Category: Norfolk

This post, and all the linked ones, are also available at www.norfolksuffolk.org.uk where lucky readers can also find the ‘back catalogue’ of posts from our previous trips around Norfolk and Suffolk.

Another day, another onerous study tour. This time we boarded the Sanders thunderbolt to Cromer where we expected to visit nine pubs during the day. These were:

Wellington Pub

Kings Head (closed)

Pavilion Bar on Cromer Pier

Red Lion

Albion

Gangway

Hotel de Paris (bar closed)

Cliftonville Hotel

White Horse

With two pubs that we couldn’t access, that took our total number of venues to seven during the day, which is still a creditable effort we thought.

We also made time to visit the town’s church.

Since we were at the seaside our sustenance was chips. These were £2.50 from Mary Jane’s Fish Bar, suitably filling and the service was efficient so I wasn’t left waiting in the queue full of anticipation for them.

Back again at the transportation hub of North Norfolk, connecting in with routes to the international multimodal hub at North Walsham.

I was pleased with my view out of the window on the way back to Norwich.

Julian commented on his rather more obstructed view.

Safely back in Norwich. It was another fulfilling day, with perhaps the unexpected treat being the Cliftonville Hotel and the wide range of local beers at the Red Lion. The Gangway offered the best craft beer and I’d say it was also the friendliest welcome of the day. However, the pubs were all credits to the community that they serve and they’re doing a marvellous job of staying open in these troubled times. All of the pubs that we visited served real ale in some form, with most having at least some effort at offering craft beer as well.

The next venue in our Cromer study tour was the Cliftonville Hotel which opened in 1867 and received its licence to serve non residents in 1963. After our failed visit to the Hotel de Paris we were a little unsure what to expect, but we could see a sign saying that non residents were welcome and the doors were open so it looked positive.

Some drinks offers to tempt passer-bys.

This is a bit decadent.

There were two real ales, both from Barsham Brewery, the Oaks and the Golden Close IPA. Some craft beer options there and no bloody Cruzcampo, so another win.

I’m not sure what I expected, but it wasn’t this. The bar and restaurant is in this grand room with a Minstrel’s gallery and plenty of character. It wasn’t particularly busy, but it seemed a suitably glamorous location for us to discuss how the study tour was progressing.

Oops, the photo is slightly on the lean…. The beer was the Oaks bitter from Barsham Brewery and it was well-kept and tasted as it was meant to. The prices were moderate and there was no obvious hotel premium charged.

Other than needing a lick of paint, it was all in a good state of repair and everything seemed clean and well maintained.

I was impressed by the whole arrangement here, the hotel had a bar which was interesting enough for non residents and I’m sure that the hotel’s guests would mostly find what they needed here as well. The staff were friendly, helpful and polite, with the atmosphere feeling inviting.

On our study tours, we initially base our list of visits on CAMRA’s Whatpub and then add anywhere else that we think might be of interest. I was sceptical of this hotel as its web-site was lacking in information and it’s clear they’re not particularly aiming at non residents so it didn’t seem entirely worthy of a listing when so many other hotels with bars aren’t on there.

We visited the hotel first at lunchtime to find that the bar was closed with no signage, but we thought that we’d return later on in the day. We arrived just before 17:00 and were told that they weren’t ready for opening yet. It was evident that there are no real ales or craft beer and a generally highly limited drinks range. I’m sure that the bar is sufficient for their residents and anyone dropping in for convenience, but I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone else as there are much better options in the nearby pubs.

I’m a little surprised that they don’t do a little more with their bar area, which has some of the best sea views on the North Norfolk coast. There’s pretty much a licence to print money with a bar arrangement there, imagine the decadent craft beer micropub type set-up that they could install to surprise and delight tourists. For anyone who does go in, there’s a history of the pub on the wall (turn left when going into the building). I will say that they have very clean toilets though, so that was a win.

Next pub on the day’s adventure was the Gangway, a cafe bar type set-up which also has a sister outlet in Sheringham. It’s divided into two, by necessity of the building shape, with shared access at the rear, all a little unusual but it adds to the character. Not knowing this in advance, I went in the first door that I saw and I think that we were in the smaller section of the building.

There was a friendly welcome, one of the best of the day, with the team members seeming enthused and keen to help. It was table service only which I wasn’t initially convinced about as it created a separation with the drinks visible at the bar and the printed menu, which didn’t have the complete list on. However, I have to add that they have listed their beer selection on Untappd which removes that issue for me so I have no complaint. There’s a strong selection of craft beers in can and bottle, nothing quite as decadent on the tap, but still some interesting options including several from Ampersand. It’s the best craft selection that we saw in Cromer, so full credit for that.

The bar is attractive and neatly laid out.

The cocktails menu.

Appropriate glassware for my half and I went for a new beer to me, the Lemon Puff from Ampersand in conjunction with Abbeydale, two very competent breweries. A perfectly decent beer which was citrusy, but I had hoped for more lemon punchiness to the whole arrangement, but enjoyable nonetheless. It wasn’t unreasonably priced and they also had a place to charge my phone which proved to be handy.

The surrounding were comfortable and cosy, there’s a lot to be said for this soft of cafe bar approach and it’s one that Titanic is pushing with its Bod concept. This is all very much to the credit of the town, although Gangway don’t serve food other than for a fine looking selection of cakes.

Some more internal decor. All told, this was one of my favourite venues of the day. It was the only one that had listed their beers on Untappd, it had perhaps the best welcome and it was spotlessly clean. Innovative, interesting and on-trend, I hope that they do really well. And I think Julian is definitely getting a taste for all this beer modernity.

The next location on our Cromer adventure was the Albion which has been a hospitality venue since the 1830s and is now an Admiral Taverns pub.

There were three real ales to choose from which were Legacy from Lacons, Directors from Courage and London Pride from Fullers.

I went for the Directors from Courage and it’s fair to say that I was surprised and delighted by this, a beer that I haven’t had before. I enjoyed the lingering flavours of this, something like a Werther’s Original (I doubt anyone else has thought that). Nicely kept and something different to try. Interestingly, Lacons are very much in evidence in Cromer, their sales rep must have been busy in the area.

Bar runners with a welcome from Steve, Zena and the team. The service was attentive, polite and personable, so it seemed to be a genuinely welcoming environment.

Best pub in Cromer apparently according to the flag. There was a lively atmosphere to the whole arrangement, to the point that it was a little difficult to hear, but variety is the spice of life and there were quieter alternatives in the town for those who wanted that. The pub doesn’t seem to serve food any more or offer accommodation (the venue was for a long time the Albion Hotel), but they’re one of the only venues in town without a web-site so it’s hard to be precise about the offering. Possibly the most vibrant pub in the town, which for those who like karaoke is a positive draw, but it’s probably not somewhere to go for a quiet drink to read a book. Nonetheless, it was welcoming, clean and organised, so all rather lovely.

The next venue on our day out in Cromer is visible at the rear of the photo, it’s the Pavilion Theatre Bar located on Cromer Pier. It wasn’t a sunny day, but the temperature was also moderate and so it wasn’t overly chilly to perambulate down the pier. The pier opened in 1907 and it has been operated by North Norfolk District Council since 1974, being a popular destination for tourists to the region.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, although I didn’t have high hopes as I expected something expensive and limited in choice. But, the purposes of these study tours is to ensure that we give everywhere a proper chance and not go judging a pub by its cover (or whatever the appropriate phrase would be).

My initial lack of enthusiasm was misplaced as they had two Lacons beers to choose from, with one currently not available, but that’s not a bad shout as it’s a local beer and something that visitors to the area might want to try. I went for the Encore and it was well-kept, with Julian’s Legacy also passing muster. I can imagine it’s something of a challenge to serve customers quickly before a show, always the challenge for any theatre bar though.

And some mainstream craft beers, but still offering a very reasonable choice given it’s a relatively small bar. The service was efficient and polite, with everything feeling reasonably clean and ordered. The pricing was also moderate with the modern and inviting atmosphere being a pleasant surprise. There were also some food counters for those who wanted doughnuts, ice cream, waffles and that sort of sugary treat.

There weren’t many tables inside and they were all occupied, but that meant I could take this photo. There’s always something nice about beers on any trip out, but I think that train beers and pier beers might just be my favourite. Julian was busy trying to work out an issue with his iPhone which was not surprising and delighting him, but we enjoyed the environment and there are glass barriers to stop the wind impacting too much on the hardy drinkers.

And our view back along the pier, with Julian being ever so excited that the next pub was at the top of the cliff. All told, this is a very acceptable drinking venue and offered some pleasant views along the beautiful North Norfolk coast.