11 Aug
London News: New
Cross local named best pub in Britain.
An eccentric local boozer in New Cross has been named best pub in Britain.
More.....
and a word of warning -
Official: Beer goggles DO exist
More.....
8 Aug
Cains Beer Company calls in the Administrator
Around 1,000 jobs are
under threat at Cains Beer Company after the brewer and pubs group went into
administration.
The future of the group's historic Cains brewery in Liverpool and its 100 pubs
now hang in the balance
More.............
Later........
Marston's tipped to take over Cains
More.............
Boot & Shoe, Barwell (see Aug 5 below)
M&B Mild has now arrived!
7 Aug
More Garments & New Colour choice for our Leisurewear Range!!
Updated Logo!
Order now for delivery prior to the Beer Festival.
Click here to see the range.
6 Aug
Alton's Pride is named Champion Beer of Britain 2008 at the Great
British Beer Festival
Alton's Pride brewed by Triple fff Brewery in Hampshire
was today judged to be the best beer in Britain by a panel of brewers, beer
writers and journalists.
Full List of
Winners
5 Aug
Boot & Shoe - a New Free House opens in Barwell!

Built
& opened in 1964, the Red Hall eventually closed at the beginning of this
year. However, it has now been completely refurbished, has a new kitchen & has
re-opened as the Boot & Shoe. Situated in Moore Road, Barwell, it
offers lunchtime & evening food. At present, the landlord, Kevin Bavister is
offering beers from Charles Wells & Young's, however this may change due to
customer requests. The first change will be the addition of M&B Mild. From H&B
CAMRA's point of view, it's good to have another free house in our area & we
wish Kevin, his wife & staff all the best in their new venture.
The Boot & Shoe can be contacted on 01455 840730.
30 July
HELPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!
Are
you a qualified First Aider?
Do you have any spare time during the set up period of our Beer Festival (Sun
7th to Thurs 11th September 2008)?
Would you be prepared to come and help us?
If so, contact
Alan
on 01455 230872
19 July
A Butler from Burbage
Robert Butler was born in
Hinckley 31st October 1807 and was christened at St Mary’s Hinckley. Sometime
in July 1834 he married Mary Liggins at St Catherine’s Burbage. Their son,
William, was born 11th August 1835, he was christened at Burbage.
Robert and Mary first show up
on the 1871 census living in New Buildings, Hinckley. Robert was a Worsted
Hose Weaver. William has by now moved away. We then have a gap until 1901 when
Robert is listed as living at 2 London Road, Hinckley aged 94 living on his
own means, with Ann Ball as his Housekeeper (Domestic) she was from Stoke
Golding. When he died in March 1904 he was reckoned to be the oldest
inhabitant of Hinckley aged 97.
In the Hinckley Times of 26th
March 1904 there is a short article about his passing. It states that Robert
was known to walk to Coventry once a week to sell his wares. He was also
classed as an eccentric, as he was often seen walking around Hinckley in an
old style chimney pot hat.
We can see on the bottom of the
grave mention of their son William, who is buried in Birmingham. William left
home to earn his money in Birmingham, with just a halfpenny in his pocket. He
worked as a Barman at the Crown Inn a Public House on Broad Street. In 1866 he
took over the license of the London Works Tavern in Smethwick. Tens years
later he moved back to the crown as the Licensee and Brewer. In 1898 he merged
with Henry Mitchell to form Mitchells and Butlers.
Burbage
therefore has a link to Mitchells and Butlers, surprising considering we are
now all Marstons.
Source: An
extract from a talk given by Martin Mellor
13 July
CAMRA Members - Join the Good Beer Guide Privilege Club and save £3.50
on the CAMRA Members' price, paying each year by Direct Debit.
More....
More
sad news - The Blue Lion at Witherley is currently closed & believed to
be for sale.
10 July
Leicester
Branch have chosen the Windmill at Brascote as their next Pub of the
Month (PotM). Our congratulations to Chris James, who is, of course, a member
of the H&B Branch. The presentation will be at the Windmill, on Wednesday 17th
September, when Chris hopes to have all three Battlefield beers available.
Windmill website
Find Good Beer Guide pubs using satellite navigation!
Good
Beer Guide 2008 now available as a Points of Interest (POI) file for TomTom
Sat-Nav.
More details...
9 July
Sad news from (just) over the border
After
nearly two years on the market it appears that the historic Four Counties
Inn at No Mans Heath has been sold. A sign on the door informs that
refurbishment is taking place at the Four Counties spice restaurant, This pub,
for several years a GBG entry, has been owned by the family of the landlady,
Sandra Pitch for many years and will be a great loss on the Real Ale scene.
In years gone by it could well have been within the boundaries of the
Hinckley and Bosworth CAMRA branch. I have it on good authority, the
landlady's and others, that a split stone in the cellar marks the original
junction of Leicester, Stafford, Warwick and Derby counties, although I have
not seen this myself.
Source David Drake
BBC article & video
4 July
Full Branch Status!!
The CAMRA National Executive has approved our application for
full Branch status. This will become effective at the AGM to be held on
Tuesday 16th September at Ashby Road Sports Club.
2 July
Another H&B CAMRA member ventures into the pub trade!
The
Cross Keys in Burbage - a pub with the potential to be one of the best
in our area - will, on Monday, be taken over by Jeff Parratt, a member of H&B
CAMRA, and Johnny Malin, both from Burbage. This news comes within a month of
members Tim & Lisa Brotherhood taking the Elephant & Castle in Thurlaston.
It is almost exactly 12 months since the previous Landlord, Les Pocock, moved
in.
Jeff tells us the priority is to get the beers right & to get the pub back to
the standard it achieved in years gone by.
Hinckley & Bosworth CAMRA wish Jeff & John the best of luck with their
project.
30June

A new magazine has appeared, called Real Ale Heaven, it may be of interest. It
offers a quarterly mag. + a bottle of Real Ale, delivered to your door
Check their website at
www.realaleheaven.com
3 June
The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has today announced the
winners of its annual Pub Design Awards, which celebrate the very best in
vision, imagination and restraint in Britain's pubs.
The Winners:
Refurbishment Award and CAMRA / English Heritage Conservation Award - The
Weaver Hotel, South Parade, Weston Point, Runcorn, Cheshire.
Conversion to Pub Use Award - The Tobie Norris, Stamford, Lincolnshire.
New Build Pub Award - The Black Horse Inn, Walcote, Leics.
The judges said, "For the first time in many years, the judges are
delighted to be be able to present an award for a New Buildpub. Local
architects Twigg and Associates, working closely with the owner Andy Clipston,
have replaced the pub that originally stood in this village. The old pub was
deemed by the thoughtless local authority to be `too close to the road´ and in
the way of a planned `executive housing estate´ - as blatant an instance of
urban vandalism and detrimental `improvement´ as you can get. Then the White
Knight rode in: a former pub regular, Andrew Clipston, intervened to buy the
site and rebuild the pub - ensuring that the new building was now a regulation
two metres from the main road. This pub has had both critics and defenders -
but one which, we feel, on balance deserves an award, if only to celebrate the
Phoenix-like rebirth of the village's social focus."
Individuals from our branch nominated the Black Horse last July.
More . . .
Guardian Article of 2nd. June
31 May
The
change at the Elephant & Castle in Thurlaston has now been completed.
Tim & Lisa Brotherhood, two of our members, have now taken over. Despite only
moving in on Tuesday (27th) there were four real ales available last night -
Everards Beacon & Tiger, plus
Steamin' Billy's Scrum Down, brewed in Burton on
Trent &
Castle Rock's Harvest Pale, from Nottingham. I am pleased to report that
the two I tried were both in excellent condition. The kitchen is due to
re-open in the next few days, offering a choice of Lisa's homemade foods. I am
sure everyone at H&B CAMRA wish Tim & Lisa all success in their new venture.
I understand that
Neil & Pat Jackson, the previous licensees have moved to Burton on Trent where
they have taken over the
Alfred on Derby Street. This is a Burton Bridge Brewery tied house & is
conveniently situated close to the Town Hall - ideal for a visit after a beer
festival.
24th May
Becks and Stella Artois brewer
plans £23bn Budweiser bid
More . . .
23rd May
Britain's 10 best pubs with gardens - according to the Times newspaper.
Click here
These are not all CAMRA listed pubs -
however there is a link to a video of the Old Spot, Dursley - CAMRA
2008 Pub of the Year.
14th May

The
Constitutional Club, Burbage is the first outlet in our area to be
displaying the LocAle logo. This means there will be regular
offerings of beers brewed within a 30 mile radius. Last night the LocAle
beers were Church End's Goat's Milk & Rugby Brewing Co's Webb Ellis &
Victorious
LocAle - more info
The
Blacksmith's Arms, Barwell closed in September 07 and re-opened 16th
March 08. Consequently Brian Jimson, the new landlord is starting from
rock bottom. The pub had a reputation for drug abuse, and was frequented
by younger drinkers. Brian is trying to deter this group, and focus on
the more responsible drinkers. The Bar has been repainted, and both ladies and
gents toilets have been fully refurbished.
Currently he has no demand for Pedigree, but the Burton Bitter sells well.
He hopes to introduce another real ale once the business has recovered.
Brian has been in the trade for 40 years, and has run pubs in Ibstock &
Coalville as well as the Barley Sheaf in Hinckley.
13th May
News from Bells Brewery & Merchants Limited May 2008
ULLESTHORPE
SHOP TO CLOSE
As we had planned, our shop at Ullesthorpe will close at the end of May.
Our shop at Broughton Astley
map is going from strength to strength and will
stock our great range of beers, alongside the growing home brew and winemaking
side.
SUMMER BEER FEST.
Our June beer fest will take place in Bulkington, Warwickshire, the exact date
and venue will be confirmed next week
MORE BREWS!
Our smaller brewery is now working like the clappers and we have already
produced a Belgian Trappist style beer, with a mild and Irish style Bitter
available shortly...
Guest
Beers at The Windmill, Brascote from today are:
Battlefield Brewery (brewed by Tunnel Brewery)
- Richard Plantagenet 4.9% & Let Battle Commence 3.8%
The
Black Horse, Upper Bond Street, Hinckley.
The kitchen has now re-opened and lunchtime meals are being offered 12-3
daily, including Sunday Lunches (bookable).
Current Guest Beer is Young's Special.
26th Apr
From
today, The Windmill, Brascote is the first pub to be featuring beers
from the new Battlefield Brewery (currently brewed by Tunnel
Brewery at Ansley), as follows:
Henry Tudor - 4.6% Dark Ale
Let Battle Commence - 3.8%
Landlord Chris James, who is one of our members, will make you very welcome.
website
Source: Richard Lewin
The
new licensees of the The Black Horse, Appleby Magna are Stacey & Carla
Garey. Pedigree is reported to be up to standard.
Source: David Drake
15th Apr
The
Elephant & Castle, Thurlaston is going to change hands in the next few
weeks. Neil & Pat Jackson are moving on & two of our members, Tim & Lisa
Brotherhood, are taking over. Some of you may remember Tim & Lisa from a few
years ago when they kept the Black Horse in Upper Bond Street, Hinckley.
I'm sure all our members wish them well with their new venture.
Source: Steve Colbourne
9th Apr
Black
Horse, Upper Bond Street, Hinckley.
New licensees, Mick & Marilyn, are up and running following a very busy
opening last Saturday. At present the Marston's pub is offering Burton Bitter,
Pedigree & one guest ale (currently Banks's Amber Ale). The kitchen is due to
re-open soon.
Source: Alan Cooke5th Apr
The
Black Horse at Appleby Magna changed hands last weekend.
Richard and Sue Birchall had run a very successful pub for the last 2-3 years
with excellent food and beer of a consistently good quality. Details of the
new licensees to follow soon.
The
Spade Tree at Newton Burgoland is now under new management. Paul Birch
, the new landlord, took over about two weeks ago. He will be open regularly at
lunchtimes and evenings and appears to be committed to Real Ale. Currently the
beers are Pedigree, Black Sheep, and Theakstons Mild. Meals are being
served.
Source: David Drake
26th Mar
Coors announces closure of Coors Visitor Centre in Burton, formerly
known as the Bass Museum, from the end of June 2008
More . . .
Sign the Burton Mail 'Save the Museum' on-line petition -
Click here
23rd Mar
Chris
and Elaine, the current licensees move out of the Black Horse Hinckley
next weekend before starting university courses at Birmingham. The new
licensees, Mick & Marilyn, are refurbishing for a week before re-opening on
Saturday 5th April at 6:00pm with live music & buffet until close at 1:00am
Source: Richard Lewin
19th Mar
The Globe at Snarestone is currently offering Abbeydale Absolution
as a guest beer.
Map
Source: The Globe
19th Mar
In October 2008 CAMRA will
announce the winner of the Real Ale in a Bottle Retailer Award,
which was first piloted in 2005 to encourage retailers to stock and
promote bottle-conditioned beers.
Members are invited to nominate any retailer or outlet who they believe
goes that extra mile in promoting Real Ale in a Bottle.
Click Here16th Mar
An award winning community pub needs your help!!
The Coachmakers Arms, Hanley is under threat of demolition
The Coachmakers Arms Awards include
CAMRA Staffordshire County Pub of the Year Winner 2007
PPPG Community Pub of the Year Winner 2007
CAMRA Potteries Branch, Pub of the Year Winner 2006
Please got to
http://www.thecoachmakers.co.uk and
sign the petition.
Many thanks on behalf of the Coachmakers staff & customers
13th Mar
Leicester
Beer Festival Champion Beer
Last night was the opening night of the Festival. It was well attended and 2
members were working behind the bar. Seven of our members helped to judge the
Bitter Category. In the second round Phill Wholton joined the top table of
judges to decide on the Champion Ale.
The winning beer is a LocAle -
Grainstore Winter Nip - a barley wine - delicious and very strong (7.3%).
You've got until Saturday to do your own judging of the 200+ beers!
Source: Richard Lewin
Leicester Mercury article 14th March
Festival Report
4th Mar
!!The Gate Hangs Well, Carlton - Pub of the Month!!
Details
Leicester Mercury Article
29 Feb
The
Gate , Ratcliffe Culey - update
Terry Shears will be leaving on March 17 & moving to a Free House in the Wye
valley. The Gate is being taken over by Colin Phillips & Alex Whitehouse.
H&BCAMRA wish all concerned the best of luck.
Source - Alan Cooke
The Globe at Snarestone has Abbeydale Moonshine on as a guest
with Abbeydale Absolution due in a couple of weeks.
Source - David Finn
27 Feb
Curzon
Arms, Twycross - update
Alexander Clarke, with help from Carolyn & Len, his parents, now runs the pub and
the restaurant which is leased from Enterprise Inns. They were previously
at the
Kaffir in Whetstone for a number of years before going to Goa to run a
restaurant . They have now been at the Curzon for eight weeks and Carolyn is
very upbeat about the prospects.
The main real ale on offer is Pedigree, with one changing guest beer,
currently Tanglefoot. Next week's guest beer will be Hobgoblin and recent ones
have included Speckled Hen and London Pride.
Source - David Drake.
26 Feb

Bells Brewery Shop to move to Broughton Astley
More . . .
Source - Bells
22 Feb
Do
you know anyone involved in any grass roots sport, from
kitmen and linesmen to coaches and players who could be considered for the
Lancaster Bomber Grass Roots Sports Personality of the Year?
If so,
click here to find out more.
20 Feb
The
Hollybush at Ashby Parva now have St Austell Tribute (4.2%) joining as
a regular along with Marston's Pedigree and Timothy Taylor Landlord + changing
guest (Grainstore on recent visits)
Source - Chris Davies
Call for alcohol ban in supermarkets
More . . .
15 Feb
The
Old Spot at Dursley is named as the new National Pub of the Year.
More . . .
Some members were fortunate to visit this pub with the Leicester Branch last
July. Report
14 Feb
Globe Inn, Snarestone:
Has
recently reopened with Jez Wileman returning as landlord. Jez is at present
offering Marston's Pedigree plus one guest from the extensive
SIBA DDS list. Last night the guest beer was Stairway to Heaven (5.0%)
from Burton Bridge Brewery. Jez intends to increase the number of ales on
offer. The kitchen has also re-opened for bar meals.
Source - Alan Cooke
8 Feb
Pub rents are too high, say MPs
More MPs have been explaining why they have signed an Early Day
Motion (EDM) that claims high rents and inflated beer prices pose a serious
threat to the future of community pubs.
One MP, Timothy Farron, has tabled a Commons EDM calling for an end to the
“exploitation” of licensees by pub companies and brewers in order to save
the “great British pub”.
More . . .
5 Feb
Punch
proposes share merger with M&B
More . . .
30 Jan
The hit counter on the Home Page of our website, today registered the
10,000th visitor since it was launched in November 2005.
25 Jan
The Globe at Snarestone is reported to have re-opened. No further
details at present.
Michael Jackson dies.
More . . .
Carlsberg and Heineken
have reached an agreement to buy Scottish & Newcastle (S&N).
More . . .
Marston's cautious despite sales uplift.
More . . .
23 Jan
Ashby Road Sports Club was recently judged 'Runner Up' in the Super
Region* Finals of the 2007 CAMRA Club of the Year Award.
Our congratulations to everyone involved at the club.
Judges Comments: “Lovely club well set out
and friendly staff.
This is a good club with plenty of evidence of real ale and a real following
by all accounts. It is easy to see why. The main room is well laid out and
when I visited on a Saturday afternoon there were plenty in sampling the beer
despite a football match going on on one of the pitches behind the club. The
club looks well used and a scan of the notice board shows why. It is used by
many sports societies and they are lucky people if they drink real ale here.
There is no doubt that the members have a good selection of real ale.
The Robinson’s Flash Harry and Hyde’s Super Anvil were delicious. The
Worthington was also very good – I would like to note that they have made the
effort to put a “national” on as well as other breweries beers.”
[Also – “I have chosen Leigh RUFC as the winner of this group although in
all fairness there was little to choose between them.”]
* Super region means
one quarter of Great Britain
21 Jan
New
Village - New PUB!
Currently under construction at Bosworth Battlefield is Ambion Parva - a
replica Medieval Village. The buildings on site include 'Captains Retreat', a
two storey house with jettied crossway; 'Gunners Cottage' a cruck cottage and
'The Old Salt Road Inn' a Medieval ale house.
More . . .
It is believed the 'Let Battle Commence' ale is produced by
Tunnel Brewery at Ansley.
20 Jan
Wickwar
Station Porter voted Supreme Champion Winter Beer of Britain
2008 at the National Winter Ales Festival.
Wickwar Station Porter from Gloucestershire was named as the Supreme
Champion Winter Beer of Britain 2008 by a panel of judges at CAMRA's
National Winter Ales Festival in Manchester.
The 6.1% abv porter is described in CAMRA's 2008 Good Beer Guide as “A
rich, smooth, dark ruby-brown ale. Starts with a roast malt; coffee,
chocolate and dark fruit then develops a complex, spicy, bittersweet
taste and a long roast finish.”
More
Results . . .
Wickwar website
19 Jan
Pint of beer 'may cost £4 within year'
More . . .
18 Jan
Scottish & Newcastle has opened takeover talks with Heineken and
Carlsberg
More . . .
The Government is considering a ban on cheap
supermarket booze, according to the Daily Mail.
More . . .
MP is campaigning for Government action to "prevent the
exploitation of pub landlords" by pub companies.
More . . .
Enterprise Inns has vowed to work more closely with
its lessees in a bid to overcome "difficult" trading conditions.
More . . .
10 Jan
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to resist calls to
substantially increase tax on alcohol. . . . .
Online Downing St. petition -
click here to sign
7 Jan

I
am pleased to be able to report that the Curzon Arms, Twycross has
re-opened, no further details at present.
Also the Horse & Jockey, Congestone has re-opened under the management
of David & Sally who also run the Belper Arms, Newton Burgoland.
Just on our border, both the Royal Red Gate & the Bull at
Witherley are reported to be open again.
It is good to be able to report something positive regarding pubs.
6 Jan
Morgan Stanley names Punch as top share pick
Pubco share prices plummet
2 Jan
New Beer Score Submission Form now available, please make ample use of
it!
Link to new form