please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Found this by accident before the match yesterday pleased as punch it was open and not employing bouncers. Nice atmosphere and good beer, recommend it to any visiting fans off to Peterbrough, just keep it a secret!
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My local. Good beers and decent food
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I've been to the Coalheavers Arms a few times now, and I'd have to say it's my favourite Peterborough pub; excellent ales, charming staff and a lovely atmosphere all come together to make this place really special.
Now under the management of Tom Beran, the Coalies offers a fine selection of up to 8 Real Ales and a Real Cider on handpump, complemented by Budvar on draught, plus an interesting selection of continental bottled beers which includes a couple of lambics - always a pleasant surprise!
As a Milton pub you can always guarantee a couple of their beers here, and no bad thing for my money - the house ale, Bombers Drop, is a cracking brew and the condition on all the ales I've sampled down here has been consistently excellent.
A really nice touch with this pub is the list of beers currently on sale or in the cellar, which can be found on their website at http://www.individualpubs.co.uk/coalheavers/
I had the good fortune of attending the recent beer festival here over the May bank holiday weekend and was thoroughly impressed by the range of beers on offer - more than 45 in total, and a genuinely interesting selection.
Included within the selection were several new brews, amongst them a one off brewed by Milton for the event and two offerings from new micro Son of Sid - needless to say, those of us inclined to tick were like pigs in the proverbial!
As an added bonus for those attending, the festival saw Tom manning the barbeque in the beer garden, serving up the most fantastic Beer & Beef burgers (!!!) complemented by a truly ferocious homemade chilli sauce. If any of you get the chance I would seriously recommend Toms cooking!
From what I understand it's been something of an uphill struggle for the pub since the previous landlady Mandy left, with many of the regulars abandonning the place without giving the new licensee a chance - something that seems to happen far too often.
Given my consistently excellent experiences here and the sterling work being done by Tom and his team I can only hope that the roaring success of the beer festival will help ensure this pub (re)gains the respect and appreciation it so richly deserves.
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Another good locals pub south of the river. Good range of Milton beers plus a few guests. One of those pubs where I felt at home even though it was my first visit.
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Mandy has been the landlady since Feb 16 2004 . on Friday 16 Feb this year there is a party night planned with a commerorative beer from Milton Brewery starting at 730 pm, For more details ring the pub ,or visit "Tne Coalies" site on my space
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anonymous: FYI, Mandy has been running the pub since early 2004.
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can any one tell me how long the people running the pub have been???? its been a while since i've called in and for some reason i can't remember their names? just wanted to check their stiil the same.
many thanks
anonymous - 30 Jan 2007 14:27 |
Just to let everyone know the pub is now NO SMOKING, you are allowed to smoke in the garden but no longer inside the pub.
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If you are a fan of the Coalheavers like me <a href="http://groups.myspace.com/coalies">check this out</a>
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Only been a couple of times, got laughed at when ordering a red bull once after a hellish drive home.
Friendly staff and clientel. A bit like having a pint in your front room at home. It has character.
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Fancy Dress Halloween Party on October 28th .The SURGENS will be playing .more details available soon from Mandy.
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THE COALIES next beer festival starts on thursday 7th until sunday 10th September.Approx 50 beers, will post asap. Pogues tribute band Dead Rabbits playing Sunday from approx 4pm.
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nice to know there is a beer festival on 28 april until 1 may shame there is not a beer list available
anonymous - 29 Apr 2006 15:15 |
You're in look Joe!
The Coal Heavers Arms and the Palmerston Arms both have Beer Festivals From Friday 28th April to Monday 1st May.
Book your train tickets now!
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Football connection for anoraks. From here to the Palmerston you walk along Queens Walk & Palmerston Road (answers on a postcard). This is a brilliant place with top-rate ale, friendly and welcomingly warm on a recent bitter afternoon. When's the next CH beer festival? Given enough notice I can get a really good deal from GNER!
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With the Palmerston, Cherry Tree, Charters and the Coal Heavers a nice gentle crawl :-)
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Currently on sale is MILTON'S newest brew DREAMTIME ABV 8.3% well woth a visit just to sample this beer .
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lovely little pub shame that the beerlist of beers that was either in the cellar or on the bar has dissapeared.HOPE IT WILL BE BACK SOON. I note that their sister pub the oakdale still has their beerlist online.
anonymous - 2 Nov 2005 19:14 |
Current beers and forthcoming beers can now be seen by clicking on the COALHEAVERS link at the top of the page
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Peterborough Beer Festival week (23rd - 28th August) open all day everyday.
Next Coalheavers Beer Festival is on 16th - 18th September 40+ beers, list available closer to event.
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Best pub in Peterborough.
Handy if you are going to the football,too.
Spring beer festival was great, I cannot believe how much choice there was.
I hope I can make it to the autumn one too.
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A good selection of beers from around the country at this weekends beer festival.If you haven't been yet there,s still today & tomorrow. Live music from 4pm this afternoon. See you there?
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Excellent St George celebrations, good beer, excellent food and a brilliant atmosphere! A BIG thank you to both Mandy & Paul who have really turned the word celebrate into a different dimension. Can't wait for the beer festival next weekend, have heard it is 80+ beers good luck to them and their team, see you there.
anonymous - 24 Apr 2005 23:33 |
Yes, it is still an excellent pub.
The beer is in good nick, about half is Milton but they do have some say on the ownership.
Regularly changing Cider (occasional Perry).
Bar staff are ALWAYS frioendly, even that miserable lanky Leicester laddie.
Pub Quiz of Sundays.
anonymous - 19 Jan 2005 19:32 |
Despite the best attempts by the weather to spoil things, the recent Autumn beer festival was a resounding success.
50 beers appeared & went during the week-end, and visitors came not just from all over the UK but also from Czech Republic & Australia!
I have just been informed by Paul & Mandy of the following events that are being planned, so why not make a note in your diary of the following dates:
Thu 21st Oct - Trafalgar Day - A selection of British "Battle Winning" Beers.
Sat 30th October - Halloween Party with appropriate beers.
Sat & Sun 13th & 14th November - Bomber's Weekend, re-live 1940, appropriate beers.
Tue 30th November - St. Andrew's Night - Scottish fare & ales.
Thu 9th to Sun 12th December, a showcase of winter ales.
Fri 31st December - Fancy Dress Evening to see in the new year.
Tue 25th January 2005- Burn's Night - Haggis, Neeps & Tatties; Scottish Ales.
Fri 28th to Sun 30th January - Continental Bottled Beer Weekend.
Mon 14th February - Valentine's Night.
Thu 17th March - St. Patrick's Night - Irish Fare & Beers.
Sat 23rd April - St. George's Day - Special selection of award winning English ales & good old English grub!
Fri 29th April to Mon 2nd May - The Big One - 3rd Annual Spring Beer Festival. 70+ beers this year, so how many next year?
The Coalie - A real pub, with real ale for real people.
Bram - 21 Sep 2004 13:27 |
2nd Autumn Beer Festival
Friday 17th - Sunday 19th
opening times
Friday 12noon - 11pm
Saturday 12noon - 11pm
Sunday 12noon - 10.30pm
50+ beers also a good range of cider & perry
there will be food available
see you there
Mandy - 17 Sep 2004 07:47 |
I'm an out of towner and can only assume that LFRIEND has none (friends that is), A well rated pub
Frequented by Camra members as the beer is in good nick not flat - it was the festival headquarters on take-down.
The pub has low ceilings but a big front window, maybe everyone was tring to avoid you?
Tries hard to do or be what ? A pub? It is thanks to Paul & Mandy.
Nothing wrong with Beer and beer mats.
PS I'm 30, Drink Lager, Whisky, Cider & Beer amnd would definitely invite friends here.
May I suggest that Yates or Wetherspoons are more your line or maybe the Toad at 2 Rivers.
Keep up the fight for LOCAL PUBS.
(-;
TC - 1 Sep 2004 19:36 |
I'm very glad that FatPhil liked the pub; there isn't much we can do about the size of the place (despite the Luftwaffe's best efforts to give us room next door) - if the Coalheavers was any larger it would lose a little of it's character.
Sorry we seemed to be low on session bitters when you visited - I'm afraid that's the luck of the draw. PBF week is rather busy for us and the beers were turning over very quickly. I suspect you'd have found a very different selection only hours later. This year, a lot of the festival specials *were* on the strong side and as it seemed appropriate to have them available when the festival was running the number of strong beers might have been a bit generous!
Richard - 31 Aug 2004 15:55 |
I had the pleasure of visiting the Coalheavers during the afternoon of the thursday of the beer festival. It was my first trip to Peterborough, and thus my first time in that particular pub, so I can't consider myself an expert. However, I wonder if lfriend must have been visiting a different pub.
The beer was superbly served, the staff and the customers were all wonderfully friendly, the place was snug but clean, as were the loos, and the garden.
My only criticisms would be firstly that, at the particular time we were there, almost all of the beers were fairly strong ones -- not what one wants if one has an evening session at the beer festival pending -- and secondly that the place is maybe a little small, as I certainly _would_ want to invite friends here and suspect many others would too.
FatPhil - 31 Aug 2004 13:33 |
We didn't get Anglia POTY, by the way. Apparently the design of the pub isn't sufficiently directed towards young people.
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With reference to Ifriend, who was doing his "occasional" crawl of Peterborough while the beer fest was on:
You cannot expect everyone to like the pub, because that is the beauty of diversity, and there really is a pub to suit everyone, but constructive criticism would be of more benefit to other users of this site rather than inane Eltonesque rantings in the hope of scoring a few brownie points.
It's bad enough that numerous southerners vote Peterborough pubs out of the Top 40 without actually bothering to visitthem but to attempt to discourage customers in this manner is very childish.
The Pub is not only the current Peterborough Pub of the Year, it is also the current Cambridgeshire Pub of the Year, and is currently in the final judging for Anglia Pub of the Year, so can the quality of beer really be as bad as you suggest?
I doubt it, because these awards are chosen by CAMRA members, and yes there are many of us who use the pub, because it was designed by the Individual Pub Company with us in mind, ie. People who appreciate quality real ale, a full pint of it at that, at a fair price, and without the distractions of electronic games or juke boxes!
Finally, if there was a problem with your beer, for whatever reason, why did you not make a discreet complaint to the licencees so that they could both exchange your pint and rectify any fault for the benefit of other drinkers? The answer is obvious to most people, but alas you appear to be oblivious when it comes to taste.
The pub was packed to the rafters last night after the close of Peterborough Beer Fest, and more than a dozen beers were on during the course of the evening. According to Paul & Mandy, there was not a single complaint all day, on the contrary, they had received many positive comments about the range of beers and the friendliness & character of the pub. I rest my case!
Bram - 30 Aug 2004 15:35 |
What dog? There hasn't been a dog living there since late 2003.
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Astonishingly over-rated pub.
Frequented by Camra members with the commendable saviour of one fantastically large and vaguely friendly dog.
The beer is ok, but light years off being the best in Peterborough. The pub itself is dark and friendless, and tries hard without much real success.
It's the sort of effort you'd set up in your garden, breeze blocks and barrels. Beer and beer mats.
Ok.. it's alright, but unless your friend is a middle aged Trekky you'd never in a million years invite your friends here.
I've had as many good pints here as bad ones.. and usually the beer's flat. For me I think the dog has the best idea - lie on the floor and feel those cold flagstones, now those are good aren't they? - much better than the beer...
lfriend - 27 Aug 2004 00:07 |
Is it really a year since this went in! What a year.
Congratulations Paul & Mandy of Cambs POTY, I hope to see more of you in August.
Tim - 29 Jul 2004 18:28 |
Great news about winning "Cambridgeshire POTY" well done to mandy,paul,staff at the pub and of course the brewery for supplying an excellant range of beers.
Well done to all!!!!!!!!!
anonymous - 11 Jul 2004 21:44 |
Always a good range of beers and a friendly atmosphere
hobgoblin - 11 Jul 2004 19:10 |
This pub has just been voted Cambridgeshire Camra Pub of the Year 2004, as well as being Peterborough & District Branch POTY. Well Done to Paul, Mandy & all the team at the brewery!
Bram - 10 Jul 2004 09:37 |
the picture on this site really does need updating does no one have a decent picture of the pub without steve in it and possibly the landlord and/or the landlady now?
had a great pint of Hydes "Tickety Boo" this weekend,very nice!!!!!
anonymous - 4 Jul 2004 09:57 |
Anonymous obviously does not speak the same language. I did not say the beers were poor. I said the "range" had been poor lately. Everything else we agree on, and you obviously know that I also visit most days, hence your anonimity!
Bram - 29 Jun 2004 11:32 |
What are you on about"poor guest beers lately" we visit the pub most often and have found the guest beers and the milton beers to be very good,they also keep you up to date with when they are getting the next beer in the "30 beers for 30 years" as soon as they find out about it .
keep going as you are Paul & Mandy your doing a grand job!!!!!
anonymous - 29 Jun 2004 07:50 |
Brilliant & very friendly pub, but the range of guest beers has been poor recently. However, there is their Autumn beer fest to look forward to Sept 17th-19th with 50+ ales anticipated.
Bram - 27 Jun 2004 23:49 |
It is Mandy your sieve-like brain failed to retain. Apologise to her immediately!
Donald Mackreth - 11 May 2004 00:37 |
spring bank holiday weekend beer festival,50+ beers should be a great time,best of luck to all concerned.
anonymous - 7 Apr 2004 00:48 |
Happy 30th Steve,
Last weekend there were 8 beers on the bar plus Broadoak Kingston Black at 8.4%
Look forward to Hackney opening.
Tim - 26 Mar 2004 10:33 |
A quite little local with a friendly attmosphere.
poshstokie - 11 Mar 2004 22:19 |
Did Marcus take the photo or was this after a couple of ciders?
Cannot see the Pub name on the front, the sign or the window. But congratulations on getting there.
Cassells cider is back on the bar, and Black Hole was in excellent nick.
Tim - 18 Feb 2004 18:40 |
Farewell to Steve and welcome to Paul & partner(sorry I've a brain like a sieve).
also congratulations on hitting no 1 in BITE. Great for an out of London pub.
Support your local pub.
Bomber - 18 Feb 2004 18:32 |
A great shame to lose both Bruce and Steph, they are both missed.
Steve Good luck with the pub, only slightly smaller than the Oakdale.
Tim - 4 Dec 2003 13:18 |
New opening hours:
Mon-Wed 5-11
Thu 12-2, 5-11
Fri-Sat 12-11
Sun 12-10:30
I'll be looking after the pub for the next couple of months - at least until the new year - after which I'll be looking for a couple to run it. Bruce and Steph will be a hard act to follow, but I hope that won't put people off...
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Fantastic conversation based pub with good beer and staff. Bruce is very sorely missed.
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A super boozer. Excellent ales from a wide area. It's future is now guarenteed following the tragic loss of Bruce a few weeks ago. Open all day at the weekend (I think) under the guidance of owner Steve.
Charlie Bock - 1 Nov 2003 18:58 |
A small 1 bar local. Milton Breweries first tied house run by Bruce & Steff since it reopened in August 2002.
6+ Beers on Milton & guests.
1 Cider normally Cassells from Cambs. Enclosed beer garden.
A very friendly local.
Closes 15:00 - 19:00 on Sundays.
5 minutes from Charters & Peacock
Tim - 28 Jul 2003 13:23 |
