CAMRA in CEREDIGION MAY 2011
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The Annual General Meeting of the Ceredigion branch of Camra will take place in the function room of the Wynnstay Arms Hotel, Maengwyn Street, Machynlleth on Saturday June 18th starting at 1pm. Nominations for Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and committee members’ positions should be sent to me at Gwynedd, Llanilar, SY23 4NR by a fortnight before the meeting please. As well as electing a committee for the coming year we will make a start on planning the year’s campaigning and social activities. As a bit of fun (and fundraising) during the meeting, we’re going to hold a “blind raffle” – just bring a mystery item (doesn’t have to be beer-related), wrapped in newspaper or similar to disguise its identity, and we’ll sell raffle tickets. You never know what you might win!
FORTHCOMING ACTIVITIES
Three trips are being planned for summer and autumn. Our Social Secretary Llinos Griffith will be announcing full details nearer the time, but here are brief details and dates for your diary.
Saturday July 23rd – surveying trip to assess the pubs in one of our local towns or villages. Aberaeron was done earlier this year, so probably not yet due a revisit. Other possibilities include New Quay, Borth, or Machynlleth – or you may have other ideas. We’ll be deciding where to go at the AGM – suggestions welcome, to me on 01974-241255 or rhys.gwynedd@btopenworld.com, or to Llinos at llwg7@tiscali.co.uk
August 20th/21st - weekend in the GwaunValley, visiting Gwaun Valley Brewery and the Dyffryn Arms at Pontfaen. This may involve camping, but with alternatives for the canvas-phobic.
October 7th-9th – weekend away involving some combination of Penderyn Distillery, Breconshire Brewery, perhaps a cidermaker, and some interesting pubs.
BEER FESTIVALS AND OTHER EVENTS
The Great Welsh Beer and Cider Festival returns to Cardiff International Arena, or the Motorpoint Arena as it’s now known, on Mary Ann Street in the centre of Cardiff this June. The festival is open 11am to 11pm from Thursday 16th to Saturday 18th June, offering an unrivalled showcase for the best beer cider and perry from Wales and elsewhere. With something like 40 craft brewers now in Wales, plus thirty or so cidermakers, this is an ideal opportunity to sample the best that Wales has to offer alongside great drinks from beyond our borders. The keenly contested Champion Beer of Wales competition will be judged on the Friday afternoon.
Just across the English border, July sees Beer on the Wye VII, otherwise known as the 7th Hereford Beer and Cider Festival, held in the pleasant riverside setting of the Hereford Rowing Club on Greyfriars Avenue. With live entertainment at all sessions, great beer, and a fantastic range of Herefordshire cider and perry, the festival opens from 2pm to 11pm on Friday 8th July, midday to 11pm on Saturday 9th July, and midday to 5pm on Sunday 10th July. The same week sees a festival at one of my favourite pubs: the Bhurtpore Inn at Aston, Cheshire. Always a great pub, the place really comes alive for the annual festival, which this year runs from Wednesday 6th to Saturday 9th July. And while Aston may not be a very well-known place, it’s only a short walk from Wrenbury railway station, which is served by stopping trains between Shrewsbury and Crewe.
Later in the year, don’t forget the Great British Beer Festival at Earl’s Court, London, from 2nd to 6th August.
LOCAL PUB NEWS
Please see the round-up in the recently circulated minutes of the May branch meeting. In particular I draw attention to the sad news of the death of Mr Maurice Davies, licensee of the Dovey Valley Hotel at Cemaes Road. This is the area’s only entry in Camra’s National Inventory of historic pub interiors, and its survival as a pub must now be at serious risk. However it seems likely to remain open for a little while longer under temporary management, and anybody who does not know it really ought to take the chance of visiting this remarkable place while it still survives.
Well, that’s about it for this time. As ever, if you have any news, ideas, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to ring me on 01974-241255, or email rhys.gwynedd@btopenworld.com .
Iechyd da!
Rhys Jones, Chair, Ceredigion Camra.
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STOP PRESS
A couple of events in the next few days:
Thursday May 19th from around 5pm – social at the Varsity, Terrace Road, Aberystwyth during their first beer festival. The pub has offered to put on a buffet for us, so if you intend to be there please let me know (01974-241255 or rhys.gwynedd@btopenworld.com) so that they know how many to cater for.
Fri – Sun May 20th-22nd – “Cwrw ar y Cledrau” rail ale festival run by the Welsh Highland Railway in their goods shed at Dinas near Caernarfon (with local freehouses also putting extra beers on). Always a great event with lots of good beer, including the first chance to try Purple Moose’s latest seasonal. If anybody fancies visiting on Saturday, by all means get in touch to coordinate travel.