“I must be,” laughs Ash Ayling at the suggestion that he was crazy to have planned opening Burton’s newest pub Beeropolis during a pandemic.
Beeropolis will be Ash’s second venture after Bodell’s in Swadlincote and like Bodell’s this is in partnership with Pete Spittles from The Last Heretic. The pair took the lease of what was The Fuggle & Nugget on High Street in Burton upon Trent back in October 2020.
“We’ve completely refurbished the venue from the Fuggle & Nugget,” explains Ash. “I felt it was important to have a bar as a focal point, as during normal times its is the first place you walk up to in the pub. We’ve also removed the high seating to hopefully provide a more warmer and cosy feel.”
The pub decor is a celebration of Burton’s brewing history, with mirrors, labels and old pictures adorning the walls. The name is taken from a 1902 play on the word Metropolis which saw Burton described as “one vast brewery … a very City of Beer – Beeropolis.”
The pub promises to have a different approach to The Last Heretic.
“There will be more of a focus on craft keg than purely cask ale,” says Ash. “We’ve got twelve keg lines and a huge fridge full of some unusual cans: Amundsen, Brew York, Neon Raptor, Staggeringly Good and some other great craft breweries around the UK.”
For those with a more traditional taste don’t worry there’s plenty of Real Ale to be drunk.
“We have four handpulls, however expect to have around three Real Ales on at one time. If there’s sufficient demand, there will be four all the time; in Bodell’s we opened with eight cask lines, but sadly there doesn’t seem to sufficient demand to sustain them in Swadlincote. I hope the drinkers of Burton can prove otherwise,” laughs Ash. If there’s one thing Burton drinkers like, it’s a beer drinking challenge, especially against Swad!
Beeropolis opens to the general public this Thursday at 4pm although there is a soft opening for CAMRA members on Wednesday.
“Unfortunately due to the ongoing restrictions we’re limited with what we can do with regards a Grand Opening however we hope to have plenty of great and unusual beers to entice people down on our opening weekend.”
OPENING HOURS Wed & Thu 1600-2200 Fri & Sat 1500-2230 Sun 1300-1900
So you went to the pub last night and were asked to leave at 09:59pm, only to have the cold air hit your bladder and you had to beg to be let in again to use the toilet! Joking aside, what is the new 10pm Curfew all about, what are the Government trying to achieve and what will it do to local pubs?
“To be honest, I’ve been closing at 10pm the past few Fridays due to lack of trade,” admits Pete Spittles from The Last Heretic. “All in all I think it had to be done by the Government so as to keep the R number down.”
Richard Muir from The Weighbridge Inn isn’t so sure: “I really can’t understand what the 10pm Curfew is going to achieve? I have seen no evidence to show pubs are a big cause of the increase in cases. From what I have seen it is Care Homes and education settings that are the major contributors to this; what extra restrictions are in place there?”
“I believe our industry is being unfairly targeted,” agrees Mandy Addis from The Coopers Tavern. “Are they going to allow all takeaway shops to remain open after the 10pm curfew? You only need to walk down any street with one in to see people congregating without social distancing! Surely a 10pm Curfew will only encourage house parties?”
Carl Stout from the Devonshire Arms is worried about the impact on pub culture in general: “In the short term any restrictions will have a significant effect. Regular pub goers are creatures of habit and we have a lot of customers who enjoy a beer later in the evening, we just hope they will decide to visit the pub earlier in the evening. In the long term I worry that people will give up on pubs and some customers will not return even when we have a vaccine.”
“I also understand that the Government have to do something,” observes Lee Betts from the Derby Inn, “whatever that may be, it will always be wrong.”
“We were running on reduced hours anyway so hopefully the effect on trade should be minimal,” says Richard, something that is echoed by Lee, Pete and Mandy. “Having to enforce the rules won’t be fun but we will ensure we keep our pub as a safe and friendly environment as we always do.”
One thing is for certain, pubs need your custom and support as we enter what will be a long hard winter, just make sure that you’ve gone for a piss in good time before they ask you to leave.
Are Beer Festivals a thing of the past, well at least for the foreseeable future? With current restrictions a traditional event is out of the question obviously, even The Great British Beer Festival has gone virtual, however there is a Beer Festival happening in Tamworth starting this Thursday and running to Sunday, albeit with a twist.
The King’s Ditch
One of the organisers of the Tamworth Town Beer Festival is Adam Randall who has been part of CAMRA for around 25 years. Adam is the Membership Secretary and magazine editor of the Lichfield, Sutton and Tamworth Branch; so a dedicated and long serving member of the campaign.
“Replace is a strong word, but essentially yes,” muses Adam on the purpose of this event. “We were keen to keep our normal festival in people’s minds even though we can’t do it and provide the usual extra footfall for the town’s pubs; the normal CAMRA festival draws in a lot of visitors and the pubs have a busy weekend. a win-win, if you will.”
The lead pubs are the Kings Ditch, the Sir Robert Peel and Tamworth Tap.
“We have approached others but really they’re struggling to do much meaningful; they’ve yet to properly bounce back post lockdown. The lead three always were the strongest contenders in town for both choice and quality and that really has helped them bounce back. Over the weekend there will be 40+ ales, 40+ ciders, though the ales won’t or can’t all be on at once.”
The Tamworth Tap
Although the CAMRA logo is on the poster, this is not an official CAMRA event, however it is endorsed by the local branch.
“This is about giving something back to the pubs who in normal years are significant financial supporters of the CAMRA festival with generous sponsorship and supply of ales,” observes Adam. “Truth be told, we didn’t even think of consulting CAMRA HQ, there’s no financial involvement by the branch.”
Unlike the months and months of work needed to organise a big beer festival, the whole event has come together at a remarkable speed.
“We had the conversations with the pubs about five weeks in advance of the event. It’s so quick because all of the usual infrastructure issues disappear such as venue, equipment, staffing, setup etc.”
Sir Robert Peel
To keep costs at a minimum, festival t-shirts, commemorative glasses and official programmes will not be available.
“Honest answer is, we never really thought about it,” admits Adam regarding the programme. “As we’re not in control of beer ordering or when they go on, it’s a minefield of likely inaccuracy and disappointment, quite apart from cost. We will look at what online info we can provide.”
As for glasses and t-shirts: “Nah! It would involve us getting too deeply embedded in the event. The idea was really just to provide publicity and then let the pubs largely get on with it! If it became on ongoing event then there’d be the motivation to do more, but it really is intended just as a stopgap.”
The local publicans were unsurprisingly very receptive to the idea.
“If we had to twist their arms then we’d maybe have just abandoned it, no point in pressing others to take risks they’re not happy with. We have a strong relationship with them and they’re always supportive, but also because of the normal footfall issue as above, it should work for them in terms of pound notes! The key thing was knowing that the places were already strong on COVID measures, this won’t turn into a glorified reputation destroying rave and all are recommending or requiring booking.”
Promotion has also been kept very simple.
“Other than a small number of posters displayed locally, it has been almost entirely by social media and surrounding branches. We’re also strong on regular communication with our 1300+ branch members, so they’ll get a couple of emails on it.
“Primarily it’s been such a breeze, I’d say it’s important not to twist arms, and also manage expectations. Should an event be a damp squib, it’s important that the pubs went into it with open eyes i.e. won’t blame CAMRA!”
Such an event has naturally attracted a few negative opinions.
“We’ve had a few critics, people who think we shouldn’t be doing this in a time of COVID but otherwise we’ve had a really good response. We’re happy that the pubs have the measures in place to provide a safe but enjoyable environment, and we’re pleased to be helping both pubs and pub-goers edge back to normality.”
If you can, head over to Tamworth and support the event; The King’s Ditch have eight ales, 20 ciders and three perries, the Tamworth Tap twenty ales including a Welsh selection and twenty ciders and The Sir Robert Peel 15 ales including pub favourites and some from Yorkshire as well as six ciders. Booking is strongly advised for all three pubs, contact details are on the poster.
In 2000, Belgium’s Interbrew (now Anheuser-Busch InBev or AB-InBev) purchased the brewing side of Bass; this was to be a short-lived acquisition as in 2002, following a ruling from the UK Government’s Competition Commission, they sold the brewery and the brands Carling and Worthington to Coors (now Molson Coors Brewing Company), however they were allowed to retain the rights to the Bass name.
Since 2005, Draught Bass has been contract brewed in Burton upon Trent by Marston’s and what a bloody fine job they make of it too, but that it where Marston’s role ends. The distribution and promotion of the Draught Bass brand is under the control of AB-InBev.
Back when it was a National Brand in the 1980’s, Draught Bass was served in 9,000 pubs, nowadays it is a permanent fixture in just over 500 (see thewickingman’s comprehensive list at https://thewickingman.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/bass-august-2020-2.pdf) Do not assume that a lack of outlets equates to a drop in quality, Draught Bass is still held in the highest regard by aficionados. There is The Honourable Order of Bass Drinkers, an organisation that predates CAMRA, who still make their annual pilgrimage to Burton upon Trent and then there was an aborted attempt at an independently run National Bass Day earlier this year. Those that drink Bass have a genuine love for the beer, myself included and like me many others are wondering what the hell AB-InBev are playing at?
When was the last time you saw an advertisement for Draught Bass or a bar towel / promotional item in a pub that hadn’t been sourced from eBay or found in the back of a cupboard? Why isn’t Draught Bass being pushed as a brand? These topics have been debated on Social Media and in pubs on thewickingman’s list.
Following a consultation with Bass enthusiasts on Facebook and Twitter I drew up a list of 21 interesting questions and I contacted AB-InBev to see if I could find someone willing to answer them. They agreed to take a look and I told them they be written up as an article on this blog. I was hopeful of an interesting reply, although I was expecting them to side step answers to the more contentious questions near the end:
Will Draught Bass be affected by the Marston’s / Carlsberg merger?
Why do Marston’s brew Draught Bass?
Do AB-InBev have access to the recipe books held at the National Brewery Centre and are there any plans to make other beers from Bass’ history, for example Bass No.1?
When was the decision made to brew American Bass with syrups and how long has this been the practice?
Why is Bass sold in ten gallon firkins instead of the traditional nine?
Is the recipe the same as when it was brewed by Bass?
Are there any plans for a Bass website? Bass.com redirects to anheuser-bush.com and when you click on brands, there is no mention of Bass!
Has the Bass recipe changed since 1945 and when did they stop aging it in wood?
Would AB-InBev be prepared to support pubs who stock Bass with more Point Of Sale, for example half pint glasses, beer towels, drip towels etc.
Will the Bass brand be applied to contemporary craft products to create a range of Bass craft beers?
In November 2018 AB-InBev announced that they were reintroducing Bass Pale Ale to the UK in 355ml bottles, did this actually happen?
Is Draught Bass available in Oak Casks?
How is Draught Bass brewed?
Why does Draught Bass and bottle Bass taste different to each other?
What was the iconic Bass signature changed on the new labels?
Will Bass ever be available bottle conditioned?
What are the plans for the future of the brand?
Why are there no adverts for Bass? Do AB-InBev have any interest in promoting the brand?
Has there been any consideration given to Draught Bass becoming either a profitable national brand or an even more revered niche product, with a marketing budget / policy to back this up?
Are there any plans to increase the distribution of Draught Bass?
Is the Bass brand up for sale and, if so, what is the price?
After I’d heard nothing for a week or so, I emailed again only to be told that at the moment they are not able to take part in the interview, with a promise to get in touch before 2021’s National Bass Day.
This was an ideal opportunity for them to speak directly to Bass drinkers but sorry, they couldn’t be bothered; how bitterly disappointing and underwhelming!
I considered making this paragraph a rant about how they really couldn’t give a toss about Draught Bass and no doubt Beer Writer Pete Brown would have done just that, but I didn’t see the point because if you have ever wondered what AB-InBev really really think about Draught Bass, you have your answer; silence.
A bottle of Allsopp’s Arctic Ale dating from 1875 was auctioned in Exeter last week and despite an estimated selling price of between £300-500, it went for an astounding £750! The purchaser was Jamie Allsopp who is the Great Great Great Great Great Grandson of Samuel Allsopp.
“This is a very special bottle for me as it is a physical link to the heyday of my family’s old brewery Samuel Allsopp and Sons,” said Jamie. “Bottles come up for sale very rarely.”
The full bottle has an attractive lead seal depicting the company’s trademark Red Hand and an inscription “Brewed for the Arctic Expedition 1875.” Other examples can have a blue and white label attached.
Allsopp’s Arctic Ale has a fascinating history; in 1851 the Lords of the Admiralty invited all the great brewers to submit an ale to accompany Admiral Sir Edward Belcher’s 1852 mission to rescue Sir John Franklin, who had been lost whilst charting the Northwest Passage. Samuel Allsopp and Sons won the prestigious commission and Belcher set sail with 540 gallons of Arctic Ale. Two further brews were provided for Sir Leopold McLintock in 1857 and Sir George Nares in 1875. The beer was the strongest ever brewed by Allsopp’s and was so viscous it had to be lifted out of the mashtun using buckets as it would not flow via the usual tap.
The 1875 brew was sampled by Brewing Historian Alfred Barnard in 1888, who noted that the beer had a large amount of unfermentable sugar, making it also a valuable foodstuff. The beer was around 9% alcohol by volume with an Original Gravity of 1126o and was designed to withstand the extremes of the Arctic, remaining liquid even at temperatures of -41oC.
Versions of Arctic Ale would continue to be brewed until modern times; in 1897 it was advertised at seven shilling per dozen pint bottles and records show it was produced by Ind Coope & Allsopp in 1937. By 1956 the name had changed to Arctic Barley Wine, it “Keeps out the cold” according to the advertisement. In the 1970’s it became known as Triple A, with the three A’s signifying Allsopp’s Arctic Ale.
The story doesn’t end there though, in 2007 a bottle of the 1852 brewing sold on eBay for $503,000. Although the winning bid was later found to be a hoax, a brewer from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania called Chris Bowen became obsessed with Arctic Ale, even going as far to brew his own version in the Arctic Circle; he made a film called Arctic Alchemy about his story. Chris came to Burton ten years ago and opened a bottle of the 1875 Arctic Ale for a public tasting session.
Jamie Allsopp recalls another such uncorking: “My Father remembers tasting it with his Father when a few bottles had been discovered at Hindlip Hall, the old Allsopp family home,” Jamie however has no plans to open his new prized possession. “My Father said it was quite disgusting!”
Clicking this link https://www.nbcarchives.co.uk/ will take you on an adventure, a journey back into the past of Britain’s Brewing History …
Now I have a very personal connection with the archive held at the National Brewery Centre; as a fledgling historian in 2012 I had started researching what would later become the book “Ind Coope & Samuel Allsopp Breweries: The History of the Hand”, when I became aware that the historical documents once held in the basement of 107 Station Street (a.k.a. Allsopp’s New Brewery or B Block) had been moved by the Brewery History Society to what was still known as the Bass Museum in 2002 (the full story is here http://www.breweryhistory.com/journal/archive/112/bh-112-049.html). To do any justice to my subject I just had to gain access to this vast wealth of information! After about a year of emails and crossed fingers I was invited to meet the Collections Office Vanessa Winstone who introduced me to this Holy Grail of brewing history.
The physical archive sits behind a number of locked doors in a temperature controlled environment and consists of boxes, files and books stacked neatly onto row after row of shelving; only a lucky few got to see this and I felt honoured to be allowed inside. Over the next few years I worked my way through the Ind Coope and Samuel Allsopp archive, I’d like to say in a methodical way, but the truth is it was anything but. The catalogue was a ring bound notepad written in pencil by the hand of Dr Ray Andersen of the Brewery History Society. Each visit I had an idea of what I’d like to read next but invariably I found myself easily distracted and went off on tangents and down rabbit holes.
One day in summer 2014 Vanessa told me that a publishing company has been in touch, they were looking for a book about brewing in Burton upon Trent and she had mentioned my ongoing project to them. Within a few weeks I had signed a contract to deliver a 50,000 words book. It was a tight deadline; I was also getting married around the same time but everything was finished two weeks after coming back off honeymoon.
I owe so much to that collection of documents, not to put too fine a point on it, it changed my life. It enabled me to develop what was a casual interest into an obsession. I learned that somewhere in the archive there lay my book; I just had to find all the parts and put them together. The same still applies as I’d like to think there is at least another book of mine hidden away in there and if I can do it, so can you. Anyone reading this who has ever aspired to be a brewery historian, be this for a school project, a specific article to a fully-fledged book may well find that the archive holds the answers and from today things are about to become a lot easier to locate.
The archive covers 250 years of Brewing History, albeit very centred on Burton upon Trent, and weighs in at around half a million items. Until now navigating it has relied upon notebooks and various other typed catalogues, not to mention Vanessa Winstone’s encyclopaedic knowledge of the whereabouts of a certain item. Two years ago a project began to produce a digital catalogue and this is what launches today. At a cost of £50,000, it was funded by generous grants from the likes of the Consolidated Charity of Burton on Trent, Staffordshire Community Foundation, the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) and the Brewers’ Research Education Fund, additional funds were raised from corporate and individual donors as well as via a crowdfunding campaign. The archive system was designed and built by Shrewsbury-based digital heritage consultants Orangeleaf Systems, whose other projects include The Parliamentary Archives and the Royal Mail Archives.
Dr Harry White, the Chairman of the National Brewery Heritage Trust, who look after the archive had this to say: “Our aim is accessibility so we’re delighted that we’ve been able to start cataloguing our unique collection of brewing and pub heritage and opening on-line access for people to use for research, education and general interest. We’ve started by digitising many of the more popular items in the collection, such as photos of historic pubs, breweries, brewing equipment, packaging & advertising, but this is a work in progress and more records and images will be added to the catalogue day by day.”
There’s nothing like a good mystery; for the last few months there have been rumours flying around about a new local brewery called 3P’s Brewery. Originally the plan was to feature a few of the beers at the “Burton Beer Festival That Never Happened” and the anonymous brewer was going to make himself known to me, but of course COVID-19 intervened.
During Lockdown 3P’s “Amber Plum” and “Woodenbox Extra Special Bitter” were offered as takeouts from The Last Heretic in Burton and Bodell’s in Swadlincote, but the identity and location of 3P’s remained a closely guarded secret. Trying to find out anything was proving frustrating until last week when a Twitter account @3PSBrewery and website 3psbrewery.webador.co.uk suddenly appeared.
What does the Social Media presence tell us? The website states that they are located in Swadlincote, but the reference to Woodenbox may point to a more specific location somewhere in Woodville (Woodenbox being an old name for Woodville, often shortened to just ‘Box), if this is the case it heralds the return of commercial brewing to the area following Tollgate’s move to Calke Abbey in 2012.
Although better known for other industries particularly Coal Mining, Pottery and Pipeworks, Swad and ‘Box has a proud brewing history that stretches back to 1832 when Brunt & Bucknell founded their business at The Hartshorne Brewery on Woodville High Street, they brewed here until 1919. Another premises known as Wooden Box Brewery had a number of owners over the years: Joseph Thompson, Ball & Co. William Henry Ball & Sons, Thomas & Thomas William Thompson, T. Betteridge & Sons, T.W. Thompson & Co. before being bought by Thomas Salt of Burton in 1910, who were was later swallowed up by Bass, Ratcliff & Gretton in 1927. Not forgetting the wonderful Tollgate of course.
The 3P’s refer to the local Pits, Pots and Pipes and the are a small Nanobrewery with a fermentation capacity of 400 litres (about ten Firkins). It is the passion of an enthusiastic Home Brewer and his beers maintain the traditions of cask ale, but with a twist. All the beers are Vegan friendly as they use a vegetable based fining agent and only the finest natural ingredients are used.
So far 3P’s have produced the following:
Wooden Box Extra Special Bitter (5.5%) Amber Plum (4.1%) Vienna Pale (4.7%) Coconut Cascade IPA (6.6%) Pot Kiln Pale Ale (5.2%) Liquorice Stout (5.5%) Oatmeal Stout (5.5%) and the newest brew Mild (3.8%).
Apart from that your guess is as good as mine, it seems for the moment at least 3P’s Brewery are content to let the beer do the talking.
Going to the pub has changed: you can’t prop up the bar, move the furniture, stand up or wander around. It’s all about dedicated entry and exit doors, washing your hands and there’s hazard tape everywhere! Thankfully drink and social interaction are still in good supply.
Many people thought (myself included) that the public would be only too happy to return to the pubs on 4 July, but this hasn’t been the case for many places. Pubs are now not just places for a pint, they have to feel safe and give off an air of reassurance to instill a confidence in drinkers that the nastiest thing they are likely to pick up is a thick head the following morning.
Take Burton & South Derbyshire CAMRA’s Pub Of The Year The Devonshire Arms as a prime example. As you walk in the side door you are greeted with Hand Sanitiser (Tasting Notes: slightly runny, alcohol on the nose, very pale, negligible hop aroma) and a friendly smile from Landlord Carl Stout, he shows you to your table and asks what you’d like to drink? Bass, it has to be of course. It is delivered to the table by Barmaid Liz.
“The fear was that the pub wouldn’t be sustainable moving forward,” confesses Carl when asked what was worrying him most about reopening. “You’ve got to be able to make a profit to operate.”
Carl was cautious about reopening, waiting until a few days after 4 July.
“Some pubs were very busy and some were disappointed in the trade on 4 July,” he observes. “For us we’d been closed for just over 100 days and we didn’t feel quite ready. In my experience you’d never go into a new opening on a Saturday. Things were totally new to us and to the customers and we didn’t want to get off to a bad start; we had an awful lot to lose and not much to gain. Okay we were down a Saturday’s takings but it pales into insignificance with how much trade we’ve lost. I didn’t want to damage our reputation for one chaotic weekend.”
The Roebuck and The Coopers Tavern adopted the same approach, both are now open and this is good news for all of the surrounding businesses.
“We’ve got the Station Street community with the Roebuck, The Coopers, The Last Heretic and the Balti Restaurants and it works very well, we all bounce off each other.” That was pre-Lockdown of course; Carl has noticed a change in drinking habits. “Once customers are settled and they are reassured and feel secure in that premises, they seem comfortable to sit there all night.”
“It’s been a big learning curve for us because the way we operate in the pub is totally different than before, it’s very European although we are missing the weather they get in the South of France! That’d make a huge difference.” Carl laughs, we are sat in the newly refurbished Beer Garden, coats are on but it is pleasantly sheltered. “We’ve got five tables here; we also have the option to take over part of the Car Park too with six or seven tables. We want to get the service levels right and when the weather is okay we will give it a go, that’ll give us more flexibility with capacity as we are limited to fourteen tables inside.”
“The footprint of the pub itself is licensed, the Car Park isn’t but providing we take the transactions on the licensed premises then we can serve drinks in there. The government should be encouraging pubs to spill out into Market Squares, like they’ve done in Prague,” reckons Carl, a few days after our chat the sun is out and Car Park is filled with tables and chairs.
The drop in trade has necessitated a few changes to the number of beers being served.
“We’ve slightly reduced our range because the turnover isn’t quite there yet, we can justify having five beers on and we can sell them within three days but if we have to reduce it down to four to maintain the quality then we will. I’ve not got a dark beer on now, we only used to sell it in pins anyway. I didn’t want to take one of my five off for a dark, so I’ve gone for a bottle of Porter or Bramble Stout as a compromise. It’s striking a balance between getting the quality right and the range right.”
Carl’s best seller is Bass, after a national drought it is back on the bar to the relief of his regulars.
“I’ve used the same supplier for years, they tried to order 160 tubs of Bass and couldn’t get any!” Carl exclaims. “I think with the bigger brewers there has been an issue with the Supply Chain. We got hold of some Bass last week but I decided not to put it on, we kept it in the cellar for five or six days, I’m not one for rushing it, it’s all about the quality.”
I can vouch for that, a cracking pint as always.
“There is plenty in the cellar and the more we sell the better it will be. My regular supplier had no Bass for two weeks but some pubs in town had it on, I was scratching my head how they’d got it and then I got a tip off about a supplier in Derbyshire and before you know it we’ve three Nines of Bass on the way.”
Like many pubs you can book a table at The Devvie, and this is advised at busy times, but the rest of the week Carl is happy to accommodate you on an ad-hoc basis.
“We don’t want to disappoint people who turn up on a Saturday, as we may have to turn them away. There were a couple of times in the first days of trading where we came close to that, but as a general rule during the week we will adopt a walk-in approach.”
It is still early days and Carl is the first to admit that he and the staff are learning as they go along, but he remains optimistic.
“We’ve adopted a cautious approach to capacity, following all the Government guidelines, all of our tables are a metre apart, in some cases more, we have the Sanitiser Stations, cleaning as we go … but the important thing is giving people confidence that it is nice and safe and that they feel comfortable.”
I’m certainly happy sat here, can I have another Bass please? I could get used to this table service …
Below is a series of interviews with a number of local Landlords written during the run up to reopening. To get a slightly different angle, the CAMRA Commercial & Communications Director Ash Corbett-Collins also offered his views on what has been an unprecedented time of difficulties for every pub in the country. I have also spoken to a few local drinkers who share their thoughts on what they’ve missed about pubs and whether they will be going back.
Enjoy their unique insights into how they have faced the last few months; from the pubs who shut the door on 20 March to those who kept the town going through innovative takeaway schemes. Please support your pubs, visit them and treat the hardworking staff with kindness and understanding as they seek to adapt to their new normal. Maybe I’ll see you for a Socially Distanced pint in the very near future.
Generally how do you think the Government have handled the crisis in relation to the closing and reopening of pubs? What have they got right, what have they got wrong? It was a difficult, but necessary, decision to close pubs. The announcement of financial support and the furlough programme gave a lot of hope that the government would be there to support pubs through this crisis, but the actions since have left many publicans confused and angry. There has been a lack of clarity around how and when pubs can reopen that has meant licensees have had to guess if and when they can welcome drinkers back.
In what way have CAMRA supported pubs during this unprecedentedly difficult time? It’s been a strange and difficult time supporting pubs during this pandemic. Usually, thousands of volunteers across the country would be out there fighting to protect and promote our fantastic pubs – and putting plenty of money in the till. But our members have been fantastic in rallying together in new ways to help pubs. At the start of the lockdown, we launched our Red OnLion platform – a virtual pub where members can still get together and share a drink. This was followed by our #PullingTogether initiative, where our army of volunteers have collated a list of all the pubs and breweries across the country that are still selling food and drinks to takeaway. Then, our latest venture is Brew2You, an app for pubs and breweries to connect directly with customers. It’s free to download and means you can order your favourite beer from the comfort of your own home.
The advice appears to be to use an app for ordering, now this is well and good for Spoon and the larger brewers and pub companies, but how are freehouses and micros supposed to do this? Theoretically, an app would solve a lot of the issues pubs face when they reopen. But I’m not sure how practical it is. We’ve already seen many other venues reopen and make it work with the traditional method of ordering face-to-face, albeit with a facemask on. I’d wager that many pubs will either offer table service or have strict rules for queuing to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Have CAMRA considered writing a free app that could be used in the micros? I think it would be great if any of our volunteers with these skills and expertise are able to support their local pubs by developing something and we’d be happy to promote it if it benefitted pubs.
On a personal note, how likely are you to start using pubs again and how have your drinking habits changed during lockdown? I’ve recently moved and I’m fortunate that my new local has a big beer garden. If pubs are open in time for my upcoming birthday then I’ll definitely try and enjoy a refreshing pint of real ale, especially if the weather continues to be glorious. During the lockdown, I’ve been lucky enough that my nearest brewery, Two Towers, has continued to brew excellent beer and deliver directly to my door, so I’ve been able to enjoy a good pint even if I can’t do it in the pub. Now I live in south Birmingham and we’ve got some great breweries and pubs nearby so I can continue to drink good beer until I can get back in the pub.
BODELL’S
How relieved are you at the news you can reopen? Very relieved, and we’re looking forward to welcoming back customers in the safest way possible.
Generally how do you think the Government have handled the crisis in relation to the reopening of pubs? What have they got right, what have they got wrong? They initially gave the date of July 4th at the very earliest, and have stuck to it which is reassuring. As an independent however, we had no visibility of the guidance (even if it’s draft form) until Wednesday morning. Luckily a lot of it is very much common sense and the measures which we had already implemented in anticipation.
Have you had enough time to make the necessary changes to your premises? If not, how much longer would you have liked? We have already made some changes in anticipation of the announcement (i.e. investing in signage, Perspex screens across the bar, hand sanitiser, etc.) however it would now appear that table service is a must for indoors. For big chains with the infrastructure in place to already offer this and visibility of the guidance in its draft for a number of weeks has certainly given them a big head start over the likes of Bodell’s.
I also have great concerns over the proposal of collecting names and contact details for customers too. Again, this is something that the big players can do with ease, however with a team of two we don’t have an IT department or a legal department to advise on any GDPR and Data Protection issues.
Prior to last week, have you had any contact from the Government over restrictions? Nothing whatsoever, the biggest source has been press releases from the big players and newspaper articles.
What changes can we expect to see at your pub? Perspex screens, sanitising stations, one-way systems and floor markings.
Have you been offering takeaways/deliveries and if so how well has this worked? We’ve been offering deliveries through www.cask2couch.beer which has worked out very well in the time period we’ve been closed.
The Government have suggested that pubs use an app to process orders, surely this is out of the reach of many freehouses and micropubs, how are you planning on facing this? Is texting your order and contactless payment the best option? I am currently working on an online system that will allow customers to order drinks for collection at the bar or delivered to their table in order to minimise contact and avoid queuing.
What support have you had from the brewery/pub company since you closed? We are an independent free house however our suppliers have been great as we’ve still been buying beer to support deliveries.
What are the main challenges in restarting a pub from scratch? The lines have been preserved so we should be almost ready to go in that respect, and beer is already on order for the opening weekend. The entire venue will be subject to a deep clean in advance and staff trained on the measures we are putting in place.
Do you think you will face any supply issues? Will the hasty reopen mean you will have a reduced range of products on sale? We still hope to offer our full range of products when we re-open.
DERBY INN
How relieved are you at the news you can reopen? Like everyone else we can’t wait to open!
Generally how do you think the Government have handled the crisis in relation to the reopening of pubs? What have they got right, what have they got wrong? Unfortunately I try not to get political but I think they have done ok.
Have you had enough time to make the necessary changes to your premises? If not, how much longer would you have liked? We have had more than enough time since 20th March.
Prior to last week, have you had any contact from the Government over restrictions? No
What changes can we expect to see at your pub? We will have appropriate signage and sanitiser available we don’t serve children so we won’t treat people like that.
Have you been offering takeaways/deliveries and if so how well has this worked? We did takeaways until we ran out of beer.
The Government have suggested that pubs use an app to process orders, surely this is out of the reach of many freehouses and micropubs, how are you planning on facing this? Is texting your order and contactless payment the best option? As far as this goes the social distance will be down to a metre by then there won’t be apps. Order over the bar pay cash or card we don’t mind.
What support have you had from the brewery/pub company since you closed? Admiral Taverns have been great with us lots of support.
What are the main challenges in restarting a pub from scratch? The main challenge I think will be getting people back in the pub.
Do you think you will face any supply issues? Will the hasty reopen mean you will have a reduced range of products on sale? There has been a reduced beer range to start with but hopefully back to normal soon.
THE DEVONSHIRE ARMS
Because of our limited capacity, we have had to make a few changes within the pub to fall in line with the government guidelines.
Bookings – We strongly advice that you book a table for your visit to The Devonshire. Inside the pub we will have 10 tables of up to 4 people. In the beer garden, we have 5 tables of up to 4 people. We will also be using additional outside space during anticipated busy periods. Walk ins will be accommodated wherever possible. You can book a table via DM on Facebook/Twitter or by calling/texting (phone number) Your table will be confirmed once you receive a reply from us. At the time of booking, we will require your name and contact number, plus the number of people in your party and arrival time.
Sanitising Stations – We are putting sanitising stations in place throughout the pub and we ask all of our guests to help us by using these on arrival and regularly throughout your visit.
Table service – All orders will be taken at your table, drinks will then be served at the table and payment taken. We encourage contactless payments but cash will be accepted.
General – All of our tables will be situated to maintain the social distancing measures. We will maintain regular and thorough cleaning throughout the premises, including touch points, toilets, tables and chairs. We will be operating with one entrance door and one exit door. Doors and windows will be kept open, when appropriate, to aide with ventilation throughout the premises.
Opening times – In the short term, there will be some slight changes to our opening hours. They are as follows:
Tuesday Food Nights – These will be commencing in the very near future. Watch this space for our announcement of dates etc!!
THE DOG
How relieved are you at the news you can reopen? It’s fantastic news for the whole hospitality sector, the public and the drinkers of Burton but it’s doesn’t come without its issues and complications.
Generally how do you think the Government have handled the crisis in relation to the reopening of pubs? What have they got right, what have they got wrong? It’s such a hard decision in such unprecedented times it’s hard to say at the moment considering we haven’t yet heard what, if any stipulations we will have to work to with regards to capacities, times, distancing etc but the reduction to 1meter + was a huge hurdle for many pubs.
Have you had enough time to make the necessary changes to your premises? If not, how much longer would you have liked? We are getting there, we have had plenty of time to think about what may have to be done once we are allowed to reopen and put things in place but the main sticking point was the reduction of the 2 meter rule. We may not have been able to viably reopen. In an ideal world they would have told us months ago but in a situation that seems to change day by day almost 2 weeks should be enough of a window to get everything finished off we need too. We have seen the ways and measures plenty of essential business have put it place which gave us a great headstart.
Prior to last week, have you had any contact from the Government over restrictions? No… not a word. I’d heard more news about the hospitality sector from Coors and Marstons than I have Boris and his pals.
What changes can we expect to see at your pub? Still TBC as things have changed now this distance has been reduced to a degree but as before we were locked down we had implemented PPE for staff, regular cleaning and sanitising, the “Dog Drive Through” service and removed bar stools from the bar, this will still be in place. New changes I expect to have perspex partitions on certain tables and areas, new sanitising points through out the pub, table service and collection points (no queue bar service) slightly different table lay out, higher ventilation and various other precautionary tweaks.
Have you been offering takeaways/deliveries and if so how well has this worked? We have offered various different take away options over the last few months with a great take up but this had to be put on hold for 2 months due to cellar equipment failure.
The Government have suggested that pubs use an app to process orders, surely this is out of the reach of many freehouses and micropubs, how are you planning on facing this? Is texting your order and contactless payment the best option? Until I get some clarification off Black Country Ales I’m not 100% if we will have an app based service but I’m in a lucky enough spot where I can quite easily verbally communicate to most tables in the pub without have to leave the bar. We don’t serve food so we have 2 large beer menu tv screens and a large chalk board that can be seen from everywhere in the pub to convey what beers we have on sale. Contactless payment will be preferred (but we will be taking cash) and the PDQ machines will be supplied at either the customers table or the specific collection point for payment.
What support have you had from the brewery/pub company since you closed? BCA have been great during lock down by offering various COVID training courses, legal and employment advice, financial assistance and various other personal, private and moral boosting support! Just on Monday they sent all the landlords a small token of their appreciation by way of a Gourmet Chocolate Pizza from a company in Nottingham, but I don’t need to put on any more lbs at the moment.
What are the main challenges in restarting a pub from scratch? As far as I’m concerned we’re not starting from scratch but this crazy situation has certainly given us food for thought:
Staff and Public safety Public confidence (will people feel safe coming out) New ways of working and operation Beer supplies Turnover The list goes on …
Do you think you will face any supply issues? Will the hasty reopen mean you will have a reduced range of products on sale? There has been rumblings in the industry for the last 2-3 weeks that unless there was any major changes it would be 4th July reopening so some breweries have gambled and restarted production then, Some breweries never stopped as they were doing a delivery service or take aways. I’ve heard from some breweries they’ve been busier than ever! I’m guessing there may be a slight issues when every landlord and his dog starts reordering Beer but I’ve got every confidence the British Brewing Industry will be able to catch up super quickly. Just today for example I’ve taken delivery for 14 freshly brewed casks and another delivery scheduled for in for next Wednesday so I’m pretty confident we won’t be running dry at The Dog.
THE LAST HERETIC
How relieved are you at the news you can reopen? Always thought it was going to be the 4th July, not that relieved as our online and takeout sales are going well.
Generally how do you think the Government have handled the crisis in relation to the reopening of pubs? What have they got right, what have they got wrong? Can’t really answer that until pubs have been open a while.
Have you had enough time to make the necessary changes to your premises? If not, how much longer would you have liked? Everyone has had since 23 March to gear themselves up this.
Prior to last week, have you had any contact from the Government over restrictions? No.
What changes can we expect to see at your pub? PPE protective screen at the bar (already installed at Heretic and Bodells), if pubs aren’t doing this then I’d be very surprised !!, hand sanitizer at two points in the pub, safe distancing notices throughout, a one way in and out system in operation at both pubs.
Have you been offering takeaways/deliveries and if so how well has this worked? Both, both have gone extremely well, its amazed me that pubs close by haven’t done this as well, my regulars have supported me thru this period by still buying ale and I’ve supported them by making deliveries to them free of charge.
The Government have suggested that pubs use an app to process orders, surely this is out of the reach of many freehouses and micropubs, how are you planning on facing this? Is texting your order and contactless payment the best option? I won’t be using an app, I won’t be taking text orders as people may not turn up to the pub, I’ll be offering contactless and cash options for payment.
What are the main challenges in restarting a pub from scratch? Not enough people coming out to warrant opening, I can see an initial rush the 1st two weekends, but if people aren’t coming out Tue-Thur as well I really don’t see the point in opening midweek.
Do you think you will face any supply issues? Will the hasty reopen mean you will have a reduced range of products on sale? No I don’t think so, breweries have been up and brewing these past few weeks, I’ve already placed orders today and gave plenty of beer in as I’ve been doing a deliver service on www.cask2couch.beer and takeout thru The Last Heretic
STRETTON SOCIAL CLUB
How relieved are you at the news you can reopen? Difficult one, reopening will be great, the restrictions not so. The risks to many of our older members will be difficult for them to cope with. A socially distanced social club, difficult to see.
Generally how do you think the Government have handled the crisis in relation to the reopening of pubs? What have they got right, what have they got wrong? I give them credit for housing the homeless, the Furlough scheme, the business grants and the apparent way Universal Credit claims were handled so well. Local government has worked brilliantly to deliver new services and work so closely with local volunteers. I cannot say what I feel that has not gone well, it will take me far too long and I will get far too angry, see the stats, do the math.
Have you had enough time to make the necessary changes to your premises? If not, how much longer would you have liked? No, we have been undergoing some refurbishments and we have not been able to do much else whilst they were going on. It was also difficult to plan as selective leaking was giving different and contradictory advice. You only had to see the amount of changes in advice schools had to endure to understand the chaos.
Prior to last week, have you had any contact from the Government over restrictions? No.
What changes can we expect to see at your club? Difficult to be sure, but socially distanced tables, reduced opening to begin with, no pub games and no music, entertainment or noise.
Have you been offering takeaways/deliveries and if so how well has this worked? No.
The Government have suggested that pubs use an app to process orders, surely this is out of the reach of many freehouses and micropubs, how are you planning on facing this? Is texting your order and contactless payment the best option? Bar ordering seems the most likely still.
What support have you had from the brewery/pub company since you closed? Assisting with refurb and new cellar (hopefully)
What are the main challenges in restarting a club from scratch? Different for us because of the refurb and need to commission a new cellar, a deep clean, signage and tape everywhere.
Do you think you will face any supply issues? Will the hasty reopen mean you will have a reduced range of products on sale? Very likely breweries will probably concentrate on their tied houses and Pubcos, we’ll see. Reduced range will only be temporary.
THE WEIGHBRIDGE INN
How relieved are you at the news you can reopen? Slightly relieved but this is the beginning, things aren’t back to normal. I don’t know how well it’s going to work.
Generally how do you think the Government have handled the crisis in relation to the reopening of pubs? What have they got right, what have they got wrong? Peoples’ health come first but the Government were told by the trade we needed plenty of notice and they haven’t given it.
Have you had enough time to make the necessary changes to your premises? If not, how much longer would you have liked? I haven’t even seen what we have to do yet!!! We had already started planning what we think will work.
Prior to last week, have you had any contact from the Government over restrictions? Nothing at all.
What changes can we expect to see at your pub? We are looking at table service only and introducing a one-way system as we’ve opened another door. There will be hand washing stations at the doors but the rest is still being planned
Have you been offering takeaways/deliveries and if so how well has this worked? Yes the delivery service has worked really well we didn’t waste any beer at the brewery and have been back brewing for weeks.
The Government have suggested that pubs use an app to process orders, surely this is out of the reach of many freehouses and micropubs, how are you planning on facing this? Is texting your order and contactless payment the best option? It won’t be via an app.
What support have you had from the brewery/pub company since you closed? We’ve not yet tried to order our lager so can’t comment on that one. Obviously owing the brewery and the pub has its advantages for the home delivery service.
What are the main challenges in restarting a pub from scratch? Not knowing who is going to return. Not everyone is happy yet about coming out but fingers crossed that all our regulars will be there from 11.30?
Do you think you will face any supply issues? Will the hasty reopen mean you will have a reduced range of products on sale? Fingers crossed that with what we offer we shouldn’t have any problems, but because we like to change things I’m sure we will be ok.
THE VIEW FROM THE BAR
Local drinkers share what have they have missed most about pubs and thoughts about going back.
The taste of a freshly poured beer. Carry outs are great but by the time they are home, they don’t taste the same. I’ll go back as soon as it is safe for someone with low immune system and safe for people to go without the worry of spreading the virus so we don’t get a second wave. (Liam Murkin)
Lockdown hasn’t changed my drinking habits that much, though I have missed being able to go to the pub. The most annoying thing was the cancellation of National Bass Day. Not sure I’ll be rushing to the pub when they reopen, I’m likely to see what happens first. (Andy Jackson)
I am looking forward to getting back to the pub and feel that it is important to support our local as much as we can in these difficult times. The sun is shining so the pub beer garden will be an excellent space to spend some spare time. Lockdown drinking has been maintained by beer boxes from local microbreweries and homebrew. (Stewart Gibson)
Got through nine firkins of real ale since lockdown! Sick of being a cellar man, ready for our local pubs to do it for me. I didn’t drink it all, the lads left their potties and tubs on the wall and I filled them kept everyone happy. I’ll be first at the pub on the 4th July. Bring it on and support our lovely local pubs. (Mark Broughton)
The main things I have missed about pubs are the people, the conversations, meeting friends and somewhere convivial to wait for trains and buses. I now drink Real Ale at home. I will certainly return to pubs but I will be wary about entering crowded establishments unless there is an effective vaccine for Covid 19. (Jim Ward)
A common thing that you hear a lot regardless of being an ale, lager or cider drinker etc. is nothing ever replaces a proper pint! Like the saying goes, you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone. Most definitely looking to go back asap. (Stuart Garner)
I miss being able to socialise with friends properly whilst enjoying a good pint. Drinking at home from a bottle is ok if that’s all you got, but a proper pint is what I hanker for. The lock down has been a necessity but once it’s safe to do so I will be back in a pub like a rat up a drainpipe (but stress…. when it is deemed safe to do so). I’ve missed The Roebuck – Gates Burton Ale (GBA) Reservoir, Reservoir Gold or Dam, whichever Gates Ales they have on, and I always sample a few working at the Tower Brewery on a Friday night … a pint or two of Bass and Joules along the way. (Steve Gardner)
The full boddied flavour of a hand pulled pint of Peddi. (Paul Skitrall)
Can’t wait to have the Tower Brewery open on a Friday again!! Nowhere else in Burton like it for fresh brewed, flavour packed, silky IPA. (Leslie Ball)
I miss the friendship at Stapenhill Institute. Hope to be back soon. (Joy Chester)
I fully expect this Saturday to be a day of national madness. Remember what happened on Friday 20th March when Boris Johnson announced that the pubs would close later that night? The general public went down the pub for one last hurrah. That’s the British for you. Look at the beaches during the recent hot weather or reports of illegal raves, virus or no virus, we generally don’t like doing what we are told if we think we can get away with it. Give us a third and we will take a pint. This may stem from an inherent national rebellious streak or we could just be following the bad example of the cummings and goings of those in power.
A recent survey on the CAMRA Facebook group showed about a quarter of drinkers are not planning to return to pubs just yet, which will be a blessing in disguise, but one thing is for sure, if the sun is shining on 4th July pubs are going to be very busy and they will struggle to cope. The question isn’t if there will be a queue outside every single ‘Spoon’s come opening time, but if it stretches into the next postcode.
In the long term it is all about altering drinkers’ attitudes; not being able to get in to a pub because it is heaving is nothing new, but imagine being turned away because the place is “full”, even though it looks relatively empty? As a nation we have always enjoyed dropping in for a pint on a whim, as the Prime Minister described it: “The inalienable free-born right of people born in England to go to the pub” but that has now changed, for a while at least.
No matter how prepared the pubs may be they still face a massive challenge as they adapt to a very different world. Rumours were that the big pub chains were given draft guidelines weeks back, but for the smaller pub estates and independents there was only silence until last Wednesday; to be blunt there hasn’t been time for them to read, digest and act accordingly. Yes, some of the recommendations are common sense but what about those that require extra thought and planning? Let’s hope that the general public will be understanding and patient, even after the fifth pint.
The big question however is why a Saturday? Why not mid-week, say Wednesday 1st July? That way the new measures could be trialed before the inevitable massive piss up at the weekend, who in their right mind thought that date was a good idea?
With the immediate future looking like booking tables in advance or queuing outside like we are panic buying toilet rolls, things are going to be strange but given time the pub trade and the drinkers will adapt. We’ve shown that we are bloody good at that these last few months, but for the time being is it any wonder that some places are choosing to remain closed? Those who have that luxury of being able to watch and wait are making a wise decision, even if they hold off for a week or two it’ll allow the novelty to wear off and for the new normal to sink in. Like a dog isn’t just for Christmas, a pub isn’t just for 4th July.
Inevitably some places will be forced to open; those that have struggled financially through Lockdown will have to grin and bear it through what is likely to be a collective release of pent up frustration and l wish them all the luck in the world. Out of everybody it’ll be the hardworking publicans and their staff who will really deserve a drink this Saturday.
