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Would you Adam & Eve It? Dot's Brew Comes Tops
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| Dot & Brian Gasson at The Adam & Eve |
The Adam and Eve pub on Townsend Street, Cheltenham is celebrating winning Cheltenham CAMRA* pub of the year after a tough inspection and tasting by CAMRA branch members.
But that's not all it's celebrating this year, as Dot has also been running the pub for 25 years next week, and celebrates her 70th birthday later in the year.
"This is a real achievement for Dot and her husband, Brian," said Cheltenham CAMRA Chairman Tony Aburrow. "When we inspected Brian's cellar, you could have eaten your dinner off the floor, it is so clean, and the beer tastes excellent."
"We were gobsmacked when Tony told us we had won," said Dot. "It was a real surprise."
Dot has been running the Adam and Eve for longer than Arkell's Brewery has owned it.
"We bought the pub from Whitbread in 1991," said Brewery managing director, James Arkell, who lives near Cirencester. "But we know a good landlady when we see one and we weren't prepared to let Dot get away. She's a terrific landlady, and the pub hosts two quiz teams, a skittles and a darts team."
Dot also makes sure the pub looks cosy by putting fresh flowers on all the tables.
"I've always done it, but this year we went rather mad and put flowers everywhere," she said.
Tony Aburrow points out that as the central bars and nightclubs expand in central Cheltenham, pubs serving real ale are moving out to the edges of the town
"As the current trend for these new venues rises, it's a fact of life that the more traditional pubs serving real ale are going to find it harder to maintain a presence in the town centre," he said. "But pubs like the Adam and Eve will continue to prosper if they maintain their high standards of beer and atmosphere."
For Dot and her husband Brian (who is eleven years younger!), running the pub is hard work, but very satisfying.
"It's a way of life for us," she said. "We're a beer and skittles pub, a village pub in the town, and our social life is all around us with our regulars."
"We are delighted that Dot and Brian have won this award," said James Arkell. "CAMRA in Gloucestershire do an excellent job in celebrating high standards which is good news for the brewing industry as a whole."
* CAMRA - Campaign for Real Ale
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Mr Swindon Goes 'Naked' for Charity
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| The Bakers Arms, Badbury |
Jason Scott, formerly Mr Swindon, will be stripping off for charity at The Baker's Arm's at Badbury on Saturday, 5th October.
Jason, his dad landlord Andy Scott and two other brave men will be taking part in a sponsored leg and chest wax at the Arkell's pub to raise money for the National Deaf Children's Society.
"We know it'll be painful, but as long as we raise lots of money, I don't mind," says Andy nervously. "But I can't say I'm looking forward to it very much."
Andy's son, Jason, was crowned 'Mr Swindon' in a 'Miss-World' style competition held in Swindon almost six years ago, going onto the National final in London. Currently he works at Swindon car manufacturing company, Honda.
"It isn't the first time Jason's had his chest waxed, though", said his dad. "He's done a lot of modelling assignments where a smooth, oiled chest was essential. So I'm going to be taking tips from him on coping with the pain!"
The event starts at 7pm and The Baker's Arms would be delighted to see more volunteers.
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More about The Bakers Arms, Badbury... |
Cross Keys Flushed With Success after New Investment
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| Harry pulls the first pint |
The Cross Keys on London Road, Newbury is so proud of its oldest regular, 96-year old Harry Close, that they have asked him to officially open the new bar and loos at lunchtime on 12th September.
"Harry has been drinking at The Cross Keys for over 40 years, and has been a regular for the last 18," said landlord Dale Sheppard. "He walks down three days a week, and has three pints of beer and a whisky before returning home. We are all delighted that he has agreed to 'reopen' the pub for us, I can't think of anyone better."
After undergoing a major bar refit, redecoration and the installation of swanky new loos by owners Arkell's Brewery, the Cross Keys is looking at a very bright future, according to Brewery boss James Arkell.
"We bought The Cross Keys around six years ago when it was being marketed for redevelopment by its previous owners, a Lancashire based pub company. But it's a great town pub in a terrific location just by the marketplace, and we knew how committed its landlords, Dale and Terry Sheppard were, so we were delighted to save it from an uncertain future," he added.
As well as a revamped bar and newly built loos, which include disabled facilities, The Cross Keys has a new meeting and seating area outside.
"But with all the redecoration, we certainly don't intend to frighten away our regulars," said landlord Dale, "Which is why we are delighted that Harry is doing the opening honours for us."
The Cross Keys has been run by the Sheppard family for 25 years, with Dale and Terry taking over from Terry's parents around 12 years ago.
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"It's great to have Arkell's as a landlord," said Dale. "We've been owned by a few pub companies and breweries in our time, but as a family brewery, the Arkell's are always available to sort out a problem straight away - we don't have to go through telesales, who refer it to the area sales manager who refers it to someone else. James, his son George or any of the management team are always available to talk to. This makes decision-making easier and quicker, which suits our customers and us. And their beer's good too."
The Sheppard family 'dynasty' at The Cross Keys hasn't stopped at Dale and his wife Terry, either. Two of their three children also work regularly behind the bar.
"Emma, who is 22, and Rebecca, who is 18, also enjoy working behind the bar and it's become quite a meeting place for their friends in the evening," said Dale.
Arkell's managing director James Arkell is delighted with the renovations. "Traditional town pubs often have a reputation of being dark, smoky and masculine. As a brewery we believe firmly in providing a traditional pub atmosphere, but which is light and airy, and accessible to men and women alike.
"With Dale and Terry at the helm, and support and investment from the brewery, The Cross Keys is again the buzzing town centre pub it deserves to be," he finished.
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Former Arkell's Landlord To Run Managed Houses for Brewery
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| Craig Titchener (left) with new manager, Tracey Heath & Colin King |
As luck would have it, former Arkell's Landlord Craig Titchener's first job in his new role at the brewery running Arkell's managed houses was welcoming new managers Tracey Heath and Colin King into the pub he ran two years ago.
The local Swindon couple have taken over at The Sun at Coate Water and Craig was there to welcome them in and get them settled.
"They've moved into the Arkell's pub I know best," he said. "So I can really give them the benefit of my experience.
"I really enjoyed working as a landlord for Arkell's," said Craig. "But left to develop my career and broaden my experience by running the catering arm at Intel and then Operations Department Director at a kitchen hygiene company in Swindon."
However, a few years later, when he saw an opportunity to return to the brewery in a management role, he jumped at the chance.
James Arkell, managing director at the brewery is delighted to welcome him back into the brewery.
"With his knowledge of running a pub, our managers can be sure that he knows what he's talking about and with his industry knowledge, he can give advice and support to them both in front of and behind the bar as well as in the kitchen."
Craig agreed, adding: "As new rules and regulations regarding staff and hygiene requirements keep coming from our Government and the European Parliament, pub managers almost need weekly updates to follow the rules and regulations required to run a pub or hotel."
But Craig's advice won't stop there and managers can also call upon his help to develop their menus and additional areas of their business, if required.
"We're very pleased to have a fresh, but familiar face around us," said James Arkell.
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Sunflowers Do Better on Arkell's Bitter!
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| Sunflowers Do Better on Arkell's Bitter! |
The Landlord and Landlady at The Bell, Purton Stoke, reckon that they've found a secret ingredient when it comes to growing competition-height sunflowers.
David and Anita Lee, who run the pub between Swindon and Cricklade, feed their sunflowers Arkell's beer.
"I don't need to talk to my sunflowers," said David, "I just give them a pint of Arkell's beer and watch them drink it up."
The Lee's sunflower measures12' 4" high and towers above all their customers.
"I tell them that if they drink as much as my sunflowers, they could be that tall too," added David.
Around 40 residents of Purton Stoke planted around 200 sunflowers and the competition was tough, admits David.
"But I water them every day with the waste beer from the beer trays in the pub and leave the rest to nature."
Sadly for David and Anita, they came runners up in the competition with the first prize going to Owain Kinsman, whose sunflower reached a whopping 13' 3".
Purton Stoke runs its sunflower-growing competition annually, selling baby sunflowers in pots for £1, grown by resident and competition organiser Joan Frost.
The money raised goes into a village fund, which helps to pay for village activities or donated to a recognised charity.
David and Anita Lee can be contacted at The Bell, Purton Stoke, on 01793 770343.
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Arkell's Puts Taw Hill Community First at New Pub
Arkell's Brewery has put the local community at the top of the agenda as it has submitted a detailed planning application to Swindon Borough Council for the new pub at Taw Hill in West Swindon, The Taw-Ny Owl.
"After a lot of discussion, we have decided to include for planning a function room at the pub which will help to provide a focal point for local residents," said managing director at the brewery, James Arkell.
"We want to help Taw Hill establish their community and the new pub will go a long way to supporting that. But groups need somewhere to meet and the function room will provide the extra space they'll need."
Permission has also been sought to include three letting rooms at The Taw-Ny Owl and Arkell's hopes to start work as soon as planning permission is received.
"Provided everything goes to plan, we hope to receive permission towards the end of September and would like to begin some of the heavy groundwork before Winter sets in. It's all in the planners hands now," said James
It is likely that Edmonts of Stratton St Margaret will be the main building contractor.
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