Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Hull & East Yorkshire Branch NEWS RELEASE

Licensee of 'Rural Community Pub' is Chosen for Seasonal Award

Issued 13th June 2005

Jon Allan, licensee of ‘The Chestnut Horse’ in Great Kelk has been chosen to receive the ‘Pub Mirror Award – Summer 2005’ for “Continuing Commitment to Quality Real Ale”.

The seasonal awards are currently being used to recognise those licensees in the Hull and East Yorkshire area who have demonstrated a "Continuing Commitment to Quality Real Ale" at a time when they are under great pressure to remove distinctive, tasty real ale and replace it with ‘easily kept’ heavily advertised, bland tasting nitro-keg beers. The award therefore, also acknowledges those licensees who practise the specialised art of cellermanship. This is because real ale requires expertise to prepare and maintain it in good condition whereas nitro-keg beer only requires connecting to a mixed-gas cylinder before selling.

Jon took on the pub’s privately owned lease three years ago on the 9th September 2002 after the previous licensee had announced that he was retiring. He lived in the village and was already a regular user of the pub. He fancied a career change from being involved in property development, and the pub became available at the right time. As a CAMRA member he knew the importance of keeping a good cellar and this has led to him being Cask Marque accredited.

The Chestnut Horse is very much a rural community pub and is situated on the village’s Main Street. It is a very attractive pub of the sort that you would see on the lid of a box of chocolates.

Thanks to Jon the locals and visitors alike have a choice of John Smith’s Bitter and at least two regularly changing guest beers that are obtained through well known beer distributor The Beer Seller and direct from small independent breweries throughout Yorkshire. He also offers a range of Belgian draught and bottled beers (including Leffe Dark) and Stowford Press real cider.

The pubs opening hours are: Monday to Thursday 6 - 11; Friday & Saturday 5.30 – 11, and Sunday 12 - 10.30. Good food is available every evening and on a Sunday lunch-time.

The award will be presented to Jon by CAMRA Branch Chairman, Alan Canvess on Saturday 18th June 2005 at sometime after 7.00 pm. A large gathering of the pub’s regular customers and CAMRA members are expected to attend the presentation. Amongst them will be Neil Birch, a local active CAMRA member who nominated Jon for the award, stating “The beer is always in tip top condition and they create a very friendly atmosphere in which to enjoy it.”