ALE Autumn 2001 No. 304

Pub News - Cambridge

Local round-up

The Free Press (GK, Prospect Row) is that rare place: well-kept Greene King beers (including XX Dark Mild) are served at the correct temperature in a lined glass, so that one always gets a full pint. It's the only pub we know of in the branch area which uses lined glasses.

The Parisa Cafe-Bar in Green Street is still misleading the public by claiming to have a microbrewery. Trading Standards and the Advertising Standards Authority have told Parisa to change the claim. As Parisa's head office is in Warrington, the local Trading Standards there is leading the campaign. However Parisa were taken over by the SFI pubs group in November and the new owners are likely to rebrand the bar.

As mentioned in Brewery News, the Hogshead (Regent Terrace) now has a much-reduced range of beers and has also been refurbished, with an emphasis on freshly-prepared food.

Laurel is planning to lease out the Boathouse (Chesterton Road), the Five Bells (Cherry Hinton) and the Volunteer (Trumpington Rd.) - it seems that tenancies are fashionable again amongst some big pub chains.

The Cambridge Pub Company has applied for planning permission for various external signs for the former Pierre Victoire restaurant premises in Regent Street. They recently developed the Life Music Bar in Ely's Cloisters shopping centre so this new bar will probably be similar.

Other refurbs mooted, underway or recently completed include the Robin Hood (Cherry Hinton, GK), the Prince Regent (Regent Street, GK) and the Red Cow (Corn Exchange Street, Punch).

In Trumpington the Green Man Beefeater (Whitbread) is having the fake coaching-inn-style decor ripped out in favour of an All Bar One look: bright and modern. It'll be branded as an Out&Out restaurant pub.

CC's Sports Venue Bar (Sturton Street), has a new couple in charge, with positive ideas for the place, including real ale. For instance Everard's Equinox has been sighted.

The Earl of Beaconsfield (Mill Road, Punch) and the Alexandra Arms (Gwydir Street, GK) have new landlords and the Jolly Waterman (Chesterton Road, Pubmaster) may have a new one soon. The Beaconsfield had a spell with no real ale but currently stocks Adnams Bitter and Youngs Special and the promised bar billiards table has appeared.

The Live & Let Live (Mawson Road, Free) held its third beer festival under the current management on the last weekend in November.

The Grasshopper at the bottom of Mill Road has been demolished to make way for student lodgings, having closed two years ago.


The Mitre

The Mitre (Six Continents) on Bridge Street has reopened after a refurb. Out has gone the Olde Alehouse look, to be replaced by a more cafe-bar style (what a surprise) - but it's actually very nicely done with a cream and salmon pink colour scheme, a variety of flooring (the flagstones have survived in the step-down portion) and comfy seating. It feels a lot lighter and airier and is now very like The Bath in Benet Street.

No real structural changes are apparent except for the bar counter being shortened in the middle section. Five real ales are available, the best news being the continued presence of Hopback Entire Stout. Adnams Bitter, London Pride and Bass are also permanent and there's one guest (Batemans Combine Harvester on one visit). Addlestone's cider is still on handpump.

Strangely, they appear to be applying for planning permission retrospectively.


Best pint in the world?

The Cambridge Evening News on 13-Oct reported that the County Arms (Castle Street) and the Golden Hind (Milton Road) have been nominated in the bestpintintheworld.com Web site's competition to find the Best Pint in the World 2001.

Any bar/pub in the world can be nominated and the winner (in December) will be the one which gains the most recommendations for quality of service as well as beer quality.


The Regal

Our experimental Pub Liaison Officer project has been progressing behind the scenes, with occasional meetings.

The most pressing issues at the moment are:

The chain had another beer festival between 31 October - 4 November, with 30 beers featured.


All information is believed correct at time of going to press. If our spies have got anything wrong, please contact the editor, who will be happy to print a correction.


ALE Summer 2001 No. 303 : Next section
Cambridge & District CAMRA