Category: News

CAMRA celebrates real cider twice a year, in October and May, the former as it is when the apples are harvested and cidermakers are busy pressing the fresh apples and starting the juice fermenting into cider. May is generally when the cider is ready to drink!

Sheffield isn’t exactly known for cider or perry (perry being made from pears instead of apples) and the vast majority sold around here is an industrial product made from concentrate but there are a few local heroes flying the flag.

Dick Shepley of Woodthorpe Hall, Holmesfield (near Dronfield) has an annual apple pressing weekend in his garden with friends, family and business contacts all coming round, bringing their own apples and helping out with the work involved and a bit of a social occasion is made of it. The juice is fermented in tanks in a barn with a little help from an addition of champagne yeast. A range of four ciders come out of each pressing of various strengths and sweetness.

Also near Dronfield is Drone Valley Brewery, who of course a better known for their beer but each year their members donate all the windfall apples from their gardens and a pressing takes place to make a small batch of cider.

The Cider Hole at Shalesmoor is Sheffield’s only specialist cider bar and owner Mike Pomranz also makes cider on the premises under the Exemption Ciderhouse name. Some of the ciders are made from locally sourced windfall apples whilst others are single variety ciders made with West Country cider apples. The bar in addition to their own stock a range of bottled ciders both from the UK and the rest of the world, normally accompanied by a soundtrack played on vinyl. The Cider Hole celebrated their first anniversary on the weekend of 16/17 September with special offers, snacks, some rather special ciders to taste and apple pressing demos. Note their opening hours are limited and vary from week to week, check online at istheciderholeopen.com.

Somewhere great to buy bottled ciders to enjoy at home is Hop Hideout located at the rear of Kommune food hall on Angel Street in Sheffield City Centre whilst pubs notable for making an effort with cider include the Harlequin on Nursery Street near Kelham Island and the New Barrack Tavern on Penistone Road near Hillsborough.

Don’t forget our Steel City Beer & Cider Festival, which takes place at Kelham Island Museum from 19-22 October, features two bars dedicated to cider and perry.

Organisations representing the UK’s independent brewers and beer consumers have called for urgent action on energy and support for the sector.

The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) and the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) have jointly signed a letter to the Chancellor highlighting the challenges which are putting the future of the UK beer industry at risk.

With brewers facing skyrocketing energy bills, frequent ingredient shortages and price hikes, and consumers unable to afford to support local pubs, the organisations are calling on Government to step in and tackle the issues. This includes an urgent cap on energy prices for small businesses as well as greater support to go green and reduce their energy needs through grants for renewable technology.

There are also concerns that the far reaching reforms to alcohol duty will be delayed from next year including to the game-changing Draught Duty Rate which gives a 5% reduction in duty for beer sold in pubs. The organisations have asked the Government to press ahead and prioritise these changes to help consumers, pubs and the brewing sector, but also expand the scheme to include the containers used by smaller breweries such as 20 and 30 litre casks and kegs. 

Roy Allkin, Chairman of the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) said:

“With energy bills soaring we are calling on Government to back British beer and help independent brewers with an energy price cap for small businesses, and to offer grants and incentives for the many businesses looking to brew with more green energy. 

It is also vital that the Governments plan to tempt people back to the pub with a new discounted draught duty rate is extended to the smaller twenty and thirty litre containers used by small brewers, or risk Global lager brands being the only ones who benefit.”

Nik Antona, Chairman of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) said:

“Pubs goers and beer drinkers want to see urgent action from government to make sure that the UK’s best beers, brands and breweries can survive these unprecedented times of rocketing energy and ingredient costs and a dip in consumer confidence.

“With businesses having pulled out all the stops to make it through the pandemic, it would be a travesty if more of our local, small and independent breweries were forced to close for good now due to the crisis with the cost of energy, goods, and doing business.”

The organisations have also asked the Government to pause and reflect on new regulations such as the Deposit Return Schemes which will separate the UK’s internal market for beer.

As part of CAMRA’s Drink Greener campaign, we have partnered with an organisation called A Plastic Planet who are campaigning to see plastic pint pots included in the ban on single use plastics.

The use of plastic pints can be a licensing condition for some venues because of the safety implications of using glass. However, with more and more alternatives to plastic being created, these conditions can be overly restrictive in the materials they specify.

If you are aware of the local authority imposing such requirements near you with no flexibility on what material the “safe glasses” can be made from other than plastic we have a template letter members can download to send to the licencing departments – this is available online from the Members Campaign Hub .

The Campaign for Real Ale is on the hunt for the very best examples of pub design for its prestigious Pub Design Awards, held in conjunction with Historic England.

The competition recognises the highest standards of architecture in the refurbishment and conservation of existing pubs as well as in the construction of new ones. They are judged by a panel of experts in design and conservation.

Past winners include the Boleyn Tavern, a former East End gin palace built in 1899, Wells & Co’s new flagship state-of-the-art Brewpoint (pictured) and the famous King’s Arms in Dorchester – to name a few.

Pubs can enter the award across five categories:

• New Build – which assesses newly built pubs, that can reflect the past or be completely modern
• Conversion to Pub Use – for outstanding conversions of buildings which were built for other purposes
• Refurbishment – which ranges from a complete gutting and replacement to enhancing the design of what was originally in the pub
• Historic England Conservation – sponsored by HE, this award is given for work which conserves what is good in the pub to ensure its future for generations
• Community Local – reserved for outstanding refurbished street-corner locals

Work should have been completed between 1st July 2021 and 30th June 2022. Andrew Davison, Chair of CAMRA’s Pub Design Award says: “The Pub Design Awards are a fantastic opportunity for pubs to showcase their outstanding achievements in redesigning their space for future generations to come. They represent excellence in design and innovation and make for some of the best-looking pubs across the UK.”

The competition is free to enter and closes on 13 November. To enter, please visit: https://camra.org.uk/pubs-and-clubs/awards/pub-design-awards/

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), which campaigns on behalf of 160,000 pub-goers, is urging Government to ensure that licensees are treated fairly.

The campaigning organisation is calling for a fundamental change to the Pubs Code for England and Wales, which was introduced to balance the relationship between pub companies and their tied tenants.

CAMRA has raised serious concerns about its operation and effectiveness and is calling for the Code to include more types of tenancies, give licensees the right to serve a guest beer, tackle the ongoing issue of dilapidations, require pub companies to publish information about rent assessments and give the Pubs Code Adjudicator more power and resources.

The policy submission follows new research from the Campaign which found that most licensees with regulated tenancies do not feel that they are treated fairly and lawfully nor that they are no worse off than a free of tie tenant – the two core principles that the Pubs Code was introduced to uphold.

CAMRA is also calling for direct communication between the Pubs Code Adjudicator and tied tenants, clarity over gaming machine ties, and for more public information to be made available by pub companies.

Commenting, CAMRA’s Campaigns Director Nick Boley said:

“As consumers, it’s important to us that tied tenants can make a long-term success of their pubs and shape the unique character of their businesses to become an integral part of their community. This isn’t possible without a balanced relationship between licensees and pub companies, and CAMRA is keen to see the review of the Pubs Code in England and Wales used to its full potential.

“It’s vital that the Pubs Code works as originally intended by Parliament so that tied tenants are guaranteed fair and lawful dealing, and that they are no worse off than free of tie tenants – particularly given the challenges currently faced by the whole pub trade.”

“I hope that Government takes this opportunity to make substantive changes to the Code and create a fairer system that works for licensees and consumers, as well as pub companies.”

Notes to editors:

CAMRA’s full submission can be found at https://camra.org.uk/campaign_resources/camra-submission-to-the-pubs-code-and-adjudicator-review/

CAMRA conducted a survey of tied tenants between 15 July and 8 August 2022, which included the following questions:

Do you think that you are treated fairly and lawfully as a tied tenant?

Do you think that in terms of all costs and support provided to you as a tenant, you are no worse off than a free of tie tenant?

Launchpad support helps Beerpig unlock crackling year of growth

Two Rotherham-based entrepreneurs are hoping to snaffle up a piece of the lucrative pub snacks market after successfully reinventing the humble pork scratching.

John Walker and David Mace launched their pub snacks business, Beerpig, back in November 2019. Despite losing their entire customer base due to the pandemic just four months into their business journey, today, Beerpig’s tasty pork scratchings, which are sold warm directly from the bar, can be found in over 250 pubs and clubs across the UK.

Insurance broker John hit on the idea of producing warm pork scratchings when he decided to conduct an experiment at home. To his surprise, John discovered that the process of heating the pork scratchings improved their flavour, and after sharing his discovery with friends, the Wickersley-based entrepreneur decided to explore building a business around selling warm pork scratchings to the pubs industry.

Central to Beerpig’s growth plans was the creation of a custom-built warming cabinet, enabling pubs to sell heated pork scratchings. At the same time, John embarked upon a quest to design and create the perfect pork crackling which would be suitable for warming, meet the necessary shelf life and comply with all food safety standards. Armed with a few samples of Beerpig Crackling and some business cards, John and David ventured out to several local pubs and secured their first orders.

With each heating unit requiring significant investment, John knew that the key to the success of the business would be securing repeat orders. He also recognised that by serving the pork scratchings in washable, porcelain dishes, it would also help to reduce single-use plastics or cardboard.

However, John and David also knew that to build and grow the business, they would need additional help and called upon Launchpad, a free business support programme aimed at helping new entrepreneurs and SMEs within South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw to realise their potential.

Working with experienced business adviser Darren McDool, John and David realised it was vital to protect the Beerpig name and successfully secured a trademark to protect their unique brand. Together they developed a short term and a long-term business plan setting out the company’s ambitious growth plans over the next six months and over the next three years – the shorter term six month targets they successfully achieved within just six weeks of trading. With Darren’s help, Beerpig relocated from John’s home office to Rotherham’s Fusion Business Centre within their first month.

During this time, John and David also took part in a number of the free workshops provided by Launchpad, giving them the confidence to build and develop their own website from scratch, further protect their brand, as well as learning how to market their products more effectively.

Poised to enjoy a significant period of expansion and growth, disaster struck just four months into Beerpig’s business journey, when the Covid pandemic prevented the pubs industry from opening. Overnight, the company lost its entire customer base and with Beerpig HQ full of pork scratchings, John and David realised they needed to diversify their business model. They quickly redeveloped their plans and began to sell  stock online via their website and Amazon, immediately receiving rave reviews from pork scratching fans from across the UK. 

Recognising the challenges the hospitality industry faced during lockdown, John and David worked closely with their pub customers, replacing all snacks that had reached their expiry dates completely free of charge. Since the re-opening of the hospitality industry, Beerpig has enjoyed a significant period of growth, with the number of pubs stocking their products rising from just 30 in January 2020 to over 300 today. Beerpig sells one ton Beerpig Pork Crackling to pubs and clubs across the UK every week, and the company is hoping to expand its pub operations to over 1000 outlets by the end of 2023.

John Walker, co-founder, Beerpig said:

“Pork scratchings are the most popular pub snack in the UK, yet despite their popularity, the way they are sold today has hardly changed since they were first developed nearly 200 years ago. I felt selling warm pork crackling would be something that would be popular with drinkers,  so after tailoring and perfecting our recipe, we quickly started receiving regular orders; however, when Covid struck, we were forced to completely re-evaluate our business model. Imagine starting a new company selling to pubs and bars for them ALL to be forced to close their doors within a matter of weeks,

We approached Launchpad for help fairly early on in our business journey and Darren and the team have been incredibly supportive. We knew that for our business to succeed it was important to get everything right from day one. The one-to-one advice we’ve received helped us to get our terms and conditions right, protect our brand, as well as refining our business plans. The workshops we’ve attended have helped us to build our customer base, increase online presence and understand what it takes to run a successful business.  Launchpad has provided a constant source of support throughout our business journey, and the help we’ve received has enabled us to not only believe in our ideas but lay the foundations for significant future growth.”

Darren McDool, Launchpad adviser, said:

“Beerpig is an exciting company with a bright future ahead of it. Like any true entrepreneur, John and David spotted new opportunities when faced with adversity, and despite being forced to radically transform their original plans, almost overnight, they were able to adapt their business model and tap into new ways of generating revenue for the business.

Building a strong brand can be an important way of distinguishing your services from those of competitors. John and David knew they would be entering into an incredibly competitive sector and recognised the importance of distinguishing their products from others. Crucially, they also knew it was vital to protect their brand and spent time successfully trademarking their company name, logo, as well as developing custom built equipment to heat their products, as well as getting their terms and conditions right from the first day they started trading. Launchpad was designed to not only help new entrepreneurs to understand what it takes to build and grow a successful business, but also to help them to create solid foundations, paving the way for future growth.”

Pork Scratchings are believed to have originated from the black country in the early 1800s, but first became a regular staple of pubs in the 1930s. In 2020, a survey revealed that 72% of pub goers have bought a packet of pork scratchings in a local pub. Today, the UK pork scratchings market is estimated to be worth a staggering £28 million.

Beerpig is continuing to grow with the support from Launchpad and are constantly receiving and looking for new stockist enquires where their unique product will thrive in satisfying the UK public with their favourite pub snack.  For more information on Beerpig contact the team on 07368 697020 or visit beer-pig.co.uk.

Launchpad is a business support programme for new businesses. Financially supported by the European Regional Development Fund and delivered by local authorities within South Yorkshire and The Prince’s Trust, the programme provides free help and support to budding entrepreneurs who are thinking of starting their own business or looking for help to achieve business growth.

For more information on the Launchpad programme and how it operates, contact the Growth Hub Gateway on 0333 000 0039 or visit scrlaunchpad.co.uk.

Voting is now open for our entries into the Good Beer Guide 2023. As in recent years, we are hoping to nominate 30 pubs within the Sheffield city boundaries and a further six from the Derbyshire part of the branch.

All Sheffield & District CAMRA members are able to take part in voting by selecting the allowed number of pubs on the form below.

Forms must be received by 20 March 2022 to allow the selection committee time to visit the nominated pubs to confirm they are eligible.

All the best wishes to our members and all other beer drinkers and pub goers!

If you’re a CAMRA member in Sheffield & District we have plans into 2022, coronavirus permitting. Take a look at the diary for details of socials including brewery and pub trips, meetings and award presentations. Talking of awards, please take a moment or two to vote for our Pub of the Year. Also come the spring when the weather is a bit better will be the return of our RambAles.

Meanwhile elsewhere in the local beer scene, hopefully March will see both Sheffield Beer Week and Rotherham Real Ale and Music Festival at Magna; fingers crossed we still have those to look forward to!

Christmas and New Year normally is one of those times when pubs and bars really come alive – be that celebrating with colleagues or friends in a lively City Centre venues, catching up with old pals you haven’t seen for a while in the community local or relaxing with family in front of an open fire in a cosy country pub.

For that reason, December from a business perspective is when pubs make most money and need to do so to get through the usually quiet January when people often stay in after the excesses of Christmas to save money or perhaps keep a new years resolution to eat & drink less.

Christmas really didn’t happen last year due to the Coronavirus lockdown with pubs restricted to operating as off licences only. This year is different as they can operate pretty much normally – the only restriction is venues opening later than 1am that have a dance floor are required to see a valid Covid pass as a condition of entry (proving either fully vaccinated or a recent negative test).

So where’s the problem?

Well, mixed messaging coming from the government has really damaged people’s confidence and many aren’t going out. Face coverings are required on public transport, in taxis and in shops and we are told the new Omicron variant is spreading like wildfire. No one wants their family Christmas ruined by having to self isolate and being unable to spend time with family at Christmas.

Some publicans are also worried about their staff and ultimately if too many of their staff are off sick they cannot open and are imposing their own restrictions regardless of government restrictions – such as asking customers to move away from the bar once served and asking customers to wear masks when not seated.

Looking beyond Christmas there is the threat of further restrictions coming but nothing announced, meaning publicans have no idea whether to tap any more beers or order any more food and drink stock in with the risk that it may all be wasted.

So less customers visiting and some pubs shut due to staffing issues, the government have now recognised there is an issue with better support required, however recent grants announced are tiny compared with the revenue being lost. We should also remember such problems are felt down the supply chain too with local breweries not getting orders for beer that pubs aren’t able to sell!

So, what do we do as CAMRA members then? Ideally keep supporting pubs with our custom or if you don’t feel safe doing so, support local breweries for home drinking with beer purchased either direct from the brewery, through a local independent beer shop or getting a take out from a pub. In addition do ensure your local MP and councillors understand the situation the pubs and brewers are in and encourage them to support them wherever possible!