Stations with GOOD real ale bars?

[Meole]

Ruabon Bridge End Inn ex Camra National pub of year

 

[Tetchytyke]

That's interesting.

Were the problems worse than one might expect at many of the other station bars scattered around ?

There were a lot of problems about 10 years ago on the 'ale trail' which was promoted from Stalybridge-Marsden-Huddersfield-Dewsbury-Leeds. It stopped being a nice afternoon out for CAMRA types and started being an all-day piss-up for yobbos.

Real Ale Trail clampdown set to continue but licensees agree to 'wait and see' for lager ban this year

Police and licensees vow to remain tough on lager louts in Slaithwaite and Marsden

www.examinerlive.co.uk

The Real Ale Trail was set up five years ago to allow ale fans to enjoy a quiet drink along the Stalybridge to Dewsbury Transpennine route following its appearance on the BBC’s Oz and James Drink to Britain, but quickly became a hot spot for large groups looking for a day of binge drinking.

Insp Trueman said: “The police presence made a positive impact last year and now we want to take it forward.

“Policing won’t be at the same intensity as before but we want to make sure that people know we will not tolerate any anti-social behaviour, are taking the issue very seriously and will maintain a visible presence, including a mounted section and road policing.

“If anyone wants to contact us in connection with this we welcome them to do so by calling 01484 436898.”

Speaking about the plans, Gary Brammall, general manager at the Riverhead Brewery Tap and a member of Real Ale Trail Licensees (RATL), which was set up by landlords and brewers along the route, said: “I’m happy that the police will have a presence again this year.

Read More
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“RATL have not had to have a full meeting since we made the decision to stop serving shots or lager last year and will wait and see if we think it’s necessary to have another one as the summer progresses because, although it’s quiet now, the situation could change, particularly with the football season ending.

“We don’t want people to think ‘that’s it’ because it will start to pick up but it’s a case of wait and see and we hope that everyone’s efforts last year will mean that we have less problems this time around.”

Meanwhile, Colne Valley councillor Donna Bellamy said: “If we get the police presence again then we shouldn’t have any problems.

“We don’t want it to return to how it was with lots of stag and hen dos but the Real Ale Trail, when it is that, is fantastic.”

When they clamped down on it in the Colne Valley, people took to the Calder Valley instead.

I don't blame the Friends of the station for being nervous.

 

[Whisky Papa]

That's interesting.

Were the problems worse than one might expect at many of the other station bars scattered around ?

One definite issue was that the cafe/bar premises at Hebden Bridge had no toilets, and were supposed to close when the station staff (of which I was one at the time) locked up, having left the toilets in a decent state. It was then sometimes frustrating for the staff member opening up the following day to find the bar had used their 'emergency' key to open them again, and that they now needed repeat attention before they were fit to use.

I suspect the proposed Darkland bar will not have toilet facilities either (although I'd be very happy to be told otherwise), risking a repeat performance.

My experience was that although summer Saturday evenings could be hectic and occasionally quite unpleasant with gangs of drinkers returning home (noticeably to East Lancs stations), the presence of the bar on the station actually made little difference to this situation.

 

[yorksrob]

One definite issue was that the cafe/bar premises at Hebden Bridge had no toilets, and were supposed to close when the station staff (of which I was one at the time) locked up, having left the toilets in a decent state. It was then sometimes frustrating for the staff member opening up the following day to find the bar had used their 'emergency' key to open them again, and that they now needed repeat attention before they were fit to use.

I suspect the proposed Darkland bar will not have toilet facilities either (although I'd be very happy to be told otherwise), risking a repeat performance.

My experience was that although summer Saturday evenings could be hectic and occasionally quite unpleasant with gangs of drinkers returning home (noticeably to East Lancs stations), the presence of the bar on the station actually made little difference to this situation.

I notice at Lancaster and Carlisle (which also rely on the station toilets) seem to have their station loos open longer, being bigger hubs.

I wonder if they could have a permanent portaloo installed somewhere nearby.

 

[High Dyke]

It is the Swan and Railway indeed. I never get beyond the Draught Bass as it's so good.

I'll second that.

Seven Stars opposite the station access road at Stourbridge Junction.

The Seven Stars | Black Country Ales

www.blackcountryales.co.uk

 

[Bald Rick]

Seven Stars opposite the station access road at Stourbridge Junction.

Decent, but the Bird in Hand round the corner is better.


Not sure if previously mentioned, but The Real Ale Way directly opposite Hayes (Kent) is a beauty.

 

[D6130]

One definite issue was that the cafe/bar premises at Hebden Bridge had no toilets, and were supposed to close when the station staff (of which I was one at the time) locked up, having left the toilets in a decent state. It was then sometimes frustrating for the staff member opening up the following day to find the bar had used their 'emergency' key to open them again, and that they now needed repeat attention before they were fit to use.

I suspect the proposed Darkland bar will not have toilet facilities either (although I'd be very happy to be told otherwise), risking a repeat performance.

My experience was that although summer Saturday evenings could be hectic and occasionally quite unpleasant with gangs of drinkers returning home (noticeably to East Lancs stations), the presence of the bar on the station actually made little difference to this situation.

Just to elaborate slightly, the pop-up Parcel Bar were officially permitted to use the café staff's toilet key for customers' and staff use after the station staff had gone home. The biggest problem was caused by people from the East Lancashire towns who had been drinking all afternoon and evening around the town centre and then found - to their great delight - that there was a bar open on the station when they returned for their homeward trains.

After several near-misses (and missuses) with inebriated customers literally falling out of the bar onto the down platform, Network Rail eventually insisted that the door from the bar onto the platform be kept locked in the evening. This resulted in said inebriated customers having to make a detour via the station forecourt and side gate to use the toilet and catch their trains from platform 1 on the far side.

As a result, many Lancashire-bound punters panicked when their last train was approaching and jumped across the track instead of using the subway. I personally witnessed one incident when the last Blackpool-bound train had to make an emergency stop entering the station because two extremely well-built middle-aged women were unable to climb up from the track onto the Up platform. Very frightening for the driver!

 

[alistairlees]

Edinburgh Waverley; 2 minute walk - Market Street exit, across the road and up some steps is the Halfway House; a small, railway themed gem. In days past it was the rail staff boozer.

Princes Street exit; 2 minute walk - diagonally to the right across the road, up West register Street is The Guildford Arms, one of the finest pubs in Scotland. Seeing is believing.

Both excellent pubs. I was in the Halfway House (going down, not up) a few weeks ago.

 

[Swr28]

Manningtree has a nice bar also opens early to provide excellent Bacon rolls. Just what you need before or after a trip to the Hoek.

 

[yorksrob]

Just to elaborate slightly, the pop-up Parcel Bar were officially permitted to use the café staff's toilet key for customers' and staff use after the station staff had gone home. The biggest problem was caused by people from the East Lancashire towns who had been drinking all afternoon and evening around the town centre and then found - to their great delight - that there was a bar open on the station when they returned for their homeward trains.

After several near-misses (and missuses) with inebriated customers literally falling out of the bar onto the down platform, Network Rail eventually insisted that the door from the bar onto the platform be kept locked in the evening. This resulted in said inebriated customers having to make a detour via the station forecourt and side gate to use the toilet and catch their trains from platform 1 on the far side.

As a result, many Lancashire-bound punters panicked when their last train was approaching and jumped across the track instead of using the subway. I personally witnessed one incident when the last Blackpool-bound train had to make an emergency stop entering the station because two extremely well-built middle-aged women were unable to climb up from the track onto the Up platform. Very frightening for the driver!

It does sound like the sort of thing that would sort itself out once the punters got used to the concept of a pub on the platform.

 

[DelW]

Manningtree has a nice bar also opens early to provide excellent Bacon rolls. Just what you need before or after a trip to the Hoek.

That was well known for serving real ale as far back as the late 1970s, when the surrounding area's pubs were almost all keg only. I lived in Ipswich for a year (1979ish), and having a real ale pub accessible by train was brilliant. The bar featured seats from mk1 coaches.

It did good pub food then too. I may have related it on here before, but I have a memory of one evening, someone from the kitchen bringing out a package wrapped in foil and going out onto the platform. We were puzzled until a few moments later, an up freight came into the platform at walking speed. An arm reached down from the cab, the food was handed up, throttle was opened and away it went in a cloud of smoke. Memory is of it being a 37, but I can't be sure of that at this distance in time.

 

[52290]

I agree. Very expensive and I've not found their beer to be as nice (might be as I've developed a taste for their canned beer over their cask).

The trouble with Fullers is they don't own the brewery that carries their name. The Chiswick brewery is owned by the Japanese firm Ashai.
Fullers just own the pubs.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

There were a lot of problems about 10 years ago on the 'ale trail' which was promoted from Stalybridge-Marsden-Huddersfield-Dewsbury-Leeds. It stopped being a nice afternoon out for CAMRA types and started being an all-day piss-up for yobbos.

I promise you now I live back in the UK that I am a CAMRA type and not a yobbo!
It is sad that some people can take an excellent idea (good for tourism and business) and ruin it.

 

[Wolfie]

The trouble with Fullers is they don't own the brewery that carries their name. The Chiswick brewery is owned by the Japanese firm Ashai.
Fullers just own the pubs.

Fullers, like Young's before them and Marston's since, took the decision to become purely pub owning companies and sell off their brewery. I assume a supply deal is involved but for how long...

 

[Llandudno]

Although this isn't a Spoons thread, I would say that of another pub by a station, the Captain Alexander, a Spoons opposite James St station where the toilets have always been pristine when I have been there. As opposed to the one on Lime St station where they are really grim.

The Captain Alexander also boasts a fabulous roof top beer garden/terrace!

 

[Llandudno]

I promise you now I live back in the UK that I am a CAMRA type and not a yobbo!
It is sad that some people can take an excellent idea (good for tourism and business) and ruin it.

The Stalybridge - Dewsbury real ale trail is great on a Thursday, just avoid weekends!

 

[D6130]

The Stalybridge - Dewsbury real ale trail is great on a Thursday, just avoid weekends!

....likewise the Calder Valley.

 

[Whisky Papa]

Just to elaborate slightly, the pop-up Parcel Bar were officially permitted to use the café staff's toilet key for customers' and staff use after the station staff had gone home. The biggest problem was caused by people from the East Lancashire towns who had been drinking all afternoon and evening around the town centre and then found - to their great delight - that there was a bar open on the station when they returned for their homeward trains.

After several near-misses (and missuses) with inebriated customers literally falling out of the bar onto the down platform, Network Rail eventually insisted that the door from the bar onto the platform be kept locked in the evening. This resulted in said inebriated customers having to make a detour via the station forecourt and side gate to use the toilet and catch their trains from platform 1 on the far side.

As a result, many Lancashire-bound punters panicked when their last train was approaching and jumped across the track instead of using the subway. I personally witnessed one incident when the last Blackpool-bound train had to make an emergency stop entering the station because two extremely well-built middle-aged women were unable to climb up from the track onto the Up platform. Very frightening for the driver!

I don't think I was aware of the door-locking requirement - perhaps it came after I moved on to the comparative calm ( ) of Bradford Interchange? It does point to the gradual change that occurred from the original proposal that was sold to the station staff ie the bar closing as the station was closed at 2030, with basically no negative impact.

In fairness, there were also occasions when I saw Lancashire-bound passengers run across the tracks for the 2038 Blackpool North service, completely unrelated to the bar on the platform.

The Stalybridge - Dewsbury real ale trail is great on a Thursday, just avoid weekends!

....likewise the Calder Valley.

Quite so - I would not venture into Hebden Bridge on a summer weekend, and in fact rarely do so even in my home town of Todmorden. One essential difference between the original 'ale trail' and the Calder Valley is that the former tended to concentrate on one (or perhaps two) station-adjacent premises at each location requiring frequent train hops between, whereas each of the Calder Valley towns offers a big enough selection to mostly keep people happy in whichever one they have gone to.

 

[yorksrob]

The trouble with Fullers is they don't own the brewery that carries their name. The Chiswick brewery is owned by the Japanese firm Ashai.
Fullers just own the pubs.

Seems like a peculiar way of doing it.

 

[yorksrob]

Fullers, like Young's before them and Marston's since, took the decision to become purely pub owning companies and sell off their brewery. I assume a supply deal is involved but for how long...

Doubtless another "wise" decision by our captains of industry.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

The Stalybridge - Dewsbury real ale trail is great on a Thursday, just avoid weekends!

....likewise the Calder Valley.

Thanks for the advice. Being retired means Thursday works well for me.

 

[cjw714]

The Stalybridge - Dewsbury real ale trail is great on a Thursday, just avoid weekends!

The numbers involved can be quite staggering. Luckily when I passed through the area a few years ago on a train about 6 30 on a Saturday everyone was in good spirits. However, with that many people in close proximity and with that much alcohol being consumed it would be no surprise if problems did occur.
And Greenfield station, with it's single entrance opening on to a steep, busy road with a tiny parking area isn't great for access at the best of times. Add into the equation several dozen slightly drunk people trying to cross over to the Railway Inn and it really does feel like an accident waiting to happen.

 

[Wolfie]

Doubtless another "wise" decision by our captains of industry.

The books look good in the short-term....

 

[High Dyke]

Not sure if previously mentioned, but The Real Ale Way directly opposite Hayes (Kent) is a beauty.

Ooh, I forgot that one. Been there, a decent selection available. Also convenient if walking the Capital Ring.

Cambridge station. The Old Ticket Office, has up to five ales on.

 

[yorksrob]

Not sure if previously mentioned, but The Real Ale Way directly opposite Hayes (Kent) is a beauty.

I may try that one day, but if there aren't pictures of EPB's, I will be disappointed.

 

[yorksrob]

The books look good in the short-term....

Great foe shareholders. Let's see what happens for customers if they get Cadburysed.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Great foe shareholders. Let's see what happens for customers if they get Cadburysed.

They’ll follow the Jennings trajectory. A slow death before a rebirth in private ownership, in the hands of people who actually care.

A shame as ESB is a bloody nice beer.

 

[xotGD]

I may try that one day, but if there aren't pictures of EPB's, I will be disappointed.

Well done for managing to mention slammers in a thread about pubs!

 

[yorksrob]

Well done for managing to mention slammers in a thread about pubs!

Thank you - it has to be done ! The best trains ever.

 

[D6130]

Thank you - it has to be done ! The best trains ever

I wonder whether you will manage to mention pubs in a thread about slammers?