I was astonished to
hear recently that the licensee of one particular City pub had
given the Potters Bar editor a dressing-down in front of his customers
over the failure of the newsletter to feature his hostelry. In
a sense, this represents a back-handed complement, as the landlord
recognises the promoting power of Potters Bar as well as it being
an official CAMRA publication.
As Press/Publicity Officer for PPPG, I have written articles on
local pub issues for the Grapevine (our own newsletter), Potters
Bar and the. Sentinel. This comes as a pleasure to me , as I am
naturally interested in canvassing opinions from kindred spirits
who relish decent pubs and tasty beer. On occasion, I have been
the conduit for public opinion, and at times I have vented my
wrath on the subject of theme pubs and insensitive refurbs.
However on the basis that it is easy to become stereotyped by
sections of the media as a middle-aged curmudgeon who sits in
the cobwebbed recesses of old snugs, never happy unless there's
rising damp creeping up the walls, I have always followed a simple
maxim: be slow to chide, and quick to bless.
Here's where pubs have done well out of CAMRA and PPPG. So let's
recap on the efforts made by the latter Group to promote pubs
since 1996. As a Corporate Member of ours, the Greyhound in Penkliull
is entitled to the good publicity it has received from us; however,
its high standards deservedly draw praise in their own right.
A pen and ink drawing of the Coachmakers Arms was produced, gratis,
and presented to the pub in 1997, whilst its Hanley neighbour,
the Golden Cup (our Community Pub of the Year 1998) has been mentioned
on Radio Stoke in connection with its "Mystery Poet"!
The Albert in Newcastle has been much praised whilst another Corporate
Member, the Crown (Longton) was added to the database of the Tiles
and Architectural Ceramics Society following liaison with PPPG.
Lynn Pearson, my contact, wrote to me about the "nice and
relatively unusual tiled entrance" of. this landmark pub
(which CAMRA's Rob Shanks has photographs of) and I also spoke
about this matter on radio.
Our Corporate Members
have always been prominently mentioned on the Display Board which
is seen by thousands at the annual Stoke Beer Festival, whilst
our finest pubs are regularly promoted by yours truly in my Illustrated
Talks on the inns of Newcastle and the Potteries. Then there has
been my 1998 book "Potters.in Pubs", and the successful
Burslem Ale trail, which has helped beat the drum for the Mother
Town's finest for the last two years.
All this constitutes free publicity for a
wide range of watering holes, and all PPPG expects in return is
a simple "thank you". If all licensees were as well-mannered
as Tony Moss of the White Swan in Middleport my role for PPPO
would be even more fulfilling, but in the meantime, we have other
plans to improve our favourite pubs:
The book project on which I am presently working is entitled "Landmark
Pubs in and around the Potteries", and will feature articles
on around 30 - 35 local pubs which deserve to bask in the limelight.
The project will involve field-trips in the cause of research,
but... well, SOMEBODY'S got to do it!
"Once upon a time there
was a tavern, where we used to raise a glass or two.,."It is nearly two years
since the closure of my own favourite local pub effectively ended
the heroic and honourable efforts of the "Friends of the
Archer" (Wolstanton). The first meeting of this action group
took place on 23/2/97, and we later successfully petitioned Newcastle
Borough Council to have the Wolstanton Conservation Area extended
to include the pub.
Along the way, the campaign (led by Terry Fitzmaurice) generated
much media interest, and Radio Stoke's Sammy Plank even visited
us; however the battle to save the Archer (always conducted with
great dignity by its supporters) was lost when Allied Domecq finally
sold the building to the Catholic Church.
What's it like losing your "local1'? To all those who remember
the Archer (now derelict), and its licensee Pam Leigh, it was
akin to saying goodbye to your favourite schoolteacher, or leaving
the bosom ofyour family, or seeing your dearest friends depart
in all directions on your last day a university. Truth was, Pam
made it into a "home" for a "family" of regulars
who relished the two coal fires and the Abbott Ale, always served
with good cheer
On Saturday nights, many folk were more than happy to join the
three-deep queues at the bar. However, I usually imbibed there
during the week, enjoying the pub's seemingly unique bonhomie.
You can imagine how we felt on 28/2/98 when we learned that after
months of speculation, Pam had been given 28 days to vacate the
premises. The news hit me like a punch in the stomach, and it
spread through Wolstanton like a forest fire. Further public meetings
followed, but on March 13th, the Archer's official last night
took place. There were numerous unfamiliar faces, some folk appearing
out of curiosity, others evidently hoping for a 'lock-in' Pam
had seen them coming, which is why a ticket-only private party
was arranged for the following night.
I was first to arrive. Pam had taken down some of the interior
fittings, and the Archer had a somewhat spartan look. There were
platters of food, and live music from the duo Raising Dust, a
speech from Terry, and someone video-recorded the proceedings.
There were songs which seemed to capture the mood of the occasion:
"Pack up your troubles", "We'll Meet Again",
and of course "Auld Lang Syne". However, I departed
before the celebration could turn into a wake.
So where are the "old familiar faces"? Terry Fitzmaurice
can often be found with his head in a book at the Cricketers'
Arms, also favoured by Lou Sassy and myself; Ken Rogers and Mike
Platt joined Wolstanton WMC and the Rheade brothers now patronise
the Village Tavern. Last word to Pam Leigh, who now runs the New
Inn in Hanley: "The pub's closure has completely split the
community - there is NO one other pub that the Archer "gang"
go to, there isn't one with the same atmosphere in the area".
Absolutely true.
"Those were the
days my friends"
Copyright CAMRA (Potteries Branch) - Downloaded 9/4/00