pubs achievements in 2008. The pub was in decline at the beginning of 2008, but the hard work of Paul and Daksha and a commitment to real ale and cider saw the pub do an about turn with all 12 handpumps back in use and a more regular range of top quality beers towards the end of the year. The pub had big problems in November 2008 resulting in it closing in its former guise and re-launching a week later as Vin Quatre. Paul and Daksha were joined by Cathal Farragher (Co-hol) formerly of Kings and a new management team formed. The award was presented by Social Secretary Keith Satterly who nominated the pub. Keith commented that the pub had gone through a rough patch but had pulled itself back together and is selling outstanding quality beers. He wished the pub well as Vin Quatre and hoped it would win more awards. Pictures. Top Paul, Daks and Co-hol receive their award, L Pubs Officer Kelvyn Martin, C Keith and Paul share a joke, R LocAle in Vin Quatre. A large crowd of regulars, Leicester CAMRA members and members of the Leicester Student Real Ale Society then listened to Paul make his speech thanking the regulars who have supported the pub throughout and made a commitment to be part of LocAle whereby he would always stock at least one beer brewed locally. There were three LocAle beers on the bar; Bees Wobble, Belvoir Angels Delight and Oatmeal Stout  along with an excellent choice of Oakham, Beowulf and Leatherbritches beers plus guests from Kelham Island and Holdens. The evening was rounded off with an excellent buffet and a fine performance by the Leicester Morris Men who devoured Rachel the barmaid at the end and nearly put her head through the ceiling! Andy Sales     Pub Of The Month Sept 2008 - The Windmill, Brascote On Wednesday 17th September 2008, a number of Leicester CAMRA Branch Members were joined by members of Hinckley and Bosworth CAMRA Branch as we presented Chris James of The Windmill Brascote with our Pub Of The Month award.  Chris regularly serves a range of Local Battlefield Beers from Tunnel Brewery. On the night, we sampled Let Battle Commence 3,8%abv, Richard III 4.2%abv and Henry Tudor 5%abv.  The award was presented to Chris James, who thanked his customers, Tunnel Brewery, Leicester CAMRA for supporting him and a special mention to Terry, his cellarman. The evening was rounded off with an excellent buffet and some complimentary lubrication, courtesy of Bob Yates from Tunnel Brewery.    Chris is a keen CAMRA Member and regularly attends Hinckley & Bosworth Branch activities. K. Williams Picture Caption   Left to Right - Terry, Chris and Bob

Pub Of The Month May 2008 - The Western, Leicester On 21st May, a large number of Leicester CAMRA Branch and Committee members were gathered at The Western, 70 Western Road, Leicester. We were presenting Danny Hardwood and Amy Allen with the Leicester CAMRA Pub Of The Month Award, for May 2008. The Western was an Everards tied house, until being leased to The Steamin’ Billy Brewing Company last November. Since then, under the guidance of Barry Lount and Billy Allingham, and managed by Danny and Amy, it has totally changed the pub for the better, now offering a range of Steamin’ Billy Beers (Brewed by Tower Brewery of Burton-Upon-Trent), along with Guest Beers from other breweries. Everards beers too, as they still actually own the pub. Keith presented their award, outlining the importance of supporting your local pub, with 2 pubs a day closing for good, in the UK. Danny and Amy were pleased to receive recognition from Leicester CAMRA. He thanked us for the award and hoped to continue to offer the wide selection of beers and to receive our continued support. K. Williams

Pub Of The Month April 2008 - The Chandlers Arms, Shearsby Our April 2008 "Pub Of The Month" is a pub that may not have survived had it not been for the hard work and dedication of Stephen and Karen Compton. With country pubs closing at an alarming rate it is nice to see the Chandlers doing so well and also supporting LocAle, CAMRAs' push to have local beers in local pubs. We travelled out by minibus to present the award on April 23rd 2008 and were joined by many other CAMRA members who made their own way. When we arrived at the pub as it was St Georges day, it was so busy we had to queue on the steps to get in! The pub was very busy with not only drinkers but diners as well. The pub has an interesting menu and I will make the effort to get back for a meal at some point. On the bar were five beers; Dowbridge Bonum Mild and Acris Bitter along with Black Sheep Ale, Titanic English Glory and Milestone Old Home Wrecker. The beers were in very good condition and sensibly priced considering the extortionate prices being charged in some other establishments. Chairman Keith Williams spoke about CAMRA and how important country pubs are. He thanked Steve for buying the pub in 2006 and turning it round. Keith did say he thought the pub would not have survived otherwise. Steve was slightly lost for words but thanked all the locals present for their support as well as the members from Leicester CAMRA. The evening was completed with a hot pot that was enjoyed by members of Leicester CAMRA. Our thanks go to Steve for his hospitality on the night. It was also noted that the beers were disappearing very rapidly such was the superb condition of them! Andy Sales.

Pub Of The Month February 2008 - The Wheel, Oadby Our February 2008 "Pub Of The Month" is a pub that is thriving in the local community and has introduced a guest beer to compliment the Bass and Pedigree which are always served in top notch condition, we travelled by Arriva Bus No 31 on the Oadby Grange route to The Wheel, 99 London Road, Oadby. The bus stop is literally outside the front door of the pub and Landlord Richard Pettit and his wife Carolyn were there to meet us. There was quite a large group of regulars there on presentation night along with members of Oadby & Wigston Borough Council, including the Mayor. The pub is involved in an enormous amount of sporting activities and even has Poker nights. It was redecorated about a year ago and a smoking ban introduced before the main government ban. Smokers are well catered for with an outside area though. The guest beer for the night was J. W Lees - John Willies 4.5 sitting alongside the regular Bass and Pedigree. Chairman Keith Williams spoke about CAMRA and how important community pubs are. Richard explained how popular the pub is and his commitment to real ale. He was thrilled to bits with the award and said that he would dedicate it to his wife who has been of solid support in the background all the way and his customers. The Mayor then spoke again about the community and said he had not realised how many small independent micro breweries existed. The evening was completed with an enormous buffet that was enjoyed by both customers and members of Leicester CAMRA. Our thanks go to Richard and Carolyn for their hospitality on the night. Andy Sales.

Pub Of The Month September 2007 - The Black Horse, Walcote

For our September 2007 Pub Of The Month, it was a pub with a difference. We travelled to Walcote, just off the M1 junction 20, to meet Andy and Mandy Clipston.

About 4 years ago, The Black Horse was due to close following a successful planning application to convert the pub in to dwellings, something that is sadly quite common of late. Andy, being a regular at The Black Horse and a self-employed builder thought “This can’t happen” so he bought it.

When looking the pub over to asses what work needed to be done, he decided that it would be easier to knock the place down and start again, so in May 2006, he did just that.

By 16^th December, he finally re-opened the pub, a few feet further back from the main A 4304(Formerly A427), but to the same design as the old one with a few modern improvements. It now sells a dozen or more beers, mainly from Independent and Micro-Breweries. The pub is now more popular than ever. Andy and Mandy were presented with their award and thanked Leicester CAMRA for recognising his efforts to save a popular pub from closure and supporting him in his venture as a Publican.

The evening was completed with the Thai curry and rice, which had arrived. Our thanks go to Andy and Mandy Clipston for their hospitality on the night. Thai food is regularly served at the pub. It is only a mile from the M1 Junction 20 and well worth a visit.

K Williams.

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