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.
After enjoying a beer on the pier, we hiked up the hill to reach the Good Beer Guide listed Red Lion. This has been trading as a hospitality venue since the 1760s and Norfolk Pubs has this interesting story from the pub’s past:
“Mr. Reilly Mead was summoned on 5th January 1914 of having an unjust glass in his possession and having the same unstamped. On that day Inspector Robinson had sent his assistant, John Youngs, to purchase a pint of beer. It was served in an unjust and unstamped measure. On saying that he (Inspector Robinson) should seize the glass, Mr. Meade sent for the police and said that he would not allow Robinson to thieve the glass. Upon the police advising that the Inspector had authority to act, Mr. Meade said that they had never sold pints OR half pints since he had been at the place. Miss Gow, the barmaid confirmed that she had refused to sell a pint to Youngs and said that he could have `a large glass’. When tested the glass was found to be deficient from a pint by 5 per cent. The Bench convicted and imposed a fine and costs totalling £3/0/6d.”
There’s always one pub wanting to do its own thing 🙂
I liked the effort that they’ve made with their external A-Board.
On first impressions, it looked a little decadent for us on the inside, but it transpired that this was just the restaurant area and there was a separate and more informal bar area. The distinction between the two areas was clear and the menu looked tempting, albeit a bit expensive for our purposes. These study tours we undertake for the community don’t come cheap…..
One side of the bar area.
And the frontage of the main bar area. Above the bar is the acronym WYBMADIITY? which I had to look up and means “will you buy me a drink if I tell you?” which is a clever little ruse for the barman or an enterprising customer to get a free drink 🙂
The Red Lion had eight different real ales available, as well as some ciders, which was the widest selection we encountered during the day. They were all local beers, from brewers including Woodfordes, Green Jack, Lacons, Mr Winters, Grain and Moon Gazer. This is a marvellous selection for any visitor to the area who wants to try beers from a number of local breweries.
This is the latest Norfolk Nips magazine that was distributed at the weekend and it contains an abbreviated write-up of our trip to Wymondham a few weeks ago. How lovely to be in print and Lucy did a marvellous job with it. As for the beer, I went for the Trawlerboys from Green Jack Brewing of Lowestoft and it was of its usual reliable quality.
And another page from the article 🙂
The draught menu.
The bar snacks and doggie menu, the latter of which is certainly intriguing in terms of its concept….
Not an unpleasant view from the window.
The bar when it became a little quieter, but this was a busy venue for the entire time that we were here and many customers were clearly locals.
You can buy your own pub merchandise if you so wish.
And some fun facts.
The Red Lion, which is also a hotel, is very well reviewed on-line and this felt like a really well run venue. There was an extensive range of real ales and other drinks, the service was immediate, there was a timely welcome and the atmosphere was inviting. It has some marvellous views of the sea, it’s got an informal and relaxed feel and their entry into the Good Beer Guide definitely seems a good shout from our experience.
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.
The second pub of the day was the Kings Head in Cromer, but unfortunately it was closed. It seems that they having some work being done so I’m sure they didn’t want to be shutting their doors on a day when the town was packed with tourists, all something of a shame for them.
The Kings Head has been a pub since the 1780s, making it one of the oldest in Cromer. They were unfortunate enough to go through the cycle of Brent Walker, Pubmaster and then Punch Taverns who are still the owners, so all credit to the pub for carrying on. There is food served at lunchtimes and in the evenings with CAMRA noting that there are usually four real ales available.
Hopefully we’ll return in the future as it seemed a decent pub.
The first pub of the day was the Wellington on Garden Street which has been operated by the same family for thirty years. It’s been a pub since the beginning of the nineteenth century when it was converted from fishermen’s cottages, but it was rebuilt in the 1890s after a fire. After a period as an S&P pub it became part of the Watney Mann estate, but they sold it in 1970 and it has remained free trade since.
There was perhaps an absence of welcome if I’m being honest, but the service was efficient and the pub was busy with the staff concentrating on a few larger orders when we arrived. There were no tables free when we arrived, so we sat at the bar and everything was clean and tidy. There was certainly quite a variety of customers in the pub, including families, solo drinks, different ages and it gave it a community feel to it which I rather liked.
There were three beers available, Ghost Ship from Adnams, Wherry from Woodfordes and Golden Jackal from Wolf. I went for the Golden Jackal and that was well-kept and tasted of a good quality, with Julian’s Ghost Ship also being agreeable.
I’ve been out of the trade for so long that I’m no longer aware of new drinks, but I hadn’t heard of the Disaronno Velvet before. Sounds suitably decadent though.
The entrance to the sizeable courtyard. The pub usually serves food but for whatever reason it wasn’t when we visited. A customer came and politely asked if they could eat their chips in the courtyard given that there was no food available, but the staff member said they couldn’t. I can imagine the pub has difficulties with people doing that without asking, so I can see why they wouldn’t want to.
It’s a decent courtyard space and gives more seating options given that it was full inside.
The reviews are a bit mixed, but I can imagine it’s challenging running a venue which is popular with tourists as that creates all sorts of staffing complexities. I had a look at the reviews though as I like to read about a bit of drama.
“My husband and I visited this pub today on a lovely day we had a glass of Aspall cider each and I realised my glass had a big crack so I went to the bar and asked if I could have a clean glass but you will never guess what the barmaid did??!! Well this barmaid poured the cider I had in the cracked glass into the clean one!! 😳, I just couldn’t believe it, what if there are splinters of glass in it!!!”
A customer not happy with food service times:
“Amazing food in the Smokehouse but….. Closes at 4pm (yes 4pm ffs!) during the week. I know it’s Cromer but that’s a ridiculously early closing time. Really wanted to eat here again but somewhere else that’s open until a grown up time got my money….”
But I liked the venue’s response:
“Hope you enjoyed your grown up meal!”
Sub-optimal….. Anyway, I digress. The Wellington have four rooms for those who want to stay the night and their food offering is the Smoke Kitchen where the meals sound delicious although there’s no pricing on the web-site. Anyway, we enjoyed this pub, it had something of an atmosphere to it, everything was clean and it seemed to be welcoming to all. A very solid start to our day.
I liked this very Victorian letter I found on the British Newspaper Archive which was sent from an anonymous contributor in Cromer to the Norfolk Chronicle, who published it on 19 September 1863. The railway didn’t reach the town until 1877 and the contributor was clearly worried about the “profane vulgar” rushing in….
The letter:
“Sir, Is there no summary way of dealing with the offences against decency that visitors at the sea side are compelled to witness: or must we do nothing and consent to place among the social evils that are inevitable the practice of nude bathing at mid-day on our public promenade? I am writing this from a small and much frequented watering place, not at present accessible by railroad, and, therefore, comparatively speaking, unknown to the class commonly called the profane vulgar. The objectionable practice is, however, not the less in full force here, and ought to be remedied.
What adds to the culpability of the local authorities is the fact that there is an almost unlimited extent of sea beach, and therefore no obstacle to a wide separation between the machines set apart for the use of the sexes. The fact is that fifty yards at furthest is the space dividing them, the piles of the breakwater running between, affording convenient seats for the lady visitors who, strange to say, select that portion of the beach as the spot most agreeable to work and to read in. The naked male figure is doubtless an interesting object of contemplation, but although we have seen the paint brush in the hands of some of the fair visitors on these occasions, we cannot suppose that they posted themselves exactly on this spot at this hour in the interests of high art. Let them be told that apart from the inconvenience caused by their proximity to the machines set apart for men, but which gentleman naturally avoid – the sober sense of English husbands and brothers revolts at the spectacle of women of all ages seated within speaking distance of naked men, disporting themselves in the water.
Things may be, and I believe they are worse, in some parts of England, than they are here. Nearer London a certain reciprocity prevails in this species of libertinism, making the sea-beach, which is meant for all, forbidden ground to modest women. We do not want French manners and customs over here, but surely there is some safe, middle course which might be adopted in the matter of bathing. As things are it is common decency that is outraged. It is morality that is endangered. Even a New Zealander has some sense of propriety in his ablutions. If what we daily witness here were seen on the continent of Europe, the person offending would run the risk of being flogged and imprisoned. The evil with us is of long standing, so are many other abuses – but that is not the point. We must mend our bathing manners. A word from you would suffice to remedy the evil, and cause some regulations to be adopted (for there are none at all now) with regard to the placing of the machines, and the proper time and place for bathing from the beach.
I remain, Sir, yours obediently
A visitor.”
The newspaper replied under the letter, saying that they agreed, adding:
“We have ourselves witnessed with amazement the preference shown by some ladies for the break-water during bathing hours, and have been reminded often of the old usher’s shrewd remark, when ordered by the judge to clear the court of all women during the hearing of a particularly objectionable cause, and when, in spite of orders, a few still seemed inclined to “sit it out” – “My lord, all the modest women are out of court” – Editor.
