Photos and Beer Banter
Cavens and the Laurie Arms share the 2012 Pub of the Year Title
Two local pubs celebrated after sharing the “CAMRA Pub of the Year Award” for 2012. Cavens Arms in Dumfries and the Haugh of Urr’s Laurie Arms Hotel ended tied on points after the annual assessment by CAMRA members in Dumfries & Stewartry.
CAMRA Secretary Liam Chalmers said “The assessment takes account of the quality of their ales, customer service, value for money, standard of the premises, customer mix, support for CAMRA and value for money. Quite amazingly, the two ended up with the same points - so we had to declare them as “joint winners”.
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If you have any good photos - maybe with yourself and friends on a Real Ale trip - or visiting a festival - then why not send them in to be posted here ...
Or maybe you have a tale to tell about an interesting night in a pub ...
... And talking of raids
Local CAMRA members played host to a group of Norwegian ‘Vikings’ at the end of September. The group were taking time off from their English studies course at York to visit CAMRA member Robertson Wellen’s Ferintosh Guest House in Dumfries.
Robertson fitted a few of them out in kilts and with help from local CAMRA enthusiasts went on the ‘customary pub crawl’.
The Ferintosh ‘Kilted Pub Crawls’ are held every other month. Contact Robertson for more details (stay@ferintosh.net)
A number of Branch members made the trip to Carlisle for the annual Solway Beer Festival over the period 7th-10th October 2010 Great selection of Ales on tap. Congratulations to the organisers.
We had a mixed crew of kilt wearers for our ‘Border Raid’ on Thursday 7th - and they turned out to be one Scot, one Englishman and one American!
There was nearly 40 ales on offer together with 6 or so ciders ... just about enough to keep us going.
Our ‘Border Raid” to the Solway Festival
Buccleuch & Queensberry Arms
Thornhill
The Thistle Inn - Crossmichael
The bus trips were to
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•Dumfriesshire East - Springfield, Gretna, Annan & Clarencefield
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•West Stewartry - Gatehouse, Kirkcudbright, Castle Douglas & Haugh of Urr
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•The Glenkens, Glencairn and Nith Valley
Cost was £3.00 a head and as the photos show, we visited a lot of good pubs. Well worth the effort and we’ll be repeating it in the not too distant future.
Ken Bridge Hotel - New Galloway
The Clachan Inn - Dalry
Some great pubs visited were....
“Cavens has collected the award for the last 6 years. It’s been a great period for local real ale enthusiasts as Cavens undoubtedly set the standards for other pubs to achieve. The quality and variety of ales available locally has risen year upon year. It’s wonderful that the Laurie Arms has faced up to the challenge and is now matching Cavens. Other local pubs are also improving as a direct result.”
Cavens will represent Dumfries & Stewartry in the next round of judging where it is set against the best pubs from Northern Ireland, Ayrshire & Wigtownshire and Renfrewshire. Liam explained “We are only allowed to put one pub forward to the next stage and Cavens narrowly shaded the Laurie Arms when we put the full set of results under the the microscope”.
The sale of cask-conditioned ales are now soaring locally and all across the UK. “More and more beer drinkers are appreciating the benefits of real ale as opposed to lager or keg-style brews.
Sales have risen by nearly 30% in the last year. In our area, we’ve welcomed the news in the last year that another 3 pubs are now selling real ale. It is great for local drinkers and it also provides a welcome feature for many of the tourists who visit the region each year.”
Photo above shows CAMRA Branch Chair Sue Chalmers presenting the Awards to the two pubs. The line-up (left to right) is ... Linda Yates, Sandra Yates (both from the Laurie Arms), Sue Chalmers, Stacey Kirkpartick (Laurie Arms) and Anthony Perkins (Cavens Arms)