April 2012 - CAMRA Heart of Warwickshire

Beer
Ragged Staff
CAMPAIGN
FOR
REAL ALE
Issue 75
April — June 2012
Heart of
Warwickshire
Pub Supports Community Action Group
Priory Park © Friends of Priory Park
The nation’s pubs aren’t just places for sociable eating and drinking. In
many instances they provide a valuable social service to the communities they serve.
(Continued on page 2)
To contact the Heart of Warwickshire Branch call 07855 644043
www.camrahow.org.uk
(Continued from page 1)
Continued from page 1
One instance of this is The Wild Boar,
Lakin Road, Warwick. The pub boasts a
large function room and this has become
the setting for the regular meetings and
social events of a local civic group, The
Friends of Priory Park.
The Friends are a group dedicated to the
preservation and upkeep of a large natural park in the centre of Warwick.
The Wild Boar consistently supports the
group and when they can be seen on one
of their regular litter picking expeditions
in the park they are sporting hi-vis jackets sponsored by the Wild Boar with, on
the backs, a statement announcing their
intention to repair to the Wild Boar for
Wild Boar Litterpick Task Force Member
[Jeff Biddle]
[Ian Bayliss]
First Leamington Cricket Club Beer Festival
Friday 6 July - 6pm to 10pm
Saturday 7 July - 12 Noon to 10 pm
Sunday 8 July - 12 Noon onwards
Arlington Avenue, Leamington Spa CV32 5UG
For more information, visit
www.leamingtoncricket.co.uk
In support of:
refreshments just as soon as they’ve got
the litter picking done.
No doubt readers can cite many other
instances where their local hostelry provides support and encouragement for activities outside the pub itself.
For further information about the Friends
of Priory Park see their website
http://www.foppwarwick.webspace.virgi
nmedia.com/
Heart of Warwickshire Branch Committee
Press day for next issue (July
2012) is Monday 4th June.
Chairman: Steve Bolton ([email protected])
Treasurer: Tony Cragg ([email protected])
Secretary: Lorraine Atkins ([email protected])
Membership Secretary: Tina Jones ([email protected])
Newsletter Editor: Ian Bayliss ([email protected])
Press Officer: John Crossling ([email protected])
Pubs Officer & Pub News: Dave Shurrock ([email protected])
Cider Officer: Ian Bayliss ([email protected])
Social Secretary: John Griffiths ([email protected])
Webmaster: Dave Wedgbury ([email protected])
Committee Members: Andrew Thomas, & Neil Jones.
To contact by phone, call 07855 644043 and leave message stating the contact required.
Page 2
Beer and Ragged Staff
The Beer and Ragged Staff
Issue No. 75
April 2012
Published by The Heart of Warwickshire Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale, 5 Lammas Walk, Warwick.
CV34 4UX. Phone: 01926 403423. Email: [email protected] Web site: http://www.camrahow.org.uk
CAMRA HQ: 230 Hatfield Road, ST. ALBANS, Herts. AL1 4LW. Phone: 01727 867201.
Printed by Geo. E. Cadman, Unit 7D, Jenton Road, Sydenham Industrial Estate, LEAMINGTON SPA, Warwickshire, CV31 1SF. Phone: 01926 423742. Opinions and views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily official branch or CAMRA policy. All contents, except otherwise indicated, © copyright CAMRA Heart
of Warwickshire 2012.
Merrie Lion, Fenny Compton Saved By Local Community
The Merrie Lion in Fenny Compton
has been closed for 18 months. The
pub was bought by a developer, who
wanted to convert the Grade 2 listed
building to residential property.
Nigel & Daphne Leck persuaded
him to offer them a lease to enable
this valuable village amenity to be
brought back to life.
The pub is undergoing a major
refurbishment and the aim is to be open
again sometime in May, with the full
support of the village. The Merrie Lion
will offer a range of gravity-drawn
cask ales and locally-sourced food.
Hopefully there will be more in the
next newsletter. Meanwhile find out
more at http://www.merrielion.co.uk
Coventry's Craft Brewery
Our cask conditioned & bottle conditioned ales now available to the trade and
public.
Call Lee on 02476 637996 07850 236882 or visit us at www.byattsbrewery.co.uk
Byatt's Brewery Ltd, Unit 10 Lythalls Lane Industrial Estate, Lythalls Lane,
Coventry CV6 6FL
Trading Standards
Warwickshire County Council Website
http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk
April - June 2012
Phone Trading Standards Headquarters Tel:
01926 414040
Call in person Warwickshire Trading Standards,
Old Budbrooke Road, Warwick CV35 7DP
Page 3
Campaign for Real Ale
Heart of Warwickshire Branch
Branch Diary Apr-Jun 2012
NOTE:
CAMPAIGN
FOR
REAL ALE
All events start at 20:30 unless otherwise indicated.
10/04/2012 Country (Warwick) crawl
Leopard, Bishops Tachbrook; Granville, Barford; Porridge Pot, Warwick; Tudor House Hotel, Warwick
17/04/2012 Warwick crawl
Elephant and Castle, Warwick; Lord Nelson, Warwick ;
Railway Inn, Warwick; Oak, Warwick
24/04/2012 Leamington
crawl
Cricketers Arms, Leamington; Avenue Hotel, Leamington; Bowling Green Inn, Leamington; Jug & Jester,
Leamington Spa
01/05/2012 Country crawl
Boat Inn, Stockton; Blue Lias, Stockton; Cuttle Inn,
Long Itchington; Green Man, Long Itchington
08/05/2012 Branch Meeting
Benjamin Satchwell, Leamington Spa. Starts 20:00PM
15/05/2012 Country crawl
Wobbley Wheel, Warmington; Plough Inn, Warmington; The Avon, Avon Dassett; Butcher's Arms, Bishops
Itchington
22/05/2012 Country (Warwick) crawl
New Inn, Norton Lindsey; Montgomery of Alamein,
Hampton Magna; Forrester's Arms, Warwick; Old
Fourpenny Shop, Warwick
29/05/2012 Leamington
crawl
Woodland Tavern, Leamington; Murphy's Bar, Leamington; Sausage, Leamington; Clarendon, Leamington
Spa
05/06/2012 Bank holiday
No crawl.
12/06/2012 Country (Warwick) crawl
Case is Altered, Five Ways; Falcon Inn, Haseley; Hatton Arms, Hatton; Cape of Good Hope, Warwick
19/06/2012 Country crawl
Holly Bush, Priors Marston; Folly, Napton; Olde Mint,
Southam; Market Tavern, Southam
26/06/2012 Warwick Distr’n Meet Millwright Arms, Warwick; Finish Wild Boar,
Warwick
03/07/2012 Leamington
Distr’n
Page 4
Meet Tiller Pin, Leamington; Finish Somerville Arms,
Leamington Spa
Beer and Ragged Staff
Diary page at
http://www.camrahow.org.uk/index.php?
Proud suppliers
of Executive Travel
for the
London
2012 Olympics
CAMRA HOW Facebook Page at
http://www.facebook.com/camrahow
April - June 2012
Page 5
Lager Sales Decrease
There has recently been
an important shift in
Britain’s drinking habits, sales of lager are
starting to fall. From
£12.7 billion in 2006, it
fell to £11.4 billion in
2011, according to market researchers Mintel.
When the above-average
price increase on alcohol
in that period is taken
into account the decline
in sales by volume is even greater.
Although sales of cask ale have also
declined, a taste for craft beers with
a good quality and variety of flavours means that there is a boom in
Page 6
micro breweries, now at
an all-time high of 850.
A combination of increasing beer tax and
government sponsored
health warnings means
that people are now
more likely to go for
quality rather than quantity. The result is that
rather than standard,
bland, big name lagers,
people actually want
something a bit different. Whilst it
would be pretentious to start using
the language of wine connoisseurship for beer, people would seem
that to be wanting (Continued on page 15)
Beer and Ragged Staff
Local Pub and Brewery News
Do you have any interesting news about local pubs. If so please send it to our
pub news coordinator Dave Shurrock at [email protected]
Prince of Wales, Leamington
Appears closed.
Butchers Arms, Bishops Itchington
Weston's Old Rosie cider on handpump.
Builders Arms, Leamington
Has a new manager, hand pumps and
Beer Lines and it should be Real Ale!
Hope & Anchor, Leamington
No longer has St Austell Tinner (can't get
it locally any more) has been replaced by
Sharps Doom Bar.
Cross Keys, Leamington
Bar 44 has now been renamed The Cross
Keys. The boss is Rob Skinner, and it is
being managed by Tom Warwick. They
are currently selling Slaughterhouse and
Hook Norton beers.
Hatton Arms, Hatton
The Hatton Arms, formerly the Waterman, has now reopened after major refurbishment. It now appears to be going for
the restaurant rather than pub, trade although it does have on draught Slaughterhouse Joseph Arkwright, Purity Pure
UBU and Pure Gold plus
Hook Norton Hooky Bitter
The Bell, Ladbroke
The Bell at Ladbroke has recently been
put up for sale.
The Bowling Green, Leamington
The Bowling Green has recently reopened and is now being run by Andy
Murray .
April - June 2012
Red house, Leamington
The freehold of the Red House is currently up for sale.
Red Lion, Northend
Following a mass of objections to the
proposed change-of-use to offices, planning permission has been refused. The
local community awaits further developments as to what is to become of it.
Sommerville Arms, Leamington
The Heart of Warwickshire branch recently held a Young peoples Brewing
and Beer Quiz , there were several
teams including teams from:- The University of Warwick Real Ale Society,
Warwickshire College at Moreton Morrell, The Somerville Arms and our
branch young members. It was fantastic
to see so many young participants.
The Merrie Lion, Fenny Compton
After being closed for about 18 months,
The Merrie Lion should be open again in
May following a refurbishment. It is to
be run a community pub with the full
support of the village.
The Boar’s Head, Hampton Lucy
The Boar’s Head Hampton Lucy is holding its Annual Beer Festival between
13th and 15th April.
Wild Boar, Warwick
Claire Robotham has taken over as manager of The Wild Boar in Lakin Road,
Warwick. Plans are afoot to open all day,
and a new hop garden is set for completion by Easter, after which home cooked
locally sourced food will also be available.
Page 7
Community life in Britain’s suburbs under threat
New pub closure figures out today show
16 pubs close across Britain every week
· 8 suburban pubs close every week,
compared to 6 rural, and 2 high street
· Over 1000 pubs lost in Britain’s
suburbs in just 2 years
· 10 tied pubs* are closing every
week compared to 7 free of tie, with
the number of managed pubs actually increasing by 1 opening per
week.
CAMRA, has called for urgent Government
action to save Britain’s historic pub culture
in light of new research showing how 16
pubs now close across the country on a
weekly basis. The consumer group has
expressed particular concern that Government policy is failing communities on the
peripheries of Britain’s towns and cities,
with half of these closures (8 a week) taking
place in the nation’s suburbs.
Page 8
In just 2 years, 1,078 pubs have been lost in
suburban areas, with many community
locals battered by whirlwind beer tax hikes
and deep alcohol discounting from nearby
supermarket chains, bringing about a
general decline in pub going by consumers.
Meanwhile, high street pubs are closing at a
quarter of the rate – 2 per week – of
suburban locals.
Mike Benner, CAMRA Chief Executive,
said:
‘While high street city centre venues are
showing a degree of resistance in the current
climate, both suburban and rural areas are
under threat as wholesale pub closures
deprive more local people of a community
centre. Pubs are vital for social cohesion
and cultural integration, and therefore the
Government must act swiftly to repair the
damage inflicted upon local communities by
offering genuine (Continued on page 9)
Beer and Ragged Staff
(Continued from page 8) support
for Recommended measures to provide vital
enterprising support include business rate relief for pubs
and hard working licensees.
acting as ‘centres of a community’, reform
‘This research also further underlines the of planning laws which prevent pubs from
major problems caused by many hard- being demolished without the need for planworking pub lessees being unable to buy ning permission, and improving relations
their beer on the open market, restricted by between large pub companies and their
punitive measures imposed by greedy pub lessees to offer a guest beer option and an
companies. The number of tied pubs has option to become ‘free of tie’ accompanied
fallen by over 3,500 in just 3 years, with free by an open market rent review.
of tie pubs remaining better placed to IPPR Associate Director, Rick Muir, said:
weather these difficult economic times by ‘Government must stop using a one size fits
having the ability to offer greater beer all approach to licensed premises which is
choice and lower prices to the consumer.’ killing off our community pubs. Instead
Today’s figures coincide with a ground- responsible well-run community pubs
breaking new report by the Institute of should be encouraged and supported.
Public Policy Research (IPPR) into the ‘Our research shows community pubs aren’t
social value of community pubs. The report just places to drink but also places where
reinforces CAMRA’s figures by high- people meet their neighbours; where local
lighting the need for a radical change in clubs hold meetings and events; and which
Government policy that recognises the support many important local services such
important community function many pubs as village post offices and general stores.’
perform.
The Anchor Inn
Warwick Road
Leek Wootton
Come along to The Anchor Inn to experience the warm and friendly atmosphere,
real ales, extensive wine list and varied food menu.
The menu offers a wide range of burgers, steaks, light bites, fish, and vegetarian
selections.
We have a garden with children's play area, bar, and a comfortable restaurant area.
Call us 01926 853355 to book your meal now.
The Anchor Inn, Warwick Road, Leek Wootton CV35 7QX Tel 01926 853355
April - June 2012
Page 9
Beer guru Iain Loe retires from CAMRA
Industry veteran Iain Loe
will be hanging up his pub
guides and statistical handbooks to retire from the
Campaign for Real Ale
(CAMRA) after 23 years.
Dubbed a “beer guru” by
CAMRA, Loe’s role as a research and information manager has seen him become an
“invaluable source of beer
and pub knowledge”.
Loe joined CAMRA in February 1989 just a
month before the Monopolies & Mergers Commission report into ‘The Supply of Beer’ was
published, changing the whole structure of the
brewing industry. A year later, he initiated the
setting up of the European Beer Consumers
Union — the federation of national beer consumer groups across Europe to give beer consumers and pub goers a voice in Brussels and
Strasbourg.
CAMRA chief executive Mike
Benner heralded Loe’s contribution to the Campaign. “Iain
has been a great source of wisdom for many people in CAMRA, and has played an integral
role in helping further our
campaigning in the corridors
of power,” he said. “Not only
has his ability to absorb a
wealth of information been
second to none, he is a popular
individual in the CAMRA team, and has helped
many a new member of staff settle into their role.
“Iain will be sorely missed by the Campaign’s
staff and volunteers and it will be difficult to
replace someone with such a passion for and
expansive knowledge of the beer world.”
Despite retiring, Loe will still be available for
consultation. He also hopes to join the blogging
scene and has already set up a page at
www.beerandpubsloedown.blogspot.com.
The Old Fourpenny Shop
Hotel
Serving a fine selection of six Real Ales and
offering an interesting menu of freshly
prepared food cooked to order.
Well over 1700 different Real Ales served in
last Twenty years whilst in the Good Beer
Guide
Traditional inn accommodation - eleven rooms
We are now catering for all types of function:
Family Gatherings, Funerals, Birthdays,
Business & Private Meetings etc.
Buffets and full sit down menu available.
Crompton Street, Warwick 01926 491360
CAMRA Heart of Warwickshire Pub of the Year 2007, 2008 &
2010
Page 10
Beer and Ragged Staff
Pub Games Stage a Comeback
Old-fashioned pub games, such as
dominoes, darts, and cribbage,
are undergoing a renaissance
as a means of attracting customers back into pubs. It appears to be successful too,
with many pubs having very
well-supported games nights
and league competition.
I have seen how successful it
can be myself, on several occasions I have walked into a local
pub not expecting it to be too busy,
only to find it full of customers enthusiastically competing in one pub game or other. It
is also a good way of getting people socialising, something that loud music and flat
screen televisions do not do.
Certainly one major pub chain, Greene King,
is getting on the act by issuing game kits to
its landlords. The Campaign for Real Ale has
said “These games are part of our
heritage and can be enjoyed by
large numbers of people at
no or little extra cost. This
means more money can be
spent at the bar which
helps pubs and breweries.”
This trend also means that
some traditional games,
such as table skittles and
shove-ha’penny, which were
in danger of dying out, are now
being revived.
Of course, some pubs have always kept the
tradition going. There has always been a
strong dominoes league in Warwick, and the
Case is Altered at Five Ways has its traditional bar billiards table (for which you have
to get an old sixpence from the bar).
All in all, this trend can only be good for the
traditional pub.
/2012
April - June 2012
Page 11
The Three Horseshoes is a charming three hundred year old family friendly
country pub and restaurant full of character and history. Located at the cross
roads of the Fosse Way and the A423 Coventry to Oxford Road, in the heart
of the Warwickshire countryside.
You will find two separate restaurant areas one either side of the main bar.
Upstairs we have five rooms for bed and breakfast accommodation which are
available seven days a week. Outside there is an extensive south facing garden
terrace, a children’s playground, a large lawn and ample parking.
Home cooked traditional pub food and seasonal specials.
A wide menu of vegetarian options is available at all times.
= A choice of real ales and specially selected wines.
=
=
o u r o p en in g times are:
Monday to Thursday 11.30 am - 2.30pm and 5.00pm - 11.00pm
Friday and Saturday 11.30am - 11.00pm
Sunday 11.30am - 10.30pm
food serving times are:
Monday to Friday 12.00 am - 2.00pm and 6.00pm - 9.00pm
Saturday and Sunday 12.00am - 9.00pm
Book a table: 01926 632 345
Free Wi-Fi available
Three Horseshoes, Princethorpe, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV23 9PR
Visit: www.threehorseshoes-princethorpe.co.uk
Hire of Barrel stillage, cooling, taps, bars etc.
Beer and Ragged Staff
Advertising Rates
Per single issue (full colour only)
Oblong (128mm x 41mm) £40.00
Quarter page (63mm x 94mm) £40.00
Half page (128mm x 94mm) £75.00
Full page (128mm x 188mm) £140.00
Discounts will apply for multiple entries
Special offer – One Quarter page advert will be
available on the Front Page for £75
To advertise please contact editor
[email protected]
Page 12
Barrel (9gl) - Stillages/ Racking, traditional
wooden - 2 x 9gl, 12 x 9gl
Barrel - taps, chiller saddles, Insulation jackets
Chillers Remote, Bar units - 2 metre long and
flooring
Hand pumps
There are some photos and a very competitive
price list on the web site www.beerfestivalequipment.co.uk
Contact: [email protected]
Tel: 07770 938300
Based near Bicester
Beer and Ragged Staff
‘The Cape of Good Hope’
66 Lower Cape, Warwick 01926 498138
‘Warwick’s Best Kept Secret’ (Find us beside the canal)
Real home Cooked Food - 7 Days a Week, all day Sunday
Ever changing range of six traditional ales
Home of ‘Two LLocks’ and ‘Keystone Hops’
CAMRA Heart of Warwickshire Pub of the Year 2004
Supporting Warwickshire's Brewers
including Church End, Hook Norton & Weatheroak.
THE GREEN MAN TRADITIONAL VILLAGE PUB
Church Rd
Long Itchington
Three Real Ales Always
On Tap
Free meeting rooms
01926 812 208
[email protected]
available
Function room available
In Good Beer Guide 2010, 2011 &
2012
April - June 2012
Page 13
Is the Government Really Pub Friendly?
Is the government
really as pub
friendly as it set
itself out to be?
That is the question posed by the
All Party Parliamentary Save The
Pub Group chairman Greg Mulholland.
And the answer would appear to be a
resounding “no”.
At the Campaign for Real Ale Annual
Parliamentary Reception he said that
some progress has been made, but far
more needs to be done. Although there
are many MPs who understand the
issue, and understand the importance of British beer
and the pub to local
communities and
their economy the
government has not
done nearly enough
to help. In particular
we need a break in beer duty and the
abolition of the beer duty escalator.
He also called for the government to
establish an independent review panel
in the Autumn, to bring in a ban on
below cost alcohol sales in supermarkets. There also needs to be rent breaks
for community pubs, and more sympathy for pubs in the planning system.
Wye Valley Butty Bach & HPA plus 2
guests. A real cider also on tap.
In Good Beer Guide 2010/2011 & 2012
Page 14
Beer and Ragged Staff
Somerville Arms
Campion Terrace, Leamington Spa
01926 426746
Your Traditional Friendly Local
Seven Cask Ales always available
www.somervillearms.co.uk
Abound In Hops All Ye Who Enter Here
Cask Marque Accredited
Voted CAMRA Heart of Warwickshire - ‘Pub of the Year’ 2011.
(Continued from page 6)
something that
they could taste, compare, and discuss, rather than just tip down.
Another problem with lager is its
aggressively laddish image. At first
this had a positive effect in selling it
to younger male drinkers, who associated traditional beer with old men
in cloth caps, and wanted something
more upmarket and exotic. Now,
however, it means it has the unwanted connotations of immaturity and
antisocial behaviour defined by the
lager lout.
Whilst lager can by no means be
regarded as finished, hopefully this
may lead to a resurgence in cask ales.
© BBC Website
The Boars Head @ Hampton Lucy
Offering fantastic home cooked food & ever changing cask ales
Extensive Wine List
Food served every day
Seasonal Menus available plus special boards
Monday to Thursday 11.30am - 3.00pm
& 5.30pm - 10.30pm.
Friday 11.30am - 3.00pm & 5.30pm - 11.30pm.
Food will be served 12noon - 2.30pm
and 6pm - 9pm.
Saturday 11.30am - 11.30pm.
Food served from 12pm - 9pm
Sunday 12pm - 7pm. Bank Holiday 12pm - 10pm.
Food served from 12pm -3pm Sunday, 12pm - 8pm Bank Holiday.
Functions and Private Dining catered for, in house or at a venue of your choice.
Ring and speak to Sue on 01789 840533
Wifi available
THE BOAR'S HEAD BEER FESTIVAL IS FROM 13th to 15th APRIL
Warwickshire Pub of the Year 2010
www.theboarsheadhamptonlucy4food.co.uk
April - June 2012
Page 15
Beer Scoring & The Good Beer Guide
phone, you could submit your score whilst
enjoying your pint.
Beer quality voting is important as the
more members who vote and vote on a
regular basis will mean improved reliability of the GBG.
To submit your vote you will need:
Ÿ Your CAMRA membership number
and password
Ÿ The date you visited the pub
Ÿ Where the pub is located
Ÿ The name of the pub
Ÿ A score out of 5
Ÿ The name of the beer (optional)
The 0 to 5 scale indicates the beer quality:
0 - Undrinkable. No cask ale available or
beer is undrinkable.
1 - Poor. The Beer is just about drinkable.
2 - Average. Beer is OK, drinkable but
nothing special.
http://www.beerscoring.org.uk/
3 - Good. Beer is in good form.
4 - Very Good. Excellent beer in excellent
in the U.K. So each time you visit a pub, condition.
make a note of the beers you have and 5 - Perfect. You can’t get better than this.
grade them using CAMRA’s 0 to 5 scale
and submit them to CAMRA using the For the pubs in the Heart of Warwickshire
on-line form. Alternatively, you could area, the beer scores are collated by the
average your score and just submit the one branch GBG Coordinator. The ranking of
quality vote per visit. If you have a smart pubs is calculated using sophisticated
(Continued on page 17)
algorithms
Every year, the branch recommends ten
pubs from the Heart of Warwickshire
area to be included in the CAMRA
Good Beer Guide (GBG). We have a
total of 147 pubs to choose from, 127 of
which serve real ale.
So how does a pub qualify for entry into
the GBG?
Entry into the GBG is determined by a
pub’s beer quality.
Every CAMRA member can contribute
towards collecting beer quality data by
taking part in CAMRA’s National Beer
Scoring Scheme.
The scheme is used to monitor beer quality
and is available to all CAMRA members
on-line at http://www.beerscoring.org.uk/.
With this, CAMRA members can submit a
beer quality vote for any pub that they visit
The Green Man
Lovely Courtyard Garden & Smoking Area
Friendly family welcome
Pool & Darts available
Family Fun Bingo 7 – 9pm Weds
Wells Bombardier and Guest Ales
114 Lower Tachbrook Street, CV31 2BQ
Tel. 01926 316298
Selected for entry in to the Good Beer Guide 2011.
Page 16
Beer and Ragged Staff
(Continued from page 16) involving
the number of visits, number of unique
member visits, the spread of visits over the
year and the actual scores.
This collation is done on a regular basis
throughout the year so the branch can identify which pubs are likely to make the final
shortlist. Visits are arranged to conduct
surveys which gather additional informa-
tion about the pubs and also to verify that
the beer quality matches that of the scores.
Each February, the branch looks at the
final results and recommends the ten entries for the following year’s Good Beer
Guide. The successful pubs are kept secret
until the guide is published later in the year.
So please take a few minutes when you
visit a pub and enter your beer scores.
It’s easy to enter a beer score online.
[John Griffiths]
April - June 2012
Page 17
Heart of Warwickshire LocAle
As we enter 2012, new updated
promotional material is available.
We will be undertaking a review of all existing pubs, to ensure our information is up to date, and
hopefully visiting more pubs where the licensee expresses an interest in joining the scheme. So,
Attention All Licensees
Do you have a regular “Local” Real Ale on sale in your pub?
If yes, then contact any of the committee, details on page 2 of “Beer & Ragged Staff”, who will
be happy to arrange a visit to discuss the
scheme, or log onto www.camrahow.org.uk
and look at the LocAle tab for more information.
The Heart of Warwickshire
scheme recognises pubs which regularly stock at least one real ale
which is brewed by a local brewery, one that is within 25 miles’ driving distance.The geographical
shape of the Heart of Warwickshire Branch area, means that some breweries are within 25 miles of parts
of the branch area and others not.
Existing Pubs and Clubs
Pubs and Clubs Local Beer
Village Club,
Harbury
Beer
Miles
Pubs and
Clubs
Local Beer
Beer
Miles
Harvester, Long
Itchington
Hook Norton
24
Avon, Avon
Dassett
Hook Norton
13
The Antelope Inn,
Lighthorne
Warwickshire
10
Market Tavern,
Southam
Warwickshire
6
The Cricketers,
Leamington Spa
Slaughterhouse
1
20
25
Wild Boar,
Warwick
Slaughterhouse
Onsite
& 1.5
Warwickshire
8
Hook Norton
25
Antelope, Warwick
Slaughterhouse
2
The Wharf, Fenny
Compton
Hook Norton
18
Fox & Hen,
Bascote Heath
Hook Norton
Cape of Good Hope, Weatheroak
Warwick
Church End
22
Wood Farm
23.5
Hook Norton
24
Weatheroak
16.5
Woodland Tavern,
Leamington Spa
Slaughterhouse
1
Tunnel
21.7
Purity
16
Cross Keys,
Leamington
Slaughterhouse
The Anchor, Leek
Wootton
Hook Norton
25
Slaughterhouse
3
The Rose and
Crown, Warwick
Purity
13
Church End
23
The Oak, Warwick
Hook Norton
23
Page 18
1
Beer and Ragged Staff
CAMRA National Club of the Year 2012
A popular theatre bar in
west London, staffed solely by volunteers, has today
been recognised as the best
club in Britain by CAMRA, the Campaign for Real
Ale.
The Questors Grapevine
Club, situated inside The
Questors Theatre, Ealing,
has been named CAMRA’s National Club of the
Year 2012 after a panel of
judges were impressed by
the Club’s focus on supporting local breweries and
its dedication to promoting
quality real ale to a wide audience. CAMRA’s
flagship clubs competition is organised in
partnership with the trade publication Club
Mirror.
The Grapevine was founded in 1959 by members of The Questors Theatre to act both as a
social centre and as a source of funds to support the theatre’s activities.
With considerable help in
the cellars from nearby
brewery Fuller’s (of Chiswick), the Club places a big
emphasis on sourcing local,
with breweries such as
Twickenham, Windsor &
Eton and Rebellion also
regularly featuring at the
bar. An ever-present in
CAMRA’s Good Beer
Guide,
The
Questors
Grapevine Club is a previous winner of local CAMRA awards on numerous
occasions, and finished as a
National Finalist in the
competition in 2006.
Having gone one better this year, the bar’s
13-strong committee of volunteers were delighted to win the award. Jon Webster, Chairman of The Questors Grapevine Club, said:
‘This award is a fantastic achievement. We
are a small group of volunteers, most of
whom have full time jobs, and we run the club
in our spare time. We (Continued on page 22)
WINNER:
The Questors Grapevine Club, 12 Mattock Lane, Ealing, London, W5 5BQ
FINALISTS:
-Colliton Club, Colliton House, Colliton Park, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1XJ, 01305 224503
-Rushden Historical Transport Society, Station Approach, Rushden, Northamptonshire,
NN10 0AW, 01933 318988
-Ravenswood Club (Royal British Legion), 25 Ramsay Road, Banchory, Aberdeenshire,
AB31 5TS, 01330 822347
Come and see village life in a village pub
With a restaurant and bar snacks available everyday, including Sunday evenings, Hook Norton
and two Guest Beers and a visit to THE HaRvester is worthwhile any day of the week.
Every day is a HaRvester Day
We are not a Harvester Restaurant! We are a true free house.
Check for our guest beers on www.theharvesterinn.co.uk
Imported Budvar Light & Budvar Dark on draught - see web site for details
25 years in the Good Beer Guide WiFi hotspot available Credit cards welcome
The Harvester, Church Road, Long Itchington 01926 812698
April - June 2012
Page 19
Page 20
Beer and Ragged Staff
The New Inn – Your Friendly Local
197 Leam Terrace
Leamington Spa
CV31 1DW
Tel: 01926 422861
Four Real Ales Always Available
Good Food including Sunday Lunch
Pub Garden
Alternating Weekly Quiz/Open Mic
Nights
New heated smoking hut
Pub Google Map
Have you ever been in the situation where
you have had trouble finding a pub? When
someone says “meet you in the so-and-so”
without giving you any idea where it is?
Well now the Heart of Warwickshire Branch
has designed a Google Maps application to
help you find all the pubs in our area, using the
link below.
It works best using Google Maps in a traditional browser, but will also work in the
Google Maps smart phone app. At the mo-
April - June 2012
ment the notes only give the address, plus a
note if it does not sell real ale. Other information could be added later.
So now you can easily find the location of any
pub in our area with Google Earth street view
and directions.
http://g.co/maps/uehrx
Page 21
(Continued from page 19) are dedicated to pro- ‘The success of The Grapevine stems from a
viding a good service and are particularly
proud of our reputation for selling good quality, well-kept real ale.
‘We are thrilled to receive this prestigious
award and are lucky to enjoy the support of
our customers and our families, without
whom this success would not have been possible.’
John Holland, CAMRA Clubs Committee
Chairman, heaped praise on the quality of the
overall winner. He said:
group of dedicated people committed to supporting choice, and to offering an environment whereby people can learn more about
the delights of good beer. It is very rare for a
club of this nature to offer such a range of
quality real ales, but there again such quality
epitomises the level of detail seen throughout
the venue, which is evident as soon as you
walk through the doors.’
[Jon Howard]
Pat and family welcome you to
The Crown
Stockton
01926 812255
Lunches Tuesday to Sunday Evening meals Tuesday to Saturday
Ansells Bitter & Two Changing Guest Beers!
Petanque piste available for beer & boules events
'Folk at the Barn’ last Tuesday of the month
Room available for hire
In the Good Beer Guide 2010 and 2011
Page 22
Beer and Ragged Staff
Alternatively you can send a cheque payable to CAMRA Ltd with your completed form, visit
www.camra.org.uk/joinus or call 01727 867201. All forms should be addressed to Membership
Department, CAMRA, 230 Hatfield Road, St Albans, AL1 4LW.
April - June 2012
Page 23
Daventry Street, Southam CV47 1PH
TEL: 01926 810622
Congratulations to Diane Cowley & the team for receiving a
‘certificate of excellence’ Cask Marque award at The Market
Tavern, Southam
5 handpulls serving a selection of
Warwickshire Beer Co’s own ales
We now offer national guest ales and regional micro-brewery’s beers – currently featuring Theakstons ales i.e.
Best Bitter, XB, Lightfoot, Old Peculier & Masham 6.5%
As well as our own ales, we supply cask ale swops
from other micro breweries. Please call to see which
guest beers we have
available.
Tel: 01926 450747
email: [email protected]