Happy New Year and welcome to your first Bolton CAMRA Branch Update of 2026. I’m not sure what the new year has in store for us but let’s hope it’s a good one for our pubs, clubs and breweries, although the early signs aren’t great.
Branch Meeting
Just a reminder that the January Branch Meeting will take place at 8pm this Thursday, 8 January at the Olde Man and Scythe, Churchgate, Bolton BL1 1HL. At this meeting, we will be voting for the Winter Pub of the Season and reviewing the long list for entries into the 2027 Good Beer Guide.
Campaigning
The big issues that CAMRA will be campaigning on at the beginning of this year are business rates and planning. We are still lobbying the government to rethink its position on business rates for pubs. Although the multiplier used to calculate the rates has been reduced, the removal in April of the 40% discount introduced during Covid and the revaluation of properties means that, in fact, bills will go up for a lot of pubs. This is already a difficult time and these additional costs could see more closures.
Should pubs close, changes to the planning regime proposed by the government could make it easier for the use of the premises to be changed. Although applicants will have to show that they have tried to sell the pub as a going concern, this will only apply if the application relates to the last pub in an area. There is no indication of what will will be considered an ‘area’, but in an urban environment like Bolton, there’s always likely to be another pub in the ‘area’ so there will be no effective protection at all. This is already Bolton Council’s approach having dismissed CAMRA’s objection to the change of use of Ben’s at the Legion in Blackrod on the basis that there are other pubs nearby, albeit a pretty long walk away.
Pub News
Notwithstanding the Council’s dismissal of our objection to its conversion to flats, in an unexpected development, Ben’s at the Legion has now reopened as Blackjak’s. It is advertising a cask club on weekday afternoons with ales at £3 per pint which sounds like a good reason to pop in and see what beers they’re serving (and score them). If someone is prepared to take the chance on reopening this pub, we should give them our support.
On the other side of the coin, the iconic Sweet Green Tavern in Bolton town centre remains closed, supposedly for refurbishment but there’s not much sign of anything going on and no news of any repoening date.
Socials
Our next branch social will be on Saturday 24 January to Salford starting at the New Oxford on Bexley Square at 1 pm. On Friday 13 February, there will be a visit to the Dark Side of Preston, when five pubs will be celebrating the delights of darker beers. As always, details are on the Social Events page of the branch website here.
Lots of people will be considering taking part in Dry January after the excesses of the festive season. Whilst acknowledging the sentiments behind this, CAMRA would prefer you to take part in Tryanuary to experience either a pub or club you haven’t visited before or maybe try a beer or cider that’s new to you. If you are determined to abstain for the month, however, that’s no reason not to visit the pub. There are now many craft brewed no and low alcohol beers out there so there should be something for everyone. Our pubs and clubs need our support during what is always a difficult month.
Cheers
John Mitchell – Chair