Some good news for us pub-going Norwich fans.....

[AndyJR 0]

Not too concerned over the Spread-Eagle, but for us Pre-game drinkers, the re-opening of the Rosy is marvellous news.  Hope they don''t change it too much.  Mr Chops must be positevly cockahoop!!!

Two city pubs set to reopen

Rosary Tavern pub.

DAVID BALE
25 February 2009 07:31



Punters feared the worst when two 19th century city pubs closed - but now both look set to reopen.

An Enterprise Inns spokesman said today the Rosary Tavern in Rosary Road was due to reopen on March 16, after being closed since the start of the year.

And Punch Taverns said it hoped to shortly reopen the Spread Eagle in Sussex Street, off St Augustine''s, which has been closed since last November.

The good news comes in the third week of the Evening News'' Love your Local campaign, which is raising awareness of how pubs in the city are struggling during the recession. Our campaign has been praised by MPs, councillors and punters, and we have been asked to contribute to a government inquiry into the effects of pub companies (pubcos) on tied pubs.

The Rosary, which dates back to 1836, is listed in the current edition of Camra''s (Campaign for Real Ale) Good Beer Guide and football fans often gather there en route to Carrow Road.

Warren Wordsworth, pubs officer for the Norwich and Norfolk branch of Camra, said: "The Rosary used to be one of the best real ale pubs in Thorpe Hamlet. I welcome the news that Enterprise Inns is reopening it shortly."

Fears were also raised in January that the Spread Eagle could become a new eyesore in the city despite its owners, Punch Taverns, insisting it would reopen as soon as possible.

Stuart McClaren lives opposite the pub in Sussex Street. He was concerned the boarded-up pub could attract graffiti and fly-tipping. He said: "It would have been a shame if it had been closed forever because it''s been a fixture in the street for about 170 years."

Punch Taverns said in November that it was closing the pub for a quick refurbishment and would reopen in early December.

A spokesman said today: "Since the closure of the Spread Eagle, we have been working to reopen the pub. The former licensee was originally assigning their lease to an ingoing licensee but this did not occur and the pub has not opened as soon as we hoped.

"However, we are pleased to confirm that we are in final stage negotiations with a new licensee. We expect to complete this process in the next two to three weeks and anticipate the pub will reopen shortly after."

The Spread Eagle came under fire last year for excessive noise and was issued with a noise abatement order.

[gazzathegreat 0]

Well I am very pleased, had almost started to think I would have to defect to the Jubilee, not that that particular pub is in any way inferior, it''s not, but I just love the Rosary and all my old friends.....Thanks for the news Andy, and yes, I am sure Chops will be delighted.

[Mister Chops 7]

 [B] [B] [B] [B] [B] [B] [B] [B] [B] [:P][B] [B] [B] [B] [B] [B] [B] [B] [B]  [+o(]Woohoo!

[ca 1]

Good news [:)]

[Shaun Tilly Lace 0]

Thanks for that, AndyJR. That is indeed good news, Does anybody know if the Woolpack (Golden Ball Street) is likely to reopen any time soon?

[AndyJR 0]

[quote user="Phil E Stein"]Thanks for that, AndyJR. That is indeed good news, Does anybody know if the Woolpack (Golden Ball Street) is likely to reopen any time soon?[/quote]Don''t know about that one.  Been closed for a while now, although I don''t really understand how it survived for so long - Huge Pub but never seemed very busy.  Think they probably made most of their money from the Car Parking.  Tis a sad situation really.  [:(]

[Graham Humphrey 13]

The Woolpack is my favourite pub so I really hope it does reopen. Very rarely did it seem to be busy though, other than the odd Saturday night or when England were playing.

[missing in action? 0]

WOOHOOfinally, a better range of beers and a nicer environmenti hear that the pub did have work done to it as well.i like the jubilee but the beer range wasnt great and it isnt always "fresh"

[AndyJR 0]

[quote user="Graham Humphrey"]The Woolpack is my favourite pub so I really hope it does reopen. Very rarely did it seem to be busy though, other than the odd Saturday night or when England were playing.[/quote]Thing is, where it''s location is, it should do storming business.  Reckon they could sort of freshen it up a bit and make it into a really good pub/restaurant and people would go. The lay out is a little perculiar as it is.  Not really sure, but it''s got loads of potential.

[missing in action? 0]

[quote user="AndyJR"][quote user="Graham Humphrey"]The Woolpack is my favourite pub so I really hope it does reopen. Very rarely did it seem to be busy though, other than the odd Saturday night or when England were playing.[/quote]Thing is, where it''s location is, it should do storming business.  Reckon they could sort of freshen it up a bit and make it into a really good pub/restaurant and people would go. The lay out is a little perculiar as it is.  Not really sure, but it''s got loads of potential.[/quote]problem is though, the murderers steals plenty of business....

[AndyJR 0]

The Woolpack is my favourite pub so I really hope it does reopen. Very rarely did it seem to be busy though, other than the odd Saturday night or when England were playing.

Plenty of room for both I think.  The Murders is more a drinking pub.  I was thinking the Woolpack might do something with food, they have plenty of room!!!(God I hate when it starts with the ''non matching quote'' thingy.)

[Canary Wundaboy 1,423]

Got a workmate who used to put hours in at the Woolpack, apparently various suggestions to put on theme nights etc were all dismissed by the management. Eventually he got sick of it and left.

[Web Team - Celia Sutton 0]

Just to let you know, the Woolpack reopened today.

Celia

[blinded by the story 0]

Used to enjoy a pint in the Woolpack after the Lamb and the Rouen on my way to the Samson via the Fruiterers

[......and Smith must score. 1,596]

[quote user="blinded by the story"]Used to enjoy a pint in the Woolpack after the Lamb and the Rouen on my way to the Samson via the Fruiterers[/quote]

Surprised you ever got there.....

[AndyJR 0]

I do enjoy a beverage in the Murderers but I can''t see it being the sixth best pub in the world!!

[Graham Humphrey 13]

[quote user="Web Team - Celia Sutton"]

Just to let you know, the Woolpack reopened today.

Celia

[/quote]

Fantastic! Made my day this has.

[Shaun Tilly Lace 0]

[quote user="AndyJR"]I do enjoy a beverage in the Murderers but I can''t see it being the sixth best pub in the world!!

[/quote]

Absolutely. It''s a highly overrated pub in my opinion and I actually prefer the nearby ''Spoons (The Bell Hotel). I have probably been in at least six pubs in Norwich alone that I prefer to this boozer. If I took into consideration my travels in the UK and worldwide I could think of at least 160 that I prefer to The Murderers.

In the "citation" for this pub they actually mentioned that the interior was pretty much artificially created, with real "plastic" wooden beams everywhere. It''s not much more than a theme pub really - like those omnipresent Irish Bars- and you would have no difficulty at all in discovering at least 6 pubs in most UK cities that are superior to this much promoted hostelry.

Phil Cutter (Ipswich fan) and the landlord of The Murderers, is something of a celebrity pub landlord in Norwich who receives an almost daily mention in the Evening News - which must be priceless free publicity for his pub - along with his co-stars such as Colin Keatley (Fat Cat), Chris Higgins (Trafford Arms), Roger Cawdron (Ribs of Beef) and a couple of their slightly less famous "brothers in arms".

So to sum up, I have no objection to having the occasional pint in The Murderers, and Phil isn''t a bad chap despite his football affiliations, but I would never have guessed that the pub could be rated as highly as it has been. Just goes to show that all these awards and accolades should be taken with a pinch of salt.

[Shaun Tilly Lace 0]

[quote user="Web Team - Celia Sutton"]

Just to let you know, the Woolpack reopened today.

Celia

[/quote]

Thanks, Celia, that is more good news. I''m only an occasional visitor to the Woolpack and I do prefer other pubs, but it is a very sad day indeed when any pub closes for good. As we all know from that excellent pro-pub campaign in the Evening News, Norwich once had over 365 pubs INSIDE the city walls, let alone the wider urban area including all the suburbs, and there are considerably less pubs still trading today.