John Russell Fox loses its Crown

John Russell Fox 

Andover Wetherspoons has lost its 'prestigious' crown for the most steps to the pub loo in the town – as measured from the bar – but a twist may lead to an Appeal. 

The John Russell Fox, with its impressive staircase, has been pipped by just one step by the new upstart youngster across the road, the Vicolo Lounge.

The JDW has 27 steps from the bar level to the loos, including the four up to the rear 'eating' area.

Vicolo Lounge

Meanwhile, Vicolo has a total of 28 steps, but here is the twist – the last four of those head back downwards before the small rooms are reached.

It must be said though that the Wetherspoon's staircase carpet really is a winner and its worth the climb upstairs for that alone.

Redbridge

Just to be fair, a question was raised over the nearby Redbridge that also has a trek to the loos. Crampons and ropes were at the ready but unnecessary as they only reached 24.

 

However as with many competitions there are often booby prizes so with the largest of tongues in cheek the Redbridge took the Empty Ketchup Bottle for the stickiest floor/stairs while JDW walked away with the Waste Bin Award for uncleared tables.

So on our reckoning it is CONGRATULATIONS to Vicolo who now hold the coveted Andover Loo Stairs crown.

Are there any challengers?

BUT ... We won't mention the National Winner that has over 100 steps.
Andover pales into insignificance, but it’s still a bit of fun!

A New Bar for Andover

Andover could see a new town centre bar following submission of a planning application for a Change of Use of the former NatWest Bank into a "Bar/Drinking Establishment". The building has been empty since the bank closed in 2024.

9 Bridge Street, Andover

The Bullion Bar
The proposals for 'The Bullion Bar' apply to the ground floor and for pavement tables outside. It is for a relatively small 'wet-led' bar, being drinks only and with no cooking on the premises. The building has recently been refurbished with a tasteful exterior as befits the Conservation Area. On the floors above there are flats which have their own separate entrance.

Licence
A licence application has also been submitted for the sale of alcohol from 11.00am until 11.00pm Sunday to Wednesday, to midnight on Thursdays, and until 2.00am on Fridays and Saturdays. Live and recorded music has been applied for on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Town Regeneration
Andover centre like many towns has suffered from business closures and such a new venture would help bring people into the town,  If approved it will hopefully not suffer the same as the Powder Monkey at the Guildhall which was not given enough time to become established before its owner's closed the doors. Andover needs more leisure/hospitality to draw in people to the town.

With the development of the new park by the river, and the building of the new theatre, this should be a welcome addition to support the regeneration of the town centre.

The application reference 26/01484/FULLN can be see on Test Valley Borough Council's planning site where public comment can also be submitted.

https://view-applications.testvalley.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=THY85NQC0I000&activeTab=summary

Jim Turner RIP, 1949 – 2026

Jim Turner 1949 – 2026

One of the local North Hampshire Campaign for Real Ale's earliest local supporters was laid to rest last week. Jim Turner, a much respected supporter of pubs and real ales had passed away at his home in Basingstoke.

Early days
Jim had been instrumental in the early development of the CAMRA in the area, having joined the then fledgling campaign group in 1975. He threw himself into the organisation with much gusto helping to arrange early beer festivals and social events firstly in Andover then later in the wider Basingstoke area.

Having attended Andover Grammar School he went on to study Graphic and Commercial Design at Salisbury College of Art in the 1960s before taking employment with Macmillan Education working on their publications.

In those early years he could always be called upon to help out producing notices and beer festival programmes, as well as helping behind the bars. He later went on to become the editor of the local CAMRA magazine 'Beer Lines' which won the Wessex area best CAMRA magazine award in 2014.

On leaving Macmillan Jim took up self-employment focussing on typesetting but suffered from a business failure where he was the victim of some questionable practices, but he kept his real ale connections.

Support for local pubs
Living in Basingstoke he supported a number of local pubs, primarily the traditional style hostelries that had survived the town's development, notably the Queen's Arms, the Bounty and the Soldiers Return. He was also true to his local Andover roots with the Weyhill Fair being a particular favourite which he regularly revisited.

Strong views
Jim held strong, some would say robust opinions and in later years found himself conflicted with some of the changes that CAMRA was making to its underlying principles.
In 2018, after more than 40 years of active membership, he decided not to renew as he did not like CAMRA taking on peripheral issues that he considered detracted from its core aims of supporting pubs and 'real ale'. 
"I think the organisation is being hijacked by people who have other priorities. Now, before you fire off a salvo, I am not saying you are wrong, just that this is not the organisation I joined."

He was not alone in such views.

Always remembered

Jim will always be remembered for giving so much to the support for local pubs, for beer festivals, and for campaigning, much carried out in the background and always in a very measured and thoughtful way. His smile under his baseball cap will be a memory that will never be lost.

On July 15th 2026, Jim was laid to rest at a small gathering at Andover Crematorium followed by a wake at the Malthouse in Andover.

Condolences to his family and friends.

Jim T – will always be remembered.

...and just for info...
2026 also sees the 50th anniversary of the publication of a CAMRA Hampshire Pub Guide for which Jim designed the front cover.

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Beers in the UK – You are being deceived

You're being misled about British Beer

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has released a hard-hitting consumer-led report on the UK beer market and the "stark state of British brewing" and setting out how customers are being deceived.

'Beer in the UK' states that most of those 'foreign' named beers on the bars such as Cruzcampo, Madri, Stella and San Miguel are in fact being brewed in industrial-sized beer factories in the UK, and are masquerading as continental products. They come from places such as Manchester, Burton on Trent, and Magor South Wales, 

It also sets out how publicans are massively constrained in which products they can sell, through restrictive ties and contracts that reduce or remove consumer choice.

One particular highlight in the report states:

"Beer consumers are routinely misled about the origins of their beers. Most big brand ‘foreign’ lagers are made in the UK, often to diluted recipes; most of the largest ‘craft’ beer brands are made by corporate producers; and many ‘local’ beers come from industrial-scale national plants, far from the locality suggested by their names."

CAMRA calls for this deception to end and that it must be made clear who owns and brews the beers on the bars. 
CAMRA also calls for an investigation into the industry by the Competition and Markets Authority and challenges the abnormally high levels of beer taxation.

The full report can be seen here:
https://camra.org.uk/beer-report