Swindon-based Arkell's Brewery is delighted to announce the purchase of The Rising Sun at Woolhampton, near Reading.
Coming just weeks after the brewery bought historic hotel, The White Hart at Whitchurch, this new acquisition further increases the critical mass of Arkell's estate.
According to managing director at the brewery, James Arkell: "We are thrilled to announce the purchase of this lovely pub, which we have had in our sights for quite a while. It fits in well with the Arkell's Brewery footprint, which runs through Wiltshire and Berkshire down the M4 corridor as far as Windsor."
Built in the 1600s, The Rising Sun is full of character, with beams, brasses, open fires and a panelled bar. Outside, there are two quiet gardens for fairweather days and a pets' corner for the children.
The current landlords, David and Sue Clifton, who have been running the pub since 1998 will remain behind the bar.
Freke Waves Goodbye To Landlady after 21 Years
Sad to be leaving: Liz and Ian celebrate 21 years at The Freke Arms.
One of Swindon's longest-serving landladies has pulled her last pint at The Freke Arms near Hannington after 21 years presiding behind the bar.
Liz Bailey is leaving the Arkell's pub and moving onto a well-earned retirement with her husband, Ian.
"I'm rather sad at leaving, but it's time to move onto other things and perhaps take a short break somewhere," said Liz, who hasn't seen the need to go on holiday since she took over the pub in 1982. But the couple aren't going far: they're moving just down the road to Hannington village, where instead of pulling the perfect pint, Ian will be painting and decorating their new home instead.
After a big party for customers at The Freke Arms last weekend, eight members of the Arkell's family, the head brewer, and other brewery directors, went to say goodbye to Liz and Ian before they left this week.
"This really is the end of an era. Liz and Ian have been very special landlords and we're very sad to be saying goodbye," said managing director James Arkell. "But after working so hard and running The Freke as a successful country pub for such a long time, they deserve and long and happy retirement more than most of us."
Liz took over the pub 21 years ago, after moving from The White Hart in Stratton St Margaret, Swindon, where she had been assisting Johnny Stiles, also for 21 years - which must be her lucky number! She met her future husband, Ian, when he dropped in for a pint seventeen years ago.
"At the time I ran the village shop in Hannington," he explained. "I called in for a drink one evening, met Liz and never really left. The rest is history!"
Chairman Peter Arkell is especially sad to see the couple leave- it's been his local for the last few decades.
"It's on my way home from work, and I regularly drop by for a pint of 3Bs and a chat. Liz and Ian have been landlords in the best tradition, running a lovely pub and serving excellent beer, I'll miss their welcoming smiles behind the bar, but wish them a long and happy retirement.
More about The Freke Arms...
Arkells 160th Anniversary Beer Festival
Cheers! James Arkell toasts 160 years of brewing excellence in Swindon.
Over 1400 real ale enthusiasts tried their best to drink Arkell's Brewery dry at it's Beer Festival celebrating 160th years of brewing at Kingsdown Brewery in Swindon on September 12th and 13th.
As well as regular Arkell's customers from across Swindon and Wiltshire, coach parties from across the United Kingdom, including many members of CAMRA, converged on the brewery to sample over 40 different real ales from Arkell's and its fellow members of the Independent Family Brewers of Britain.
And brewery chairman, Peter Arkell, was especially delighted to welcome fellow brewer and family relation, Claude Arkell of nearby Donnington Brewery, Stow on the Wold to the event.
On a fabulously sunny September day, as well as the ales, attractions included a jazz band, Morris Dancers and a 1920 Marshall Steam Engine, owned by 79-year old Purton farmer and former Chairman of both Rank Xerox and Jaguar Plc, Hamish Orr-Ewing.
"We're delighted that Hamish was able to bring his steam engine," said Nick Arkell, sales director at Arkell's Brewery, who masterminded the festival. "It was wonderful to welcome a working traction engine to the celebrations."
Ten red Morgan sports cars, or MOGS as they are fondly known by enthusiasts, also roared in to add glamour to the day - an enormous treat for brewery managing director, James Arkell, secret lover and ex-owner of a Morgan 2 + 2 himself.
During the day, the Brewery also received an award from John Richards of the British Beer Mat Collectors Society's 2003 for its Moonlight Ale drip mat, produced in January to accompany Chairman Peter Arkell's 80th Birthday beer, brewed especially for the event.
During the day, many visitors also had the chance to tour inside the brewery itself, whilst others wondered around outside on a walk planned especially for the event giving a visual history of Arkell's and its many buildings on the site.
"The whole day was a wonderful celebration, not just of our beers and heritage, but of real ale being brewed by other independent breweries like ours, across the country," said James Arkell.
"Many of our staff came in to lend their support to the event, and worked incredibly hard over the day," said James. "I think we all realised we're involved in a wonderful industry and it was the best way possible to celebrate 160 years of brewing."
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White Hart Landlord Shows Pulling Power
Twenty drinkers from The White Hart Hotel in Whitchurch will be pulling more than their weight this week as they aim to raise money for the Southampton Hospital children's cancer ward.
At 2pm on Saturday 27th September, they will be trying to pull a 38 ton truck 750 metres from Whitchurch Sports and Social Club, and former Royal Navy helicopter engineer, now the new White Hart landlord Andy Moss (30), has been roped into the team.
"As soon as I went behind the bar a couple of weeks ago, the regulars took one look at me and said 'you're a big bloke, you'd better join the team," joked Andy.
And at the end of the gruelling 750 metre truck-pull, Andy has promised fellow-team mates a crate of Arkell's award-winning Bee's Organic Ale to quench their thirst.
"I'm delighted to have been asked to get involved in local activities so quickly," said Andy, who with his wife Julie only moved into The White Hart earlier this month. "The locals have been incredibly welcoming and I hope will help us with an auction of old hotel stock of crockery and glassware to raise money for a new scout hut."
For more information on next Saturday's Truck Pull, contact Andy Moss at The White Hart on 01256 892900.
Duke Gets the Girls
New landlords: Beryl and Angela.
Former work colleagues Angela Ramirez (41) and Beryl Pendley (51) have teamed up and taken over as landladies of Arkell's pub The Duke at Hilmarton near Lyneham.
Angela knows Arkell's well - she worked in the offices at the brewery for thirteen years whilst her children were growing up, as well as doing bar work in some Arkell's pubs around the area. She finally left around three years ago to work as an airhostess for Air Tours and met Beryl just a year ago whilst working temporarily at a company in Swindon.
"Beryl and I hit it off straight away. She is a trained barrister and runs her own business development company," explains Angela. "Like me, she was looking for a new challenge and when I heard that the tenancy was vacant at The Duke, I decided to talk Arkell's into letting Beryl and I take over. "
George Arkell, at the brewery, is certain that with Beryl's business expertise and Angela's pub skills, they can't fail to make a winning team behind the bar.
"The Duke is a terrific local pub with letting rooms," he says. "And our new landladies are determined to put it at the heart of the small but busy village community of Hilmarton. As well as Beryl and Angela running the pub, I also understand that Angela's two daughters, aged 16 and 20, will also help out from time to time.
Angela and Beryl took over earlier this week and Angela admits that the first day was exhausting.
"We moved in and kept the pub open at the same time, which I think our customers found quite entertaining," she said. "At the end of that day I was exhausted but despite everything, when customers came and I pulled my first pint of the evening, it felt like coming home."
