Message from Rachel (staffing officer):

Spa Valley Railway in Association with West Kent CAMRA - Real Ale and Cider Festival

The Festival is open from Thursday 17th to Sunday 20 th October 2024 at Tunbridge Wells West Station.

West Kent CAMRA annual call out for Volunteers! It’s time for ‘expressions of interest’ in helping out behind the bar at this year’s festival – or with set up and pull down (on days before or after the opening times).

Everyone who helped last year will be contacted directly by mid-August (if I hold your email address) but I’m particularly keen to hear from members who have never been involved before – and from those who didn’t make it last year. No experience is necessary, only enthusiasm!

If you think you might be interested in joining in, please email me, Rachel Blythe, at ku.oc.daehgnirpsehtylb@lehcar.

Spa Valley Railway Real Ale & Cider Festival

Thanks

The Nelson Arms has won CAMRA Kent (West) Pub of the Year 2024 and will now be judged against the Kent (East) Pub of the Year 2024, The Royston in Broadstairs for overall Kent Pub of the Year 2024. There will be a presentation to Emma and Matt in the Nelson on 17 July 2024. We will be gathering from 7.30pm.

Nelson Arms Tonbridge

Kent (West) POTY 2024

Fuggles Beer Café, BOTH PUBS have frequent events so please check here and put them in your diary: Full details here. 
 
Nevill Crest & Gun, Eridge – Pub walk, first Saturday each month. Meet at the pub at 9:30 for coffee and bacon roll (on the house) and depart at 10:00 for a 6km circular walk. Back about midday for a well-earned pint and lunch if you want.

Westerham Brewery Tours & Tasting, weekly on Saturday mornings at 11.30am book here:

3^rd – 9^th June – Volunteers Week, a UK-wide celebration that shines a light on the incredible impact that volunteers make in our communities. CAMRA will be highlighting the importance of all the volunteering that our members do for the Campaign. More details here.

8^th June - Kent Regional Meeting at Ye Olde Chequers, 122 High Street, Tonbridge, 12pm start.

14^th - 15^th June – 26th CAMRA South Downs Beer & Cider Festival, Lewes.  More details here.

14th - 15th June – CAMRA Real Ale & Cider Festival at Kent & East Sussex Railway, Tenterden.  More details here.  

15^th June – TW Sausage & Cider Festival in Dunorlan Park, Tunbridge Wells 30+ ciders, craft beers, other drinks, 20+ sausage flavours, live music and various other entertainments.  Full details here.

23^rd - 26^th June – CAMRA Cricket Tent in Canterbury - Canterbury Branch will be running the CAMRA Tent at the Kent v. Lancashire game. Entry restricted to CAMRA members and their guests. Gill and Gerry will be running the tent and any offers of assistance will be appreciated. More information  here.

5^th – 7^th July – Spirit of Tenterden Festival – includes real ale & cider festival. 297 bus can get you there from TW or other travel options are available.  Full details here.

12^th – 13^th July – Sevenoaks Beer on the Vine at the Vine Cricket Ground, run this year by Sevenoaks Round Table (i.e. not the Sevenoaks Lions Club this year), Fri 5-11pm, Sat 12-11pm. Expect cricket will be on as usual.

13^th – 14^th July – Wantsum Brewery, St. Nicholas at Wade, CT7 0PT – Summer Beer Festival showcasing their beers.  Details here.

26^th – 28^th July – Bucks Head, Godden Green - Bucks Beer Fest 2024, 30+ beers, live music, burgers & pizzas, market stalls & more.  Details here.

2^nd – 4^th Aug – Bromley Beer & Cider Festival 2024 at Bromley Picturehouse, organised by the Cockpit micropub (Bromley CAMRA POTY 2023 & 2024).  Tickets here.

9^th – 10^th Aug – London Craft Beer Festival, Tobacco Dock, 300+ beers, food, etc. Details here.

August 2024 - GBBF will not be on in 2024 due to problems with the venue, but should return in 2025.

31st Aug – 1st Sept – Faversham Hop Festival.  More details here.  

7th September 2024 - East Malling Beer and Cider Festival at East Malling Research Centre.  Organised by Maidstone and Mid Kent CAMRA. Around 70 beers and 30 ciders and perries on offer along with live music and food vendors. Full details here.

20th – 22nd Sept – Canterbury’s Cooking (usually hosts the Kent Green Hop Beer Festival, details tbc).

28th Sept – Kent Oktoberfest, Maidstone.  More details here.  

3^rd – 5^th Oct - Eastbourne Beer Festival at The Winter Garden brings you over 140 cask ales, craft beers, ciders and perries, plus a variety of international bottled beers and wines, specially selected by the local CAMRA team.  Details here.  

9^th – 20^th Oct – Wetherspoons Beer Festival

17^th – 20^th Oct – Spa Valley Railway Real Ale & Cider Festival in association with West Kent CAMRA.  Full details here.

8^th – 9^th Nov – Time & Tide Brewing – Rising Tide Craft Beer Festival in the grounds of Canterbury Cathedral, 50 beers, street food, music. Full details here.

We announced the results of our Pub of the Year 2024 competition earlier and we have been out and about presenting the Certificates.

We started with the West Kent CAMRA Pub of the Year, the Nelson Arms, Tonbridge, which we visited on 20 March 2024. Local member and Nelson regular, Simon Scott did the honours in presenting the award to Matthew Rudd the owner.

Nelson Arms POTY Winner Presentation

On the same evening we visited Fuggles Beer Cafe also in Tonbridge to present them with their Runners Up Certificate. Committee member and Fuggles regular, Keith Ennis, made the presentation to Julian who is one of the duty managers.

Fuggles Beer Cafe Tonbridge POTY Runner Up Presentation

We have also awarded town pub awards to the two towns that were not winners. For Sevenoaks the award was to the Anchor and we visited on 4 April 2024. Local member, Mike Willsher, presented the award to “Barrio the Barman”, aka Barry Dennis, the long standing publican of the Anchor.

Anchor Winner Sevenoaks POTY Presentation

We had our AGM on 14 April 2024 in Tunbridge Wells at the Opera House. We then went to Fuggles Beer Cafe to present them with their Tunbridge Wells Pub of the Year. Our newly elected vice chair, Will Longmate did the honours presenting the certificate to Alex Greig, Fuggles owner and beer guy.

Fuggles Tunbridge Wells Winner Tunbridge Wells POTY Presentation

The final award is the Village Pub of the Year which goes to the Halfway House at Brenchley. We will be visiting them on 25 May 2024 to join in their Beer Festival and make the presentation.