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Pub Guide

Opening Times

Issue 129 Winter 2006

Download a copy of Opening Times 129 as a PDF file - 1.7 MB

PUB NEWS

Sam Pepys

In Huntingdon the Samuel Pepys on the High Street is under new management. The new lessee Trevor Fowler knows the pub well—his father was the landlord of this pub when it was the Waterloo (1967-1980). The pub has been given a stylish refurbishment, the TV screens have been removed and there is a relaxed atmosphere with an improved food operation and longer opening times. Four real ales are on offer.

Victoria Huntingdon

Also in Huntingdon Phil Beer is now at the helm of the revamped Victoria with partner Teresa. The refurbishment has created more space and there have been reports of good food and an interesting ever-changing range of cask beers.

In St Ives the Royal Oak is to be converted from a managed house to leasehold. Part of the Spirit Group estate sold to Punch Taverns last December, 750 managed houses in the chain are being offered for lease, the preferred mode of operation for Punch. The asking price for the Royal Oak lease is £43,000.

Brewers Greene King are selling leases for the King William IV at Fenstanton and the Cock at Gamlingay.

Charles Wells are in the process of changing all their managed pubs to tenancy or leasehold. Locally, this affects the Eaton Oak, Eaton Ford, the Cambridgeshire Hunter, Eynesbury, and the Barley Mow, Hartford.

New tenants have taken over the Charles Wells’ Royal Oak at Hail Weston. The real ale range is unchanged with Wells Eagle, Bombardier and Marston Pedigree.

Meanwhile in St Neots there are new licensees at the Bridge House and the Woolpack, where guest beers have been retained as a major feature.

New leesees are in place at the George in Spaldwick and the Robin Hood in St Ives. Three cask beers are on offer at the refurbished Robin Hood.

The Horseshoe at Offord Darcy is under new ownership. Real ale remains a feature, and chef-proprietor Richard Kennedy sources local ingredients including seasonal vegetables for the restaurant and bar meals.

The Old Falcon on St Neots Market Square has apparently been sold by Charles Wells. It is understood that the building will be redeveloped with residential flats on the upper floors, and a restaurant replacing the previous downstairs bar. By converting the bar into a restaurant, the developers would avoid a planning application for change of use.

The Good Beer Guide listed Grange in Brampton is for sale. The estate agents leaflet explicitly highlights the opportunities for change of use to residential or offices, and suggests that Huntingdon District Council have advised the current owners that such a conversion would be consistent with their development plan policies.

Alf Barrett and Julie Brewer are leaving the Three Horseshoes at Graveley, the pub that famously went no-smoking 2 years ago—the first to do so in this area. It is understood that the new lessee plans to make no major changes to the Three Horseshoes operation, including the no smoking policy.

Lord John Russell

New tenants Jane and Chas Smith have taken over St Neots’s Lord John Russell, a pub that has seen a succession of temporary managers for some time, and as a result was “failing to achieve it’s full potential”. That has all changed, as Jane and Chas are totally committed to making this Batemans pub a thriving community pub once again. Jane has introduced a new menu, focussed on good value pub food, and daily specials. The LJR is offering Batemans XB, either Dark Mild or Salem Porter, plus a seasonal guest beer.

White Hart

A tenancy change has also occurred at Batemans other local pub, the White Hart at Great Staughton. New tenant Phil Watson is in the process of making a number of changes at the White Hart, with the previous games room being converted into a restaurant. A food service is expected to start in late November, with the focus on traditional pub food. At that time the opening hours of the White Hart are likely to be extended (currently the pub only opens in the evening during the week). The real ales currently on offer are Greene King IPA, Batemans XB, and a Batemans guest beer.