News
Here is the latest news about pubs & breweries.
- Motion Thursday 20 February 2020
- BREAKING NEWS!
Wednesday 5 February 2020
Congratulations to Mile and a Third. Voted (by a landslide) as South East Essex CAMRA Pub of the Year.
Thanks to all who voted, and thanks to all who use the NBSS on http://whatpub.com
- Thirsty Times
Wednesday 5 February 2020
Thirsty Times magazine available in pubs and clubs and online Thirsty Times
- “As far as we’re concerned a pub can serve whatever it likes,” says national CAMRA chairman Tuesday 4 February 2020
- Number of pubs finally growing; but not because of beer Friday 31 January 2020
- Protect your pub Tuesday 28 January 2020
- Beer and pub news Saturday 11 January 2020
- CAMRA has been reviewing its beer styles
Friday 10 January 2020
CAMRA has been reviewing its beer styles. These have now been signed off by the National Executive and will be implemented for CAMRA members’ voting from autumn 2020. The purpose of this note is to update you on what is happening. Background Early in 2019, the NE set up a Beer Styles Review Group. It was made up of a mix of people including representatives from Technical Advisory Group, Tasting Panels, Champion Beer of Britain (CBOB) Coordinators, Brewery Liaison Advisory Group and industry. The recommendations are based on a number of different sources: • Survey conducted with (but not exclusively) Brewery Liaison Officers (BLOs), Tasting Panel Members, CBOB Coordinators, beer writers and brewers. • An assessment of the beers listed on the Brewery Information System (BIS) • Issues raised by Tasting Panel Chairs and BLOs • A view on how the beer market is changing and what it might look like in a few years’ time Conclusion The overall conclusion was that the market has moved on substantially since the last major changes in CAMRA’s beer styles, which was in 2008, and the current list needs updating. Many beer styles that were not really noticeable on the market a decade ago have become more prominent. The Review Group therefore took time to look at the current list and to decide which styles warranted more attention as well as looking at new ones. The Group were also aware that, although in some categories there were not huge numbers of beers, there were good campaigning reasons to protect and keep the style, e.g. milds. Although it would be easy simply to expand the list of styles and judging categories, the Group were aware of the practicalities pertaining to how the CBOB Competition is run. This means ensuring that there are sufficient beers in any category to give a sensible number of beers to be judged at a regional level but, also, the number of beer festivals available to host a judging. Talking to the CBOB Coordinators, they believed that they can handle another two categories and the new CBOB judging beer style groups will be increased from ten to 12.
The rationale behind the changes and the new styles can be found on the website: https://camra.org.uk/volunteers-area/our-awards/tasting-panels
Next Steps Timing Because of the way that CAMRA runs CBOB, there is a delay before the new beer styles can be implemented:
• Spring/Summer 2020: Beers migrated to the new styles on the Brewery Information System (BIS)
• Autumn 2020: CAMRA members vote for Champion Beer of Britain use new styles • 2021: Regional judging with the new styles • 2022: Finals with the new styles
Communication There will be an article in February’s What’s Brewing. It is also intended to issue a media release to the trade to let them know of the changes. In addition, over the next few months, a number of sessions to help communicate the changes are being planned. They all involve beer tastings and are priced to cover the cost.
There is also beer judging training course using the new beer styles on Wednesday afternoon at GBBF Winter. A number of CAMRA’s Trained Trainers are planning to run sessions regionally and we hope to list the details of all sessions. However, in addition, if you wish to set something up locally, you can find their details on this page, so please feel free to contact them. Other The NE agreed to progress with a Lower Alcohol Competition (2.8% and below). NE member, Gary Timmins, is currently investigating a beer festival to host it during 2020. This Competition will use the data collected from Tasting Panels and the members’ votes. Thanks to everyone for their input and support. Best wishes Christine Cryne Chair of the Beer Styles Review Group
- Proposed Changes to Articles of Association following the Governance Review
Thursday 9 January 2020
It is intended that CAMRA members will be asked at the AGM in April to approve changes to the organisation’s Articles of Association to strengthen the governance of the Campaign, following a review last year. The National Executive accepted the report and recommendations of the Governance Review Group, which were published to all members in 2019. It also considered feedback from staff and volunteers about its ability to manage the organisation’s reputation and uphold its values through the disciplinary process. The National Executive will be submitting Special Resolutions to CAMRA’s AGM in April this year, for members to vote to approve, to agree to those recommendations. The final intention and wording of the Special Resolutions are not expected to change fundamentally from the drafts reproduced below - which will be confirmed in the usual Notice of AGM published to the membership ahead of the AGM. The National Executive is keen to ensure that all members are given the chance to consider and discuss the proposed changes to the Articles as far ahead of the AGM as possible and raise any concerns. There are likely to be four Special Resolutions proposed (wording of existing Articles to be deleted can be found in the Volunteers’ section of www.camra.org.uk in the “important documents” section)
The Governance Review documents have been available to all members since October 2019 on the website.
All members will be given the opportunity to vote to approve, or reject, the changes to the existing Articles of Association as usual via remote voting relating to the AGM. Details and voting codes will be sent to all members via email (for those who have provided email addresses), enclosed with What’s Brewing (for those members who still opt in to printed copies and have not provided an email address) and by post (for those members who have opted out of printed copies of What’s Brewing and have not provided and email address).
- Tryanuary Wednesday 1 January 2020
- December sales flat Tuesday 31 December 2019
- Pub Co greed Tuesday 31 December 2019
- BUSINESS RATES and PubCos still closing small pubs Monday 30 December 2019
- Shock news: PubCo caught lying Saturday 28 December 2019