BEXLEY BEER FESTIVAL 2022
CAMRA’s Bexley branch is planning to hold the above on 5 to 7 May, subject, of course, to any restrictions which may force us to cancel or limit numbers etc. Volunteers will be welcome; see the website below. We have decided to stay with the same logo as adopted for the cancelled 2020 festival, which commemorates the 75th anniversary of VE Day. This is because the glasses have already been printed and also we still wanted to remember the event. Please see the advert on page 11 and check our website for updates https://bexley.camra.org.uk/beer_festival.html.
Andy Wheeler and Peter Trout – Festival Organisers
BECKENHAM BEER & CIDER FESTIVAL
Similarly, CAMRA’s Bromley branch has announced that planning has started for the above, due to be held from Thursday 28 to Saturday 30 July, at the Beckenham Rugby Club, Balmoral Avenue, BR3 3RD. The festival is also looking for staff, especially stewards and first aiders, in addition to bar staff and the other usual tasks. If you have not worked at a beer festival before, training and support will be given. The event will, of course, be Covid secure so as to ensure that all volunteers and visitors feel safe and comfortable. Days and hours of work will be flexible. Contact the Festival Co-ordinator at festival.coordinator@bromley.camra.org.uk or phone 07906 053571 for further information.
Charles Tucker – Festival Co-ordinator, Bromley CAMRA
SOUTH NORWOOD BEER FESTIVAL
Very reluctantly, the organisers have decided to postpone the event scheduled for 3 to 5 February. The decision to proceed needed to be taken at the turn of the year and at that point it was not possible to be confident that the situation would improve over the following five weeks, especially as regards the availability of volunteers and the willingness of customers to attend. The organisers are hopeful of holding the event in September, although, as readers will appreciate, no promises can be made.
GREAT BRITISH BEER FESTIVAL – WINTER
The GBBF-W, scheduled for 9 to 12 February, has been called off. The organising committee made the following statement, “We were really excited to be bringing everyone back together to Birmingham in February for a physical Great British Beer Festival – Winter. However, following consultation and concerns from volunteers and festival goers alike, we have come to the difficult decision that this physical single-site event will no longer be taking place in 2022. That being said, we will still be celebrating GBBF-W in other ways. Pubs continue to face a number of challenges and a long road to recovery; we are now working to reimagine our festival in a way that will allow real ale and cider lovers to support their locals and producers in a safe, comfortable way. More details will be released in the coming weeks so please keep a close eye on our social media pages. If you have already bought advance tickets, you will be contacted directly but please do get in touch on events@camra.org.uk if you have any further questions.”
CAMRA LONDON YOUNG MEMBERS
On Thursday 16 December, CAMRA’s London Young Members group met at the Battersea Brewery taproom for a Christmas social. At the beginning of the week, more than 40 people had signed up to attend but, by the day, more than half that number had dropped out, fully understandably, because of Covid fears. There was however still a good turnout of familiar and new faces (all happy) to sample the delights of the Battersea Brewery. Situated in an arch near to the old Battersea Power station (and the new Battersea Power Station tube station) on the south bank of the Thames, two excellent cask ales were available, as well as the brewery’s engaging core range of kegged and bottled beers. Happily, these were available to us at a discount all night.
I’m also very pleased to report that a handful of our more mature members (over 30s at least!) turned up to support this event, share their knowledge and mix with their younger counterparts. This event proved that, beyond dogma, there are so many simple, practical tips to being an active CAMRA member that are so easy to understand and do. I think that most of the younger members in attendance will, in due course, be glad to take on a more active role, whether it’s volunteering at their local beer festival, organising the occasional pub crawl, attending branch meetings, distributing London Drinker or simply supporting their local pub/brewers. Cheers to all that could make it and also to those that couldn’t. Watch this space for news of the CAMRA Young Members’ Spring Social! If you’d like more information about forthcoming CAMRA Young Members events or to be added to the CYM mailing list, please contact Tori Bishop-Rowe.
Navindh Baburam
REMEMBERING BOB
In November, a group of us assembled for what CAMRA’s Croydon & Sutton branch intends to be the first annual Bob Steel Memorial Walk, based on routes from his London Pub Walks book. It was fitting for us to meet on his local territory, so we chose the Railway in Carshalton as our starting point. There we were joined by friends from near and far, with numbers increasing as the afternoon progressed. Early birds walked via Wilderness Island, a local nature reserve, to the Palmerston, the Sun, the Greyhound, the Windsor Castle and the Racehorse.
The walk ended at the Hope, Bob’s favourite pub. The opportunity was taken to present them with the branch’s London Borough of Sutton Pub of the Year certificate. We also took time to remember Clive Poge, a former chairman of the community pub’s board and long time CAMRA member, who sadly passed away in 2021. It is intended that the second memorial walk will take place in the spring of 2022, when the daylight lasts longer!
Dave Lands
WATFORD & DISTRICT PUB OF THE YEAR
CAMRA’s Watford and District branch presented its Pub of the Year award for 2020 to the Land of Liberty, Peace & Plenty in Heronsgate (WD3 5BS) on 18 December. This happily coincided with the pub’s Christmas Beer Festival.
MEMBERS’ WEEKEND
Just a reminder for CAMRA members that this year’s Members’ Weekend, AGM and Conference is scheduled to take place at the Winter Gardens in Eastbourne from 8 to 10 April 2022. To register to attend, please go to www.camra.org.uk/members-weekend-agm-conference. Attendance is free. Having missed the last two years, this will be a welcome opportunity to meet friends, enjoy the trips out and sample the excellent beer, cider and perry that hosts, the Sussex branches, will be laying on for us. The event is staffed by volunteers so, should you want to help out, there are plenty of opportunities available. For details see the website above.