The Forester, on Leighton Road in Ealing, was the place to be yesterday, when local dignitaries came out to celebrate the pub’s new look. Local MP Dr Rupa Huq, joined local Mayor, Cllr Hitesh Tailor, to cut the official opening ribbon – before Rupa took to the decks with an impressive DJ set to get the party underway.
The Forester, a Fuller’s managed pub, has been completely refurbished with the aim of bringing together tradition and modernity. The walls and shelves are adorned with Fuller’s bric-a-brac from across the years – and the fireplace is an original feature designed by the famous Fuller’s pub architect, Nowell Parr.
On the first floor, you’ll find a beautiful private function room, boasting a large screen so it can be used to show sports too. With Sky Sports and TNT, a plethora of television screens inside and screens soon to be in the garden, The Forester will be the perfect destination for local sports lovers.
The Forester’s garden – which played host to yesterday’s festivities – has also been transformed and will attract customers come rain or shine, with its covered area for the colder months and a beautiful, sun-trap terrace for those golden hour pints. One element that has remained the same is the fantastic Thai food offering from chef Nok and her team in The Forester’s kitchen, and the pub’s popular carvery is still available on Sundays.
Harry Shotter, General Manager of The Forester, said: “It was great to have such fantastic support from both the Mayor and the local MP for our opening party. Who knew that MPs made such good DJs. I will definitely be inviting Rupa back to play again.
“It was a fantastic opportunity to welcome the local community into the pub and the feedback we’ve had has been really good. The Forester has something for everyone and at heart, we are a true community pub. I’m really excited about what the future has to hold.”
The Astronomer, nestled in the heart of Spitalfields, East London, has undergone a stellar transformation! Reopening with a fresh new look, an enticing menu, and an array of new beers, this Fuller’s pub is ready to dazzle. The revamped layout features the bar relocated to the back of the ground floor, creating more room for guests to enjoy. Descend into the newly christened Rocket Room, now boasting its own bar and primed for evening indulgence or private gatherings.
From small plates to classic pub fare, complemented by burgers and sharing boards, there’s something for every palate.
“I’m so excited to be reopening The Astronomer,” says Lorenzo Nicoletti, general manager of The Astronomer. “The new layout of the bar means we’ll have more space than ever to welcome our customers – whether they’re visiting for a quick drink or to savour our delicious, fresh food.
“The Rocket Room is the new star of the show – it’s a fantastic space with plenty of tables and booths, ideal for intimate dining or drinks. Or, if you’re looking for a great function space, the Rocket Room is perfect for all events.”
Savour the bold tropical flavours of Shepherd Neame’s new beer Rumour Mill (4.3% ABV) this spring.
It is the latest beer released by the independent family brewer as part of its popular real ale initiative Cask Club.
A juicy IPA, Rumour Mill combines four hops – Mosaic, Amarillo, Jester and Challenger – to create a complex fruity flavour with additional notes of citrus and pine. The pale golden brew is perfect to savour on a spring day with its light, refreshing finish.
Its name, and eye-catching pump clip design, was inspired by an historic landmark in Shepherd Neame’s hometown of Faversham, Kent – Chart Gunpowder Mills.
First established in 1760, it was the only complete water-powered gunpowder mill in the country and made Faversham an important centre of the explosives industry for many centuries. The mill closed in 1934, when production was moved to Scotland.
Brewing Manager Rupert Hodgkins, whose signature features on the beer’s pump clip, said: “Brewing Rumour Mill with a collection of powerful hops has been a fun challenge for the team, using our expertise to ensure a well-balanced flavour profile and aroma, crafting a delicious pint that pairs perfectly with a sunny pub garden.
“We’re excited for discerning drinkers to give this flavoursome beer a try!”
Shepherd Neame’s Cask Club offers an exciting new range of limited edition innovative cask beers incorporating modern styles and flavours, while also celebrating some seasonal classics.
Future ales in the Cask Club programme to look out for over the next few months include Go For Gold and returning favourite Late Red.
To be the first to discover new Cask Club beers sign up to hear more: snea.me/joincaskclub, and follow @shepherdneame on social media.
Tennent’s has taken home two medals at the prestigious International International Brewing and Cider Awards 2024, the ‘Oscars’ of the brewing and cider making world.
After three days of deliberation across a panel of 38 judges,115 medals were awarded to beers and ciders all around the world, including winners from Cambodia, China, Norway and the UK.
We’re honoured that Tennent’s took home a Gold award in the ‘Lager – Class 1’ division and a bronze for its Tennent’s Gluten Free Lager in the ‘Gluten-free/reduced gluten’ division.
For the first time in its 138 year history, the awards were hosted in Manchester, with the 38 strong judging panel led by Chair of Beer Judging, Rob McCaig, and Chair of Cider Judging, Gabe Cook.
Rob McCaig, Chair of Beer Judging, said: “We’ve had such an outstanding line up of judges from all corners of the world, and they’ve all done a remarkable job tasting and evaluating some of the finest beers from around the globe.”
“This year proved to be one of the toughest yet to determine which of the beers were deserving of a medal. We had an exceptional amount of great quality beers enter this year, making the job of our judging panel extremely difficult.”
Ruth Evans MBE, Director of the International Brewing & Cider Awards, said: “We’re thrilled to be able to continue to provide a platform to reward the best beers and ciders with the recognition they so truly deserve.”
A full list of all 2024 medal winners can be found on The International Brewing & Cider Awards’ website: www.brewingawards.org
Congratulations to all the winners and participants – it’s a privilege for Tennent’s to be recognised on an international stage.
Brits across the nation can grab a free pint at their local Greene King pub as soon as the first drop of rain falls in Manchester from 25th March.
As a weather-obsessed nation, research by Greene King to mark the first day of spring revealed that despite over eight in ten Brits (81%) believing rain is quintessentially British, almost three quarters (74%) claim that it puts them off going out and socialising. Those least likely to go out are Gen Z, with 85% citing they’re less likely to go out if it’s wet.
To encourage the nation to step outdoors and into the showers and to mark March 2023 being the wettest March on record for 40 years, this year, leading pub company and brewer Greene King is celebrating the rain with its biggest ever free beer giveaway.
According to research, Manchester has been crowned the UK’s wettest city, with over 1 in 5 of the nation claiming it’s the place that rains the most in the entire country.
So, to launch Greene King’s free pint offer, a nine-foot-tall pint glass shaped rain drop detector will be situated at Great Northern Warehouse in Manchester city centre from Monday 25th March.
Once Manchester experiences it first drop of rain onto the pint glass, the detector will light up and the free pints deal will be activated in Greene King pubs up and down the country, so Brits can head to their local participating pub to shield from the rain and quench their thirst. Keen viewers can watch the action unfold via a livestream of the Rain Drop Detector from the 25th March: https://www.greeneking.co.uk/we-pour
With the nation’s go to topics of conversation over a tipple being sport (56%) and the weather (49%) to chat about down the pub, Greene King has enlisted Former England footballer and avid pub lover, Peter Crouch to launch its free pint offer.
He said: “Having experienced playing football at the highest level for England, I know how much the nation loves their sport and hates the weather, so it’s no surprise to see that’s what people chat about at the pub most.
“I’ve also had my fair share of playing in wet conditions and seen first-hand how it can impact sport, and with my height, when it rains, I feel it before most people do.
“There’s no better place to go on a rainy day than a cosy pub to enjoy a well-earned drink, I’ll be on tenterhooks looking out for the rain on Monday, with 100,000 free pints up for grabs, there’s only one place I’ll be heading when the rain drops start to fall.”
Despite the Great British weather being stereotypically wet and miserable, over four in ten (44%) Brits admit they still don’t like the rain and over three quarters of the UK (75%) reveal weather as the most typically ‘British’ topic of conversation.
Clair Preston-Beer, Managing Director for Greene King Pubs, said: “Since March 2023 was the wettest March on record, we decided to mark the beginning of spring by offering the nation 100,000 free pints in our Greene King pubs nationwide to celebrate rather than commiserate the first drops of rain, because let’s face it, it won’t be the last of the wet weather!
“With over four in 10 (41%) saying a free pint would cheer them up on a rainy day, it was a no-brainer for us to announce our biggest ever pint giveaway, as we all love a freebie, but the stats show not all of us love the wet weather!
“At Greene King, we are proud of being the nation’s go-to place to eat, drink, and relax with your family, friends, and colleagues, we have something for everyone, so while we can’t control the weather we can make up for it with a free pint at one of our pubs up and down the country – meaning a Good Time is (Almost) Guaranteed. We can’t wait to welcome customers into our pubs to claim a free drink on us, so keep an eye on the sky and our rain drop detector!”
