Welcome to your latest Bolton CAMRA Branch Update. As I write this, the rain is pouring and it looks like it might be another wet and mild Christmas. Not that everything wet, mild and pouring is bad news. With two of our local breweries, Bank Top and Blackedge, unashamedly producing Dark Mild without trying to disguise it as ‘Black’ or similar, there’s something tasty for those who favour the dark side. Many other dark beers are also available at this time of year, from inky black stouts tasting of anything from coffee and chocolate or even popcorn to deep red winter ales tasting of plum pudding. Hopefully there’s been something to tempt you to call in your local for a bit of respite from the miserable weather.
Annual General Meeting
The Branch AGM took place on 13 November and all the officers were re-elected for another year. The minutes of the meeting can be viewed on the Branch website here (you will need your CAMRA membership number to log in). Ralph Warrington, North West Regional Director, gave a short briefing on national and regional issues, setting out the threats drinkers face from the global brewing conglomerates and the new temperance movement. Reports were received on membership, social activites, cider, website statistics, and Bolton Beer and Cider Week. The Branch Pubs Officer gave a round up of movements on the Bolton pub and club scene. Copies of all these reports are included in the minutes.
The Budget
Well, the Budget finally arrived and after a great deal of speculation we found out what was in store for the hospitality industry. The answer was, yet more financial challenges for our pubs and hotels. In a nutshell, although the Government is to introduce a lower business rates multiplier, which is good news, they are also removing the 40% relief which was brought in to protect pubs during the pandemic. This, coupled with a rating revaluation is likely to result in most pubs actually paying significantly more than they do currently. This is on top of measures introduced in last year’s budget which continue to impact hospitality businesses.
All this could easily result in an increase in the number of pubs closing. CAMRA has organised an e-lobby of MPs asking them to put pressure on the Government to undertake a fundamental review of the business rates system as was promised. CAMRA has prepared a template email for members to send. Click here, fill in your details and a personalised email to your MP will be ready to send. Every email sent to your MP really helps to build momentum behind calls for the Government to support our pubs.
Winter Pub of the Season
If your local is a haven in these dark times or you have visited a pub that you thought was particularly cosy, maybe you would like to nominate it for our Winter Pub of the Season award. This award is intended to recognise a pub in the branch area which gives its customers somewhere to enjoy their favourite tipple in an atmosphere that’s warm and welcoming and maybe has that extra touch like an open fire and plenty of festive spirit. It must, of course, serve good quality cask beer. If you would like to nominate a pub, please email me on chair@bolton.camra.org.uk by 27 December with a couple of lines about why you think it deserves the award. The branch committee will draw up a shortlist and members will be able to vote for the winner online or at the branch meeting on Thursday 8 January 2026. It will be held at the Olde Man and Scythe on Churchgate, Bolton.
Good Beer Guide
We are also approaching the time when the branch selects its entries for the Good Beer Guide 2027. The full process for selecting the pubs to go into the Good Beer Guide is set out on the branch website here, but the starting point is an analysis of the beer scores submitted by members over the previous year. Each year we start from scratch and those pubs which have scores higher than the branch average will make up the initial shortlist. This will then be reviewed by members at the January Branch Meeting with the final selection taking place at the February Meeting. The branch has an allocation of thirteen entries into the guide but we have many more pubs and clubs whose scores don’t quite make the grade or do not have enough scores to qualify. If you believe your favourite pub deserves to be in the Good Beer Guide then there’s still time to submit scores before the cut-off at the end of the year. Find out how you can submit scores by clicking here.
Christmas Social
The branch will be holding its traditional trip to Chorley on 27 December, an excellent way to relax after all the festive excitement. We will be meeting at the Malt ‘n’Hops near Chorley station at 13.00 and then taking in some of the fantastic pubs Chorley has to offer. More details on the branch website here.
Finally, I would like to wish all our members and their loved ones a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year. Although we can enjoy our pubs and clubs all year round, Christmas is a special time to pop out to your local to meet friends and family and raise a glass or two of festive cheer.
Cheers!
John Mitchell – Chair