Victorian Values Come Out Fighting In New Pub Venture
Posted on 22nd March 2010
Ironbridge, a craft brewery located in Ironbridge Gorge on the banks of the River Severn, celebrated the opening of the Old Fighting Cocks with a delivery of its own Heritage Mild beer by a shire horse-drawn dray.
The pub in Oakengates near Telford had been closed for almost two years before being acquired by Everards as part of our Project William scheme.
Together the breweries have invested in a major £250,000 refurbishment to create an attractive community pub designed to rekindle the traditional values of the Victorian era.
Dave Goldingay, who founded Ironbridge Brewery in 2007, said: “This is literally a phoenix out of the flames recession story as the Old Fighting Cocks has been refurbished to be as near as possible the recreation of the traditional splendour of a Victorian cask ale emporium.
“It is not only selling ales produced by Ironbridge Brewery, but will feature guest ales from similar microbreweries around the country as well as high quality lagers.”
The Old Fighting Cocks is said to be the oldest pub in Oakengates, bearing the date of 1656. Originally thatched and half timbered, the pub burnt down in 1883 and was rebuilt two years later.
To commemorate more than 125 years since this rebuild, Ironbridge has recreated an authentic Heritage Mild (5.5% ABV) from 19th century brewing archives.
Other Ironbridge cask conditioned ales available at the pub include Ironbridge Pale Ale (4.0% ABV), Ironbridge Special Bitter (5.0% ABV) and the session beer Coracle (3.8% ABV).
*Pictured (left): David Goldingay owner of Ironbridge Brewery taking a special horse-drawn delivery of beer for the pubs official launch.
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