Author: Bob

Lincoln Beer Festival 2021 – At Your Local

In normal circumstances, this would be the week that local members of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) prepared for the Lincoln Beer Festival. And, at the weekend, they would be serving over 100 real ales from independent breweries across the country to thousands of thirsty customers.

Of course, for the second year running, the event cannot go ahead. However, the difference this year is that pubs are now open and serving cask ales. So we are encouraging as many members and non-members as possible to visit our great local pubs over the bank holiday weekend to discover the range of real ales on offer.

We will be compiling a list of the real ales and real ciders that will be available over the weekend and where to find them. We’ll be interested to see whether the number of different ales matches what would have been available at the Festival.

Aaron Joyce, chairman of Lincoln CAMRA, said, “What makes the British pub unique is delicious, fresh cask beer. It’s a drink you can only enjoy in the pub – or at a beer festival. However, millions of drinkers across the UK have not been able to enjoy it for much of the last twelve months. So now pubs have reopened, I’d like to encourage everyone to get down to their local pub for a fresh cask beer, preferably from a local brewery. You’ll not only get a great-tasting beer but you’ll be supporting local independent breweries and our struggling pub-industry.”

Lincoln Beer Festival 2021 – at-your-local-beers

England lockdown and changes to takeaway rules for pubs and clubs

During previous lockdowns, pubs and clubs in England have been able to sell alcohol for customers to take away and drink at home. Now it looks like the Government are going to stop our locals selling sealed containers of alcohol for takeaway.This will help supermarkets and off-licenses, while yet again disadvantaging pubs and clubs. We need them to urgently support the pubs, clubs and licensees that are at the heart of our communities. Get involved,and email your MP at https://camra.e-activist.com/page/73809/action/1

Save Our Pubs

With restrictions for hospitality businesses in place across the UK, it is more urgent than ever that the Government provides targeted support to the sector. As many as one in four pubs could close before Christmas and almost 300,000 jobs could be lost. Join our campaign by emailing your MP and asking them to call on the Government to take immediate action at https://camra.e-activist.com/page/68352/action/1. It takes less than a minute, but it could be the difference between survival and permanent closure for thousands of our beloved locals. Find out more at https://camra.org.uk/pubs-and-clubs/save-our-pubs-campaign/. 

Small Brewers’ Relief petition

Small Brewers’ Relief is vital to a thriving beer market and consumer choice, but changes proposed by the government could see support removed from some of the smallest brewers. CAMRA is calling on the government to publish the full details of their proposals and ensure that no brewer loses relief they currently receive.You can help support small brewers by signing the petition at https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/334066

Supporting pubs through the recovery period

Pubs and clubs in the Lincoln branch have made it through lockdown, but 42% of pub-goers say they are visiting the pub less than they did before. So many pubs and clubs have supported their communities through lockdown, by running shops for essentials, delivering meals to vulnerable members of the community, moving the pub online to help fight loneliness and social isolation, or simply making sure that their regulars can still pick up fresh ale and cider.

Now they need our support more than ever. If you can go back to the pub please do so. Remember that if your local is under threat as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, CAMRA has a number of resources to help you save it. You can find them at camra.org.uk/saveyourlocal. If you’re not ready to go back to the pub, you can find takeaway and delivery services on WhatPub. This will help support pubs that aren’t open yet, so please think about using them.