Category: Two Julians

Next up on our little Two Julians visit around Norwich was the Rose on Queen’s Road. The pub was first opened in 1855 and it became a Bullards pub at the end of the nineteenth century, then Watney Mann in 1967, Courage in 1972, Adnams in 1984 and then free trade in 2003 (thanks to https://www.norfolkpubs.co.uk/norwich/rnorwich/ncrot9.htm for this). Julian talks fondly of the former look of the pub’s exterior, but I’m too young to remember it, although George Plunkett has a photo of the side of the building from 1934.

Firstly, it took me a little time to clear up the historic record of what this pub is actually called, as this has made it hard to link old newspaper articles with the correct pub. It’s historically the Rose Tavern, but is currently called the Rose, Rose Pub & Deli or the Rose Inn, I assume to differentiate it from another pub with a similar name in the city. Today, any mention of the Rose Tavern is likely referring to the one on Rupert Street. As some extra excitement, this pub is listed in the Good Beer Guide.

Just as a total aside of very little consequence other than it interested me, this is an early brand deal arrangement back from November 1912:

“STRONG NORWICH EVIDENCE.

ZAM-BUK RESCUES CHILD FROM WET DISFIGURING ECZEMA.

There is a ring of real gratitude about a Norwich mother’s account of the cure by Zam-Buk of her daughter’s shocking eczema. Florence Hicklin is the 14-years-old child of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Nicholls, of the Rose Tavern, Queen’s Road, Norwich. To a “Norwich Mercury” reporter the mother said:—

“The eczema started with small itchy places on Florence’s head. The disease spread rapidly, weeping sores breaking out all over her scalp and completely covering her face. The child suffered great pain in her head and eyes, and she was so ashamed of her awful disfigurement that she flew to a vacant room whenever visitors were shown in.

The itchy wet sores ravaged Florence’s skin frightfully, though I persevered carefully with the treatment specially recommended by a chemist. I also took the child to the hospital. On my way home from the hospital one day I bought a box of Zam-Buk and determined to give the balm a thorough trial.

When I started with Zam-Buk Florence’s head and face were in an awful condition. Within a few days, however, there was a marked change. The balm worked like magic through the crusts of sores, destroying the disease and soothing my child’s awful itch and pain, and I reproached myself for not having tried Zam-Buk earlier.

Keeping carefully to the Zam-Buk treatment I got my reward by seeing all Florence’s disfiguring sores cleared away and replaced by new skin. The girl is now quite free from disease, and has a much healthier and clearer skin than ever she had before I used Zam-Buk. I am deeply grateful for this splendid cure.”

There is only one Zam-Buk, and that is the highly refined preparation sold only in sealed packages bearing the trade mark “Zam-Buk” on the outside. It is prepared from certain valuable herbal extracts by scientific processes which are known only to The Zam-Buk Co., by whom they were discovered and perfected. A box of Zam-Buk retains its wholesomeness for any length of time, and it is guaranteed free from lard and all animal fat or impurity; its healing strength never varies. Of all chemists, at 1/1½ and 2/9 per box.”

And, I’m intrigued to see that Zam-Buk is still produced and is being sold in a number of South Asian countries. Anyway, I’m glad that Florence’s skin cleared up. There must have been something of a local fight as the Yarmouth Independent (the name of the newspaper, not the current Great Yarmouth MP) reported in February 1936 that Florence Freezer (a rather memorable name) had assaulted Dora Harvey, the landlady of the Rose Tavern. However, Freezer’s address was given as 233 Queen’s Road, which is also the address of the pubs, it all sounds like something of a drama.

The events list and I do know how good the Weird Pancakes are, so that’s always recommended.

I had just picked up my new glasses and hadn’t gotten used to taking them off to see what photos I had taken, so there are some which are slightly sub-optimal in terms of quality. Anyway, here’s the keg options with a suitably blurry element to it. The beer selection is well curated and most beer styles are represented here.

The real ales. The service was prompt and polite, although we were the only customers throughout our visit and so we were unlikely to be left waiting long to be served.

Cheeseboards, as the pub has a deli counter, and Good Beer Guide books from over the years.

These images really aren’t great, but my new phone arrives this week so expect some sharpening up on quality. Well, maybe. I’m surprised, just as it’s a little unusual, by how many high tables there are in the pub, but that’s not a complaint, as they’re my personal preference to sit at in terms of comfort.

This is the only bar billiards table that I haven’t played on in Norwich (and I’m pleased to note that I was an early player on the new table at the Artichoke so that one is ticked off my list). My team of the Serengeti plays there next week as a friendly against the Rose, but I’m not in Norwich to join them, but one day I’ll get to play there (although I’ve been saying that for years)…..

I went for the Make it Pacific Sunrise beer from the formidable Brew York brewery. A hoppy, light, fluffy little number. Julian went for the Hop Stash from Nene Valley, which he was suitably impressed by but the brewer has made it impossible to add with any accuracy to Untappd as the pump clip doesn’t mention which hops are in it and there are numerous versions. The beers were both well-kept and at the appropriate temperature, so no issues there.

The beer list and I like how well placed this is so it’s easily possible to see the options available. The Rose did have their beers listed on Untappd which makes things easier, but it does come at quite a price and I can understand why they don’t. I also rather like that they’ve made it clear that 1/3 measures are available, it’s rare that pubs selling craft beer don’t allow this, but it’s helpful for it to be pro-actively mentioned.

The pizza list and I know from past experience that the quality is high.

Overall, I’ve visited here a fair amount over the years, with the service always being friendly and attentive. It must be a little challenging for them as they’re away from the main drag of Norwich city centre pubs and it would be easy to overlook them, but it’s definitely worth making the effort to get here. There’s real ale, craft keg, cheese boards, pizzas and bar billiards and that to me sounds like a rather lovely combination of things. I have nothing negative to note about the pub, it’s a comfortable and well-run venue, with the beer quality being high and its position in the Good Beer Guide as entirely justified IMO.

Next in the Two Julians Norwich series is the Berstrete Gates which, as a disclosure, has been one of my favourite pubs for some time. I accept it’s not a craft beer haven, but many years ago a group of us used to go to the Berstrete Gates every Friday and the lovely owner, Hang Pham, merrily cooked for us every week.

Located on Ber Street, the history of this pub is complex and long, starting with when it was known as the King’s Arms in the early eighteenth century. A few weeks ago, I found an old theatre group mention in a newspaper from nearly 300 years ago and I think they were performing here. Above is the auction details of the pub when it was put up for sale in June 1879 and it had also been auctioned in January 1867 when it was known as “the old King’s Arms”. There have been twelve pubs in Norwich city centre with the name King’s Arms (including another one on Ber Street), so some form of differentiation was necessary. The current building is from the mid to late nineteenth century (I think from around 1870s from maps) and it isn’t listed, with many of the interior features hidden behind some paint, although it retains some charm. Although Nikolaus Pevsner said that the building was “uninteresting”, so don’t come here expecting beautiful pub architecture.

The pub took its current name of Berstrete Gates in June 1937 as it’s very near to the site of where the Ber Strete Gates entrance to the city was located. The gate had been pulled down in 1808, although it dated from the early twelfth century, as part of the destruction of the walls and gates in the city. There’s more about the history of the gate at https://www.norwich.gov.uk/site/custom_scripts/citywalls/29/29.html.

The beer board which is visible when entering the pub and it tells its own story. This is a cheap and cheerful venue, the beer comes in cans and bottles, the product range is limited and the service is exquisite. In more recent history, this was taken over just before Covid by Gary Harvey and I think the timing of his taking over was all a bit unfortunate with a global pandemic ongoing. My friend James and I did go there in that period and the welcome was friendly, personable and immediate. I remember we were offered sausage casserole they had left over from a wake and we promptly then went about four times in that week as they were closing relatively soon after. The furniture layout was unusual to say the least, everything was based around a large central table that looked a little bit more meeting-like than pub-like. I think that the plan was to create a pub where people would talk to others when they entered, but on our final visit there a number of rather young looking girls were scrawling on the walls and so it felt best to retreat back to an adult’s pub. Since January 2024, Hang Pham has taken over behind the bar once again.

The Guinness cost £2.50, a perfectly reasonable price. To add some variety to our visit, Julian went for a can of Holsten Pils, also priced at £2.50. Does beer drinking get much more decadent?

The bar. In not trying to be on-trend, I think it’s strangely become more authentic. It’s quite a stark design and the back room doesn’t seem much used, but it is what it is.

The signage outside and it’s fair to say that it could do with a little of bit of exterior repair work.

The mural was created by John Moray-Smith (1889–1958) in 1938 when the pub was owned by Morgans Brewery. They had purchased it in the 1920s from George May brewery and through acquisition it became part of Bullards, Watney Mann, Brent Walker, Pubmaster and then finally free trade in 2002. George Plunkett, a photographer who has recorded so much of Norwich’s history which might otherwise have been lost, took a photo of it soon after the mural was installed.

This is not a destination pub, it feels much more like an estate pub that just happens to be relatively near to the city centre. It’s got some considerable charm to it and although there’s a chance that it’ll end up as an on-trend craft beer bar in a few years if it doesn’t work out in its current iteration, I rather like what it currently is and the little bit of a local institution that it has become.

As part of our meanderings around Norwich pubs, the next on the list for Julian and I was the Freemasons Arms on Hall Road. This has been a pub since the early nineteenth century, although was known as the Billy Bluelight between 1994 and 2005 during the period that it was owned by Woodfordes. Billy (1859-1949) was a runner who used to amuse those on pleasure boats on the Broads by racing them into the city using footpaths by the river. Although I don’t suggest he isn’t worthy of having a pub named after him, I’m not overly keen on licensed premises changing long held names, so the reversion back to the original name seems entirely sensible to me.

The bar had a wider range of beers that I had anticipated, including three cask options which were from Mr Winters, Cloudwater and Lacons. The service was friendly, immediate and inviting with the pub having a comfortable and laid-back feel to it.

I went for the SoCal from Cloudwater, a beer that I hadn’t had before, and it was well kept, at the appropriate temperature and was suitably refreshing. The day that we went was exceptionally hot, so refreshing was quite high on my list of priorities. This football table is sensible located away from the main part of the pub, but with access to the main bar. This would also make a rather lovely space for a bar billiards table, but I won’t digress too much on that matter.

There’s a pleasant beer garden which was clean and organised. It was far too hot for me to sit in, but it’s a useful resource for the pub.

I hadn’t realised before how substantial this beer garden was, but that’s the purpose of these rigorous research study tours.

I’m a little unsure of the set-up here, I think Julian thought it was formerly a skittles alley but it doesn’t seem to be attached to the pub now and there’s no mention of it on their web-site.

It’s not a large pub, but they’re making an effort in their food offering which seems appropriate for the venue.

It didn’t impact us as we had already been served, but the venue was without any visible staff for some time and a couple of customers came over to us to ask how they could get a beer. Their patrons weren’t put off though and they waited patiently.

We occupied ourselves with some of the pub games. These were nearly entirely beyond me.

It kept us amused anyway.

Evidence that I worked how to separate at least one of these things, which I understand was the aim of the arrangement. Julian seemed to manage with a little more success than I did if I’m being honest.

There were a lot of good ideas in this venue which was purchased by a small pub company earlier on in the year. I’m suitably impressed by their efforts, they’ve got a decent selection of beers, the pub was clean, the service was friendly and it had the feeling of a community pub.

The frontage from another angle, this pub is certainly worth a visit and I wouldn’t complain if this was my local. My memories of it over recent years are that it has at times been a little beat-up and tired, but it feels refreshed and more at ease with itself now.

Another day, another study tour and Julian and I were continuing our visits to pubs in Norwich. This is the King’s Arms on Hall Road and they’ve made a substantial effort with their floral arrangements. I know this pub reasonably well, a few of us used to visit every Friday night as they let you take your own food in from the nearby takeaways. Indeed, not only that, but they also provide sauces and plates for free to make the whole thing even more comfortable.

The pub is listed in the Good Beer Guide and it’s been serving alcohol to the population of Norwich since the 1830s. The pub was free trade for a few years when Greene King sold it in 1998, but it is now a Batemans pub. They’ve got twelve different ales available which are all clearly displayed above the bar, several of them from Batemans. To give a little snapshot of what to expect, the pub states on their web-site:

“There is no music, machines, pool or darts but this adds to, rather than detracts from, the great atmosphere – the King’s Arms is often described by regulars and newcomers alike as ‘a proper local’.”

I incidentally approve of that arrangement, I can’t be doing raucous.

I went for the XXXB from Batemans and it tasted as expected, but it wasn’t quite as cold as I would ideally have liked. Although, it was insanely hot on the day of our visit and both Julian and I turned up separately at the pub rather unsteady with all the heat. Roy was also there showing off his green finger, but enough said about that the better.

There’s a traditional and cosy feel to the pub and everything was clean and organised. The service was warm and friendly, with the pub taking cards and cash. The pub is positively reviewed on-line, but I feel for the venue as they’ve picked up some negative reviews from pubs with similar names. I’ve just tried to get a couple of the negatives ones that are evidently about somewhere else removed from Google in a bid to assist the pub, although I can’t imagine I’ll be successful. They have angered one local though who posted what appears to be piffle, with the pub commenting:

“Dont put rubbish reviews on just because you are barred. It only shows you up, not us.”

I like a pub that stands up for itself.

As another one of my random meanderings into irrelevance, I like these hand dryers that let you divert the air to a different direction. When it’s very hot, which I may have mentioned it was during our visit, the cool blow of air was actually quite useful. These are much better than those Dyson hand dryers where there’s a pool of odd smelling moisture at the base of them. Anyway, I digress as this series of posts is meant to be about pubs and not hand dryers, fascinating as that subject is and there’s probably already a niche web-site somewhere about them.

Looking towards the front of the pub, there’s a conservatory area off to the right.

Namely this one, with a garden area out the back as well.

Overall, this felt like a reliable and competently run pub and the welcome was warm and friendly. There were plenty of beers to choose from and the environment was inviting and comfortable. There were no negative issues that we encountered and it’s a useful destination to bring a takeaway meal into whilst enjoying a drink, knowing that there are cutlery and plates on hand.

It’s our intention to visit every pub in Norfolk and Suffolk, such as the commitment that Julian S and I have to this project. Our back catalogue is available at http://www.norfolksuffolk.org.uk/ for your delight and perusal. Or something like that anyway….

---

Here’s a list of the Norwich pubs we’ve visited:

Adam and Eve [January 2025]

Alexandra Tavern [August 2023]

Belle Vue [August 2023]

Berstrete Gates [February 2025]

Chambers Cocktail Company [March 2025]

Champion [February 2025]

Cinema City Bar [March 2025]

Coach and Horses – Thorpe Road [March 2025]

Coach and Horses – Union Street [February 2025]

Coachmakers Arms [February 2025]

Compleat Angler [March 2025]

Fat Cat [August 2023]

Fat Cat and Canary [March 2025]

Freemason’s Arms [September 2023]

Glass House [March 2025]

Hop Rocket [February 2025]

Jubilee [March 2025]

King William IV [March 2025]

King’s Arms [September 2023]

Nelson – Closed [August 2023]

Robin Hood [January 2025]

Rose [January 2025]

Rumsey Wells [March 2025]

St. Andrew’s Brewhouse [March 2025]

Strangers Tavern [March 2025]

West End Retreat [August 2023]

York [February 2025]

Next on our list of pubs to visit was the Belle Vue and I’ve already written something about how the licence of this venue came about in my post about the Alexandra Tavern. It received its licence in 1878 and has gone through a number of owners, including S&P, Bullards, Watney Mann, the Norwich Brewery and now Enterprise Inns have it so it might well be doomed. Certainly the last few years have been troubled, it has faced a series of temporary closures and it’s on the back foot given that the nearby Good Beer Guide listed Alexandra Tavern is free of tie. This venue reopened in 2022 and the management posted on-line that “we are now open, new owners and new team. Food led, wood fired pizza oven, craft ales, wines and cocktails”.

There’s plenty going on here, I admire the effort being put in by the publicans. As a first impression, this gives a proper community feel to the whole arrangement.

There were four real ales, the Dizzy Blonde from Robinsons (now removed of females on its pump clips after a series of complaints), Black Wolf from Wolf Brewery, Golden Jackal from Wolf Brewery and Ghost Ship from Adnams. For what I’m assuming is a tied selection, this seemed quite reasonable and a perfectly acceptable range. They accept cards and cash, with the whole transaction being efficient and prompt.

I went for the Black Wolf from Wolf Brewery which wasn’t at its best. Served slightly too warm for my preference, which is likely just through sitting in the line, it wasn’t crisp or refreshing. I wasn’t entirely confident that this beer had been pulled through recently, but either which way, it wasn’t quite the quality I hoped for, but it remained drinkable.

I can’t say that I find the interior particularly cosy, there are a range of decors which are in places quite dark and it doesn’t feel light and inviting. It was clean throughout though, the publicans have made an effort to ensure that surfaces were dry and not sticky, with no empty glasses left on tables.

A view from the other end of the pub, this feels like it needs something of a makeover. There was some promotional material around the venue which was out of date which was hardly important in the scale of things, but felt a little sub-optimal. However, it would be wrong not to mention that the service was timely, friendly and conversational. We were greeted on entry and thanked on departure, so there was no absence of welcome. I felt comfortable during the visit and it felt like a pub that someone new to the area would find welcoming if they wanted to meet new people.

I noted the owner’s comments last year about bringing in craft ales (although I’m not sure what that phrase means here, I assume craft beer), but I didn’t see any during our visit and I can’t see any evidence of that judging from entries on Untappd over the last year. I’m struggling to add much more here as the pub’s web-site has disappeared and they stopped updated social media, so other than the board outside the pub it’s not entirely evident what they’re got going on. There is food served, but the hours are minimal for what they claimed last year is a food led pub, so I’m not easily able to write about the venue’s USP. I suspect from the signage that the karaoke, quiz night and free pool evenings are key drivers for the venue, so a visit on one of those evenings might be recommended for those who want to see the pub at its best.

However, I accept that a lack of web-site and the like might be fine as I will add my normal caveat that it is entirely possible that the venue is performing very well and they don’t need any more trade, which is a perfectly acceptable position. It remains very positive that the pub is still open serving the local community and it deserves plenty of praise for remaining open during these challenging times.

Next in our mini tour of Norwich pubs was the West End Retreat, first opened in the 1840s although the gardens are a little less extensive than they once were as the bowling green was sold off for housing at the turn of this century. An advert in the Norwich Mercury on 25 May 1859 notes:

“To Builders, Speculators and Others. To be sold, by private contract, the well known premises called the West End Retreat. This freehold estate comprises house, containing bar and bar parlour, and other rooms, pleasure grounds, ninepin ground, stables and coachhouse; also baronial hall capable of holding 3,000 persons, conveniently fitted up with galleries, bars, etc; and also another large room with bars, and other conveniences therein, and contains, with the site of the buildings, about 2.25 acres. The above is admirably adapted not only for a public house and pleasure gardens, but also for building purposes.”

The extent of the bowling green is visible from this map from the 1870s.

On 4 August 1860, the Norfolk News mentioned the case of a 16 year old who had smashed the windows of the home belonging to his parents and they said they didn’t know what to do with him. He kept going out and getting drunk, with the Chief Constable of the police commenting that “the Orchard Gardens, the West End Retreat and such like places were perfect sinks of iniquity”. Those pubs are the favourites of Julian S, I can imagine he’d be there until late in the evening… The Mayor told the Chief Constable to arrange visits so that the magistrates could take action, but the pub continued trading despite its reputation.

I won’t spent too long on the history of this pub, but there were no shortage of press reports of fights, disturbances and issues at the pub throughout the 1860s to 1890s. It would be fair to say that the pub seemed to be attracting all manner of issues, it wasn’t a pub at ease with itself, although I make no comment on what happened in the twentieth century but matters seemed to calm down judging by newspaper reports. The structure was though damaged during air raids during the Second World War and so there was some rebuilding necessary. I will though quote from CAMRA in what appears to from around 2010.

“Built in the early twentieth century it retains the floor-plan of two bars and an off-sales. The little altered interior from c.1960 is rare and due to the fact that the pub was run by Jan & Jack Wakefield for 37 years until they retired in 2005. On the right the public bar with a ‘1’ on the door has a 1960s flat roof extension which almost doubles its size and retains an old counter which has a new top over a Formica one, 1960s bar back with an old till drawer and old Bullards Ales window. Opposite the front door is the separate off-sales with a ‘3’ on the door and a red Formica top counter – intact off-sales like this are very rare. The former lounge on the left with a ‘2’ on the door is now a games room which retains its 1960s counter with a red Formica top, classic 1960s bar back but the fireplace has been lost. To the right is a now disused bowling green which is due to be sold as building plots.”

It’s evident that someone has recently removed all of this, as CAMRA now note:

“A pub interior of limited or no national historic interest.”

The remainder of the pub’s gardens, with the building on the right being placed on what was the bowling green.

This was my only interior photo as it was quite busy and I didn’t feel entirely comfortable going around taking too many photos of the arrangements. The service was polite and immediate, although there were no real ales available. The customers mostly seemed to be regulars and I can’t say the welcome was unfriendly but I suspect our presence was noted. Incidentally, the document above relates to the Bricklayers Arms on Bull Close which closed in 1995.

There weren’t many seats available, so we went out into the garden area for our drinks, something which is most unlike us.

It’s not Stella, as I would never be seen drinking that, it’s instead Camden Hells and it tasted as expected and was reasonably priced.

We had some company in the garden.

It appears that new owners have taken over the pub relatively recently, so it’s not clear whether the fish and chips will be making a return. Indeed, I can’t find out much from social media or the venue’s web-site exactly what is going on.

All told, this is another pub survivor and we should be most grateful for that. It was busy on a weekday afternoon which is the sign of a proper community pub, with the welcome being warm and friendly. They accept card and cash, with the surroundings feeling inviting and clean. The lack of real ales is sub-optimal, but that might have just been a temporary matter as one pump clip was just turned around so perhaps there’s one available at the weekends. There’s plenty of external space and I hope that they get the fish and chips going again, a most agreeable situation for those visiting the pub.

This is quite sad to see, the Nelson seems to be long-term closed and there doesn’t appear to be any activity going on at the moment that suggests that it might open again. The pub first opened in the 1850s and it’s fortunate that it’s still here as the owners attempted to demolish it in 1989 to build eight homes.

Located on the junction of Nelson Street and Armes Street, this is in a residential area and not far from the Fat Cat, so it certainly has some potential.

Unfortunately for the venue, it’s owned by Stonegate and that often means a tied pub and a hefty rent package so it would be a brave person who takes this on. Also, since it’s September and the open day was on 15 March, that doesn’t suggest they’ve found such a brave person yet. Likely Stonegate will spend £300,000 doing up the inside of the pub in some generic manner and then jack the rent up to something unachieveable. At the moment, and in support of Stonegate, they’re currently advertising the rent of this at £17,500 per year which is much lower than I’d expect from them although there are caveats to that.

Stonegate themselves describe this pub as:

“The Nelson is situated in a residential suburb to the Northwest of the city just outside the inner ring road and is considered a very traditional wet led venue. The décor is traditional, with a modern touch which creates a warm and relaxed atmosphere and welcomes the surrounding local community with traditional pub games and live sports. The pub has two distinct trading areas, which are divided by a double-sided central bar servery. The bars have a traditional style, fitting with the theme of the pub; one area having a pool table with space for up to 30 covers and the other approximately 50 covers. The Nelson also boasts an outdoor covered beer garden with a patio and spacious lawn, a great selling point during the summer season which has the potential to be very popular. Another great facility of this pub is its outbuildings which may be very useful for storage for the future publican. The light and spacious private accommodation consists of three-bedrooms, a lounge and a kitchen, ideal for a family. Stonegate Pub Partners are seeking an experienced publican who is willing to immerse themselves within the local community and maximise revenue.”

I’m not convinced that this will re-open, but the community would no doubt benefit by having another pub open in this area.