WEST BERKSHIRE CAMRA Website: www.westberkscamra.org.uk BRANCH MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY 5h FEBRUARY 2020 (7.30pm) COOPERS ARMS, NEWBURY Attendees: Andy Pinkard (Chair), Mike Avery, Tim Thomas, Chris Marriage, Kevin Brady, Chris Reynolds, Richard Marshall, Alison Chetwynd, Tommy Webb Apologies: Paul Worsley, Tony Girling, Jeff Evans, Richard Lock, Meg Thomas Item Topic Action By: Status: 01.01 HEADQUARTERS MAILSHOTS All mailouts are available to view in the volunteer section of the national Info, CAMRA website. Committee members are asked to review content of unless mailouts relevant to their post and give an update at the meeting on how otherwise they are addressing them. specified Mailouts since last meeting include: 2020-01-31 Launch of CAMRA’s podcast 2020-01-31 Club of the Year 2021 (CotY) 2020-01-31 Local Guides 2020-01-31 Campaigner of the Year 2020 – reminder 2020-01-17 CAMRA Books commissions biography of CAMRA 2020-01-17 GBG Frequently Asked Questions 2020-01-17 Local Plan Rankings 2020-01-10 New CAMRA Beer Styles 2020-01-10 Proposed Changes to Articles of Association following the Governance Review 2020-01-03 REMINDER – Summer of Pubs 2020 Survey for Branches 01.02 ULLAGE MAGAZINE Deadline for Spring issue – 7 February Deadline for Summer issue – 8 May Info Printing: Editorial: Please send any news to Tim Thomas. Paul will draft the next Ullage covering letter to publicans – Tim will advise of additional information to be added to the letter. Advertising: Vacancy for Ullage Advertising Officer. Distribution: Pub Profiles 2020 Spring - Borough Arms, Hungerford (Mike Avery) Summer – Coach & Horses, Midgham (Andy Pinkard) Autumn - Bunk Inn, Curridge (Chris Marriage) Royal Oak, Yattendon, For future consideration: Dundas Arms, Kintbury, Bacon Arms, Newbury, Swan, East Ilsey, Queens Arms East Garston Item Topic Action By: Status: Page 1 of 4 Item Topic Action By: Status: 01.03 CAMPAIGNING TOPICS Regional POTY / COTY 2019 Certificates to be awarded in liaison with RD. Branch POTY and COTY 2020 Branch POTYand COTY winners were selected at the meeting. Arrangements will be made for presentations. Note: Winners will need to be notified to the RD by 17 March. Community POTY 2020 Community POTY voting procedure will be as per previous years with a deadline for nominations of 30 June. This year we will be looking to make the award to a pub that has not previously won this award. Further details will appear in the spring and summer editions of Ullage and in the covering letters to publicans. GBG 2021 Selection At tonight’s meeting we selected the GBG entries and reserves. A list of the selected pubs and supporting documentation has been sent to the surveyors. Timeline 05 Feb 20 – Branch Final GBG Selection Meeting. 02 Mar 20 - Deadline for branches for all entries to be completed and uploaded to the GBG National Online Submissions System from WhatPub 16 Mar 20 - Deadline for Area Organisers / Regional Directors to have all entries signed off to GBG. Regional & National Matters Regional Meetings in 2020: Sat 15 Feb – The Acre, Victoria Street, Windsor. Sat 16 May – Wig & Pen, George Street, Oxford. Sat 12 Sep – Bear Hotel, Market Place, Wantage. Andy is not available for the Feb or May meetings. Volunteers are sought to to represent the branch. Beer Scoring Exercise Provides an opportunity for attendees to taste, anonymously score and discuss a selected beer at each meeting. 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 the Branch Website and Facebook pages for the latest information on Branch Meetings and Social Events. Diary Dates: Wed 5 Feb - GBG 2021 Final Selection Meeting at Coopers Arms, Newbury Tim Done 7.30pm start Wed 19 Feb – Curry and Cask night at the Gun, Wash Common. 7pm Paul Done Sat 22 Feb – Afternoon Ale Trail, East/Central Reading, River Kennet (Jolly Tim Done Anglers, Fishermans Cottage) + The Retreat + The Weather Station. Fri 13 March - Wantage beer & cider festival – From 12noon. Tim Done Wed 8 Apr – Branch Meeting at The Great Shefford Kevin Done Tue 14 Apr – Easter Lunch and social at the Hatchet, Newbury (12noon) Paul Done Fri 17 Apr - Newbury Racecourse beer festival social – from 1pm. Sat 2 May – Pewsey Afternoon Ale Trail. Meet at Crown Inn at 1.30pm Tim Done Thu 7 May - Reading beer festival social - from 7pm Sat 16 May – Mild Tasting Afternoon Social in Compton (Details TBC) Alison C Wed 24 Jun – AGM and Branch Meeting at Bacon Arms, Newbury (TBC) Page 2 of 4 Item Action By: Status: 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 We are pleased to announce that Paul Worsley has taken on this role. Thanks to Paul for volunteering. Treasurer Current balance is £1791.35. Membership Secretary The current membership stands at around 350. Info Pubs Officer I have updated the Long Term Planner on our Website until 2021. The White Horse Hermitage has new management - Gavin Van, freehold showing as under offer. The Waggon and Horses has still not closed for refurbishment. Old boot “We are undergoing an overhaul and extending our already busy pub area.....exciting changes ahead” The merger between Stonegate and Enterprise has been approved subject to a number of pubs being sold - none in our area. Planning permission granted for a house in the car park of the Coach at Beedon. Tally Ho at Hungerford Newtown was taken on by Sylvi Giuliani on the 13th Jan. She also runs the Borough Arms in Hungerford. Thatcham Mill available with refurbishment planned. Congratulations to The Fox in Peasemore & Royal Oak, Yattendon. They are among the Berkshire pubs named the best in the country by the Good Pub Guide. The appeal against the failed planning application to convert The Winterbourne Arms into residential was refused. Subject of an article in The NWN 30th Jan. Freehold of Queens Arms East Garston available for £995K, featured in The NWN 30th Jan. Pheasant at Shefford Woodlands featured in the London evening standard. Boarded-up Plough at Thatcham up for auction on the 20th February with a guide of £410K - went for £345K at auction autumn 2017. New publicans at The Bacon Arms - Becky and Brad. Very CAMRA and Live Music friendly. Fullers seeking new tenants for the Queens Head Bradfield Southend with refurbishment planned. Most of the new signage removed at The Monument after Planning Permission refused. Pubs Database Co-ordinator & NBBS Co-ordinator Latest Beer scores to be provided for the final GBG selection session at tonight’s meeting. Note: Scoring is only available to CAMRA Members, through “WhatPub” Press & Publicity Officer Nothing new to report Webmaster Nothing new to report Website: Our web address is: www.westberkscamra.org.uk Cider Liaison Officer Report This position remains vacant; volunteers for this role are welcomed. Page 3 of 4 Item Topic Action By: Status: 01.06 AOB Social media stats Facebook: @WBCAMRA 370 (372) like / 407 (409) follow Twitter (followers): @WBCAMRA 1834 (1830) @WBCAMRAcider 40 (35) @UllageBeer 3051 (3049) @BerkshirePubs 1151 (1143) @NewburyBeer 457 (452) Page 4 of 4 .