{"id":5796,"date":"2025-09-24T11:42:22","date_gmt":"2025-09-24T11:42:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/londondrinker.camra.org.uk\/wordpress\/?p=5796"},"modified":"2025-09-24T11:42:22","modified_gmt":"2025-09-24T11:42:22","slug":"camra-news-and-events-september-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/londondrinker.camra.org.uk\/wordpress\/index.php\/2025\/09\/24\/camra-news-and-events-september-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"CAMRA news and events – September 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Greater London Pub of the Year 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each of the twelve branches of CAMRA in Greater London selects a Pub of the Year and our regional pub of the year is chosen from among them.  Representatives of each branch visit all of the pubs and assess them against CAMRA\u2019s standard criteria.  These are the promotion and knowledge of cask ale, cleanliness and hygiene, community focus, style d\u00e9cor and atmosphere but, above all, the quality of their cask ale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The winner this year is the Hope<\/strong><\/a> in West Street, Carshalton.\u00a0 It is a traditional pub, owned by investors from the local community. \u00a0The Hope offers seven cask ales, always including a dark beer, as well as other interesting beers and ciders from independent breweries.\u00a0 This is the seventh time since 2012 that the Hope has won the award.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The runner-up (by a very small margin) was the Cockpit<\/a><\/strong> in Royal Parade, Chislehurst.\u00a0 This is a micropub that opened in 2020. \u00a0Unusually the Cockpit houses a florist at the front of the premises.\u00a0 We send our congratulations to the winner and runner up.
David Lands<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

East London & City<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The East London & City branch made their Pub of the Year presentation on 28 August to Ye Olde Mitre<\/strong><\/a> in Hatton Garden.\u00a0 The award was decided by a vote of ELAC branch members and there was a good turnout of both them and pub regulars for the presentation. \u00a0Pictured is branch committee member Steve Hall presenting the award to general manager Judith Norman. \u00a0With thanks to James Skinner for the photograph.<\/p>\n\n\n

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It will be noted that Steve is wearing this year\u2019s Pig\u2019s Ear Beer Festival t-shirt.\u00a0 The 2025 theme is the Thunderbirds because it is the 60th anniversary of the original TV show.\u00a0 The shirts are sponsored by Signature Brew.\u00a0 They are now available in navy blue at a cost of \u00a313 in all sizes from small to 4XL.\u00a0 If you would like to buy one, please e-mail the branch at elacbranch@mail.com<\/em><\/a>.<\/em>\u00a0 We are happy for you to reserve one to collect at the festival but ask that you indicate which day you are likely to attend.\u00a0 The festival is open from Tuesday 2 to Saturday 6 December.
Andy Kinch<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enfield & Barnet<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the second Saturday in August, the Enfield & Barnet branch enjoyed a very pleasant afternoon at Botany Bay Cricket Club<\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0 The main purpose of our visit was to present them with our branch Club of the Year award.\u00a0 As well as cricket through the summer, the club also hosts a regular programme of jazz and rock \u2018n\u2019 roll events.\u00a0 They also maintain a good selection of cask ales<\/p>\n\n\n

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On our visit these were Dark Star Hophead, Fuller\u2019s London Pride, Harvey\u2019s Sussex Best and New River Five Inch Drop.\u00a0 The photo shows branch chairman Peter Graham presenting the award to club president Peter Jarvis.
Mike Hodgkinson<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

South East London<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The branch selects a pub of the year for each of the four areas that it covers and each receives a certificate.  On Saturday 23 August, members of branch made presentations to two of the four winners for 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first was to the Mayflower in Rotherhithe (SE16 4NF) as the Lambeth\/Southwark (excluding SE1) area winner.  Originally rebuilt as the Spread Eagle & Crown in the 19th century, the premises suffered bomb damage during World War II and a major refurbishment in 1957 created the 16th century style interior we see today.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The pub was also renamed after the ship that originally set sail from Rotherhithe in 1620 to carry the Pilgrim Fathers to America.  It remains popular with visitors from the United States and those with a family connection to the original settlers may sign the Descendants’ Book, which had occurred earlier in the day of our visit.  The photo shows branch chair Andy Large presenting the certificate to Ed, the pub’s manager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our second visit of the day was to the Lewisham area winner, the Dog & Bell<\/a> <\/strong>in Deptford and fortunately coincided with its annual sausage and cider festival.\u00a0 This local institution remains hugely popular<\/p>\n\n\n

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with a wide demographic of locals and visitors alike.  The top photo shows branch chair Andy Large presenting the certificate to Seamus O’Neill surrounded by members the pub’s staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While undoubtedly a happy celebration of the pub’s ongoing success, the branch’s visit was also tinged with sadness because it came only two weeks after the passing of owner and former landlord Charles Gallagher.  Charlie and his wife Eileen took over what was then the Royal Marine in 1988, reinstated its original name and then set about creating a cask beer oasis in an area that had become something of a beer desert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After almost three decades and multiple awards, Charlie and Eileen retired in 2016, with tenants Eli and Seamus taking over. \u00a0Charlie is survived by Eileen and leaves behind a fine legacy indeed.\u00a0 There is a memorial to him in the pub.
Steve Silcock<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

West London<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On 31 July, at the invitation of Fuller\u2019s, CAMRA members from at least four London branches descended upon the Admiralty<\/a><\/strong> in Trafalgar Square to commemorate Black Tot Day.\u00a0 This is the anniversary of the ending in 1970 of the Royal Navy\u2019s daily rum ration.\u00a0 It was held to raise funds for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC).\u00a0 We sang along with gusto to sea shanties performed by King\u2019s Pond Shantymen, learned how to tie knots<\/p>\n\n\n

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with a representative of RNRMC; ate pieces of sticky toffee cake washed down with tots of Pusser\u2019s rum and, pi\u00e8ce de r\u00e9sistance, had a good glug (half pints only) of Marks the Tot (8.5% ABV), a heady mix of rum and raisin infused imperial porter brewed by Helen the manager and the crew of the Admiralty in conjunction with John Hatch of Sambrook\u2019s Brewery (in the photograph).\u00a0 We were all most grateful for the invitation.
Wanda Piontek<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

West Middlesex<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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This year\u2019s Club of the Year was Questors Grapevine Bar<\/a><\/strong> in Ealing.\u00a0 The presentation was made back in May but not reported at the time.\u00a0 The photo shows Ben Hart, chairman of the club, receiving the award from Ellie Eames, CAMRA\u2019s Regional Director for Greater London.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The branch selects a Pub of the Year from each of the boroughs in its area and then decides which will go forward as overall Pub of the Year.\u00a0 The award for Hillingdon borough went to J.J. Moon’s<\/strong> <\/a>in Ruislip Manor and the photo shows the manager, Sam Garvey, receiving the certificate from Tracey Powell, the branch\u2019s Pub Promotions and Awards Coordinator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Harrow & Brent borough award went to the Castle<\/a><\/strong> in Harrow and the presentation was scheduled for 24 September.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Ealing borough Pub of the Year and the overall branch Pub of the Year is the Dodo Micropub<\/a><\/strong> in Hanwell. \u00a0The picture below shows Ellie and Tracey presenting both awards to its owner, Lucy Do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tracey Powell<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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