Campaign for Real Ale

Pub and Brewery News - August 2017

Monday 31 July 2017

The following pub and brewery news was reported at the Branch Committee Meeting on Monday 31st July 2017.

Pub News

The Market Inn, Tavistock, have new tenants who are very keen to serve more real ale (up to six on the bar); Royal Standard, Mary Tavy, appears to be re-opening soon as a licensed café/restaurant under a new name; the Leaping Salmon Inn, Horrabridge, has been sold to a village local resident, who has a background in hospitality, with plans to reopen the pub after some refurbishment; the Copper Penny Inn, Chipshop, is apparently for sale; the old City Centre Post Office, Old Town Street, may be opening as a new restaurant, Turtle Bay; the Colebrook Inn, Plympton, has re-opened under new tenants, as has the Plymstock Inn; and there is some local interest in Yealmpton is trying to gain ACV status for the Volunteer; the Noahs Ark reopened after refurbishment; and the lease at the Lord High Admiral has been sold to new people, allowing Ian to retire for health reasons (and we wish him all the best for the future).

Brewery News

The Stannary Brewery, Tavistock, may be relocating within the Pixon Industrial Estate to a more suitable unit within the next few months; it has been rumoured that Dartmoor no longer supply “House Beers” to pubs; there have been no significant changes at Bale Ale; Bere brewery beers are available at Tavistock Farmers Market every 2nd, 4th and 5th Saturday of each month between 9.00 am and 1.00 pm; Braunton Brewery, Barnstaple, closed as from 12th May 2017. All the equipment has been sold to a Brew Pub Group in Cape Town, South Africa; Country Life, of Bideford, recently won three awards at the SIBA Beer Festival, Tuckers Maltings; Dartmoor Brewery, Princetown, building has now increased in size to improve space and storage capacity. Dartmoor IPA has been re-launched by adding slightly more hoppiness. Also, the sale of each pint will provide financial support to Dartmoor Rescue; Exeter Brewery won two awards at the SIBA Maltings Festival. Gold for bottled County Best and Bronze for bottled Darkness; Moonchild, Okehampton, continue brewing unfined, unfiltered, unpatseurised small batch beers; Moorstone, Mary Tavy, have now received the Real Ale In a Bottle (RAIB) CAMRA accreditation. A third beer is to be added to complement their line up. It is a 4.5% Blonde beer called Theo's Brew. They are now supplying 6 local outlets around Tavistock and just into Cornwall; Noss Beer Works, Lee Mill, continue brewing their three ales, selling to outlets around the region; Salcombe Brewery have successfully relocated one mile up the road to their new, purpose-built brewery and visitor centre at Ledstone; Summerskills have again brewed their stout, Devon Frost and Out Back And Home and featured at the Horse & Groom, Bittaford, “Brewery Of The Week" initiative; and Tavy Ales, of Beliver, report an increase in sales following their success at the CAMRA national Winter Ale Festival for Porter.

We would like to wish all new licensees and brewers all the very best in their new ventures!