Ale fans toast pub with new brewery

The Thatched House, on Ball Street, Poulton, has been voted CAMRA pub of the season for winter, hailed for the excellent way it keeps its real ales and for starting its own brewery.

Rick Pickup, of CAMRA, said that various pubs had been in the running, but this year’s launch of the pub’s own Chapel Street Brew House had clinched it.

He said: “It was currently the only brewpub in the branch’s area and things had got off to an amazing start.

“The Thatched already had a well deserved reputation for excellent beer and this had been boosted even further by its own in-house produce.

“Full marks then to (landlord) Vin and his team.

“It’s not that we want winter to arrive early but this pub could be a great place to be when it does!”

Landlord Vin Hamer said he was really pleased with the progress of the new micro-brewery, which opened in July after three years’ preparation.

He said more than 21,000 pints of Chapel Street beer had already been consumed – and joked Chancellor George Osborne should be grateful for the resulting donation of beer duty.

He was delighted to receive the award and wanted to thank everyone, especially his staff.

He said: “We are very honoured to collect this award.

“With 150 pubs on the books it’s an achievement just to be short listed never mind actually win.

“All our hard work establishing the Chapel Street Brew House has really paid off and the amount of local support and goodwill we have received is quite overwhelming .

“Over 21,000 pints in four months speaks for itself I think .”

The brew house is situated in the former coaching sheds at the back of the Thatched House.

It has been producing its Blonde ale and Golden bitter successfully and its beers have been showcased at the Lytham Beer festival and feature in the local restaurant Doodles’ beer battered fish and chip bites.