CAMRA club of the year
CAMRA: are these the best clubs in Britain?
The four clubs are the Albatross Club in Bexhill, East Sussex; Dartford Working Men's Club, Kent; Cheltenham Motor Club, Gloucestershire; and Leyton Orient FC Supporters Club, east London; which all hold beer festivals throughout the year and have a wide range of real ales available.
The competition aims to not only find clubs with quality real ale, it also looks for venues with a good atmosphere and welcoming surroundings.
Nominations for award
Clubs are nominated by CAMRA branches across the country and judged by a panel of volunteer CAMRA members throughout the year.
CAMRA National Club of the Year co-ordinator, John Holland, said: “It is a fantastic achievement to be considered one of the top four real ale clubs in the country. We are seeing more and more clubs making quality real ale a priority, which makes the competition stronger than ever.
“Clubs play a huge role in many local communities across the UK.
“They provide a safe, social environment in which to enjoy a pint with people who you know and trust. They can help people build and strengthen social networks and can be a lifeline in times of need. To be a part of a club is to be part of a family.”
The winner will be announced next spring.
The finalists
The Albatross Club, Bexhill
The Albatross Club won National Club of the Year last year. It always serves at least one local ale – often from Franklins Brewery or Rother Valley Brewing Company.
The venue has four handpumps, and a range of upcoming beers is listed on a blackboard behind the bar.
It holds regular beer festivals in April and September and social events such as jazz nights, quizzes and folk evenings.
It also has a collection of Royal Air Force memorabilia.
Dartford Working Men’s Club, Dartford
The venue has 15 real ales on handpump as well as ciders on gravity.The ales come from various micro and regional breweries – with more than 500 different beers served each year.
The club is home to the BBC award-winning Dartford Folk Club meeting on Tuesday evenings and there is live music every Saturday night.
Up to four beer festivals are held each year.
Cheltenham Motor Club, Cheltenham
Formed in 1906, this club has been a finalist in the National Club of the Year competition.
It has five ales on tap and four ciders, including Thatchers Heritage cider.
The club is divided into a bar/TV room, an additional snug and a games room separated by a folding partition.
The bar is decorated with motoring paraphernalia and a collection of pump clips.
Leyton Orient FC Supporters Club, Leyton
A previous winner of this award, it has served real ale since 1995.
It has seven ales and one or two ciders or perries available with bar snacks and rolls.
The club hosts two beer festivals each season as well as several special brewery-themed nights.
