Posts by: Laura Hadland
When is a pub not a pub?
I’m fascinated by pubs. One of the main reasons I love them so much is because they are all different (not counting the dull repetition of bland chain...
Digital breweries
It’s easier than ever before to connect with the people who make our beer thanks to the internet. It’s a way for breweries to tell us their stories, t...
Calling time on Pedigree
I placed my order at the bar of the Malt Shovel and publican Brad invited me to take a seat. “I’ll bring your drinks over in a second,” he said. “I’ve...
Great expectations
It’s still the time of year when beer writers up and down the land don their Mystic Meg costumes and tell us what we’ll be drinking in the next 12 mon...
It’ll be lonely this Christmas?
A pub in Northern Ireland has gone viral with a low-budget Christmas advert. Charlie’s Bar in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, spent £700 on the ad, which f...
Bass back on bars
Readers may recall serious issues with the supply of the iconic Burton-brewed draught Bass after the lockdown ended. In 2021, this was widely attribut...
Inside the Bass House
I read the story of Vic Long this month. He was celebrating his 50th anniversary behind the bar at the Ship Inn in Portishead, Somerset. Some of the r...
The golden age of cider and perry
It was with great pleasure that I attended the inaugural Artisan Cheese and  Cider Summit at Little Pomona just outside Bromyard recently. It was one...
A Brief Encounter
I had a lovely weekend at the Ludlow Food Festival recently. I was there to give a beer tasting on behalf of Slow Food Ludlow, introducing my guests t...
Can the Crooked House rise again?
There has rightly been vocal outrage about the sorrowful demise of the Crooked House in Himley this month. The pub was sold from the Marston’s portfol...
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