Branch News

Autumn Pub of The Season

At the November branch meeting The Bradley Arms in North Featherstone was voted as our Autumn Pub The Season. The full result was: 1. BRADLEY ARMS, NORTH FEATHERSTONE 2. Boons, Horbury 3. Old Grocers, Pontefract 4. Harry's Bar, Wakefield

Published: 06 November 2023

Community Pubs Of The Year

For 2023 we are recognising the fantastic work our local pubs do for their local communities. During September we presented awards to four of our pubs in the district in recognition of the work they do they. We presented to the New Wheel Wrenthorpe, Boot & Shoe Gawthorpe, Masons Arms Ackworth and on what was her final night at the pub to Melanie at the Little Bull Middlestown

Published: 08 October 2023

Summer Pub of The Season Presentation

We presented the Prop'ur Baa Ossett with our Summer Pub Of The Season award on the 30th September. Congratulations!

Published: 01 October 2023

Tetley Dave Award

Members visited Scarborough on the 2nd September to present our "Tetley Dave" award to Mark Seaman of Revolutions Brewing. Former Revolutions BLO Colin Williams presented the award with the following words "When the Wakefield Camra Brewery Liaison Officer roles were handed out I was lucky enough to be given Castleford’s very own Revolutions Brewing. The story doesn’t need retelling but there followed some great years of beers, festival appearances and awards, culminating in the multi-award winning Swoon Chocolate Fudge Stout. Chief Inspector Locale and I were fortunate enough to be at the Bradley Arms, North Featherstone (which had become something of a brewery tap) to enjoy the mighty Swoon and Super Swoon on cask, side by side on a bar for possibly the first as well as the last time. We’re here in Scarborough to present the brewery’s co-founder Mark Seaman with our annual Tetley Dave award, given for outstanding services to real ale. For those who don’t know, the award is named after the legendary Castleford landlord Tetley Dave. His pub, the Shoulder of Mutton, is long gone but it was the first pub to put Revolutions beers on the bar, giving Tetley Dave a special place in the Revolutions story and making this award even more fitting. So, Mark, it was my honour to be your Camra rep and it’s an even greater honour to present you with our Tetley Dave award. The wonderful memories live on and we wish you all the very best for the future."

Published: 03 September 2023

A healthy respect for beer

Thank you to Roger Protz for name checking our magazine and the excellent article from regular contributor Annabel Smith. You can read Roger's article here https://wb.camra.org.uk/2023/06/27/a-healthy-respect-for-beer And also Annabel's article by viewing our O-K magazine here https://wakefield.camra.org.uk/otok/issue89web.pdf

Published: 03 July 2023

New Lease of Life for Historic Community Pub

SALT Brewing & Ossett Pub Company are pleased to announce their joint venture on the renovation and reopening of the incredible Georgian building in the centre of the Horbury community formerly known as 'The Bingley Arms'. Now to be affectionately renamed as simply ‘The Bingley’, in line with how locals have always revered this much loved watering hole. The purchase and refurbishment of the site has seen the breweries invest over £1 million into the venture, the former coaching inn will open its doors for a grand public reopening on Friday 23rd June. 'The Bingley' is the first collaboration between SALT and Ossett & an impressive addition to both breweries’ venue portfolios. Heading back to the homeland of Ossett Brewery, The Bingley is just two miles away from the brewery and is the perfect venture for both breweries involved. Renovation has included a redesigned internal layout, new bar area, essential structural work, new open mezzanine, new Georgian style wooden windows throughout and an open plan street food kitchen. The interior decor creatively combines the SALT influenced contemporary & modern look alongside Ossett’s traditional features such as real fires and exposed stone. Situated between the River Calder and the Calder and Hebble canal, the pub enjoys stunning views of both waterways. The newly constructed front beer garden will seat around 100 customers and to the rear there is a further traditionally flagged seating area, along with a unique decked area directly overlooking the canal. The scenic canal and towpath offer and unrivalled spot for drinkers to sit and enjoy the summer months. The original, prominent ‘Bingley Arms’ stone carved signage has been repainted in gold to further enhance the imposing character of the 18th century building. The Georgian pub has stood on Wakefield’s Horbury Bridge for over 200 years, originally built in 1822. The Bingley has thousands of commuters passing the busy area around Bridge Road each day. With a huge range of award-winning craft beer from SALT, alongside traditional cask ales from Ossett, it is set to be every beer-lovers’ heaven. But it’s not just about the beer, they will also be offering a huge range of spirits, wines from Barrique Fine Wines (the groups own wine wholesaler), Cocktails “On Tap”, soft drinks and much more. Delicious Asian street food will be up for grabs on the second floor by street food vendor, Baobros23, famous in West Yorkshire for its award-winning Asian steamed buns. Owner Jamie Lawson said: “The reopening of this once extremely popular pub is a key post Covid investment for our two breweries, SALT and Ossett. We are so excited to put this landmark pub back on the map after an exciting face lift which will inject new life into the Horbury Bridge community. “We rescued the Bingley with ambitious restoration plans. Those plans were put on hold by the pandemic hitting the hospitality sector particularly hard but after 6 months of hard work we are ready to open the doors. We look forward to welcoming both old and new customers back to The Bingley with a unique site that offers something to all.”

Published: 03 June 2023

Spring Pub of The Season Presentation

We presented the Luis Bar with our Spring Pub Of The Season award on the 30th May. Congratulations!

Published: 31 May 2023

Club Of The Year Presentation

We presented the Wakefield Labour Club (The Red Shed) with our Club Of The Year award on the 6th May 2023. Pictured are Linda Bratley, Steve Wiltshire and Club President Matt Hallas

Published: 07 May 2023

Pub Of The Year Presentation

Chairman Mark Goodair made the presentation to Shaun at the Black Rock on the 23rd of March. Pictured from left to right are John, Shaun, Mark, Sally and Craig. As you can see from the photo there was some fine real ale on the bar enjoyed by our members on a consistent basis. Situated in the centre of Wakefield The Rock is one of the few traditional pubs left in the city.

Published: 24 March 2023

New Committee

At the AGM Albert Bradbury, John Groves and Bob Wallis all stepped down from the committee. Mark Goodair is the new the Chair of Wakefield CAMRA. A list of the new committee and branch contacts is available here https://wakefield.camra.org.uk/contacts

Published: 15 March 2023

Five Towns Brewery wins in Bradford

Five Towns Brewery of Wakefield, which closed in July 2022, won the Best Beer award at this years, sell out, Bradford Beer & Cider Festival. Brewed by Malcolm Bastow (known in beer circles as The Guru) sometime before the closure of his brewery. It had been held back for a bottling run until Ricky Holden, the Beer Organiser at West Yorkshires biggest cask beer festival, asked Macolm if he was able to supply beer for this years event. You can read more from Bradford CAMRA here https://www.bradfordcamra.org.uk/news/brewery-which-closed-8-months-ago-wins-beer-of-the-festival Our local brewers had additional success with following awards Best Pale Ale - Ossett Brewery Silver King Gluten Free Best IPA Chin Chin Brewery, South Kirkby, Simpleton IPA

Published: 08 March 2023

Revolutions Brewery wins in Wigan

At the Wigan CAMRA Beer Festival winner of Dark Beer of the Festival 2023 was Swoon by Revolutions Brewery. Link to announcement on Twitter is here https://twitter.com/wiganbeerfest/status/1631689379184771075

Published: 04 March 2023

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