Brewing is likely to return to Stone a quarter of a century after the historic Joules brewery was closed by Bass in 1974.

Local shoe shop proprietor Brian Blundell registered the "John Joule & Sons" name in 1992, and their beers have been brewed by Coach House of Warrington since late 1994. Plans to brew at Stone railway station hit the buffers three years ago.

On 25th September the Swan on Stafford Street, Stone, was bought and it is hoped that beer will be brewed there before the millennium. The Swan, a grade II listed building dating from 1771, is due to reopen by Spring 1999. It will be run by Brian's son Geoff Blundell and Robert Smith, and eight Real Ales will be on offer.

The micro brewery is planned for the stable at the rear of the Swan's yard, with an adjacent room becoming the brewery cold store. The Swan's original layout of lounge, corridor and public bar will be preserved.

The brewery is likely to be just a five barrel plant producing special brews, with Coach House still contracted to produce beers such as Old Priory.

There was a change late last year to the pubs supplied by the Firkin brewery in Stafford. The beers brewed at the Forester and Firkin by Steve Hamson, which include a new Best Bitter are delivered to the Firkin pubs in Derby, Ashby de la Zouch and Nottingham. The three Firkin pubs in the Potteries and Newcastle now get their beer from the Finings and Firkin in Oldbury.

SIater's award winning Eccleshall brewery launched another seasonal beer in late September. Organ Grinder is a full bodied 5.1% abv ale that is darker than Slater's regular beers. The full range of Slater's beer are always available at the brewery lap, the George Hotel, Castle Street, Eccleshall.

The Crystal Fountain, Cannock has been granted a grade II listing by the Department of Culture. The St. John's Road pub was built for Mitchells and Butler's in 1937 and, apart from a small arch linking the two front bars, little has changed since then, with even the plain furnishings still intact.

The Crystal Fountain may have seemed nothing special a generation ago, but few such unspoilt pubs now remain, and the listing means that Enterprise Inns far reaching development plans are thankfully being scrapped in favour of a more sensitive scheme.

The last thirty years have seen the closure of all eight pubs in the area of Cannock just North of the Crystal Fountain. The Crown, Horse & Jockey, Station, Unicorn and Yew Tree have been demolished, while the Acorn, Black Horse and Red Lion have suffered a change of use.

The Wheatsheaf, Stafford Road, which in the early 1970s was the only Cannock pub to sell Draught Bass, is now a Banks's Tap House called the Fern and Fallow.

Blencowes beers have reappeared after a gap of 73 years. The Blencowes micro brewery at the Exeter Arms, Barrowden, Rutland is, however, sixty miles East of William Blencowe & Co's, Cannock Brewery which, with its 32 tied houses, was acquired by Butler's of Wolverhampton in 1925.

After eighteen months as assistant manager of Stafford's Bird in Hand, Graham Brown, has left to take on the historic National Trust owned Fleece at Bretforton, near Evesham.

Mike Watkins left the Stafford Arms in the Autumn, and now runs the Coach and Horses in Shipston on Stour, a Hook Norton pub. Mike had kept Titanic's Stafford pub for nearly five years, during which he was twice presented with Stafford and Stone CAMRA's Pub of the Year award.

Ian Aulton left the Chetwynd Arms in November after twelve years at the Banks's pub in Brocton.

Audrey Freeman is retiring after nearly thirty years at the Eagle, Newport Road, Stafford.

Marstons' plans to transform the historic Woolpack Inn at Weston into a restaurant pub have met with fierce opposition from local people and CAMRA.

Previous owners, Brian and Jean Botham had skillfully extended the pub's dining area without disturbing the traditional public bar.

Marstons bought the 17th century "inn on the green" last May, with the intention of converting it into a "branded concept".

Within months Marstons submitted development plans for a new kitchen, converted from a store room and double garage which would open onto the public bar. Although the layout of four bays dating back to the original cottages would not have been affected, the serving of meals throughout the pub would have ruined its character. The numerous games and sports teams and other regulars would inevitably feel unwelcome.

Some of the locals have now met with Marston's representatives, and Stafford CAMRA wrote to chairman Michael Hurdle. The letter reminded him that Marston's recent Annual Report had mentioned "depressed customer spending, particularly in food-led outlets", and pointed out the danger of losing the thriving public bar trade, and suggested instead an extension to the existing kitchen.

These points have, thankfully, been accepted and it is now likely that a new cellar and WC will occupy the store and double garage, with the present kitchen being extended. The public bar will be retained and the drinking and dining areas will be larger.

Many of the pubs locals are still far from happy with the new plans, fearing that the pub's uniqueness will be lost after such a major redevelopment.

Things could, however, be worse.

For the last few years the Brown Jug at Bishop's Offley has been noted for its Hanby Ales, Spanish restaurant and threatened closure for conversion to a private residence.

The Fernandez family left at the end of August, with beer on sale at just £1 a pint during the Bank Holiday period.

The pub has been tastefully decorated, with the previously spartan bar now being more welcoming, whilst retaining a dart board and bare floor. A wide range of meals is served in the lounge.

The Brown Jug is just over three miles West of Eccleshall and Banks's Bitter and a Coach House beer, such as Flintlock Pale, are on sale there.

The Gayton Hotel, a mile North of Weston, is the latest country pub to close and be converted into a private house. Being situated in a dead-end lane can't have helped trade, and just Bass beers have been on sale there in recent years.

Pubmaster have admitted that not all of their pubs can support a couple. A newspaper advert for the tenancy of the King's Arms, Peel Terrace, Stafford, says that the terraced pub "would suit a couple with one partner who wishes to keep their full-time job".

From the Archives Stafford & Stone Pub of the Year 1998 Stafford 1998

OTHER ARTICLES IN ISSUE 86 OF POTTERS BAR

Front Page From the Editor Campaigning Issues Pub of the Month Local 1999 GBG Entries

Potteries Pub Preservation Group Belgium in a Bottle Pub News

Potters Bar Back Issues.