F R E E Vol 35 Feb/Mar No 1 2013 CAMRA members from branches in Greater London pose before setting off to see their MPs Editorial Leeds North West and chair of the All London Drinker is published PartY ParliamentarY SaVe the Pub group on behalf of the said, “TodaY has been incrediblY poW - London Branches of CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale Limited, erful but please carrY on What You’re and edited jointly by doing locallY… get more people behind Tony Hedger and Mark Davies. this. You are campaigning not onlY for Tel: 07790 750024. the great British pub, You are campaign - Material for publication should preferably be ing for the nation.” AndreW Griffith, sent by e-mail to [email protected]. the MP for Burton on Trent and chair - Correspondents unable to send letters to the edi - man of the All PartY ParliamentarY Beer tors electronically may post them to n the parliamentarY debate on the Brian Sheridan at 4, Arundel House, Heathfield Ibeer dutY escalator, Charlotte Leslie, Group said, “TodaY We haVe sent a Road, Croydon CR0 1EZ. the MP for Bristol North West, said that strong message… We loVe our beer, We Press releases should be sent by email to pubs Were a ‘real World’ Version of the loVe our pubs and We’re going to fight [email protected] House of Commons, Where people de - to defend them. You can all be VerY Changes to pubs or beers should be reported to proud that todaY We haVe all plaYed our Capital Pubcheck, bate about real things. On 12 Decem - 2 Sandtoft Road, London SE7 7LR or by ber, CAMRA members from all oVer the part in saVing the Great British pub and e-mail to [email protected]. countrY – some 1,200 of them – left the great British pint.” For publication in April 2013, please send elec - their pubs and traVelled bY coach and CAMRA’s national chairman Colin tronic documents to the editors no later than Valentine told the rallY, “What You haVe Monday 11 March. train to take the debate to their MPs. There Were supporters there from the done has been VerY special and You pub and breWerY trade – and VerY Wel - haVe made a difference. You’Ve brought SUBSCRIPTIONS: £7.00 for mailing of six editions should be sent to Stan Tompkins, come theY Were – but make no mistake, to Parliament’s and the general public’s 52 Rabbs Mill House, Chiltern View Road, this Was CAMRA’s daY. It Was the attention the nonsense of the dutY es - Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 2PD (cheques payable largest campaigning eVent that We haVe calator” While CAMRA’s chief eXecu - to CAMRA London). eVer organised. More than 300 MPs tiVe, Mike Benner, added that members Were lobbied bY constituent CAMRA should be proud and remember the daY, ADVERTISING: John Galpin members and one MP said CAMRA had going on to describe the escalator as Tel: 020 3287 2966. created a real buZZ in Parliament and ‘economic madness’ Which cost jobs, Printed by Cliffe Enterprise, that it Was the largest and best organ - Eastbourne, BN22 8TR moneY and communities. Perhaps the ised lobbY that he had seen. pithiest comment came from London’s Views expressed in this publication are thoseof their Although members Were proVided individual authors and are notnecessarily endorsed by oWn Duncan Sambrook of Sambrook’s the Editor or theCampaign for Real Ale Limited. With briefing notes, there Were people BreWerY. He pointed out that there Was AdVertise in the neXt there Who reallY kneW the situation first no point in breWers making beer if there LONDON DRINKER hand. John Bellinger, chairman of Were no pubs to sell it. Amen to that. Our adVertising rates are as folloWs: North OXfordshire branch, left the pub I helped out at the reception centre Whole page £325 (colour) £260 (mono) trade last April, With the beer taX esca - and Was proud to do so. This eVent Half page £195 (colour), £145 (mono) lator haVing contributed to making his Quarter page £105 (colour), £80 (mono) took a lot of organising and I Would like Phone John Galpin noW on business unViable. John commented to congratulate CAMRA National EXec - 020 3287 2966, Mobile 07508 036835 that the lobbY Was “the greatest oppor - utiVe members Jackie Parker and Chris - [email protected] tunitY, possiblY eVer, for ordinarY people tine CrYne for their efforts. LikeWise, to haVe a positiVe effect on the decision VirtuallY the Whole of CAMRA’s HQ makers of this countrY, to address his staff Who Were there doing their bit. ridiculouslY unfair taX”. Another mem - In this issue Thanks also to Fuller’s, WYchWood, ber, SteVe BurY of South Hertfordshire Shepherd Neame and SIBA for proVid - Branch diaries 4 branch eXplained, “I knoW mY MP sup - ports the campaign to scrap the beer ing the beer. NeWs round-up 12 IneVitablY, people – not unreasonablY Redemption aWard 20 dutY escalator but I Want to ask him to canVass other MPs to get them to sup - - Will saY, Yes, VerY impressiVe but Will Membership form 22 port the EarlY DaY Motion (EDM) 703.” it do anY good? I belieVe that it Will. Pubcos and the tie 23 This EDM calls for a reVieW of the eco - AWareness of the situation has been Pub campaigns 24 nomic and social impact of the beer raised substantiallY and noW the likes of Pig’s Ear report 30 dutY escalator, Which should report Greg Mulholland and AndreW Griffith Little BreW 32 back to the TreasurY before the 2013 are no longer lone Voices at Westmin - London BreWerY CompanY 36 Budget. ster. Perhaps We maY not see anY Dark Star presentation 41 CAMRA had set up a reception centre progress in the 2013 budget and repeal - ing the beer dutY escalator Will not be Letters 42 at the nearbY Emmanuel Centre and most lobbYists returned there after see - enough on its oWn, but change is com - Peter Tonge 44 ing their MPs for a rallY and a Well- ing. Let’s hope that it isn’t too late for LocAle list 47 earned pint or tWo. Amongst the too manY pubs. Idle Moments 50 speakers Were tWo MPs Well knoWn to CrossWord 54 CAMRA. Greg Mulholland, the MP for TonY Hedger 3 Branch diaries elcome to our regular details of London CAMRA contacts and eVents FebruarY – Thu 28 Cider Pub of the Year presentation 2012; see Regional WWhere branches saY What is happening in their areas that might be of in - EVents aboVe. terest to drinkers across London. EVents for FebruarY and March are listed March – Thu 21 All London NW1 Cider pub craWl: (7.30) LYttelton Arms, 1 beloW. Meetings and socials are open to all – eVerYone is Welcome to come Camden High St; (8.15) Dublin Castle, 94 ParkWaY; (8.45) Earl of Camden, along. 55 ParkWaY; (9.30) Edinboro’ Castle, 57 Mornington Terrace; (10.15) Prince Albert, 163 RoYal College St. Quick Visits to see What ciders these pubs are LONDON REGIONAL EVENTS selling. All Welcome, including ale drinkers! Regional Director: John CrYne, [email protected], 07802 174861 YOUNG MEMBERS GROUP FebruarY – Thu 28 (8pm) Cider Pub of the Year presentation 2012. SusseX London co-ordinator MattheW Black, 07786 262798, Youngmembers@sel - Arms, Staines Rd, TWickenham. camra.org.uk March – Wed 27 (7.30) London AGM and Liaison Committee (Regional co- Email group: http://groups.google.com/group/london-camra-Ym ordination meeting for London Branches). RoYal Oak, Tabard St, SE1. Secre - tarY: [email protected] BEXLEY Website: WWW.camralondon.org.uk Rob Archer, [email protected], [email protected] FebruarY – Wed 13 (8.30) Mtg. Old Dartfordians RugbY Club, DA5. - Wed LONDON PUBS GROUP 20 (8pm) Blackfen soc. JollY Fenman, 64-68 Blackfen Rd, Sidcup. - Wed 27 Chair: Jane Jephcote, [email protected], 020 7720 6327 or 07813 (8.30) GBG selection Soc, FurZe Wren, 6 Market Pl, BeXleYheath. 739856 March – Wed 13 (8.30) Mtg. Prince of Wales, 13A WoolWich Rd, BelVedere. - FebruarY – Sat 23 DaYtime craWl of Plumstead, WoolWich and GreenWich: Wed 20 (8pm) CraYford soc. Duke's Head, 53 CraYford High St. (noon) Star, 158 Plumstead Common Rd, SE18; (1pm) Dial Arch, The War - Website: WWW.camrabeXleYbranch.org.uk ren, SE18; (2.45) Rose's, 49 Hare St, SE18; (3.45) Pelton Arms, 23-25 Pelton Rd, SE10; (4.30) Yacht, 5 Crane St, SE10; (5pm) Trafalgar, Park RoW, SE10; BROMLEY (5.45) Old BreWerY, PepYs Bdg, Old RoYal NaVal College, SE10. Public trans - Stephen Osborn, [email protected]. port maY be required at times. All Welcome. FebruarY – Mon 4 (8pm) Soc, RailWaY Hotel, Red Lodge Rd, BR4; - Thu 7 March – Wed 13 (7.30) Mtg. RoYal Oak, Tabard St, SE1 (upstairs). All (noon) Soc, Battersea Beer FestiVal. - Tue 12 (8pm) Soc. Shortlands TaVern, CAMRA branches and members interested in pub research and preserVation Station Rd, BR2. - Mon 18 (7.30) Fest Planning Mtg. CroWn & Anchor, 19 Welcome. Park Rd BR1. - Wed 20 Beckenham BR3 craWl. (1pm) Oakhill TaVern, 90 Website: WWW.londonpubsgroup.org.uk BromleY Rd; then JollY Woodman, 9 ChancerY La; Coach & Horses, Burnhill Rd and 3 others. - Sat 23 (noon) Soc. Orpington Liberal Club Beer & Cider LONDON CIDER GROUP FestiVal, Station Rd, BR6. - Tue 26 (7.30) Mtg. Queens Head, 25 High St, Ian White, [email protected] or teXt 07775 973760 (10-4 Mon- DoWne BR6. Fri) March – Sat 2 PublicitY craWl for BromleY ‘Mad March’ Cider Fest: Part 1 At least 7 Ales, No recorded including Dark music, TV or and LocAles plus 3 machines, large real ciders, Sunner garden, quality Kolsch and Hacker- home cooked pub Pschorr Beers.