Ale in Acton

As advertised in our August/September edition, the West London Trades Union Club in Acton hosted its first ever real ale festival at the end of August. One of the few clubs in London to feature in the Good Beer Guide (2024 and 2025 editions), it has an inclusive social and campaigning ethos. With two attractive cask beers on offer, it welcomes CAMRA members (on production of a current membership card) and hosts a variety of local meetings. The Club was founded in 1983 and the building it occupies has been used by the co-operative movement for over a century.

The beer festival was the brainchild of the club secretary, Emily Green, and, like many a good idea, it came over a pint, “I was with my old school friend, Rowan Caldwell, former President of the Warwick University Real Ale Society and a veteran of organising real ale festivals, bemoaning the cancellation of this year’s GBBF and said why don’t we hold a mini version in the club?”

An initial point of debate was how many casks we should have in total; the more cautious advised six, the more optimistic dared to double that. In the event, however, the festival went through no fewer than 24 casks, necessitating calls for two emergency deliveries from our sponsors, Portobello Brewery. For fun, we asked drinkers to vote for their three favourite festival beers. Brentwood Marvellous Maple Mild (3.7% ABV) came first and joint second were Front Row Brewing’s Wot No Cheyz? (5.0% ABV oatmeal stout) and Vocation Bread and Butter (3.9% ABV pale ale).

Rowan at work

It wasn’t just about the beer. We had live music and comedy acts in the upstairs theatre, which proved a great success and raised funds for our partner charity, Stonewall Housing. The casks were kept in our recently replanted garden and, with the addition of a hugely popular barbecue, we tried to recreate the GBBF in miniature. The success of the event means that another festival will be held next year and a Solstice celebration featuring dark, winter-warming beers is planned for December.

The club can be found at 33-35 High Street, Acton. The nearest station is Acton Central (Overground).
WLTUC committee