Issue 166 of Norfolk Nips & Cask Force

Pub News

The lease of the Cottage,Silver Road, Norwich hasbeen sold to James andAmanda Roe, who will alsocontinue to run the Red Lionin Bishopgate. Sally Mann, whohas run the pub since Mauldon’stook it over in 2009, will be ahard act to follow. For mostpeople, running a pub, keepinga great selection of beers,putting on two or more bandsa week, organising tapasnights, quizzes, and variousother events including a BeerFestival and a Cider Festivalwould be taxing enough - butto do all of the above whilealso bringing up a youngfamily deserves massive respect- thank you Sally, for all thegreat Friday nights and Sundayafternoons and for all your hardwork over the last four years.We wish you all the best for thefuture!

Good news from the WhiteHart, Rockland All Saints,where local residents haveformed an Association, withthe intention of buying andrunning the pub as a commu-nity venture. Their offer to buythe pub has been accepted,and they’re in final negotiationswith HMRC to set up a specialenterprise investment schemewhich means that earlyinvestors could get back 50%of their investment in tax relief- if you’re interested ininvesting, keep an eye out fortheir publicity, or visit Face-book.com and search for “TheRocklands White Hart Commu-nity Group”.

The Market Tavern openedin North Walsham in July, in theold Carpenter’s Arms pub,which had been a drop-incentre for a number of years.Targeted at the “more mature”audience, the pub offers pi-and-mash, and at the timeof our visit stocked one real alefrom Ole Slewfoot. Also inNorth Walsham, the BlackSwan, controversially closedby Enterprise in April, has re-opened with new landlords,initially only using the functionroom while the rest of the pubis being refurbished.

The Robert Kett atWymondham re-opened inMay. Also reported as re-openedis the Keswick Hotel inBacton. The CarpentersArms in Wigton has re-openedand was serving Adnams andWarwickshire Pure Gold at avisit in July.

Punch have sold the lease ofthe Ship at Mundesley, with aview to a freehold sale in thenext 12 months, and theLeopard, Norwich is up forsale by Bateman’s.

The Woods End, Bramerton isnow called the Waters Edge,and has been refurbished andrelaunched as a food-led opera-tion.

And finally, Squares, Norwichwill re-open as a TGI Friday inSeptember.

News from the West

Let’s get the bad news out of

the way first. In Kings Lynn,the Woolpack on TennysonAvenue is closed as I write andhas a ‘To Let’ sign outside. Thisis despite having been refur-bished recently and having alarge potential custom basenext door at the College.Maybe students are moresensible and hardworking thanin my day. Not far away, theFenman opposite the railwaystation has also been closed inrecent weeks. However all isnot lost. The Fenman wasbeing decorated when I walkedpast, and the Woolpack had aletter pinned in the windowindicating that the companyowning the property had takenpossession, so it is possible thatby the time you read this thatone or both maybe reopen.Better news out on the GaytonRoad, where the Wildfowleris back in business, and sellingreal ale. Also open again is theBlue Bell at Stoke Ferry,selling what their websitedescribes as traditional ales.

Up in Hunstanton the newbuild Marston’s pub is nowopen. Called the Honeystone,it has been reported as beingvery busy by all my informantswho have tried it. If you domake the trip up to the coast,several people have contactedme recently with praise for theWash and Tope, so give thata try as well. It looks like we willfinally get our Greene KingHungry Horse pub in KingsLynn. Work seems to be onceagain under way at the oldlorry park, near the SouthGates and a planning applica-tion was recently lodged onbehalf of Greene King for signs

Pub News | NORFOLK NIPS

10 | AUTUMN 2013