Master

Autumn 2014www.shepherdneame.co.uk

BREWER

The label Britain’s oldest brewer carries with it a certain weight. It opens doors and serves as amarque of provenance. We are delighted that the launch of our new history book (see opposite)offers clear evidence that brewing has beencontinuous on our site since far earlier thanpreviously thought. We are also hugely honouredto have our Royal Warrant extended to coverSpitfire Premium Kentish Ale – anotherheartening accolade.

Giving customers a fantastic experience is achallenge we all relish – whether from behind thebar or back in the brewery. But it’s not enough to simply meet customers’ expectations; we aim to exceed them with pubs and beers of greatcharacter and individuality. To this end, wecontinue to invest in our pubs and hotels, fromstunning coastal idylls such as the Botany BayHotel to high quality community pubs like theThree Lions, Farncombe.

Our latest beers are also making waves, mostrecently our Oyster Stout (p.10). It is part of theWhitstable Bay Collection, which has opened new doors for the business thanks to its fresh,modern approach.

Bringing together the old and new is a skill thatrequires deft handling, but when you successfullymarry excellent products and good servicetogether with character and provenance, we think it makes for a compelling combination.

Jonathan NeameChief Executive@jbneame

GREATEXPECTATIONS

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The brewery has had its Royal Warrant from HRH The Prince of Walesextended beyond Grant’s Morella Cherry Brandy.

It is to be celebrated on bottles of Shepherd Neame’s flagship beer –Spitfire Premium Kentish Ale.

Brewing and brands director Graeme Craig said: “We’re over the moon to join an elite group of the UK’s finest food and drinkproducers able to carry a Royal Warrant. We are delighted that theseproducts will be available at royal functions. Everyone at the brewerydeserves to be proud to have their efforts recognised in this way.”

ROYAL WARRANT FORSHEPHERD NEAME

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A new book finally confirms the oft-debated topic of who is Britain’s oldest brewer. It’s a moniker Shepherd Neame has laid claim to for some time, but evidence unveiled by brewery archivist andhistorian John Owen has put paid to counter-claims and rivals.

The Emergence Of Shepherd Neame From The EarliestDays of Brewing in Faversham, Kent: 1100-1732,contains evidence that brewing has taken placecontinuously on the current site since 1573 – at least 125 years earlier than previously believed.

Records show that in 1573 brewer John Castlocke IIwas living at 18 Court Street. They also confirm the site has been a brewery ever since, perhaps withorigins even earlier from which Shepherd Neame has evolved, with the Shepherd and Neame families joining in the 18th and 19th centuries respectively.

To find out the whole story, the book is available in store and online from the Visitor Centre shop.

1698 AND ALL THAT…

Brewery archivist and historian John Owen

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DORKING’S OLDESTPUB ENJOYS NEW LOOKThe King’s Arms Dorking has re-opened following the second phase of amajor refurbishment.

Licensees Gurdeep Manku and Rosie Adams already run another pubnearby, but were keen on restoring this pub to its former glory by workingin conjunction with the brewery on the £140,000 refurbishment.

Improvements at the pub, which dates back to 1405, include newflagstone and timber flooring, and the addition of an outdoor TV.

On the new look, Gurdeep said: “We are really pleased with the pub’s new look, and have received lots of compliments from locals. Lookingafter two pubs is a lot of work, but we enjoy the challenge and have some great staff to help us.”

Our pubs provide employment forapproximately 4,500 peopleacross London and the South East.

Licensees Gurdeep Manku and Rosie Adams

REFURBISH

A £250,000 makeover has been completed at historic pubThe Railway Telegraph in Lewisham.

The Shepherd Neame pub in StansteadRoad, Forest Hill, first opened in 1853,and care has been taken to preserve itsVictorian features during the revamp.

Improvements include introducing adisabled toilet and disabled access,redesigning the bar, and repainting the entire building, inside and out.

Following a refurbishment of thekitchen, the pub has also introduced anew menu of traditional English classics,inspired by famous Victorian cookerywriter Mrs Beeton.

STEAMING AHEAD ATTHE RAILWAY TELEGRAPH

Regulars enjoy the new surroundings

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A Farncombe pub gutted by fire earlier this year has beenofficially re-opened following a major reconstruction project.

The Three Lions was refurbished in January, with new licensee Sarah Firth and husband Graham moving in shortlyafterwards. The following month a fire gutted the upstairs of the building, leaving them homeless.

The company quickly refurbished the building again and localfirefighters were the guests of honour at a re-opening forloyal customers who supported the pub throughout the year.Thankfully, the pub is rapidly becoming renowned for itsfantastic live music, rather than the blaze.

MUSIC PUB RISESFROM THE ASHES

A £120,000 refurbishment has transformed a popular bar inCanterbury, allowing customers to enjoy its garden to the full.

Licensee Charles Smythe undertook the major revamp of the citycentre pub with support from brewery Shepherd Neame.

Improvements include a new rear extension to replace a conservatory,and the addition of a ping pong table, Giant Jenga and Connect Fourin the garden.

Charles said: “We have received some great feedback about themakeover from our customers, and have already seen a surge in salessince the revamp.”

STYLISH REVAMP FORCITY CENTRE BAR

Licensee Charles Smythe pours a pint on the opening night

HMENTSFirst time tenants Sarah and Graham Firth

MARGATE PUB RE-OPENSAFTER MAJOR MAKEOVER The Orb in the popular seaside town of Margate has re-openedafter a £40,000 transformation.

It was jointly funded by Shepherd Neame and licensee Tony Dodd,and work included refurbishing the bar and repainting throughout.

New carpets, lighting and furniture have been introduced, and thegarden has benefited from new decking and plants.

Licensee Tony Dodd with his partner Christina Lee

The Botany Bay Hotel at Kingsgate near Broadstairs has re-openedfollowing a £1.4 million refurbishment.

Formerly known as the Fayreness Hotel, it is situated in one of the most picturesque spots on the Kentish coast, overlooking thespectacular Botany Bay.

The building has been remodelled to make the most of itsbreathtaking sea views, including the installation of two elegantconservatories at the front, and the addition of a wrap-around deck to allow guests to sit outside.

Its brick exterior has been clad in traditional Kentishweatherboarding, and new facilities for dog walkers have been added, along with a bicycle area.

All 30 en-suite bedrooms, many offering sea views of the eponymousbay, have been refurbished, using natural sand and blue-green colours,artefacts and artwork of local scenes to reflect the coastal setting.

The main bar area also boasts a fresh new look, and has beendivided into comfortable seating areas, including the introductionof a coffee lounge and cosy fireplace.

COASTAL HOTEL RE-OPENS AFTER£1.4 MILLION INVESTMENT

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Visitors can choose from a selection of tasty snacks and traditional pub meals in the bar, or enjoy á la carte dining in the panoramic-view restaurant. It offers classic British cuisine with a contemporary twist, and as one might expect from the hotel’s unique coastal location, seafood is a speciality.

The chefs use only the finest locally sourced, seasonal produce, fromRomney Marsh lamb to Whitstable oysters and Dover sole, alongwith the fresh produce for which the Garden of England is renowned.

And the contemporary coastal hotel is the perfect choice for anytype of function, from conferences and professional meetings togroup get-togethers and parties.

It has two stylish function rooms available; the intimate Club Room,which can accommodate up to 40 guests, or the Kingsgate Suite,which can cater for up to 100. The ground floor Kingsgate Suite,which boasts panoramic sea views, has a private bar and dancefloor and is licensed for civil wedding ceremonies.

Visitors to the hotel won’t want to miss the opportunity to exploreBotany Bay, just a minute’s stroll from its entrance. The Blue Flagquality beach, offering more than 200 metres of golden sands,stunning White Cliffs and rock pools, has been made famous by a whole host of TV and film productions.

The hotel is also ideal for a golfing break in Kent as it sits next tothe famous North Foreland Golf Club, and is within a few miles ofthe Open Championship links courses of Prince’s Golf Club andRoyal St. George’s in Sandwich.

Shepherd Neame chief executive Jonathan Neame said: “Thissignificant refurbishment is not just about investing in the hotel,but the coastal area of East Kent. Not only have we have created a significant number of new hospitality and catering roles, but the presence of a stylish destination hotel will provide a boost for the local tourism market.”

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Licensees Adrian and Kay Eden of The Cricketers Arms in Chelmsford (pictured)were among the winners of this year’s Operation Landlord competition.

The promotion, organised with Spitfire Premium Kentish Ale, saw five luckylandlords win £1,000 of holiday vouchers.

Customers simply had to order a cask of Spitfire Ale to enter, and fivewinners were drawn at random.

FLYING HIGH WITH SPITFIRE

TV stars Janet Street-Porter and chef Brian Turner delightedregulars at Faversham’s Market Inn when they dropped infor a game of bat and trap.

The pair were being filmed for their new daytime BBC1series Taste of Britain, due to be screened this autumn.

PUB HOSTS CELEBRITYBAT AND TRAP MATCH

Shepherd Neame’s tenanted food development chef Carol Haimetriumphed at this year’s British Barbecue Battle.

Carol won the Pubs and Bars category in the competition, held atBlenheim Palace near Oxford.

Her three course menu, cooked entirely on the barbecue,comprised hot smoked salmon; a roast beef sharing joint; andbread and butter pudding skewers - each paired with a differentShepherd Neame beer.

TASTY HONOUR FOR SHEPHERD NEAME CHEF

Carol Haime, centre, with the other British Barbecue Battle finalists

Janet Street-Porter and Brian Turner at the pub

The brewery is once again helping to reaffirm Faversham’s statusas Home of the Hop by taking part in the annual Kent GreenHop Beer Fortnight.

More than 20 Kent breweries are joining in this year’s celebrationof the county’s world-renowned crop.

Tallyman’s Special (ABV 4.5%) will be brewed with CanterburyWhitebine, a rare variety which is being sourced from theNational Hop Collection at the brewery’s Queen Court Farm.

Shepherd Neame head brewer, Richard Frost, said: “Brewersusually brew with dried hops, which are designed to keep for awhole year, but once a year we get this unique opportunity touse fresh hops and retain the natural aromas that are sometimeslost during the drying process.”

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NEW LOOK FORCHRISTMAS ALEThe brewery’s popular Christmas Ale has a newlook which will bring it into the very successfulClassic Collection range of traditional beers.

With more than a hint of Dickensian festive cheer,the garland-adorned label brings together theseasonal and the historic.

The seasonal ale is brewed using 100% naturalingredients; chalk-filtered mineral water from theartesian well deep below Shepherd Neame’s site,along with the finest pale and crystal malting barley and Target, Challenger and Goldings hopsfrom Kent.

Christmas Ale is available on draught (ABV 5.0%)during December and available in 500ml bottles(ABV 7.0%) from all good retailers.

FRESH HOPS – SEASONAL AND LOCAL

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The latest addition to the Whitstable Bay Collection has been unveiled: Whitstable Bay Black Oyster Stout.

The 4.2% ABV keg stout from the Faversham Steam Brewery is brewed using a unique blend of four coloured malts which impart a rich, complex flavour, balanced by the finest Admiral hops, and finished with a smooth, creamy head.

This new beer follows the huge success of the Collection -comprising Whitstable Bay Pale Ale, Whitstable Bay Blonde Lagerand Whitstable Bay Organic Ale - since it was launched in 2013.

On the launch, head brewer Richard Frost said: “Adding a stoutdraws upon the heritage of the town and its famed oysters. When stouts first emerged in the 18th century, oysters were not the delicacy they are today, but a common snack served in pubs, and proved an excellent pairing.”

OYSTER STOUT JOINS WHITSTABLE BAY COLLECTION

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Shepherd Neame’s brands and events teamhave been busy this summer, attending dozensof fantastic events around the country.

Brighton bar manager Francois Monin claimed a Guinness World Record by opening2,000 bottles of Asahi beer in 24 minutes and 37 seconds.

Spitfire Premium Kentish Ale was the headlinesponsor for the two-day air and motoring show

Wings and Wheels at Dunfold Aerodrome inSurrey. A Spitfire Ale-branded bus also proved a popular source of refreshment with cricketfans visiting the Spitfire Ground at St Lawrencein Canterbury this summer.

Music lovers flocked to Lusty Glaze beachoutside Newquay for the Sundowner Sessions,sponsored by Asahi, where performers included British pop rock band The Feeling.

FUN IN THE SUN

Lounge on the Farm

Wings and Wheels

KENT

British Beach PoloChampionships

Poole

World Record BeerOpening

Brighton

Surrey

Kent Cricket

Canterbury

Aegon Championship

London

Sundowner SessionsNEWQUAY

The Marine Hotel in Whitstable has been named Pub of the Year inthe annual Shepherd Neame Pub Awards.

Judges praised manager Kathryn Gracey for her dedicated effortswhich delivered phenomenal business growth.

It was among 14 of the brewery’s 348 pubs and hotels across Londonand the South East honoured in a glittering ceremony at theConningbrook Hotel in Ashford.

Awards were given for various aspects of running a successful pub,such as pulling the perfect pint, serving consistently great food andbeing at the heart of the local community.

A memorial stone to Lieutenant General Sir Philip Neame is to be installed in Faversham town centre.

Faversham-born Neame, cousin of the brewery’s founder Percy Beale Neame, was awarded theVictoria Cross in 1914 in honour of his heroic actions during a battle in France.

A keen sportsman, in 1924 he also won an Olympic Gold Medal as part of the shooting team in theRunning Deer competition, making him the only man to hold both an Olympic Gold Medal and VC.

The memorial stone will be unveiled on Friday, December 19, exactly 100 years to the day sinceNeame was awarded his VC.

REMEMBERING A FIRST WORLD WAR HERO

IN THE COMMUNITY

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Rolling down the aisle at St. Mary’s, Faversham

Kathryn Gracey and Jonathan Neame

Shepherd Neame was once again the official partner forthis year’s Faversham Hop Festival.

It was the 25th year of the free two-day event, whichcommemorates the golden days of hop picking in Kent.

To mark the anniversary, staff from the brewery carried outa ceremonial rolling of a barrel of beer through the streetsinto the town’s St Mary of Charity Church.

Shepherd Neame pubs in the town also joined in thecelebrations, hosting live music throughout the weekend.

ROLL OUT THE BARREL

TOP HONOUR FOR SEASIDE HOTEL