WSC Newsletter 01
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This edition of the newsletter has been delayed whilst we The West Suffolk CAMRA Newsletter awaited clarification on the end of restrictions Issue 4 Summer 2021 Chairman’s Introduction running smoothly and especially East Anglian Beer those who are working hard to Festival Member Whilst some of us maybe grum- deliver a fantastic 2021 East Ang- bling about the delay to removing lian Beer & Cider Festival in the Benefits the final Covid related restrictions, beautiful Bury St Edmunds Cathe- for the most part we have been dral, the planning is complex and This year there is no admission able to enjoy a pint or two at our challenging, but we know it will price reduction for CAMRA local pub and actually exerienced have all been worthwhile when members for their first visit to the sitting outdoors to eat and drink we see our Branch members, festival. However there is an ex- during the beautiful weather most friends, families and visitors en- clusive benefit for CAMRA of us have enjoyed. joying what will be one of the members who, on production of best ever festivals to be held in a valid membership card, will re- The majority of pubs in our our area. ceive a printed programme and ½ branch area are open again for Chris Bailey souvenir limited edition etched food and drink and this has defi- pint glass festival tankard (while nitely been made easier with a re- WSC Chair stocks last). Non-members will turn to indoor dining, safely receive a “virtual” programme Branch News delivered within the remaining and non-souvenir glass as part of Covid rules. their admission package and can Branch Meetings Resume purchase a paper programme Despite the fears being aired re- and souvenir glass if they wish. After a couple of false starts we’re garding the Covid Delta variant, I delighted to announce, with the am at last personally feeling more Members will also get free entry anticipated further easing of lock- positive about planning our to any subsequent session (ex- down from 19th July, face to face Branch activities and returning to cept the Saturday night) after Branch Meetings can recom- some interesting and sociable their first visit. In summary, they mence. We’re kicking off with a gatherings, whilst enjoying the can obtain their £5 benefit on summer programme of members’ wonderful range of ales brewed in first visit then get free entry social events, culminating with our region. thereafter. our branch beer festival, being held this year in St Edmundsbury Which brings me to an interesting We have increased admission Cathedral and the Cathedral pre- point, during Covid lockdowns prices this year as the festival is cinct, daily from Wednesday 25th and the operation of the Tier Sys- costing more to stage in a post until Monday 30th August. Make tem, we have actually seen an in- Covid environment. We also have sure the dates are in your diary crease in the number of breweries to cover the overheads of run- now. to fourteen in our region, surely ning a festival at scale - including the most for decades? Please toilet hire, glass washers, health & Our Autumn/Winter programme take a minute to visit the safety, Covid security and single will follow in the next issue of this “Breweries in our Branch Area” use glasses. Many of these costs newsletter. page on our CAMRA West Suffolk were previously included in the Branch website, where you will venue hire charge. find a list of our local breweries Summer Programme and a link to take you directly to You can find out more about the their websites. Wednesday 21st July 7.30pm festival and volunteering at our Beer & BBQ Evening. website: www.burystedmunds- As you probably already know, beerfestival.com. despite restrictions, the Branch Nethergate Brewery, Rodbridge has remained remarkably busy, Corner, Long Melford. CO10 9HJ maintaining awards for “Pub of the Month” and “Pub of the Year” An informal social evening in the and a host of other initiatives that delightful Suffolk Countryside, you can read about in this news- combined with an optional Ne- letter and on our website. thergate Brewery tour. After will follow the opportunity for a beer Finally, I would like to end by of- or two and some BBQ food kindly fering my sincere thanks to all our sponsored by Nethergate volunteers who keep the Branch Brewery. This is primarily an out- News side event although some el- brewing for us at no charge ‘Fes- ements, including the Brewery tivale’ will raise in excess of Tour will be indoors. £1,000 for our Festival charities Collectors Items? Any Collectors out there? and good causes. To assist with catering and en- Before I throw these out I have sure we can control numbers to Look out for the ‘Festivale’ pump the following available free to ensure our Covid safety clip and beer in a pub near you! anybody interested: members must pre-register to at- On sale, while stocks last, Friday Last Orders Vol.22 (1999) on- tend using the link here 6th – Friday 27th August 2021. wards (incomplete); various Beer Festival programmes from Wednesday 4th August 7.30pm Norwich, Derby, Chappel, Cam- Beer Festival Preview Evening bridge, White Horse, Edward- & ‘Festivale’ Launch stone and National Summer and Winter GBBF. Also GBG, 2017, The Five Bells, High Street, Rat- 2019. tlesden, IP30 0RA Please contact Andy via [email protected] Another primarily outside event. The evening will be looking for- ward to the 29th East Anglian The Festival Beer & Cider Festival. Our Festi- val Organiser, Martin Bate, will be The festival opens at 4pm on on hand to update members on Wednesday 25th August with a the final plans for the first Cathe- trade session (until 5.30pm) dral Beer Festival – including de- Please remember, and remind where we welcome guests from tails of the Bar layouts; Brewery your friends, that every pint of the pub and brewery trade, plus and Cider producers; Brewery ‘Festivale’ you drink helps raise CAMRA members, to have ex- Bars and the entertainment pro- money for our Festival Charities clusive access to the festival. The gramme. – St Nicholas’ Hospice, St Ed- festival will open to the general mundsbury Cathedral and The public at 5.30pm and will be for- We will also be launching ‘Festi- Round Table, plus numerous mally opened by the Dean of the vale’ our Beer Festival preview smaller local charities and good Cathedral at 6pm. ale which will be promoted and causes. sold in pubs and clubs through- From Wednesday until Saturday out the branch area in the three Did you know? Since the East at 6pm we will be operating a week run-up to the Festival. Anglia Beer & Cider Festivals in- ’traditional’ beer festival with a ception we have donated more wide range of beers and ciders Light refreshments will be pro- than £100,000 to local charities available from bars situated in vided. To assist with catering and and good causes, large and the Cathedral Nave and also out- ensure we can control numbers small. Please help us in our quest side in a large marquee. to ensure our Covid safety this year to raise a record The bars in the Nave will be used members must pre-register to at- amount as so many charities for regional beers, plus two tend using the link here have been adversely impacted brewery bars - Woodforde’s (cel- by the pandemic and, for many, ebrating their 40th year) and Introducing ‘Festivale 21’ their continued survival depends Mauldons (Suffolk’s oldest on our fundraising and your gen- brewery). In the marquee we will ‘Festivale’ is a specially commis- erosity. have a large East Anglian bar sioned, 3.9% ABV light golden plus Three Blind Mice from Cam- bridgeshire brewery bar, a craft summer beer with hints of fruit Beer Festival Preview and Citra, which is being brewed beer bar and London bar. There will also be a bottled beer bar exclusively for us by Brewshed Preparations for the beer festival Brewery to celebrate the 29th and, for the non-beer drinkers, a in August are proceeding well. gin bar with Pimms and pros- East Anglian Beer & Cider Festi- Members may be interested in val. Through the generosity of ecco, the planned format for the festi- one of our main festival spon- val, which is fast becoming sors, Pauls Malt, who are donat- On Saturday at 6pm we will close “three festivals in one!” the bars in the Nave and the fes- ing the brewing ingredients, and the support of Brewshed who are tival will continue outside. Satur- Continued News day evening we are planning a live Finally I’d like to thank the Beer music evening with a notable Festival Working Party who have tribute band (as yet unbooked). been meeting virtually for the past few months and working had On Sunday we will be open 12-8 to pull together all the elements and Monday 12-6 when we will be we need to make this festival our operating alongside the Bury St best ever! Edmunds Food & Drink Festival. There will be free admission to Martin Bate the beer festival on these days. Beer Festival Organiser We are planning Sunday as a ‘family day’ with some light Calling all Facebook children’s entertainment and a users. Songs of Praise style ‘big sing’ in Take down of the outside bars is the evening. Monday evening and Tuesday. We need you to be the eyes and We also need staff to man the ears of the branch and keep us You can find out more and buy bars and help across the site up-to-date with what's going on tickets through our website when we are open.