Backlash on social media over CAMRA vote
Almost 18,000 members voted online and at CAMRA’s AGM, held in Coventry on 21 April, to express their views on changes to the organisation’s Articles of Association to redefine its 47-year-old purpose and campaigning activities.
This followed CAMRA’s largest consultation, starting in 2016, which gathered the views of 25,000 of its 190,000 members.
In place of the old objectives, members voted to approve recommendations to add in new objectives for the campaign, in a bid to make the organisation more inclusive, relevant and welcoming.
These were:
- To secure the long-term future of real ale, real cider and real perry by increasing their quality, availability and popularity
- To promote and protect pubs and clubs and social centres as part of the UK’s heritage
- To increase recognition of the benefits of responsible, moderate social drinking
- To play a leading role in the provision of information, education and training to all those with an interest in beer, cider and perry of any type
- To ensure, where possible, that producers and retailers of beer, cider and perry act in the best interests of the consumer
However, the required majority (75%) of members did not approve the recommendation to add one additional object, which was to act as the voice and represent the interests of all pubgoers and beer, cider and perry drinkers.
Social response
Yorkshire Beery Ladies quoted CAMRA AGM’s tweet, which said: “Motion 17 – this conference instructs the National Executive to ensure CAMRA beer festivals that choose to offer other types of beer, do so in a way that reinforces CAMRA’s belief in the superiority of real ale, and provide educational material about all types of beer on sale.”
Yorkshire Beery Ladies said: “Oh dear, seems very hypocritical of CAMRA. They will make money from selling ‘non-cask’ beer at festivals but won’t promote or support outside of this.
“They’ll essentially use to try and attract more people while ensuring their cask message reigns supreme (thinking emoji) #unhappybrewers.”
The Stanford Arms in Lowestoft, Suffolk, which states on its Twitter profile that it was CAMRA national pub of the year finalist in 2016 and 2017, said: “Oh dear, how to make yourself irrelevant. In another 20 years, all our members will be dead or demented, goodbye to CAMRA then…”
Ilkley Brewery said: “Pretty sad to read this news that CAMRA members voted to reject bid to widen remit.
“We proudly made 1m pints of real ale last year and love it but it’s only HALF our story. Having CAMRA be an advocate of ALL beer would have been great.”
Twitter user Danny Butterwick said: "Oh dear CAMRA. Members failing to embrace the craft beer revolution means you will be an outdated, out-of-touch organisation. Old gits drinking flat, watery beer and pretending that's all that exists.
"Move with the times and expand your horizons!"
Mixed thoughts
In fact, there has also been a new Twitter account created today (Monday 23 April) called BoycottCAMRA, which says on its profile: "We're starting a campaign to boycott CAMRA and start an alternative body that better represents the needs of UK drinkers."
Drinkers also commented on The Morning Advertiser's Facebook page, and Andy Burnyeat supported the AGM outcome. He said: "I welcome this decision. CAMRA should be campaigning for consumers, as it is a consumer group. These changes would have effectively turned it into an 'industry' group, defending high prices and drinks, which compete with real ale.
"This would have turned it into a group campaigning for opposite aims. It would have disappeared up its own backside. CAMRA should campaign for lower prices, wider availability of real ale, better education about the quality and history of ale and use its membership numbers to offer benefits in conjunction with Wetherspoon and other pubcos and breweries.
"Further, those who pushed these reforms should face questions about what has proved to be an expensive waste of time and a distraction from the pursuit of core values. They should give way to those who truly represent the membership."
Mat Hocking said the debate would end when a new consumer group is formed that represents drinkers of all styles of "non-macro brewed" and that encourages innovation in brewing and modern-day drinking environments.
He added: "When that day comes, I imagine many of the 72% will jump ship and CAMRA will live out its days as a group for traditional people to drink traditional ale in a traditional pub and actually, that will suit remaining members perfectly fine."
