Category: Real Ale Group

Our Real Ale outing on Thursday 14 March, stopped local in Hucknall and indeed only visited one hostelry. This being our very own Wetherspoon’s ‘Pilgrims Oak’.

The reason was that Wetherspoon’s during mid-March were having their own Beer Festival, providing a selection of 30 different beers from 25 new breweries alongside their normal offering.

As the real ales are normally well kept, selling for half the cost of beers in Nottingham and allowing those of us in CAMRA to use our 50p a pint vouchers, it seemed too good an opportunity to resist.

A total of twenty men and women gathered, hijacked an area, pushed a few tables together and settled down to sample some different ales. A very congenial evening developed and was enjoyed by all.

Our April jolly will be using the tram, starting at New Basford and working our way back to Hucknall, by Old Basford, Bulwell and home to Hucknall.

Our February outing on Thursday 8^th took nine of us to the Hucknall Beer Festival, organised by CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale held at the John Godber Centre.

We met at 7pm at the venue and were pleased that we had chosen Thursday this year as last year on a Friday it was packed solid, with barely standing room. This year we were fortunate to get a table.

With over 70 beers on offer we were spoilt for choice. At a beer festival you purchase tokens, obtain a festival glass, then sample the various ales in third pint measures, This allows you to sample a wider range of beers.

The festival closed at 10pm and we all made our way home. An excellent night, with some outstanding real ales on tap.

Our January outing, on Thursday 25^th , took 13 of us once more to Nottingham, this time to the area around Nottingham Castle.

We met as usual to catch the 6.30pm tram, quite entertaining when one member (who will remain nameless) got separated from his pass and the tram, quickly sorted by Christine, getting off at the first stop and returning to Hucknall to reunite David J with his pass.

Getting off the tram at the Old Market Square, we walked up to The Roundhouse, which used to be part of the maternity wing of the General Hospital. It was surprisingly busy for a Thursday evening, we then went across the road to The Crafty Crow. Both these public houses have been closed for most of 2023, but thankfully are now both under new management.

We then made our way to Ye Olde Salutation Inn, known as the ‘Sal’ allegedly open since 1240 AD before finishing at The Barrel Drop in Hurts Yard, a micro pub owned by the Magpie Brewery.

An excellent night, with some outstanding real ales on tap, tram back to Hucknall and home.

Our November meeting on Thursday 16^th explored some of the micro pubs and beer rooms available locally. Four of the five were formerly shops.

The Baker and Bear was originally the site of No 1 Co op in Hucknall. Horse and cart deliveries were taken at the side passage. Before converting to a single room pub and providing exercise for the right arm it was also a gym.   Old Legover proved a very popular beer here brewed by Daleside. I cannot think why it was so popular with the group.

The Beer Shack opened in 2013 and claims to be Hucknall’s first micro pub. The fourteen U3A members in attendance completely filled this one room pub. I think some of the locals took flight. There is a pub sign displayed on one wall from the Flying Bedstead which closed shortly before the Beer Shack opened. Also an original sign from the Harrier also now closed.

When we reached The Hideout the party was down to ten. I wonder if the others went back for more Old Legover? This is another converted shop with a cosy cellar complete with wood burner stove.

Then on to The Byron’s Rest which was formerly a sewing shop. The original Byron’s Rest on High Street closed in 1938. This is currently CAMRA’s Nottingham’s cider pub of the year and was runner up for pub of the year. A well remembered name from the past Shipstone’s Gold Star went down well with many members.

The party had dwindled considerably by the time we entered The Pilgrim Oak to finish a very pleasant and memorable night around Hucknall.

Our September outing was on Thursday 21^st, meeting at the tram station to catch the 6.15pm tram to the Lace Market stop. We then had a half mile walk down Hockley to the Sneinton area.

Our first port of call was to The New Bath Inn, a recently renovated establishment, a good selection of beers, but perhaps a little noisy for our delicate ears.

Walking down Bath Street, we came to The New Castle, a small local public house run by an 88 year old landlady named Judith, serving only two real ales, they are always well presented. Unfortunately we could not inspect the recently discovered and dug out cellars as Judith had just had a hip replacement and couldn’t get down the stairs.

Around the corner to The King William IV, more commonly known as the King Billy, always a very good selection of Ales and Stouts, very well known with the real ale folk. Then just around the corner to a new mini bar named The Partizan Tavern, again 2 or 3 beers on selection, these two hostelries were very different but well worth the visit.

Our last port of call was the traditional pub The Fox and Grapes, just across the road and again serving several real ales for our selection, before heading back up the hill of Hockley to catch our tram home.

An excellent night, a good mix of establishments and of course excellent company as always.

Our October outing is on Thursday 12^th when we will be visiting CAMRA’s “The Robin Hood Beer and Cider Festival” at the Trent Bridge cricket ground.