WEST CAMRA

Website: www.westberkscamra.org.uk Facebook: @WBCAMRA Twitter: @WBCAMRA

BRANCH MEETING AGENDA WEDNESDAY 10th MARCH 2021 (8pm)

(TELE CONFERENCE CALL MEETING)

Attendees:

Apologies:

Item Topic Action By: Status: 01.01 BRANCH MEMOS AND MAILOUTS

All members are able to view Branch Memos and Mailouts in the volunteer Info, section of the national CAMRA website. unless Committee members are asked to review content of mailouts relevant to otherwise their post and give an update at the meeting on how they are addressing specified them. Mailouts since last meeting include:

COVID 19 Advice following Government Announcement People Policy Document Information Request to monitor Branch Planning Applications Cheers to CAMRA Resources Local Heritage Lists 2021-02-26 Obituaries – Conference 2021 2021-02-26 Branch resources for the ‘Pubs Matter’ and ‘Clubs Matter’ campaign – for 28 February re-launch 2021-02-26 Reissue of Save Your Local Pub assets 2021-02-19 National Executive election 2021-02-19 CAMRA’s 50th Anniversary Golden Awards (REMINDER: deadline 16 March 2021) 2021-02-19 Fourth edition of CAMRA’s planning newsletter 2021-02-19 Branch resources for the ‘Pubs Matter’ campaign – for 28 February re-launch 2021-02-19 Pub and Club of the Year 2021 Competitions Update 2021-02-12 Budget 2021 – Campaign Pack and #PubsMatter social media campaign 2021-02-12 Reminder – Branch Resources and Good Ideas 2021-02-12 Cider News and Updates by Ian Packham 2021-02-12 Beer in the UK Quarter 1 2020, by Tim Webb 2021-02-10 The Good Beer Guide 2022 – February 2021 Update 2021-02-05 CAMRA news this week 2021-02-05 Please send us examples of great branch campaigning 2021-02-05 Campaigns Forward Planner – campaigning activity and resources for branches in the coming months 2021-01-29 The evolution of What’s Brewing 2021-01-29 GBBF 2021 – physical event cancelled

Page 1 of 5 Item Topic Action By: Status: 2021-01-29 REISSUE: Early Day Motion ‘Reduction of the Small Brewers Relief’ – information and template letter 2021-01-29 Strengthening Pub Data Maintenance 2021-01-29 Direct Debit Mandate, Recruitment Leaflets and Branch Ads 2021-01-22 REMINDER – Please continue to send the Campaigns Team details of ‘Lockdown Hero’ awards made by your branch 2021-01-22 Great British Beer Festival Winter – At Home 2021 2021-01-22 Early Day Motion ‘Reduction of the Small Brewers Relief’ – information and template letter (re-issued 26 Jan 2021) 2021-01-15 CAMRA’s 50th Anniversary Golden Awards 2021-01-15 REMINDER – NE Nominations Closing Date 2021-01-15 Pub of the Year 2021 2021-01-15 Club of the Year 2021 2021-01-15 Cider and Perry Pub of the Year 2021 2021-01-15 REMINDER – Please submit your nominations for Campaigner of the Year before 22 February 2021-01-15 Third edition of CAMRA’s planning newsletter

01.02 ULLAGE MAGAZINE Deadline for Summer Issue: 7th May Info Editorial: Please send any news to Tim Thomas.

Thanks to Richard Lock, contributors and proof-readers (especially Steve Kelly) for their work on the Spring issue (March-May). Changes for this issue include: Shorter features / columns - with web links to longer features on our website or columns on other websites for interested readers. Fewer advertisements (as no income is being collected) - these will now mainly be CAMRA related Sponsorship by Mornington Software Fewer pages 10 (previously 14 for online issues)

The link for reading the Spring issue of Ullage has been posted on many village and community Facebook groups. Details will also be advised to the Newbury Weekly News as a 'Letter to the Editor' for publication.

Discussion at meeting on whether it is feasible to produce summer Ullage as a printed issue Although many pubs will have reopened by June, unless someone is prepared to take on the role of Ullage advertising manager and secure sufficient orders with advance payment to cover most or all of the printing costs by 7 May or there are other feasible ideas then suggest we plan to produce the summer issue as an online only issue of 10 pages.

Advertising: Vacancy for Ullage Advertising Officer.

Pub Profiles Summer – Coach & Horses, (Andy Pinkard) Autumn - Swan, (Chris Reynolds) For future consideration: Dundas Arms, , Bacon Arms, Newbury, Queens Arms , Royal Oak .

Item Topic Action By: Status: 01.03 CAMPAIGNING TOPICS

Good Beer Guide 2022 – Revised Process

As our allocation of pubs for the next GBG will be reduced should we consider reducing the number of pubs in our long list?

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Details of all the pubs on our long list will need to be entered on to the Pubzilla database by 19th April. If a visit is not possible then the information will be obtained by best means remotely. (eg. Website, Facebook, Telephone)

It is hoped that between May and July there will be an opportunity to get out and score beers hence inform our choice as to the final selection for the guide. There will be an opportunity between July and early September to amend data and change reserves for entries on the database.

Revised Timeline 19th April - Deadline for all entries to be completed and uploaded to the GBG National Online Submissions System from WhatPub May – July – Proofs sent to branches Mid July to Early September – A final opportunity for branches to submit amendments. 28 October – Publication date Regional & National Matters There are vacancies for posts of Regional Director and Regional Secretary. Paul Sanders is the acting RD for our region until a new candidate has been elected.

Item Action By: Status: 01.04 BRANCH DIARY DATES

Dates and venues listed below are those planned at the meeting. Please ensure that you check our Branch Website, Facebook page and Twitter feeds for the latest info on events.

Diary Dates:

Wed 10 March - Branch Meeting (Tele Conf Call) at 8pm

Thu 8th April – Meet the Brewer Event. Beer tasting with Richard Marshall, Hermitage Brewery (Zoom event) at 7.30pm. (See Social Secretary Report below for more details).

NOTE: Branch Social Diary is suspended until further notice.

Notes: 1. We need to consider disabled access when arranging meetings / events. 2. Nominated person should contact the venue a week prior to meeting / social to confirm the booking.

Item Topic Action By: Status: 01.05 COMMITTEE REPORTS

Social Secretary This position is vacant. Volunteers for the post are welcomed. All face to face events and meetings are officially suspended until further notice. The situation is being kept under review.

Beer tasting Session on Thu 8th April We will hold a “Meet the Brewer” event at 7.30pm featuring Richard Marshall of Hermitage Brewery. Beers to be tasted are Hermitage Blonde, Wellhouse IPA and Lodestone Mild. These can be purchased locally from Inn at Home Newbury, Hermitage post office and cheese shop. Treasurer

Page 3 of 5 Item Topic Action By: Status: Bank Balance - £929.91 Membership Secretary Membership stands at 340. Info I think the new membership system somehow counts differently. This number is less that last month, but the system records no leavers and 16 joiners in the past year. That says we must have started at 324 which we know to be erroneous. Pubs Officer Note: See WhatPub and our social media posts for the latest pub news.

The Plough at has had a security fence around the boundary added and overgrown grounds tended to. New hosts at The Castle, - Mary and Paul. The Tally Ho, Newtown are seeking a management couple. The Travellers Friend has a planning application lodged for conversion to an adult special needs residential home. Planning permission has been granted for conversion of The Red House Newbury to residential, resulting in the freehold jumping from £335K to £380K. A planning application has been lodged for 4 houses in the garden of The White Horse Hermitage. A planning application has been lodged for a breakfast kiosk at The , the October application for a Farm Shop is still live. A planning application has been lodged to extend the entrance lobby and bar area of The . The Woodspeen and Blackbird at retained their Michelin Stars. The Narrow Boat has been demolished. The Bowlers Arms has moved into the new building. A number of pubs have been busy renovating external areas, including The Cock, Bull, LSB.

I have added a page to the website listing when pubs are reopening https://westberkscamra.org.uk/pubs-reopening/

Pubs Database Co-ordinator & NBBS Co-ordinator Members are encouraged to score cask beers (consumed on pub premises, takeaway or those ordered on line from pubs) as these will all count towards the scores used for GBG selection. Note: Cask conditioned only, not bright or bottled beers. Scoring is available to CAMRA Members through “WhatPub” Press & Publicity Officer This position is vacant. Volunteers for this post are welcomed. Webmaster

Website: Our web address is: www.westberkscamra.org.uk

Cider Liaison Officer Report Shaun Yeo is the Branch Cider Representative and can be reached at [email protected]

Item Topic Action By: Status: 01.06 AOB

CAMRA's Golden Awards - nominations for Pubs, Pints, People by 16 March using form at camra.org.uk/50-years/golden-awards

Did the branch recognise Butts Brewery 25th anniversary? (Barbus Tor was served at Oxford beer festival in October 2019. Bottle label shows 'Butts 25th Anniversary Ale'. Breweryhistory.com shows 'Butts Brewery was set up at Great Shefford in September 1994, and became the first commercial brewery in since the Phoenix Brewery of Newbury closed

Page 4 of 5 down in the 1920s.')

Social media stats Facebook: @WBCAMRA 427 (425) like / 492 (486) follow

Twitter (followers): @WBCAMRA 1911 (1909) @WBCAMRAcider 97 (93) @UllageBeer 3124 (3107) @BerkshirePubs 1198 (1197) @NewburyBeer 504 (497)

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