PATTY'S FAREWELL TO THE BRICKLAYER'S ARMS
Commemorative Photo: Saturday, 8th October.

• After 5 years at The Bricklayer’s Arms in Putney, General Manager Patty Barbonne Allen finally decided to go home to America to spend more time with her family.

  Following her fantastic farewell party Saturday 1st October 2011, the pub organised a commemorative photo which was shot outside the pub on Saturday 8th October. A large number of Patty’s many Bricklayer’s Arms friends turned out for the ocassion.

BATTERSEA BEER OF THE FESTIVAL BREWERY TRIP

• The Beer of the Festival at Battersea this year was voted for by all those who filled in the form provided with their programme.

  

  The winning beer was Tunnel Vision (4.2% ABV) from Box Steam Brewery, Oaks Farm, Rode Hill, Nr Colerne, Wiltshire.

  There was a branch trip for Battersea Beer Festival workers to the Box Steam Brewery on Saturday 16th July 2011 to present them with their award.

  

  The CAMRA party enjoyed a tour of the brewery followed by some samples of the beers and a buffet.

  Battersea Beer Festival committee chair Tony Hedger presented the certificate to Philip Downes, the Box steam Brewery's Production Manager.

  The CAMRA coach then left for the Brewery's nearby Inn at Freshford, a fine old pub in a picturesque riverside setting, where lunch was taken.

  One of the group decided to skip the food and take the 20 minute riverside walk to Box Steam's other pub, the Good Beer Guide listed Cross Guns at Avoncliff where some more excellent beer was downed.

  After departing Freshford the coach party returned to South West London via a stop in Devizes, where a couple more excellent pubs were visited.

  You can see several more photos of the day on Flickr.com.

★ OLD SERGEANT - NEW MANAGEMENT ★
OFFICIAL RELAUNCH - WEDNESDAY 15TH JUNE

• 

  The Old Sergeant in Wandsworth’s Garratt Lane is marching towards a revival in traditional pub values, following the arrival of award-winning tenants Lee & Keris De Villiers in May 2011. Lee earned several industry and consumer awards whilst managing the popular Nightingale pub in Balham over the past seven years.

  Lee and Keris, along with Under Manager Bronwyn Cooper — all originally from South Africa — hosted an official relaunch on Wednesday 15 June. Lee said:

  We’ve already completed the installation of a new beer garden for the Summer and doubled the number of real ale hand pumps to six, and the reaction from our loyal customers suggests that we’re doing the right thing.

  We simply want to make this pub a welcoming place for everybody to meet, drink and have a chat in this lively part of London close to the King George Park and just along the road from the revamped Southside shopping centre in the heart of Wandsworth.

  As well as the re-upholstering of all stool tops and the addition of seasonal carpeting on the former saloon bar side for the Winter, future plans include a complete refurbishment of the upstairs Function Room, which following negotiations with the Youngs family is to be renamed the John Young Room.

  In addition to hosting themed food & drink specials each night, the Old Sergeant is bringing back Quiz Night on the first Monday of every month from October, along with live big-screen Premiership football, European and Six Nation rugby from Sky TV plus regular Movie Nights in the John Young Room.

  Download the Press Release (84KB .pdf) or follow the Old Sergeant Twitter Feed: twitter.com/oldsergeantpub.

EAGLE ALE HOUSE MEET THE BREWER EVENING

• The Eagle Ale House 104 Chatham Road, Battersea, SW11 6HG hosted a Meet the Brewer evening with WJ King of Horsham, Sussex on Thursday 26th May.
• Ian Burgess, the head brewer, formally of Harvey's and the world famous Truman Brewery in Brick Lane in London, gave an interactive presentation on the provenance of their ingredients and the rapidly advancing improvements in brewing science.

CAMRA BRANCH WEBSITE OF THE YEAR 2011
★ camraswl.org.uk WINS ★

• 

  We are very pleased to announce that this website camraswl.org.uk has been named the CAMRA Branch Website of the Year for 2011.

  The award was announced at the CAMRA Members' Weekend & AGM in Sheffield on Saturday 16th April.

  CAMRAswl chair Martin Butler accepted the award from Brett Laniosh on behalf of webmaster Mike Flynn.

  Hinckley & Bosworth Branch’s site [hinckleyandbosworthcamra.org.uk/] was judged the Most Improved Branch Website. Congratulations to webmaster Alan Cooke.

  See the CAMRA Facebook pages for some more photos from Sheffield.

DRINK RESPONSIBLY

• Hobsons Brewery in Worcestershire has teamed up with comedy band Mundo Jazz in a novel way to help customers to drink responsibly.
• They have created a beer called... Responsibly!
• Mundo Jazz are well known at music festivals for their hilarious and chaotic shows.
• The beer is described by the brewery as “a delicious, refreshing, British product with no air miles on it, made with all-natural ingredients that’s produced in an ecologically responsible way. At only 3.6% ABV, it’s all about the taste and less about the alcohol content”.

EARL FERRERS' CHARITY DAY - SAT. 5TH MARCH
in aid of the Christchurch Earthquake Victims

• 

  New Zealander Duncan Love, licensee of the Earl Ferrers, 22 Ellora Road, Streatham, SW16 6JF, hosted a Charity Day to help raise money for the victims of the recent earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand. This was on Saturday 5th March 2011 at the pub [earlferrers.co.uk].

  Click any of the photos for larger versions or see them all on Flickr.com.

  It was a themed day with New Zealand food and music, which was provided by a D.J.

  Kiwi Ale from Brodie's Brewery in East London was on sale at £3 per pint including a £1 donation to the Earthquake Appeal.

  As well as plenty of beer there was be lots of prizes raffled off throughout the day.

  Chuka Umunna, the M.P. for Streatham, came along during the afternoon to lend his support.

  If you didn't manage to make it to the pub on the day then click here to find some other ways you can make a donation to help the victims.

  [Read More]

CAMRA NATIONAL PUB OF THE YEAR 2010

THE HARP IS LONDON’S FIRST NATIONAL CHAMPION PUB

• 

  Congratulations to the HARP in Covent Garden which has been judged the winner of the prestigious CAMRA National Pub of the Year 2010.

  This popular Free House is at 47 Chandos Place, WC2N 4HS, directly opposite Charing Cross Police Station, just a couple of minutes walk from Trafalgar Square.

  The presentation was on Wednesday 16th February 2011 at the pub which was packed with a mixture of regulars and CAMRA members celebrating the award.

  You can see some photos of the pub on Flickr.com.

  You can also read Binnie’s reaction to the win on the HARP website or see Julian Hough’s speech and hear Binnie’s BBC London radio interview at www.youtube.com/user/HarpCoventGarden.

  The sixteen CAMRA Regional Pubs of the Year are entered for the CAMRA National Pub of the Year 2010 award.

  The HARP was one of four pubs in the final of the judging for Britain’s Best Pub. The other three contenders were THE TAPS, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire; The BEACON HOTEL, Sedgley, Dudley (the home of Sarah Hughes ales) and the SALUTATION, Ham, Berkeley, Gloucestershire.

• BATTERSEA BEER FESTIVAL

  
  Greg Mulholland M.P. opens the Battersea Beer Festival - Wednesday 9th February 2011.

  SW London CAMRA’s very own Battersea Beer Festival — the 21st — was at the usual venue, BAC, Lavender Hill, SW11 5TN. [Directions]

  The festival ran over three days from Wednesday 9 — Friday 11 February 2011, opening from 12.00—23.00 each day. For only the second time we had more than 5,000 people through the doors over the three days.

  Greg Mulholland M.P. declared the festival officially opened at 19.30 on Wednesday 9th February.

  Some 177 real ales from all over Britain were available during the festival [Beer List] as well as ciders & perries and a good selection of bottled and draught foreign beers. Hot and cold food was available at each session.

  Entry to the festival cost £3 (£2 before 17.00 on Wednesday) with current CAMRA members receiving a £1 discount on Wednesday and Thursday.

CHAMPION BEER OF BRITAIN 2012

A chance for ALL CAMRAswl branch members to have their say

• Nominations were required for the London/South East Champion Beer of Britain 2011 competition.
• The winners from this area competition go forward to the national Champion Beer of Britain 2012 competition, the final tasting to be held at the Great British Beer Festival in 2012.
• All branch members were eligibe to vote for their favourites, either at a branch meeting or on-line. To see what was chosen you can download a pdf file (66KB) of the CAMRAswl nominations for the Champion Beer of Britain 2012 or see our Members Page for more details.