Sunday, June 28, 2009

LEWES ARMS: WASHINGTON POST

The Lewes Arms dispute continues to get media attention and today it made the Washington Post (reprinted in the Dallas Morning News), in an article by freelancer Matthew Hampton entitled 'Revolutionary Road: Thomas Paine's Path to American Activism Began in a Free-Spirited British Town'.

They've dubbed the dispute 'Harveysgate'.

Picture shows some of the new signage. Fullers have done a great job in repairing the fabric of the building, which had been sadly neglected under the previous regime. The workmanship is first-rate and the new black and cream paint job looks spiffing. We are just waiting for the new sign, a refurbishment of the original, to be rehung.

See: Tom Paine in Lewes

Sunday, August 31, 2008

A MOMENTOUS DAY: 26 AUGUST 2008




































Tuesday August 26th 2008 was an important and emotional day for the town of Lewes and the Lewes Arms.

In the morning, it was the huge ceremonial funeral of much-loved Bonfire Boy and Arms regular Paul Wheeler, who had been tragically killed in a road accident the week before.

That evening was the last night of Greene King;'s ownership of the Lewes Arms which was celebrated with a big send-off for Dave. the outgoing landlord. who will be missed.

The following day saw the new owners Fullers take over (it is now a tenancy, which has been bought the people who own The Basketmakers in Brighton).

Neeedess to say, much drinking was done and many rookies were let off. There was not a dry eye in the house. I hope some of these photos give you a sense of the occasion. It was a day many in Lewes will never forget.

Monday, April 28, 2008

RESTORATION DAY; APRIL 26TH 2008




















































Restoration Day is the name that's been given to the anniversary of the Harvey's returning to the Lewes Arms - which has a nice ring to it. How to celebrate this first auspicious occasion? Happily Adam Frost came up with a winner. The first announcement can be read below; highlights of the race can be seen above. The final verdict was a win for the blues - but objections have already been lodged by the reds, calling for the verdict to be annulled. More news as it happens. All in all, it was hilarious and full of the joys of spring. It helped that it was the first really warm day of the year. Perfect weather. A beautiful day.

THE OLD & BITTER UPHILL WELTERWEIGHT RELAY.

DATE: RESTORATION DAY - SATURDAY 26TH APRIL

TWO TEAMS OF 8 (OR 11 OR HOWEVER MANY FANCY IT)

BLUE TEAM = BEST BITTER DRINKERS & CARRY PINT OF SAME.

RED TEAM = OLD ALE DRINKERS & CARRY PINT OF SAME.

OBJECT: TO PASS A PINT FROM PLAYER TO PLAYER FROM HARVEYS BREWERY TO THE LEWES ARMS IN THE SHORTEST POSSIBLE TIME WHILST SPILLING THE LEAST AMOUNT OF LIQUID.

METHOD:PLAYER (A) PASSES PINT TO THE PERSON IN FRONT OF HIM (PLAYER B) & THEN RUNS TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE. PLAYER B THEN PASSES PINT TO THE PERSON IN FRONT OF HIM (PLAYER C) & THEN RUNS TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE. ETC. ETC. AD INFINITUM.

ON REACHING THE FINISHING LINE, WHAT REMAINS OF THE PINT IS MEASURED (PROBABLY IN FLUID OUNCES) & THE TIME RECORDED (PROBABLY IN SECONDS). THE TIME IS DIVIDED BY THE WEIGHT TO GIVE THE BEER/TIME/SPILLAGE INDEX (I'M SURE WE CAN COME UP WITH A SUITABLE ACRONYM).

E.G. TEAM A = 10 MINS 36 SECS (636 SECS) DIVIDED BY 14.3 OZ = 44.47 BTSI. TEAM B = 11 MINS 18 SECS (678 SECS) DIVIDED BY 16.6 OZ = 40.84 BTSI.

LOWEST BTSI WINS!

IT'S NOT JUST SPEED THAT COUNTS - STEADY HANDS ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT AS QUICK FEET!

CLUMSY PLAYERS ARE A LIABILITY .'. NO TEAM WITH SMILEY IN, CAN EVER WIN THIS EVENT! (BEST MAKE HIM TIMEKEEPER OR SOMETHING)

AN ENORMOUS GOLDEN CHALICE ENCRUSTED WITH PRECIOUS STONES WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE WINNING TEAM.

PROBABLY.


See Roz South's excellent portfolio of shots of this event here

RESTORATION DAY 2; THE TORCHLIT MARCH











































Later in the evening, a torchlight march from outside the Lewes Arms, round the mound and back again, by a crowd of people who had given a donation to charity for the privilege of taking part. 'Sussex By The Sea' and other songs were sung vigorously and much fun was had by all. Having been round once, the cry went up - "shall we do it again" - and off everybody went once more. Afterwards we all repaired to the bar and the merriment went on until the wee hours. A great way to mark an important anniversary. Thanks to Vincent van Crink (bottom) for making it all happen so successfully.

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

A LITTLE PART OF HISTORY

Its been almost a year since the end of the Lewes Arms dispute.

Prompted to provide an update by the discovery that we have become a little piece of history in the form of a Wikipedia entry: The Lewes Arms Controversy - an accurate and well-formed summary of the main highlights. Well put together but we have no idea by whom.

Is the Lewes Arms controversy the biggest pub dispute in British history? Your comments welcome.

The campaign has already been the subject of an academic study at Sussex University. More details re publication when we know them.

As for the life of a pub - well, that's a long story. Following the campaign, it was not just a question of carrying an as before. Many of the regulars had got used to drinking elsewhere and did not return - at least to begin with. The general word on the street was that the old Arms was not what it used to be, that the heart had gone, that there was never anybody you knew in there and so on. The management of the pub for a time was changeable and, for a while, things seemed to be all at sea.

Happily I can now report that the old Arms is back up to strength and gaining ground. This is largely thanks to our new live-in landlord Dave who really loves the place and is doing everything he can to help get it back in shape. Greene King appear to have given him carte blanche to make this happen. For instance, the food has improved immensely and is well-presented; the limited GK menu has been replaced by a much more broad-ranging one.
There are a good range of interesting bitters alongside the Harveys and GK brands. There is also one of the best smoking areas in a Lewes pub, sheltered and with small but effective heaters.

From our side of the bar, there are large number of clubs, societies, groups, teams and others returning to using the upstairs function room. Last week we put on a gig there successfully. The following day there was a meeting with 26 local environmental groups. A poetry slam night is starting on a regular basis. The Lewes Arms Pantomime is back and currently rehearsing their new production. The Folk Club has beeen maintained throughout. Jazz night on Fridays also. The cribbage league and darts teams appear regularly and the after-bowls drinkers have returned for their regular Saturday lunchtime session.

There is now new sets of regulars alongside the Old Guard, loads of the youth who enjoy the ambience, and a steady stream of people come to visit what has now become one of the most famous pubs in England.

The pub is still a 'No Mobile' zone although this requires ongoing vigilance.

Thanks to all for your support and friendship.

PS: We would like to put out an all points alert re two items which have gone missing (see pic). The Queen's head got broken off and has now gone somewhere. It has currently been replaced by a greeen postage stamp. The Titanic picture (bottom right) has been stolen. It was a black and white picture of the ship, set in a sheeet of brown and white flock wallpaper. There was also an old penny in the frame, Britannia side up. No-one I ever spoke to knew where it had come from. (Incidentally the large crest and other photo are from and about HMS Lewes)

Saturday, April 28, 2007

THE NIGHT THE HARVEYS RETURNED





Monday, April 23, 2007

PRESS REACTIONS: The Guardian

Punter power (and G2) saves the regulars' favourite tipple


Tim Minogue
Monday April 23, 2007
The Guardian


Drinkers in the Sussex town of Lewes have just spent a weekend of mild frustration after brewers Greene King caved in on Friday and agreed to restore the Lewesians' beloved tipple, Harveys Bitter, to the town's most popular pub, the Lewes Arms. Hundreds of regulars had boycotted the 220-year-old inn since December, when the company withdrew the award-winning local beer despite a 1,200-signature petition and appeals from the town's MP, Norman Baker, in an attempt to force locals to drink GK's own IPA. Takings plummeted by 90% and Greene King garnered barrel-loads of bad publicity after being portrayed by regulars as an insensitive corporation ignoring the wishes of its customers.

After G2 covered the dispute in March, it became a story around the world. On Friday, as protesters outside the pub were being interviewed by a reporter from the German news magazine Der Spiegel, Greene King finally gave up the fight. The company's new managing director of local pubs, Jonathan Lawson, turned up and announced that Harveys would be restored from this week: "Following secondary fermentation in the cellar, it should be ready to drink towards the end of the week." Therein lies the Harveys' fans' frustration. Because this is "real" ale, they can't get stuck into their favourite until Thursday.

But it hasn't stopped them returning to the pub. Shirt-maker Catherine d'Arcy said: "It's wonderful. I've just been back in and it's like getting your home back after wrongful eviction. It was hippies versus suits and we won."

Fran Maloney, 51, a housing officer, said: "We've shown that it's possible for a small group of committed people to change the mind of a huge company. We knew the loss of trade was hardly going to make a dent in their huge profits, but the loss of reputation would really make them think, so that's what we had to aim for, and we succeeded." As a regular myself, I'll drink to that.

Sunday, April 22, 2007

PRESS REACTIONS: The Argus/Independent on Sunday