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Welcome to Cheltenham CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale. We are a voluntary organisation campaigning for real ale, community pubs and consumer rights.The Cheltenham Branch has around 850 members in the GL50, GL51, GL52 and GL53 postcode areas.

Next 5 Diary Events
21st August, 2019 - Ale Amble to Bewdley
22nd August to 26th August, 2019 - August Bank Holiday Beach Party
30th August to 31st August, 2019 - Cider festival
3rd September, 2019 - Branch Business Meeting - September
12th September, 2019 - Branch Social and GBG Launch Event
Full Branch Diary

CRAF 2019 – Volunteers required

Posted Jul 2019 Ian Scott

Planning is well under way for the 4th Cheltenham Real Ale Festival (CRAF), to be held once again, in the magnificent surroundings of the Princess Hall within Cheltenham Ladies’ College.

We are now seeking volunteers to help us make the festival a success. For the event itself, which takes place on the 1st and 2nd November, we’ll have positions behind the beer and cider bars, as well as general non-bar duties and the food serving. But that’s not all. The set-up and clear-down are important too. These take place on 29th-31st October and the 3rd November respectively. So, if you’d like to help, then please complete the google form

There will be a post-event get together for to thank volunteers, details of which will follow. For the latest festival information, please CLICK HERE.

GBG 2020 Launch event

Posted Jul 2019 Rob Coldwell

The 2020 Good Beer Guide will be launched on 12th September.  As usual, the branch have a number of copies for sale, at a reduced price for members, of £11 per copy.

If you would like to reserve a copy, please contact us via email at: secretary{at}cheltenhamcamra.org.uk

We will be holding a branch social and launch event, where you can pick up your reserved copies, in The Kemble, our current branch Pub-of-the-Year, from 7:30pm.

Revised Branch Procedure for GBG and POTY/COTY Selection

Posted Jun 2019 Rob Coldwell

With around one hundred venues in Cheltenham eligible for just eight places in The Good Beer Guide it is important that a robust and transparent selection process is put in place to ensure that only the best make it into the guide. The venues which are recommended for inclusion in the guide should be ones that we are proud to recommend, and are included primarily due to the high quality of the real ale served. It is vital that all Cheltenham CAMRA members are given the opportunity to help in the selection process.

Following feedback from branch members we have made some revisions to the process that we are using to select the entries for the 2021 Good Beer Guide and also determine the branch Pub and Club of the Year.  The main change has been to bring the start of the process forward by a month this will allow time between the selection of the GBG enteries and the decisions on POTY and COTY.

We have now revised the process and it can be found in THIS DOCUMENT. It details how Cheltenham Branch members can be involved at every stage of the selection process, from beginning to end. For Phase One, which last’s until the end of October, you can get involved in two ways:

1. By recommending a venue that you believe is a strong candidate for inclusion in the Good Beer Guide. In order to qualify the venue must meet the ‘Candidate Venues’ criteria as listed in the linked document.

2. Fill in beer scores on WhatPub website each time you drink real ale at a Cheltenham pub/club.

At the end of Phase One, a short list will be compiled and distributed to members for Phase Two to commence. Details will be available in early November.

Summer Pub Of The Year

Posted May 2019 Rob Coldwell

Congratulations to The Aviator which has been voted Cheltenham CAMRA Summer Pub of The Year 2019.

The summer pub of the year award aims to recognise pubs that make an excellent venue to visit during the summer.  The Aviator has a large beer garden where people can watch the aircraft landing and taking off from Gloucestershire Airport. The pub is approximately a 10 minute walk from the nearest bus stop using the 94 service – alight at Bamfurlong Lane (White Lion House).

Branch chairman John Crossley, presentated the award on Saturday 29th June.

The autumn pub of the year will be selected in August so if you have any suggestions for a great autumn venue please let us know.

Cider Pub-of-the-Year 2019: The Stable

Posted Apr 2019 Ian Scott

We are pleased to announce that The Stable has been selected as the Branch Cider Pub-of-the-Year for 2019.

Part of a growing chain, based predominantly in the south and south-west. Set over two floors in one of the town’s listed buildings, and featuring many boxed ciders and perries, they also offer an introductory cider tasting experience, sampling 10 of their current range, led by their Cider Master.

Congratulations to the team on winning the award. Branch chair, John Crossley, is shown making the presentation of the certificate to manager Ben Williams and the team.

Sad News

Posted Apr 2019 Rob Coldwell

It is with deep sadness that we have to announce that Graham Green has passed away from cancer on 9 April 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland.

Graham, as many of you will know, was a long time member of the Cheltenham CAMRA branch and moved to Baltimore, Maryland (USA) to be with his wife Susan Garland nearly ten years ago.

He will be greatly missed by family and friends and we ask that you raise a glass to him to celebrate his life and the fond memories you may have of him.

If you wish to send condolences to Susan, please do so via her Facebook page message reference the bereavement and nowhere else, so that she gets some privacy at this difficult time.

Rest In Peace Graham.

Club-of-the-Year 2019: Cheltenham Motor Club

Posted Apr 2019 Ian Scott

We are pleased to announce that Cheltenham Motor Club (CMC), has been selected as the Branch Club-of-the-Year (COTY), for 2019.

Described in the Good Beer Guide as a “Friendly club, just off the London Road. Stroud’s Tom Long as a regular and five regularly changing ales from across the country are served, together with three real ciders.”

Congratulations, once again, to Neil and the team on winning the award. The presentation of the certificate by Branch Chair John Crossley, took place on Tuesday 9th April.

Fancy going back to School?

Posted Apr 2019 Rob Coldwell

The Open University is running a course all about alcohol. If you want to learn more about a subject dear to our hearts, more information can be found here:

The Science of Alcohol

The course has been developed in conjunction with CAMRA and the course work features videos from alcohol producers just across the border in Oxfordshire.

Update – June 2019.  We are aware of at least one branch member who has taken this course and passed achieving grades of 92% and 96% in the exams.  We congratulate him and any others of you out there who have passed the course.

Pub-of-the-Year 2019: The Kemble Brewery Inn

Posted Mar 2019 Ian Scott

We are pleased to announce that The Kemble Brewery Inn has been selected as the Branch Pub-of-the-Year (POTY) for 2019.

Described in the Good Beer Guide as a “Small, popular back-street local, hard to find, but well worth the effort. Six ales are generally available, from near and far, plus a cider. There is a small attractive walled garden to the rear.”

Congratulations to Caron (2nd right) and the team on winning the award. The presentation of the certificate by Branch Chair, John Crossley (right) was held on Thursday 4th April.