|
Clifton Baby Takes to Bottle for New Hospital
Two days later Melanie and new baby Amy, who despite her earlier-than-expected arrival, weighted in at a healthy 6lb 5oz, returned home to The Clifton Inn, Swindon to find their customers had celebrated the birth by filling up a gallon whisky bottle for the Great Western Evolution Appeal.
Melanie and Mark, with the help of baby Amy, cracked open the bottle to reveal £213, the highest sum yet raised in the Arkell's Gallon Whisky Bottle Challenge which will be used to provide extra equipment for the Swindon hospital.
According to Teresa Hill, who is leading the Arkell's Brewery campaign to raise £25,000 for a Family Unit at the Great Western Hospital: "Most of our Swindon pubs are helping us raise money and we're well on our way to reaching the total by the end of this year."
Melanie is determined to be back behind The Clifton's bar for Christmas, according to Mark. "This will be our second Christmas at The Clifton and we're looking forward to showing Amy off to our customers."
"Amy might have missed her first visit to the new hospital by arriving early," said managing director at the brewery, James Arkell. "But she has already helped her parents to contribute to the appeal and we hope that they all have a very happy first Christmas together."
New mum Melanie Johnson was looking forward to having her baby in the new Great Western Hospital, but baby Amy had other ideas when she arrived a week early and Melanie was one of the last patients admitted to the old Princess Margaret Hospital maternity unit.
 |
More about The Brewer's Arms... |
The Brewer's Hits Bullseye as Ronnie Rockets into Cirencester
The former British Darts Organisation World Number One and Twice Embassy Championships Runner-Up is adding pub management skills to his darts achievements - but not for long as he's off again just after Christmas to play in the World Darts Championships at Frimley Green, Surrey.
Ronnie and Rachel, who is also his manager, have moved to Cirencester after seven years in Lancashire, and for Rachel it's a home-coming as she grew up in the town.
"It's great to be back in Cirencester, as over the years we spent a great deal of time driving up and down motorways to visit," said Rachel.
Rachel's mum, Valerie Pallister, has not only been an England Dart's Team Selector for the past 14 years but is also Cirencester's Deputy Mayor is delighted to see the couple make their base in Cirencester.
The first thing that Ronnie and Rachel plan to do at The Brewer's Arms is install satellite television so Rachel can see how Ronnie's performing whilst she's pulling pints.
"The championships start on 27th December, so we're looking forward to a successful first Christmas behind the bar before Ronnie heads off to compete," she added.
James Arkell, managing director of Arkell's Brewery which owns The Brewer's Arms, is thrilled that Ronnie and Rachel have taken over as landlords.
"The Brewer's Arms is a traditional town pub with two strong darts team - who I understand were rather nervous when they played for the first time in front of the 'master'! We wish Ronnie the very best of luck in the forthcoming World Championships and with a few pints of Arkell's 3Bs inside him he's bound to hit the bullseye!"
World Darts Player Ronnie 'The Rocket' Baxter has taken over behind the bar at The Brewer's Arms, Cricklade Street, Cirencester with his partner Rachel Pallister.
|
More about The Brewer's Arms... |
Arkell's Soothes Shoppers with a Nip of Noel Ale
"Noel Ale is fifteen years' old this year," said George. ""We launched it in 1987 and named it in honour of my great grandfather, Sir Noel Arkell who was born on Christmas Day. It's been a winter favourite in Arkell's pubs since then, as the strong, full-bodied flavour is disguised by a distinctive light colour - just the thing to put colour back into your cheeks after a busy morning Christmas shopping."
Adele Barnes (21) from Greenmeadow in Swindon thought she didn't like real ale, but was surprised to find out how much she enjoyed it. "The more I drink, the easier it goes down," she said.
Noel Ale is available in Arkell's pubs from December right through Christmas and the New Year. It's also available from the Brewery at £2 per bottle and at selected retailers around the area. Contact Arkell's on 01793 823026 for details.
Arkell's Brewery signaled the start of its Christmas at the Brewery, when it launched its seasonal favourite Noel Ale in Swindon Town Centre on Thursday, 5th December.
Brewery director George Arkell was at Bar Cuba on Bridge Street Swindon at lunchtime yesterday to offer flagging Christmas shoppers the opportunity to taste the brewery's Christmas beer - at 5.5% ABV (alcohol by volume), the strongest in Arkell's family of beers.
Passers by were asked to taste the beer and many of the younger tasters were surprised at how much them enjoyed it.
"The beer slides down very easily and gives drinkers a warm, tingling feeling," adds George. "In fact, we definitely feel 'Peace and Goodwill to all men and women' after a pint of Noel Ale!"
Floods? What Floods? Say Globe Landlords
The Globe Inn on Gloucester's Sandhurst Road is close to the river - but the area is currently well above water and they don't anticipate problems before Christmas.
"We're well above water and don't expect problems at the moment," said landlady Sarah.
Sarah and Jason took over at The Globe earlier on in the year, along with Sarah's parents John and Trish Baldwin.
"It's a really lovely spot with fishing rights along this stretch of the river, and we're currently seeking planning permission to use some of the land for touring caravans and camping in the summer, " adds Sarah.
There is also a marquee for functions and the pub is currently taking bookings for Christmas parties.
"But it doesn't help us when flood warnings are issued and our customers think that they'll need their wellies to visit - they don't. The road's clear, the pub's clear and we're closer to Gloucester Town Centre than Sandhurst so The Globe's easy to get to."
Sarah, Jason, John and Trish are all keen to build business at The Globe by taking advantage of its attractive location. Although Gloucestershire born and bred, John and Trish moved back from Kent to help their daughter and her husband in their new venture and are putting their extensive experience of the leisure and catering industry to good use.
"We love it here and our neighbours are really friendly," points out Sarah. "At this time of the year our lunchtime customers tell us that they find it a perfect place to escape the hurly burly of Christmas shopping in the town centre - and they can see for themselves that the River Severn is well below the river bank!"
Sarah and Jason Reeves are delighted that their pub is dry - but it doesn't mean there's no beer, they're just asking local residents not to take warnings of floods too seriously.
|
More about The Globe... |
Footballers Come Down to Earth with a Pint of Arkell's
Players were questioned on how much they spend on all aspects of the game, including travel, equipment, fines and fees and according to the results £17.17 is spent in the pub - over a quarter of the total.
Oliver Cleary, Landlord at The Jovial Monk at St Andrew's Ridge, hosts an amateur team from the pub. Called The Jovial Monks, the team currently play in Division 5 of Swindon's Sunday League.
"I'm not surprised at this figure - playing the game isn't just about football, although that's a great reason, it's about the post-match social side. Our players typically drink between 3-5 pints after a match, during which time they relax from being a competitive football team to a group of friendly local pub-goers - so much so that last week they banded together and raised over £1000 for Children in Need."
After the game, Oliver and his wife Sheila provide sandwiches and fries - and lay on one free pint of Arkell's per goal scored by team players.
According to the survey, it appears that unlike Arsene Wenger, most amateur clubs have relaxed drinking policies, with the average footballer spending £686.80 per season on post match drinks and celebrations. But Swindon drinkers aren't the nation's biggest drinkers - that accolade goes to their Welsh colleagues who spend £22 per weekend on drinks after just 90 minutes on the pitch.
Barclaycard Sponsorship Director Nic Gault said: "Thousands upon thousands of players make the journey to the local park every weekend come rain or shine. This survey looks beneath the surface of amateur football and highlights the passion and of course money that is invested in the game. This research also proves that the game at non-professional level really is thriving at present. "
James Arkell, managing director at Arkell's Brewery, points out that as the Brewery began its life back in 1843 to help quench the thirst of workers in Swindon's famous railway industry -satisfying the thirst of modern-day footballers is no different.
"With football now the most popular national sporting pastime, a pint of real ale is one of the quickest and most effective ways of replacing fluid and vitamins that we can think of after a grueling 90 minutes on the pitch."
HOW IT BREAKS DOWN:
Transport £12.48
HOW IT BREAKS DOWN:
Football boots £68.18
GRAND TOTAL (£2,500 + £405.18)
The results were based upon an average of a 40-week football season, and according to The FA's estimated figure of 2.5million players in the UK.
A survey of amateur footballers by 4thegame.com (the official site for the football Premiership) has found out that on average, enthusiastic local footballers spend over £60 per week on the beautiful game.
WEEKLY OUT-GOINGS
What Average cost per week
Energy drinks/bottled water £12.06
Pre/post match meals £9.95
Post match drinks £17.17
Match fees / subs /
Training fees £10.86
Total £62.52
x40 weeks = £2500
ONE OFF COSTS
Spend Average cost per season
Football trainers/moulded boots £68.18
Shorts/socks £60.13
Shirts £50.02
Track suits £62.84
Shin pads £29.41
Fines £32.88
Washing kit £33.23
Total £405.18
=£2905.18
|
More about The Jovial Monk... |
New Landlord Blurs The Boundaries at Arkell's Pub
Sean and his partner, Karen Farrell, took over at the Arkell's pub late last month and the couple had their busiest week yet last week as residents from both Moredon and Haydon Wick visited to sample their new pub menu.
Called The Boundary House because it once marked Swindon's boundary with the hamlet of Moredon, it now lies between Moredon and Haydon Wick.
"What we want most for this pub is to provide a great atmosphere which welcomes everyone, from families to regular drinkers," said Sean. "We're quite new to the licensed trade, but we're already feeling at home and have a great group of regular locals forming at lunchtimes and in the evenings."
According to managing director, James Arkell, at the brewery: "It's surprising to realise that only a couple of decades ago the pub would have looked over countryside, and now Swindon has grown up around it."
"The first pub here was built some time before 1861 and called The Red Lion when the premises also featured a brewery and a butcher's shop. My great grandfather, John Arkell, bought it for the Brewery in 1877 and its name was changed a few years later."
As they settle in behind the bar, Sean and Karen are keen to drive their new career forward, and blur the boundaries between Moredon and Haydon Wick. "We're really enjoying our new role - it's certainly very different from working in a car factory, you certainly can't clock off here!"
After deciding that he needed more than "the power of dreams" in his life, Sean Hulbert has moved from his job at Honda and is now in the driving seat at The Boundary House at Moredon, West Swindon.
|
More about The Boundary House... |
The Taw-Ny Owl is Airborne says Brewery
Anxious not to waste any time, the Brewery set to work this week as it performed a ground-breaking ceremony at the site before beginning work to get as much of the ground-work done before winter sets in.
The brewery has again put the local community first with the provision of a function room to help provide a focal point for local residents to meet as well as including four letting rooms at The Taw-Ny Owl.
"We are delighted that Taw Hill locals have been so supportive of the new pub and enjoyed celebrating the beginning of the building work with some of them this week," said Brewery managing director, James Arkell.
Taw Hill Residents Association chairman, Mark Edwards, also attended the ceremony.
"We are delighted that Arkell's are now starting work on the pub," said Mark Edwards. "We have lived in Taw Hill for over three years and it is great to see the area develop a community feel which can only be enhanced by a pub, as well as the nearby village centre which is also planned."
Edmonts of Stratton St Margaret will be the main building contractor, having built Arkell's successful pub, The Jovial Monk, at St Andrew's Ridge just over two years ago.
"Swindon is growing and we want to continue to grow with it," said James Arkell.
"I gather that as a bird, the tawny owl is now well-adapted to the urban environment, doesn't stray far from its home territory if it has no need to, and can expect to live a relatively long life. This is probably a pretty good description of the customers we hope will visit our new Taw-Ny Owl pub."
Arkell's Brewery hopes that the finished pub will be open for business in the Autumn of 2003.
Arkell's Brewery has received full planning permission for its new pub, The Taw-Ny Owl, at Taw Hill, North Swindon.
|
|
