Category: Branch News

This social the visit takes us to the Ribblesdale Tap, the new pub from Blackedge Brewery which opened in December. From Blackburn the social goes on to Darwen before returning to Bolton. The Ribblesdale Tap opens at 12.30. Meeting at the Tap at 13.00ish

There is a choice of bus or train.

Bus: Catch the No 1 bus 11.33 (11.53) from the Interchange arriving in Blackburn at 12.33 (12.53)

Train: Catch the train from Bolton Station at 11.35(12.04) arriving at 12.03(12.54) As the social is calling at Darwen on the way back to Bolton you will need to work out which ticket is the best for you. Its Northern Trains so there are also duo tickets.

Blackburn:

Ribblesdale Tap, 35 Northgate, BB2 1JU

Darwen:

Darwen Tap, 47 Blackburn Road, BB3 1EJ, 4 changing cask ales

Loom & Shuttle, 165 Duckworth St. BB3 1AT, Mayflower Tap with 4 Ales

Bird in th’hand, 225 Duckworth St. BB3 1AU, 4 changing ales

Number 39, 39-41 Bridge St. BB3 2AA, 4 Hopstar plus 1 changing

There are many more pubs in Darwen so the list can be changed if other pubs are worth a visit.

If you need more information email me social@bolton.camra.org.uk or call me on the day of the social; Gill 07967585670

This social the visit takes us to the Ribblesdale Tap, the new pub from Blackedge Brewery which opened in December. From Blackburn the social goes on to Darwen before returning to Bolton. The Ribblesdale Tap opens at 12.30. Meeting at the Tap at 13.00ish

There is a choice of bus or train.

Bus: Catch the No 1 bus 11.33 (11.53) from the Interchange arriving in Blackburn at 12.33 (12.53)

Train: Catch the train from Bolton Station at 11.35(12.04) arriving at 12.03(12.34) As the social is calling at Darwen on the way back to Bolton you will need to work out which ticket is the best for you. Its Northern Trains so there are also duo tickets.

Blackburn:

Ribblesdale Tap, 35 Northgate, BB2 1JU

Drummers Arms, 65 King William ST., BB1 7TD, 2 regular ales and 4 changing

Rock Box, 63 King William St., BB1 7DT, 2 changing ales

Darwen:

Darwen Tap, 47 Blackburn Road, BB3 1EJ, 4 changing cask ales

Loom & Shuttle, 165 Duckworth St. BB3 1AT, Mayflower Tap with 4 Ales

Bird in th’hand, 225 Duckworth St. BB3 1AU, 4 changing ales

Number 39, 39-41 Bridge St. BB3 2AA, 4 Hopstar plus 1 changing

There are many more pubs in Darwen so the list can be changed if other pubs are worth a visit.

If you need more information email me social@bolton.camra.org.uk or call me on the day of the social; Gill 07967585670

The Colliers at Aspull is Escape Brewery Tap.

The 575 bus from Bolton stops just outside the Colliers making it easy to get to.  The pub opens at 2.00pm and we plan to meet there at 2.00-2.30. The 575 leaves Bolton Interchange 13.10 (13.30) calling at Horwich 13.37 (13.57) Winter Hey Lane or 13.39 (13.59) Horwich Crown arriving at The Colliers at 13.58 (14.18). The second time in brackets is the next bus times.

Colliers Arms, 192 Wigan Road, Aspull, WN2 1DU, 4 changing ales

Returning, we can stop in Horwich to sample beers at one or two of the pubs in the town. (If you want to!)

Bank Top Brewery Ale House, 36 Church Street, BL6 6AD, 4 regular ales and 5 changing.

B33R@33, 33 Lee Lane, BL6 7AX, 2 changing ales plus selection of Keg.

Blackedge, Brewery Bar, Moreton Mill, Hampson Street, BL6 7JH, selection of Blackedge beers on the bar and ciders

The Crown, 1 Chorley New Road, BL6 7QJ, 4 regular ales and 4 changing

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.

Gill Smart, Social Secretary

The Colliers at Aspull is Escape Brewery Tap.

The 575 bus from Bolton stops just outside the Colliers making it easy to get to.  The pub opens at 2.00pm and we plan to meet there at 2.00-2.30. The 575 leaves Bolton Interchange 13.10 (13.30) calling at Horwich 13.37 (13.57) Winter Hey Lane or 13.39 (13.59) Horwich Crown arriving at The Colliers at 13.58 (14.18). The second time in brackets is the next bus times.

Colliers Arms, 192 Wigan Road, Aspull, WN2 1DU, 4 changing ales

Returning, we can stop in Horwich to sample beers at one or two of the pubs in the town. (If you want to!)

Bank Top Brewery Ale House, 36 Church Street, BL6 6AD, 4 regular ales and 5 changing.

B33R@33, 33 Lee Lane, BL6 7AX, 2 changing ales plus selection of Keg.

Blackedge, Brewery Bar, Moreton Mill, Hampson Street, BL6 7JH, selection of Blackedge beers on the bar and ciders

The Crown, 1 Chorley New Road, BL6 7QJ, 4 regular ales and 4 changing

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.

Gill Smart, Social Secretary

What has the New Year got in store?

Well 2024 is well under way and I hope members had an enjoyable festive season. I also hope you have been able to visit our pubs and clubs during January to help them through what is generally considered a lean time for the hospitality industry. Even if you are participating in Dry January there is no reason not to visit your local pub or club and investigate the ever growing range of low and no-alcohol beers being produced by quality brewers these days.

For the last couple of years, new bar openings have almost kept pace with closures, however it is anticipated that this year we may see the overall number of pubs and clubs decreasing, so your support is more vital than ever.

Meetings and Socials

The next Branch meeting will take place this coming Thursday, 1st February at the Millstone, Crown Street, Bolton. At the meeting we will be voting for the branch’s entries for the Good Beer Guide 2025 and the Winter Pub of the Season. You can also vote online if you prefer. Details of how to do this are below.

The next social will be a trip on the 125 bus route from Bolton to Horwich on the 10th February, taking in a number of pubs on the way. Everyone is welcome and if you’d like to come along we’ll be meeting at Great Ale at the Vaults in the Market Place in the Town Centre at 1p.m. More details here.

Good Beer Guide/Pub and Club Awards

Online voting is under way to select the branch’s 13 entries for the Good Beer Guide 2025. The shortlist of pubs and voting forms can be found here. The deadline for online voting is midnight on Tuesday 30 January but if you would prefer to vote in person you can do so at the Branch meeting on 1st February. Full details of the selection process for the Good Beer Guide can be found here.

On the same page, you can also cast your vote for the Winter Pub of the Season. The deadline for online voting for this award is midnight on Wednesday 31 January.

You have more time to cast your vote for the Cider Pub of the Year and Club of the Year as these votes do not close until early March which gives you plenty of time to visit the nominees and sample what they have to offer.

Campaigning

The Chancellor has been dropping hints about tax cuts in the March budget but whether those tax cuts will benefit our hard pressed hospitality industry remains to be seen. CAMRA will be campigning on this ahead of the budget and will be asking you to write to your MP urging more support for pubs and clubs to keep them going through the current difficulties.

There are also going to be elections this year. There will be local elections in May and almost certainly a general election before the year is out. We will take these opportunities to press politicians both local and national to support policies which allow us to enjoy a good, reasonably priced pint in our local.

Cheers!

Thanks

John Mitchell

Chair

What has the New Year got in store?

Well 2024 is well under way and I hope members had an enjoyable festive season. I also hope you have been able to visit our pubs and clubs during January to help them through what is generally considered a lean time for the hospitality industry. Even if you are participating in Dry January there is no reason not to visit your local pub or club and investigate the ever growing range of low and no-alcohol beers being produced by quality brewers these days.

For the last couple of years, new bar openings have almost kept pace with closures, however it is anticipated that this year we may see the overall number of pubs and clubs decreasing, so your support is more vital than ever.

Meetings and Socials

The next Branch meeting will take place this coming Thursday, 1st February at the Millstone, Crown Street, Bolton. At the meeting we will be voting for the branch’s entries for the Good Beer Guide 2025 and the Winter Pub of the Season. You can also vote online if you prefer. Details of how to do this are below.

The next social will be a trip on the 125 bus route from Bolton to Horwich on the 10th February, taking in a number of pubs on the way. Everyone is welcome and if you’d like to come along we’ll be meeting at Great Ale at the Vaults in the Market Place in the Town Centre at 1p.m. More details here.

Good Beer Guide/Pub and Club Awards

Online voting is under way to select the branch’s 13 entries for the Good Beer Guide 2025. The shortlist of pubs and voting forms can be found here. The deadline for online voting is midnight on Tuesday 30 January but if you would prefer to vote in person you can do so at the Branch meeting on 1st February. Full details of the selection process for the Good Beer Guide can be found here.

On the same page, you can also cast your vote for the Winter Pub of the Season. The deadline for online voting for this award is midnight on Wednesday 31 January.

You have more time to cast your vote for the Cider Pub of the Year and Club of the Year as these votes do not close until early March which gives you plenty of time to visit the nominees and sample what they have to offer.

Campaigning

The Chancellor has been dropping hints about tax cuts in the March budget but whether those tax cuts will benefit our hard pressed hospitality industry remains to be seen. CAMRA will be campigning on this ahead of the budget and will be asking you to write to your MP urging more support for pubs and clubs to keep them going through the current difficulties.

There are also going to be elections this year. There will be local elections in May and almost certainly a general election before the year is out. We will take these opportunities to press politicians both local and national to support policies which allow us to enjoy a good, reasonably priced pint in our local.

Cheers!

Thanks

John Mitchell

Chair

We will meet at the Great Ale in the Vaults at 1.00pm. Moving on from the Vaults we will catch the 125 bus which goes along Chorley Old Road.
For those living within Greater Manchester the best option is a day ticket which can be purchased on the bus.

Leaving the Vaults, the next stop will be Bunbury’s. The next stop is Horwich.

Great Ale at the Vaults, Vaults Below Market Place, BL1 2AL, 2 changing ales, food available.

Bunbury’s, 397 Chorley Old Road, BL1 6AH, 3 changing ales and selection of bottles

Bank Top Brewery Ale House, 36 Church Street, BL6 6AD, 4 regular ales and 5 changing  

B33R@33, 33 Lee Lane, BL6 7AX, 2 changing ales plus selection of Keg

Blackedge, Brewery Bar, Moreton Mill, Hampson Street,BL6 7JH, selection of Blackedge beers on the bar and ciders

The Crown, 1 Chorley New Road, BL6 7QJ, 4 regular ales and 4 changing

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.

Gill Smart, Social Secretary

It has been announced, with deep regret, that 2024’s festival has been postponed. The Great British Beer Festival will return in 2025, and work is already underway by organisers and volunteersexploring a variety of options for the future. More information here