Author: manchestercamra

Welcome to your latest Branch Update. The nights are getting lighter and there’s a distinct feeling that Spring might be on the way. It’s that time of year when a beer drinker’s thoughts might be turning to something a little lighter after the dark comforts of stout and winter ale during the colder months.

Awards

On the subject of seasons, not only is the entertainment industry awash with award ceremonies, but Bolton CAMRA is also in the middle of its own awards season. Our first award of 2025 goes to the House Without a Name in Harwood which has been voted Winter Pub of the Season. Congratulations to Jon and the team at the ‘No Name’. We will be presenting them with their certificate at 7p.m. this Wednesday 26 February.

It is also time to vote for three more awards: The Pub of the Year, the Cider Pub of the Year and the Club of the Year. You can vote online on the members’ page of the branch website here. You will need your membership details to log on. Online voting closes at midnight on 4 March 2025. Alternatively, you can vote in person at the March branch meeting which will be held at the Spinning Mule, Nelson Square, Bolton at 8 p.m. on Thursday 6 March 2025.

Your Pub Needs You

Those of you who read the Daily Mirror may be aware of this campaign calling on the Government to take measures to stop the closure of so many of the country’s pubs. The paper ran a series of articles highlighting areas of the country where many pubs have closed and are boarded up but also some success stories where pubs are managing to cling on in the face of adversity or have been brought back from the dead and are now trading succesfully. One of these is CAMRA’s current national Pub of the Year the Bailey Head in Oswestry, Shropshire. CAMRA fully supports the Mirror’s campaign and we hope the publicity will put pressure on the government to help the struggling hospitality sector.

Late Night Levy

I mentioned in an earlier update that the Council had voted to bring in a Late-Night Levy covering bars and takeaways licensed to open between 3 and 6 a.m. in Bolton town centre. The purpose of the levy is to contribute to the costs of policing in the early hours of the morning. A number of other councils have tried this but found it didn’t bring in the amount of money they hoped. Ahead of the levy coming into force this month we have seen a slew of applications from bars seeking to amend their licensed hours to just before 3 a.m. when the charge takes effect. How this will affect the Council’s income remains to be seen, but it clearly won’t be as much as they anticipated, and, for those drinkers who like to stay out until the cows come home, there may be less choice of places to go.

Getting Involved

You will have received an email from Ralph Warrington, CAMRA’s regional Director for the North West looking for someone to take on the role of Area Organiser for Greater Manchester. If you are interested in this role, please email Ralph at rd.northwest@camra.org.uk 

There is also a vacancy for a Brewery Liaison Officer for Bank Top Brewery, Bolton’s award winning and probably best known independent brewery. As the name suggests, the BLO provides the link between CAMRA and the brewery making sure that all our information is up to date. Full details of the role can be found here. Again, you’ll need your membership details to log on. If you’re interested in this position, please drop me a line at chair@bolton.camra.org.uk

We’re also looking for members to get involved by sharing information with other members on our branch website. For example, what’s happening with your local pubs? Have you been on a pub crawl or had an excellent pub experience?  Have you seen a great ale-related website that you think we should link to? If you’re a publican, let us know what beers you are currently serving and if you are hosting any ale-related events. Are you organising a beer festival? If there is anything at all that you have come across that will be of interest to visitors to the site, tell us about it by emailing editor@bolton.camra.org.uk

And on that note, a quick shout out to our neighbouring branch, Wigan, who are holding their beer festival this weekend at Robin Park, Wigan. Details here.

Finally, if your idea of getting involved is simply drinking quality beer with like-minded people, why not come along to one of our branch socials. They take place usually once a month, sometimes more often, taking in Bolton and further afield. Details can be found on the Social Events page of the branch website. The next social is a trip to Sheffield on 7 March.

Cheers,

John Mitchell – Chair

Steve and Gayle along with some friends have organised a trip to Sheffield. Here are the details if anyone would like to join them. The people who are planning to attend so far are: Steve, Gayle, Gary Leece, Pete Foster and 2 or 3 others from the Kings Arms, and possibly Steve Haycock.  Some of us have already booked trains, with a couple from the Kings Arms planning on driving there and staying overnight in the Crow Inn.

Here are the details which have been arranged.

Meeting at Manchester Piccadilly train station.  
Departing Manchester Piccadilly at 11:43 (East Midlands Railway), arriving in Sheffield at 12:34.  
Return – Departing Sheffield at 20:11, arriving back at Manchester Piccadilly at 21:05 (TransPennine Express).

If anyone was planning on attending and getting the train from Bolton, an off peak return is £29.60, with a change at Manchester Victoria. This will be cheaper if you have the the train added to a bus pass.
Departing Bolton at 10:58, change at Manchester Oxford Road (24min wait),  train from Oxford Road at 11:39, arriving in Sheffield at 12:34.  
Return – Departing Sheffield at 20:11, change at Manchester Oxford Road (21min wait), train from Oxford Road at 21:30 arriving back in Bolton at 21:47.
Obviously earlier trains are available if you prefer.

The pubs to visit are mainly based in the Kelham Island area.

Starting at the Rutland Arms, which is a short walk from the train station.
Then either an 18 minute walk or taxi across to the Kelham Island area where we intend to visit the following pubs:
Crow Inn (has accommodation for anyone interesting in staying overnight, rooms starting from £50)
Shakespeare’s
Kelham Island Tavern

Fat Cat

Either The Wellington or The Harlequin
Then back to the train station, again a choice of a 20 minute walk or by taxi, where we will hopefully have time to have a final drink in the Sheffield Tap.

Please contact Steve if you need more information. It looks like a great day out.

Welcome to the first Branch Update of 2025. The weather so far has been fairly awful so thank you to those of you who braved the elements to attend our socials and the January Branch meeting.

You may have noticed that the CAMRA logo has changed. This is part of a rebrand which aims to encourage more people to get involved with CAMRA, while celebrating how the organisation has changed the beer landscape, and continues to campaign for cask beer, cider and perry, pubs and clubs.

Good Beer Guide Selection

Online voting is now open to select the Branch’s entries for the Good Beer Guide 2026. A shortlist of eighteen pubs and clubs has been drawn up and members may vote for up to thirteen venues where they think the Real Ale quality merits inclusion in the Good Beer Guide, ideally having visited them during 2024/2025.  Those with the most votes will go forward as the branch’s entries. You can vote on the branch website here and the criteria for how the shortlist has been drawn up can be found here. You will need your membership number and password to log in and vote.

The deadline for online voting is midnight on 3 February 2025. Alternatively, you can vote in person at the next branch meeting at the Millstone 12 Crown Street, Bolton, BL1 2RU 6 February 2025 if you prefer.

Winter Pub of the Season

On the same page you can also vote for the Winter Pub of the Season. Again, you will need your membership number and password to log in. Three pubs have been nominated:

Blackedge Brewery Bar, Horwich, Moreton Mill, Hampson Street, Horwich BL6 7JH
House Without a Name, Harwood 75 Lea Gate, Harwood, BL2 3ET
Stork Tavern, Bolton 548 Halliwell Road, Bolton, BL1 8BP

The criteria for the award are set out on the voting page. The deadline for online voting is midnight on 5 February 2025. As above, you may vote in person at the February branch meeting if you prefer.

Handpump Hijack

You may be aware of this campaign relating to the introduction by Carlsberg of their Fresh Ale product. One of the factors that makes cask unique is that it doesn’t leave the brewery as a finished product. Instead, the conditioning that completes the brewing process is done at the pub, and relies on the skills, timing and experience of the staff and licensee. On the other hand, most beers, including lagers, kegged beers, and ‘Fresh Ale’ are ready to drink when they leave the brewery. These beers have a longer shelf life, and can be easier to serve.

Brewers often make both these types of beer, and CAMRA believes they should market them accordingly, so consumers know what they’re getting. ‘Fresh Ale’ is not a cask beer, and hijacking a handpump to sell it as if it were is unfair and misleading to pub-goers. Two examples of this fresh ale have been spotted in Bolton town centre – at Hogarths and Northern Way. Look out for the small print on the pump clips telling you that the beer is ‘brewery conditioned’. 

More information on the Handpump Hijack campaign can be found on the branch website here where there is also a link to the national website.

Gift Ideas

Bolton CAMRA has come into possession of a number of pumpclips which have been framed up and are now available as an exclusive offer for CAMRA members. Prices range from £10 – £16 and the proceeds will go to Branch funds to help fund our campaigning activities. Further information is available here. Once again, membership number and password will be required. Thanks to Chelsea from the Spinning Mule for the donation.

Volunteering

CAMRA is a volunteer led organisation and we’re always on the lookout for members who want to get involved in the campaign. There are lots of opportunities to become involved from local branch activies through the North West regional structures right up to the National Executive, CAMRA’s board of directors.

Following the formation of the new North West Region which includes Lancashire, Cumbria and the Isle of Man, as well as Greater Manchester, there is a vacancy for a Greater Manchester Area Co-ordinator and Deputy. This role will act as the link between the Greater Manchester branches and the North West Regional Director. The co-ordinator will also help organise the quarterly area meetings which are hosted by each of the branches in turn. A full description of the role can be seen here and if you think you would like to take on this role, please contact the Regional Director on this address: rd.northwest@camra.org.uk  

Whether you are an active member or you simply pay your subscription and enjoy a pint of real ale, you are still supporting one of the most successful consumer organisations in Europe. Please continue to support us by putting your big coat on, battling the wind and rain and getting down to your local pub or club.

Cheers!

John Mitchell – Chair

Catch the train from Bolton Station 12.18 (12.25) to Manchester Victoria 12.39 (12.50). Walk to the Angel meeting up at 1.00pm. We can then decide which of the pubs we want to visit.

Angel, 6 Angel Street, Manchester, M4 4BQ.  Six changing beers and two ciders

Marble Arch, 73 Rochdale Road, Collyhurst, Manchester, M4 4HY, 4 changing beers and 2 regular beers. Food available

Jack in the Box, 1 Eagle Street, Manchester, M4 5BU, 8 changing beers (Mostly Blackjack)

Smithfield Market Tavern, 37 Swan Street, Manchester, Manchester, M4 5JZ, 6 changing beers 

Bar Fringe, 8 Swan Street, City Centre, Manchester, M4 5JN, 6 changing beers

Crown & Kettle, 2 Oldham Road, Manchester, M4 5FE, 6 changing beers

Port Street Beer House, 39-41 Port Street, Manchester, M1 2EQ, 7 changing beers 

If your favourite is not on the list let us know. If you need any further details, please contact social@bolton.camra.org.uk or call Gill on 07967585670. If you arrive after the start of the social, please contact Gill to find out where the group are at that time.

Meet at One for the Road in the Market at 1.00pm. We will visit some regulars and some pubs we don’t visit often.

One for the Road, Stalls F14 to F15 Ashburner Street Lifestyle Hall, BL1 1TJ, 2 changing ales

Greyhound, 146 Deansgate, Bolton, BL1 1BB, 3 changing beers

Elephant & Castle, 4-10 Deansgate, Bolton, BL1 1BR, 2 regular and 2 changing beers

Northern Monkey Bar, Nelson Square, BL1 1AQ, 4 changing beers

These are just four pubs. We can discuss others to visit on the day

It is important that we support our local pubs and be seen to support them. Therefore, if you have a CAMRA t shirt or polo shirt, please wear it if you can.

If you need information on the day, please contact Gill on 07967585670