Freshfield Beer Festival

The Freshfield

I've had a message from Jo Gillespie, the new manager of the Freshfield Hotel.

She tells me that they are holding a Beer Festival from Monday 3 July to Sunday 9 July. This pub has earned several local CAMRA awards in the past. It's on Massam's Lane, Formby, L37 7BD, a short walk from Freshfield Station.

The pub is worth visiting anyway as it usually has a good range of real ales on. 

Freshfield Beer Festival 2016

I've just heard that the 2016 Freshfield beer festival runs from 25 to 31 July. There will be more than 100 real ales, craft beers and ciders, along with some live music as well.

The Freshfield is at 1 Massams Lane, Formby, L37 7BD, about three tenths of a mile from Freshfield Station. Tel: 01704 874871.

Wetherspoon pushes Tories upstairs

I was in the Conservative Club in Three Tuns Lane, Formby, a couple of years ago. I'd gone there for a CAMRA meeting, and when I rolled up, the others looked surprised and said, "We never expected to see you here!" I can't remember what real ale was on, but it was fine. After the meeting, one of the club's officials was explaining to us that there were plans to sell the ground floor to Wetherspoons and move their club upstairs. I can see why, as it is a big building that must have been stretching the club's finances, and I suspect that their choice was either to do this deal with Spoons or to close.

Finally, around two years later, planning permission has been granted. I had occasionally been wondering why there'd been no progress, but it turns out that Sport England had objected to the plans because they involved the loss of the bowling green. However, it hasn't been used for over twelve months and there is now no money to restore and maintain it, so on that basis planning permission has been granted. There will be an extension added to the building and the bowling green will become a family beer garden.

The loss of another bowling green is a shame, coming not very long after the loss of the one at the London Hotel, now being demolished for housing, but the addition of a Spoons to Formby is welcome. Some Formby people don't like the idea, possibly influenced by some of the myths that surround JDW pubs, perhaps with a dash of nimbyism as well, but in a couple of years' time, they'll probably be wondering what the fuss was about.

The way the building appears now and the proposed frontage can be seen here.

Freshfield Beer Festival

For some reason the Freshfield never puts the address of the pub on any of its beer or cider festival posters. You'll find it on Massams Lane, Formby, L37 7BD, less than 10 minutes' walk from the railway station. Telephone: 01704 874 871.

The Freshfield - twice as POTY

The Freshfield in Formby recently managed the remarkable achievement of being presented with two CAMRA Pub of the Year (POTY) awards in one evening: for Southport and West Lancs and for Merseyside.

The Freshfield, Massams Lane

The first thing you see when you go in is a row of 14 hand pumps serving a wide range of beer from all over the country, including local beers, so we found Burscough and Liverpool Organic beers sharing bar space with St Austell from Cornwall and Hawkshead from Cumbria. The several beers I had were all well kept. The pub also stocks a craft keg beer: Brewdog Punk IPA.

The pub was extensively refurbished two years ago: the front area is undeniably a pub, but you can walk through to the large, attractive restaurant to the rear where good, reasonably-priced meals are served until 10pm. They’ve tried quiz nights and live music, but found them unnecessary. In general, I've usually found there a comfortable and relaxed buzz of conversation here. A darts team plays on Mondays.

The Freshfield has two beer festivals each year in January and July: the next one is 21 to 27 July and will feature more than 100 real ales (including two from the new Parker Brewery in Formby), craft beers and ciders, plus live music and food. It's in Massams Lane, less than 10 minutes walk from Freshfield station.

This is part of a series of articles that I am writing for the CAMRA column in our local paper, the Southport Visiter. Previous reviews are here.

Formby Live 2014

Click on poster to enlarge it.

Two local beer festivals this month

Two forthcoming local beer festivals in the next couple of weeks. Local to Southport, that is:

On the 12 and 13 July, there will be a beer festival at the Scarisbrick Bowling Club in Falkland Road, Southport PR8 6LG.  Emily Bernard, 18, is raising money for Project Trust in order for her to go to Ghana for 12 months and live and volunteer in the very poor region of Abor. She will be helping young women become employable by teaching them English, Maths & Science. Emily has organised this beer festival to raise funds. There will be hot food on Friday night, a barbecue on Saturday from 1pm, and live music throughout including a special guest appearance from folk singer Ruth Notman. There will be 20 different real ales on tap, as well as normal bar service. Entry is £3.00 and includes a commemorative beer glass and programme. E-mail for more details.

From 22 to 28 July, the Freshfield pub will also be holding a beer festival. The Freshfield holds both the CAMRA Branch Pub of the Year (POTY) award as well as the all-Merseyside POTY. The latter will be presented during the festival; I'll add a note to this post when I know when that is. The Freshfield is in Massams Lane, Freshfield, Formby, a short walk from Freshfield station on the Northern Line.

The Freshfield: Merseyside Pub of the Year

The results are in for the CAMRA Merseyside Pub of the Year (POTY). This year the award has gone to one of ours: the Freshfield in Massams Lane, Formby, a short walk from Freshfield railway station. There were four finalists in this year's competition, and this is how they fared (in descending order):

The Freshfield, Merseyside POTY

1. The Freshfield, Formby.
2. Gallaghers, Birkenhead.
3. Stamps Too, Waterloo.
4. The Clock Face, St Helens.

None of the pubs scored badly in the competition, but I can't help noticing that, unusually, no pub in Liverpool city centre made it to the final. The only one I've never visited is the Clock Face, although I often used to drive past it many years ago when it was a Greenall Whitley house. I have been to Stamps Too and Gallaghers, and I like them both. The Freshfield won one of the two local Branch Pub of the Year awards a couple of months ago, and winning this is a credit to the team that reopened the pub in July last year after a major refurbishment.

Congratulations to all concerned; I'm looking forward to the presentation of the certificate, after which I'll be able to report on the range of beers as I haven't been in there for a while.

Nels Andrews with Good Intentions

This Wednesday 1 May, Grateful Fred's in Formby is presenting Nels Andrews who's from Santa Cruz, California. This is what they're saying:

l "Strikingly intimate album that combines deft storytelling with a warmth of tone and gentleness of pace ... awash with layers, metaphors and echoes woven into subtle, contemplative contemporary song. Like finding a seashell at the back of a dusty cupboard, putting it to your ear and hearing the ocean." - Folk Radio UK.
l "A true wellspring of 21st century music." - Album of the week, Iain Anderson, BBC Scotland.
l (4/5 stars) - The London Telegraph, UK.

The Good Intentions' new album

In support are South Liverpool Americana group, The Good Intentions, who play mostly original compositions and whose albums are receiving good reviews. They were awarded the Best Americana Act of the Year at the British Country Music Awards in 2011. I have seen them several times and have thoroughly enjoyed what they do.

You can see both acts at the British Legion, Whitehouse Lane, Formby, L37 3LT, which has a bar but no real ale. Tickets are £7.50 and you can buy them here.

Freshfield Beer Festival

The Freshfield Hotel in Formby has long been noted for serving a good range of real ales. I've just learnt that it's just about to hold a beer festival with 60 beers, including the following breweries: 

Allgates, Amber, Black Iris, Blueball, Boggarts, Brampton, Brimstage, Hawkshead, Leeds, Liverpool Organic, Moorhouses, Muirhouse, Mr Grundy's, Peerless, Picktish, Phoenix, Raw, Saltaire, Spitting Feathers, Wapping, White Rose, XT.

That looks like a rather good selection to me. It runs from 21st to 28th January and is at the Freshfield Hotel, Massams Lane, Formby, L37 7BD. Tel: 01704 874871. The pub is less than 10 minutes' walk from Freshfield railway station.

Fiddler Wanted!

No, this isn't a recruitment advert for the chief executive of a bank.

Colin Maddocks, who runs the successful monthly Grateful Fred roots and acoustic nights once a month in Formby, is looking for a fiddler to play in the Grateful Fred house band, which acts as a opener for the booked acts. They are also hoping to get some other gigs in between GF evenings. If you're interested, or if you know someone who might be, contact Colin on colmad@gmail.com.

Grateful Fred events are held at the British Legion, Whitehouse Lane, Formby, L37 3LT. They usually meet on the first Thursday of the month, but their next event is on Wednesday 5 September - Jeff and Vida from Nashville, Tennessee. Tickets available here.

Freshfield Hotel to reopen next Monday

The closure of the Freshfield caused local real ale drinkers some concern, especially when we heard it was to be converted to a Hungry Horse, which is primarily a food-orientated chain; I expressed the worries in a post last August here. The good news is that, whatever the status of the food, the beer range will actually be increased with 14 handpumps being installed. The pub reopens on Monday 23 July.

Steve and Simon, the new licensees, have made an offer to local CAMRA members: from 5.00 p.m. tomorrow night (Friday) the pub will be open for drinks and canapés selected from the new menu, and between 3.00 p.m. and 5.00 p.m. on Saturday 21 July, any card-carrying CAMRA member will be given a free pint courtesy of Steve and Simon. Unfortunately, I'm already booked up on both days, but they asked us to pass on the word. It's all looking quite promising.

The Freshfield Hotel is at 1 Massams Lane, Formby, L37 7BD, and is about 10 minutes' walk from Freshfield Station.

Formby Live

I've only just heard about Formby Live, a music festival in various venues in Formby this week. Their website says: "Formby's very own music festival, is now in it's 4th year and will be bigger and better than ever before!  With the main events taking place over the weekend of 6th to 8th July, there will be performances from national, and local artists in venues throughout the Village culminating in a full day of music. On Sunday, 8th of July, there will be a full programme of great entertainment at Formby Pool where The Merseycats will again be putting on a Rock 'n' Roll extravaganza throughout the day".

Funny how something can be planned so close to home, and yet not hear about it.

My Darling Clementine - in Formby

My Darling Clementine are the next guests at Formby Americana club, Grateful Fred's. They are husband and wife team Michael Weston King and Lou Dalgleish.

Michael is a British singer-songwriter who's been admired by the likes of Chris Hillman, Ron Sexsmith, Jackie Leven and the legendary Townes van Zandt, who recorded one of his songs. He draws his influences from a wide range of styles: from pop, folk, country, soul, gospel and blues. Lou was a dancer and actor with TV and film roles in her 20s; she is now a singer-songwriter who has been praised by, and worked with, the likes of Elvis Costello, Bryan Ferry, The Brodsky Quartet, and many more.

What the papers say:
"Michael Weston King has a voice part Nashville balladeer and part Alt Country hero ... a cross between Nick Cave and Rodney Crowell." The Independent.
"In his craft and his perfections, MWK closely resembles Ron Sexsmith.  A pair of insufficiently recognised performers who see no call to lower their standards." Bucketful of Brains.
"As fine a singer songwriter as Gram Parsons." Chris Hillman.

You can see them this Thursday 7 June at 8.00 p.m. - on-line tickets from Grateful Fred's website here. It's at the Formby British Legion, Whitehouse Lane, Formby, L37 3LT.

Freshfield Hotel Beer Festival

I've just learnt from the local CAMRA facebook page that from 14 to 20 May 2012, the Freshfield Hotel will be holding the "Freshie Fifty" Beer Festival. Throughout the week they will have up to fifty beers appearing on the bar. The Freshfield will be closed soon for a major refurbishment, which led to fears that the real ale would be either removed or seriously cut down to a token, but it appears that a good range of real ale will be available when the pub reopens again. Just as well, seeing that the Freshie has long been seen locally as one of our leading real ale pubs.

The Freshfield is in Massams Lane, Formby, L37 7BD, a short walk from Freshfield station.

Toy Hearts at Grateful Fred's

I have just checked the Grateful Fred website to see whether there are any tickets for Toy Hearts, who are guests at the club this evening, Wednesday 4 April.  I was surprised to see there were 15 (14 now I've bought one). Toy Hearts are a British bluegrass-tinged band fronted by sisters Hannah and Sophia Johnson, and they sold out the club last time they were on. I was very impressed, which is why I'm going back.

"As well as producing quite possibly the finest and most authentic-sounding blend of Americana of any UK act, The Toy Hearts possess a trump card in the heart-melting voice of Hannah Johnson … With ‘Femme Fatale’ as a calling card, the UK Americana crown is The Toy Hearts’ for the taking". 

Sean McGhee, R2 (Rock and Reel) Magazine, Oct 2010.

Supporting them is Pip Mountjoy, a 17 year old singer-songwriter from North Yorkshire whose debut EP, Louisiana, was described as "a beautiful, sweet and delicate thing" by Bob Fischer of BBC Tees.

You can buy tickets on-line here.  Grateful Fred's is at the British Legion, Whitehouse Lane, Formby, L37 3LT, and 7.45 p.m. is the starting time.

Will Kaufman's Life of Woody Guthrie in Formby

Hard Times & Hard Travellin' is the title of a live musical documentary of the life of Woody Guthrie, written and performed by Will Kaufman.  It sets the songs of Woody Guthrie in the context of the American 1930s:  the dust bowl, the Depression, the New Deal and the state of popular music itself.  Such hard-hitting Guthrie songs as “Vigilante Man”, “Pretty Boy Floyd” and “I Ain’t Got No Home” are set alongside other relevant songs, such as Joe Hill’s “The Preacher and the Slave” and “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?”  Altogether the show highlights the interaction of music and radical politics that marks Guthrie’s most powerful work.

Will Kaufman is a singer, multi-instrumentalist and Professor of American Literature and Culture at the University of Central Lancashire.  He has given his Woody Guthrie presentations at festivals, universities, trades clubs, folk clubs and union halls.  In 2008 he was awarded the Woody Guthrie Research Fellowship from the Broadcast Music Industry Foundation and the Woody Guthrie Foundation.  His book, Woody Guthrie, American Radical, has been published by the University of Illinois Press.

Formby roots and acoustic club, Grateful Fred, presents Hard Times & Hard Travellin' at the British Legion, Whitehouse Lane, Formby, L37 3LT, on Wednesday 1 February at 8.00 p.m.  On-line tickets can be bought here (note that Grateful Fred sometimes sells out).
Non-real ale bar.

Josh Harty and The Good Intentions

Josh Harty

Grateful Fred's next guest is Josh Harty.  Josh is the third generation of a family of musicians from the Dakotas.  His latest CD, A Long List of Lies is proving popular with lovers of authentic American music.

"Harty has a warm, intimate performance style.  You can ease into his songs from the first note and his voice has that perfect combination of resignation and hope.  The songs are all downbeat, even mournful, and Harty's performances are utterly convincing, whether on the doom-laden Whiskey & Morphine, the more upbeat tune (but downbeat lyrics) of Sweet Solution" - Jeremy Searle, Americana UK, 2011.

The Good Intentions - the bank manager years

Josh will be supported by The Good Intentions, the Liverpool-based Americana/Bluegrass trio whose latest CD Someone Else's Time is receiving great reviews.  They are winners of the British Country Music Awards - Best Americana Act of the Year 2011.

Grateful Fred meets at a NEW VENUE:  Formby British Legion, Whitehouse Lane, Formby, L37 3LT.  Full directions here and tickets are available on-line here.  The music begins at 8.00 p.m.

Sarah MacDougall at Grateful Fred's

Sarah MacDougall is a Canadian singer songwriter who is making waves, not only in her home country, but also over here in England.  She was born in Sweden, and Canadian newspaper 24 Hours Vancouver described her as "one of the most promising exports out of Sweden since Abba".  Yes, well ... so, here's what else they're saying:

• “She could make stone weep. Classic North American folk.” - Q Magazine ****
• “Heartbreakingly beautiful” - Americana UK
• "I love your album." - Bob Harris, BBC 2

She is appearing locally with Bob Hamilton on bass and Tim Tweedale on lapsteel at Grateful Fred's in the Freshfield Hotel, Massams Lane, Formby on Thursday 6 October.  Support is by British singer songwriter, Steph Fraser.  The Freshfield has a good range of real ales. 

Tickets on line here, and as some recent G/Fred events have been sold out, advance purchase may prevent disappointment.

Freshfield to be a Hungry Horse

The Freshfield Hotel in Formby sells 10 real ales and a real cider, the best range of beer in Formby by far, and has regular music nights, such as open mike nights, the monthly Grateful Fred's roots and acoustic club and a monthly jazz night.  I am consequently rather concerned to hear that the owners Greene King are going to turn it into a Hungry Horse pub.  A look at the website shows that Hungry Horse is all about food:  the only reference to beer on the entire site is: "Our pubs are known for high quality, big value food, a choice of beers, ales and drinks to suit all tastes."  Notice that even in that one sentence, food is mentioned first.

The function room will probably be converted to a restaurant, which will force out all the music nights and I can't see them retaining the great range of beers, because that is not what this chain is about.  I tried to look on the pub's own website, but it seems to have been taken down.

I hope I'm wrong, but I doubt it ~ it will be a shame to lose such a great real ale and music venue.  I'll let you know if I hear anything new.