East Hampshire

Campaign for Real Ale

Campaign for Real Ale

News

Watch this space for general news about things occurring in our area...or just outside.

  • Long closed pub re-opens Tuesday 26 December 2023

    The Royal Oak in Hollywater which closed suddenly in 2019 re-opened in November having been let by PubCo Heineken as part of its Star Pub Co. branding. Up to three cask ales are on offer and Saturday night is music night with what looks like hard-driving rock: https://whatpub.com/pubs/EHA/18/royal-oak-hollywater. Pub clips welcomed.

  • Perennial Good Beer Entry under threat Tuesday 26 December 2023

    I have been informed that Darren and Anna will be leaving the Queen's Head, Holybourne early in the New Year, probably by Easter. The pub, a fixture in the Good Beer Guide since at least 2008, is being put on the market by Savills. - Tony Davis

  • EHA 2023 Poty presentations Tuesday 23 May 2023

    POTY presentation to Phil of the 8 bells, Alton.

    POTY runner-up presentation to David of the Golden Pheasant, Lower Farringdon.
  • New openings Saturday 18 February 2023

    Cassidy's at 44 High Street, Alton (between the Spice Bank restaurant and Santander) will open at 3pm on Friday 17 February offering we believe two real ales and a number of craft keg beers along with cocktails, wine and spirits. Owners Luke and Becky have been putting a lot of effort into getting it ready and their progress can be tracked on their Facebook page.

    The Maverick Brewing Company, originally planned for the Farnham area, is setting up shop in the Ganders Business Park, Forge Road, Kingsley. Brewing has started and a premises licence has been obtained for a tap room on the premises so we should se a new addition to the East Hants brewing scene shortly along with another brewery tap. Follow progress on www.maverickbrewingco.com.

  • King's Head Alton Planning Decision Monday 13 February 2023

    Readers will be sad to hear that in a delegated decision East Hants Council planning officers have given the go-ahead to the King's Head in Market Street, Alton being converted to housing. Many will have fond memories of Stewart and Christine's tenure here which saw the pub become a regular Good Beer Guide entry featuring local ales from the likes of Andwells. Unfortunately structural problems with the roof of this eighteenth century pub led to closure in late 2019 and after a lot of legal wrangling over responsibility for repairs and failed attempts to market it as a going concern it will become four flats with the outbuildings becoming separate accommodation. The planning saga may be seen here

  • Queen's Hotel, Selborne: Appeal decision Friday 23 December 2022

    After over five years of planning applications and appeals over the future of the Queen's Hotel in Selborne a Planning Inspector has allowed the latest appeal to redevelop the building as "aparthotel" lettings with a field study centre and tap room for the nearby Gilbert White Museum and brewery on the ground floor, and a new detached dwelling in the grounds. There is no doubt in the minds of many in the village that this represents a considerable loss of local amenity compared with the fully functioning hotel with scope for events and a garden. However the tap room is a reality which will be open to the public from early January with what is likely to be four cask handpumps, two keg fonts and space for a bar top stillage. Initially the tap room will be open Thursday through to Saturday evenings so watch this space for more news.

  • Offf the Rails: Please help fight this perverse decision Saturday 23 July 2022

    At the height of the warmest summer in decades Offf the Rails, the well-regarded Triple fff brewery tap has had its outside drinking area closed again following what is believed to be one noise nuisance complaint. Public anger is evident on the brewery's Facebook page. Fans of the brewery have launched a petition, already quickly on the way to the 1,500 signature target, which may be seen here. Please sign and share.

  • Vacancy: East Hants Cider Representative Friday 22 July 2022

    Our East Hants CAMRA Cider Representative has had to move away suddenly and there is a vacancy for this important role. So, if you enjoy real cider and perry you could help to promote and campaign for them in local pubs and clubs, and help to raise awareness with branch members.

    The role can involve

    • Encouraging local pubs and clubs to serve real cider and perry.
    • Raising awareness, both in the trade and with branch members, of genuine real cider and perry and their usual methods of storage and dispense.
    • Researching real cider pubs, cider makers and distributors in your branch area.
    • Reporting progress, information and news to your branch and to your Regional Cider Coordinator.
    • Encouraging pubs that stock real cider and perry to extend their range to include local producers.
    • Involving branch members in selecting the Branch Cider and Perry Pub of the Year.
    • Assisting with ‘secret customer’ surveys for the annual Regional Cider and Perry Pub of the Year competition. This may involve taking part in surveys and recruiting branch members to take part.
    • Encouraging or organising cider-related activities and promotions.
    • Becoming the branch expert on cider and perry.

    Apart from an interest in real cider and perry useful attributes include access to a computer/tablet and the internet plus good interpersonal skills. The role can take up as much time as you are prepared to give: at most two hours a month is probably usual except at key times, such as the lead up to May and October Cider Months plus Cider and Perry Pub of the Year. If you are interested contact the EHA branch secretary Tony Davis on 01420 543086 or at secretary@eha.camra.org.uk for an informal chat. Any nomination by the branch will have to be confirmed at regional level.

  • Planning Application: King's Head, Alton Monday 27 June 2022

    East Hants District Council have received a planning application for the King's Head, Market Street, Alton to be converted to housing. Many will remember this friendly, bustling town centre Good Beer Guide listed venue with it's memorable music events in the garden and quiz nights, not to mention the very well kept ales from the likes of Andwell. The application may be found on the EHDC web site and comments and objections should be submitted by 20 July.

  • Recent Planning Applications Monday 4 April 2022

    I normally open up the digest of East Hants DC planning applications with a sense of trepidation but recently there have been two requests that would enhance the pub and club scene in the branch area.

    Application 2005/024 requests temporary accommodation for the clubhouse and bar at Lasham Gliding to replace that seriously damaged in a fire last September. Full details are here where you will be see that full re-opening of the clubhouse is expected by March 2023. This club has featured in the Good Beer Guide and been an East Hants CAMRA branch Club of the Year. We look forward to its glory days returning.

    Application 23005/024 is a request for a brand new pub in the Lymington Bottom area of Four Marks as part of a retail and leisure development. Full details are here. This will be a useful addition to the existing hospitality outlets in Four Marks with two pubs and a club well spaced out around this sprawling settlement.

  • Star at Bentworth: a lifeline Sunday 20 February 2022

    Further to the 25 January news item EHDC refused the application to redevelop the Star on 4 February. Sorry for the delay in putting this out. The decision reads as follows:

    'The Planning Authority REFUSES Planning Permission for the following reason(s): 1 The public house is a local community facility. The submitted marketing evidence demonstrates that offers have been made for the premises that would secure the retention of the pub. The proposal would consequently result in the unjustified loss of the community facility to the detriment of the social and economic well-being and quality of life of the community, contrary to policies CP1 and CP16 of the East Hampshire District Local Plan Joint Core Strategy and the advice contained in section 8 of the National Planning Policy Framework.'

    This is a very good result and although it may not be the end of the story we understand that a serious buyer with plans to continue operating the Star as a public house has made an offer in line with an independent valuation that was apparently in line with what the owners were seeking in their marketing.

  • George opens after refurbishment Thursday 9 December 2021

    The George, Alton which has been under the management of Punch tenant Tim Lees since the summer closed in November for a short period of refurbishment inside and out which has resulted in a much cosier establishment on its 3 December opening. Three cask ales are currently available, Tribute and Proper Job from St. Austell and Timothy Taylor Landlord. There are two additional handpumps for rotating guests which should be introduced shortly.

  • 2022 GOOD BEER GUIDE Sunday 21 November 2021

    The 2022 Good Beer Guide launched on Friday 12 November and once again there are eight strong entries for East Hants backed up by robust beer scoring and surveys and all have been given a final check during licensee pack delivery. The following list is alphabetical by settlement:

    Alton: Eight Bells, Railway Arms, Ten Tun Tap House (NEW);

    Four Marks: Offf the Rails;

    Hammer Vale: Prince of Wales;

    Holybourne: Queen's Head;

    Lower Farringdon: Royal Oak;

    Selborne: Selborne Arms.

    Our congratulations to all these and also to Gilbert White's Brewery, Selborne which makes its first appearance in the Breweries section along with perennial entry Triple fff, Four Marks.

  • NEW OPENINGS Sunday 21 November 2021

    It is gratifying that with the reopening of the Binsted Inn (previously the Cedars) in the village of Binsted on 10 November we now have a net increase of one in the number of licensed premises selling real ale compared with immediately before the first Covid lockdown in March 2020. Other recent reopenings include the Three Horseshoes in East Worldham and the Bakers Arms in High Street, Alton both following a change of management. Updates to WhatPub for these have been completed and watch out for Pub Clips.

  • ROYAL OAK, LASHAM REOPENS Thursday 30 September 2021

    The Royal Oak in Lasham came under new independent ownership in the summer and, after a period of closure to deal with structural repairs, is now open Wednesday to Sunday, 12 noon until 10pm - with two cask ales: Andwell Gold Muddler and Hog's Back Tongham TEA.
    Food, with a Mediterranean flavour, is served all day.

  • QUEEN'S HOTEL, SELBORNE: South Downs Planning Committee reject latest application. Friday 10 September 2021

    After convincing EHDC Planning Committee members to almost unanimously throw out the first application to convert the Jubilee Tap Room, Selborne to housing and making a strong case that enabled the Inspector to uphold that decision on appeal, 'Save the Queen's' had to contest a new application tweaking the original to provide a fig leaf of community benefit which came before the South Downs National Park Planning Committee in Midhurst on 9th September.
    As in the previous EHDC hearing, officers had prepared a damning-looking report but a majority of members saw through the arguments and in a hotly debated session enabled a majority to once again defeat the proposals. The proposed "aparthotel" holiday lets, a tap room with limited opening hours and replacement Field Study Centre were seen to be of very limited value to the local community and by no means an "equivalent or superior" set of amenities to the fine pub with serviced rooms and function facilities they replaced. Significantly members made the important point that the fact that the premises were in a dilapidated state should not be a consideration. Nor was the fact that Asset of Community Value status had been turned down.
    So a good result, but another hard slog probably lies ahead either fighting a further appeal or thrashing out a solution acceptable to all. There is in fact a local consortium ready to buy the Queen's Hotel at a fair price and run it as a pub. With the would-be developer's dependence upon the hope value of an inflated development price again given no credence will reason prevail?