News & Views

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PUB AND BREWERY NEWS IS BACK! For several reasons, this page has not been updated for some time. It is now back in action, so if you wish to share any news, please use the link send an email to the Webmaster. Old news may be found here. Also check out the branch newsletter, The Mad Cow.

Date		Posted By
22^th October 2009	Cottage Inn, Winkfield It has been in the ownership of the same people for the past 25 years at least and has the reputation for being a good if expensive restaurant rather than a pub and is particularly popular with corporate entertaing of clients. However we were made to feel most welcome by the landlord who was holding court with friends our side of the bar, we were even offered roast potatoes from a circulating dish. The beer on offer was Lodden Hoppit at £3.30 served from false casks heads which are gravity feed from a small 6 ft by 6 ft "cellar" behind the bar. There cannot be many gravity dispense systems left in our Branch area.	Ian M.
7^th October 2009	News from Branch Meeting The Retreat and The Frog & Wicket are to hold Beer Festivals. They both clash with one at the Prince of Wales. Wokingham bus route 127 is a good beer tour route. The landlords of the Queen’s Head are moving. Possibly in November. The B.S.T. is to have occasional animal roasts. The Jolly Farmer in Sandhurst is under new management. The Ship, Wokingham is selling Fuller’s I.P.A. The Rifle Volunteer has good beer. The Crispin has improved. The Bull (Bracknell) is opening Sunday lunchtimes with a carvery. The Rose & Crown in Sandhurst has a “girls” dart team and good beer. The Duke’s Head in Wokingham is clean and has good beer. Hernes Oak will be turned into offices. The Three Legged Cross, Warfield is being refurbished. Probably as a Bar/Restaurant. The Blue Lion, Bracknell is up for sale. Peacock Farm Pub now control the local Community Centre, which is a possible site for a meeting. The management are Pro CAMRA but say the locals want an eating house..	Various Members
28^th July 2009	New life at the Crispin John Westendorp, who has just taken over at the Crispin where he is increasing the number of handpumps at the Crispin to five, getting rid of the regional beers and serving beers only from micros.He's also replacing the Strongbow with a real cider. There will be Budvar on draught, plus Belgian beers. Not only that, but he is serving food again, as of this Monday. He has also offered to section-off part of the bar so that we could have meetings there. Other pub news - I've spoken to Steve Smith (ex of the Bull, Bracknell). He is still running the Queen's Oak, on a renewed licence, and also has the licence for the Duke's Head, Wokingham, where he has a manageress running things. Both pubs will be holding mini beer festivals along the same lines, serving three beers from Brakspears, plus five others (he didn't say and I didn't think to ask, but these might also be from the Marston's empire). The one at the Queen's Oak is on Saturday 15th August and the one at the Duke's Head is on Saturday 12th September.	Dave R.
10^th June 2009	not so Raleigh .... We visited the Walter Arms at Sindlesham last evening - our first visit there. It is very much a food-oriented pub, but has a bar area (we ate there as one of the dining rooms was booked by a large party) where drinkers (there are some locals) are welcomed - this contrasts with some pubs where drinkers are treated like pariahs. Beers on were Black Sheep Best Bitter (£2.90 I think), London Pride and Spitfire (£3.00). I tried the Black Sheep, which was very good indeed, and the Spitfire, which was also good.The food was excellent, but is not cheap. However, if you want to eat there, the pastas and pizzas represent decent value for money.We would recommend this place - more reports and beer scores please!	Nick B.
9^th June 2009	Rebelling in Wokingham Visited the Square in Wokingham today in the interests of research. They did have London Pride on handpump but no longer. However they do have two of Rebellion's 22 pint mini barrels on the bar, one with IPA and a seasonal (which I have forgotten the name of). These are CO2 pressured and have a shelf life of 3/4 weeks which the barperson says reflects the limited demand. First time I have come across this bit of equipment in a pub. There is a full description on Rebillion's website.	Ian M.
13^th May 2009	Beer Festival in Reading - again! Reading's smallest Beer Festival opens at the Retreat from 15th to 17th May. - Like the pub, what the festival lacks in size , it makes up for in character - They will have available a selection of prize winners from Reading CAMRA's Beer Festival Loc'ale competition and other beers from father afield.	Dave R.
6^th May 2009	News from Branch Meeting • Three Legged Cross, Warfield – Pub closed due to repeated flooding. Enterprise Inns plans to sell it. • Queen’s Oak, Finchampstead – The previous licensees, Mick and Lorna, have left and Steve Smith (previously of the Bull, Bracknell) has taken it over on a two-month lease. The beer lines were found to be in poor shape and have now been thoroughly cleaned. Apparently the locals are buying the beer again and 88 gallons were sold in the first week of opening. • Prince, Crowthorne – The manager, who had left, has now been reinstated. • Fuller’s new beer, Gales Seafarers, is reported to be on sale at the Victoria Arms, Binfield and the Old Hatchet, Winkfield/Woodside area	Various Members
2^nd May 2009	CAMRA National Mild Month - May 2009 - 65% of Britain ’s alcohol drinkers yet to try Britain ’s national drink, real ale - Trying ‘Mild’ could be the perfect introduction to the world of real ale! - Britain now brews over 200 Milds, double the number in 1999	Nick B.
27^th April 2009	Price reduction! After the bad news about the Three Legged Cross (see below), all is not doom and gloom. I visited the Bull in Bracknell on Saturday, and even after the budget, they have put their prices DOWN by 10p a pint.	Alex A.
27^th April 2009	Legs Uncrossed Three Legged Cross, Watfield - now boarded up ! Evidentely repairs would have cost more than the pub was gaining, so the owners have decided put it up for sale.	Nick B.
6^th April 2009	Gig Frogs? Gig House, Wokingham - Holding a Beer Festival from 15th April to 4th May. Many different beers on offer over the period. CAMRA Members' Wetherspoon's vouchers accepted. Three Frogs, Wokingham - Holding a Beer Festival over the Easter Weekend and hoping to offer a few local beers as well as GK guests.	David R.
12^th March 2009	Horse wins over Retriever Spurred on by yesterday's news on the Golden Retriever, I duly went there at 12:20 today. Inside there were about 12 people queuing for a drink and about 4 queuing for food. Leaving there rapidly, without even a drink, went to the White Horse which was a lot quieter. They also had a new Green King beer on (and on promotion at £1.40 a pint !) called St Edmunds at 4.2 - a golden ale - quite reasonable especially at that price (it will be at £2.80 normally)	Keith E.
11^th March 2009	Golden delight The Golden Retriever is holding an ale festival during March and April. Chosen ales include Sharps Doom Bar, T. Taylor Golden Best, Cally 80/-, Brains Rev. James. Hevistoun Bitter & Twisted and proper Bud. More details on their website including a competition.	Ian M.
9^th March 2009	News from Binfield The Jack of Newbury in Binfield is currently blind tasting a series of new beers. Nine different firkins will be tried over the period and customers are asked to mark them out of ten. The successful one will probably replace Rebellion IPA and will be know as Binfield Bitter.	Ian M.
6^th March 2009	Depths of Little Sandhurst Went to the Fox & Hounds at Little Sandhurst, an unaltered pub up a gravel lane. Difficult to find and only serving local trade. One wonders how a pub like this survives. Has three old Trumans Brewery lanterns hanging outside, an indication of how long nothing has been done to the building, inside or out. Two real ales were available but I would not go there for the beer.	Ian M.
15^th February 2009	New landlord at the Metropolitan, Wokingham Two recent visits to the Metropolitan, Rose Street, Wokingham have confirmed that the new CAMRA-friendly landlord has made huge improvements to the beer quality at this cosy side-street local. He is able to order guest beers from Greene King's list and the Bateman's XXXB was in absolutely wonderful condition last Saturday. This pub is definitely one to be watched.	Dave R.
10^th February 2009	Treat at the Plough and Harrow, Warfield Recently we both enjoyed a good pint and an excellent meal at the Plough & Harrow in Warfield (RG42 6AE). New chef is excellent and the landlord is keen to welcome CAMRA members.	Trish B.

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WEBSITE LAST UPDATED: 5^th March 2010