Greater London Club of the Year
The presentation of the award to the Orpington Liberal Club took place on 9 October. The photo shows CAMRA’s
Regional Director for Greater London, Ellie Eames, making the presentation to Peter Muldoon from the OLC, with colleague Phil Wheeler looking on. The club is open to CAMRA members on production of a current membership card. The full address is 7 Station Road, Orpington BR6 0RZ.
Kingston & Leatherhead branch
While Surrey County Council was deciding the future aof local government in the county, our Kingston and Leatherhead branch continued as a ‘combined county authority’, presenting our two Pub of the Year awards to the Jolly Coopers in Epsom (Leatherhead area) and the Park Tavern (Kingston area). Regular readers will recognise both pubs as previous winners, because they are exceptionally good, and it struck me during my wanderings to ponder what makes them so.
On 27 September we visited the Jolly Coopers but sadly Dan, the ‘personal booze guru’ wasn’t there. The Coopers isn’t just a pub; it also has a brewery, Fuzzchat and, that Saturday, Dan was away pouring his freshest small-batch brews at the Ewell Tap. We were however extra pleased to hand the award to Alicia who looked after us well and, following a strong round of applause from the regulars, we concentrated on the excellent choice of beer. The photo shows branch chair Richard Russell making the presentation to Alicia.
It’s rare that I commend a pub’s website but please do visit theirs, https://jollycoopers.co.uk/, before you visit the pub. You can choose from a fantastic selection of beers and select your glass from one-third, half-pint, two-thirds and pint measures. This is beer, and pretty much everything else pub-wise, in the modern age. The team work their socks off across a real range of skills and it shows in their success.
On 16 October we went to the Park Tavern. The pub claims to be Kingston’s best kept secret but everywhere I go I’m asked if this is one of our favourites. It is indeed and has been for a long time. While presenting the 2025 award I saw one from 1997; a very steady tradition. The pub has been owned by the same family, the McFarlanes, for 35 years, with Peter and Sue as landlords. The photo shows Richard doing the honours again, to Peter and Sue.
Inevitably family values are central, “As a family pub, we have family values. Don’t come for a drink, have a drink and a chat while you’re here.” There is always a great selection of beers available, and they are pretty good indeed. The ceiling displays an impressive collection of pump clips and so, if what you want isn’t there today, you can check whether it has been previously. Beer, a bit of sport and not much else; what more could I ask for? A superb, small traditional pub that does what it does well and long may it continue to do so!
Dave Butler
West Middlesex branch
Our Harrow & Brent area Pub of the Year presentation was held on 24 September at the Castle, Harrow on the Hill . The photo shows Jesal receiving the award on behalf of the pub from me.
After a successful Ealing Beer Festival, volunteers met up at Perivale Brewery at Horsenden Farm to celebrate. Casks of Wild Green, a green wild hopped beer, and VeriBrek, an oatmeal stout, went down very well. Thank you to Perivale Brewing for hosting us and to everyone who volunteered at Ealing Beer Festival this year.
Tracey Powell