Mine's a Pint - Winter 2018

THE MAGAZINE FOR READING AND MID 

BERKSHIRE BRANCH OF THE CAMPAIGN 

FOR REAL ALE 

IN THIS ISSUE... 

PUB & BREWERY NEWS 

CAMRA GALA AWARDS 

SMALL BEER 

127 ROUTE PUB CRAWL 

BINGHAMS TAP ROOM 

& MORE... 

FREE 

WHEN IS A PUB NOT A PUB? 

ISSUE FORTY EIGHT WINTER 2018 

FREE - PLEASE TAKE A COPY

Branch Diary 

All meetings and social events are relaxed and friendly. 

Non-members are welcome to all events except branch 

meetings. Please check the website before setting out in case 

of any last-minute changes. 

December 2018 

FRI 7: (14:00) Social, SWM CAMRA The Pig’s Ear Beer 

& Cider Festival. Meet at the Round Chapel in Hackney 

at 2pm. www.swm.camra.org.uk/viewnode.php?id=36068 

SAT 8: Reading Ramble – North Hants CAMRA pub 

crawl of Reading. Start Hope Tap, 99-105 Friar Street, 

Reading, RG1 1EP (11:00) for breakfast, moving on at 

12:30. 

January 2019 

THURS 10: (20:00) First Social of the Year. Back of 

Beyond, 104-108 King’s Road, Reading RG1 3BY. Follow 

by pub crawl of “The Village” pubs. 

WED 16: (20:00) Branch meeting. Eldon Arms, 19 Eldon 

Terrace, Reading RG1 4DX. CAMRA members only, 

please. 

SAT 19: (12:00) Regional Pub Crawl of London. Meet in 

Hamilton Hall, Liverpool Street Station, EC2M 7PY. 

SUN 27: (12:00) Social starting at the Alehouse, 2 Broad 

Street, Reading, RG1 2BH. 

February 2019 

THURS 7: (20:00) First Thursday of the Month Social. 

Start at Nags Head, 5 Russell Street, Reading, RG1 7XD. 

SAT 9: Ale Trail starts. 

SUN 17: Walk from Henley to the Flower Pot, Ferry Lane, 

Aston, RG9 3DG for Sunday lunch (lunch must be prebooked). 

This is a guide only and Reading & Mid Berkshire CAMRA 

cannot be held responsible for any loss due to the alteration 

or cancellation of any of these events. 

See www.readingcamra.org.uk for more details of events. 

Contact Us 

Useful contact details for this 

magazine, CAMRA and other 

important things… 

Mine’s a Pint Circulation: 3,000. 

Outlets: Over 70 across the region. 

Editor: Phil Gill 

editor@readingcamra.org.uk 

0771 455 0293 

81 Addison Road, Reading, RG1 8EG 

Magazine published on behalf of 

Reading and Mid Berkshire CAMRA 

by: 

Neil Richards MBE at Matelot 

Marketing 

01536 358670 / 07710 281381 

n.richards@btinternet.com 

Printed by CKN Print Ltd, 2 North 

Portway Close, Round Spinney, 

Northampton, NN3 8RQ 

01604 645555 

Reading & Mid Berkshire CAMRA 

www.readingcamra.org.uk 

Social Secretary: Chris Hinton 

social@readingcamra.org.uk 

Contact for all other branch matters: 

Katrina Fletcher 

contact@readingcamra.org.uk 

0779 401 9437 

Local Trading Standards 

From time to time, drinkers receiving 

poor standards of service or poor 

quality products may wish to raise 

the matter with Trading Standards. 

You now need to do this through 

Citizens Advice, an organisation 

which provides free, confidential and 

impartial advice on consumer issues. 

To contact Citizens Advice Consumer 

Service call 03454 04 05 06 or visit 

www.citizensadvice.org.uk and click 

on Consumer. 

The next issue of Mine’s a Pint will be 

published in early March. Please feel 

free to submit any copy or ideas by 1 st 

February. 

The opinions expressed in Mine’s a Pint 

are not necessarily those of the editor or 

the Campaign for Real Ale. © Campaign 

for Real Ale 2018. 

Mine’s A Pint 

3

From The Editor 

A pub is for life, not just for Christmas. 

That’s the message from Sarah Crawford, 

CAMRA’s regional director for Scotland 

and Northern Ireland. It’s just as true for 

England and Wales as the latest data shows 

pubs still closing at an alarming rate – a net 

loss of 18 per week across the UK. You can 

read Sarah’s thoughts in this magazine about 

Christmas drinkers and how we can support 

our pubs into the new year. 

Yes, that’s how “we” can support them. 

Don’t sit back and think that it’s somebody 

else’s problem. It’s yours, it’s mine, and it’s 

all our responsibility to do something about 

it. CAMRA has always been about customer 

choice and promoting good quality, with real 

ale and pubs at its heart. Without pubs we 

lose that choice, and we lose the best outlet 

there is for cask beer. 

January is often the leanest month for pubs, 

with various charities bizarrely encouraging 

people to boycott their local businesses by 

dressing it up as a health benefit. Yet we 

can all act to support our pubs through this 

tough time. It needs us to make a conscious 

effort to go out and spend money there, even 

if it’s cold and raining. If you don’t want to 

drink alcohol then that’s a shame, but you 

can still have a pub meal or support your 

local in other ways. If we don’t, when the 

sunshine and longer days come back, our 

local may not be there to share them with us. 

Here’s to the great British pub. Long may it 

prosper! 

Cheers! 

Phil Gill 

Editor 

editor@readingcamra.org.uk 


5 

Contents 

BRANCH DIARY 3 

FROM THE EDITOR 5 

PUB NEWS 6-8 

BREWERY NEWS 9-13 

SMALL BEER 14-16 

GRUMPY GOAT 17-18 

GBBF WINTER 19 

CAMRA GALA AWARDS 20-21 

BINGHAMS TAP ROOM 22-23 

127 ROUTE PUB CRAWL 25-27 

A PUB IS FOR LIFE 29 

JOIN CAMRA 30-31

Pub News 

ARBORFIELD 

A local group is campaigning to save the 

BRAMSHILL HUNT which is at risk of closure. 

The owners Greene King are advertising it for 

sale – on Rightmove of all places – and the price 

plus the advertising details suggest that they see 

its future as a house or a restaurant rather than 

a pub. We understand that Greene King are 

interested in a new pub site in the new housing 

area. 

BURGHFIELD COMMON 

The latest in a long line of planning applications 

to demolish the BANTAM in Omers Rise and 

replace it with flats was awaiting decision as we 

went to press. 

CHARVIL 

PANGBOURNE 

The STAR on Reading Road has closed. Your 

viewpoint about this Greene King pub tended 

to depend on whether or not you were a regular 

there. 

PLAYHATCH 

Nick and Hazel are celebrating eight years at the 

FLOWING SPRING with a party on Saturday 

8 December, featuring music from Three Bar 

Fire. Looking ahead, this year’s Springstock 

festival was such a success that they’re already 

planning the next. Saturday 1 June 2019 is the 

date for “Springstock 2” and you can expect a 

music festival with six bands plus an outside 

bar, food and stalls. 

READING 

The PURPLE TURTLE has taken out its 

handpumps but New Wharf beer is still 

available in bottles and on keg. A Turtle Ale 

sequel, a 6% ABV pale ale, is coming soon. 

Image by Brian Jones 

The Lands End has been refurbished including 

a new flagstone floor and renamed the HERON 

ON THE FORD. The beer range has increased 

from two to three, with Brakspear Bitter and 

Oxford Gold as regulars and a guest from the 

Marstons range. This spacious rural pub has a 

good sized garden with children’s play area and 

is dog-friendly. Don’t try and drive through the 

adjacent ford, especially in winter! The local 

fire brigade are regular visitors to rescue people 

who’ve got stuck in their cars in the middle of 

the river. 

The QUEENS HEAD on Christchurch Road 

is up for lease from Ei publican partnerships 

(what used to be called Enterprise). This is 

currently the sister pub to the MODERATION 

on Caversham Road. According to Ei, “An 

experienced operator who can build on the 

dry offer whilst maintaining the good levels of 

wet trade, is now being sought” for the Queens 

Head. 


6

After five or more years of closure, the old 

WELLINGTON ARMS on Whitley Street 

looks set to become a branch of Greggs. 

Building work has been going on for a while 

at the CORN STORES on Forbury Road and 

we’re eagerly awaiting its reopening, which 

should happen before Christmas. 

The JOLLY ANGLERS was closed at the time 

of writing and the ACV moratorium had been 

triggered. That means that when the owner of 

an Asset of Community Value wishes to sell it, 

they have to tell the Council who then ask if 

any community groups want to be considered 

as a potential purchaser. If the moratorium is 

triggered, as in this case, there is a six month 

period during which the owner can only sell the 

pub to a community group, or sell it as a going 

concern. There’s active community interest in 

the pub so we’re hoping for a happy outcome. 

The RETREAT in St John’s Road has had its 

cellar refurbished and other works undertaken. 

Best (Loddon), Inspector Morse IPA (Greene 

King) and Sheep Dip (Plain Ales) were available 

on a recent visit. You may find that sparklers 

are used on the pumps. 

There’s a planning application for a new 

pub on land opposite the BLACK BOY. The 

proposal is on behalf of Marstons and is likely 

to be food-led if it gets the go-ahead. The full 

description is “Erection of a part single storey 

and part two storey building for use as a 

restaurant and public house and three bedroom 

flat with associated parking and landscaping 

and creation of new access.” 

Down the road on Church Lane, the SIX BELLS 

is reported to have closed. We understand 

there’s interest in the building from a restaurant 

operator, although that would likely need 

planning permission so we’re keeping an eye on 

events. 

WARREN ROW 

The BISCUIT AND BARREL on Kings Road 

(what used to be the Warwick) was being run 

by a holding manager at the time of writing, 

with its future uncertain. 

Meat eaters will enjoy the New Year’s Eve 

menu at the LYNDHURST on Watlington 

Street. A five course game tasting menu with 

every course paired with a different drink starts 

at 8pm, with live music from 10pm. The pub 

was recently a finalist in the restaurant category 

of the Reading Retail Awards. 

SHINFIELD 

Stuart is the new landlord at the BELL AND 

BOTTLE – welcome! Red Kite (Vale), Reading 


7 

The Snooty Fox in its time as a pub 

There was an interesting planning appeal 

recently on the old Snooty Fox, which has 

been closed for some time. In 2014 permission 

was refused to turn the pub into a house and 

in recent times it’s been trading as a “bicycle 

cafe” alongside various other uses including 

a meeting place for groups of cyclists. The 

Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead 

had issued an enforcement notice against the 

unauthorised conversion to a mixed use, and 

in November the result of the owner’s appeal 

against that notice was received.

The inspector issued a split decision, approving 

the cafe and cycle repair elements of the use but 

refusing the retail and meeting aspects. This 

means that the loss of the pub has been accepted 

in planning terms. The inspector considered the 

cafe an “acceptable alternative” community 

facility. In providing a food and drink facility 

and a place for social interaction, she added, it 

had a positive effect on the community. 

PUB QUALITY 

BEER 

...AT HOME 

Drink Rebellion cask ale 

at home, fresh from the 

brewery shop 

Fresh beer, ready to drink 

1 litre bottles up to 72 pint barrels 

 

including 10% OFF beer 

Fresh cider 

Local produce 

Over 300 worldwide wines 

Free glass hire 

Call 01628 476594 

Shop opening hours: 

Mon-Sat 8am-7pm 

Or visit our website: 

www.rebellionbeer.co.uk 

@RebellionBeer 

RebellionBeerCo 

Rebellion Beer Co. Ltd. Bencombe Farm, Marlow Bottom, SL7 3LT 


8

All images are courtesy of the breweries unless 

otherwise stated. 

BINGHAMS 

The current beer in the Hop Project series is the 

dangerously drinkable Summit Melon, at 4.5% 

ABV. Summit and Melon hops are used to give 

a subtle melon character. The next beer in the 

series will be Comet Blanc. 

Hitting the pubs for 

autumn is Woodsmoke 

Porter, 5% ABV, 

brewed using a 

German beech-smoked 

malt and double the 

amount of chocolate 

malt used last year, to 

give a subtle smokiness 

and a chocolate 

flavour. 

V Old Ale is being 

brewed in early 

November, followed by The Warmer Winter 

Ale for December. 

All Binghams cask stouts and porters are now 

vegan friendly. The bottled Vanilla Stout isn’t 

(yet) but they’re working on that! 

And if you want to find somewhere to drink 

them – Twyford’s first micropub, “Binghams 

Tap Room” is now open at 2b High Street, 

Fridays and Saturdays only until Christmas. 

See the separate article in this issue for more 

information about this welcome addition to the 

local pub scene. 

CHILTERN 

Foxtrot, a 3.9% ABV winter ale should be 

available from mid December, just in time for 

Christmas. Described as dark, 

mellow, fruity and complex, 

it’s bristling with malt and hop 

character. The warming flavours 

of rich chocolate and crystal 

malts and the brewer’s selection 

of choice English Pioneer, 

Fuggles and Admiral hops come 

together to form this rich claret 

coloured dark ale. It’s said to be 

the perfect brew for cold winter evenings and 

the ideal accompaniment to winter stews and 

broths, sausages, pork pie, red meats and full 

fat hard cheeses. 

Looking ahead to the new year, Earl Grey IPA 

at 3.9% ABV is planned to be available in 

February. 

The online brewery shop has plenty of 

Christmas gift ideas and offers free delivery 

on orders over £50. Alongside the full range 

of Chiltern ales you’ll find spirits and liqueurs, 

as well as a range of foods including cheeses, 

fudge, mustard and chutney, plus unusual gifts 

such as wool fat bath soap and shaving soap. 

DOUBLE-BARRELLED 

BOND BREWS 

The on-site shop in Heathlands Road, 

Wokingham is open for the sale of bottles 

and collection of pre-ordered polypins. Go to 

bondbrews.co.uk/contact-us for the full address 

and to find out how to order your favourite 

Bond Brews beer. 


9 

Mike in the new brewery 

Works to the new brewery have hit some delays 

so the initial target of having beers available

from September wasn’t met, but Luci and Mike 

have been busy and finally released their first 

commercial batch in November. There are 

three: Red Jungle Fowl, a 5% raspberry and 

beetroot gose; Parka, a 4.5% pale ale; and 

Seven Dollar Saturday, a 5.6% milk stout. 

Initial deliveries were to the Fox and Hounds 

in Caversham and the Nags Head in Reading. 

They were on track to launch some cans of the 

stout and gose in November and opened the 

brewery taproom in Tilehurst at the start of 

December. It’s planned to be open on Fridays 

and Saturdays and you can find it at 20 Stadium 

Way, near the Oxford Road just off Norcot 

Junction roundabout. Card payments only. 

ELUSIVE 

Subject to licensing approval, Elusive plan to 

open to the public on Saturdays in December 

(8th/15th/22nd) at their site in Finchampstead. 

They’ll have brand new beers in bottle and, 

finally, some merchandise! Check on Twitter 

nearer the time for final confirmation and more 

details. 

LODDON 

The taproom at the brewery in Dunsden has 

really taken off with lots of drinkers over the 

weekends – a combination of locals, tourists, 

walkers and cyclists. Taproom opening times 

are Thursday – 10am to 6pm, Friday – 10am to 

7pm and Saturday – 10am to 6pm. But with the 

licence running until 11pm, they offer to stay 

open all the time that there are people in. 

Dan Hearn, the Marketing Manager of Loddon 

Brewery, says: 

“We’re delighted to have got a brewer of 

Jake’s calibre. Formerly of Bradford Brewery 

and Nightjar Brewery, he’s brimming with 

great ideas and will be part of a big change in 

direction for us, including a complete set of new 

beers which will be announced in the new year. 

The old classics won’t be going anywhere, but 

expect to see some very different beers from us. 

“It’s also bittersweet for us as we’re saying 

goodbye to Steve, after 15 years, who’s sailing 

off into a thoroughly well-deserved retirement. 

We couldn’t have asked for a better brewer than 

Steve, who has won us more than 60 awards 

and produced consistently great beers that have 

become firm favourites. He’s been an integral 

part of everything we’ve done and we’re hugely 

grateful to him, and wish him a long and happy 

retirement.” 

NEW WHARF 

The brewery has increased capacity by a fifth, 

taking the capacity up to 20,000 litres at any 

one time. Alongside that there’s a vacancy for 

an Assistant Brewer and also a Head of Sales 

and Marketing. All details can be seen at www. 

newwharfbrewing.co.uk 

They supply the University of Reading and in 

early December will be brewing a collaboration 

beer with them. Looking ahead to the new year, 

New Wharf will have a bar at Craft Beer Rising 

in February showcasing eight different beers. 

Loddon’s biggest news at the moment is the 

appointment of their new Head Brewer Jake 

Bartleet-Perry, who joined on November 5 

and officially took over from Steve Brown on 

November 27. 


10 

REBELLION 

Rebellion have brewed Winter Royal for a 

few years now as a special brew just before 

Christmas. Originally brewed by the Wethereds 

Brewery in Marlow, it became one of their 

flagship beers until the brewery closed in 

1988. In December 2016 Rebellion got hold 

of the recipe and brewed a batch, reviving this 

famous beer after a 28 year hiatus. Traditional 

Fuggles and Goldings hop varieties add to the 

authenticity of this classic English beer. The 

result is a deep, ruby winter warmer at 5.4%

ABV, with a rich maltiness, soft bitterness and 

a fantastic late and dry hop aroma. 

This year they’re brewing twice the amount and 

it will be available in pubs and bars and from 

the brewery shop. Release date should be at the 

beginning of December and they think they’ll 

have stock for a few weeks, though they predict 

it’ll run out sometime in the week commencing 

17 December. 

Available for rather longer is the winter 

seasonal Gold, which should be out now and 

last until February. As you might expect, this 

4.4% ABV beer is a rich golden ale with an 

intensely hoppy aroma. American Mosaic hops 

give the beer a huge aroma of tropical fruits, 

citrus fruits and red berry. The malt used is 

Crystal and Munich. The bitterness is relatively 

low despite the huge dose of late hops, so Gold 

retains its drinkability and balance. 

SIREN CRAFT 

meet current bottling quality standards 

and future-proof packaging options. This 

would allow them to tap into the growing 

demand for drinking at home in this 

format. 

• Strategically expand. This is investment 

in new equipment, more capacity and 

improvements to systems and processes. 

• Open new bars. Any overfunding will 

allow for increased capacity and improve 

efficiencies. If they raise over £1.5m, the 

intention is to fast-track plans to bring 

the Tap Yard experience to two city centre 

locations. 

One of the latest beers out of this prolific 

brewery is Fable, a 4.2% ABV session pale 

ale brewed with American hops. Interestingly 

this was the subject of a naming competition 

on Facebook and Twitter, with 497 suggestions 

being received. The suggestions went off to 

Siren’s collaborators Market Halls (a new 

London-based food hall business) who chose 

the winning name. Coincidentally it turned out 

to be the suggestion from Siren’s neighbours 

Elusive Brewing! 

WEST BERKSHIRE / 

RENEGADE 

Siren have been crowdfunding. They want to 

raise finance to accelerate the next phase of 

their growth. People will be investing for equity 

in the business, along with some rewards 

including discounts, exclusive events, brewery 

tours and more. In their own words “This is 

your opportunity to own equity in Siren Craft 

Brew and access exclusive investor rewards.” 

Initially they were seeking £750,000 and made 

it with five days to spare. The deadline for 

investment has now been extended to Sunday 

9 December. 

The three main objectives are: 

• Package Siren into cans. They want to 

install a top-rate canning line that will 


11 

Dave Ball from Soft Cell enjoying a pint of Say Hello 

Wave Goodbye at the West Berks Brewery Taproom 

The latest of many beer and music collaborations 

saw West Berkshire Brewery hook up with 80s 

synth-pop duo Soft Cell to create a limitededition 

new beer. Named “Say Hello Wave 

Goodbye”, it was available exclusively in 

Mitchells & Butlers pubs (Nicholson’s, Ember 

Inns and Castle Pubs) in cask from September.

The 4.2% ABV pale ale was inspired by the 

classic English Bitters that the band enjoyed 

during their early years in Leeds, with the 

addition of New World hops to reflect their time 

in America. The beer has flavours of digestive 

biscuit, toffee, grapefruit and orange. A 5.2% 

bottled version of the beer is also planned to be 

available as an extremely limited-edition oneoff 

brew. 

The name Say Hello Wave Goodbye is a 

tribute to one of Soft Cell’s best-known songs 

from their 1981 debut album Non-Stop Erotic 

Cabaret. The classic Number One Tainted Love 

also comes from the same album. 

Dave Ball of Soft Cell commented “A pint is 

a game of two halves, and I can confirm that 

no synthesisers were used in the making of this 

product.” 

more substantial, there are Christmas packages 

on offer that include a brewery tour and three 

pints of beer plus, with other options, a festive 

buffet, gift box and tasting session. Contact the 

brewery for details and bookings. 

WINDSOR & ETON 

Mandarin (4.7% ABV) is back in bottles for 

December. It’s a light orange-coloured, hoppy 

ale with a citrus aroma and the distinctive 

and refreshing seasonal flavour of mandarin 

oranges. Available in 330ml bottles – bottled 

conditioned – for £2.50 from the brewery shop. 

Paddy’s Christmas Pub Crawl of Windsor is on 

Friday 21 December. It starts in the brewery tap 

on the Vansittart Estate (Duke Street) at 5pm 

and finishes in the George on Eton High Street 

in time for last orders. Santa hats, Christmas 

jumpers and singing may be involved and all 

are welcome! 

XT / ANIMAL 

Available under the Renegade brand now and in 

the run-up to Christmas is Smoke on the Porter, 

a 6% ABV smoked rye porter. Bold smoky 

flavours combine with an intensely smooth 

mouthfeel and great complexity. Expect roasted 

malt, caramel and spice with a hint of umami. 

It’s available on draught and in 440ml cans. 

Over at the brewery tap room in Yattendon, 

every Thursday from 6pm you can get a free 

pint with every burger. Shaun the chef makes 

pizzas and burgers and has also added pies, 

salads, bar snacks and a brand new sandwich 

menu. And if you’re looking for something 


12 

XT have released no less than three winter 

beers, and three new Animal specials. 

Animal Ermine – The Pale Milk Stoat Stout 

4.6% ABV. Pale but with a smoky smooth 

richness. A subtle sweetness from the lactose


13 

balances hints of beech, chocolate and liquorice 

from a variety of malts. Wheat bulks up the 

beer for plenty of mouthfeel and a satisfying 

silky finish. Pleasant citrus and peppery notes 

round off this beer, courtesy of high alpha 

American hops. 

Animal Snow Owl – Bottle only Winter Ale 

4.6% ABV. A clean Winter Pale Ale stuffed with 

Simcoe, Rakau and Wakatu hops. Flavours of 

fig, passion fruit, citrus and fresh pine on a bed 

of crisp pale malt. A little winter warmth and 

spice creeps into the background. 

XT-25 – Christmas Ale 4.7% ABV. A festive 

rosey red ale, with English Golding and 

New Zealand Wakatu hops for a top to 

bottom winter warmer. Uses a very slow cold 

fermentation technique in the German Altbier 

tradition. 

Animal White Lion - Collaboration Special 

4.6% ABV. Brewed in collaboration with 

the White Lion pub in St Albans. Dr Rudi, 

Motueka and Green Bullet hops deliver big 

lemon/lime, floral and bitter pine flavours with 

a subtle nutty note from the caramalt. Generous 

Motueka dry-hopping further enhances the 

lemon/lime notes for a citrus farewell. 

Animal Spaniel - Homebrew Competition 

Winner Collaboration Special 4.6% ABV. A 

collaboration with the “Friends of the Shed” 

homebrew group – this is an American IPA 

based on the recipe from their competition 

winning beer. 

Animal Jack Rabbit – American Amber 5.5% 

ABV. A heavily hopped American amber ale, 

packed with Summit, Columbus, Cascade, 

Citra and Chinook hops, “with a character to 

match the bouncy, big eared Yankee.” 

Several of our 

customers are 

featured in the 

2019 CAMRA 

Good Beer Guide 

THE 

FLOWER POT HOTEL 

4 Real Ales Available 

Food 12-2.30 daily, 6.30-9 Mon-Sat Evenings 

All types of dietry food covered 

Largest collection of cased fish, local focal point for 

fishermen 

Warm welcome to all old and new customers 

FLOWER POT HOTEL 

FERRY LANE, ASTON 

RG9 3DG 

TEL: 01491 574721

Small Beer 

A round up of news and information 

PUB OF THE YEAR 

final for the first time. A popular pub in the 

heart of the village, it serves four real ales from 

local breweries and is home to jazz sessions, 

quizzes and regular visits from food providers. 

The fourth and final pub in the top four is the 

current CAMRA National Pub of the Year - 

The Cricketers in St Helens. A friendly local 

community pub also saved from closure, the 

pub boasts 13 handpumps on the bar and 

offers brews from newer regional brewers and 

local microbreweries. 

The Cricketers Arms in St Helens (top left), Volunteer 

Arms (Staggs) in Musselburgh (top right), the Wonston 

Arms in Wonston (bottom left) and the Chequers in 

Little Gransden (bottom right) 

All of the pubs in the competition are selected 

by CAMRA volunteers and judged on their 

atmosphere, decor, welcome, service, value for 

money, customer mix and, most importantly, 

quality of beer. The four finalists will now 

have a chance to win the National Pub of the 

Year title for 2018, which will be announced in 

February 2019. 

CAMRA has named the best four pubs in the 

country as part of its Pub of the Year 2018 

competition, one of the most respected and wellknown 

pub awards in the UK. Unfortunately 

our own Nags Head didn’t progress from the 

final 16 but they can be very proud of having 

won the regional stage of the contest. 

Among the final four is the Volunteer Arms 

(Staggs) in Musselburgh, a traditional local 

decorated with wooden floors, wood panelling 

and mirrors from defunct local breweries. 

Run by the same family since 1858, it offers a 

regularly changing range of real ale. 

Also in the running is the Chequers in Little 

Gransden, a village pub with wooden benches 

and a roaring fire, which has been run by the 

same family for over 60 years. It is also the 

home of Son of Sid Brewery and the pub offers 

a selection of their beers. 

Saved from closure and now run by a 

persevering community group, the Wonston 

Arms in Wonston has made it through to the 


14 

Now we turn our thoughts to next year’s 

contest, which starts all over again very soon. 

For details of the shortlist for Reading & Mid 

Berkshire Pub of the Year visit readingcamra. 

org.uk where you can also find an online voting 

form. 

MICHAEL HARDMAN 

Michael Hardman has resigned from CAMRA’s 

National Executive. 

Michael was one of the four original founders 

of CAMRA and was elected to CAMRA’s 

ruling body (essentially its board of directors) 

18 months ago, becoming Chairman of the 

Communications Committee. A journalist 

on national newspapers and BBC radio, he 

served as the Campaign’s national chairman 

for two years from its foundation in 1971 and 

later joined the fledgling organisation’s staff 

in St Albans, editing the Good Beer Guide 

and What’s Brewing, both of which he had 

created. After leaving St Albans, he worked 

in the brewing industry as a public relations 

consultant.

In 2015 Michael was invited to chair the 

Revitalisation Project, whose recommendations 

for CAMRA’s future policy and activities 

were, with one exception, accepted by the 

membership at the 2018 members’ weekend. 

He said: “I have enjoyed being back in the 

CAMRA fold and particularly helping to shape 

future policy but I now need to focus on other 

projects. I wish the Campaign the very best for 

the future.” 

MEMBERS’ WEEKEND, 

AGM & CONFERENCE 

2019 

Volunteers are needed for next year’s event 

- taking place in the great city of Dundee. 

Opportunities are available: during set up, with 

vote counting, on the Members’ Bar, at the 

Information Stand and with the CAMRA shop. 

Find out more at agm.camra.org.uk or email 

volunteer.services@camra.org.uk 

THE GIFT OF CAMRA 

A CAMRA Gift membership is the ideal 

Christmas gift for anyone who loves real ale, 

cider, perry and pubs. This year there are a 

number of great membership offers which 

give a selection of gift choices and save money 

too. One in particular that’s fun is the offer 

of membership combined with a “My point 

of brew” T shirt – they simply say “Bitter”, 

“Mild”, “Sour” or “Stout” and are available in 

a range of colours and sizes. See the advert in 

this issue for more details. 

MASS LOBBY DAY 

Jackie Parker, CAMRA National Chairman (centre) and 

members of the National Executive at the lobby day 


15 

Hundreds of CAMRA members descended on 

Westminster at the end of October for a Mass 

Lobby Day to send a message to MPs about 

the very serious threats facing pubs. All agreed 

there must be urgent reform to business rates, 

Beer Duty and the Pubs Code to save the Great 

British pub from extinction. 

The Lobby Day day saw the launch of CAMRA’s 

three point plan to save the Great British pub, 

and encouraged MPs to commit to: 

1. Introducing a preferential rate of duty for 

draught beer. 

2. Reforming the business rates system to 

address the unfair burden on pubs. 

3. Conducting an urgent review of the Pubs 

Code so that the Market Rent Only option 

becomes a genuine choice for tenants. 

CAMRA members held meetings with MPs 

throughout the day, which culminated in a rally 

with speeches from the Chairman of the All 

Party Parliamentary Beer Group, Mike Wood 

MP, as well as Ruth Smeeth MP and Alan 

Brown MP. 

The Lobby came the day after the Budget, which 

contained the very welcome decision to freeze 

duty on beer and cider, and the announcement 

of a new package of business rate relief that will 

help smaller pubs. While this change will see 

annual savings of up to £8,000 for some pubs, 

CAMRA is extremely disappointed that pubspecific 

rate relief has been scrapped, meaning 

that pubs with a rateable value of over £51,000 

will lose out. Many of these pubs saw the 

largest rates increases after the last revaluation, 

and are struggling under sky-high bills that 

threaten them with extinction. 

CAMRA’s National Chairman, Jackie Parker, 

said: 

“While welcome, the Budget measures are just 

a sticking plaster which doesn’t tackle the root 

issue. There must be long-term change and 

reform to business rates, Beer Duty and the 

Pubs Code to stop the decline of pubs closing 

which is currently 18 per week. The Lobby 

Day has been a huge success. It gave members 

an opportunity to speak to their MPs direct 

about tackling the root causes of pub closures, 

need for fundamental reform to ensure that

pubs remain at the heart of communities and 

continue to make a valuable contribution to 

our society, culture and economy.” 

Speaking at the Members’ Rally, Mike Wood 

MP, Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary 

Beer Group added: 

“We need to make sure that we have a proper 

review of local business taxation which goes 

beyond what was announced (in the Budget) 

on business rates, so that pubs of all sizes are 

actually taxed at a fair rate and we have a 

taxation system fit for the 21st century rather 

than the 1950s, and one that recognises the 

economy as it is now rather than one that was 

based solely on land values.” 

award winning beers and I personally could not 

have done it without my Amigo. We have lost 

an amazing part of New Wharf Brewing Co 

and, in Stewart’s honour, we will brew a beer in 

his memory; “Amigo”. 

FLYING MONK 

Flying Monk Brewery from Wiltshire are 

looking for sales representatives in our area. If 

you’re interested or for more details, see their 

advert. 

WANTED: SALES REPRESENTATIVES 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NEW WHARF 

Kevin Black has asked us to include this tribute 

to his friend Stewart who passed away in 

October, and we’re happy to do so. 

Amigo, Amigo, where are you Amigo? In 

October 2018 we celebrated the life of a 

friend and work colleague who gave so much 

to making sure every day ran smoothly in 

the brewery at New Wharf. Stewart wasn’t 

shy of hard work and always embraced the 

challenging environment that we faced. Many 

people around the world have enjoyed our 

Stewart and Kevin in the brewery 

The last couple of months have been hard but 

we must celebrate the life of a man who has 

touched many people’s lives. Stewart was funny 

and always laughed and joked about everything. 

Everyday at around 11am his mobile would go 

ping and he would say “ that’s my Sarah up” - 

this always brought a smile to his face. 

His other love in life was his daily packet of 

digestive biscuits and wine gums. These became 

a staple part of the brewery diet. Stewart was 

also fond of his Breakfast Stout and always 

got excited when we brewed it. Of course he 

sampled it most days in the brewery for quality 

control purposes. He treasured his son Dan 

and daughter Georgi and was always telling me 

about what they were up to. 

I say goodbye to my Amigo but his memory 

will live on in every beer I brew at the New 

Wharf. On behalf of New Wharf Brewing Co 

we would like to send our deepest condolences 

to Dan, Georgie and Sarah. 

Kevin Black 

Head Brewer, New Wharf Brewing Co 


16

The Grumpy Goat is Five 

All images courtesy of the Grumpy Goat 

Tucked away in Reading’s quirky Harris 

Arcade you’ll find The Grumpy Goat, a 

multi award-winning independent retailer 

of bottled beers, artisan cheese and small 

batch spirits. This winning combination 

has brought Anne-Marie and Charlie Beatty 

many successes over the years – most recently 

Reading Retail Award’s “Independent 

Retailer of the Year 2018”. They’re just 

on the brink of their fifth birthday so we 

thought we’d say a few words about their 

fantastic little shop which has become a 

Reading treasure. 

The beer and cheese shop was set up in late 

2013 and quickly became a success with 

people buying Christmas presents and treats 

for themselves. Over the years Anne-Marie 

and Charlie have built upon their Grumpy 

Goat brand to bring customers tastings, pop 

up events, wedding cheese cakes, an annual 

Home Brew competition and even their own 

craft beer and music festival “Craft Theory” 

www.crafttheoryfestival.co.uk which will be 

in its third year in 2019. 


17

When talking to Anne-Marie and Charlie you 

can see how passionate they are about their 

shop and brand. They seem to have hit on a 

niche market but, with that combination in 

mind, who doesn’t like beer and cheese when 

there are so many combinations to try? They 

now stock in the region of 450 different types 

of beer from around the world, 50 different 

cheeses from the UK and the continent and 

around 70 different types of gin, rum, vodka, 

whisky and liqueurs. 

share a glass with them at the shop on Sunday 

9 December (2pm-4pm). The Grumpy Goat 

team will be brewing a special beer for the 

event with Reading’s newest brewery Double 

Barrelled, and there will be canapés from We 

Are Friends (a local vegetarian and vegan 

pop up). So, head down and raise a glass to 

their continued success. See you there! 

Phil Gill 

Over the years you can see that Anne-Marie 

and Charlie have invested more money where 

they can to ensure that customers are happy. 

For instance the addition of new fridges to 

keep the beer cold in summer, and the wide 

selection of spirits and liqueurs which is 

probably bigger than any other selection in 

an independent store in Reading. 

They’ve introduced a loyalty card system 

this year (to find out more about this take a 

look at their website thegrumpygoat.co.uk). 

Other ways they’ve developed the shopping 

experience include the fact that they’re 

happy to take beer recommendations and, 

at Christmas, they have a pre-order service 

for their cheese so customers can just drop 

in and collect their Christmas cheese boards. 

Anne-Marie and Charlie pride themselves 

on their customer service and say they feel 

privileged to employ such fantastic staff 

who are also very knowledgeable and keen 

to make a good impression on everyone 

who steps through the door. When I asked 

the pair about their plans for the future they 

shared with me a couple of ideas. In the near 

future they will be introducing a growler 

fill system to enable customers to purchase 

fresh beer straight from the taps and they 

also have plans to set up a monthly beer box 

which you can purchase online. 

But the real reason for this article is to mark 

their big fifth birthday! To celebrate, Anne- 

Marie and Charlie are inviting everyone to 


18

Offering a wide range of real ale in all styles 

Plus World Beers - Cider - Perry 

GREAT BRITISH 

19 - 23 FEBRUARY 

Tuesday 19 th Members Preview 17:30 - 22:30 

Wednesday 20 th - Saturday 23 rd 12:00 - 22:30 

Free Entry For CAMRA Members 

BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE 

winter.gbbf.org.uk/tickets 

The Halls, St Andrews Plain, Norwich NR3 1AU 

GBBFWinter GreatBritishBeerFestivalWinter

Reading CAMRA 

Gala Awards 

and dedicated the award to him. There’s a tribute 

to Stewart elsewhere in this magazine. 

We also paid tribute to a couple of long-serving 

licensees, Carole from the Magpie & Parrot, 

Shinfield and to Jenny & Vic from the Swan at 

Three Mile Cross, all of whom have been inpost 

for more than 30 years, a very impressive 

achievement in this day and age. 

Every year, Reading & 

Mid Berkshire CAMRA 

hold an annual “gala 

awards” ceremony to 

promote and celebrate 

the best, the longest and 

sometimes the unusual. 

Recipients of awards 

from local pubs and 

breweries are invited 

for an evening of fun, 

networking… and the 

odd pint or three! 

This year, we hosted our 

event at Park House, at 

the University of Reading; a very apt location, as it 

had just learnt that it was celebrating its first-ever 

entry into the Good Beer Guide! 

And to prove we aren’t a bunch of stick-in-the-mud 

traditionalists, we marked a couple of pubs which 

have been refurbished / extended / remodelled in 

an exceptionally impressive way – the Black Boy 

in Shinfield and the Shurlock Inn at Shurlock Row. 

Also this year we did an award as a one-off 

“longest closed pub for no good reason”. Not 

really an award as such, but to mark the sad fact 

that the Lower Ship on Duke Street was purchased 

by Samuel Smith Brewery over 30 years ago but 

has never opened. A fine building going to waste 

as well as local drinkers being deprived of an 

outlet for traditional Yorkshire brews! The photo 

for this is on the cover. 

A fine evening was had by all, with a number of 

people hanging round until closing time (that’s a 

Awards were presented for various “of the year” 

or “OTY” awards. The Nags Head celebrated yet 

another win as overall Reading CAMRA Pub of 

the Year, voted for by local CAMRA members and 

judged over a variety of different factors, ideally 

looking for an excellent quality all-rounder with 

top quality beer as the most important aspect, of 

course. 

Awards from the Reading Beer and Cider Festival 

were also presented, for various style winners and 

of course Beer of the Festival, as selected by two 

rounds of rigorous blind judging. Congratulations 

were in order to New Wharf who won with 

their Breakfast Stout. The award was especially 

poignant as Kevin Black, who collected the award, 

revealed that his co-brewer and best friend Stewart 

had passed away just a couple of days previously, 


20

sign of a good night!). We’d like to extend our 

gratitude to Matt and Kathy of the University’s 

bar team, who helped host this event and laid on 

an excellent spread of food and local beer. 

We’ll be having this event again next year, so if 

you can think of pubs, publicans or breweries who 

deserve a special award, why not contact us and 

let us know? 

Quinten Taylor 


21

Binghams Tap Room - 

Twyford’s First Micropub 

All images courtesy of Sue Thirlaway 

Binghams Brewery has opened a pop-up tap 

room in the heart of Twyford. The venture, 

which unfortunately is temporary as the 

unit is only available until Christmas, will 

be open every Friday and Saturday until 

Christmas from 11am until 10pm. 

Tucked away in a corner but easily 

identifiable by the striking red signage, it’s 

located at Twyford Crossroads, at 2b High 

Street, and in the past has been a bridal wear 

shop (hence the chandelier!), an antique 

shop and, before that, a pub called The Bell. 

The brewery team received the keys to the 

premises only the day before the tap room 

was due to open and worked into the night 

to be ready to welcome customers on Friday 

2 November. On the opening day there were 

four cask beers available to drink on site or 

take home: 

• Twyford Tipple, a 3.7% tawny bitter 

with a citrus hop finish 

• Hop Project Summit Melon, 4.5% 

with a refreshing, subtle melon hop 

character 

• Space Hoppy IPA, 5% with citrus hops 

• Vanilla Stout, 5%, deservedly 

Champion Beer of Britain for 2016 


22

Expect to find changes on each visit. Bottled 

beers from Binghams, and wine and cider are 

also on sale. 

As the brewery is located just down the 

road in Ruscombe, the tap room qualifies 

for CAMRA’s LocAle scheme, designed to 

promote local breweries and reduce beer 

miles. An impromptu presentation of a 

Locale sticker was made on the opening day 

and it now takes pride of place on the front 

door. 

There’s no music, sport, TVs or WiFi: this is 

somewhere to come for a friendly welcome 

and to sit and chat with friends over a beer. 

Sue Thirlaway 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


23

HORSES LOVE IT 

Back in the day, Fuller’s beers were transported 

through the city using horse and wagon. The horses 

would get thirsty and the drivers would give them a 

bottle or two. Soon the horses developed a fondness 

 

refused to drink water. So, in effect the wagons were 

powered by Fuller’s beer. These days we use vans 

for those narrow London streets, but no one’s tried 

Fuller’s beer in the fuel tanks, yet. Is that possible? 

D R I N K AWA R E . C O . U K

127 Route Pub Crawl 

There’s a rover ticket that lets you get on and 

off the bus as much as you like during the day. 

With Sonning, Twyford, Hare Hatch, Knowl 

Hill and many other places on the route we 

couldn’t cover everywhere. So we decided to 

start at Littlewick Green with the Shire Horse, 

one of many pubs that lend their names to the 

bus stops on the route. 

Our group at Binghams Brewery 

When you’re a beer drinker and you think of 

a day out, where springs to mind? London 

perhaps? Bath? Oxford? Maybe even a part of 

Reading that you haven’t visited for a while. 

Perhaps “the A4” wouldn’t be high on your list. 

But think about it for a while – an old coaching 

road will have a great selection of pubs and, 

while some will have closed in recent years, 

there’s still a good number along the road and 

in the villages that it bypasses. 

But how to get to those pubs without driving? 

Luckily Courtney Buses run a route 127 on 

Saturdays between Reading and Maidenhead. 

So, back in September, a group of us met up on 

Friar Street one sunny morning for a pub crawl. 

This is a Chef & Brewer pub, a lovely 18 th 

century building that used to be one of the 

coaching inns, and has been modernised while 

still retaining many period features. Like all 

in the chain it offers a discount on real ale to 

CAMRA members. The menu looked good but 

it was a bit early for food so we enjoyed a few 

beers from Rebellion Brewery and chatted with 

a couple from Maidenhead branch who had 

cycled out to meet us. 

A quick check on the timetable, then it was 

outside to catch the next bus. The same bus 

driver that had driven us there in the morning 

then realised what we were up to. “Pub lunch, 

is it?” “No, a pub crawl.” “Ah, good stuff.” It 

was only a five minute journey to our next stop, 

Knowl Hill, and we met two other CAMRA 

members on board who were joining us for the 

rest of the crawl. 

The Royal Oak in Knowl Hill was our next 

choice and, although the pub sign is prominent 

on the A4, if you’re driving past at speed you 

could easily miss the pub itself – it’s actually 

a short walk up the road called Knowl Hill 

Common. It’s a free house that’s popular with 

locals and welcoming to visitors, and offers 

two regular beers plus a guest. Most of us went 

for the guest mild but unfortunately it died as 

soon as it was poured. After a few minutes 

the replacement guest from the local Stardust 

Brewery of White Waltham came on, and was 

in much better condition. This was our planned 

food stop and we all enjoyed the generous 

portions of home-cooked lunches. 

The Shire Horse, Littlewick Green 


25

The Royal Oak, Knowl Hill 

After that we split up to cover the two other 

remaining pubs in the village. Both are largely 

food-based but both are also happy for people 

to come in just for a drink. Those who visited 

the New Inn reported an unexceptional pint of 

Rebellion IPA while, further down the road, 

the Bird in Hand offered a range of Wadworth 

beers. 

The Bird in Hand, Knowl Hill 

Back on the bus, then, for another short hop to 

Ruscombe. Here we split up again, some having 

a quick drink in the Royal Oak (Buratta’s) – the 

bus arrived about 15 minutes before afternoon 

closing time! – while others went straight to 

Binghams Brewery. We’d phoned ahead and 

found there were a few spaces on the brewery 

tour that afternoon so we settled in. 

New Inn, Knowl Hill 

When the Bird in Hand was a family-owned 

free house it offered a wide selection of real 

ales from microbreweries and was a proper 

destination venue, being regularly in contention 

for our branch Pub of the Year award. Since 

being taken over by Wadworth a couple of 

years ago it’s been refurbished and seen major 

investment, but the beer range is now restricted 

to the owners’ products and there seems less 

of a reason to make a special journey to go 

there. The first beer we chose was off but it 

was replaced with a much better example and – 

after a brief bit of miscommunication between 

the bar staff – the first one appeared to be taken 

off sale. 


26 

The Royal Oak, Ruscombe 

Chris Bingham was hosting the tour that day 

and he gave an entertaining talk about how 

he got into brewing as a student, the long and 

involved process of setting up his own brewery, 

the brewing process and the ingredients used in 

the recipes, alongside tasting several glasses of 

the beers. Stout, the brewery dog, even made an 

appearance at the end and of course received 

plenty of fuss. Beers from Binghams and their 

new craft label Ricochet (unfined, unfiltered 

and suitable for vegans) were available for 

purchase and the shop was doing a steady 

trade from locals while we were there. Look at 

binghams.co.uk for tour details and to book 

online.

The brewery was the end of our organised pub 

crawl as the buses only run in the daytime, but 

some of the group walked on into Twyford and 

had some very good quality beer at the Golden 

Cross before getting the train back to Reading. 

Others headed back to the Royal Oak once it 

reopened for the evening and had an excellent 

meal. It was a fine day out. 

If you’ve been inspired to check out the A4, 

visit courtneybuses.com for details of the 127 

timetable and fares. Also, looking in the other 

direction, the Reading Buses (reading-buses. 

co.uk) Jet Black route no. 1 takes you west 

along the A4 from Reading to Newbury and is 

also a great way to visit a wide range of pubs. 

Both the pubs and the buses will be grateful 

for your custom and the two complement each 

other perfectly, so get planning your day out! 

Phil Gill 


27

Shop and Taproom 

Opening Hours 

Shop Open Daily: 

10am to 6pm 

Taproom Open Daily: 

10am to 6pm, 

Weds - Sat until 11pm 

Kitchen Open: 

Tues - Sun 12pm to 3pm, 

Weds - Sat 6pm to 9pm 

Phone: 01635 767090 

Email: info@wbbrew.co.uk 

wbbtaproom 

Available for private tours 

Please call 01635 767090 or 

Email: taproomandkitchen@wbbrew.co.uk 

West Berkshire Brewery Shop, Taproom & Kitchen. 

The Old Dairy, Yattendon, Berkshire, RG18 0XT 


28

A Pub is for Life 

A pub is for life … not just for 

Christmas! 

Christmas is the time of year where people like 

to socialise more with friends, family and some 

are even forced to socialise with colleagues! The 

pubs are bursting at the seams with “Seasonal 

Drinkers”. Seasoned drinkers lose their favourite 

spot at the bar as their chairs are moved to 

accommodate the swathes of new customers. 

Regulars get annoyed as their local is taken over 

by the new celebrating clientele. Publicans are 

rubbing their hands, counting the money ringing 

into their tills. 

But, with the final bars of Auld Lang Syne still 

echoing in our ears, when the New Year bells 

have fallen silent, so do the tills. The chairs are 

moved back in front of the bar and usual service 

resumes. What happened to the Christmas 

drinkers, people ask? All licensees can do is 

shrug their shoulders and hope their December 

windfall can last them through the new year. 

According to official figures, every week 18 

pubs close their doors forever. The high cost of 

drinking is usually cited as a reason for people to 

drink at home. While CAMRA still continues to 

campaign on behalf of pubs and breweries these 

said tax rises add extra pressure on the industry. 

Pubs are struggling under a triple whammy of 

high beer duty, rapidly rising business rates and 

VAT. As a result, a third of the cost of a pint is 

now made up of various taxes. 

So what’s your New Year’s resolution? I’ll let 

you into a secret and tell you what mine is. I’m 

going to make sure I visit at least one new pub a 

month. Why don’t you do the same? I promise 

you, it’ll be loads of fun! 

Sarah Crawford 

(adapted from an article originally written for 

Scottish CAMRA magazines) 

A GOLDEN WONDER 

FRESH MIX OF HOPS FOR A DELICIOUS ALE 

RICH RUBY ALE 

SMOOTH AND MALTY WITH A FULL BODY 


29

The ultimate 

Christmas Gift 

for the beer 

lover in your life 

Give your beer or pub lover a whole year’s 

worth of enjoyment ent with CAMRA membership 

£27 * 

Single Gift 

Membership 

A full year’s 

membership 

subscription 

£38 * 

£38 * 

*Joint and under 26 prices are also available. 

Gift Membership + T-Shirt 

available in bitter, mild, 

sour or stout 

Gift Membership 

+ Good Beer 

Guide 2019 

Visit www.camra.org.uk/gift-memberships 

for fantastic Christmas gift ideas 

Please visit www.camra.org.uk/membership-rates for more information

Merry Christmas and 

Happy New Beer! 

Order your Gift Membership online 

at www.camra.org.uk/christmasgifts 

Alternatively you can send this form to: 

CAMRA, 230 Hatfield Road, 

St Albans, Herts, AL1 4LW 

Please complete the following details 

and tick the membership you would like 

to buy for a friend or family member. 

Your Details (please print all information) 

Name 

Address 

Town 

Post Code 

Mobile Number 

Email 

Are you a CAMRA member (please tick as appropriate)? 

Yes No 

If Yes, please state your CAMRA membership number: 

Payment 

There are two ways you can pay for your gift: 

• Cheque - please make payable to CAMRA Ltd 

• Complete the following to pay by credit/debit card 

Name as it appears on the card 

Address (if different to above) 

Total Cost £ 

Please charge my (delete as appropriate) 

Mastercard/Visa** 

Card 

Number: 

Start Date: 

Expiry Date: 

Signature 

Details of the person you are buying 

the gift for (please print all information) 

Name 

Address 

Town 

Post Code 

Mobile Number 

Email 

Date of birth (DD-MM-YYYY) 

Please confirm which address you would like the 

gift to be sent to: 

My address Address of the person you 

are buying the gift for 

Gift Memberships (please tick the appropriate box) 

Gift Membership £27*** 

Gift Membership with Good Beer Guide £38*** 

Gift Membership with T-Shirt £38*** 

Choose brew: bitter / mild / sour / stout 

Choose size: S / M / L / XL / XXL 

Visit www.camra.org.uk/gift-memberships 

for your perfect Christmas gifts 

Find out more about membership at www.camra.org.uk/benefits 

**We don't store personal details so our Membership Team will 

contact you for your 3 digit security code. 

***All gifts listed on this page are valid until 31st December 2018. 

Please note all Gift Membership orders need to be received on 

or before Monday 17th December for dispatch before Christmas 

2018. Gift Memberships are only available for residents of the 

UK & Channel Islands. All membership prices are based upon 

standard full single membership rates. Offer only open to new 

members and not renewals. Only one book or t-shirt included in 

a Joint Membership Christmas Gift. Only one membership can 

be ordered per form. 

Postage and packing (p&p) included for all Gift Membership 

Gifts. All other shop items include p&p.

CHRISTMAS T 

MENUE 

AVAILABLE 

WED 14 NOV – MON 24 DEC 

THE BACK OF BEYOND 

104–108 KINGS ROAD 

READING 

BERKSHIRE, RG1 3BY 

TEL: 0118 959 5906 

THE BARON CADOGAN 

22–24 PROSPECT STREET 

CAVERSHAM 

BERKSHIRE, RG4 8JG 

TEL: 0118 948 1078 

THE HOPE TAP 

99–105 FRIAR STREET 

READING 

BERKSHIRE, RG1 1EP 

TEL: 0118 958 2266 

GREAT RANGE OF QUALITY REAL ALES AVAILABLE 

Featuring ales such as 

RUDDLES 

3.7% ABV pint 

FROM £1.99 

GUEST ALES 

Various ABVs pint 

FROM £2.59 

ABBOT ALE 

5.0% ABV pint 

FROM £2.69 

Available on 

iOS and Android 

323ADVERT18A5V2 

Subject to local licensing restrictions and availability at participating free houses. Photography is for guidance only. J D Wetherspoon plc reserves the right 

to withdraw/change offers (without notice), at any time. See main menu for additional details of our terms and conditions.

Mine's a Pint - Winter 2018

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?