The
3 year old timber frontage at No.21 The Ironmarket, Newcastle
- better known as the Hogshead - is due to be replaced with folding
aluminium and glass windows. On sunny summer days you will be
able to enjoy your meals and drinks alfresco whilst still being
inside the building!
Hopefully this arrangement win help to overcome the British fear
of the sight of alcohol being consumed in a public place -the
main reason why continental style pavement cafes are so rare over
here
CAMRA (Potteries Branch) would like to sincerely thank the manager of the Newcastle Hogshead for his kind donation of two banks of four handpumps from the upstairs bar. Be assured, they will be put to good use at the 20th Stoke Beer Festival in September!
Audley and district is a great place
to live or visit for cask beer -
especially as the last keg only pub, The Swan, in Bignall End
now stocks Draught Bass. The Plough Bignall End, and The Gresley
Arms Alsager's Bank, always have at least ten guest beers on between
them, and the Boughey Arms, Audley, had five beers at last count.
Fifteen different beers in three pubs! Who said there was no demand
for cask beer?
And it doesn't end there. The Railway at Halmer End, and the Butcher's
Arms in Audley both stock Burtonwood Bitter, Top Hat, and Burtonwood's
monthly guest ale - Hop Back Summer Lightning coming soon!
The Royal Oak in Miles Green also stocks Burtonwood beers. The
former brew-pub The Rising Sun. Shraley Brook may soon be no more,
but is still open at present. Take a trip to the Audley district
- you may find yourself spoilt for choice!
The Bear Hotel, the grand mock tudor gabled pub in West
Brampton, Newcastle, 
had a change of licensee earlier in the year.
The new hosts are Mark Lindsay and Tracy Wilde who are just as
CAMRA friendly as Jack used to be. Mark and Tracy are busy building
up the trade and are full of good ideas. There are two football
teams (11-a-side and 6-a-side) a darts team and a crib team. Karaoke
on Sundays is popular, and the beer garden and children's play
area is taking shape. The usual beer is Theakstons Best Bitter,
with Courage Directors and Marston's Pedigree regularly featured
plus occasional guests - especially when the lounge plays host
to CAMRA meetings.
No sooner had Potters Bar reported that the King's Shilling, situated
midway between Silverdale and Newcastle, had closed, when it re-opened
again.
New landlord, Eric Tilsley, is a local man, and many will remember
his grandparents Harold and Mary who kept The Bush in Silverdale
and the Mason's Arms in Knutton between 1957 and 1968.
It's good to see the King's Shilling re-open, and with Burtonwood
Top Hat and Wothington Bitter on handpump,
Potters Bar wishes Eric every success in his venture.
The Congleton based, Beartown Brewery, produced an unusual
RYE beer for the Macclesfield beer festival in May, which was
named Bearfaced Rye at the Festival itself. This beer is also
available at the Beartown Brewery Tap, 18 Willow Street, Congleton,
while stocks last.
Also available exclusively at the Brewery Tap is a stout which
was brewed for St. Patrick's Day. Apparently, some casks were
squirreled away, so it is still available.
Beartown Brewery opened their tied house, the Brewery Tap in November,
and since then they have gone from strength to strength. The range
and quality of the Beartown beers available there is superb.
