Pub News

After a spell when it was to all intents and purposes a restaurant, The Volunteer in Trumpington is operating very much as a pub once again. The new landlord is Steve Bridges who also runs The Greyhound Sawston and The Chequers Pampisford, both pubs with good reputations for their ale. At The Volunteer, the initial cask beer offerings are Greene King IPA, Marstons Pedigree and Fullers London Pride; Steve will "see how they go". Food is still very much a feature and, indeed, the chef from the previous incarnation has stayed on, though the prices of what he produces have dropped considerably! There are separate lunch and evening menus plus Sunday roasts. The Volunteer has a single open plan room though the space is nicely broken up with wall segments and columns. Good to have it back on the pub map.

Bob Brownlie and Cathy Shortland are the new licensees at The Castle, St Andrews Street, Cambridge. Their first priority was to give the place a very deep clean and it has certainly scrubbed up a treat. On the real ale front, Greene King IPA and Abbot are joined by a changing guest beer, with Caledonian 80/- the first to appear. Good-value food is served everyday from 12 til 2.30 (later on Saturday and Sunday) and from 6 to 9 Monday to Thursday. Between 10am and noon you can gorge on the Big Breakfast for £4 (including tea or coffee). This is a pub which has been crying out for the TLC it's now getting; as a "proper" pub it also makes a nice alternative to the megapubs and cafe-bars which dominate its environs.

The ADC Theatre Bar in Park Street Cambridge has recently started selling real ale and Bar Manager Christina Elliott reports that it is proving very popular. The beers are supplied by Milton Brewery, making this a relatively rare local outlet for them.

At the time of writing The Trinity Foot on the A14 at Swavesey was closed and to let.

Also out of action, as it has been for ages, is The Swan House, Fowlmere, but Greene King have applied for a license under the new system so hopefully it'll be back. In the same village The Queens Head has changed hands; on a recent visit it offered well-kept Greene King IPA and "Ridleys" Old Bob.

Down at the ever-excellent Carlton Arms in Arbury, Cambridge, Terri and Jethro have pre-empted the Government by declaring the whole pub non-smoking. They also now always have a Mild on sale.