CAMRA - Office of Fair Trading Faces Legal Challenge From Consumers

CAMRA is continuing to fight back against anti-competitive practices in the UK pub market by issuing a legal challenge to the Office of Fair Trading’s decision to reject its super-complaint submitted in July 2009.

To appeal the decision, CAMRA has used its power under the Enterprise Act 2002 to take the OFT’s decision to the Competition Appeals Tribunal for the equivalent of a judicial review.

In October, the OFT rejected CAMRA’s super-complaint on the grounds that consumers benefit from a good deal of competition and choice in the pubs sector, although the consumer group submitted contrary evidence.

CAMRA’s super-complaint centred on the need to reform beer tie arrangements to prevent large companies exploiting tie arrangements that prevent tied publicans from buying beer on the open market at fair prices. CAMRA’s complaint highlighted that the total cost to consumers as a result of inadequate competition could be as high as £2.5 billion every year without even taking into account the restricted choice of beers available and the closure of many valued community pubs. More widely, the complaint hoped to secure a fair deal for the pub-goer, and build a sustainable future for Britain’s pubs.

With the inability of the OFT to recognise the problems highlighted by CAMRA, the consumer group has issued a legal challenge using its own campaigning funds, but is depending on consumers to back the appeal via donation to give it the best chance of success.

From Tuesday January 5th 2010, CAMRA will be launching the ‘Consumers v. OFT Pub Market Ruling’ Campaign Fund via its national website, www.camra.org.uk.

On submitting the appeal, Mike Benner, CAMRA Chief Executive, urged consumers and trade bodies to get behind the Campaign Fund and support the appeal. Discussing the reversal of the OFT’s decision, he said:

‘We’ve seen the consumer watchdog scrutinised in previous years with the success of the Association of Convenience Stores’ appeal in 2005 in overturning the OFT’s decision at Tribunal level. Pending the success of our appeal, CAMRA remains optimistic of Government intervention or a referral to the Competition Commission for a full investigation into the UK pub market.’

The Good Beer Guide: "The definitive rundown of the best places in the UK to get a pint of real ale, from cosy country inns to upmarket style bars." Time Out MagazineBritain’s No1 beer guide.Now in its 36th year, the Good Beer Guide is packed with updated infor-mation on thousands of pubs and every UK brewery - micro, regional and national - producing cask beer.

For an independent guide to good beer and good pubs, there's only one choice the Good Beer Guide, or GBG. Completely revised each year by CAMRA members up and down the country, they decide the best pubs in their areas and the GBG publishes the details.
It has more than 4,500 full pub descriptions in town and country. In addition to beers available, each details food, pub history, architecture, transport links, beer gardens, accommodation, disabled access, and suitability for families, using both written description and symbols.
This year's GBG lists 1,227 new pub entries and 73 new breweries amongst the 668 listed, brewing over 2,500 beers.
Local CAMRA members survey pubs and score them on a variety of aspects that make a great pub - customer service, whether it appeals to 18 to 80-year-olds, value for money, décor and of course the quality of the real ale.
Wherever you are in the UK, the ‘beer drinker’s bible’ is your guide to the best beer and pubs - why would you possibly be without a copy?
What great Christmas or birthday present! The Good Beer Guide costs £14.99 in all good book shops - or online at just £13.99 from www.camra.org.uk/shop Alternatively you can pick up a copy at the Richmond Ale Festival on 17-19 October. GBG goes mobile!
This year you can get the Good Beer Guide 2009 not just as a book, but as Sat-Nav POI files to download on TomTom, Garmin and Navman devices. And now you can even have details of local GBG listed pubs and beers sent direct to your mobile phone from as little as 5.5 pence per day (plus your standard network Internet charges).
They allow you to see the locations of all the 4,500-plus Good Beer Guide 2009 pubs and plan routes to them. So, now, wherever you are, there's no excuse for not finding your nearest GBG pub!
The file is simple to install and, at just £5.00, it's the perfect tool for any serious pub explorer. No more wasting time thumbing through road atlases or getting lost down country lanes. Navigate your way easily, every time, and make the most of Britain's best pubs - just text camra to 88080 and wait for a reply.

Bar Talk - Update your beer knowledge without extensive bar conversations.

An A - Z of tasting beer – CABBAGE
What does hot lager smell of? A question the real ale drinker may rarely consider important or worth investigating. A cabbage or dimethyl sulphide (DMS) flavour is, however, a distinctive in some beers generally lagers but including at times bitters and pale ales.
To experience the full character of DMS agitate a warmish half pint of lager in a pint glass and breath deeply. A variety of vegetables are likely to dominate the aroma with cabbage and sweet corn the most common. Identification of these may be easier to some people than others depending on your proclivity for greens in your dinner.
A certain low level of these flavours is natural in lagers and should blend with hoppiness to provide a rich and pungent character to the beer. In ales even lower levels would be unacceptable and a vegetal smell should never dominate the typical malt and hop characters of standard bitters and pale ales. Dark ales are more forgiving due to strong roast and caramel flavours dominating any DMS which may develop.
DMS arises from the malt but is at low levels in ale malt due to its higher roasting temperature. Lager malt is roasted at lower temperatures and has more potential for DMS formation.
Excessive levels of DMS in real ale may arise from the use of lager malt by mistake but more likely from contamination by bacteria.
Before you complain check you aren't drinking someone else's warm lager by mistake or standing next to the food counter. Vegetables and ale rarely mix and any bitter with a pungent cabbage aroma is more suited to a dose of gravy than a public bar enjoyment.

Diary Dates

See What’s Brewing for any changes or additions.
Our regular Branch meetings discuss matters relating to beer and pubs over a pint or two (only the AGM is just for CAMRA members). Dates may change so please check first by calling 01609 779709 or email camra_nwyorks@ yahoo.co.uk.
Wednesday 14 November - 8pm Nag’s Head, Pickhill.
Wednesday 12 December - Christmas Social and meal, To be arranged - see What’s Brewing for details. All welcome but must book.
Branch meetings: usually on the 2nd Weds each month (except August). Lift sharing available from many areas. 2010 GBG reviews begin early in the New Year.

Hampshire beer is Britain’s best

The 3.8% Alton's Pride brewed by Triple fff Brewery in Hampshire is the best beer in Britain, judged by a panel of brewers, beer writers and journalists.
The beer beat more than 60 finalists in seven categories (Best Bitters, Bitters, Golden Ales, Milds, Speciality, Winter Beer and Strong Bitters) including beers from tiny micros to major regional brewers.
The craft brewery only opened in 1997 with a five barrel plant and has just opened a new brewhouse ten times larger.
The overall Silver award went to Beckstones’ Black Dog Freddy of Cumbria and the Bronze to Wickwar Brewery’s Station Porter, from Gloucestershire, which was also 2008 Winter Beer of Britain winner.
Yorkshire winners were Rudgate’s Ruby Mild (Silver, Milds), Timorthy Taylor’s Landlord (Bronze, Best Bitters) and Wentworth Bumble Beer (Silver, Speciality Beers).It’s back!

One of the most anticipated events in Richmond’s calendar - now the Ale Festival is here again for a 7th great year.

Richmond's historic Market Hall will have more than the regular market traders with their variety of stalls on 17-19 October. For when they shut up shop for the day, the volunteers from CAMRA's North West Yorkshire Branch move in to stage the 7th Richmond Ale Festival - a celebration of traditional cask beers and ciders from producers across the country. Richmond Ale Festival will see more than 30 cask conditioned ales and ciders on tap when it opens on the Friday (5pm - 11pm). On the Saturday, there will be a relaxed, seated-only ‘cafe bar’ session from 2pm with a limited number of places, before we open fully at 4.30pm until 11pm. On Sunday afternoon, we are open from 11.30am - 4pm.
The range will include a wide range of beer styles - Milds, Bitters of varying strengths and styles, several Strong Beers and a variety of other styles ranging from Blondes to Stouts and more. With October designated as CAMRA's 'Cider Month', you can expect to find several ciders plus some delicious fruit wines, and soft drinks for non-drinkers.
What's more, admission is free!
Independent brewers T&R Theakston of Masham are sponsoring a very lively music programme of free entertainment on the Friday and Saturday nights.
We also have both Yorkshire-based Market Town Taverns (who run the very successful Tithe Bar in Northallerton) and the famous Black Sheep Brewery from Masham to thank for stepping in with invaluable sponsorship to help stage the festival. Copper Dragon, Darwin, Wensleydale, Yorkshire Dales and the new Richmond Breweries are among the smaller breweries to support the Festival in various ways. Expect to see their beers, plus some real surprises rarely seen in this neck of the woods, over the weekend.
We can even offer carry-out containers to enjoy your real ale at home - just ask at the bar.
Topping it all will be a range of traditional bar games - including the super “Jenga” challenge - just how high can you get that tower? Sunday afternoon is the time to find out!
Without the support from Richmond Town Council and a host of other organisations including breweries, Swaledale Road Runners and many local musicians, the Ale Festival could not happen. So let's raise a glass to them all and, of course, the market traders and caretakers for being so accommodating and understanding.
Cheers!
Beer of the Festival
As voted by festivalgoers - last year’s winner was Rooster’s Amarillo. There is the oportunity for every visitor to vote for their favourite festival beer, so don’t forget to fill in a voting slip at each session.
Great music...in tune with the festival
There’s a host of free entertainment at this year’s Ale Festival. Friday evening will see some soothing jazz and blues from Jazz Me Blues. Cool sounds to go with some great beer! On Saturday, the fabled Town Hall Jammers return to bring their great session of rock & roll, soul, blues, R'n'B, acoustic and otherwise - this really does look like boiling up into a great night. And Sunday afternoon promises real fun running and games. The Ale Festival coincides with the Hilly Richmond Castle 10k Road Race on the Sunday morning - and what better way to celebrate after crossing the finish line after all those hills than with a refreshing drop of real ale?
The bar will open at around the same time as the winner crosses the nearby finish line, so there’s no need to go home thirsty, no matter how tired you are!Excuse me Sir, would you like to accompany me to the … Pub?!
Asking the police to accompany you on a pub crawl sounds like asking for trouble but Richmond offers a uniformed service to guide you in the right direction. During the Richmond Ale Festival, historic pub walks can give you a unique insight behind the face of the town's public houses, many of which date from Georgian times.
Guided by Barry Heap in the costume of a mid-19th century constable, the walk covers the ground policed by Constable Charles Manley, keeping order amongst the navvies building the town's railway in the 1840's. Happily Richmond is less threatening today and Barry's walk not only shows the history of today's pubs but also many of those converted to other purposes. Look out for details of when walks will leave the festival and enjoy a bit of yesterday's drinking today.Ale Festival Opening Times:
Friday 17 October: The Festival opens from 5pm-11pm, with jazz and blues entertainment from Jazz Me Blues from mid-evening onwards.
Saturday 18 October: From 2pm- 4.30pm, there’s a ‘cafe bar’ session - seated only and with very limited room only - why not come and enjoy a relaxed pint while you’re doing your market shopping? The full festival will open once the market closes, from 4.30pm-11pm, with music from the Town Hall Jammers from mid-evening onwards.
Sunday 19 October: 11.30-4pm, Refresh yourself after the Richmond Castle 10k road race, then it’s time for some fun with our giant pub games! Note the earlier closing time this year.

Black Lion roars again

New beers are promised for Richmond with the refurbishment of the Black Lion in Finkle Street. Recently taken over by David and Angela Wright, the Black Lion has a long tradition of Flowers IPA as a regular, alongside Black Sheep. Sales are busy and a regular guest, often from local breweries, is now regularly available.
The Black Lion has a long legacy as a busy beer bar and a popular meeting place. In recent memory its heyday came when run by Stephen Foster and managed by Keith Petty including serving late into the night (for resident drinkers only, of course). Music was a major attraction with informal but popular Friday performances in the back snug attracting a crowded audience. Sadly Keith died in 1997 and drinkers drifted away. The pub shut for a period and was badly wrecked by squatters before being renovated in 2007.
David and Andrea have a strong commitment to real ale and to community pubs. Regulars are again in the front bar and the back snug has been opened up by the removal of the bar and fittings. The very long beer lines from the cellar were not the best for hygiene and the increased space should provide good opportunity for performers.
Accommodation is available and a beer festival package (including free pint on arrival) is available to support the festival weekend. David and Angela are looking forward to a busy programme of guest ales for their bar and are keen to taste the range of ales on offer at the festival. Hopefully there will be a reappearance of many in the Black Lion before long.

100 Belgian Beers To Try Before You Die!

By Tim Webb and Joris Pattyn
This book showcases 100 of the best Belgian beers, as chosen by internationally-known beer writers. Lavishly illustrated, the book encourages the reader to sample Belgian beers for themselves.
Entries detail beer styles and ABVs, the available bottle sizes and whether it is served on draught, with contact information is given for each brewery and details of UK importers to help readers find and try the beers for themselves.
Detailed tasting notes help readers explore the complex and delicious flavours of each beer.
Price £12.99 from bookshops or online from CAMRA books. Yet another answer to that Christmas dilemma!

Brothers bag rescue deal for Cains

Former owners Sudarghara and Ajmail Dusanj have brewed up a deal to buy back Liverpool's historic Cains' Brewery.
The brewery had been threatened when it went into administration after running up half-year losses of £4.6m after its take-over of a larger pub company last year fell foul of the credit crunch. Administrator PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) took control of the assets and, keeping brewing going, received around 50 expressions of interest in the brewery and its 100 pubs.
But in late September, the brothers completed their buy-out of the magnificent Victorian brewery and nine pubs they originally bought in 2002.
Their trump card proved to be the fact that a separate family-owned trust still owned the brewery freehold. Around 100 brewery and pub staff were expected to stay with the new company.
The news will bring delight to Liverpool's drinkers. Cains 2008 Culture Beer is the official beer of Liverpool's European City of Culture for 2008. Other brands include IPA, Raisin Beer and Formidable.
CAMRA had pledged to support any buyer who will keep the historic Liverpool brewery in production. The news gives what many believe is the best chance for its continued operation.
The sale does not include nearly 90 north west pubs Cains took over in 2007.
Cains' brewery trips have continued unabated and are worth looking out if you are visiting Liverpool and looking for a bit of real culture - see www.cains.co.uk for information about the brewery.

Brewery News

Richmond Brewing Company is a new venture set up by Andy Hamilton and Richard Bowerman, both experienced head brewers. Sited in the town's magnificently restored former railway station, now a new tourist attraction, the company aims to provide “first class ales in bottle and cask to … Richmond and the Yorkshire area”.
Production began in the new 6-barrel plant earlier this year, since when it has been a regular at the Station's café bar and elswhere. You can also buy bottles to take away from the brewery's shop.
Initial brews have included a Richmond Station Ale and a Stump Cross Ale, with seasonal products to follow.
Andy has 28 years brewing experience with Tennents, Ruddles, Websters, JSmiths, Theakstons and Newcastle breweries, as well as managing a pub. Richard has more than 16 years brewing experience with a similar range of brewers and, three years ago, bought the famous tourist attraction at Stump Cross Caverns.
Wensleydale Brewery The happy news is that this brewery is up and running again, with brewer Peter Fairhall maintaining the quality every bit as good as it was before he took a break to welcome a new member of his family.
Recent brews have included Rowley Mild, Poacher, Semerwater and a new version of Gamekeeper, based on an old recipe. Recently on sale at The Crown Inn at Manfield, it has been reported to be excellent. Wensleydale beers have also been available at Number 22 in Darlington and at the Cover Bridge Inn.
Yorkshire Dales Brewing Co., Askrigg: Rob Wiltshire at this burgeoning micro-brewery has been able to continue to grow his business over the last twelve months, which is commendable in a year of difficult trading conditions.
“The Brewery is currently running almost to capacity with sales in July breaking all records,” Rob told Daley Ale. “The general trend has seen sales continue like-for-like but the growth has come from strong support from local ale houses, which has had a significant impact," was the pleasing news. The Brewery has supported some popular beer festivals, with Newcastle’s renowned The Bacchus, a Sir John Fitzgerald house, hosted a weekend selling solely Yorkshire Dales Brewery beers - more than 1,100 pints from quaffed in one short weekend!
The North Riding in Scarborough needed something different for their Festival so Stuart, the landlord, ventured to the Dales to assist Rob in creating it. It turned out to be the quirkily named 'Cocoa Hops' containing, in addition to a complex blend of six malts, 5 kilos of real Belgian chocolate. At 4.6% this proved to be a true Chocolate Porter and stole the show, Stuart informed us.
"The beers," Rob said, "Continue to travel by direct delivery to some of the finest ale houses across the North, from Whitley Bay to Llangollen in North Wales". Long may this last, we say!
Kelda Brewing Co - Although plans for a brewery on site at the Keld Lodge Hotel at Keld, Swaledale, haven’t yet come to fruition, Kelda beers are on tap. Initially brewed at Litton, Kelda Pale and Kelda Gold are currently being produced at a plant in Keighley.

Supermarkets are 'killing the British Pub'

150 pubs are closing every month
CAMRA is urging the Government to introduce measures to prevent supermarkets selling alcohol as a loss leader. 36 pubs are closing every week and, with a gloomy outlook for many more British pubs, the consumer group is urging the Government 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. “Over 150 pubs a month are closing,” Protz said. “
And the main reason is simple: 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 can't absorb tax and cost increases or demand the wholesale discounts enjoyed by supermarkets. It's no longer a level playing field. Industry statistics show off-trade beer prices are 1% down in the last year, yet pub prices are up by 4.4%. Since 2002, off-trade beer prices fell by 7% with pub prices 24% up. Following this year's Budget tax hike, pub prices are 4.4% up in the last year, yet off-trade prices are down due to huge price promotions. The result is falling pub visits and record closures.
CAMRA believes the Government should help pubs as they are the best place to enjoy alcohol responsibly in a regulated and socially controlled environment. Recent CAMRA research found drastically low off-trade prices. For example, supermarkets were recently selling three cases of 440ml Foster's or John Smith's Smooth cans for £20 - just 57.4p per pint! Another offered eight cans of Carlsberg for £4.49 56.9 p a pint.
Mr Protz added: “When a pub closes the community's heart is ripped out and dies. It's a particular problem in rural areas, where the village pub is the heart of the community. People go to pubs for friendship, conversation, to enjoy an affordable meal, or just quietly read a newspaper.
“And pubs are regulated licensed premises. Publicans who permit bad behaviour will lose their licences.
“Supermarkets face no such restraints. They have no idea what happens to cheap alcohol once it leaves their stores. In too many cases, it's passed on to under-age drinkers. Supermarkets, not pubs, encourage binge drinking, with their massively discounted sales of alcohol.” Roger describes the pricing system as “the economics of the mad house”.
American giant Coors, owner of the former Bass breweries, has seen its profits halve in recent years - mainly due to the deep discounts demanded by the retailers.
Scotland has a minimum pricing policy for off-trade sales.
Urgent action is needed to help save that great British institution - your friendly, neighbourhood local.
l In the NW Yorks CAMRA area, pubs currently or recently closed include the
Three Horse Shoes, Brompton (Northallerton pictured on our cover), Crown at Brompton-on-Swale, Swaledale Arms at Morton-on-Swale, Colburn Lodge at Colburn, Kings Arms at Redmire, George & Dragon at Hudswell, and the Board, in Richmond.

Grants could help pub survival

The Government is encouraging village pubs to bid for grants as community meeting places and other local facilities to help them to stay open. Local Government Minister John Healey said: “Councils have a number of powers they can use to support their communities. I have said I want to see more councils using these powers creatively to meet the needs of their communities. If there is a good case, there is no reason why they shouldn't support their local pub, shop or any other business.”
Local Government Association chairman Margaret Eaton added: “Pubs are often at the heart of village life, and are important meeting places.”
To qualify, the pub must offer new facilities such as a shop, a meeting place for the parish council or clubs for elderly people and mother and toddler groups. Some 40 rural pubs have already received grants - usually around £5,000 for half the project costs, with the landlords making up the rest.

Tithe Bar is NW Yorks Pub of the Year

Northallerton’s Tithe Bar is the toast of the town after CAMRA NW Yorkshire Branch members voted it the area’s Pub of the Year for 2008. The bar has built up as strong reputation for its excellent range of cask ales - six are always on offer, including one from the Timothy Taylor’s range and the others constantly rotating guest beers, always from smaller brewers, usually from Yorkshire.
If you’ve never sampled its delights, the decor is smart but simple and bears many similarities with a Belgian cafe-bar. Like all the ten bars run by the small and real ale-friendly Market Town Taverns chain, it also stocks an interesting range of imported beers, including a good Belgian selection.
There’s also an appetising selection of bar snacks and meals and, if you fancy something a little more refined, there’s the Hop Bine Brasserie upstairs offering excellent evening meals.
They are a friendly bunch at the Tithe Bar and they organise occasional music nights, often on Sundays, with a quiz on Wednesdays.
Although one of the town’s few pubs not on its High Street, you don’t have to stray far for find it on Friarage Street, just 50 yards off on the way up to the Friarage Hospital, next door to Blockbusters video store. CAMRA 2009 Good Beer Guide listed (where it’s been a regular for several years), if you are after a wide range of consistently high-quality beers in pleasant surroundings, this is the place for you!
Joint runners-up were the Cover Bridge Inn at East Witton and the Three Horseshoes at Wensley.
The Cover Bridge, situated on a sharp bend in the Mashm-Middleham road where it crosses the River Cover, is a multi-CAMRA award-winner. More than 300 years old, it is quite simply everything a country pub should be. The bar, with its huge inglenook fireplace, oozes character and there’s a wonderful beer garden with the river at the foot of it.
Full of character, there are usually eight real ales on tap, and tremendous no-nonsense country cooking.
Four or five miles away - just up Wensleydale west of Leyburn, is the Three Horseshoes at Wensley. If the Cover Bridge is everything a country pub should be, well - so is this!
Easy to understand why it was a tie in the awards then!
What’s unique about this pub is that, while there are several ales on handpump, it’s the only one in the entire area to offer two beers served by gravity - no pumps, straight from the barrel.
There are just two rooms, both basic but very attractive with low beams and a grand piano in the bar. Outside are the Gents (!) and a wonderful terrace overlooking Wensleydale.Other local awards and commendations
As well as our CAMRA Pub of the Year Awards for North West Yorkshire, every month, local CAMRA Branch members vote on a pub deserving special attention - it could be for the quality of its ale, putting on a beer festival, or launching a new guest beer. Congratulations to the winners of these commendations - they are all great pubs selling great beer and there’s bound to be one near you. Recent commendations have gone to:
The Golden Lion, Osmotherley; Keld Lodge, Keld; The Green Tree, Patrick Brompton; The Milbank Arms, Well; The George & Dragon, Hudswell (currently closed); The Three Horseshoes, Wensley; The Fox & Hounds, West Witton; and the Old Horn Inn, Spennithorne
CAMRA members can join in the voting at our monthly Branch meetings (see p13).

Didn't we have a luvverly time

… the day we went to West Witton. The Fox & Hounds, to be precise, for a games afternoon and social between the NW Yorks and Darlington CAMRA Branches. Some great weather (yes, it was THAT day) and splendid ale from Yorkshire Dales Brewing Co, went a long way to help, as the two teams limbered up for the supreme contest ahead.
First off was the Quiz, set by Rob Wiltshire who, if some of the questions are anything to go by, has a very strange mind. A draw was declared. Next, it was the darts, although nobody can recall the result. The Quoits went NW Yorks way, as the photo shows. But the cunning Darlo team fielded some national 5s & 3s champions and stole a win. Boo! Hiss! Sadly, they refused to pick up the gauntlet of the Fell Race and, by stint of an obscure rule somewhere, were declared the overall winners of the day. But really, who cared?
A splendid afternoon was had by all and we're looking forward to the return match next year.

Calling all beer lovers

Want to make sure you can keep on enjoying your favourite pint in your local? That's the aim of CAMRA - the Campaign for Real Ale. One of the world’s most successful consumer organisations, with 80,000+ members, we campaign to protect consumer rights, promote quality and choice, and to save local pubs and independent breweries.
For just £18 a year (reductions for students, concessions, families, etc), members enjoy:
- Our lively monthly 24-page newspaper “What's Brewing”, giving hard news from the world of pubs and beer.
- Free or reduced entry to CAMRA beer festivals across the UK, including the Great British Beer Festival.
- Discounts on many CAMRA publications, including our best-selling Good Beer Guide.
- Campaigning, brewery trips, pub visits - there is plenty going on in your local area.
Fill in a Membership Form today!