Pub News 2003
Latest News 23/11/03
A pub popular with beer aficionados, the Narrow Boat in Skipton, is now being run by Ian Reid. Ian has been at the pub for a good while, working alongside Graham & Lou Caunt before they departed to the Tithe Barn, Northallerton.
Winter hours at the Masons Arms, Eastby, are 6 P.M. to 11 P.M. Tuesday to Friday, 12 to 3 P.M. & 6 to 11 P.M. Saturday, 12 to 10.30 P.M. Sunday. It’s closed on Mondays.
Work has started on the closed Devonshire Hotel, Skipton. J. D. Wetherspoon had their plans approved by Craven Council after 3 years of attempts. It should reopen on 29th February 2004.
The Marton Arms, Thornton-in-Lonsdale, has now been sold to Enterprise Inns, the licensee being Graham Wright.
The Victor Wardman (which was ‘Boothy’s’ for several years), almost next door to Keighley railway station, has been renamed ‘Chrome’ and appears to be trading as a night club as its opening hours displayed outside are 7 P.M. to 1 P.M. Thursdays, 7 P.M. to 2 P.M. Fridays and Saturdays.
The Brown Cow in Keighley is now being run by Barry and Carol Taylor who have been helping out at the Brewery Arms during the Summer. The pub now sells Timothy Taylor’s Golden Best, Best Bitter, Landlord and a guest beer. When they reopened the temporarily closed pub on 7th November the guest was Goose Eye Pommies Revenge.
Licensee Allan Smith, who has been at the Friendly on South Street in Keighley for 11 years, is leaving the pub in January.
In October the Eastwood Tavern, Keighley, had Tetley Bitter and Marstons Pedigree as permanent beers. Also Black Sheep as guest. The pub has sold Daleside and other guests in the past.
The Brewery Arms, Keighley, is to open a 42 cover silver service first floor restaurant in December 2003. Part of the downstairs area is now non-smoking.
Items with no particular date from 2003 or earlier
Boltmakers
Arms:
Guest beers that have been on sale in
the last few weeks at the Keighley Pub are Ossett Excelsior, Copper
Dragon Pale Ale and Wychwood Hobgoblin, one at a time.
The Old Silent, Stanbury:
Has changed its beer range in the
Spring. Out went Theakston’s beers and in came
Taylor’s Golden Best, Landlord and Ram Tam.
Timothy Taylor's Brewery:
Have obtained planning permission for their envisaged developments at Knowle Spring Brewery. This will include a new building and should improve throughput.
Silsden's
Bridge Inn:
The Bridge opening times are 4 P.M. to 11 P.M. from Monday to Thursday,
1 P.M. to 11 P.M. Friday, 12 noon to 11 P.M. Saturday, 12 noon to 10.30
P.M. Sunday.
The Bridge, Silsden, has continued to stock interesting guest beers for
several months. Recently Eastwood & Sanders ‘Beyond
the Pale’ and Quay ‘Silent Knight’ have
been on sale.
Real ale returns to the Roebuck
Black Sheep Best Bitter and Fullers London Pride were on offer on 17th April 2002 and a 'coming soon' board announced the imminent arrival of Old Speckled Hen, which will presumably replace the Pride. The current licensee is to be congratulated on reinstalling something worth drinking in what is, after all, the author's nearest pub.
Sutton’s Bay Horse Inn:
The enlarged range of beers is Tetley Mild & Bitter with Taylor’s Golden Best and Landlord.
The Railway
Cononley:
The tenants since February are Andrew and Lorraine
Taylor.
Craven Arms
Appletreewick:
The regular beers are Black Sheep Bitter, Tetley Bitter, Old Bear
Original & Hibernator and Moorhouses’
“Ap’trick Ale” (a house beer). Opening
hours are 11.30 to 3, 6.30 to 11 on Monday to Friday; 11.30 to 11
Saturday; 12 to 10.30 Sunday.
The Old Swan,
Gargrave:
The new licensees at the Old Swan,
Gargrave, are Des Hennessey and Amanda Hickton. On one of our
‘Tuesday Three’ jaunts in March we found Tetley
Bitter, Flowers IPA, Taylor’s Landlord and the guest was
Clark’s Leaping Leprechaun. On the same evening we found
Tetley Bitter at the Anchor and Tetley Bitter with Taylor’s
Landlord at the Masons Arms.
The Elm Tree
Embsay:
Has changed hands at the end of April. The new licensee is Janet Ridd.
We say a sad farewell to Sue and Keith who have moved on having been at
the pub since 1996 selling a fine range of cask beers.
Wharfedale Brewery will become reality this Summer:
When 3 beers become available from
the Folly at Hartlington Hall, near Burnsall. This is the brainchild of
Steve Blizzard and David Aynesworth (recently joined up CAMRA members).
The beers will be Folly Ale, Executioner and Van Der Plas. These will
be barreled and bottled and delivered via a 1926 Model T Ford brewery
dray. The business is hoping to grow some of its own raw materials,
viz. wheat and barley, next to the brewery.
A new brewery
is to start up on Snaygill Industrial Estate, just outside Skipton.
Copper Dragon Ales hope to be open by the end of February. The brewery
will be 10 barrels in length and will produce 200 casks per week
starting with 3 ales – a 3.8% best bitter, 4.4% pale ale and
3.7% dark ale.
Owners Steve Taylor and Ruth Bennett hope to secure trade within a 10-mile radius of Skipton, moving to 15 miles eventually. The head brewer will be Gordon Wilkinson who has been given a free hand to buy the best English malt and hops. The brewery will be open to the public and some beer will be available in small casks direct from the brewery.
The Maypole,
Long Preston
The Castle Eden Ale handpump is now available for a changing guest beer
(which will occasionally be Castle Eden Ale).
New licensees
at the Railway, Skipton,
are Keith and Kathleen Scarrot.
New Licencee at Black Bull, Cowling
Brian Taylor.
Village pubs going online
There will be more than real ale on offer at two of the pubs in our branch area very shortly. The Golden Lion at Horton-in-Ribblesdale and the Masons Arms at Eastby will be fitted with state of the art terminals providing pub visitors with the opportunity to e-mail and surf the Net. These two pubs are among the first fifteen rural pubs in North Yorkshire who successfully applied for the facility which is a scheme funded by the Government through the UK Online Initiative. Organised by the Licensed Victuallers and Community Education Service it is aimed at giving isolated rural communities the chance to learn about computers and is giving more emphasis to the pub being the hub of the community as we are seeing in other parts of the country.
There will be three terminals going in at The Golden Lion and four at the Masons Arms any day now and, in what has to be a plum job, a tutor will be on hand to offer free advice. (Written by GC, April 30th 2002)
Fox and Hounds, Starbotton
The licensee at the Fox & Hounds, Starbotton, is Michael Senior, who was previously at the Black Bull, Cowling.
Tennant Arms,
Kilnsey.
Taylor’s Landlord has been added to
the bar.
Other North Yorkshire pubs also threatened by FMD fall-out
Rumours regularly reach us of pubs in the Dales having closed. These frequently turn out to be false. Last Autumn, the local press reported the closure of the Bridge Inn in Ingleton and the Goat Gap Inn (on the South West side of Ingleborough) and sadly these rumours turned out to be true. Both these pubs are outside the Keighley and Craven area but the news is a reflection of some of the real difficulties our own rural pubs are having.
Guest beers back in fashion in Skipton
Whilst the Narrowboat is famed for its range of guest beers, 2 other Skipton pubs are (back) in on the act. The Cock and Bottle on Swadford Street has not quite reverted to its heyday as Skipton's premier cask ale outlet, but it is making a good attempt. The then managers are back and with their return have come guest beers from the Enterprise Inns portfolio. Two guests are normally available alongside the permanent offering of Castle Eden Ale, Boddingtons Bitter and Tetley Bitter. Round the corner and up the Main Street, the Black Horse has also recently reintroduced guest beers. Up to 3 guest beers from ScotCo's list are available alongside Theakstons Best Bitter recent offerings have included Wychwood from Oxfordshire and Youngs Waggledance. (Written April 2002.)
Prince Charles visits Ribblesdale pub
On Monday 17th December 2001, Prince Charles visited the Craven Heifer, Stainforth to launch an initiative to help keep rural pubs open. Called 'The Pub is the Hub', the campaign promotes the multiple use of public houses. The Craven Heifer is a prime example, as it houses both the village post office and shop, the first pub in Thwaites tied estate to take on this dual role. The Prince mingled with local customers and enjoyed a bar meal, washing it down with a drop of Thwaites Bitter and a malt whisky. Since Debbie and Mike Prior took over the pub in December 2000, bringing the village shop and post office with them from across the road, trade has increased significantly - despite Foot and Mouth Disease. Debbie and Mike intend to develop the B&B side of the business, converting the rooms to be en-suite in the very near future. Cask Mild and Reward should appear alongside the Thwaites Bitter at busy times of the year such as in the summer and during school holidays. The pub is currently closed Monday lunchtimes and its winter opening hours are 12-2 and 6-11. Debbie and Mike hope to extend opening hours a little from Easter until the end of September. Camramblers report that the pub is "rucksack-friendly, hiker-friendly and child-friendly" although how they ascertained the latter I am not sure. (A booklet is available from the Countryside Agency, which provides examples of good practice and practical advice to help rural pubs diversify.)
