Campaign For Real Ale

SOMERSET PINTS OF VIEW SUMMER 2017

This is the home page of the Somerset Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) which covers most of the county of Somerset.

The website is new and developing so please bear with us whilst we go through the inevitable teething problems. The aim is to provide members with all the information about the branch activity in this area and nationally.

It will also provide visitors with information on the pubs, breweries and beers and ciders in the area and supporting information to enable the visitor to enjoy this beautiful and often ignored area.

Please use the menu on the left to navigate to the page of interest. The site will include multiple hyperlinks to other sites of interest, including breweries, pubs, tourist sites, etc. Hyperlinks will be shown in blue and underlined, so just use your mouse to click on the link and you will be taken to the appropriate external website. This will also work within the website for internal hyperlinks.

Bristol's SW Regional Campaigning Day

This Saturday 17th June 2017. Please note that despite what was written in the article in current edition of Pints of View on page 25, Castle Cary Station will no longer be a pick up point. Anyone wishing to attend please book on https://goo.gl/AeD6xs. Over 60 have booked already. For Somerset Branch members that want to participate in the days events, Wells is served by Buses of Somerset service 29 from Taunton and 77 from Yeovil.

NO SOMERSET CAMRA BEER & CIDER FESTIVAL 2017

It is with great sadness and not a little frustration and annoyance that the branch must admit defeat and announce that there will be NO Somerset CAMRA Beer & Cider Festival this year.
Since loosing the superb venue of Minehead Station due to a few miserable individuals within the hierarchy of WSR finally getting their way the branch has struggled to find a suitable venue to host the festival. Finally early this year with a lot of support from Minehead Rugby club we thought we had cracked it and hoped to run a festival on the usual dates in September this year. Sadly this will NOT be the case. WHY??
In order to run a CAMRA beer festival the branch must first submit a budget to CAMRA head office. This basically sets out how we will run the festival, including beer quantities, costs, expected attendance numbers etc. and crucially the amount of potential profit we would make. The branch filled in the required budget form and submitted it to CAMRA head office and the budget scrutineer. The first budget proposed a profit of £2000.00 which was rejected, the second a profit of over £4000.00 again rejected as not a sufficient amount!!!!.
To say that the branch was surprised, frustrated and very annoyed is an understatement. The branch has run over 20 beer festivals all of which made a profit with the exception of the last one organised at very short notice which made a slight loss, so what has changed?. The branch would really like to know, clearly something has changed at head office and if potential profits of £2000.00 to £4000.00 are not enough then the branch are at a loss of where to go. We are awaiting answers from head office, but are not holding our breath.
What the future holds we are not sure, the branch are still very keen to hold a festival in Somerset and bring you some of the finest examples of real ale the UK can produce but without the support of CAMRA Nationally this would currently appear to be impossible. So once again please accept our apologies , we have tried, really tried, but to no avail. Thanks again for the very generous help and support from Minehead Rugby Club and NO THANKS TO CAMRA NATIONALLY.
Colin Heapy ( Webmaster, currently )

CAMRA Somerset Branch needs YOU

How about getting more involved in the running of your local branch? There are several vacancies on the committee and we need people to make things happen, such as doing the groundwork for the annual Beer Festival. If you can spare a bit of time, or can offer any knowledge or expertise then come along to the next Branch Meeting (see Branch Diary page) or contact our Branch Secretary - Katie Redgate (see Contacts page).

We also need your help to keep our What Pub database up-to-date and fully comprehensive. See the WHAT PUB (LOCAL) page to see how you can help by supplying information, photographs and beer ratings.

QUANTOCK BREWERY NEWS

Unfortunately a section in the last "Pints of View" newsletter was printed under the "Thoughts of Chairman Mick" stating that Quantock Brewery had gone into liquidation. This was a mistake and should have read administration, and as we all know there is a massive difference. Quantock Brewery are now out of administration and moving forward. Quantock Brewery made the statement, "We are extremely pleased to announce that following a short period of administration the business and assets of QB LTD have been purchased. This fresh investment will protect and build on Quantock Brewery's success and will enable us to implement a large range of exciting plans for our future."

It should be known that Quantock never faltered during this time and are still brewing to capacity with new and exciting brews in the making like the new QPA a stunning 4% Pale ale and with new brews to come. Check out their website at http://www.quantockbrewery.co.uk, or even better, make a trip to the brewery tap to try the beers on offer. Somerset CAMRA apologise for any confusion caused during this time.

Pub and Club of the Year Presentations in Watchet

It was a great day for Watchet on Saturday 1st April 2017 when the Somerset Branch of CAMRA made presentations for Cider Pub of the Year to Pebbles Tavern, Joint Club of the Year to the Esplanade Club and for 15 years inclusion in the Good Beer Guide for the Star Inn.

March 2017: New Management at the Blue Ball Inn, Triscombe

Tim Young from the Farmers Arms, Combe Florey, has now taken over the Blue Ball Inn at Triscombe. He had an opening party at the Blue Ball on the 10th March 2017, where Mick presented Tim with his certificate and Glen presented him with his trophy for Beer of the Festival 2016 (Kiwi No Pants IPA).

NEW SOUTH WEST REGION WEBSITE

There is now a new web site for the whole of the South West Region this can be found using the link SOUTH WEST CAMRA WEBSITE, check it out

CAMRA 4 PINT TAKEAWAYS

The following pubs now have 4 pint takeaways For you to able to enjoy your Real Ales/ Cider/Perry in the comfort of your home.

Cross Keys, Lydford-on-Foss ~ Farmers Arms, Combe Flory ~ Halfway House, Pitney ~ Quantock Brewery Bar, Bishops Lydeard ~ Ring of Bells, St James Street, Taunton.

Ask at the Bar and enjoy.

NEW J. D. WETHERSPOON PUB HAS OPENED IN WELLINGTON

The Iron Duke opened at the end of August 2016 in Wellington. JD Wetherspoon has spent £2.3 million developing the new pub, at the site of the old Town Hall Building in Fore Street, which was built in 1833. Features include one bar, a roof-top beer garden and a side roof-top terrace. as well as being wheelchair accessible.

THE FARMERS ARMS, COMBE FLORY IS CURRENTLY CLOSED DUE TO A ROOF FIRE

A fire started around 15:20 on the 11th January due a spark from a wood burner, the fire destroyed part of the roof and caused extensive water damage however the kitchen and cellar were saved and just need a good clean. The insurers have been very helpful and it is hoped that a pop up pub probably using a marquee should appear in around 4 weeks to keep the business operating whilst full renovations are made. WATCH THIS SPACE FOR FURTHER DETAILS AND WHEN THE POP UP PUB WILL BE OPEN. The branch wishes Tim and is staff the best of luck during these difficult times and look forward to drinking at the Farmers in the not too distant future.

THE VOTES ARE IN AND PUB OF THE YEAR 2017 IS THE CROSSWAYS AT WEST HUNTSPILL CONGRATULATIONS.

A full article will appear shortly

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE BREWERS ARMS WINNER OF PUB OF THE YEAR 2016

Congratulations to the Brewers Arms at South Petherton who after being runner up so many times have very deservedly won the title 2016 Somerset Pub of the Year, well done all involved in this fantastic village pub. There will be a presentation on Saturday 13th February at 1:00pm see branch diary for further details. A more detailed article will be posted on the Branch Pub Awards page shortly. So please come along and help celebrate on the 13th.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WYVERN CLUB , SOMERSET CLUB OF THE YEAR FOR 2016 AND JOINT WINNER (WITH THE ESPLANADE CLUB) 2017

Below is a photograph of the presentation last year, so congratulations again.