SOUTH WEST ESSEX BRANCH CAMRA

Campaigning for Real Ale and Real Pubs in Barking & Dagenham, Havering, Redbridge, Brentwood & Thurrock.

In the Beginning: On 12th January 1976 a group of dedicated fans of everything that is good and traditional in pubs and beer got together to form the local Romford & District Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA). We later became known as the South West Essex Branch, due to the expansion of the area covered, and we now have around 1,200 Branch Members.

The 30th Anniversary of the Branch was celebrated on Friday 13th January 2006 at The Lodge, Corbets Tey Road, Upminster, with more than 100 people attending.

What We Do Best: - namely visiting pubs and checking the beer - is quite a task, as we have such a large area, and so many pubs to cover - 344 at the last count! However, we are trying (as part of the National Campaign) to draw attention to Quality – the Quality of the Pubs, and the Quality of the Beer! Why not support your local Branch by joining us at our regular weekly ’Social Events’. The Branch has joined the LocAle campaign to reduce ‘Beer Miles’ and support Local Breweries, by encouraging our Pubs & Clubs to consistently-take at least one Real Ale from a Brewery within 30 Miles (by road). We are currently working out the distances between our Good Beer Guide Pubs and Local Breweries and will be progressively rolling-out details of those Pubs that have ‘signed-up’. A new LocAle page is planned for this Website.

Branch Weekend: - Is held each year; in October 2009 we went to Barnstaple, Devon, staying at Royal & Fortescue Hotel and visiting Keystone & Country Life Breweries. In 2010 we went to Manchester, staying at the IBIS Manchester Central Hotel and visiting the Marble Brewery, the Trans-Pennine Rail Ale Trail & Eccles. In 2011 we visited Exeter, staying at the Great Western Hotel, with visits to Teignworthy & Topsham Breweries and Ye Olde Cider Bar at Newton Abbot. This October we plan to visit Durham.

Thurrock Beer Festival (22-26 May 2012): Click here for details of the Thurrock Beer Festival, including last year’s first night photos & the Essex CAMRA Beer Festival Calendar

Good Beer Guide: - The 2012 edition of the Guide was published on September 15th 2011 and is available from the CAMRA Website and at CAMRA Beer Festivals, usually at a special discount price for CAMRA Members! Nominations by Branch Members for new entries to the Good Beer Guide 2013 were made up to and including our Social on November 15th 2011 at the Eastbrook, Dagenham, Members were willing to survey their Nominations. Branch Selection Meetings for the Good Beer Guide 2013, ‘Pub of the Year 2012’ and Champion Beer of Britain 2013 were held in February 2012.

The ‘SW Essex Branch Pubs Of The Year 2012’ are the:

· Rising Sun, Stanford-le-Hope – ‘Essex Area’ (upper photo)

- Presentation: Thursday 21st June

· Bar, Gants Hill – ‘London Area’ (lower photo)

- Presentation: Thursday 7th June

- Pub Website (coming soon)

The ‘Essex County Pub of the Year 2011’ is the:

Bell, Castle Hedingham - Pub Website

The ‘East Anglia Regional Pub of the Year 2011 is the:

Engineers Arms, Henlow, Beds - Pub Website

The ‘Greater London Regional Pub of the Year 2011 is the:

Southampton Arms, Kentish Town - Pub Website