Minutes of CAMRA Meeting Talbot Tregaron Sat 14th May 2pm
1. Apologies - John Kearney, Chris & Kathy Giles, Ann & Tim Rapley, Nia Richards, Adam Watkin-Jones, Ringo
Present: Sara Dyer (SD), Stuart Harris (SH) Rhys Jones (RJ) Llinos Griffith (LG) Paul Adams (PA) Mark Dyer (MD) Mary Galliers (MG) Mike Galliers (MkG) Gareth Rodenhurst (GR)
2. Minutes of previous meeting Saturday Feb 19th at The White Lion Talybont - agreed
3. Matters arising – not on the agenda
· Nags Head, Aberystwyth. Still not sure what is happening to this pub. Review at next meeting
· Initial selection for Good Beer Guide 2012 (GBG) reviewed as proposed licencee had left. Therefore substitution made.
4. Treasurer’s report - circulated. We are still solvent and it was decided to mandate the treasurer to send £100 to central funds.
5. Correspondence
· Apology from CAMRA for What’s Brewing and Beer distribution being delayed this month. This was in fact due to the distributors failing to cope with the bank holidays and not letting the publishers or CAMRA know.
· Our Branch Membership Secretary (MG) has now received a pack from HQ. The job description has suggested getting in touch with new members which MG will now do. MG has also suggested that we put membership forms in all our pubs and has offered to get some for people who requested them (3 for LG &PA) at the meeting. If you would like to get a membership holder and forms for a pub near you please e mail info@ceredigioncamra.org.uk and let us know how many you want and how you want to pick them up. We also discussed contacting leaving members but decided not to as HQ write to them three times anyway. It was also discussed that there needed to be a link on the website for people to be able to join CAMRA. SD will add link.
6. Aberystwyth Real Ale Festival and Local Pubs Week review. It was felt that the Ale Trail had been a success but it was acknowledged that it was difficult to measure. Anecdotal feedback had been gathered by RJ when he collected the ballot boxes and all but 1 pub thought it had increased trade. It was noted that the pub that didn’t think it had increased sales was not open as much as other pubs and was keen to take part in the next one. RJ also floated the idea of a nominal charge next year £5-£10 to cover promotional material. No one said no to this.
Good wishes were received from other branches when they were mailed invitations and Delme the Neighbourhood Policing Sgt.
The meeting felt it was worth doing next year and St David’s Day was mentioned as the first day i.e. Thurs – Sunday this time.
It was also discussed that we could use an Olympic theme for 2012 and possibly develop it through and “event card” to run over the 4 days etc with pubs having stickers or something.
It was noted that preparations will have to be started sooner than they were for the 2011 event.
SD discussed the unhelpful attitude of Bev Thomas Editor of The Cambrian re providing photos of the event and it was decided that the advertising of the event would have to be considered for 2012 and that members would have to take lots of their own photos for the website.
7. Fund Raising / Publicity / Social (include walking/bus/train surveying trips)
8th October weekend trip to Penderyn and Brewery and Cider maker – more details to follow.
Possible winter festival trip to be planned later in the year.
18th June Saturday AGM Wynnstay Machynlleth (thanks to LG for organising this for us and persuading them to let us have the function room am ddim) starting at 1pm (bar closes at 2.30 but as we have the function room we can buy a couple of extras and take them through if it looks like we are going to need them.
23rd July Saturday Surveying Trip – route to be decided at AGM
Quiz to be arranged for the Autumn (the Ship Aberystwyth)
Blind Raffle to take place at AGM to raise money. Everyone needs to bring something (wrapped in newspaper) – it can be anything from surplus produce to unwanted gifts. We will then buy raffle tickets and draw the raffle on the day. LG to get book of tickets please.
8. Website news – being updated now and we have had 2 enquiries from it. 1 for recommendations on Aber pubs from John Woods. AJ helped to supply suggestions and John replied after his trip saying what a good time he’d had, thanks for the info and he would be back. The other was from a Russian gent wanting beer mats.
Feedback is the website looks good for the smallest branch! It appears easy to navigate and simple.
9. Pub Brewery and Beer News incl Real Ale in Aber Uni
· Ainsley Gilbert has been in touch with RJ to say the motion has been passed to have real ale in the uni bar. Further information on practicalities will follow.
· Maurice Davies has died recently. He was born in the Dovey Valley Hotel just outside Machynlleth (which is on the national inventory) and had been there ever since. Sadly it is unlikely it will continue as a pub so see it while you can just in case.
· Farmers Arms at Llanfihangel-y-Creuddyn (as mentioned at the last meeting) appears to be doing keg and not real ale as hoped.
· Teifi Inn at Ffair Rhos – is closed but is being marketed as a pub.
· Tolgate Penparcau Aberystwyth is currently closed (rumoured to be without a licence)
· Bronant community pub has a new manager.
· Falcon in Llanilar is to let.
· Work has started on Black Lion Talybont by people from Blue Creek Cafe – developments eagerly awaited.
· Prince of Wales Aberaeron has real ale.
· Castle Aberaeron currently advertising as being under new management – information would be welcome.
· Varsity Aberystwyth is having a beer festival Wednesday 18th – Saturday 21st. CAMRA members are going Thursday 5.30 pm and a small buffet will be provided but let RJ know if you want to join in as the pub needs to know numbers.
10. Logo Competition – currently 2 submissions. Both have the county as the symbol for the branch but it was discussed that something coastal maybe would better describe the branch. MkG to send some other ideas to SD in the next couple of weeks so they can be circulated and voted on and a decision made at AGM.
11. Date and venue of next meeting – AGM 18th June Saturday AGM Wynnstay Machynlleth starting 1pm remember your blind raffle prize.
12. Book – Great British Pubs. We decided to recommend the following:
Victoria at Borth for seaside
Ship & Castle for award winning
Druid Goginan for food / community
Harbourmaster for B&B / seaside
Pentre Llangrannog B&B / seaside
Wynnstay Machynlleth food
Talbot Tregaron
MG & MkG offered to photograph Harbourmaster (& now Talbot)
GR offered to do The Victoria, Ship, Druid
PA & LG offered to do Wynnstay
SD & MD offered to do Pentre
RJ will find out from Katie Hunt about what format the pics should be in and what the deadline is.
13. Update from Region meeting in Ludlow. Ludlow Brewery an impressive site (maybe good for a branch trip in the future?). Meeting to launch the new region. It will make it a lot easier to consult and represent Wales. Election of officers: Regional Director – Ian Hill (previous South & Mid Wales)
Deputy (North) – Ian Saunders
Deputy (South) – Rhys Jones
Meetings will be alternated between the Wrexham and Abergavenney areas so they are accessible.
14. AOB
· Posters for Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival (16th 18th June in Cardiff International Arena) were distributed.
· In celebration of 40yrs CAMRA is asking members to cast a vote for those nominated in the top 40 http://www.camra.org.uk/page.aspx?o=338374 you may find someone you know in this list and if you want to vote you need to log on with your membership number and postcode in caps. Happy voting before 10th June.
Meeting closed 3.30 pm and an interesting tour of the Talbot followed – thanks Mike. http://www.talbothotel-tregaron.com Good luck with the restaurant which opened on the evening of the meeting.