BROMLEY PUB OF THE YEAR
After being closed for several years, the Star & Garter in Bromley reopened in late 2016 under the current management. Since then it has been offering a range of cask beers previously rarely seen in the area. The pub was packed on 4 June for the presentation of the 2019 Bromley Branch Pub of the Year award.
The presentation was made by Branch President Bob Gray, who congratulated Maura on winning the title for the second year running. A large gathering of branch members and customers enjoyed the choice of seven casks ales plus an enormous buffet. The photo (by Chris Crowther) shows Maura (centre) with Bob Gray (second from left) and members of the pub team.
Bob Keaveney
EAST LONDON AND CITY PUB OF THE YEAR
On 20 June, CAMRA’s East London and City branch presented their Pub of the Year award to the North Star in Leytonstone. We chose the first night of the North Star’s four day beer and cider festival which made it one of the best supported branch presentations, with members from ELAC and other branches in attendance plus a strong local contingent, all of whom enjoyed the ten cask ales and four ciders and perry. The breweries on offer included ELB, Kent and Burning Sky; from the new local micros Mechanic supplied a cask of Bock and Gravity Well was represented by Cosmic Dust Pale on KeyKeg. Wood oven pizzas and home cooked Thai food were available and sandwiches were provided to soak up the tipples.
The photograph, courtesy of George Ingleby, shows ELAC’s John Pardoe presenting the certificate to guv’nor Kevin Verrent (left) outside the pub. The full address is 24 Browning Road, Leytonstone E11 3AR.
John Pardoe
EAST LONDON AND CITY CLUB OF THE YEAR
Two years ago Leyton Orient football club was on its knees, facing liquidation and relegation to the fifth tier of English football. New owners have turned the club around in a remarkably short period and the club is celebrating promotion back to the football league. The O’s were also at Wembley for the final of the FA Trophy although the result did not go so well! The celebrations at the Orient continued on Friday 17 April when a brewery night with Iron Pier brewery beers was held in the Supporters Club bar. CAMRA’s East London and City branch used the occasion to present the Supporters’ Club with its 2019 Club of the Year award.
Pictured (right) is Branch Secretary and Leyton Orient season ticket holder Andy Kinch presenting the certificate to Mark Harrison (left) from the Supporters’ Club. During both the bad and the good times over the last few years the bar has always provided a wide selection of excellent real ales and ciders on match days and at ad hoc beer festivals. Indeed the success on the pitch this season has meant that on match days the bar is getting record attendances! The bar is run entirely by volunteers who do a really remarkable job dealing with the number of customers that they get. The award is very well deserved.
Andy Kinch
NORTH LONDON CIDER PUB OF THE YEAR
The Southampton Arms in Kentish Town has won CAMRA’s North London branch’s Cider Pub of the Year competition for the third time. Branch chairman, John Cryne, said, “The award is determined by CAMRA members voting for a short list of pubs selling real cider in North London. The Southampton has appeared on the short list on numerous occasions and has now won it for a third time reflecting its commitment to good traditional cider. The pub stocks up to six real ciders. Real cider is growing in interest, particularly amongst younger drinkers and people are becoming more discerning, looking for a drink with lots of flavour. Real cider meets that criterion in spades. We are seeing more and more North London pubs selling cider and so, for the Southampton to win, it had to beat an increasing number of competitors.” The Southampton Arms is a traditional ale house with an old wooden bar and walls adorned with memorabilia. The main thrust of this pub is conversation and good cider (and beer) and the way that the tables are arranged makes it almost impossible not to make new acquaintances. It attracts people from all walks of life; from students to grandparents; all are welcome.
Peter Holt, the driving force behind the Southampton, wanted a different pub, downplaying spirits, lager and wine to concentrate on real ales and ciders from small independent producers. They also wanted the food to complement the pub and came up with the memorable description of their pub: ‘Ale, Cider, Meat’. No gastro dishes, just good bar snacks, pork pies, sausage rolls, scotch eggs, roast pork in baps plus veggie options. The music played is from vinyl but there is also live piano music on Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays and a Monday pub quiz. If you would like to see what the fuss is about, you can find the Southampton Arms at 139 Highgate Road, NW5 1LE, a 10 minute walk up the hill from Kentish Town Station. The award was presented to the pub on Tuesday 30 May.
John Cryne
BEXLEY BEER FESTIVAL
Despite the rain, attendance was up by 22 to 1,733 and almost all of the beer and cider was sold. Support for the Bexley Mayor’s charity from unused tokens and donations raised £393 – thank you. The Beer of the Festival was a tie between Cullercoat’s Porthole Coffee Porter and Kent Brewery’s Old Jamaica. The cider/perry winner was Turners Apple Pie Cider.
Appropriately, the first cask to run out was Bexley Brewery’s Alcock & Brown, which reflected the festival’s logo, marking the centenary of the first successful non-stop flight across the Atlantic by two young RAF officers Captain John Alcock (pilot) and Lieutenant Arthur Whitten-Brown (navigator) in a modified Vickers Vimy bomber. These aeroplanes were originally designed and built locally in the Vickers factory in Crayford. Our grateful thanks go to Keith Holbrook, the steward of Dartfordians Community Sports Club and everyone who supported and sponsored us. The dates for next year, subject to confirmation, are 7 to 9 May 2020.
Peter Trout
LONDON CIDER FESTIVAL
CAMRA’s London branches held a one day event on 13 April to showcase traditional ciders and perries. It was held in Matchstick Pie House, an intimate venue in the railway arches between New Cross and Deptford. There was an excellent selection of 30 ciders from London, the West Country, Sussex and Wales, plus 11 West Country perries. Those attending, from far and near, loved the venue for its ambiance and quirky décor. Local musicians happily got involved and provided acoustic music; we were impressed by their performances. The festival was sold out and finished by 7.30pm. This success was built on last year’s event and we very much hope to arrange another warm and convivial event in 2020.
Ian White
PIG’S EAR BEER OF THE FESTIVAL
The Beer of the Festival at Pig’s Ear Beer Festival, organised by CAMRA’s East London and City branch, is voted on by the drinkers at the festival. The winner at last December’s event was Wild Card Brewery’s Raspberry Gose. A group of volunteers from the festival went to the brewery’s barrel store tap room in Walthamstow on a sunny Saturday afternoon in June to present the certificate.
The photo shows Keen Massey from the organising committee presenting the certificate to head brewer Jaega Wise and director Will Harris. The 2019 festival will be at the usual venue, the Round Chapel in Hackney from 3 to 7 December.
Andy Kinch
YOUNG MEMBERS’ NEWS
Young members visited Husk Brewery in July to check out their East London tap room and beers – including the Raspberry Wheat and Milkshake pale. Run by Chris and established in 2015, Husk beer is brewed and bottled in-house by hand in their Royal Dock location.
Find out what Young Members events are coming up by joining their Facebook group: Greater London CAMRA Young Members.
Tori Bishop-Rowe