Author: Dave Pickersgill

CAMRA smashed a world record on Sunday 18 April during its 2021 Members’ Weekend, when more than 350 participants, using 266 Zoom accounts took part in a simultaneous beer tasting. The event, which focussed on beer from the Sheffield and District branch area, beats the record, as noted by the Guinness Book of Records of 18 venues achieved by the Brewhouse & Kitchen pubco in 2018.

In a normal year, attendees at the annual CAMRA AGM, Conference and Members’ Weekend (MW21) would visit local breweries and pubs. But the pandemic made 2021 different as it was impossible to keep to the original plan of a two-day event at the art-deco Sheffield City Hall.

As a result, both the AGM and Conference took place online along with a live tutored beer tasting.

Initially, there was the unenviable problem of finding a representative selection of six beers from the hundreds available. Within Sheffield, there are 26 brewing companies (23 breweries, three cuckoos), more per head of population than any other UK city. Also, within the branch area, in the Peak District National Park, are Eyam and Intrepid.

At a time when some breweries were mothballed, the occasion demanded award winners, geographical spread, mix of new and well-established breweries, diverse range of beer styles/strengths and commitment to supply 500 to a tight deadline.

Advertised in WB and online, the event was a sell-out. The CAMRA warehouse despatched, 10 days prior to the event protected by biodegradable maize starch peanuts, in tasting order:

• Neepsend: Acadia, 3.9 per cent New England session pale 440 ml can
• Kelham Island: Pale Rider, 5.2 per cent premium golden ale 440 ml can
• Triple Point: Dyad #4, 5.2 per cent DDH New England IPA 440 ml can
• Intrepid: Stanage, 4.5 per cent oatmeal stout 500 ml bottle
• Bradfield: Belgian Blue, 4.9 per cent speciality ale – flavoured 500 ml bottle
• Abbeydale: Black Mass, 6.66 per cent strong stout 440 ml can

European Beer Consumers Union beer judge and former Great British Beer Festival organiser, Christine Cryne introduced the event commenting on beer styles. MW21 co-organiser, Dave Pickersgill, then said a few words about Sheffield, reminding participants they had missed a visit to possibly the best beer city in the world. He noted Sheffield has more pubs on the CAMRA Pub Heritage lists than any other city in Yorkshire and hosts the only local to win the CAMRA National Pub of The Year title in successive years – the Kelham Island Tavern.

Christine then hosted the tasting. Five brewers – Ben Millner (Intrepid), Bruce Woodcock (Bradfield), Gavin Martin (Neepsend), George Brook (Triple Point) and Jim Rangeley (Abbeydale) – participated, commenting on their beer and responding to participants.

Companies House states the occupation of Ben as “brewer and speleological Interpreter”. He is the only UK brewer with this job title. This unique split of his working life obviously works, one participant describing the Intrepid beer as “one of the best stouts I’ve tasted from a bottle…. can’t believe the amount of body at such a low ABV.”

Throughout the event, the chat function was kept busy. Among many items discussed was the origin of Neepsend beer names, the Beaujolais Noveau aspect of Belgian Blue and the feasibility of the 2021 Abbeydale Funk Festival. It also confirmed Black Mass, the only beer in the Good Beer Guide whose ABV is quoted to two decimal places, is legally between 6.16 and 7.16 per cent. In addition, the true meaning of Dyad was discussed.

There was also complimentary comment about the brewers’ input: “Absolutely super event, wonderfully produced, great host and contributors and the sense of the CAMRA community, and great beer!” The brewers also had a good evening, as Gavin stated, via Twitter: “Was really good fun and hopefully we’ll be able to meet some of you in the flesh in Sheffield one day.”

The session was enjoyable, went extremely well and is obviously something which should happen again. However, can anyone beat 266 simultaneous Zoom accounts, or will Sheffield continue to retain its reputation as the best beer city in the world?

After well over a year with minimal trade, for some pubs, this Summer could be their last hurrah. Many of us have built up savings and will be happy to go out and spend. For those pubs who can open, this could be a profitable few months. However, this short-term fillip may not last.

Over the last eighteen months, pubs have suffered – badly. During the last lockdown, our government banned pubs from selling beer in sealed containers while supermarkets and off-licences could sell alcohol to take away. This was grossly unfair, assisting the multinational brewers while simultaneously causing huge damage to our pubs. Takeaway sales, in sealed containers, were a lifeline for pubs during previous lockdowns, offering an opportunity to keep the doors open, continue to employ staff and welcome customers safely. Restricting that route to market could be the death knell for many pubs. As Louise Singleton, landlady of double CAMRA National Pub of the Year winning Kelham Island Tavern said, at the time: “Off-sales was a way of topping up in order for us to survive. In addition, pubs selling off-sales are more likely to support small and local suppliers.”

Pubs and breweries also have a major staffing problem as many experienced staff have moved to other things. This, coupled with the reluctance of some pub companies to employ sufficient staff is caused some long waits at outside table service. As Sheffield and District CAMRA chair Glyn Mansell said, after a visit to the Francis Newton: “On arrival we were seated and told we could order, but there was a 45-minute wait for drinks and an hour for food. We made double drinks orders. Finally, the food arrived, 15 minutes before the drinks. However, the next day, else where outside service was prompt and efficient.”

Over the last year, many brewers have attempted to diversify. Some will not return while others are hoping it won’t be too long before things return to some form of normality. However, rising costs, coupled with the effect of the pandemic will cause some breweries to fold. There are almost 2,000 listed in the 2021 CAMRA Good Beer Guide. There will be less in the 2023 edition.

In addition, changes in cross-border regulations have resulted in European online bottle suppliers raising shipping costs or simply ceasing UK delivery. The price of niche imported beers has risen and choice is suffering. European barley and hops are also becoming both more expensive and more difficult to source. There will be tighter margins throughout small innovative breweries and in the craft beer market.

Pubs, bars and breweries deserve a long-term, dedicated and sector-specific financial support package to make sure they do not have to close for good. They have fixed costs and have suffered many months of little income. The grants announced by the chancellor have been welcome, but they will not be enough to help all our pubs to survive.

As for the future, my guess is that, assuming there is no fourth wave, the number of breweries in the UK will fall by between 10 and 20 per cent. As for pubs, for some, Summer 2021 will be their last hurrah, before inevitable closure. The multinational property companies will buy some while others will never reopen. The overall number will fall.

I hope to be proved wrong..

The new book from Claire Pearson is now available. This detailed and well-researched tome includes a myriad of stories from public houses, past and present, from their early days until the eve of World War II. It is a  potted history of her local pubs, where generations of locals and a succession of travellers have spent their leisure hours. The 325 page book includes many stories from the pubs in and around the South Yorkshire town of Stocksbridge and the nearby villages of Bolsterstone, Deepcar, Green Moor, Hunshelf and Wigtwizzle.

Many of the pubs featured are no more: the Broomhead Mill Inn, the Butchers Arms, the Coach & Horses, the Miners Arms, the New inn, the Rising Sun, the Rock Inn, the Sportsmans Arms and the Travellers Inn. However, pubs featured include the CAMRA heritage listed, Friendship (Stocksbridge) and, in Deepcar, both the Bradfield Brewery owned King & Miller and the Royal Oak.

A Drink With Our Ancestors is available, on Kindle. In addition, Claire has put together a website which includes dozens of relevant images. She aims to produce second volume next year featuring the pubs of Midhope, Langsett and the surrounding area.

An excellent addition to your bookshelf!

The Welcome to Yorkshire website includes a page which claims to list ‘fine establishment[s] in which you can enjoy a pint of Yorkshire’s finest ale.’

This seems to be a totally inaccurate phrase as there are only three entries in South Yorkshire: two in Barnsley (not Sheffield as is inaccurately stated for the Wortley Arms) and one which does not serve beer.

In his 2016 seminal report, beer-writer Pete Brown described Sheffield as ‘the world’s greatest beer city.’

Since then, things have only improved. Sheffield has niche pubs, and an excellent, diverse beer scene: a mix of traditional heritage assets and modern bars. It has 30 pubs in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide, more pubs on the CAMRA Heritage Lists than any other city in Yorkshire and, outside London is the only UK city, to have its own heritage pub guide. It also hosts the only pub to win the CAMRA National Pub of the Year Award in successive years.

Beer tourism brings vastly more income to the city than the annual two-week World Snooker Championship. And the Neepsend Brewery Trail is becoming a ‘must-see’ attraction.

Within the city boundary, there are 27 functioning brewing companies, more per head of population than any other UK city. These vary from the long-established: Abbeydale, Bradfield, Kelham Island and Sheffield to the new: Heist, Lost Industry and Saint Mars of the Desert (SMOD). The oldest brewery in the city, Kelham Island, continue to produce a past CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain, Pale Rider, while earlier this year, SMOD were included in the RateBeer top ten list of ‘the world’s best new breweries.’

So, why are there no entries for Sheffield?

On Tuesday 15 September, Paul Ainsworth (Barnsley CAMRA) and Dave Pickersgill (Sheffield & District CAMRA) had a short meeting with Miriam Cates, the recently-elected MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge.

The discussion included several areas: the effect of lockdown on pubs and breweries (both local and nationwide), the pubs code, business rates, community pubs and international trade.

Pubs and bars were closed from late March until, at the earliest, 4 July. Many pubs have struggled to  reopen, having invested their dwindling reserves to do so safely and securely in line with Covid-safe guidance. We believe that support is required as they struggle to reestablish.

Last month, the British Beer and Pub Association said more than a third of pubs failed to break even in July, and a quarter of pubs and bars were uncertain their businesses would still be viable by 2021.

Sales at pub, restaurant and bar chains halved in July compared with last summer. Trade in bars was down almost two-thirds (63%) and pubs saw a 45% slump in the first month that businesses were able to reopen.

The furlough wage support scheme has allowed many pubs to retain their staff. In lockdown areas and in struggling areas, many pubs and bars will be forced to close unless the government agrees to extend the furlough, which is due to be withdrawn. Miriam believes that this furlough scheme ‘was one of the best in the world.’ However, she is also in favour of the scheme ending as it is not financially sustainable beyond October, especially given that debt is now at 100% of GDP. Other support schemes are available but the priority must now shift to creating new jobs  She also mentioned the ‘possibility that pubs won’t be able to operate at full capacity for a year.’ Miriam did, though, agree that ‘pubs are vital to local communities’.

Alcohol was excluded from the government’s six month VAT cut from 20% to 5% designed to stimulate the hospitality industry. More than 60% of the UK’s 47,000 pubs are “wet-led”, meaning they make more money from alcohol than food. This puts them at an immediate disadvantage. Miriam defended this difference.on the grounds that lines have to be drawn somewhere and often difficult decisions made.

Pubs are also facing huge rent bills with nearly all of the major pub companies (the exception being Admiral Taverns) opting to defer their demands, or offer a discounted rate, instead of cancelling payments as business has dried up during the pandemic. This is likely to lead to opportunistic planning applications, as pubs continue to close. Miriam mentioned the impact of ‘Big chains not willing to have a conversation about rent.’

There are currently 153 community owned pubs in UK. None has gone bust. Miriam was very interested in how this figure could be increased. It was agreed that we would provide suitable written background material. She ‘wants a return of small independent retailers.’

The Pubs Code was introduced in 2016. Since then Publicans have expressed bitter complaints about the financial impact of the “beer tie” – the arrangement that governs the relationship between large pub companies that own thousands of pub premises and the tenants who run the business. We believe that an urgent review of the not-working Pubs Code is required. Miriam committed herself to writing to the Small Firms Minister, Paul Scully, on this point.

CAMRA will be asking for extension to the  business rates holiday which runs out in March 2021. We also want to see business rates system for pubs to be reformed with a low business rates multiplier for hospitality business generally.

Miriam stated that Business rates in general need looking at compared to other European countries. She ‘completely supports the need for business rates reform’ saying they could be based on takings not the size of property. She is also concerned regarding  possible holes in Local Authority finances given that rates revenue goes directly into their coffers.

During lockdown, breweries saw a much reduced outlet for cask beer. There was much ullage, and many staff were furloughed. Some breweries increased their direct sales while others had no income as they had no packaging facilities. Some took the opportunity to deep clean, rebrand and/or  review. For example, Penistone-based Brewery Whitefaced (named after local sheep: the Whitefaced Woodland) have put in a planning application for a new bar and location for their nano brewery in central Penistone. Miriam promised her support for this development. (The other brewery in the constituency is Korrupt Brew Co (also Penistone)).

We also discussed the effect on breweries of current trade talks. Many UK Breweries, including both Korrupt and Whitefaced, make extensive use of aromatic hops from Central Europe, New Zealand, and USA. We have major concerns regarding supply after the end of this year – both continuity and cost – it is likely to be more difficult to import (more/new paperwork).

Miriam stated that it is vital that ‘vital that we get a free trade agreement.’ We should ‘put everything into negotiating that deal.’

All breweries need support as they reestablish.

Paul Ainsworth & Dave Pickersgill