The Earl of Beaconsfield in Mill Road is under new management. Cask beers are Fullers London
Pride and a guest (Greene King IPA on a recent visit - yawn!).
The Alma Brewery, Russell Street, reopened on 17th November after
alterations by the new owners Ridley's. It aims to have three real ales on at any time.
The Kingston Arms, Kingston Street, is being bought by the
Lidstone Brewery (Wickhambrook, near Newmarket) and they plan to move the brewery into the cellar.
[-> ALE 297 follow-up]
Chambers (formerly City Limits), on the corner of Station Road, was renamed Bar Moosh in July. The Fresher & Firkin (Chesterton Road) seems to be picking up, now occasionally stocking real ale again even before Punch Taverns bought it, along with all Allied Domecq's pubs. The Fountain (Regent Street) and The Dobblers (Sturton Street) had refurbishments over the summer.
The Grasshopper, near the bottom of Mill Road, has closed, as long expected, with the site believed to be intended for student lodgings. The former Globe on Newmarket Road, near the Abbey stadium, is now a restaurant, having been closed for years.
Landlord Dave Green has left The Champion of the Thames (King Street) to be full-time at The Unicorn, Cherry Hinton. The landlord of The Six Bells (Covent Garden), Mike Tedford, is also leaving to concentrate on his other pub, The Spread Eagle (Lensfield Road).
Within about a year there'll be the new Scottish & Newcastle bar round the corner (though possibly not branded as Rat & Parrot as originally planned), the new McMullens one in the former Arts Cinema and no doubt others. Greene King plan to spruce up the long-neglected Castle next door to The Regal and there are rumours that Yates Wine Lodges are looking for somewhere nearby (in addition to their Blue Boar on Trinity Street).
The Jug opened around 1982 as one of the CAMRA Investments ventures, along with The Alma, The Salisbury Arms and The Dobblers. Jon was the manager until about 1986 when he bought the business.
Competition from supermarkets and difficulties with silly planning regulations have no doubt played a part in the decision but he says it's time for him to move on and he hopes it will be bought as a viable business.