There’s not much left at Anglia Square now with the demolition of Sovereign House just about complete. I assume that the rubble will be removed over the next few weeks and then attention turns to what will replace it.
I’m still an advocate of restoring the original street alignment, even if it’s a pedestrianised route, so that Botolph Street makes a return.
A map of a very different Norwich. And I’ll take this opportunity to quote George Plunkett with respect to just one of the many beautiful buildings lost, namely the former King’s Arms at 38 Botolph Street. This historic pub was demolished in 1967 for the bloody awful Anglia Square.
“A much older building lost in the Anglia Square development was the King’s Arms public house at No 38, at the eastern corner of Calvert St. On its gable end in large iron characters were the letters “I” and “C” and the date “1646”, now preserved in one of the Norwich museums. Built of brick with a narrow stringcourse marking the first floor level, the house had pantiles at the front, with old English plain tiles covering the roof of the Calvert St wing.”
Norwich Beer Festival was back in the Halls this year and I was determined to volunteer every shift that we were open to the public, primarily so that I didn’t miss any gossip. Here’s the festival during the final stage of the set-up on the Monday morning, with volunteers having also been at St. Andrew’s Hall the previous day to begin the set-up.
The merchandise stand with some of the older Norwich Beer Festival glasses. I do have glasses from the last fifteen years of my volunteering at the festival, but I don’t collect the older ones as they take up so much space. There’s a fine line between preserving local history and being unable to open a kitchen cupboard.
The black sheeting protects the floors of St. Andrew’s. And, some history might be useful here as St Andrew’s Hall and Blackfriars Hall in Norwich were originally parts of the same Dominican friary church, with St Andrew’s occupying the nave and Blackfriars the chancel. The Dominicans, known as the Black Friars because of their black cloaks, took over the site in 1307, although much of the surviving church dates from rebuilding between about 1440 and 1470 following a devastating fire in 1413. After the friary was dissolved in 1538, the city purchased the buildings in 1540, preserving them for civic use rather than allowing their demolition. That showed considered forward planning by the city authorities and has made it easier for the Norwich Beer Festival. And the friars would have liked it, they used to have a brew house by the river.
Blackfriars Hall, so the former chancel of the church.
Very grand.
Setting up the World Beer Bar.
The seating along the former cloister wall all laid out and I liked the new carpet that has been installed.
There’s Roy, who is the main man in glasses, although his respected judgement extends across the whole festival, striding purposefully across the glasses stage.
Getting ready to open.
The cider bar, which is something that I didn’t have time to explore in the end as I struggled to work my way through the beers without needing another distraction.
The food options at the festival.
I wear the radio for the glasses team so that I look important. Roy is naturally important and that’s clear to everyone, whereas I need a little visual boost for customers. I only had to speak into it once during the week, as I was primarily listening for when the volunteer roles were put out. I couldn’t work out how to change channels, but fortunately Matt was able to help. He seems to be able to fix anything whereas my contribution to the technical team remains identifying that something isn’t working and putting a broken label on it.
Speaking of which, here he is, pouring me a Newcastle Brown Ale slushie.
Very nice.
Ian used to be the chair of Norwich CAMRA and he is one of those people who is now designated as a wise man on matters. And then there’s Ivan. Ivan is an institution, he’s everywhere at the beer festival and he’s actually bloody good at what he does. I hope he doesn’t read this as he’ll get a big head, but I’d note that he’s one of those people who just makes things better.
For ten minutes I was given a stewarding role whilst there was an incident elsewhere and I spent this talking to the wonderful Ellie from Ampersand whilst needing to steward absolutely no-one.
Volunteering at the beer festival is, in my view, a really wonderful idea for numerous reasons and that includes the food provided to volunteers, here’s the rather agreeable chicken and chips.
And standing next to my favourite beer festival person is my second favourite beer festival person, namely Sue. She’s not subtle and she wouldn’t claim to be, but she’s Head of Logistics and that included bringing me sausage rolls which is why she’s my second favourite. I’d add that Jen also brought me chicken bakes, but my scoring system is based on many factors and Jen was very high on the list nearly all week. I’d add that the rankings are independently assessed by me and are therefore beyond reasonable challenge.
Ivan and I helped the beer festival by trying lots of their beers to ensure that they were in tip top form. Ivan frequently went over to the bars to offer advice, which I’m sure they were delighted to receive.
This might be the pinnacle of my beer festival career and a role I retire into. Unless Roy decides to take over the entire festival or something and then I’ll follow as his chief adviser.
Note the comment written on in pen, that’s how Sue kept her number two spot.
A beer ice cream, this one used a mint flavoured beer to create a decadent little dessert. I thought it important to establish that I’d had a proper dessert rather than just spending the week drinking beer.
Oscar couldn’t make Monday as his wife wanted a decadent birthday trip out and not an afternoon at a beer festival, so he came along later on in the week. I wouldn’t say that he was drunk, but he had to get driven home the 400 metres to his pub.
Ivan, who somehow has a manager badge, said that it was the rules that boxes should be stacked as high as possible. Roy and I didn’t get involved obviously as we’re very health and safety conscious.
The volunteer meal of the week, the KFC style chicken with chips.
Ivan was very helpful at getting the radio from upstairs every morning and also treating the senior glasses management team.
Jen taking photos in her social media role.
Thanks Jen!
Thanks Sue!
A photo of the hall from the main stage.
Beer comes in many colours.
The volunteer meal of beef shin pie and chips, very lovely.
Ivan was exhausted by the end of the week, not helped by his popping to the pub until the early hours of the morning. This had better not impact on his bar billiards performance this week.
And then it was all over, with loading of the vans beginning as soon as the last customer was out on the Friday. It’s a well-oiled machine, this beer festival.
There’s a staff party with the remaining beer on Saturday night and Craig, the festival organiser, allocated me three of the eighty or so pizzas that were ordered. He’s very good is that Craig.
Spicy Mexican pizza, absolutely delicious. Paula, aware that her league table position had dropped, helpfully kept my glass full.
Chris saying a few words before handing over to Craig.
And Craig, the festival organiser, saying a few words. He’s good he is, and I’m not saying that because of the pizzas and also the crisps he brought me in the week. There’s so much work behind the scenes that he, and of course others, do, and Craig always remains calm and gets on with it.
The volunteers delivered a brilliant festival and I had a great week around such wonderful people. It was also marvellous to see some friends from school, from Lidgate, from the Record Office, from other CAMRA areas, from the LDWA, from Ramblers and lots more besides. It was all really rather lovely.
And, finally, all the beers that I rated at 4.2 or higher on Untappd at the festival.
Bierbrouwerij de Koningshoeven – Three Rules of Authentic Trappist – 4.4
Pastore – Apricot Casa – 4.2
Humber Doucy – Sweet Shade – 4.2
Which means that I can confirm my top three beers were:
Funky Fluid – Major Krush – 4.6
Funky Fluid – Gelato XTREME Black Forest – 4.6
Tartarus – Whisky Barrel Aged Jersey Devil – 4.5
I appreciate that I could have saved everyone some time by simply submitting Poland as my answer, so here’s the list with no Polish beers:
Tartarus – Whisky Barrel Aged Jersey Devil – 4.5
Fengate – Black Lion Rauchbier – 4.4
Bierbrouwerij de Konigshoeven – Three Rules of Authentic Trappist – 4.4
But, a beer festival is more than just about beer, it’s about meeting existing friends and making new ones, and enjoying so many people having a great experience. Oh and it’s about the food. It was great to back in the Halls and here’s to next year, cheers!
There are better photos online of Sovereign House being demolished, but here are a few I managed whilst walking past yesterday. Being away in Poland has meant that I’ve missed some of the more exciting parts, and the building is now coming down quickly. I hadn’t realised that being away would require quite so much catching up on the destruction of Norwich.
These photos are perhaps a little meaningless with the context from others in the series, but Gildengate House has been taken down with some speed since my last post of a few days ago. It’s just Sovereign House, the building in the background, that’s left now.
It still seems slightly strange to walk by the Anglia Square demolition site and see Gildengate House be taken apart bit by bit each day. There was a time in the 1990s that this was used to store the city archives after the central library caught fire, before they were moved to their current site at Norfolk County Hall. Anyway, some more photos……
Now that I’ve finally launched the monthly Indian meal around Norfolk and Lowestoft, several years after first considering it, we began proceedings at Roti in Norwich. There is a democratic process to the location of future meals, but I chose Roti as I had never been, I had heard positive things and it was centrally located. Richard kindly drove me to the venue, which has car parking behind the building.
SUMMARY OF EVENING:
Number of people : 7
Richard sneezing incident : Yes
Drama : Yes
Number of people late : 1
There was a friendly welcome from the staff and we were immediately seated at a suitable table for our group size. I decided that I wouldn’t query the spelling of lager and instead just merrily ordered a Cobra. I waver between beer and mango lassi at these things, but beer felt appropriate on this one. We were puzzled why Gordon got a different menu which had more decadent design and didn’t have a drinks page, but we assumed that’s because they realised he was wealthy as I had mentioned that. It’s a good test of how they deal with VIPs. Six members of the group were suitably early. Jonathan arrived late, although naturally we didn’t say anything.
The restaurant was quite sparsely decorated, which suited me as I don’t particularly like excessive decadence and bling, although Richard is a big fan of both. There were relatively few other customers, but perhaps that is usual on a Thursday evening. The building was originally the New Inn which dates to the 1860s, but was rebuilt in the 1960s. It closed in 2001 until it was converted to Choices video rental a couple of years later, becoming Roti Indian restaurant in around 2010.
It was decided, primarily by me, that we would have two poppadoms each and I was pleased that the chutney tray was of a generous size. I was being very brave as I was next to Richard and he likes to play with his food by throwing it about. Luckily, there were only minor incidents involving the venue’s clean tablecloth.
The tray included a crisp onion salad, a sweet chutney, a sweet chilli sauce and a mint sauce. The sauces offered a useful mixture of sweetness, freshness and gentle heat, with the cooling mint sauce proving my favourite. The chutney added some welcome texture, while the onion salad provided a sharper and crunchier contrast. I’m never sure why restaurants serve such vibrantly coloured accompaniments alongside white tablecloths, but I admire their optimism.
I’m focusing on writing about the venue rather than the people, but Gordon likes attention and so here he is reading the menu intently.
I went for the Chicken Tikka Palak with lemon rice and peshwari naan. The portions were generous, especially given the prices charged, and everything arrived suitably hot. The food looked well presented and I thought that the curry itself looked particularly appetising.
The chicken in the palak was tender and the spinach added some healthy goodness to the arrangement. The green chillies provided a noticeable but manageable heat without overwhelming the other flavours. The lemon rice had a distinct citrus character which lifted the richer curry, rather than merely offering the vague suggestion that a lemon might once have been stored nearby. The peshwari naan was soft, generously filled and pleasantly sweet, although I would have preferred a little more crispness around its edges.
There was a little confusion about one dish and that certainly added to the excitement when Steve realised he had the wrong one. I was focused on my meal though, so I didn’t get involved.
A particularly welcome touch was the complimentary drink offered at the end of the meal. It’s probably meant to be mainly spirits, but they were broad in their offering and so I had another beer. Gordon got himself another Tiger and so I kindly shared some of that. He was fine with that policy after he discovered I’d done it. Richard went for a whisky and I will note here that he didn’t opt for Bell’s this time and I make that clear because I got muddled up once and said that he was a big fan of it, whereas it appears it’s only an occasional treat.
Probably not helped by us, but the payment process was efficient as they had printed out a bill with everything itemised on it, which makes payment easier. The staff were friendly, engaging and helpful, so this is certainly a venue which I’d return to. I felt that the prices were very reasonable, the quality of the food was high and the surroundings were clean and comfortable.
To add to the excitement, we then voted on the location of November’s meal. I can reveal that we are going to Shapla Tandoori in Wymondham. Richard and I have since realised that we have been there before, but I think I can manage the considerable hardship of a repeat visit.
With Luke overseas again, living the life of a modern-day Judith Chalmers, I was required to serve as both captain and vice-captain. What could possibly go wrong? After successfully completing the draw, and thanks to Ivan for reminding me that I had forgotten to do the coin toss to decide who would break. I get muddled up.
I decided that I’d referee the first game and I was all ready with my beer and Hula Hoops, excited to see PJ winning to set us off on our winning ways. We’re the only team that the Red Lion have beaten all season, so I was confident we’d be able to get a victory on home territory. They had won the toss, so it was their team who would break in the first game.
My game was next and I managed to lose a break worth 460 points after an unfortunate interaction with our charmingly unpredictable table. As this was our home venue, blaming the equipment required a certain degree of confidence, but I recovered sufficiently to win and level the match at 1–1. Which reminds me, I must get Luke to re-level our table as that’s something that I’m not allowed to do.
Vaughan arrived and, after acquiring a beer, was sent directly to play his game. I felt that he would be in tip-top form if given as little time as possible to think about matters. My new policy of minimising the amount of time available for players to think had produced its first measurable success.
Vaughan was on tip-top form and put us 2-1 ahead, so my nerves started to settle a little. The vice-captain offered the captain no useful reassurance whatsoever.
Cal brought over the mid-game snacks and then fought in a close game before an unfortunate incident involving a miscue and the black peg where his score was wiped out. However, Cal got the biggest break of the game on our team, showing his natural talent. Ivan and Ian were unlucky and it suddenly meant that we were 4-2 down as we went into the doubles. My stress levels increased.
Ben, making his debut for the team, scored 200 with his first shot and immediately appeared substantially more competent than some of us who had been doing this for considerably longer. He will be allowed to play again. Actually, he doesn’t really have much choice, he’s on the team now.
Ben and Ian won before a highly competent Ivan and Vaughan brought us level at 4–4, leaving PJ and me to play the deciding game. Another unfortunate incident occurred which I shall not mention, but the shortened version is that we lost 5–4.
I think the absence of Luke’s carefully positioned mirror behind the table contributed substantially to the defeat. It had become detached from the wall for reasons that remain under investigation, and we are waiting for him to return from his latest holiday and restore it. It has been suggested that a civil engineer might need to oversee the matter next time.
We had come remarkably close, although the league table will show no interest in the emotional complexity of the evening. Many thanks to Tom and his team for a great evening and we look forward to returning to Coltishall next year. And we’re going to win that one. Definitely.
“The Churchwardens of the parish of St. Clement, in this city, summoned a vestry meeting on Tuesday last, at the request of the parishioners, to take into consideration the best means of detecting impositions on the funds raised for the relief of the poor, when it was agreed that six persons should be appointed to visit the poor of the said parish alternately, to ascertain the justness of their claims, and that the names of all persons receiving relief in the said parish should be printed, with the number of their families and the amounts they received. It is confidently hoped that if every parish was to adopt the same line of conduct, our poor rates would be considerably reduced for the next quarter.”
This short report appeared in the Norwich Mercury in September 1826 and describes what we might now call an attempt to investigate benefit fraud. Parishioners in St Clement had asked for a vestry meeting to consider possible “impositions” upon the money raised for poor relief. It was agreed that six people would take turns visiting recipients to assess whether their claims were justified. This was effectively a small team of local investigators, although without computers, central records or the opportunity to spend several months designing an official logo. But they had a mission to ensure that no-one was defrauding them.
The parish also proposed printing the names of everyone receiving relief, together with the size of their family and the amount they received. The methods would perhaps present certain difficulties under modern ideas about privacy and dignity, but the underlying combination of eligibility checks, home visits and a desire to reduce welfare expenditure feels remarkably familiar two centuries later.
This map shows the empty site in 1884, shortly after Norwich City Gaol was demolished. The land on what is now Earlham Road is today occupied by the city’s Roman Catholic cathedral, but 200 years ago this month the newly completed gaol was at the centre of a substantial argument reported by the Norwich Mercury. The dispute concerned alleged departures from the building contract, work that had apparently not been completed and thousands of pounds in additional charges.
The article reads:
“At the adjourned Sessions, on Wednesday last, Alderman Crisp Brown, we are given from authority to understand, spoke nearly as follows:—He said he had a painful task to perform; but as justice had been denied him in another place, he was obliged to bring it before the Court. Many tradesmen in the city had informed him there was something very improper going forward at the new gaol, with respect to deviations from the contract. He had at various times recommended that a surveyor of eminence, and a stranger, should be employed to survey the works and report to the committee—but this was always strongly opposed by the chairman. In the month of June last he (Alderman Brown) sent for Mr. Richard Brown, the real architect, who formed the plan for our new gaol, and he was accompanied by Mr. Thos. Bird, a surveyor.
They pointed out great deviations, examined the bill of extras, amounting to 2300l. and discovered many things charged as extras which were positively included in the contract: amongst them were twelve iron doors, charged 72l. The iron frames to the cell windows, which by the contract were to have the outer rims and horizontal bars made of hammered iron, were all cast in one piece, which enabled the contractors to execute them at little more than half the expence, and yet not a shilling was deducted. The locking stones to the cell doors, 14 inches long, 14 inches wide, and 9 inches thick, were all left out and no deductions made, &c. &c. &c. He had these gentlemen in attendance upon the spot, with the plans and specifications in their hands, and ready to point out the various deviations, and he begged they might be admitted into the committee-room—but this request was refused. Subsequently he (Ald. Brown) gave a copy of Brown and Bird’s remarks upon the extra charges, & an order was entered in the book that enquiry should be made as to their correctness.—A most extraordinary plan however was pursued. They were sent to Messrs. Mears and Blyth, the contractors, to answer the observations—but they refused to give any answer, although the charges were heavy against them; nor could he (Mr. B.) get any answer whatever from the chairman. There was another glaring imposition, in the deductions for work not executed, with respect to 24 sets of iron louvre blinds to prison wings, and 8 iron doors, 54l. The doors amounted to 48l. leaving only 6l. for the louvre blinds, which the contractors themselves had estimated, when they made the contract, at 64l. 8s. making a difference of 58l. 8s. There were other extraordinary charges, such as 441l. for extra locks, and 284l. for extra brick-work. He had frequently requested to be informed where this extra brick-work was to be found, but could never obtain an answer.
All he wanted was that equal justice should be done to the contractors and to those who were to raise the money. But how was he treated? Why instead of going into the enquiry to ascertain the correctness of the charges, or receiving answers as promised him, the chairman told him (Ald. Brown) that the charges are not correct, and used very unbecoming language, with the evident design of deterring him from pursuing the enquiry. He therefore was compelled to stand up now in Court, in defence of his own character and in defence of his fellow citizens, who were called upon to raise 15,000l. this quarter for the maintenance of the poor, and therefore great care should be taken that they did not pay more for the new gaol than the contractors were entitled to.
The gaol was now finished, and besides the 2300l. for extras already claimed, there were more coming forward to the amount of about 2000l. He should therefore strongly recommend that they follow the example of the justices in the county, who had the whole work of the castle surveyed by a stranger; and therefore he moved that a surveyor of eminence, and a stranger, be employed to survey the new gaol. This was seconded by Alderman Bolingbroke; but in consequence of several magistrates having left the court to attend a committee, the debate was adjourned.”
I’m quite amused by the “he had frequently requested to be informed where this extra brick-work was to be found, but could ever obtain an answer”, which sums up the whole sorry story.
The contractors were playing fast and loose, but just as things were getting excited a number of magistrates left to attend another committee, so the debate was adjourned. Even £4,300 in disputed building charges was apparently no match for the gravitational pull of another meeting, but perhaps they had better snacks at that one. It’s a sign that public contracts have long since proved challenging to keep under control and I do wonder whether they found the missing brickwork.
