CAMPAIGN FOR REAL ALE

Pub of the Season

DONCASTER & DISTRICT BRANCH

On our web site you will find . . .

Summer 2008

The Red Lion

Braithwell

December 2006 saw a turning point in the future of the Red Lion at Braithwell with the arrival of Nick Griffin and Nicola Dunstan. The pub had been closed for several months and with the current trend of closures, in the region of sixty pubs a month, its future looked bleak.

Not so!! With Nick and Nicola at the helm, the pub has gone from strength to strength with the emphasis placed on serving quality real ales. From a starting point of John Smiths Cask, three further hand pumps have been added serving Timothy Taylors Golden Best, Bradfield Farmers Blonde and a revolving guest ale from micro breweries such as Leeds, Kelham Island and York.

The pub itself is split in two by the bar, a large lounge with a hidden snug is to the left and the games room with all the normal pub games you would expect to find is to the right. There is one notable exception to the normal games on offer in that the Red Lion is the only pub I know which provides the availability of a Nintendo Wii.

The lounge is decorated with local photographs of bygone days with a number of these depicting the Braithwell to Micklebring Wheelbarrow race, a race which has been run annually since 1953 and is always run on the first Thursday in July finishing outside the Red Lion.

What happens at the Red Lion? Two quizzes are held weekly, a general knowledge quiz on Sundays starting at 9.30pm and the famous Wipe Out quiz on Tuesday, also starting at 9.30pm and followed by Pick Nick's Ball. Every other weekend sees a Kabaroke show and live music from top local acts features on the last Saturday of each month.

In addition, the Red Lion has an upstairs private room available for functions and it was here in November last year, Nick, with the great help of Keith Simpson of Brown Cow Brewery fame, held his first ever mini beer festival showcasing quality Yorkshire ales. And the good news is, it was such a success Nick is holding it again this year in early September. So please support this not to be missed event.

Something else to watch out for is the opening of the refurbished Kitchen, which is set to produce excellent traditional pub food on Fridays to Sundays inclusive.

So why not join us in congratulating Nick and Nicola and their excellent team, when we present the Doncaster District Summer pub of the season 2008 award on Friday 27th June 9pm. Alternatively, if you cannot wait and are fed up with the hustle and bustle of town, hop on a No 18 or 18a bus from the Interchange as they run Mon-Sat 25 past the hour and every 2 hours from 12.25pm on Sunday. Opening times are 12-11pm Fri-Mon, 12-3pm and 5-11pm Tues-Thursday.

Gary Proctor

Recent winners of the award:

Spring 2007
The Bay Horse, Great Heck

Winter 2007
The King's Head, Pollington

Autumn 2006
The Falcon, Mexborough

Summer 2006
The Scarbrough Arms, Tickhill

Spring 2006
The Windmill, Thorne

Winter 2006
The Shoulder of Mutton, Kirk Smeaton

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