south clwyd area news and reports

Wrexham Meander (7 November 2009)
A Saturday late afternoon stroll around Wrexham centre revealed things are not all doom and gloom on the ale front. Certainly better than about ten years ago when a speculative visit around ten or so bars found only keg.

First stop was the Elihu Yale for a pint of York Coppergate at a Wetherspoons voucher reduced price of just £1.19. Bargain and very tasty to boot. Busy in here as Wrexham fans prepared to face the might of Lowestoft in the FA Cup.

Next was the newly opened Royal Oak on High Street (pictured). This promised to be Wrexham's premier real ale house and it certainly delivered. Woods Bonfire Brew and Shropshire Lad were backed up by Black Sheep and Bass on handpump. The Lad was superb. Too good for just the one. Beer of the Day! The barmaid reports a 50:50 split between lager and cask sales which they're highly encouraged about considering the lack of promotion. When you pop in expect lots of wood-panelling, frosted Joules brewery mirrors and stained glass windows. A fine refit and a truly welcome addition to town.

Over the road is the other 'Spoons - the blandly named North & South Wales Bank. There were more festival ales to be sampled as the final scores rolled in the big TV screens. Again more high marks for quality - this time for Butcombe Old Vic. Shame most of the punters were on the lager. As heavy rain descended, it was round the corner to the Nags Head. The one time Border Brewery tap, with its central bar, was packed, wedged, heaving, with folk in to watch Wales v the All Blacks. Three ales were available. Ringwood Old Thumper, Marston's Pedigree and Bitter. Latter was good; rugby union all stop-start as ever.

Time was limited so it was just a quick half in the Old Swan where the rumoured Hydes real ale was finally discovered to be on tap. The one offering - Hydes 1863 (OK) - was necked but still with sufficient time to chat to the pub's only two customers - one of whom claimed to be (seriously) a vibrator sales and repairman. Chuckling but sceptical, it was onto the olde worlde thatched Horse & Jockey, with its rambling interior, for a perfectly acceptable pre-bus half of Black Sheep Bitter. Tetleys and Youngs Special were also available though there was no sign of the local Plassey beers which do make the odd guest appearance.

An enjoyable sojourn then. Proof positive that real ale lovers need no longer panic if they're abandoned in Wrexham for a few hours.  
 
Deeside Desert (1 November 2009)
From a real ale loving Airbus UK fan's perspective, an away draw to Connah's Quay in the Welsh Cup is not the most enticing. Our colleague, who never has a half, tried to make the most of it with little reward as we publish his unexpurgated diary of the day's pub events... 

"1.  The Clwyd. NRA (no real ale). - Good choice of keg, L-shaped lounge with pool and separate bar. Early opening and enthusiastic  locals. Good, entertaining boozer. Watch out for Colin the Elvis impersonator.
"2. Hare & Hounds. NRA. - Bar and lounge (latter shut at quieter times) showing Sky football. Bare boarded with cream painted tongue and groove half-panelling. Good -figured barmaid in high-heeled boots features. Look for the rude photo.
"3. Albion . NRA. - Gloomy social club showing Attheraces. Various functions at various times enliven the place. Two full size snooker tables at rear. The front consists of two corrals of bench seating, tables & stools.
"4. Cross Keys. NRA. - Horribly-modernised two-room pub showing Sky football. Painted in sickly cream with bench seating, tongue & groove bar panelling and a raised window area. Minimalist decor and a bit too cafe bar-ish for Deeside.
"5.  Y Celstryn. NRA. - One room social club at the college, to the rear of Deeside Stadium. Sky Sports News on post-match for the scores as they come in.
"6. Sir Gawain & The Green Knight. Sam Smith's OBB. - Single winding lounge with knight pictures.
"7. Halfway House.  Greene King IPA. - Heavily-renovated 30s roadhouse, rambling about its cream painted, sanitised brick and panelling without any real character. The fantastic traditional rear public bar area was scandalously ripped away to be replaced by a cafe bar 'experience'.
"8. Ship. Brains SA. - Three room boozer with a dog (you have to throw the tyre), table football and Sky Sports. No frills local. Excellent.
"9. Custom House. NRA. - Dark pub playing thumping music & showing Serie A on Sky. Mainly standing bar with raised seating and side tables. Quite thriving when it gets going.
"10. Boathouse. NRA. - Backroom dive featuring youngsters & loud music.
"11. Castle . Too drunk to write anything other than 'Beer'. - Fine, one room pub in two halves."

Airbus lost by the way while the Old Quay House was closed indefinitely. By the sound of it, the proposed Wetherspoons in Shotton can't come soon enough.

Royal Oak Opens At Last (22 October 2009)
After much speculation the Royal Oak, on Wrexham's High Street which, in its previous incarnation, was the Ambassadar Polish Bar, has re-opened after a refit.

On entry you find a mirrored wood-panelled lounge with comfortable seating. This leads on to the bar and then to an area at the rear for smokers. Considering it was a first night, when teething problems can occur, the Black Sheep Bitter was superb and at the correct temperature for drinking. Other ales available were Draught Bass and Old Speckled Hen while an additional handpump was unused.

After a couple of sips the very enthusiastic landlady talked about the pub and the plans she has for taking it forward. As they see it, there's a gap in Wrexham for a pub with real ales (too right - Web Ed). Consequently, they are keen to attract ale drinkers and will gladly, where possible, bring in any customer requested guest beer. The pub is now owned by Joules Brewery (formerly Tuns Taverns) and based in Market Drayton. They hope to supply the Royal Oak with their own ale in April next year. This presumably will also apply to the similarly owned White Horse at Overton.

On the food front due to logistical reasons they're not yet doing grub but this will be rectified. In the meantime, if you are peckish, you can bring in your own food while crockery and cutlery will be provided. Also they will get a pie oven so you will be able to grab an oggie or such like from behind the bar.

A great first impression. If, as is sincerely hoped, the plans come off, this could easily be Wrexham's premier watering hole.

Ewloe Pubs By Day (21 October 2009)
Diary extracts from work lunchtime visits to the pubs around Ewloe ... 

"My first visit to the White Bear, Mancot and first impressions were good with spartan dining tables and a nice corner with some comfy leather sofas. There were just the two handpumps with Jennings Snecklifter (£2.60) the sole offering. At least there was no need to choose! The landlord appeared with a phone wedged between shoulder and ear. Conversation was skipped as he cleared the bar of letters and bills to find a spot for the proffered pint on the desk  bar. I settled into a comfy armchair to read my paper in peace and quiet... In theory it’s nice to see a pub with separate lounge and bar areas, unfortunately though the sounds permeating through from the bar of Sky Sports news (very loud) and a school girl playing the quiz machine (sporadic shrieking) did not sit with the mood music piped into the lounge. Then there was the barman walking round on the phone and tradesman deliveries through the front door and ... I think you get the idea. Oh, and the beer was very average.

"Boars Head, Ewloe – A return to my closest pub to work following a mysterious spell of being closed at lunchtimes for a few months. This 2009 GBG has always been consistent in offering four ales including Tetley’s Mild, Bass, Black Sheep and a guest. My only gripe is that the beer is always too cold and hence pretty tame on the palate. Having spotted a new sign flagging up its lunchtime opening hours for the first time I decided a return was overdue... The first change I noticed was the disappearance of the mild handpump, ripped from the bar by an irate customer frustrated by years of supping insipid Tetley mild no doubt... Of the three remaining pumps only two were live with Bass and Black Sheep being the selection with no guest beer. The barman has assured me that Bass has always been the bestseller here but on the occasions I’ve imbibed it has always been a pale ghost of a great beer. The Black Sheep (£2.70) was cold and inoffensive. Not GBG material. I also discovered the reason for the mysterious lunchtime closure. It was not due to the fact that it was usually empty but caused by the arrival of a new baby to the landlord! I can fully appreciate the stresses of breaking in a new baby and the long hours of running a pub can bring. I just wish that they wouldn’t dump the little one in a car-seat and leave it in the bar with me as the sole drinker / free babysitter. Very difficult reading the sports section when a baby is crying out for its next feed! At least Sky Sports News was on mute (mustn’t wake baby!)

"This brings me on nicely to the gem I have discovered a few months back. The Crown & Liver in Ewloe was for years another down market pub drifting towards inevitable lager-fuelled closure. The transformation to gastropub was astonishing to say the least. The proximity of the huge Unilever office has proved a good catchment for its new clientele who regularly frequent and pack the place out on Friday’s. It is easy to escape the diners though by virtue of its bar and outdoor area. The latter’s fountain, reclining chairs and huge parasols in its sun-trapped yard make for a positive oasis on sunny days. Throw in a Jennings Snecklifter (£2.65), usually on top form, and you can close your eyes and imagine you’re in the Lakes (almost). Jennings Cumberland (£2.40) and a Marston’s “guest” are the other regulars of the trio. The food is popular though the prices are at the upper end, though they now do some hot specials starting from £6-7. And isn’t it nice to have a lunchtime pint and not feel like you’ve walked into someone’s front room. ..."

Change at the Crown (23 September 2009)
Whilst delivering the Good Beer Guide 2010 licencee pack to the Crown at Summerhill the other day it was discovered that landlord and expert cellarman Noel Croot left the pub in early August. He disappears over the horizon with our sincerest best wishes. Welcome then from CAMRA to new custodian Matthew Watts who is a first time pub landlord. The Cask Marque affiliated Crown is one of seven Hydes brewery tied-houses in the Wrexham area.
 
Festival at the Black Lion (20 September 2009)
A bit short notice but we've just heard that the Black Lion (aka the Hole in the Wall) at Bersham, a regular in the Good Beer Guide, will be hosting a beer festival on Friday 9th of October through to the following Monday. 

As they say "Come and join us for a great range of cask ales plus a choice of Hydes finest real ales, available at discount prices, including Hole in the Wall Ale at 6.5 abv. Live bands throughout the evening."
 
Wrexham News  (25 August 2009)
Another pub loss. The Malthouse, formerly known as the Caia, has closed and been converted into a veterinary surgeons. The Red Dragon, arguably the uber-rough pub in Wrexham, is rumoured to have re-opened and will be a must for connoiseurs of hard-drinking, xenophobic intimidating locals ... unless it's been converted to an upmarket chic wine-bar. On a much more positive note the Fat Cat by the bus station has started selling real ale again.

Raven Re-Opens  (25 August 2009)
After lots of conflicting stories that the Raven at llanarmon-yn-Ial had either re-opened or re-shut (both true) it is now back in business and run by the local community under supervision by a millionaire landlord with events being recorded for a future TV programme. It's a strange story which didn't look like having a happy ending when no-one bought the pub at auction back in July. Then along came TV company TwoFour more of which you can read all about here on the Evening Leader website. 

Now the Raven's staging it's "grand opening bash" on August 29th with Great Orme beers amongst those promised for all who attend. Best wishes to everyone involved in this project and, if you live locally or walk the area, get down there soon to make sure this is no flash in the pan. More details on the website below.

► Raven Inn

Pub Closure in Ffrith (19 August 2009)
More worrying news from near Llanfynydd (see article below). The Poachers Cottage in Ffrith has shut and there's a sign outside saying that it is up for sale. A quick blimp on Christie & Co's website says the freehold is yours for £225,000.

Hopefully someone else can make a go of this place. On previous visits it had seemed a happy vibrant pub serving good ale (Speckled Hen) that did brisk Sunday food trade.

Cross Keys Under Threat (12 August 2009)
Time soon for some serious campaigning? Reports have reached us that the landlord of the Cross Keys at Llanfynydd is considering submitting controversial plans to convert the pub and pub car park into five private dwellings.

Locals are co-ordinating a fight to keep the pub open should the worst come to the worst. For help / advice / support etc contact Phil Stanton at phstanton@hotmail.com. The Cross Keys is currently in the Good Beer Guide and was recently host to a branch meeting.

Ceiriog Tour (3 August 2009)
The Ceiriog Valley social is coming up soon (Aug 15th). What can people expect to find in the six pubs down this quiet rural spot? Your correspondent, armed with a train ticket to Chirk and his trusty Fondriest racing bike pedalled forth to find out. Getting the legwork out of the way it was non-stop to the head of the valley 11 miles away at Llanarmon DC and straight into the Wayfarers Bar, annexed to the West Arms, where the only beer was Ceiriog Ale. Who contract brews this is a mystery and the Spanish (at a guess) barmaid didn't know. Some say Facers some say it's Tetleys rebadged. Tasted OK whatever it was. Across the road the GBG listed Hand Hotel had Weetwood Best Bitter, except it wasn't. It came out very pale indeed and tasted suspiciously like Weetwood Cheshire Cat. This was then admitted by the landlady. Tut tut but the ale was excellent.

After a long descent back led to Glyn Ceiriog, there was a familiar face to the new owner of the Glyn Valley Hotel - Swiss chef Marcus Imfeld. Marcus wont be too popular with some folk having previously taken over the one time marvellous Kiln at Cross Lanes and then converted it into a pub-cum-Swiss bistro. Trade dropped off until it shut, After another abortive attempt at reopening it closed permanently late last year. Hopefully lessons have been learned. Anyway beer at the hotel was Stonehouse Station Bitter, Plassey Fusilier and Bass - the former getting nods of approval. A short uphill walk away, and too easily overlooked, is the Oak (pictured). Good to report then of a pub busy with people enjoying the food with the one ale (Stonehouse Cambrian Gold) in fine condition. 

Next up, just off the main road along the valley, was the attractive Golden Pheasant in Llwynmawr. A weekly changing guest beer is advertised behind the bar and on this occasion it was Stonehouse Off the Rails which overall probably won 'Beer of the Day'. Alas it was only a quick half to squeeze in a visit to the Swan at Pontfadog where rumour had it Sunday last orders were 3pm. Again one changing ale - Thomas Watkins Old Style Bitter. After a pleasant chat with landlady and locals about Ceiriog life, sheep dog trials and vintage car rallies, it was time to saddle up to catch a train home.

A splendid little valley. 

Wetherspoons Set for Deeside (8 July 2009)
Work on a £1m+ conversion of the Central Hotel in Shotton into a new Wetherspoons outlet is scheduled to commence next month. The pub chain hopes to open the place on November 6th and create 35 jobs in the process.

This is good news for any real ale loving residents of Deeside as the pubs in this area, stretching from Queensferry to Flint, are so appalling for proper beer it's been dubbed the "street of shame" by one CAMRA branch member. (Honourable exceptions being the Castle, the Sir Gawain & the Green Knight and the Halfway House). 

The Central, next to Shotton station and boarded up for eons, used to be regarded by aficionados of rough pubs as one of the most 'characterful' in that genre. It will be interesting to see how things develop.  

Mold Real Ale Gain (7 July 2009)
It's always been a source of frustration that the excellent, atmospheric Y Delyn wine-bar in Mold hasn't served real ale. Puzzlement in euqal measure too seeing as the place stocks an excellent range of imported draught and bottled beers. 

Happily that's all been rectified with the installation of a handpump. So far Facers beers and a drop of Conwy Golden Delicious have been sampled. Excellent they were too. Fingers crossed this is a permanent addition to a splendid little establishment.

White Horse Wins Award (2 July 2009)
Coincidental to the report below, we've just discovered that the White Horse at Overton has been recorded as "Highly Commended" in CAMRA's Pub Design Awards in the refurbished category. It has effectively come third in the country for pub refits of 2008.

The judges comments were:- 'This was a run-down town-centre [sic] hotel which appeared ripe for redevelopment for residential or retail use. Instead, it's been saved in a manner that's spirited and individual. The enthusiastic provision of bright new stained glass, pristine wooden partitions and salvaged fireplaces is at times a bit over-eager, and occasionally the new elements compete rather than blend. But the original plan form has been largely retained, and a fine building, very much at Overton's cultural as well as geographical heart, has been successfully revitalised.'

Village centre more like surely. Whatever, congratulations to Joules Brewery (formerly Tuns Taverns) based in Market Drayton who own the pub. We eagerly await the opening on Wrexham's High Street of another of their pubs - the Royal Oak, - which we're being promised will be 'the' character ale-house in town.

► CAMRA pub design awards

South East Clwyd Tour (25 June 2009)
Not wishing to squander both the 'heat wave' and the long summer evenings, it was time to take to the saddle once more for a pedal based around the Overton area.

After leaving Ruabon train station the first refreshment stop was just over the border at the Queens Head at Sarn - our current Summer Pub of the Season. A quick half of Shropshire Gold was downed here and enjoyed in the confines of their riverside beer garden. Maps where then out to negotiate the quiet country lanes to lead us to the Hanmer Arms in Hanmer (left). Ticking over with a pleasing mix of diners and regular drinkers, two ales were on offer - Ansells Bitter (which we didn't know was still going) and Stonehouse Cambrian Gold. The latter got the nod. Good choice.

Storming down a relatively deserted A539 (bar the passenger in a boy racer car screaming at us as they passed - w****rs) it was through Penley (ignoring the keg Dymock Arms) and on to the White Horse at Overton. Only a change of licensee at selection time denied this pub a place in the forthcoming Good Beer Guide so it's pleasing to say little has changed under new capable hands. A quiz was starting up and the Salopian Shropshire Gold was, well, bloody marvellous, pint of the night. A splendid pub. One incidental: local knowledge has it that the Trotting Mare at nearby Knolton is open weekends only.

Reluctant to haul ourselves away but mindful of impending fading light, it was downhill most of the way (eating lots of greenflies) to finish off at the Buck in Bangor-on-Dee. Ales from Slaters and Titanic were amongst those on offer but the local Plassey Border Mild was ordered. Again another beer in tip-top condition to end (except for the cycle back) a tip-top night out. 

Llangollen Rail and Ale (8 June 2009)
The Llangollen Steam Railway is always worth travelling on but we had an added incentive to do so at the weekend - four casks of real ale stillaged in the buffet carriage.  Their inaugural Rail & Ale Excursion featured beers from the Stonehouse brewery with Station Bitter, Off the Rails, Wheeltapper and a specially produced Llangollen Aur available for the event. The beers were racked bright to avoid any sediment problems on a moving train and were all very good indeed. For the entry fee we each received a commemorative pint glass and a free pint, and could drink excellent real ale while the steam train travelled on two journeys along the Dee Valley to Carrog and back. The railway journey really is very picturesque with the train hugging the River Dee for the most part of it's 7 and a half mile line. After a brief glimpse of the impressive Horseshoe Falls the train enters the Berwyn tunnel where any empty window lets in blasts of steam, a great sensory experience. We were fortunate enough to get a first class cabin on the train and it was certainly a very comfortable way to travel.  It was just a shame the weather wasn't better for the trip but you can't have everything! Another Rail and Ale trip is planned for the 1st August and I would well recommend it.

Keep an eye on their website for details http://www.llangollen-railway.co.uk. 

Sun is Shining (6 June 2009)
At the weekend the presentation took place to our Welsh Pub of the Year 2009, the Sun Inn at Llangollen. During an interval in the live music, branch chairman Brian Vardy took to the mic to praise landlord Paul Lamb and his assistant Alan Adams declaring, to great applause, what a marvellous vibrant pub the Sun is. Paul stood to attention as he posed with his certificate (hopefully someone will drop off the frame later) before the band struck up once more and a packed pub recommenced their drinking from a range that included Salopian Shropshire Gold, Phoenix West Coast IPA and Northumberland Fog on the Tyne.

Good luck to the Sun which now progresses into the competition for the Regional Pub award where it goes head to head with other branch's PotYs !

That's all folks. Anything over six months old is entered into our archived records and not available on the website.