YOUNG MEMBERS
CAMRA’s Greater London Young Members Group will be holding a Christmas social on Thursday 16 December (6pm onwards) at the Battersea Brewery taproom. There will be a 10% discount for CAMRA members all evening. The nearest Underground station is Battersea Power Station. For more information please contact Tori or Navindh . All are welcome, both members and friends.
CROYDON & SUTTON BRANCH
The Golden Ark in Selsdon (CR2 8LB), Croydon’s only real micropub, recently received two awards from CAMRA’s Croydon & Sutton branch. The first, on 23 September, was a Lockdown Hero award for being the only pub in Croydon to serve take-away cask ale during lockdown. This was followed on 4 November by the presentation of the branch’s Croydon Borough Pub of the Year award. The Golden Ark opened in January 2019 and is a welcoming pub that sells a consistently interesting range of cask ales and craft beer
The photo shows branch chair David Lands (centre) presenting the certificate to owners Matt and Maria.
The equivalent award for the borough of Sutton was won by perennial favourite the Hope in Carshalton (SM5 2PR). The Hope was also the branch’s overall Pub of the Year.
NORTH LONDON BRANCH
Another Lockdown Hero award was presented to the uniquely named Alpaca in Essex Road, Islington (N1 8LU). The Alpaca is an independently run pub with an excellent range of local beers ciders and great food. This friendly neighbourhood pub is a real focal point for the local community.
During lockdown the Alpaca rose to the challenge by providing take-away real ale at a reasonable prices and they used their initiative to source this from various different suppliers such as the Goodness Brewery in Wood Green, among others. They were also very flexible about collection times. The award was presented to Lucas and Lola Owen by branch chairman, Colin Coyne (right).
WEST MIDDLESEX
The branch presented its Club of the Year award for 2020/2021 on 11 November. The winner was the Questors Grapevine Bar in Mattock Lane, Ealing (W5 5BQ). The branch took the opportunity to also hold their launch for the 2022 Good Beer Guide.
NATIONAL FESTIVALS
The Great British Beer Festival – Winter has been cancelled. A Great British Beer Festival is being planned for 2022, subject to various considerations. It will be held at Olympia. Watch this space.
MEMBERS’ WEEKEND
CAMRA’s Members’ Weekend, AGM and Conference will be hosted by its Sussex branches at the Winter Garden in Eastbourne from 8 to 10 April 2022. After two years without a physical event, hundreds of members have already registered to attend. The weekend is a chance to meet friends, go on organised trips and see what Sussex has to offer by way of great beer, cider and perry. A warm welcome awaits you on the East Sussex coast!
Attendance is free to all CAMRA members and, as the weekend is staffed by volunteers, there are many opportunities to help out. For details see here.