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F R E E Vol 37 Oct/Nov No 5 2015 The George Inn, Norton St Philip (see page 10) Winner Best London Pub 2011 GOOD BEER GUIDE 2015 2015 LIVE MUSIC-JAZZ-ACOUSTIC COMEDY @RABBIT HOLENW3 THE DUKE OF HAMILTON PUB & RABBIT HOLE NW3 THEATRE WWW.THEDUKEOFHAMILTON.COM WWW.RABBITHOLENW3.COM THE DUKE IS AN AWARD WINNING PUB, WE PRIDE OURSELVES BEING A PROPER PUB WITH A AMAZING VIBE AND LOTS OF LIVE ENTERTAINMENT IN THE THEATRE BELOW. • GOOD BEER GUIDE 2015 • CASK MARQUE AWARDED • BEER GARDEN • LIVE MUSIC • THEATRE • EXCELLENT RANGE OF ALES • FRIENDLY STAFF AND PUNTERS • 300 YEAR OLD PUB 23-25 NEW END, HAMPSTEAD, LONDON NW31JD - 2 MINS FROM TUBE STATION - TEL:0207 7942068 Editorial whatever issues there are in this London Drinker is published on behalf of the Greater London branches of CAMRA, the country with alcohol abuse, well Campaign for Real Ale, and is edited by Tony run community pubs are part of the Hedger. It is printed by Cliffe Enterprise, solution and cheap supermarket Eastbourne, BN22 8TR. hooch is almost the whole problem. CAMRA is a not-for-profit company limited Wouldn't it be more apposite to by guarantee and registered in England; company No. 1270286. Registered office: show a photograph of someone 230 Hatfield Road, St. Albans, coming out of a supermarket with a Hertfordshire AL1 4LW. trolley laden down with industrial Material for publication, including press quantities of cheap booze? releases, should preferably be sent by IN DEFENCE OF e-mail to [email protected]. Pubs, and those of us who still The deadline for the next edition, OUR PUBS use them, seem to have been December/January, is Monday forgotten in the headlong dash to 9 November attended a political reception label us as a nation of inveterate All contributions to this magazine are made on a voluntary basis. Irecently where one of the drunks who need saving from To advertise in London Drinker, contact politicians in attendance said ourselves. The pub industry is just John Galpin on 020 3287 2966 or mobile something that caught my attention. about the most heavily regulated 07508 036835; When it comes to alcohol, they said, sector of the economy yet, despite E-Mail: [email protected]. our political leaders seem obsessed this, they continue to be a big Prices: whole page £325 colour or with two things – the amount of £260 mono; half-page £195 colour or £145 source of employment for people money that the whisky industry mono; quarter-page £105 colour or £80 under 26 – the very group that mono. generates for the economy, suffered the most in terms of The views expressed in this magazine are notwithstanding the fact that most of those of their individual authors and are not it goes into the coffers of employment opportunities in the necessarily endorsed by the editor or CAMRA. multinational drinks conglomerates economic downturn, to raise © copyright the London Branches of the (although that is an argument for millions of pounds for hundreds of Campaign for Real Ale; all rights reserved. another time), and those people who charities and, the length and Subscriptions: please send eithger £9 for the have alcohol related problems. breadth of the country, to be the mailing of six editions or £17 for 12 editions What this doesn't take account of is to Stan Tompkins, 52 Rabbs Mill House, hub of community life. It is a place Chiltern View Road, Uxbridge, Middx UB8 the ninety odd per cent of us in the to meet friends, old and new, 2PD. Please make cheques payable to middle who neither work in the exchange news and gossip and CAMRA London Area. These prices apply to whisky industry nor abuse alcohol. participate in community focussed UK mail addresses only. To arrange for copies Politicians are too quick to talk of activities. It is very well known that to be sent overseas, please contact us. this country’s troubled relationship with alcohol – something that I talking to people, especially if you simply don't accept is the case. The live on your own, is good for your CONTENTS mental health. Branch diaries 4 vast majority of people who drink, Readers’ survey 10 whether it is beer, wine or spirits, do Yet more and more regulations Regional awards 12 not abuse alcohol and suggesting have been heaped on the trade - it News round-up 13 that a whole country has a problem, is almost as if politicians think that Rugby World Cup 34 especially at a time when alcohol Closed pub crawl 20 by closing pubs alcohol abuse will CAMRA events 22 consumption is on a historic fall because then it will be left to the Pub ACVs 28 downward trend, strikes me as lazy big cuddly supermarkets to sell all Pub campaigning 36 politics and that the specific issues alcohol and everything will be fine London brewery news 41 relating to alcohol abuse are not Signature Brewery 42 where, in actual fact, the opposite is Good Beer Guide 44 being properly addressed. What is even worse is that, when true with alcohol related crime and GBBF 2015 46 health issues rising in line with the Beer in the Wood 48 writing and broadcasting stories Pubs in autumn 50 about alcohol abuse figures, media supermarkets’ increasing share of WhatPub? update 52 outlets will use photographs or film alcohol sales. Book reviews 56 Obituary 56 of a pint of real ale being poured LocAle update 58 through a hand pump – one of the Colin Valentine Idle Moments 60 lowest strength drinks available in Colin is the National Chairman of Crossword 62 pubs. As I have said many times, CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale 3 Branch diaries elcome to our regular details of London CAMRA contacts Crayford DA1 3QG - Wed 28 (8pm) Soc. Broken Drum, Wand events where branches say what is happening in their Bexley DA15 9PT, then George Staples, 273 Blackfen Rd, areas that might be of interest to drinkers across London. Sidcup DA15 8PR Events for October and November 2015 are listed below. November – Wed 11 (8.30) Mtg. Tailors Chalk, 47-49 High Meetings, visits and socials are open to all – everyone is St, Sidcup DA14 6ED welcome to come along. A complete calendar listing of CAMRA Website: www.bexley.camra.org.uk events within Greater London is available at www.london.camra.org.uk . Contact the Regional Secretary, Roy BROMLEY Tunstall: [email protected]. Norman Warner, [email protected] October – Mon 5 Chislehurst soc: (7.30) Gordon Arms, 47 LONDON REGIONAL EVENTS Park Rd, BR7 5AY; (8.15) Queen’s Head, 2 High St, BR7 5AN. October – Mon 5 (8pm) London Cider Pub of the Year - Sat 10 East Kent Green Hop Breweries Tour: meet (9am) St presentation. Blythe Hill Tavern, 319 Stanstead Rd, SE23 1JB. Mary Cray station for 9.21 train to Canterbury East (arr. - Sat 24 (7.30) Greater London Club of the Year presentation. 10.36). Book tickets for the Foundry Brewpub Bus well in Orpington Liberal Club, 7 Station Rd, BR6 0RZ. - advance: see http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/east-kent-green-hop- November – Wed 25 (7.30) London Liaison Committee. breweries-tour-foundry-brewpub-bus-tickets-17966314731?aff=es Royal Oak (upstairs), 44 Tabard St, SE1 4JU. - Sat 28 (2pm) 2 for full details. - Tue 13 Beckenham soc. (7.30) Jolly Brewery Liaison Officers’ mtg. Barley Mow, Horseferry Rd, Woodman; 9 Chancery La, BR3 6NR; (8.15) Chancery, 90 SW1P 2EE. Bromley Rd, BR3 5NP. - Wed 21 Penge soc. (7.30) Goldsmiths, 3 Croydon Rd, SE20 7TJ (8.15) Moon & Stars, LONDON PUBS GROUP 164-166 High St, SE20 7QS. - Sat 24 (7.30) Greater London Chair: Jane Jephcote, [email protected], 07813 CotY presentation: see London Regional Events entry (Club 739856 open from 6pm). - Tue 27 (7.30) Cttee mtg. Two Doves, 37 October – Sat 17 Isle of Dogs, Poplar, Limehouse and Oakley Rd, Bromley Common BR2 8HD. Stepney: (11.45am) Gun, 27 Coldharbour, E14 9NS; (1pm) November – Tue 3 Anerley & Crystal Palace soc. (7.30) Festival Inn, 71 Grundy St, Poplar, E14 6AD; (2pm) George, Mitre, 164 Croydon Rd, SE20 7YZ; (8.30) Alma, 95 Church 114 Glengall Gro, E14 3ND; (3pm) Queens Head, 8 Rd, SE19 2TA; (9.30) Grape & Grain, 2 Anerley Hill SE19 Flamborough St, E14 7LS; (4.15) George Tavern, 373 2AA. - Mon 9 Locksbottom soc. (7.30) Whyte Lyon (Ye Commercial Rd, E1 0LA; (5.15) Mahogany Bar, Wilton’s Olde), Farnborough Common, BR6 8NE; (8.30) British Music Hall, 1 Graces Alley, off Ensign St, E1 8JB. Public Queen, 427 Crofton Rd, BR6 8NL; (9.30) Black Horse, 318 transport will be required at times. Crofton Rd, BR6 8NW. - Tue 17 (7pm for 7.30) Branch November – Wed 11 (7.15 for 7.30) Mtg. Royal Oak AGM , Orpington Liberal Club, 7 Station Rd, BR6 0RZ. - Tue (upstairs), Tabard St, SE1. All CAMRA branches and members 24 (7.30) Cttee mtg. Bickley, Chislehurst Rd, BR7 5NP. - Sat interested in pub research and preservation welcome. 28 Micropub tour: (12pm) Broken Drum, 308 Westwood La, Website: www.londonpubsgroup.camra.org.uk Blackfen DA15 9PT; (2pm) Long Pond, 110 Westmount Rd, Eltham SE9 1UT; (4pm) Door Hinge, 11 Welling High St, LONDON CIDER GROUP DA16 1TR; (6pm) Penny Farthing, 3 Waterside, Crayford DA1 Ian White, [email protected] or text 07712 122402 4JJ; (8.30) One Inn the Wood, 209 Petts Wood Rd, BR5 1LA. (10-4 Mon-Fri) Website: www.bromley.camra.org.uk October – Fri 2 Soc. Old House, Redwell La, Ightham Common TN15 9EE: meet (7pm) at Borough Green Stn for CROYDON & SUTTON taxi(s).