On 18 May, the death was announced of former CAMRA East London & City branch chairman and Pig’s Ear Beer Festival Organiser Bernard Boorman. Keith Emmerson recalls Bernard running the festival during its time at Stratford until Bernard moved to Harlow. In later years Bernard suffered some health issues but, despite a triple heart bypass in 2013, he still managed to visit Pig’s Ear at its current venue in Clapton, plus many other festivals up and down the country, and regularly attended CAMRA’s National AGM and Members’ Weekend. Keith also fondly remembers Bernard as the captain of the ELAC darts team, of which there are now only three surviving founder members, and as a lifelong Spurs supporter, along with Dave Johnson.
Bernard’s daughter, Robyn, feels that some of the changes he fought for, particularly around driving forward all day opening at beer festivals, have made a huge difference to CAMRA. He encouraged Robyn to become active and he was immensely proud when she and husband Ben (whom she met at Pig’s Ear) joined the Great British Beer Festival working party as the beer ordering team. In accordance with Bernard’s wishes, the funeral was a private family one. His view was that it should be as small as possible and the money saved spent on beer!
With thanks to Keith and Robyn.
MIKE MORAN
I’m sad to report the passing of Mike Moran, who was an active member of CAMRA’s South West London branch in its early days and later often volunteered at the Battersea Beer Festival. If you share my view that sitting in a pub, drinking good beer and enjoying the company of your friends is a worthwhile pastime, then Mike was your man. He will be missed.