CAMRA’s Summer of Pub is in full swing and the events map is filling up! You can use it to find out what is happening in local pubs, clubs and taprooms this summer, such as live music, comedy gigs, beer festivals and tap takeovers. Go to https://events.camra.org.uk/. Summer of Pub ends on the August Bank Holiday.
CROYDON & SUTTON PUBS OF THE YEAR
CAMRA’s Croydon & Sutton branch covers those two London boroughs and we have a Pub of the Year for each. On 7 June we presented the certificate for the Croydon borough Pub of the Year to the Claret & Ale in Addiscombe.

Branch chair Dave Lands presented the certificate to Dave Jones and Matt Whelan, the pub’s managers.
Then, on 29 June, Dave presented the Sutton borough Pub of the Year certificate to Rodger Molyneux, one of the management team at the Hope, Carshalton.

The Hope was judged the overall winner of the two and went forward into the London Regional Pub of the Year competition.
Steve Thompson (who also took the photos)
EAST LONDON AND CITY BRANCH AWARDS
CAMRA’s East London & City branch have been busy! First came their Pub of the Year presentation on Thursday 8 May. The winner, as voted for by the branch membership, was the Stag and Lantern in Highams Park which is the branch’s only micropub. There was a good turnout of regulars and ELAC members. Pictured receiving the award are Rob, John, Luciana and Mel from the Stag and Lantern, together with ELAC vice chair Dave Gilchrist in the middle. (Andy Kinch).

Next came the Club of the Year Presentation. The winner was the Leyton Orient Supporters Club. This took place during the Club’s ale night where the mood was celebratory following a remarkable season for the football club, winning promotion from the English Football League 2 to League 1 and winning the league with three games to go. The successful season meant that on match days the bar had been even busier than normal.

The volunteers who run the bar do sterling work, particularly on those days. Pictured from left to right are Supporters Club committee members Linda Broughan and Malcolm McCarthy, bar manager Mark Harrison who is receiving the award from ELAC branch secretary Andy Kinch, Supporters Club committee member Keith Underwood and Supporters Club chair David Dodd. (Andy Kinch).
Lastly came the branch Cider Pub of the Year which is the Cock Tavern. This Good Beer Guide entry offers eight changing hand pulled ciders as well a range of real ales.

Pictured is Joel Wood, the manager of the Cock Tavern and Collette Goulding, representing the branch.
(Steve Hall with thanks to Dave Gilchrist for the photo).
WEST LONDON BRANCH PUB OF THE YEAR
On 19 June CAMRA’s West London Branch assembled at the Victoria to present Chris, the manager, with the runners up award for branch Pub of the Year. Chris enthusiastically accepted the award in the very busy pub and proudly announced he was going to add it to the wall of second place awards he has already received.

On 10 June, the branch had a day out enjoying the sun and the beer at the Shepherds Bush Cricket Club Beer Festival along with West Middlesex branch.

Wanda Piontek
SOUTH WEST LONDON PUB OF THE YEAR
On 21 June CAMRA’s South West London branch made its Pub of the Year presentation to the Sultan in South Wimbledon. Branch chair Mark Bravery promised that, despite it being the longest day of the year, he would not be making the longest speech of the year. He recalled that at the same time last year he had presented the manager, Gary Robinson, with the runners up award and was pleased that the pub had gone one better this year.

This was the seventh time overall that the Sultan had won the award but it was the first time under Gary’s management and it was good that standards were being maintained. Mark particularly commended the pub’s role as a community hub, with its regular quizzes and live music, junior chess club, cricket and darts teams and fundraising for locally-installed defibrillators.
KIDBROOKE BEER FESTIVAL
The beer of the festival at this year’s event, organised by CAMRA’s South East London branch, was Stouter, a 5% ABV porter/stout cross from the Brockley Brewery.

The photo shows organiser Eric Camfield presenting the award to Maricy Rizzato Vismara from the brewery. The cider and perry of the festival was Hecks Medium perry (6.5% ABV). The funds from donations of unspent beer tokens amounted to £63.20 and this was donated to the St Christophers’s Hospice.
KINGSTON BEER FESTIVAL
The organisers would like to thank everyone who either attended or helped with this year’s event. Based on customers’ votes, the beer of the festival was Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby Mild (6% ABV), with second place going to East London Brewing Company’s Imperial Stout (10% ABV) and third to New Bristol French Toast Brown Ale (4.4% ABV). The Cider and Perry winner was Panting Partridge perry from Newton Court.
STOP PRESS: the Hope in Carshalton (SM5 2PR) (the Croydon & Sutton branch Pub of the Year) has been voted CAMRA’s Greater London Regional Pub of the Year for 2023. This is their sixth win in twelve years. We send our congratulations accordingly. More in the next edition. |