F R E E Vol 39 June/July No 3 2017 Brian Lawrence – See page 54 (Photo by Roy Tunstall) Editorial London Drinker is published on behalf of the year are currently exempt from paying Greater London branches of CAMRA, the alcohol duty and this enables small Campaign for Real Ale, and is edited by Tony Hedger. It is printed by Cliffe Enterprise, scale production to flourish. The Eastbourne, BN22 8TR. existing duty exemption should be CAMRA is a not-for-profit company limited by retained, alongside action to guarantee and registered in England; company encourage growth with a sliding scale No. 1270286. Registered office: of duty relief for cider producers who 230 Hatfield Road, St. Albans, Hertfordshire AL1 4LW. wish to grow above this limit. CAMRA is subject to the terms of the Material for publication, including press releases, should preferably be sent by Lobbying Act but is permitted to e-mail to [email protected]. encourage members to directly lobby The deadline for the next edition, THE GENERAL their candidates and ask them to Aug/Sept is Monday 10 July support CAMRA’s manifesto which sets All contributions to this magazine are made on a out our key campaigns for pubs, clubs, voluntary basis. ELECTION beer and cider and in particular to sign To advertise in London Drinker, contact John Galpin on 020 3287 2966 o begin with I need to restate up to our three specific pledges. or mobile 07508 036835; CAMRA’s position. We are a • Beer: Celebrate and promote E-Mail: [email protected]. Tpolitical organisation. We lobby Britain’s 1,540 breweries Prices: whole page £325 colour or • Pubs: Support action to help pubs £260 mono; half-page £195 colour or £145 politicians and central and local mono; quarter-page £105 colour or £80 mono. government in order to influence their thrive The views expressed in this magazine are those of decisions and actions so we must be. • Consumers: Represent the their individual authors and are not necessarily What we are not is a party political interests of pub goers, beer and endorsed by the editor or CAMRA. organisation. We do not endorse the cider drinkers © copyright the London Branches of the full package offered by any particular This we have done. All CAMRA Campaign for Real Ale; all rights reserved. party, not least because, in any event, members should have received an Subscriptions: please send either £9 for the most of it is outside our remit. e-mail explaining how this can mailing of six editions or £17 for 12 editions to be achieved. If you have not done Stan Tompkins, 52 Rabbs Mill House, Chiltern Our track record as a lobbying View Road, Uxbridge, Middx UB8 2PD. Please organisation is, if you will excuse the so and want to, go to make cheques payable to CAMRA London Area. expression, strong and stable. For the http://www.camra.org.uk/pledgeforpub These prices apply to UK mail addresses only. To last general election in 2015 we s/campaigners. There is still time. arrange for copies to be sent overseas, please In addition, CAMRA believes that contact us. persuaded 1,160 candidates to pledge support for beer and pubs. As a result consideration should be given to of this campaigning, we had 211 MPs introducing a more favourable rate of CONTENTS who had promised to speak up in VAT for on-trade alcohol and food Branch diaries 6 Parliament on our behalf. Con- service which will ease the tax burden CAMRA events 10 sequently we achieved, admittedly not specifically for on-trade licensed Neighbourhood Planning Act 16 Fancy playing games all day? 16 necessarily all by our own efforts, a venues and that a lower rate of duty for Roll out the barrel for steam trains 18 freeze in beer duty until this year and draught beer sold in pubs should be Pubs matter to the Mayor of London 18 the recent change to the planning introduced to alleviate dispro- Great British Beer Festival 20 regulations which is covered elsewhere portionate taxation and recognise the Get your bid in! 20 in this edition. Not only do we need to social benefits of alcohol being Ageing beers 22 make sure these successes are consumed in regulated, social News round-up – General 23 protected but we also need to ensure environments. – Pub and brewery trade news 28 that the next Government gets a Our pubs and breweries contribute – Health and welfare 41 good deal for beer drinkers and pub- enormously to local economies and CAMRA Pub Design Awards 26 goers in the negotiations for our employment – especially for the under CAMRA Greater London Pub of the Year 26 leaving the EU. 25s – and to community life. Beer duty Matters of taste 30 Current European restrictions on and VAT makes a huge – excessively so Brewery news 32 Opinion – the pubco tie 36 duty will in due course be lifted. This – contribution to the Exchequer and Pub news 42 gives the UK Government greater pubs pay 2.8% of all business rates A visit to Mayfair and St James’s 43 freedom to apply lower duty to lower despite having only 0.5% of total Drinking in Krakow 45 strength beer. The UK Government business turnover. Furthermore, after Cookery or alchemy? 46 should extend the current 50% duty the returning to the old pattern of WhatPub? update 20 48 raising beer duty in this year’s budget, Beer and Royalty 53 reduction for beers at or below 2.8% Brian Lawrence – a tribute 54 ABV to all beers with an ABV at or in order to support the industry and Letters 56 below 3.5%, this being a more realistic protect consumers, there should be a Book reviews 57 level to reflect the range of beers freeze for the whole of the next Idle Moments 58 available in most pubs. Cider makers Parliament. So, to coin a phrase, what’s Crossword 62 who produce less than 7,000 litres a not to like? 3 Editorial Just one little gripe. Nicola Sturgeon launched the SNP’s campaign at the Inveralmond Brewery in Perth. The Metro on 9 May carried the traditional picture of her holding a pint and as usual with politicians of all parties, she didn’t look as if she had much idea of what to do with it. When will we get a politician – any politician with the notable of exception of Mr Farage – who says ‘ that looks good’ and drinks it properly? In passing, you will be able to try Inveralmond beers for yourself at this year’s Great British Beer Festival. By the way, CAMRA has changed the designs for its publications so look out for a slightly different cover next time. For good or bad, what is inside will remain much the same. Tony Hedger The print run for this issue of London Drinker is 27,000. It is distributed by CAMRA volunteers to some 1,200 pubs and clubs in and around G reate r L ondon . LEYTON ORIENT SUPPORTERS CLUB SUMMER BEER NIGHT FRID AY 23 JUNE FROM 5 .00PM Featuring a tap tak e o ver of e xcellent cask beers from O YTON RIEN SOL VAY SOCIETY LE T 40 FT BREWER Y 18 81 F OO B TBALL CLU ADMISSION FREE & SNACKS A VAILABLE LEYTON ORIENT SUPPORTERS CLUB, MA TCHROOM ST ADIUM, OLIVER ROAD, LONDON E10 5NF T: 020 8988 8288 E: loscinfo @aol.com W: orientsupporters.org T: @lofcsupporters Just a few minutes from Leyton (Central Line) Station. Buses 58, 69, 97, 1 58 & W14 to Coronation Gardens 4 M@T wick enhamAles EXTRA PALE, WITH THE ZING OF CITRA AND DEL TA HOPS THE ESSENCE OF SUMMER Twickenham-ne-ales.co.uk 020 8241 1825 Branch diaries elcome to our regular details of London CAMRA contacts Swan, 2-4 High St, BR4 0NJ; (9.30) Wheatsheaf, 135 High St., and events, where branches say what is happening in their BR4 0LU. - Sat 10 Sussex Coast Micropub Trail: (10.40am) East aWreas that might be of interest to drinkers across London. Croydon Stn for 11.03 train to Hove; (12pm) Watchmaker’s Events for June and July 2017 are listed below. Meetings, visits Arms, 84 Goldstone Villas, BN3 3RU + 5 more micropubs: see and socials are open to all – everyone is welcome to come along. website. - Wed 14 Beckenham BR3 soc: (7pm) Jolly A complete calendar listing of CAMRA events within Greater Woodman, 9 Chancery La, 6NR; (7.30) Chancery, 90 Bromley London is available at www.london.camra.org.uk . Rd, 5NP; (8.10) George Inn, 111 High St, 1AG; (8.45) Coach & Horses, Burnhill Rd, 3LA; (9.25) White Horse, 215 High St, LONDON REGIONAL EVENTS 1AH; (10pm) Bricklayers Arms, 237 High St, 1BN. - Mon 19 Secretary: Roy Tunstall, [email protected] Green Street Green BR6 soc: (7.30) Rose & Crown, July – Wed 26 (7.30) London Liaison Committee (regional co- Farnborough Way, 6BT; (8.30) Royal Oak, High St, 6BJ; (9.30) ordination mtg for London branch reps). Royal Oak, 44 Tabard Queens Head, 73 High St, 6BQ. - Sat 24 Bromley BR1 soc: St, Borough SE1 4JU. (12.30) Freelands Tavern, 31 Freelands Rd, 3HZ; (1.10) Red Website: www.london.camra.org.uk Lion, 10 North Rd, 3LG; (1.50) White Horse, 64 Palace Rd, 3JX; (2.30) Anglesey Arms, 90 Palace Rd, 3JX; (3.10) Crown & LONDON PUBS GROUP Jane Jephcote [email protected] 07813 739856 Anchor, 19 Park Rd, 3HJ. - Wed 28 (7.30) Cttee mtg. Five Bells, Church Rd, Chelsfield, Orpington BR6 7RE.