Latest news with #CAMRA
Irish Post
21-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Post
Future of historic city pub in Birmingham secured by local Irish landlord
AN HISTORIC pub in Birmingham city centre will be preserved for the future after being taken on by a local Irish publican. The Anchor Digbeth – a Victorian pub located in Birmingham's Irish Quarter – has been closed for nearly three months, but will reopen next month under a new operator. Peter Connolly, who runs nearby bar and music venue Nortons Digbeth, has taken on the late-19th century Rea Street pub, pledging to 'restore the city gem'. New landlord of The Anchor Digbeth Peter Connolly (Pic: Dave Henderson) 'It's a great honour to take on The Anchor; a legendary pub which has always held a special place in my heart,' he said this week. 'I sampled my first proper cask ale in the Anchor many years ago and have used it regularly to meet family and friends, and with our staff on industry nights.' He added: 'The Anchor is a hugely significant pub in terms of tradition and heritage. It's a must-visit for cask fans, having won CAMRA pub of the year three times. 'It's a pub with huge community ties, and we appreciate how much the building means to so many people which is why we have now started work to restore the Anchor to its original glory." Owner and former licensee of The Anchor Gerry Keane (Pic: Dave Henderson) The Anchor, which is a Grade II listed building, was designed by James and Lister Lea. It claims to be one of the oldest continuous public house licences in Birmingham, dating back to 1797. Mr Connolly plans to revive the building's original interior and exterior features including the original bar fittings, pincushion leather bench seating and brass fixtures. The renovation will also introduce new elements, alongside revitalising The Anchor's original snug and lounge bars. Gerry Keane, who is the current owner of the pub, said he is looking forward to the changes Mr Connolly has planned for the venue. 'Peter shares my love for this very special building, as well as an ambition to restore it and see it secure its place as a jewel of the Irish Quarter,' he said. 'I look forward to seeing The Anchor Digbeth develop over the coming months and years.' 'We thank Julian Rose-Gibbs for taking charge of The Anchor for the last eight years.' Located in Rea Street, Digbeth, over the years the pub has become a popular venue for craft and real ale fans, and many artists from the city's cultural and creative communities. See More: Birmingham, Digbeth, Peter Connolly, The Anchor
Scottish Sun
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Is this the UK's quaintest pub? Never mind Prosecco, they don't even serve lager in ‘legendary' inn untouched by time
DRINK IT IN Is this the UK's quaintest pub? Never mind Prosecco, they don't even serve lager in 'legendary' inn untouched by time I FOUND what seems to be the UK's quaintest old school pub almost by accident - but don't expect to be able to order any champagne. The Dyffryn Arms is certainly not the easiest pub to find, but is well worth the effort. Advertisement 7 The Dyffryn Arms is located in the small rural village of Pontfaen, Wales Credit: John Sturgis 7 The quaint boozer is listed in CAMRA's National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors Credit: John Sturgis 7 The pub was originally built in 1845 and then was later converted into a pub Credit: John Sturgis It's not in the middle of nowhere so much as on the far edge of nowhere, down any number of narrow winding rural lanes in farming country called the Gwaun Valley, inland from Fishguard at the west end of Pembrokeshire in Wales. Originally built as a house in 1845, it was converted into its current pub-of-sorts format sometime in the Victorian period and has remained little changed ever since: one room for the drinkers, the others for the family that owns it. And it's been run by the same family for over a century. Our sat nav initially took us to a random spot surrounded by fields with no buildings in sight. Advertisement Then, after we'd finally worked out that we were actually a mile or so from where we should be, we found ourselves driving the rest of the route at walking pace - or rather at the walking pace of the herd of dairy cows that were being led very slowly down the narrow country road ahead of us. When we finally got to the pub, it didn't look like a pub at all, an impression reinforced by the appearance of the barman. He looked at least 85-years-old and appeared to have fallen asleep in an armchair while watching daytime TV very loudly in his front room. When he finally stirred and noticed that he had customers, he directed us to the small public area of the pub while disappearing behind a hatch to serve us. Advertisement There was no conventional bar as such, just that hole in the wall separating us from him. The choices were Bass ale poured from a barrel and served from a jug - or two or three room temperature other dusty bottled drinks of unpromising appearance. Pub With A 'Floating' Beer Garden By The Beach Never mind drinks like a glass of Prosecco, the pub didn't even have lager. The snacks also had a retro quality: I noticed a Curly Wurly that was on sale, so leave your ideas of being able to order your Kettle crisps here. Advertisement And the public area was decidedly unlike a conventional modern boozer. There was no banquette seating or any other concessions to comfort, just austere straight-backed wooden chairs and benches that looked like they might have done several decades of previous service as church pews. There was minimal decoration save a few vintage pictures including one of the late queen - and the paintwork looked as though it hadn't been redecorated since she came to the throne in 1952. My wife, demonstrating an extraordinary degree of optimism, actually inquired 'what wines' they kept, as if there might be an extensive list. Advertisement 7 Inside there are no screens, no music, no phone signal and no wifi Credit: John Sturgis 7 And regarding drinks - there were no wines Credit: John Sturgis The question was met with a rather blank stare, with a slight bit of side eye thrown in. She eventually asked for a cider, along with my beer - and of course had the option of only paying with cash. Advertisement There were no screens (except that TV you could still hear booming from the private front room next door), no music, no phone signal and no wifi. Yet to some, having no distractions of any kind would be a welcome respite from the bustling pubs found elsewhere. And the only customers were us, being so quiet I wondered if we might be the only customers that week. This place might not be for everyone but for me it was a long cherished ambition to get here and it didn't disappoint. Advertisement Because, in some beardie real ale circles, the Dyffryn is a legendary pub, a holy grail for the serious pub enthusiast or social historian. 7 The pub has been run by the same family for over a century Credit: John Sturgis CAMRA (the Campaign for Real Ale) describes its interior as 'of outstanding national historic importance' while National Geographic called the pub a 'time warp tavern'. But you will just have to remember to commit to finding it, as it isn't one you will easily wander past. Advertisement The previous manager, one Bessie Davies, had operated the pub's hatch for 72 years by the time she passed away aged 93 in 2023. In tribute her family have done absolutely nothing: keeping it as Bessie kept it and her fans like it. At one point a lot of country pubs would have been like this. In Thomas Hardy's famous Victorian novel Tess of the D'Urbervilles, his village has a pub like this where overspilling punters will often end up drinking in the landlady's bedroom, perched on her bed or chest of drawers while supping ale. Advertisement The Dyffryn is the closest I've ever come to seeing such a phenomenon in real modern life. I would feel guilty publicising The Dyffryn's extraordinary charm in case this were to see it overrun, but in reality most people reading this will never get there, and the few that do make the effort deserve the treat that awaits them. I just hope that when their time comes Bessie's grandchildren are as respectful of the past as to leave this winning formula alone. That's an ambition worth drinking to. Advertisement Britain's best 20 pubs for retro pints HERE are some of the UK's best pubs, as chosen by CAMRA: New Plough Inn, Hinckley, Leicestershire The Cricketers Arms, Saint Helens The Smithfield, Derby Pharmacie Arms, Syston Southampton Arms, Kentish Town, London Blackfriars Tavern, Great Yarmouth Victoria, Walsall Duke of Wellington, Norwich Dirty Duck Ale House, Holywood George Inn, Portsmouth Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff White Lion, Hampton in Arden Half Moon, Hitchin New Inn, Colchester Antwerp Arms, Tottenham, London Ostrich, Prestwich Puckersley Inn, Royton Drummer's Arms , Blackburn Woolly Sheep, Skipton There is also a small English pub that overlooks one of the UK's best secret beaches. Plus, the best pubs in the UK have been revealed.
The Irish Sun
15-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
Is this the UK's quaintest pub? Never mind Prosecco, they don't even serve lager in ‘legendary' inn untouched by time
I FOUND what seems to be the UK's quaintest old school pub almost by accident - but don't expect to be able to order any champagne. The Dyffryn Arms is certainly not the easiest 7 The Dyffryn Arms is located in the small rural village of Pontfaen, Wales Credit: John Sturgis 7 The quaint boozer is listed in CAMRA's National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors Credit: John Sturgis 7 The pub was originally built in 1845 and then was later converted into a pub Credit: John Sturgis It's not in the middle of nowhere so much as on the far edge of nowhere, down any number of narrow winding farming country called the Gwaun Valley, inland from Fishguard at the west end of Pembrokeshire in Wales. Originally built as a house in 1845, it was converted into its current pub-of-sorts format sometime in the Victorian period and has remained little changed ever since: one room for the drinkers, the others for the family that owns it. And it's been run by the same family for over a century. Our sat nav initially took us to a random spot surrounded by fields with no buildings in sight. Read more on travel inspo Then, after we'd finally worked out that we were actually a mile or so from where we should be, we found ourselves driving the rest of the route at walking pace - or rather at the walking pace of the herd of dairy cows that were being led very slowly down the narrow When we finally got to the He looked at least 85-years-old and appeared to have fallen asleep in an armchair while watching daytime TV very loudly in his front room. When he finally stirred and noticed that he had customers, he directed us to the small public area of the pub while disappearing behind a hatch to serve us. Most read in News Travel There was no conventional bar as such, just that hole in the wall separating us from him. The choices were Bass ale poured from a barrel and served from a jug - or two or three room temperature other dusty bottled drinks of unpromising appearance. Pub With A 'Floating' Beer Garden By The Beach Never mind drinks like a glass of Prosecco, the pub didn't even have lager. The snacks also had a retro quality: I noticed a Curly Wurly that was on sale, so leave your ideas of being able to order your Kettle crisps here. And the public area was decidedly unlike a conventional There was no banquette seating or any other concessions to comfort, just austere straight-backed wooden chairs and benches that looked like they might have done several decades of previous service as church pews. There was minimal decoration save a few vintage pictures including one of the late queen - and the paintwork looked as though it hadn't been redecorated since she came to the throne in 1952. My wife, demonstrating an extraordinary degree of optimism, actually inquired 'what wines' they kept, as if there might be an extensive list. 7 Inside there are no screens, no music, no phone signal and no wifi Credit: John Sturgis 7 And regarding drinks - there were no wines Credit: John Sturgis The question was met with a rather blank stare, with a slight bit of side eye thrown in. She eventually asked for a cider, along with my beer - and of course had the option of only paying with cash. There were no screens (except that TV you could still hear booming from the private front room next door), no music, no phone signal and no wifi. Yet to some, having no distractions of any kind would be a welcome respite from the bustling pubs found elsewhere. And the only customers were us, being so quiet I wondered if we might be the only customers that week. This place might not be for everyone but for me it was a long cherished ambition to get here and it didn't disappoint. Because, in some beardie real ale circles, the Dyffryn is a legendary pub, a holy grail for the serious pub enthusiast or social historian. 7 The pub has been run by the same family for over a century Credit: John Sturgis CAMRA (the Campaign for Real Ale) describes its interior as 'of outstanding national historic importance' while National Geographic called the pub a 'time warp tavern'. But you will just have to remember to commit to finding it, as it isn't one you will easily wander past. The previous manager, one Bessie Davies, had operated the pub's hatch for 72 years by the time she passed away aged 93 in 2023. In tribute her family have done absolutely nothing: keeping it as Bessie kept it and her fans like it. At one point a lot of In The Dyffryn is the closest I've ever come to seeing such a phenomenon in real modern life. I would feel guilty publicising The Dyffryn's extraordinary charm in case this were to see it overrun, but in reality most people reading this will never get there, and the few that do make the effort deserve the treat that awaits them. I just hope that when their time comes Bessie's grandchildren are as respectful of the past as to leave this winning formula alone. That's an ambition worth drinking to. Britain's best 20 pubs for retro pints HERE are some of the UK's best pubs, as chosen by CAMRA: New Plough Inn, Hinckley, Leicestershire The Cricketers Arms, Saint Helens The Smithfield, Derby Pharmacie Arms, Syston Southampton Arms, Kentish Town, London Blackfriars Tavern, Great Yarmouth Victoria, Walsall Duke of Wellington, Norwich Dirty Duck Ale House, Holywood George Inn, Portsmouth Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff White Lion, Hampton in Arden Half Moon, Hitchin New Inn, Colchester Antwerp Arms, Tottenham, London Ostrich, Prestwich Puckersley Inn, Royton Drummer's Arms , Blackburn Woolly Sheep, Skipton There is also a small Plus, the best pubs in the UK have been revealed. 7 The country boozer is oozing with "extraordinary charm" despite being tricky to get to Credit: Alan Hughes
BBC News
11-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
The historic Anchor pub in Digbeth to reopen under new management
An award-winning 18th-century pub in Birmingham is to reopen just three months after it was Anchor in Digbeth closed in June due to "financial constraints", with dozens of customers "devastated" by the Peter Connolly, who runs nearby music venue Nortons Digbeth, said it was a "great honour" to take on the Grade II listed pub, which he will reopen in August."The Anchor is a hugely significant pub in terms of tradition and heritage. It's a must-visit for cask fans, having won CAMRA pub of the year three times," he said. He said he wanted to "restore the city gem to its original glory" by reviving its interior and exterior features, including the original bar Connolly plans to hold regular live music events and screen a range of sports at the pub, which dates back to of the pub Gerry Keane said that Mr Connolly shared his love for the building and looked forward to seeing the pub develop over the years. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Scottish Sun
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
I've visited 24,000 boozers & knocked back 60,000 pints on ‘world's longest pub crawl' – here are my top 5 picks in UK
Peter has even secured a Guinness World Record for the world's longest pub crawl DRINK IT IN I've visited 24,000 boozers & knocked back 60,000 pints on 'world's longest pub crawl' – here are my top 5 picks in UK Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A REAL ale fan celebrated visiting visiting 24,000 boozers and downing 60,000 pints after more than 40 years on the "world's longest pub crawl". Peter Hill, from West Bromwich, drank to his 69th birthday after reaching his milestone at the Elephant & Castle in the West Midlands on June 20. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 9 Peter Hill (front left) and friends started trying out different pubs in 1984 Credit: SWNS 9 Peter (second right) then started average 11 pub visits a week Credit: SWNS 9 His group received a Guinness World Record title in 2017 after visiting 20,000 pubs Credit: SWNS 9 Peter Hill (front right) and co have now visited their 24,000th pub for his 69th birthday Credit: SWNS The father-of-two has travelled 400,000 miles across the country, and averaged 11 pubs each week, since starting on his expedition in 1984. This involved having a pint on 69 islands around the UK, visiting a boozer in every British county, and drinking at very pub in Wales. When Peter started, a pint cost 64p. Where it all started Peter started testing out different boozers with his mates when they got bored of drinking at the same one all the time, and they soon became known as the Black Country Ale Tairsters. After testing out a different pub from a map that was given out by the local Banks brewery in Wolverhampton, the Black Country Ale Tairsters then set out to visit all 300 pubs listed. Peter then had the aim of of visiting every pub on the CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) guide. "Then we sort of said 'shall we get to 1,000?' - then it was 2,000, then 3,000 and it just never stopped from there." The now retired engineer, Peter, eventually entered record books by trekking to all corners of Britain. His group set a record for the longest pub crawl, but that was never the main focus for Peter. He began to raise money for charities, like children's hospitals and the Air Ambulance, and raised over £35,000 over the years as each challenge became more and more ambitious. Britain's cheapest Wetherspoons' pint revealed Peter said: "It's been a great adventure and I've met some amazing people along the way. "I'm not sure if I'll ever stop, as I still really enjoy it. "There's still hundreds of pubs to go, so I'll keep on going while I can." Whilst numbers in the Black Country Ale Tairsters have gone up and down as life has gone on, Peter has persevered with the expedition, sometimes even going by himself. "We used to get a little drunk in the early days but it's more of a mature hobby now and I always take it easy and pace myself. We don't drink to excess," he added. "I mainly stick to the real ales but we'll try the odd stout and mild too. It's brilliant fun, you can't be a good pub." "I love the characters you meet." One of the rooms in Hills' home now contains 280-arch lever files which log every pub with pictures, menus and other memorabilia from the adventures. What makes a good pub For Peter, the best kinds of pubs are the "old-fashioned traditional boozers". He likes when then have just a couple of rooms, and provide a warm welcome too. He added: "And it helps if they have a good beer on." 9 Peter has an extensive collection of folders documenting all the pubs he has visited Credit: SWNS 9 The Black Country Ale Tairsters celebrated their 40th anniversary of pub crawls last year Credit: SWNS Throughout the years, Peter has seen the industry go through drastic changes with an increasing number of pubs struggling. However, he never goes for the pints that can reach up to seven or even ten quid. But to record that he has visited a pub, Peter leaves a calling card which he gets a staff member to sign. "The wife is OK with it, she just accepts it's my hobby." Peter and his wife Dawn, 66, plan to next go to Greenwich for their anniversary where they will down a few more pints. "I'm trying to do my bit to keep the pub scene alive. I'll keep going until the beer runs out." Peter's top 5 pubs Peter and his Black Country Ale Tairsters group achieved their Guinness World Record for the Longest Pub Crawl in 2017, after reaching their 20,000th pub. The now real ale connoisseur has revealed his top pubs in the UK, and why. The Black Lion, Consall Forge, Staffs: out in the wild, has an old steam train running past, next to a canal, lovely beer garden. Yew Tree Inn, Caulden, Staffs: 88-year-old landlord still remembers Peter visiting in the early days in 1987 as pub number 1,052. Old place full of antiques and great atmosphere. The Mug House, Claines, Worcester: has three little rooms, by lovely little churchyard. Peter also has a pal there who he sees often. The Rising Sun, Tipton, West Midlands: has been Peter's local pub for years, welcoming and friendly faces. Payton Arms, Stoke Lyne, Oxon: unique place full of cobwebs and spiders, old fashioned and hard to describe. Peter also added: "My favourites are Oakham Cistra, Abbeydale Moonshine or Deception, Ossett White Rat and Black Country Ales. "We've been to the Shetlands, Orkneys, Jersey, Guernsey. "And to parts of Europe too as we like to visit military and war sites, like the Somme." 9 The Black Lion, Consall Forge, Staffs is in Peter's top 5 list of pubs Credit: SWNS 9 His local pub, The Rising Sun, also remains among his favourites Credit: SWNS
