Vicolo v Powder Monkey – which is best?

Vicolo v Powder Monkey

These two new Andover venues, opening within weeks of each other in the High Street, have brought a much needed boost to the Hampshire market town. With these, and the building of the new theatre underway, the town centre is certainly starting to look up.

After several visits to each, comparisons are inevitable so here goes...

The newly opened VICOLO LOUNGE is one of over 260 'Lounges' throughout the country, one of the fastest growing independent chains of bar/restaurants.

Vicolo Lounge Bar

In the old Barclay Bank, it follows their heavily furnished lampshade/framed picture decor style run on an inclusive friendly community model. 

The wide menu choice caters for all with good prompt table or friendly bar service. The recommended use of the on-table QR Code has drinks served usually within minutes and food just a little longer – it works well.
The brunches are highly recommended as are the tapas boards but if tempted by the extras such as flatbreads or sides the cost may start to escalate.

For beer lovers the list is limited though there is welcome nod to the company's independent west country roots with the bottled Bristol Beer Factory Stout. Otherwise it is fairly mainstream although does include the newer version of Hofmeister pilsner, far better than the tasteless 'follow the bear' version of years gone past.

A visit is highly recommended.

So on to the POWDER MONKEY AT THE GUILDHALL. Here the feel is much more open and minimalist decor with the large high expansive ex-market hall venue refurbished to recognise the building's historic character. 

Powder Monkey at the Guildhall

Powder Monkey are a fast growing company based at their brewery in Gosport which itself only began brewing in 2021 and have since acquired a number of other small breweries in the UK and Australia.

The opening of the Andover venue is a relatively new aspect of their business and deserves to do well. You are always greeted on entry and like the Vicolo there is a strong emphasis on the welcome. Also like Vicolo there is no pressure and you can pop in for a coffee or beer as much as something to eat. Staff are very friendly, attentive and helpful and interact with customers well, perhaps better than at Vicolo. They are always asking for feedback, and experience shows it is acted upon.

Service is a mix of bar and table service with a good range of food and drinks with an emphasis on  independent suppliers. Food is exceptional with a limited changing menu. The 'Nibbles' are exceptional value and chosen together can make a full meal, while the Sunday roasts are highly recommended.

As would be expected there is a wide choice of beers with six of their tasty craft keg beers on tap including their lager, bitters, IPAs and stout, alongside a variety of cans. There is also a good selection of bottled beers from their other breweries, notably from Goddard's on the Isle of Wight. You won't find national brands here. 

So which to visit?
Both venues are a very welcome addition to the town, and are both open 7-days a week. One surprising aspect is that neither open for breakfast for workers in the town which would seem short-sighted. However, each has their own strengths and it is difficult to split them.
If we had to choose it would be a smidgeon towards Powder Monkey at the Guildhall but that would be for its beers and that service is a touch more friendly. 

Otherwise both are very highly recommended. Visit both.

9/10 each

How do pubs get into the Good Beer Guide?

This is a regular question amongst beer drinkers and pub users – how does a pub make it into the Good Beer Guide, often called the 'Beer Drinkers Bible'? 

There is of course one very simple answer – serve the very best beer in the area, but how is that decided?

The Good Beer Guide, published by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) is now in its 53rd edition, with entries being selected by local CAMRA members through an ongoing beer scoring assessment. This is carried out throughout the whole year. It is totally independent and unlike many other guides no venue can buy its way in.

Final selection meetings take place early in each year, using the thousands of scores submitted over the previous year from CAMRA's 140,000+ members.
So to gain entry ensure the pub's beer is in top notch condition.

To obtain the 2026 edition see:
CAMRA Shop

To take part in the Beer Scoring access the CAMRA website and search for a pub/location.
Note you need to be a CAMRA member to add a score.
See: Campaign for Real Ale

Local Pubs in the current edition are here:
https://thehappypint.blogspot.com/2025/09/2026-good-beer-guide-published.html

An Amazing Charity Effort

This must rate as one of the best local pub charity efforts as customers and staff of The Andover Tap at The Lamb, raised an incredible £19,669.60p in just one year for the chosen charity Naomi House & Jack's Place.

The funds came from an amazing number of charity events ranging from raffles and beard shaves to parachute jumping. From a few pennies of change dropped in the charity pot to sponsoring a marathon walk, every penny counts. 

Located at Sutton Scotney, Naomi House & Jacks Place are hospices providing Specialist Nursing and Respite Care for life limited and life threatened Children and Young Adults. 

The charity is currently experiencing some serious funding issues and needs all the support it can get. The numbers of children and young people receiving end of life care has more than doubled over last five years. In addition the hospice's costs have increased by a third and the charity is having to use its reserves.

It relies heavily on supporters and donations.
If anyone can help see:
https://www.naomihouse.org.uk/donate

2026 Good Beer Guide published

The latest edition of the Good Beer Guide has been published this week and a number of local venues have been included. These entries would not have reached this status without the hard work and commitment they give to their customers.

The book, now in its 53rd edition, is completely independent and compiled by local members of CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale using an ongoing quality Beer Scoring system, where members report on the beer quality throughout the year. 

Pubs in the north western area of the Test valley that are listed in the 2026 Good Beer Guide are:

Town Mills, Andover:

Andover Tap at the Lamb, Andover:

The Eagle, Abbotts Ann:

The Welcome Stranger, Kimpton:

The Kings Arms, Whitchurch:

The Prince Regent, Whitchurch:

The Three Cups, Stockbridge:

The Guide, which contains 4,500 of the best pubs across the UK, is the definitive beer drinker’s guide for those seeking the best pints in the nation’s hostelries. 

Meanwhile the 'CAMRA WhatPub' website lists all pubs in the area (and UK) which can be accessed here:
https://whatpub.com/

To purchase the Good Beer Guide
The 2026 Good Beer Guide can be purchased online here:
https://shop1.camra.org.uk/product/good-beer-guide-2026/ 

Andover's Exciting New Pub

Andover has a New Pub.

The Powder Monkey at the Guildhall opened officially yesterday – and what a great addition to the town it is.

The expanding brewery/pub operator, Powder Monkey,  has transformed the ground floor of the historic Grade II* Listed Guildhall into a modern fresh bar that will add some much needed vibrancy to the town centre.

With six of the Gosport brewer's beers on keg and a number of their cans and bottles there is a good choice, while a comprehensive menu is available. The six tasty keg beers include a very tasty Pilsner, along with modern pale ales and a stout.

A feature is that everything comes from small independent producers, of which the friendly manager Luke was proud.

Powder Monkey is based at Priddy's Hard, a historic naval site now also housing the exciting Explosion! Museum.
The forward-looking company was formed in 2019 and was set up in a historic naval gunpowder store with the first beers being brewed in 2021.
They have expanded rapidly, taking over Goddards Brewery on the Isle of Wight, whose beers are now available at the Guildhall in bottles. In July they also acquired two Sydney-based Australian brewers – the Wayward Brewing Company and Akasha Brewing Company. 

The addition of the new pub to Andover will be a welcome addition to the town.

Woolly Jumpers raise thousands

WOOLLY JUMPERS and THE ANDOVER TAP at the LAMB

What a day – The Woolly Jumpers – 18 brave souls from the Andover Tap at the Lamb, threw themselves out of a flimsy plane above Old Sarum. 

But at least there was a brewery at the bottom to aim for, which had a beer named 'Woolly Jumpers'. 😉

From the now traditional bacon rolls at The Tap, to a full coach of 50+ jumpers and their raucous singing supporters, it was just one of many charity events the great community at The Tap have arranged.
This year's efforts are all going to the outstanding Naomi House and Jacksplace hospices, who care for seriously ill children, young adults and their families.

The award-winning Good Beer Guide pub chooses a different charity to support each year and holds numerous events ranging from hairstyling and beard shaving through to cycle rides and themed food evenings. Last year it raised funds for the Alzheimer's Society.

This weekend's jump was its largest fundraising event to date. 

 

Amazing Fundraising
Funds are still coming in, and at time of writing this event has reached an amazing £9,735 + 2k+ in Gift Aid.

With further events still to be held it is certain the overall year's total will be impressive.

If anyone would like to donate the link is here:

https://www.justgiving.com/team/andover-tap-woolly-jumper

As Expected – Red House Decision – but why?

As expected the latest Planning Application for the Red House in Whitchurch was approved by Basingstoke & Deane. 

The application was an odd one as the applicant already had permission for the Change of Use to Residential following an Appeal.
In fact one of the Councillors at the Development Committee questioned this very point.

So why was this application submitted? You might well ask.

The Planning Inspector at Appeal had imposed a Condition saying:

The development hereby permitted shall begin not later than 3 years from the date of this decision (4th September 2023)

But now Basingstoke and Deane's new Condition states:

The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of 3 years from the date of this planning permission. (13th June 2025)

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
With the passing of each day the building is becoming more and more derelict with the costs of any renovation work to the historic structure and fabric rising.

It means there could now be a FURTHER DELAY of nearly two years before work has to commence – from 4th September 2026 to 13th June 2028.
It means more delapidation of the building and less likely the historic fabric can be kept.

So why would such a delay be beneficial?
The owner already has a history of not keeping to promises particularly over the broken pledge that funds from the houses built on the pub's car park would go into supporting the Red House as a pub. It is a well-known fact that it is cheaper to demolish a historic building and build new rather to renovate/convert.
Is that the aim?
Is this a case of 'Running Rings' around the weaknesses of the planning system and the Councils?

Might there be a call for the Red House be DEMOLISHED as the historic building works required would be claimed to be unviable because of deterioration caused by the delays?

Previous article on the 'Conspiracy Theory':
https://thehappypint.blogspot.com/2024/12/the-red-house-conspiracy-theory-or-is-it.html

Where are beers really brewed?

Where are the beers you see on the bars actually brewed?
Should there be clear labelling on the fonts?
Should we be told?

How many people think Madri is Spanish? Yet it is a product brand created by a UK marketing company and is brewed in that well-known Spanish town in Yorkshire – Tadcaster.

Madri – brewed in Tadcaster – a Yorkshire beer!

And what about these:

AMSTEL (Dutch)
    brewed in Manchester by Heineken International

BECKS (German)
    brewed in Magor South Wales by Budweiser, a subsidiary of AB InBev

BIRRA MORETTI (Italian)
    brewed in Manchester by Heineken International

BUDWEISER (USA) 
    brewed in Magor South Wales by Budweiser, a subsidiary of AB InBev

CARLING BLACK LABEL now plain 'Carling' (Canadian) 
    brewed in Burton on Trent by Molson Coors

CARLSBERG LAGER (Danish)
    brewed in Northampton by the Carlsberg Marston Brewing Group

COBRA LAGER (Indian)
    brewed in Burton on Trent by Molson Coors

COORS (USA)
    brewed in Tadcaster by Molson Coors

CORONA (Mexican)
    brewed in Magor South Wales by AB InBev

CRUZCAMPO (Spanish, Sevilla)
    brewed in Manchester by Heineken

ESTRELLA DAMM (Spanish, Barcelona)
    brewed in Bedford by the Carlsberg Marston Brewing Group

FOSTERS LAGER (Australian)
    brewed in Manchester by Heineken

MADRI EXCEPTIONAL (Spanish, Madrid): 
    brewed in Tadcaster by Molson Coors

SAN MIGUEL (Philippines)
    brewed in Northampton by Budweiser, a subsidiary of AB InBev

STELLA ARTOIS (Belgium) 
    brewed in Magor South Wales by AB InBev

Cruzcampo – A beer from the sunshine of Costa del Manchester

The current labelling of beer is both misleading and unacceptable.
The Government should introduce legislation to require clear labelling to ensure consumers are not misled.

E & OE