CAMRA 2014-2015

Reads 4090 • Replies 62 • Started Wednesday, December 10, 2014 1:30:05 PM CT

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Message SilkTork P beers 7752 º places 111 º 22:10 Thu 12/11/2014 Originally posted by evergreen0199 ... if people are going to bring kids into pubs they should at least control them.... In order of priority as regards behaviour, for me it would be get the adults under control first. The bad behaviour of adults is considerably more concerning than the bad behaviour of children. Even if all we are talking about is a bit of noise, then I am somewhat more tolerant of a child being bored than I am of a table of louts shouting and swearing. There are some pubs I won’t go in, and it’s not because of the behaviour of the children. I’ve not heard of incidents where it was the children responsible for the knifing or bottling.
Message imdownthepub P beers 26113 º places 2113 º 02:28 Fri 12/12/2014 Originally posted by chriso Originally posted by zimbo I’m not really up to speed on the inner workings of CAMRA these days but I still see it as a generally well meaning organisation which is unfortunately now even further out of step with the mainstream. The beer scene in the UK now is the best it has been in living memory, probably ever. The level of genuine beer enthusiasm is higher than it ever has been. Not surprisingly, as things move forward so quickly, there are differences of opinion and lots of healthy debate. The thing to avoid is getting too caught up with issues that might seem important, even crucial, to us but are more likely to appear to outsiders as petty squabbling. Otherwise you end up with something not unlike this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb_qHP7VaZE Life of Brian is still the best film ever!
Message jjsint P beers 7740 º places 1335 º 02:48 Fri 12/12/2014 Originally posted by SilkTork I’ve not heard of incidents where it was the children responsible for the knifing or bottling. You’ve not been out in Bedford then I take it?

Message Gary beers 2114 º places 4 º 03:22 Fri 12/12/2014 Originally posted by jjsint Originally posted by SilkTork I’ve not heard of incidents where it was the children responsible for the knifing or bottling. You’ve not been out in Bedford then I take it? personally , i try to never leave London if i can help it -unless im going to Europe . Ruislip is a far north as i go ;)... .
Message SilkTork P beers 7752 º places 111 º 03:51 Fri 12/12/2014 Originally posted by chriso I certainly wouldn’t advocate that every pub should be saved but I can think of plenty of situations where it is a laudable aim - heritage value, architectural/design merit, community value etc. I don’t see anything objectionable in seeking to preserve our heritage & community assets in appropriate cases. I would again assert that Tim Martin does more to save pubs than CAMRA. You can’t save a pub by putting in legislation that prevents the building from being used for anything else. That simply results in a boarded up pub which is of no use to anyone. A business is better off writing off a loss, than continuing to lose money. The notion that a struggling landlord will become a different person when told he can’t sell his ailing business, and will thus be inspired to become more active and imaginative is breath-takingly ignorant of reality. It’s like someone throwing away a crippled man’s crutches and telling him he should try walking. You can, however, save pubs by showing that people will come and spend money if you provide what they want. Lead by example rather than by business ignorance and self-defeating threats. Provide ideas and support rather than threats and sneers. Cask Marque is acknowledged now by everyone as a great leap forward in the promotion of cask beer. Was that done by CAMRFA? Of course fucking not. It was done by the industry itself, by two of the most sneered at breweries: Greene King and Marstons. What will save pubs? The industry and the consumers. A third party trying to come between the two, and telling both how beer should be made, served, drunk and appreciated, is not going to work. Market forces will work, not legislation.
Message SilkTork P beers 7752 º places 111 º 04:23 Fri 12/12/2014 Originally posted by MagicDave6 Originally posted by SilkTork Originally posted by MagicDave6 "no we don’t sell southern comfort". Why don’t you sell Southern Comfort? Your barred. We should have a whiskey liqueur evening with Drambuie, Southern Comfort, Baileys, Glayva, Cock o’ the North, etc. Maybe invent some new ones. Whiskey, honey, imperial stout and the sperm of a wild stag.
Message Gary beers 2114 º places 4 º 04:30 Fri 12/12/2014 lots of pubs suck and should not be saved because of being sentimental .

Message SilkTork P beers 7752 º places 111 º 04:50 Fri 12/12/2014 Originally posted by chriso Originally posted by imdownthepub The strength of CAMRA and its super complainant status is a good thing if used correctly, it has taken a long while to achieve this and it gives the market sector, us, a voice. I tend to agree. There is definitely an important role for a beer consumers’ organisation. However - and I admit I have not checked out the requirements for supercomplainant status in detail - it seems to me that a key component would have to be an interest in, and appreciation of, a complete range of relevant consumer issues. There is quite a wide perception of CAMRA, from both outside and inside, that it is rather too "single issue" to fill that role properly. CAMRA’s misuse of the supercomplaint in the past should rule it out from using it again in future. The pub tie complaint and the follow up appeal was severely misguided. It was like having a complaint against Subway for only allowing the franchises to sell Subway products, this forcing Subway shops to close. Breath-takingly ignorant of business and marketing practise. Franchises work, but if someone wants to go it alone, they have that option without going to the extreme length of destroying the franchise for everyone else. Beer price and beer range is down to marketing. Legislation will not improve it, and CAMRA’s attempts in the past have not worked. What has worked to increase beer range and lower prices has been the example of Wetherspoons. Since Wetherspoons opened, other pubs have followed, and now most pubs have a guest cask. I can remember pre-Wetherspoons when half of the UK’s pubs did not serve cask, and those which served guest beers were very rare and legendary.
Message chriso P beers 7540 º places 736 º 06:42 Fri 12/12/2014 Originally posted by SilkTork Market forces will work, not legislation. In this particular area, or in any area? If the latter, that’s a very big discussion!
Message jjsint P beers 7740 º places 1335 º 09:35 Fri 12/12/2014 Originally posted by Gary lots of pubs suck and should not be saved because of being sentimental . Lots of pubs with character and potential have been run down, often intentionally. One of many examples: The Bedford Arms used to be one of the worst pubs in Bedford. It’s in a slightly awkward location just out of the town centre and was closed for ages. It got a revamp from Charlie Wells, and while it won’t blow anyone away, it’s a solid locals’ pub now and has been for years.