Norfolk Nips - Norwich and Norfolk CAMRA

NORFOLK NIPS | West Norfolk Chairman’s Letter
View From The West Norfolk Chair
This “View From The Chair’ charts a new course,
and an exciting one, as “Cask Force” combines
with our sister magazine, “Norfolk Nips”. Sad in
a way that we are losing a respected magazine in
“Cask Force”, but a good move because now that our
two magazines are together as one, hopefully
reaching a wider audience in covering the whole of
the county. I must thank Chris ‘Stig’ Lucas for his
efforts in coordinating our stuff with the Norwich
branch.
Many of us in the West Norfolk branch know Norwich
very well, I’ve been drinking in the city’s pubs for a
good many years (since about 1980 in my case!), we
all know and attend the successful annual beer festival
in St Andrews and Blackfriars Halls, I’m proud of not
missing the event since my first foray there in 1986.
My first festival ale was Bateman’s Victory, sunk in
quick time, I was a tad merry for a while! In those early
ale days I also remember Wolf starting the Reindeer
Brewery in the pub of the same name, it’s changed a
lot over the years (as I have), thankfully The Reindeer
survives despite a rollercoaster ride. Norwich has been
known as a top class city for real ale pubs for a long
time, a superb drinking city in fact, highlighted by the
fact that the Fat Cat has been CAMRA’s national Pub
Of The Year twice, no mean achievement. And despite
its fair share of pub losses, which affects us all,
Norwich continues to fly the flag for a beer style we all
love.
I have also gained many friends from within the
Norwich branch over time, particularly that one man
supping machine Pete Wells (Hi Pete! Hello Sue!), and
look forward to making more. I’m sure this collaboration
of out two magazines will benefit both branches,
and introduce us to a wider public, not just CAMRA
people. Cheers!!!
Tim Spitzer - West Norfolk Chair
SPRING 2009 | 5