1999 has seen new licencees in several good Stafford pubs, including,

- Steve and Bonita Tideswell (May)

The Bird in Hand, Victoria Square

- John McCready (July)

The Hogshead, Earl Street

- Alastair Choat (July)

The Stafford Arms, Railway Street

- Andy and Hazel Bennett (November)

Steve Tideswell has re-introduced an excellent range of real ales at the Tap & Spile and it is to be hoped that this choice can be maintained if, as is again rumoured, the pub reverts to its original name, the Cottage by the Brook. A March beer festival planned.

After about fifteen years in the Bird in Hand the Courage Best Bitter has been replaced following quality problems associated with production moving from Bristol to Tadcaster. The regular real ales are now Ruddles Best, John Smiths and Worthington Bitters and Courage Directors.

A conservatory is being planned as an extension to the Bird in Hand's lounge. The pub's winter beer festival was staged during the second weekend of December, with a marquee housing 29 cask beers,

a good proportion of which were available throughout the two day event.

Beer festivals were also held at the Picture House and Hogshead in late October.

The Hogshead is planning a competition for card-carrying CAMRA members on Tuesday evenings from mid February to mid March, with the purchase of a pint of guest beer offering the chance of winning a prize such as a Good Beer Guide, meal for two, pint or tee shirt.

Nearly three months passed between news breaking of Titanic selling the Stafford Arms and the pub actually being taken over by Punch Taverns.

The Railway Street pub didn't quite reach its sixth anniversary under Titanic ownership and on 29th November it was taken on by Telford couple Andy and Hazel Bennett and daughter Jodie.

Andy says that the award winning pub won't change much, and it still retains one of the best ranges of beer in Stafford. Sadly though, a couple of distinctive ales from Titanic and other small brewers have been replaced with commonplace beers from larger breweries, including Bass.