The goalposts keep moving though.I know of at least 4 more brewpubs opening this year. Impressed with your effort.London has a great transport system so getting around is easy and now I am 60 its free.
Printable View
I counted a miserable 24!!
"offer from its larger rival"
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/n...eene-King.html
Whilst googling something else I came across this article from American travel writer Ferne Arfin. If you can read through it without laughing out loud, you're a better man than me.
http://gouk.about.com/od/restauranta...der-A-Beer.htm
Oddly enough I found, that from an American perspective, it would be informative, like not expecting table service or poncey cocktails, and following some of the links he has been into some of the pubs I reviewed
Titchfield Mill
Greens
"kings, queens and famous battles is a "
http://www.express.co.uk/news/world-...+Showbiz+Feed)
Very pleased to see that one of London's most spectacular pubs, Crockers Folly in St John's Wood, has re-opened having been closed for ten years.
Their website has a nice video which gives a brief glimpse of what to expect and the restoration process. http://www.crockersfolly.com/
And this from their Twitter account - https://twitter.com/Crockers_Folly/s...75251669045248
A welcome bit of good news and I'm looking forward to visiting (even if my wallet isn't!).
Northern Monk Brew Co unveils taproom/bottle shop @ The Old Flax Store, Marshall’s Mill, Holbeck Urban Village, Leeds
Northern Brew Co unveils tap room and bottle shop: Northern Monk Brew Co is opening the £100,000 Northern Monk Refectory, a tap room, bottle shop, events space and pop-up kitchen based in Leeds. Based at The Old Flax Store of Marshall’s Mill in Holbeck Urban Village. The new venue has been carefully restored back to the Yorkshire Stone flags and Iron columns. Brewing started in August on the ground floor and The Refectory will sit on the first floor and seat up to 60 people. The kitchen will be run by one of Leeds’ pop up kitchens, The Grub and Grog Shop. The food menu will feature beer in all sorts of forms, using syrups made from fresh hops, malt-infused oils to garnish dishes as well as braising various vegetables and meats in beer from the brewery. Russell Bisset, Northern Monk Brew Co founder, said: “We always wanted to create one of the most accessible taprooms in the UK. This is by no means (just) a brewpub. We have a capacity of up to 5,000 litres per week in house and will have 20 beers on at any one time in the tap room. We want it to be a real showcase of Northern British craft brewing, aiming to keep it at 80% produced in the north (of UK) with the other 20% world beer from progressive brewers. The Refectory will also host a bottle shop and will be doing brewery tours soon. It is very exciting.” Northern Monk currently has a core range of nine beers plus a range of specials and collaborations all brewed in house.
and also
"Observer names independent Leeds bar best in Britain: An independent Leeds bar, Friends of Ham, run by first-time bar owners Anthony and Clare Kitching, has been named as the best place to drink in the UK at the 2014 Observer Food Monthly Awards. Friends of Ham opened two-and-a-half years ago and is focused on pairing fine meats and cheeses with craft ales and wines. Anthony Kitching said: “It shows there is a good independent scene in Leeds and it also shows that the media, that can be quite London-centric, can look beyond the city to see things are happening elsewhere. In Leeds, there are a lot of people with a lot of ideas that are starting to get off the ground.” The couple chose Leeds to open their first bar after trips to America and central Europe gave them a taste for craft beer and charcuterie. The venue has since tripled its ground-floor bar space, which offers 14 beer taps and 150 bottles."
Camerons Brewery picks up Leeds site: Camerons Brewery has acquired a new venue in Leeds. The outlet, previously trading as Spencers on Mill Hill in the city centre, will become one of the brewery’s branded Head of Steam craft and cask ale sites. The pub is currently closed for refurbishment and is due to open in early December .The venue will offer a range of 30 plus draught products with an emphasis on American and Belgium craft as well as large range of local cask ales and ciders. The pub will have the Head of Steam-committed approach to live music from local artists. The food offer will be based on home-cooked pizza and handmade burgers. Joe Smith, Camerons operations director, said: “When we identified potential new venues and locations as part of our expansion plans Leeds was one of the first destinations we had on our list. It is a vibrant city and the Mill Hill area adjacent to the central station is a busy area, with several great pubs creating a fantastic circuit. We feel the Head of Steam brand will fit in perfectly with the people of Leeds and we are going back to the routes of the original Head of Steam strategy of locating close to main line railway stations.”
At new cross inn Sutton in Ashfield are have a single night for 40+ on Thursday nights from 2015 onwards
"Greene King appeals Gambling Commission"
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/G...ence-rejection
Dirty Gertie from Bizerte
Hid a mouse trap 'neath her ... :whistle:
"showing its topless former landlord"
action starts 1:40 into the video :eek:
http://www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/S...ail/story.html
Record number of pubs and shops fail alcohol test
http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/loc...test-1-6387981
Chef & Brewer owner Spirit has been bought by Greene King after agreeing a takeover deal worth £773.6million.
Spirit has an estate of 794 managed pubs including those under the brands Fayre & Square, Flaming Grill, Taylor Walker and John Barras.
There are also 433 pubs in its leased estate, the majority of which are former managed sites with an average annual net income of more than £100,000.
Greene King which owns 1,900 pubs including the Loch Fyne restaurant chain and makes Old Speckled Hen and Abbot Ale is refocusing its business on its managed estate, and is keen to benefit from Spirit's position in London and the South East
Details
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/m...-6million.html
So that's another few hundred pubs to add to my avoid list. I should point out that this isn't actually a physical list but does include just about every pub in Central London, Fuller's pubs, Young's pubs, McMullen's pubs, Well's pubs, Greene King pubs, most Shepherd Neame pubs, Brewdog pubs, pubs that think it's acceptable to charge four quid or more a pint and just about any pub that features the word "craft" in its name.
I'm more than happy with the options that leaves me!
Craft beer cocktails - anyone tried a Tothill Street Martyr?
http://www.blueboarlondon.com/bar/drink/beer-cocktails/
I read it too quick and thought it said HERRING, but it's HEERING (some sort of Cherry Brandy) still barfable I guess.
If I could afford it I would try that cocktail.I have tried a few at home.Youngs double chocolate stout and Sam Smiths -Apricot works well.Any cheap wheat beer or lager if desperate mixed with a fruit beer makes a great summer drink.Lot better than most British fruit beers that only use flavouring rather than fruit.
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/mr...y-9850637.html
A convicted cocaine smuggler who gave videos of drug-fuelled sex romps to his friends has been allowed longer to repay a £3.2 million debt to the taxpayer — so he can make more money running a London brewery.
Former public schoolboy Jules de Vere Whiteway-Wilkinson was jailed for 12 years in 2004, after a court heard how he supplied drugs to clients including celebrities, City traders and music industry figures.
He was later ordered to hand back his £2.1 million criminal profit. He still owes nearly 90 per cent of the sum, plus another £1.2 million in interest, with much of the money held in “hidden assets” that have remained out of reach of prosecutors for years.
But a judge has now allowed him to defer repayment until well into next year at the earliest.
It followed a plea by his barrister Gavin Irwin, who told Westminster magistrates that the new London Fields Brewery in Hackney was “heading” towards success and likely to be earning millions of pounds within two years. Mr Irwin said that would allow his client to clear his debt to the taxpayer.
Having read that I feel somewhat less inclined to drink their beer...
Hungry Horse
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-30000934
Jeez, the whole thing stinks worse than a ten day old mackerel. I wouldn't be surprised if some big favours have been called in on the 'old boy' network. Just reading the article has made me feel so grubby, I might have to take a shower. Like 'Strongers', I won't be buying any more LFB beers, when in London
more on some peoples least favourite brewery/PubCo
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/C...er+All+News%29
the pub mentioned is Woodies .......and they'll have some work to do if they're actually serious about jumping on this particular bandwagon.