Young Melton bar owner gets national recognition for her beers

We reported last week how Charlie’s Bar, on King Street, was included in the new edition of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Good Beer Guide 2024.

It is quite a coup for the 33-year-old, who only started the business – from the town’s oldest building – just under 12 months ago.

Charlie told the Melton Times: “I was hoping we were going to be in the guide.

“I didn’t really expect to, though, because we don’t serve cask beer although we do serve key kegs and they can be scored by CAMRA.”

The bar sells craft beer, as well as cider, wine and spirits and it has two pumps dedicated to brews from the town’s Round Corner Brewing.

It also regularly puts on live music, with acoustic singer and guitarist, Tara Simms, a regular performer.

This is Charlie’s first business although she did previously work in bars at the same building, when it was BeerHeadz and Paint The Town Red.

“Some things are more expensive with the cost of living crisis but business has been pretty good in the year we’ve been open,” she added.

“Our regulars are a mixed group of people – the older generation come in most days and also the younger guys are there most afternoons.

“A lot of people just come for the building because they’ve heard it’s the oldest in town so they want to see it and then they’ll stay for a drink.”

Martin Davis and Sandra Shaw, who have been licensees at the Half Moon for an impressive 22 years, were delighted to see their pub in the book for the second year running.

Martin said being located next to the historic Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe in Nottingham Street is good for tourist trade and he said business was good with locals too.

On being in the Good Beer Guide again, he told the Melton Times: “Hopefully people will see the quality of beer through being in the book and they will use the place.

“People visiting the town to go the market and events at the Stockyard are the type of people who will look to see which pubs are in the guide so it is good for us.”

The Half Moon has had a major makeover in recent years and the licensees have changed the range of beers they sell.

“After Covid we all had to try to reinvent ourselves a little bit – I spent the whole of the pandemic decorating the downstairs of the pub,” added Martin.

“We do more real ale now, we had only one cask before Covid but now we have three on.

“We’ve had a good summer despite the cost of living situation.

"The town has lost numerous pubs since we’ve been here but the period since Covid has been our best in 22 years.”

The Kettleby Cross, on Wilton Road, has been listed in the guide following regular visits by CAMRA members to check on the quality of the real ales on offer.

Local branch members chose the Wetherspoon pub after also taking into account customer service, décor and overall atmosphere.

The pub’s manager, Ali McQuillan, said: “I am delighted that The Kettleby Cross has been recognised for the quality of its real ales by CAMRA members.

“We offer our customers an excellent range of real ales at all times, including those from regional brewers and microbrewers, as well as hosting our own beer festivals.

“Staff at the pub work hard to ensure that the real ales on offer are kept in first-class condition at all times and the pub’s inclusion in the guide highlights this.”

A CAMRA spokesman said: “The Kettleby Cross deserves its place in the Good Beer Guide 2024.

“It is our belief that if a licensee serves an excellent pint of real ale, then everything else in the pub, including customer service, quality of food and atmosphere, are likely to be of an equally high standard.”

The Good Beer Guide is celebrating its 51st edition with a striking cover and a foreword supplied by rock group Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson.

It surveys 4,500 of the best pubs across the UK, including nearly 400 in the East Midlands, and it is regarded as the definitive beer drinker’s guide for those seeking the best pints in the nation’s pubs.

Also included this year is The Windmill, at Redmile, which featured in scenes for the iconic 1980s comedy drama television show, Auf Wiedersehn Pet.

The Bull, at Bottesford, which was famously visited by comedy legends Laurel and Hardy in the 1950s when Stan’s sister was the landlady, is in the book too.

And it is no surprise to see the Stilton Cheese Inn, at Somerby, featured after it was named local CAMRA pub of the year yet again this summer.

CAMRA chairman, Nik Antona, said: “The last few years have been an incredibly difficult time for the industry, and we need more support than ever before to keep our nation’s pubs and breweries open and thriving.

"I’d encourage everyone to use this year’s Guide to visit the very best pubs and breweries across the UK and support them for generations to come.”

Click HERE for a rundown on all the bars and pubs in the Melton area featured in the Good Beer Guide 2024.