Branch News

Autumn Pub Of The Season

Congratulations for Sally and staff for winning the Autumn award. Presentation date to be confirmed.

Published: 12 October 2025

SPBW Beer Festival Award

The SPBW (The Society for The Preservation of Beers from the Wood) came to Wakefield in October to present Barry with the certificate for winning Beer Of The Festival at their Woodfest beer festival. In a packed Harry’s Bar the SPBW’s Angela Aspin presented the award to Barry for Edwardian Porter, a fine example of the style at 5.5%. The beer was available in wood at the presentation. Next years Woodfest VI will be held Thursday 14th May to Saturday 16th May at the Magical Museum in Brentford, London.

Published: 05 October 2025

Champion Beer of Britain

Nominations are now open for the Champion Beer of Britain award, our most prestigious beer award! Let us know about the amazing beers you have tried over the past 12 months. The competition runs over two years, starting with Tasting Panel and CAMRA member nominations, moving on to regional heats before the final rounds of judging. All the judging done by blind tasting, so the award-winning beers shine through on quality alone! Nominate now: https://cbob.camra.org.uk/

Published: 03 September 2025

Summer Pub Of The Season

We presented the Summer Pub Of The Season to Harry's Bar in August. Congratulations to Kieran and Shellie and all the staff on continuing to keep Harry's a great pub.

Published: 20 August 2025

Ossett Brewery Refreshes Its Core Brand for a New Era

Our largest brewery has changed it's core range of beers. The key details are Excelsius will drop from 5.2% to 5.0% ABV Butterley will drop from 3.8% to 3.4% ABV Yorkshire Blonde is renamed Ossett Blonde A new beer Barghest, a 4.3% stout has been launched. Ossett Brewery say "A new era at Ossett Brewery. We’ve been crafting exceptional beers since 1998. Decades of brewing know-how tried, tested and perfected. With a brilliant team and an ambition to grow, we can’t wait for the next phase in our journey. A new era means a new look for the core range, additions to our award-winning line-up and fine-tuning to ensure our beers remain as drinkable as ever." You can read more here

Published: 12 May 2025

Jolly Boys' Return To Wakefield

On the May 9th Jolly Boys' return to Wakefield was complete with the official opening of their new brewery by Councillor Denise Jeffery the WX (Wakefield Exchange). WX is an events venue at the heart of Wakefield with a Jolly Boys' bar and street food available. You can find out more here here

Published: 10 May 2025

Club Of The Year Presentation

On the 3rd May we presented our Club Of The Year to Wakefield Labour Club. Additionally we presented a special award for 30 years in the Good Beer Guide. The presentation was made during the middle of the East/West Festival to a packed club. Branch Secretary Russ Gaunt made a short speech on the Club before the presentations. The 189'ers, who followed us did two renditions of Marching On Together which was well received! Former Chairman Albert Bradbury presented the Club Of The Year award and current chairman Mark Goodair did the Good Beer Guide presentation to Club President Matty Hallas. Pictured below are June and Albert Bradbury with Club Secretary Linda Bratley.

Published: 04 May 2025

Pub Of The Year Presentation

On the 29th March we presented our Pub Of The Year to The Old Grocers, Pontefract. Below are words spoken on the day Mark Goodair (Branch Chairman): The Old Grocers has won the 2024 Wakefield Campaign for Real Ale Pub of the Year. It is the first time a pub from outside of Wakefield has won this prestigious award this century. David and Mandy set up this micropub in July 2019.In this period they have won the Pub of the Season on four occasions. This is a clear recognition of their commitment to serving quality Real Ale. Scott Nightingale (Branch Pubs Officer): It is a great place, with great ales.I always enjoy my visits here. Dave and Mandy are always so welcoming and have finally got the Pub Of The Year accolade they deserve. Amanda Johnson (Co-owner with Partner Dave): First of all can I thank you all for coming today and for a lovely presentation. We want to obviously thank our customers and CAMRA members for helping us get the Pub Of The Year award back over in Pontefract after over 26 years of it being out of our district. It’s been a pleasure to bring a new pub to the area to bring award winning cask ale to town of limited offerings we feel we have added to the night time economy also. After now been established for nearly 6 years we have made our way into the good beer guide year on year that brings CAMRA members to visit from up and down the country.  The community we have built having a hub in the town for people to meet up and come and make new friends over a pint or too it truly an achievement to behold. Kind Regards  Amanda 

Published: 30 March 2025

Club Of The Year

We are pleased to announced that our Club Of The Year is the Wakefield Labour Club (The Red Shed)

Published: 11 March 2025

Jolly Boys' Return To Wakefield

It's a welcome return to Wakefield for Jolly Boys' Brewery. They have not only opened a new bar in the Wakefield Exchange (WX) but the brewery has relocated to here also so they become the newest brewery within the branch. Wakefield Exchange is a new venue for arts, music, food and drink and you can find out more information here https://www.wxwakefield.co.uk/

Published: 04 March 2025

Tetley Dave Award Winner

We were pleased to present James Williams of Boons Horbury with our latest "Tetley Dave" Award Winner. James has been at Boons for 15 years and has been consistent supporter of real ale including a yearly beer festival. The pub is extremely popular in Horbury which is testament to the dedication of James and his staff. The "Tetley Dave" award is name after the legendary Castleford landord Dave Parker who ran the Shoulder Of Mutton pub having previously worked for Tetley's.

Published: 26 February 2025

Chin Chin and Ossett at the Winter Great British Beer Festival

We are pleased to say that two of our local breweries will be showcasing beers at the Winter GBBF being held at the Magna Science Adventure Centre, Rotherham between 12-15 February. For the first time at a national CAMRA beer festival is Chin Chin from South Kirkby Chin Chin Charm Offensive Chin Chin Club Bitter Chin Chin Inner Sanctum Chin Chin Twisted Light And also there will be Ossett Brewery with Ossett Butterley Ossett Germany Ossett White Rat More information here https://winter.gbbf.org.uk/

Published: 07 February 2025

Community Awards For 2024

We were please to present our Community Pub Awards for 2024 to the Carleton and Carleton Grange Club which are both in Pontefract on Saturday 25th January below. Below are the speeches given by committee member David Oates first to the Carleton "My name is David. I am a Committee Member of Wakefield and District Campaign for Real Ale(CAMRA). I am here tonight, with a number of other committee and other members to recognise, and celebrate, the magnificent work Jodie (Hughes), the General Manager, and her staff do in supporting a range of community based activities…...before I outline these activities, I would also like to acknowledge Kira’s (Thompson) work in ensuring there is always a good range of Real Ales, or Cask Ales,available for you lucky locals and regulars, as well as less frequent visitors like me. This range of real ales, and a number of discount initiatives for both CAMRA and non-CAMRA members on these ales is great and we are appreciative for this contribution to our campaign. So, the community activities here The Carleton include: • Close liaison with the Family of Pontefract Trust Schools, particularly in raising funds for Macmillan Cancer Trust and the Prince of Wales Hospice, Pontefract. For example,raising funds for Macmillan by collecting and recycling plastic sweet containers. The Carleton raised over £7,000 last year for the Macmillan Trust. • Hosting the Local Running Club on a Tuesday and Thursday, who raise funds for the Rescue Dogs Association. • Support a local Childrens Football Team. • Support Wakefield Raiders Local NFL Team (American Football) and The Carleton will be hosting Super Bowl 2025. • Quiz nights are on Monday, 20:30, and Thursday,20:00. • There is a Kids Colouring Station in the pub. • Occasional Live Entertainment • The Carleton is very Dog Friendly. There is a group dog walking club, with an organised walk on the third Sunday of the month. The Carleton has Dinners and Ice Cream for Dogs on its menu and free treats available on the bar. With out any further ‘to do’ from me, can I ask Jodie and Kira to come forward and accept this well earned award from Wakefield CAMRA as our………. 2024 COMMUNITY PUB OF THE YEAR Thank you everybody for your time and listening. " and now Carleton Grange "My name is David. I am a Committee Member of Wakefield and District Campaign for Real Ale(CAMRA). I am here tonight, with a number of other committee and general members to recognise, and celebrate, the magnificent work Phil (Harwood), the Bar Steward, and various committees, do in supporting a range of community based activities. Thank you Phil for inviting us all tonight to this superb building, dating back to the mid 1800s, with its ornamental ceilings and oak wooden panelling, and for the lovely sandwiches and food spread you have provided. So, the community activities at the Carleton Grange Community Club include: • Ballroom Dancing on Monday afternoons and Wednesday evenings. • A Quiz Team competes in the Five Towns Quiz League on Monday nights. • The Theatre Group meet on Tuesday and Thursday evening and put on three productions or plays a year. • Wednesday afternoon the Bridge Club meet. • Monday evening is Line Dancing. • Thursday night is when the Snooker Section meet up. • The Camera Club( as in photography) meet on a Thursday night • The club is also very Dog Friendly With out any further ‘to do’ from me, can I ask Phil to come forward and accept this very well earned award from Wakefield CAMRA as our………. 2024 COMMUNITY CLUB OF THE YEAR Thank you everybody for your time and listening. " Below are photos from the night. At the top David presenting to Jodie and Kira at the Carelton and below to Phil at the Carleton Grange. Congratulations to both.

Published: 01 February 2025

Good Beer Guide Presentation

On the 18th January we presented an award to Neil at The Junction for 10 consecutive years in the Good Beer Guide (it's actually 14 years so we felt an award was long overdue). Below is pubs officer Scott Nightingale presenting the certificate to Neil.

Published: 24 January 2025

Now On Bluesky

Wakefield CAMRA is now on Bluesky. Please follow this link: https://bsky.app/profile/wakefield.camra.org.uk We will still be on X and Facebook

Published: 18 November 2024

Fernandes 25th Birthday Party

It was Luis Bar at Fernandes Brewery 25th birthday in July. To mark the occasion the pub held a birthday party with a lineup of all Fernandes beers including new beers from some well known Wakefield brewers and a special re-brew of Empress Of India with the help of founding owners Maureen and David James, who are pictured below with current owners Liz and Howard Hughes.

Published: 29 August 2024

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