Monday 26th September was not the sort of evening to encourage one out – cold, rainy and definitely felt like Autumn. However a good few CAMRA members caught the No.10 bus to join me, local CAMRA members and customers at the Lord Collingwood for the celebration.
As a Marston’s tied house, the beer choice on offer was Ringwood Best Bitter & Boondoggle, Thwaites Wainwright, Marstons New World, Banks’ Sunbeam and house special Colly Wobbler (the Hobgoblin was off). Licensee Sarah Heaton kindly provided sandwiches and home-made chips (by the fair hand of barmaid Karen) while husband Andy, fresh home from his day job, lit the fire for us.
It is customary to explain what CAMRA is about to the public during our speech, but when I looked around I couldn’t see any non-members! Little point in preaching to the converted so I passed on this, left some of our local recruitment leaflets and got on with the main event.
It is hard work running a pub anywhere and particularly in the villages and Pub of the Season awards were one way of giving rare recognition and encouragement to the people in the business.
The Heatons were congratulated on their first successful year, despite challenges like needing to close the kitchen for major refurbishment and Sarah’s ongoing fo ot problem. They did their best to offer beer variety with Marstons specials and guest festival ales. Andy expressed their gratitude for CAMRA’s attention and the certificate was quickly on display over the fireplace. Keep up the good work you guys.
Footnote: the pub is named after Vice Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood, 1st Baron Collingwood (26 September 1748 – 7 March 1810), who was an admiral of the Royal Navy, nota
Interestingly, another of the local pubs is the Lord Nelson in Nether Poppleton. Both men are neighbours in death too, buried side by side in the crypt at St Paul’s Cathedral, London!
