AWARD PUTS MILL ON BEER MAP OF BRITAIN
Bowland Beer Hall recently received national recognition from Campaign for Real Ale for the outstanding conversion of the historic textile mill into one of Britain’s best pubs
The ambitious conversion of a Grade II Listed Victorian mill into a mixed leisure and retail destination incorporating a brewery, beer and food halls and a hotel, has scooped the Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) prestigious award for Britain’s Best Pub Conversion.
The award was presented at a special reception at Holmes Mill where Professor Steven Parissien of CAMRA handed the award to James Warburton, chairman of James’ Places, who masterminded the ambitious redevelopment scheme.
Original beams and joists, exposed brickwork and even the original mill wheel have all been preserved in an innovative venue that combines a Bavarian-scale beer hall with a brewery, restaurant, food hall and hotel.
The Beer Hall has turned the bustling market town of Clitheroe into something of a focus for cask ale aficionados and craft beer buffs. As well as Bowland Beer Hall, the town boasts a selection of outstanding hostelries – including two national CAMRA award-winners – each offering a very different take on the art of brewing.
Praising the scale and ambition of the Holmes Mill redevelopment, the judges were also impressed with the lengths to which James’ Places have gone to preserve the historic fabric and original machinery of the 19th century mill.
Elizabeth, the cross-compound beam engine which provided power for the entire mill, takes pride of place in the engine room and the chimney – complete with its signature tree sprouting out the top – remains a local landmark.
CAMRA judge Professor Steven Parissien said: “Our 2017 winners celebrate an enormously wide variety of building styles and contexts – from a modern new build to a historic high street landmark, from a textile mill conversion to a Victorian restoration.
“The sheer diversity of these winners, and their evident commercial success, shows just how vibrant a pub can be – and what an agent of regeneration it can provide – if treated with respect and sensitivity for both building and clientele.”
Holmes Mill was the only award-winner from outside London and the south-east, putting one of the heartlands of traditional beer brewing firmly back on the beer map of Britain.
Accepting the award, James Warburton said: “I’d like to thank all the people who helped us build this amazing place and all the real ale fans throughout the Ribble Valley and wider North West who have ensured its success by supporting it right from the start.”
“This corner of Lancashire has an extremely proud brewing tradition and we’ve always taken beer very seriously at Holmes Mill.”
“One of the best ways to make sure our own Bowland Brewery ales are up there with the best beers in the country is to benchmark them against products from the most innovative brewers in Britain. And that’s exactly what we do in the beer hall, week in, week out.”
“We’re confident our range of distinctive beers stands comparison with the best of the rest. But don’t take our word for it – we’d really like all cask ale connoisseurs to come and take the taste test themselves!”
In its first year of trading, the beer hall sold more than half a million pints of real ale and craft beer and a trip to Holmes Mill has now become something of a pilgrimage for real ale aficionados across the North.
With 42 hand-pull pumps on the 105ft 8inch long island bar – one of the longest in Britain – the beer hall showcases a minimum of 24 cask ales at any one time.
Six core Bowland ales from Bowland Brewery next door are a permanent fixture on the bar, but the rest change on a weekly basis. Casks are tapped on a Wednesday and ready to pour on #NewBeerThursday – something of a regular feature among local ale aficionados.
Whatever remains after the weekend has to make way for the new intake on Wednesday – ensuring all the cask ales remain in perfect condition.
A number of ‘Beer Bibles’ listing all the available beers along with tasting notes are strategically placed on the bar and the knowledgeable staff are happy to advise on tastes and styles and offer free samples.
Three-glass tasting flights are a popular way for drinkers to sample multiple beers and Holmes Mill also offers a ‘Circumnavigation ticket’, which offers a pint, half-pint or third-pint glass of every cask beer on the bar. There’s no obligation to sink all 24 ales at one sitting – creating the perfect excuse to make a weekend of it.
Overnighters can combine a tasting session in the beer hall with a brewery tour, a spot of fine food shopping at the neighbouring Bowland Food Hall and a good night’s sleep at the Spinning Block Hotel – which is also on the Holmes Mill site.
Bowland Beer Hall
Greenacre Street
Clitheroe BB7 1EB
01200 401035
www.holmesmill.co.uk
