Chairman

 I presented the Pub of the Year Award to Lisa at the Wyndham Arms. This is the fourth time in eight years that she, and the pub have won this. A 100% performance since no pub can win in consecutive years.

Secretary

 Our AGM is coming ever closer and is to be held at 2pm on 14 July at The Bell and Crown on Catherine Street. For those of you who find the name unfamiliar it is Cloisters reverting to a former name following refurbishment.. Please could members who do not currently have committee positions give some thought to standing? Most of the jobs need more than a few hours work each month (even mine!!) and delegation to manage trips etc is acceptable. The aim to spread the committee posts around is for everyone to have some fun – as I do 😉 Whilst on the subject of AGM’s I have given notice of it’s happening in the June edition of Barrel Organ.

The National AGM and Members weekend takes place this month in Dundee. Mike and Hilary are going. I hope they will get their house back before too long!

Treasurer

 Nothing to report

Membership Secretary

 See Appendix 2

Social Secretary

 See Appendix 1

Press & Publicity Officer

 I wrote a press release on the Wyndham Arms winning the branch’s Pub of The Year award for the fourth time in a decade. This and photos have been sent to the local press. The Salisbury Journal has already used it online and should run it in their print edition. We should also get coverage in the rest of the local media.During the past month I have been working on the next issue of Barrel Organ with the rest of the editorial team.

Pubs Officer

 In the last month I have received reports that the Ship, Burcombe and Winterbourne Arms have closed. Reported that Cloisters undergoing refurb and will revert to former name.

Webmaster

 Nothing to report.

Magazine Editor

 While we have received lots of compliments about the quality of barrel organ we still need more articles, quizzes, crosswords & opinion pieces from members (and nonmembers if they wish).The April edition of Barrel Organ should be with us for distribution at the April meeting.

It has been noticed that some pubs are receiving Barrel Organ but not getting them out on show. Experience has shown that positive action by organ grinders at agreeing a place where the will be put out and putting them there themselves as well as giving a copy to the licensee can help overcome this. If you need stands for copies please let me know.

If any member sees a pub that has run low on copies or does not appear to have them please let us know so we can improve the situation.

NBSS/GBG Co-ordinator

 See attached review

Locale

 I hope to have the certificates for 19 – 20 at the May meeting.

Tasting Panel Co-ordinator

 We now have six new members on the panel. Allen, Andy, Bill, Julia, Roger Robbie who have all undertaken the training course. We also have two other members awaiting training.9 April Tasting panel visit to Wriggle Valley Brewery.

The visit to Brew Shack has had to be postponed at their having new plant fitted.

Festival Organiser

Beerex 14th & 15th June 2019

The budget has been approved and tickets are on sale. I have been advised that we need the higher level of insurance as we are using CAMRA equipment so that will be £160 the branch has to pay.

I am planning a large order from Forest Wholesale to cover the beers coming from further afield. He supplied 18 last year and it will be about 30 this year.

The posters and flyers are for distribution.

Please save the dates:

Wednesday 12th Set up

Thursday 13th Spraying

Session Times

Friday 14th 18:00 – 23:00

Saturday 15th 11:00 – 16:00 and 18:00 – 23:00.

Certificate Presentations

I propose to post the certificate from Beerex last year to Cerne Abbas.

I have asked Test about going out there one evening or a Bank Holiday Monday

I have asked Small Paul about going one evening by train and visiting his garage and then a few pubs in Gillingham.

I don’t know if anyone has plans to visit Sixpenny who could take the certificate to them?

I’ll update on dates as I hear back from brewers.

BLO’s

Brewshack

 It has not been possible to confirm the tasting panel visit to the brewery and tasting at the Penny Tap planned for Saturday 4th May. This has now been postponed until later in the year.

Dark Revolution

 Nothing to report.

Downton

 Downton report – After a quiet start to the year, the brewery is busy at present. The re-branding of products is imminent. Dragon IPA soon to be available in keg form. The Friday bar continues to be popular and pizzas will be on some Fridays from 05th April. Next outside event will be at the Cuckoo fair. Monthly specials are for May – EUREKA 4.6% single hop American Pale ale. June FOUR CORNERS 4.4% New World Red. July BUFFALO APA 4.6% American style pale ale. Apple Blossom Ale 4.3% and SLOVENIAN GOLD 4.8% are the Spring seasonals.

Hop Back

 The brewery has received accreditation for ‘SALSA’, Safe and Local Suppliers Association, which is helping it to sell more bottled beer in supermarkets. Contracts have already been agreed with Waitrose and the Co-op.The brewery has won gold awards at ‘Taste of the West’ with Crop Circle and Taiphoon.

Some of the bottling has been outsourced and more may follow depending on how the contract goes. Bottle conditioned Summer Lightning will continue to be bottled in-house for the foreseeable future. The company is recruiting for a new Managing Director and Pubs Manager.

The forthcoming seasonal ales are as follows:

  • May Mayfly ABV 4.1%Hopped with an American hop, Belma which has been added late-copper to this amber golden ale.
  • June Rye and Coriander ABV 4.3% Last brewed in 1999 this brew has a lot of biscuit rye flavour, a moderate bitterness and an orange marmalade finish.
  • July Pacific Jade ABV 3.9% This New Zealand hopped beer is a real crowd pleaser. Herbal, lemon zest and black pepper add to this easy drinking very pale bitter.

Sixpenny

 The Spring seasonal beer, Cranborne Chaser (4%) became available in March. It is described as a ‘traditional dark English ale’ brewed with English hops and malt (10 different malts were used in the recipe) producing a predominantly complex malty flavour. The ‘Chaser’ will be replaced with their popular summer beer, ‘Rushmore Gold’, in late May. Sixpenny Best and Gold are candidates for the SIBA (SW Region) awards competition to be held in Newton Abbot in April.The fortnightly ‘Fish and Chips’ evenings at the Brewery Tap have restarted. They are held on Monday evenings, 6.45 – 8.00pm, and in April the dates are the 8th and 22nd. Pizzas are still available, early evening, on Fridays.

Tickets for the ‘Sixpenny Go Camping’ event at Damerham (12 -14 July) are now on sale – see details on the Sixpenny Brewery Website/Facebook page if you are interested.

Stonehenge

 Sign of Spring has been a huge success again this year with demand coming from far and wide. Orders are in place all year with pubco’s and wholesalers to feature various Stonehenge Ales locally and around the country.Look out for an exciting announcement later in the year about the launch of an entirely new brew produced using a north European brewing method not seen previously in the UK. More to follow.

Cider Champion

 Nothing to report – please let me know what you see around the pubs.

Appendix 1

Meeting Dates Mar – Jul

April

 3rd 8pm Branch Meeting George & Dragon Castle Street
17th 8pm City Saunter, Hampton Inn, Laverstock & Ford Sports Club & The Duck
26th 7pm Minibus Trip – White Horse Quidhampton, Queens Head Broadchalke, Crown Alvediston & Horseshoe Ebbesbourne Wake

May

 1st 8pm New Inn Amesbury
15th City Saunter – Grey Fisher, Rose & Crown, Old Mill & Harnham Community Club
31st Minibus Trip – Compasses Chicksgrove, Greater Good Fovant, Ship Burcombe, Royal Oak Great Wishford.
The pubs listed on City Saunters and minibus trips do not necessarily have to be visited in the order they are presented.

June

 5th 8pm Branch Meeting Winchester Gate
14th and 15th Beerex Salisbury Arts Centre
28th Minibus Trip Stonehenge Inn Durrington, Dog and Gun Netheravon, Red Lion East Chisenbury & Swan Enford.

June

 Saturday 13th 2pm Branch AGM – Bell & Crown (formerly Cloisters)
17th City Saunter – Tisbury
26th Minibus trip – Victoria & Albert Netherhampton, White Hart Bishopstone, Fox & Goose Coombe Bissett, Yew Tree Odstock & Radnor Arms Nunton.

Appendix 2 – Membership

 Total membership as of 27/03/19 362

Previously reported membership on 25/02/19 359

Lapsed or moved out of area in month 0

Average Age (excl. 34 given as zero) 55.95

Member Type Profile

Member Type

Number

Single

232

Joint

130

Breakdown of Member Type

Retired

Life

Under 26 & Student

Concessions

Other
Single Members

78

14

8

5

127
Joint members

37

4

2

0

87

Gender Profile

Gender

Number

Last Month

Male

286

282

Female

76

77

Membership Age Profile

Age Group

Number

Last Month

80-89

11

11

70-79

38

38

60-69

96

96

50-59

87

85

40-49

55

54

30-39

27

27

20-29

13

13

18-19

1

0

Zero (not given)

34

34

Total

362

359

Appendix 3 – Branch Mailouts

 Survey of publicans – request for branch support
Membership Subscription Increase 2019
Pub Heritage Website
Reminder – submitting What’s Brewing diary dates
CAMRA Branch Beer Scoring Survey 2019
‘Good Financial Practice’ – Scam Awareness
SEMA – Stillage and Racking Inspection
Spring Young Members Forum May 2019
Great British Beer Festival Promotional Materials 2019
CAMRA AGM & National Executive Election 2019 – DEADLINE 3 April 2019
Submitting amendments to motions for Conference 2019
Local Plan Rankings
– Local Plan Rankings Spreadsheet
Making Tax Digital – COBAS Update

Appendix 4 – NBSS Scores

 TBA

 

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