Fort William Cinema set to return?

Well, its been quite a while since we had the pleasure of sticking to the carpet as we found our seats at the Fort William Cinema. Can't remember when it actually closed, but can tell you that its a long drive to Inverness or Oban to see the latest release.
However, all that could be set to change if Croft Digital Media (Fort William) Ltd get their way. Plans are afoot to re-open the cinema as the first Digital Cinema in the Highlands and Islands. And to make it all happen there needs to be a show of community support, so now is the time to become a member of Croft Digital Media.

Can't see any forms on the web site but they're doing the rounds. Get one and join now! I have. But there again, I've got fond memories of the heady days of watching Batman with the late King Hussein of Jordan (evening entertainment at Inverlochy Castle must be a bit dull), and Braveheart premieres.

Yes We Are In It !!

The CAMRA Good Beer Guide is out for 2009 and once again The Grog and Gruel is one of the few Lochaber entries. We have now been featured in the Good Beer Guide since 1995 as we continue to keep a great range of local cask ales from around the area. In order to get a mention in this "real ale enthusiasts hand book" requires a dedication to serving a continued range of top quality cask conditioned ales and for the last 15 years that's exactly what we've been doing.

As always our entry is written by our local CAMRA group. For us that is the Inverness based group. Although we'd like to be mentioned for our strong links with small local breweries, our menu of Local produce including Highland wild boar, Salmon and Aberdeen Angus steak... maybe even a mention of our very popular upstairs Restaurant or our 60+ Malt Whisky selection.. it seems that CAMRA choose to cherish some other features. As always our "church pew seating" is noted. Also for the first year Our webcam has had a mention which we had removed in 2000. Maybe someone got confused with our high speed customer WIFI service which we now offer?!

For anyone wanting to see The best pubs in the UK while travelling or to learn more about beers and your local breweries the Good Beer Guide is a must. Many a traveller arrives on our doorstep clutching a copy and using it to make an informed choice as to which Ale to try. Well worth a read and a copy is available for browsing in the Grog right now. Go have a read today !

We aim to please.

Its been another long season. Lots of good fun. Lots of hard work. So, as the season begins to slowly wind down for another year, now's probably a good time to reflect on things, and say a big thanks to one and all; our customers for helping keep the bank manager from pestering us all the time (and boy, does he want to at the moment!), and our staff, for working so hard and helping to make it all happen.

We don't do it for the thanks. Its more to do with the cash actually. But when we get a bit of positive feedback, although it doesn't pay the leccy bill, it does kind of make us feel all warm inside. Nice then to receive this on the email last week...

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Hi there,

Just wanted to let you know that after lots of visits to Fort William over the years and numerous evenings in disappointing venues, I finally stumbled into the right pub on Saturday night.

Having just spent a wet week tramping and camping the West Highland Way, myself and my two brothers wandered, tired and footsore, into The Grog and Gruel. It was immediately obvious why the place was packed out. One look at the beers available at the bar and the food people with shovelling down and there was no chance we were going anywhere else.

Happily wrapped in a warm and comfortable proper pub, we indulged in excellent and well kept real ales in the bar as well as hearty food in the restaurant. The atmosphere was spot on and all of the staff were very friendly, helpful and welcoming. The girl running the restaurant on Saturday night was also entirely lovely in every way by the way,and had great taste in beers, which helps a lot.

Anyway, thanks for providing a great pub in a town that deserves at least one! Won't be long before I'm back - and when I am, I know where I'll be headed after a tiring day. I also know exactly where I'll be recommending to all my friends.

Cheers

David Forbes

Bristol

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Thanks, David!

What's wrong with Daddy...?

Another Ben Nevis Race over! If you haven't run one then you might not understand the feeling. But you might have a good guess. Regardless of how much training and preparation you put in before hand (usually nowhere near enough in my case), the pressure of race day just gets to you. Maybe its the thought of the finish line. Invariably, flat out on the grass writhing about with cramp shooting through the legs, feeling like you've just done 10 rounds with a sumo wrestler, with your hands tied behind your back. Blindfolded. No wonder my children are now banned from the finish line. Too many, "What's wrong with daddy? Why is his face all green?" questions.


But not so this year. I actually had quite a good race, feeling vaguely human even at the end. Near perfect conditions for 2008 and a record number taking to the hill.

Still, another year over. And seems that I wasn't the only one who enjoyed the weekend. The restaurant at The Grog & Gruel was packed on Friday night with demand for Adam's homemade pasta reported to be high (worked for me!) and the Alehouse was jumping on Saturday evening with the Ben Race Ale lasting till very nearly the end of the session.

Ben Nevis Race 2008

Not long now till the 2008 Ben Nevis Race. Some of us are in the final stages of training, fine tuning those highly trained muscles in preparation for 1pm on Saturday 6th September. And some of us are just starting our training, having realised that yet another summer has flashed past and we really ought to stretch those legs before race day.


The Grog & Gruel's long association with the Ben Nevis Race in Fort William will continue this year. No doubt the bar will be packed full of anxious looking wiry types wearing Ron Hills on Friday night, all looking for some carbo loading with our fresh pasta and perhaps a pint (but no more!) of our special Nevis Race Ale. Brewed especially for the occasion by our friends at the Isle of Skye Brewery, we reckon there'll be a few more pints sold on Saturday evening!

WI-FI at The Grog

Recent years have seen people not wanting to be too far away friends, family, the mass media and the internet. As if mobile phones were not bad enough, giving rise to 'the crazy frog' and bad spelling and punctuation via text messaging. Now people wish to contact the internet via mobile phone or lap-top while on the move.

Now at The Grog and Gruel we have made this marvellous feat achievable. With our recently acquired 'WIFI box' and some super duper 'interweb connectors' people will be able to connect to emails, Utube, World of Warcraft while supping a pint of cask ale or cappucinno.

We have already had a great response to this installation. However I cant help thinking that the local alehouse used to be an escape from the fast pace of modern times. At least a trip to the locals hills and glens will provide the escape we still need.

Beer Festival Votes

Our Summer Ale Festival is now over and all that was left to do was count the votes for the favourite beer of the festival. We are used to seeing the usual favourites come out on top, Orkney Dark Island, Skye Red Cuillin, Atlas Latitude which have all been string contenders in the past.



This year however a new Ale and reached 'new heights' of popularity, Coming in as a new ale this summer to our range. Williams Brothers 7 Giraffes was a clear winner, head and neck above the rest. With an ABV of slightly over 5% it is much stronger than our usual favoured ales. Brewed by the Williams Brothers in Glasgow it adds a new taste sensation to the already superb ale range from this brewery including- Fraoch Heather Ale, Williams red, Williams Gold and Kelpie Seaweed ale to name few.

Although not always on tap, The 7 Giraffes will be available in the Grog and Gruel randomly. So it's always worth popping in to see what interesting brews are on right now. If you miss the 7 Giraffes there is always a great range of Williams Brothers Bottled Ales to be tasting.

We'll see you soon for a pint !!

I say, I say, I say....

Here we go. Pub joke. Not too filthy. I little intellectual if anything! Can't claim ownership, but it made me snigger...

On his 60th birthday, a friend of mine received a gift certificate from his wife. The certificate paid for a visit to an Aboriginal witch doctor who was rumoured to have a wonderful cure for erectile dysfunction. After much persuasion, he drove to the community clinic, handed his certificate to the witch doctor, wondering what was in store for him.

The old man slowly, methodically produced a potion, handed it to him and, with a grip on my friend's shoulder warned, 'Dis powerful medicine and must be respected. You take only a teaspoonful and then say '1-2-3.' When you do that, you will be longer and harder than you have ever been in your life and you can perform as long as you want.'

Much encouraged my friend walked away then turned and asked, 'How do I stop the medicine from working?'

'Your wife must say '1-2-3-4,' the witch doctor replied. 'But when she does, the medicine will not work again until the next full moon.

Eager to see if it worked, my friend hurried home, showered, shaved, took a spoonful of the medicine and then invited his wife to join him in the bedroom. When she came in, he took off his clothes and said, '1-2-3!'

Immediately, he was the manliest of men.

His wife was excited as well and began throwing off her clothes and then she asked, 'What was the 1-2-3 for?'

And that, boys and girls, is why we should never end our sentences with a preposition!