West Berkshire branch of CAMRA covering Newbury and surrounding area. The content posted reflects the views of individuals and not necessarily those of CAMRA.
The West Berkshire CAMRA Christmas social on Wednesday 10 December is an ale trail starting at the Cow & Cask, Newbury, at 7.30pm.
Christmas jumpers optional!
westberkscamra.org.uk/event/…
😞 It is a dark day for the pubs, pints & people we campaign for. Today's Budget has increased alcohol duty & hasn't provided desperately needed support with VAT, energy bills & NICs.
📰 Read Ash Corbett-Collins, our Chairman’s statement on @WBOnline_: orlo.uk/4KbI3
ALT A CAMRA blue bordered graphic with a quote from CAMRA Chairman Ash Corbett Collins in black text. It says This is a dark day for UK drinkers, pubs and breweries. Instead of offering a bold package to support and save the UK’s pubs, the Chancellor has chosen not to help with VAT, energy bills or Employer National Insurance contributions. Pubs and breweries can contribute to economic growth but only with proper support from the Government on sky-high costs which are making it impossible for many pubs to survive and thrive.
ALT A CAMRA blue bordered graphic with a quote from CAMRA Chairman Ash Corbett Collins in black text. It says The decision to introduce permanently lower business rates for hospitality businesses in England from next May is a positive step and is long overdue. The Treasury has stated that all retail, leisure and hospitality businesses will pay lower rates bills than they do at the moment, even with the 40% discount on business rates bills ending next year. This is encouraging, but pubs will want to know just how much they will be paying to be able to plan and to know how much this decision will help them at a time when other costs continue to rise.
ALT A CAMRA blue bordered graphic with a quote from CAMRA Chairman Ash Corbett Collins in black text. It says We are bitterly disappointed that alcohol duty has been hiked today. Instead of delivering a substantial cut in tax breweries pay on their beers going to be sold in pubs, the Chancellor has made the damaging choice to hike alcohol duties, including on draught beer and cider. As well as a cut in VAT and help with energy costs and Employer National Insurance contributions, Rachel Reeves should have taken action to recognise the benefits of drinking in community locals by slashing tax specifically on pints in pubs by up to 50% to help them compete with cheap supermarket alcohol. This extra hike in taxes on drinking in the pub can only risk more pubs and breweries being lost to the communities they serve.
ALT A CAMRA blue bordered graphic with a quote from CAMRA Chairman Ash Corbett Collins in black text. It says Pubgoers and pub licensees will be shocked that the only mention of supporting pubs in the Chancellor’s statement was re-announcing some tinkering around the edges of the licensing system in England and Wales. This just doesn’t cut it. Hundreds of pubs have closed this year and thousands more are at risk because of this Budget where no support has been given on VAT, energy bills, alcohol duty or Employer National Insurance contributions.
🎉 Congratulations to our Club of the Year 2025 finalists!
1️⃣Appleton Thorn Village Hall, Cheshire
2️⃣Billingham Catholic Club, County Durham
3️⃣@OrpLibClub, London
4️⃣Cheltenham Motor Club @neilcmc, Gloucestershire
👉 See all the winners on @WBOnline_orlo.uk/1eQ59
🎄 Know someone who loves #festivals? Give the gift of CAMRA membership this Christmas! It's perfectly suited to beer lovers who have a thirst for tasting new brews, can regularly be found at the pub and checking out festivals across the UK.
🎁 Gift here: orlo.uk/hnhf4
ALT A CAMRA Christmas graphic that has a blue background with twinkling stars dotted all around. There is a pint of beer sat on a wooden table next to a brown gift box wrapped in a red bow. White text next to it says a beer gift that lasts all year. A black CAMRA logo is in the bottom right corner and in the top left white text says pubs pints people.
📣 What pubs really need is the Chancellor to complete the reform of business rates, scrap Employer National Insurance contributions, cut VAT and lower the draught duty on pints of beer and cider in pubs.
👉 Use our e-lobby to contact your MP: orlo.uk/zDy8Z
Monday 20 October 7.30pm
The Lion,
West Street, Newbury
CAMRA Social with Good Beer Guide (GBG) 2026 launch event (reduced price) and opportunity to meet local GBG publicans and staff.
All welcome.
westberkscamra.org.uk/event/…
Hermitage Beer Festival,
near Newbury.
Sat 4 October from 5pm
Music: The Station
Tickets: bsky.app/profile/timofnewbur…
Details:
westberkscamra.org.uk/festiv…
NB West Berkshire Branch is supporting this event & our CAMRA members get free entry - Show your Membership Card at the door.
Check out this “Brewers' Dozen” article from the @Britbeerwriters ! It's a delightful guide featuring 12 fantastic pubs chosen by Britain’s top brewers—each picked as their ideal spot to enjoy a pint of their own cask ale during #caskaleweek.
beerguild.co.uk/news/brewers…
Meet up with CAMRA members for a lunchtime social at The Woodpecker, Washwater, Newbury on Sat 23 Aug 12.30.
Served by No. 7 Stagecoach bus from Newbury Wharf dep. 12.30.
westberkscamra.org.uk/event/…
The Hungerford Club
August Bank Holiday Beer Festival 23/24/25 August 2025
13 beers / 3 ciders
Free admission, All welcome
#LiveMusicMusic in the afternoon starts 1pm (Sat, Sun, Mon)
eg: The Station (4pm Sat), Ridgeway Country (1pm Sun)
BBQ 12 to 6pm
hungerford-club.co.uk/2025/0…
The Bell Inn, Aldworth
is CAMRA South Central region Pub of the Year 2025. Congratulations Hugh Macaulay, family and staff at the multi award-winning pub in our Branch.
wb.camra.org.uk/2025/08/20/c…
ALT Photo by Richard Marshall. Exterior of pub with bench seating sets on roadway in front of pub.
👏 Congratulations to our top 16 pubs in the UK! Is your local on the list?
🏆 These incredible pubs will now battle it out for the overall Pub of the Year title!
👉 Read more here: orlo.uk/iolJ8
🏆 Penzance Brewing Company has won the Champion Beer of Britain 2025 for their beer Mild.
👇 The top three were:
🥇Penzance, Mild
🥈Sarah Hughes (@BeaconHotel), Snowflake
🥉 @churchendbeer, Fallen Angel
➡️ Find about more about the final results here: orlo.uk/Zpru2
ALT Photo of Lewis Elliott and Richard Hickman of Penzance brewery with their award at the Great British Beer Festival.