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Rugby Minibus Trip - 15th August 2006

Having picked up 10 members in Hinckley and surrounding villages, we reached Rugby at about 8:00pm.

Our first call was at the Fighting Cocks on Cymbeline Way, a little out of the centre just off the Dunchurch Road, turn opposite Sainsbury's. This is an estate pub, with one very large room. The customers were intent on a football match on the large screen, but the beer was in good form. I tried Golden Arrow one of two offerings available from Cottage Brewery.

Only time for one here, so back to the bus and a call at the Raglan Arms on the way back to the centre. This is a GBG2006 entry (p482). The guest beer was a mild from Dow Bridge at Catthorpe.

We parked the bus in the town centre & set off on foot, the next call was the Alexandra Arms. Again a GBG2006 entry & also Rugby CAMRA Pub of the Year for the 7th time in 2005. Here we met some of the Rugby CAMRA members, one of whom, Steve Heighton the Vice Chairman, had been very helpful suggesting pubs to visit. The landlord here was obviously very enthusiastic about his beers, the Atomic Brewery is situated behind the pub where, of course, their beers are available. I tried a glass of Fusion & very good it was.

From the Alexandra we were taken on a walk through the local Wetherspoon's outlet. They had plenty of beers available but mostly from large national breweries, so we walked on to the Squirrel Inn. This pub has recently been presented with Rugby CAMRA's 'Most Improved Pub 2006' award. Here most of us sampled a glass of Dow Bridge Fosse Ale, perhaps as well, it turned out that the brewer was sat at the bar!

The last call of the evening was The Merchant's Inn in Little Church Street, again a GBG2006 entry. This is a large pub & it was really buzzing, there was a live  blues band playing at the far end, at least 9 real ales available and a three deep throng round the bar. The inside of the pub is covered in brewery memorabilia. There were beers on offer from Everards, plus Banks & Taylor, Shefford Bitter, Tring Brewery's Colley's Dog, Atomic's Fission and more.

Impressions of the evening:
Our thanks to Rugby CAMRA for making us feel so welcome and for their advice on which pubs to visit. The drinkers in Rugby are lucky to have a choice of free houses offering a frequently changing selection of quality beers from independent breweries. If only Hinckley had one!
Report by Alan Cooke

Photos courtesy of Chris Davies.

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