Love Your Local

Call for better deal for Norwich pubs

Further calls were made today to change the way business rates for pubs are calculated amid claims that successful boozers are being penalised.

Could a minimum booze price help ailing pubs?

MPs have called for a 50p a unit minimum price for alcohol.It is being hailed as a way to cut binge drinking and improve the nation's health - and a minimum price on alcohol could also help the city's struggling pubs.

Norwich pub and church join forces

Whalebone landlord Steve Fiske and Christ ChurchNorwich has always been famous for its pubs and churches, and now two stalwarts of the community that are only a pedestrian crossing apart have joined forces to bring the Christmas spirit to their neighbourhood.

Two parties in one for Norwich pubs

Kevin Hopkins and Dawn HopkinsThe old adage goes that you cannot be in two places at the same time - but two city pubs will be proving you can be on New Year's Eve. Punters in Norwich on December 31 will be able to celebrate at The Rose in Queens Road and the Ketts Tavern in Ketts Hill simultaneously, despite them being more than a mile apart, thanks to a live link between the pubs' big screens.

Couple buy Norwich pub

Landlords Tony and Karen Parish and thier daughter Holly who are the new owners of the Fountain in Earlham road, Norwich.A couple decided it would be much easier being their own bosses at their new city watering hole, rather than being tied to a huge pub company, so they bought it from Punch Taverns.

Pubs prepare for Paulton game

Thousands of Canaries' fans who cannot get tickets for the FA Cup first round tie with Somerset minnows Paulton Rovers tomorrow will be watching the game on TV - and pubs showing it live on their big screens are hoping it will mean a bumper day for business.

Norfolk pub has warm welcome for horses

It might not be the normal mode of transport to use when popping for a pint, but a group of horse-loving ladies from Norwich who regularly ride to their watering hole has been welcomed with open arms.

City pub has a refit

William IV pubMany pubs are trying to bring in more custom by serving food or diversifying, however one city watering hole has gone back to basics in a bid to reverse its fortunes.

Riverside pub put up for sale

The Ferry BoatOne of the best known riverside pubs in Norwich is on the market after being boarded up for more than three years.

Mystery over closure of popular pub

Mystery surrounds the sudden closure of a well-known village pub outside Norwich.

Single mum's pub success

A single mum with two kids has shown that you can make a success of a Norfolk pub - but you might have work all the hours under the sun to do so.

Calls to support beer festival

A Norfolk brewery's second annual beer festival has a sporting feel to it to tie in with the Ashes and last week's Wimbledon.

Jack Straw backs Norwich pub

Justice secretary Jack Straw has given his backing to the Evening News' Love Your Local campaign - saying pubs can play a vital part in the community.

New bar hoping to bring back forces spirit

The Diplomat, Badersfield, Ormesby Road, Coltishall.The people behind a new bar based at the former social club at RAF Coltishall are hoping to recreate the community spirit that once existed at the airbase.

Norfolk pub is best for cider

A Norfolk pub has been crowned East Anglia's top cider house.

City pubs named in UK guide

Rita McClusky, landlady of the Adam and Eve pub.Two of Norwich's pubs have been recognised as some of the best in the country and gained a prestigious place in a national newspaper's summer pub guide.

Beer festival for Dragon Hall

Students are renowned for enjoying the odd tipple or two - but not many get round to setting up their own beer festival.

Punters drink to pub of the year awards

Punters in the south of the county have proved they love their watering holes after a competition to find the best pub was flooded with nominations.

Plan for pubs to turn into tourist centres

Pub landlords should not only pull pints but provide travel information as well, tourism chiefs urged today.

Investor still needed for pub revamp

Drinkers will have to wait a little longer for an historic city pub to be given a £1m makeover.

Wanted: Pub idols with star quality

Chrissy Stone from Budding singers are being called to take part in a new talent spotting competition for Norwich.

A glorious brewing tradition in pictures

Michael and Donald, the Steward & Patteson dray horses, pictured in 1968 with Arthur Cocks (left) and Mick Townsend.They were one of the best-loved double acts in the whole of Norfolk - Michael and Donald, a symbol of Norwich and its proud brewing history.

Pub helps punters learn a thing or two

Allstars Street dancers performing at The BoundaryThe number of Norfolk adults signing up to evening classes and other courses has surged in recent years as they seek to boost their skills during the recession.

Future of Norfolk pub in doubt

The future of another Norfolk pub is in doubt after a pub landlord said he would be leaving when the lease ends in two weeks' time.

South Norfolk pubs looking for your votes

Punters are being urged to get to know pubs in the south of the county better - so they can vote for their favourites.

Popular pub closes down

A pub once known as one of Norfolk's best watering-holes closed again last night for the second time this year.

Pub landlord says sales are down

Punch Taverns runs 49 pubs in the Norwich areaBritain's biggest pub landlord has revealed that trade at its city venues has dropped by about 10per cent in a year - although it remains on track to meet expectations.

Norfolk bucking cask ale sale drop

Norwich landlords say their cask ales are selling well, despite news of an 8.2pc nationwide drop in beer sales.

Broads pub has been boarded up

The Pleasure Boat inn which is now closed.A Norfolk Broads pub popular with boat owners has been boarded up after its landlady was evicted over a £14,000 debt.

Pubs gear up for patriotic day

Tony Bennett, landlord at the Firs pub.As pubs try to pull in the punters they will be calling on the people of Norwich to be patriotic and celebrate England's patron saint.

Norfolk brewer opens new shop

A Norfolk micro brewery is to open a new shop selling the county's real ales.

Closed city pub reopens

While pubs across the city are closing down at a worrying rate there has been good news for one Norwich watering hole which has reopened its doors after four months closure.

Norfolk support for national beer day

Phil Cutter of The Murderers pub in Timberhill, Norwich - part of the Norwich central area.Calls for a national beer day to be introduced have been backed by Norwich landlords and MPs, who think it will help bring people back to their local pubs.

New book will highlight best pub walks

Traipsing across muddy fields searching for somewhere to relax and enjoy a pint could soon be a thing of the past following the launch of a new book which highlights the most picturesque pub walks across Norfolk.

Pubs gear up for Cask Ale Week

Chris Higgins at the Trafford Arms.The countdown has begun to the UK's biggest ever cask beer festival with pubs throughout the region busy stacking their cellars with real ales and beers in a bid to tempt punters from across the city in to love their local.

One enormous happy family

Do you recognise anyone in this glorious picture taken at the S&P Pockthorpe Brewery during the late 1920s or early 30s?Now this is what you call a proper leaving do, when the team that ran the big Pockthorpe Brewery of Steward & Patteson in Norwich came out to pay their last respects to a colleague.

Closed city pub gets reopening date

Open Soon, The Woolpack Inn, Norwich.A popular city centre pub which closed mysteriously at the beginning of the year has now set a date to reopen.

Landlord snaps up another pub

Landlord David Turnbull who has bought the Lord Rosebery pub.A well-known Norwich publican said today every recession had a silver lining, as he revealed he had bought another city pub which he plans to give a makeover with a colonial-style interior.

Save a pub - and become a TV star

Hayley Brasnett is researching pubs for Eye Film & TV. Photo: Bill SmithCommunity-minded people in Norfolk are being given the chance to become TV stars and at the same time save a struggling pub in their neighbourhood.

Meet Norwich's oldest and youngest pub landlords

Roger CawdronThere may be more than four decades in age between them - but the city's oldest and youngest pub landlords are united in their battle to survive in hard times.

Pubs are more than just a watering hole

Charley South outside the Brickmakers pub.Pubs are not just places to socialise, mix with the community and enjoy a good pint - watering holes are also famed for their charity work, their support for good causes and for sponsoring their own sports teams.

Historic pub re-opens its doors

The Cross keys public house in Wymondham.Pub landlady Elaine Penney yesterday spoke of the welcome support she has received from the local community on re-opening Wymondham's historic Cross Keys.

Siblings bring pub into 21st century

Brother and sister team Dan and Katie Searle who are bringing Norwich pub The Rumsey Wells into the 21st centuryA brother and sister who run a pub inspired by a colourful Norwich character are showing old-style publicans how to bring their watering holes into the 21st century.

City pub a step closer to reopening

The Woolpack InnA city centre pub has moved a step closer to reopening, after its owners Spirit Group Ltd, part of Punch Taverns, applied for a new premises licence.

Norfolk pub to undergo £40,000 makeover

KingAnother Norfolk pub is splashing out the cash on a makeover in a 'make or break' bid to get the punters back during these tough times.

About this campaign

We are aiming to encourage people to support their favourite boozer by highlighting all that is good about them, including the positive impact they can have on a community.

In 1905 there were 363 pubs inside the city walls but, according to the latest figures, there were only about 140 remaining in the whole of Norwich by the end of 2008. The situation is so bad there are real fears the traditional pub, as we know it, could soon become extinct, a thing of the past.

We believe pubs are an integral part of the fabric of our society, can play a vital role in building community spirit and are important to the economy of the city.

How to help

Pledge to visit your local at least once a week. You don’t necessarily have to drink alcohol to support your local boozer.

Meet friends at the pub for a meal. Pubs are often cheaper than restaurants but the food is still of high quality – perfect for these credit crunch times.

Get involved. There’s nothing better than getting a team together to take part in a quiz night. The pub is also the perfect place to while away the hours with a game of pool, snooker, darts and even the Wii. It also provides the opportunity to meet some new people and make new friends.

Arrange a birthday party at your local, or book a wedding reception there.

Part of a club or sports team? Choose a pub and visit it afterwards as a group.

Make the most of major sporting events. Sky too expensive? Many pubs in the city have forked out so you don’t have to.

Write to your local MP and urge him to support campaigns aimed at giving boozers more of a chance to survive. The high rates on beer tax are one such issue currently being debated in parliament.

Join Camra’s Save our Pubs campaign by clicking on to www.camra.org.uk. It has an extensive section on even more ways to get behind your local and one idea is for the public to organise its own Local Pub Week.

Pledge your support to The British Beer and Pub Association’s Axe The Beer Tax campaign by visiting www.axethebeertax.com.

If a pub you love is under threat, contact your local councillor or MP to see what they can do to support it.

Homes24
Jobs24
Drive24
Jobs24
LocalQuotes24
MyMobile24
FamilyNotices24
buy a photo
Classifieds
e-lottery24

UK City of Culture bid

Norfolk and Norwich Festival

Sport Relief Community Cash. Apply now.