The Raven - Corby

Originally named the Corby Hotel, then The Raven. Then The Gamebird. Then back to The Raven, but not before Rosie's Pumphouse and the Piano Bar got a look in, or so I'm told. So a hostelry of many names, but one that's long been a Corby classic, and one of the towns most popular venues for a night out by whatever name it's gone under.

Nice Bit O'Brass

Built as a substantial, and presumably quite upmarket hotel at the very beginning of Corby's rapid expansion as a Steel Town in the 1930's. In the rush to open new pubs and clubs in Corby, just about every brewery within range of a Dray delivery would have wanted an outlet in the town. The Corby Hotel would have been the Leicester Brewing & Malting Co Ltd's speculative stake in this lucrative new market. Leicester Brewing & Malting were subsequently taken over by Ansells Brewery of Birmingham in 1952, which explains why the hotel carried Ansells signage for a time, and latterly became a part of the mighty Allied Breweries conglomerate.

A smart new hotel was presumably considered essential to accommodate the raft of incoming managers, senior engineers, and visiting dignitaries as the Steelworks took shape, and the Corby Hotel was probably the only place in town that was up to the job back then, certainly until the iconic and much bigger Strathclyde Hotel was built in the 1950's.

Storm Dudley/Eunice approaches/recedes, not sure which...

By the time my dog-eared copy of the local CAMRA pub guide had been published in 1990, the pub was rather racily known as the Gamebird, and despite being listed as a rare local outlet for cask Tetley Bitter, this 'Disco Pub' (their words, not mine) received a typically withering description.

'...much favoured by posers drinking second-rate lagers straight from the bottle.'

'Decor is a mixture of mirrors, fake wooden beams and an unconnected assortment of objects hanging from the ceiling.'

So a fairly typical late-80's townie bar! Of course we have to remember that these 90's CAMRA types were firebrand beer and pub campaigners with a highly critical eye when it came to pubs that had been unduly mucked about with. Any deviation from 'traditional and unspoilt', or 'basic locals bar with Spittoon and sawdust' would have been regarded with deep, frothy suspicion, and often with good reason it has to be said! The 90's were a terrible time for our more traditional boozers, when no interior wall, Wilton carpet, or outside toilet was safe from the dreaded brewery refurbishment. I know, I was there, and the damage is still everywhere to be seen! Having said that, I'd suggest the modern day Raven is probably much improved from its early 90's 'Disco Pub' days, for which we should be thankful.

A major part of The Raven's appeal to local Corby folk over the years has been the Raven Hall, an impressive Function Room annexed to the main hotel. Refurbished to its original splendour in 2012, it's a beautiful high-ceilinged former Dancehall of a kind once common during the war years when Big Bands and proper couples dancing (ask your parents!) were all the rage. The Raven Hall still has its sprung dance floor and plays host to bands both big and small, as well as being a popular venue for wedding receptions. As if the hall couldn't be any more loved by the locals, it's currently serving as one of Corby’s popular COVID Vaccine Centres. Hurrah!

When I popped in for a pint early doors midweek, it was just me and another solitary drinker. Often the case in pubs everywhere these days of course, but slightly unusual for Corby in my experience. Perhaps there was no football on that day... It's a big bar too! It can certainly be a dispiriting experience when you're the sole drinker in a large pub (perhaps even more so in a small pub). I had a Guinness and pondered which direction the storm clouds were heading. Was it safe to make an early exit and come back another day? Was I over or under-dressed for a dash back to The Candle for a Carling?

I decided to tough it out in the hope the storm would blow some more customers through the door. As it was there seemed to be a palpable sense of anticipation in the bar, the staff busying themselves as if something was afoot. I noticed a huge pile of sandwiches on the buffet trolley. Huge I tell you! Another customer joined the silence, then Stevie Wonder joined us in a song. Good old Stevie, that made four of us... The carpet wasn't helping, I felt sure there must be a Corvid motif in there somewhere, but I was damned if I could see it.

Bar chat, that'll help...

"Bit of a do then!"

"Yes, it's a Wake"

"Oh..."

So, another Corby Wake! Something of a hazard for us midweek afternoon drinkers. I've successfully gate-crashed Wakes all over the Midlands, and I have to admit I'm a huge fan of them, particularly when conducted in the local pub. I keep forgetting just how great Corby folk are when it comes to the births, deaths, and marriage traditions. How the sad passing of a family member or dear friend is still done proper in Corby. The necessarily sad bit in church or chapel, followed by a lengthy afternoon social gathering in pub or club. If we have to die, and clearly this remains one of life's non-negotiables, it's important that we do it justice, and I believe Corby folk continue to show us the right way in this regard.

The bar staff were great actually, proper chatty in that way Corby folk often are. My own personal barmaid (for the time being) was fresh back from an enforced layoff and truly delighted to get back to her job at The Raven. Bar staff that love their job make all the difference don't they!

It was then I spotted that which I'd so stupidly managed to miss before, the Craft Beer font. Nobody told me this was a craft beer bar! My nice enough pint of Irish nitro-stout was suddenly a drink that needed finishing-off pronto rather than sipping and savouring. This was top quality craft beer too, served in its own special craft glass so there'd be no doubts. A game changer is what I think they call it. But was it actually on? Yes, it was! And pouring correctly ice-cold, fizzy, and medium-murky! Smashing it in fact!... is what I believe they say. 'Hops' then, and a nice bit of bar chat, I was really warming to the place. Just then the Wake arrived. Yay!

Wake folk help liven the pace up and get the tills ringing.

Did I mention I like Wakes! The arrival of several dozen solemn but chatty folk for the post funeral social certainly changed the feel of the place. If a Wake could ever be regarded as a 'Pub Livener', this was indeed a pub livener! This was definitely more like it, proper afternoon pubbing, although I have to say it did make me feel like one of those church service groupies who attend the weddings of total strangers. I slurped away, taking care to not look too happy. Sombre, respectful, slightly drunken contentment seemed the appropriate mood, not inadvertently pinching things off the buffet the correct etiquette.

Raven Hall and the Pub Garden, braced for Storm Eunice

I didn't hang around much longer, that would have been a bit weird! So, an unexpectedly pleasant pint at a fine Corby institution, and another one to add to the 'definitely go again' list. Maybe on a day when the pub is a bit busier, or in the Summer when the beer garden has fully recovered from Storm Eunice and the craft beer has had a chance to warm up a bit and really come into its own. I'd settle for another Wake though, I like Wakes...