NEWS - 2006
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CAMRA asks you to confirm the pub as icon

23rd January 2006

On Monday January 12 the government launched The Icons Online project, designed to allow the public to nominate and vote for what symbols best represent England. Within hours of the website being set up both Real Ale and pubs had been nominated and CAMRA are asking people to vote and ensure they secure their rightful place on the list. The list is will be changed every three months according to online votes received for each item. Once in the top 10 that nomination will then be an official English icon.

Source: National Camra

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Harviestoun is Caledonian's

29th January 2006

Caledonian Brewing Company has swallowed up rival Harviestoun Brewery, famous for its Bitter & Twisted real ale, for more than £1 million. The deal will see increased production at Harviestoun, said Caledonian joint chairman Donald MacDonald, who owns the brewery with Sandy Orr. Harviestoun, which was founded in a byre in Dollar in 1985, moved to new premises outside Alva, Clackmannanshire, two years ago. The brewery has an annual production capacity of 20,000 hectolitres, compared to 240,000 hectolitres at Caledonian’s Slateford Road plant in Edinburgh. Stephen Crawley, Caledonian managing director, said it will keep all five staff at Harviestoun. Harviestoun founder Ken Brooker, 59, will retire but retain “an ambassadorial role”. Crawley added: “The Harviestoun portfolio fits perfectly into our range. Bitter & Twisted was the Campaign for Real Ale [Camra] champion beer in 2003, the year after our Deuchars IPA won the award. The success and growth achieved by Ken mirrors that of Caledonian.”

Source: Local Press

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National Pubs Week

4th February 2006

National Pubs Week 2006 starts on Saturday 18th February, and is a week long event to celebrate everything that is good abut our pubs, why not find if your pub is organsining an event, or why not join us on 21st February for our event at The Tite Inn.

Source: National Camra

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National Pub Of The Year

17th February 2006

It is the second time The Swan has won the coveted award. The last time was in 2002 and owners John Pascoe and his wife Valerie say they could not be more delighted that their hard work and attention to details has been recognised once again – particularly as the pub was threatened with closure before they took it over.

Source: National Camra

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The Plough at Bodicote reopens

22nd March 2006

The pub reopens this Friday, 24th March after a period of closure to allow its new owners, Wadworth to refurbish the pub.

Source: North Oxfordshire Camra

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Branch Pub Of The Year (POTY)

25th March 2006

Congratulations to The Rose & Crown at Charlbury for winning North Oxfordshire Branch Pub of The Year. The pub will now go forward to the Central Southern POTY, which will see it compete with pubs from the 10 other branches within Central Southern area. Why not come to the presentation at the pub on Sunday 14th May at 4pm.

Source: North Oxfordshire Camra

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Shock as Youngs brewery is to close

23rd May 2006

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) is disappointed by the announcement today (May 23nd) that Young's will close the Ram Brewery in central Wandsworth and move production to Bedford by October 2006. Young's has set up a joint venture with Charles Wells Brewery to brew its beers at the Eagle Brewery in Bedford, and despite assurances that the two companies will continue to operate their respective pub estates independently CAMRA is very concerned over the possible implications of the move. However CAMRA takes some reassurance from the fact that Young's will remain a vertically integrated company. CAMRA Chief Executive Mike Benner said: “We have known for some time that Young's could not continue at its present site, but we held out hope that efforts to find a suitable local alternative would bear fruit and not spell the death of more than four centuries of brewing tradition in Wandsworth.

Source: National Camra

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Greene King buys yet another brewer

19th June 2006

The Campaign for Real Ale today called on shareholders of Hardys & Hansons to reject the takeover offer from Greene King and draw a line in the sand on behalf of beer consumers. The consumer group also said the reintroduction of the Guest Beer Right is vital in order to protect consumer choice in the light of recent takeovers and mergers. The offer to buy Nottingham based Hardys & Hansons is the latest in a series of acquisitions that has seen Greene King devour ten rivals in ten years. CAMRA Chief Executive Mike Benner said: “If this deal goes through, history has shown us that Hardys & Hansons' brewery and beers will not be in safe hands. Now is the time for the shareholders who truly care about this excellent brewery with more than 174 years of history to make a stand and reject this offer. CAMRA is concerned that the acquisition of Hardys & Hansons 268 strong pub estate would take the number of pubs owned by Greene King and selling its beers to around 2680 nationwide. Having such a massive presence can only be damaging to consumer choice.

Source: National Camra

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Champion Beer of Britain Announced

13th August 2006

Brewers Gold brewed by Crouch Vale of Essex was judged to be the best beer in Britain for an incredible second consecutive year by a panel of brewers, beer writers and journalists at the Great British Beer Festival at Earls Court. Colin Bocking, Managing Director of Crouch Vale brewery said, “I am speechless. It was enough of a surprise to have won Champion Beer of Britain in 2005, but to have been voted Britain's best beer for a second year in a row is truly unbelievable." The Silver award went to Harveys brewery in Sussex for their Sussex Best Bitter. The Bronze was awarded to Triple fff brewery in Hampshire for Moondance.

Source: National Camra

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Local village pub closure to be challenged

16th September 2006

The Bishop Blaize Inn, in Burdrop between Sibford Ferris and Sibford Gower has a planning application for change of use from a pub to a house, meaning the closure of the pub if agreed. We urge all users of the pub to object to the planning application. Click on the link below to see the planning application.
Original article

Source: North Oxfordshire Camra

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