NEWS - 2008
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Gloucestershire Pub Voted Best Pub in Britain!

15th February 2008

CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, today announced that the Old Spot in Dursley, Gloucestershire, has won the prestigious ‘National Pub of the Year' title.

The National Pub of the Year competition analyses all the criteria that makes a good pub including the quality of the beer, atmosphere, décor, customer service, clientele mix and value for money. The award will be presented to the pub on Friday 15th February in the build up to Community Pubs Week which starts on Saturday 16th February.

The Old Spot Inn is described in CAMRA's Good Beer Guide 2008 as 'This 100 year old free house, named after the Gloucestershire Old Spot pig, has been sympathetically restored by its owner, Ric Sainty. The intimate atmosphere is enhanced by log fires and brewery memorabilia. As well as Uley's Old Ric, named after the owner, it offers five guest beers, mainly from micro-brewers, served in five separate drinking areas.'

Julian Hough, CAMRA's Pubs Director and one of the final judges said, "The Old Spot Inn is a great example of how successful a well-run community pub can be. I would like to congratulate everybody at the Old Spot Inn on being judged Britain's finest pub."

More details about this award-winning pub can be found at www.oldspotinn.co.uk

Source: National CAMRA

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CAMRA slams inflation-busting beer duty increase.

12th March 2008

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has hit out at the Chancellor's decision to increase beer duty by 4 pence a pint in today's Budget, together with annual increases of 2% above inflation for the next four years. CAMRA HQ claims that the increase will lead to at least 20 pence on a pint over the bar, fuelling pub closures and increasing unregulated drinking as more choose to drink at home or on the streets. This is the first time ever that beer tax has increased by 4 pence - a rise of 13%!

CAMRA recently announced that 57 pubs are lost permanently every month as the price differential between pubs and supermarkets widens. Pubs provide a regulated environment for people to enjoy alcohol socially and responsibly.

Mike Benner, Chief Executive of CAMRA said, "The Chancellor has failed to recognise that well-run community pubs are the solution to Britain's binge drinking problems. This budget will do nothing to stop binge drinking, but it will lead to pub closures on a huge scale, widen the gap between supermarket and pub prices and encourage smuggling and cross-border shopping. It's a great big nail whacked ruthlessly into the coffin of the British pub."

He added, "The budget shows a disregard for our national drink and for the 15 million people who enjoy it responsibly."

CAMRA called for a cut in beer duty in the Budget to help pubs compete with supermarket prices. CAMRA believes that supermarket prices of beer are unlikely to be affected significantly by the tax increase, but pubs as small businesses, will have no choice but to increase prices at the bar.

Latest survey on pubs prices released today

The latest survey of pub prices across Britain is also released by CAMRA today. It shows that real ale prices across the UK have increased by 4.6% in the last year and the average price of a pint now sits at £2.45. CAMRA claims that average post-budget pub prices will now hit at least £2.65 for real ale and £2.85 for lager.

Source: National CAMRA

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Adderbury pub wins Pub of the Year 2008.

28th March 2008

We are pleased to announce the North Oxfordshire branch Pub of the Year 2008 is The Bell Inn at Adderbury. Well done to John and Trish Bellinger for their marvellous achievement. The couple have also recently been celebrating having won the 'Highest Scoring Beautiful Beer Pub' award at Hook Norton Brewery's Gold Awards in January.

Pub of the Year votes were counted during the branch meeting that took place on 18th March at The Rose & Crown in Charlbury, a previous Pub of the Year winner. Thanks go to the 45 members who voted in this years competition - a good number, but still only around 10% of our total North Oxfordshire membership.

The presentation will take place on Thursday 24th April from 8pm. There will be a buffet available along with reduced price beer.

Well done to the other five nominated pubs in this year's competition, those being; The Horse & Groom at Caulcott, The Peyton Arms at Stoke Lyne, The Woolpack at Banbury Cross, The Kings Head at Fritwell and The Plough at Finstock.

Source: North Oxfordshire CAMRA

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Royal Oak wins Oxfordshire Pub of the Year 2008.

5th July 2008

The Oxfordshire Pub Of The Year 2008 presentation to The Royal Oak in Wantage will take place on Wednesday 16 July at 8.00pm. All are welcome. Please spread the word to your branch members and friends.
 
For info, Stagecoach Bus 31 runs between Wantage Market Square and Oxford (St Aldates) via Abingdon.

Source: Vale Of White Horse CAMRA

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Good Beer Guide: ‘Supermarkets are killing the British Pub'

11th September 2008

At the launch of the Good Beer Guide 2009, CAMRA is calling on the Government to introduce measures to prevent supermarkets selling alcohol as a loss leader. In response to this week's announcement that 36 pubs are closing every week, with a gloomy outlook for many more British pubs, the consumer group is urging the Government to introduce minimum pricing to reduce the gap between supermarket and pub prices.
 
"Cheap beer in supermarkets - often sold at less than the price of bottled water - is killing the British pub", says CAMRA Good Beer Guide 2009 Editor Roger Protz as he launched the 2009 edition today (September 11th). "Over 150 pubs a month are closing", Protz said. "People are abandoning their locals because they can buy cheap supermarket beer at a fraction of the price charged by pubs."

CAMRA claims that well-run community pubs provide a perfect environment for adults to enjoy alcohol responsibly, but as small businesses, they are unable to absorb tax and cost increases and cannot demand the wholesale discounts enjoyed by supermarkets.

As a result of the 10% beer tax increase in this year's Budget, prices in pubs have increased by 4.4% in the last year and the average price of a pint of lager in a pub is now £2.82. In contrast, prices in the off trade have fallen by a further 1% as a result of huge price promotions. The Great British Pub is being targeted by ruthless off trade discounting that is resulting in falling pub visits and record pub closures.

In a recent CAMRA pricing survey, research found drastically low figures in the off-trade with mainstream global lager bands on sale for as little as 57 pence a pint.

Examples of price deals found in supermarkets in September 2008:

Sainsbury's: Foster's lager - 3 cases of 440ml cans (cases of 15) for £20. That's the equivalent of 57.4 pence per pint.

Asda: John Smith's Smooth Bitter - 3 cases of 440ml cans (cases of 15) for £20. That's also the equivalent of 57.4 pence per pint.

Lidl: 8 cans of 440ml Carlsberg lager for £4.49. That's the equivalent of 56.9 pence per pint.

Roger Protz describes the relationship between big brewers and supermarkets as, "the economics of the mad house. Coors, the American giant that now owns the former Bass breweries in Britain, has seen its profits halve in recent years - mainly as a result of the deep discounts demanded by the retailers.

"One solution is for England and Wales to follow the example of the Scottish government and consider a minimum pricing policy for alcohol sold in the off-trade. Urgent action is needed to help save that great British institution - your friendly, neighbourhood local."

Source: National CAMRA

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