Wadworth, the independent family brewer and regional pub operator has helped the Royal Navy to refurbish the bar within the WOs & SRs’ Mess on board the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth.
The bar, now re-named The Queen’s Head, is housed in an upgraded Senior Rates Mess area and has its own hand painted sign by the brewer’s own sign writers. Now completed, the new bar stocks a range of bottled Wadworth ales from 6X and Swordfish along with the specially brewed beer Carrier Ale.
Wadworth has installed the bar area as part of a full mess refurbishment project, alongside the team on board HMS Queen Elizabeth and in conjunction with the Royal Navy Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC), Nuffield Trust, BAe Systems and RN Rebalancing Lives funding.
The new Mess will cater primarily for the Senior Rates on board ship and provides them with a dedicated area in which to relax and socialise whilst at sea.
CEO for Wadworth, Chris Welham said, “We are delighted to finally see the bar come to life. It has been a long time in the planning, well before the Carrier was commissioned last year. The Mess looks really great and will provide a relaxing environment along with some fine beer for the team on board when they have some downtime.”
The Senior Rates of HMS Queen Elizabeth are very grateful for the work that Wadworth have done. On behalf of the Mess President, WO1 Dave Garraghty stated, “The ‘Queen’s Head is very much in keeping with the standards expected of the future Fleet Flagship and we look forward to becoming THE venue for both our sailors and Embarked Forces to relax in throughout our time in commission”.
The official reopening of the Mess took place on 13 August and was attended by Capt Jerry Kyd RN Commanding Officer HMS Queen Elizabeth, Mandy Lindley, Director of Relationships & Funding at the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity, and Chris Welham, CEO, and Jonathan Thomas, commercial director for Wadworth.
Carrier Ale was brewed specifically for the commissioning of the new carrier by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in November last year. It is a 3.6% Pale Ale and delivers clean and refreshing light malt notes combined with the classic strong hop flavour finishing with crisp bitterness. It is always best served at 'sea' temperature. For every bottle that is sold in the pub, 5p will be donated to The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity.
The team on board who will run the Queen’s Head are pictured left to right: WO2 Cozzie Costema, PO Dan Young and CPO(PTI) Sticky Vercoe.
