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ONE PUB ONLY?
Carlisle Rugby Club
CRAWLING FROM RAILWAY STATION TO THE GROUND?
Boardroom, Kings Head, Howard Arms
SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT?
Stop off on the way at Hesket Newmarket and try the Crown
CHANGES FROM GUIDE
Closed - Crown
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|  The Boardroom
Paternoster Row, CA3 8TT T 01228 527695
G David Scott
F Simple pub food from sandwiches to steaks 12 to 2, not Sun
MP TV JB
O 11 to 12. 12 to 2, 7 to 10.30 Sun
The Boardroom is the recommendation of my companion for the North East trip. Ray was bowled over by the location, the history and the overall enthusiasm of David, the landlord of 17 years. I had to agree the Boardroom offers something more than that found in other town - centre pubs.
The location is truly impressive; the picture window in which we sat had picturesque early spring views of the cathedral across the road, the connections apparently being via underground tunnels as well as the more mundane pelican. This historical element extends to a resident ghost? Dave is keen to let you know about this and also the story of Doris and the ale that is also resident on the beer list. The pub is a largish extended one - room bar, as impressive as the listed façade that is prominent as tourists walk between town station, cathedral and church. Those tourists will be very evident is summer. On our winter visit the locals held the prime locations, i.e. the seats made of church pew ends complete with umbrella stand ends. The typical clientele is a mix of office workers and students, shoppers and Scots escaping to the nearest English town. The pub offers no music, TV or loud lads’ conversation. It is very much the place for that quiet pub lunch and relief from the crowds milling along the Warwick Road before a game.
BWV 8.2.06: Hesket Newmarket Doris’ 90th Birthday Ale, Theakston’s Best | |  Carlisle Rugby Club
Warwick Rd. CA1 1CW Bill Swarbrick T 01228 521300 W www.carlislerugby.co.uk
F Rolls and sandwiches by arrangement, to groups who phone ahead
CP SK D
O 7 to 11, 12 to 11 Sat, 12 to 3, 7 to 11 Sun
To understand the full effects of the floods one needs only to spend an hour chatting to the locals of Warwick Road who also use the local rugby Club. The water rose to the height of the cross bar, i.e. near to the ceiling of the room as marked behind the bar. Some will talk of good fortune; this has provided an opportunity to rebuild and in parts to redesign the bar which now has a modern clubhouse feeling and extended bar space.
The Carlisle Rugby Club has long been a favourite of mine because it has always offered the best alternative beers in the town. The friendliness is infectious, i.e. those who use it are very loyal to the place and rarely venture in to town either before or after. There are two rooms, one is non – smoking. New plasma screens should be noted, especially as the international rugby games will take priority, and rightly so. The pub is closed during weekdays and I was indeed very fortunate to meet up with Dave in the Howard Arms. Typical of those who run the club, he was more than helpful in pointing out some of the vagaries of the rugby scene. The place hosts a squash club, as well as having very close ties with United. The team is presently at the top of their league and would love some more locals to support the club. When football is in town there is an unwritten law, however, that the rugby game starts just as away fans head across the park to the game.
BWV 8.2.06: Goose Eye No Eye Deer, Theakston’s Best, Yates’ Bitter
BWV 2.4.10 Yates Bitter, + Guest
The club is now well known on the away fan itinerary. It was positively heaving pre match and totally friendly. It is great that fans mix so well here. We had to retire to the back room as the main room was being overwhelmed with "dressed" Gasheads and vagrant Scots. A great lunchtime, shame about the result. | |  Howard Arms
107 Lowther St CA3 8ED T 01228 532926
G Harry Ross
F Traditional pub food and bar lunches 12 to 2, not Sun
MP SK JB D
O 11 to 11, 11 to 10.30 Sun
Graham, Lawrence and Ian, doing the whistle stop tour from Newcastle, pointed me in the direction of this pub from the Cumberland Arms. It has connections with the long -gone theatre opposite and, by a quirk of fate, the unearthed ornate tiled frontage now helps to guarantee its historical importance. As a real ale pub, Harry runs a rarity, a great town centre pub with character, and a locals’ boozer The pub started with and keeps its original cosiness, the extensions to the rear have only created more small rooms and an outside patio equally compact in size. The locals were fantastic, old boys talking of the season to come, walkers staggering in off the Hadrian's walk to sup thirst - quenching ale, even a ladies circle could be heard discussing which pub to meet in next week. It was busy on my lunchtime visit and very friendly. It is Harry's 21st birthday as landlord here and the pub is obviously well loved. It appeared to be very much a gentlepersons’ club, refined yet a place to enjoy.
UPDATE: The guest ale is always changing. It was great to meet with Dave Burnett of Carlisle Rugby Club here this year.
BWV 18.5 05: Theakston’s Best, XB
BWV 8.2.06: Theakston’s Best, Wells Bombardier
BWV 2.4.10 Deuchars IPA, Lancaster Blonde, Theakston's Best
English Heritage have been involved in some restoration of the splendid tiles at the pub. My post match evening pint choice was the Lancaster Beer. The pub was busy and obviously still rightly popular. | |  Kings Head
Fisher St. CA3 8RF T 01228 533797 W www.kingsheadcarlisle.co.uk
G Mike Vose
F Traditional pub food 10 to 3, 11 to 3 Sat, No food Sun
MP TV BM P D
O 10 to 11, 11 to 11 Sat, 12 to 10.30 Sun
Mike is a Cumbrian Gooner who has a passion for liberating the locals from smooth land to real ale. As such the Kings Head is the only pub in the town centre to offer genuine local ales, i.e. Yates’, and a guest that is ever - changing. The Kings Head is smack bang in tourist and shopper land, yet has a real locals following. The regulars were gathered around the bar talking of last weekend’s triumphs in Stoke, often bemoaning the lack of quality real ale there. The pub is a carpeted, timber - roofed tavern that extends deep to the rear where the best sitting and chatting space is found.. And so it was that I found my final new pub of the year, several weeks later than planned. Matt and the locals were great company, as is the case whenever you come into this pub. They shared tales of away fans and pubs in the Conference and dreams of beer hunting this season, good times! The renaissance of Carlisle town centre real ale, I predict, will start here. As it grows give Mike your support, you know it makes sense.
UPDATE: A heated outside garden may be in place sometime next year.
BWV 8.2.06: Fuller’s London Pride, Yates’ Bitter
BWV 18.5.05: The Old Mill Bullion, Yates’ Bitter
BWV 2.4.10 Keswick Thirst Pitch, Yates Fever Pitch
The pub was busy at lunch time with a large proportion of locals in meal mode. By the time of our evening return it was positively heaving, not a seat to be found and cery friendly. This is by far the best that Carlisle has to offer. Cheers Mike and Mally. | | Linton Holme
86, Lindisfarne St, CA1 2NB Tel01228 32637
This was my second visit to the Lint and it is fast becoming a second home in Carlisle thanks to Mally and the Carlisle chaps introducing it to me. The pub is owned by Mike from the Kings Head and therefore comes with a certain beer quality mark. A large victorian pile it has some glorious architectural merit and is exceptionally welcoming. Yate sis permanent and a seconmd beer rotates regularly. A five minute walk to the ground it is of the beaten track but well worth seeking out.
BWV 2.4.10 Slaters Why Knot, Yates Bitter | | | SOLWAY CAMRA | |  | | 
LOCAL BREWERY
Hesket Newmarket Brewery
Old Crown Barn,
Hesket Newmarket
Cumbria CA7 8JG
Tel/Fax: 016974 78066
www.hesketbrewery.co.uk
| | WETHERSPOONS
Woodrow Wilson 48 Botchergate Carlisle CA1 1QS Opening Times: Sun-Thu 9am-midnight; Fri/Sat 9am-1am
The William Rufus 10-16 Botchergate Carlisle CA1 1QS Opening Times: Sun-Wed 9am-midnight; Thu-Sat 9am-2am
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