The following pub and brewery news was reported at the December 2023 Committee Meeting held in the Providence Inn, Greenbank.

Pub News

The Miners Arms, Hemerdon, has closed temporarily after a serious water leak under the concrete floor of the toilets. It is under repair and will reopen when complete. However, the pub is for sale for offers of about £800 000.00. a planning application has been submitted to South Hams DC to build four houses on the car park. The Blacksmith's Arms, Lamerton, has reopened after extensive internal and external renovations by new licensees, Emma and John Hooker, who also run the Cornish Arms, Tavistock. Expect some lovely food and great beers! The 1620 Bar and Eatery, Notte Street, Barbican, has changed names to Desire, an Italian restaurant and bar. It is open Thursday – Saturday from 1700 – 2200, and 1200 – 1800 on Sunday. The Morley Arms, Laira Bridge, is closed for refurbishment and is due to reopen by late January, as Eighteen87, under the management of Alicia Harding and Jordan Turfrey. The Mildmay Colours, Holbeton, is due to reopen on Thursday 14th December.

Beer Scoring

We have received a total of 2264 (1973 last month) beer scores for 115 different pubs (109 last month), submitted by 91 members (79 last month) from 42 branches (38 last month), including 21 Plymouth branch members (20 last month). The Plymouth members submitted 1910 beer scores (1664 last month); 70 non branch members (59 last month) submitted 354 (309 last month). As well as Plymouth, these members came from branches including Bath, Cardiff, Cornwall, Exeter, Leicester, Nottingham, Oxford, South Devon, Swindon and Worcester.

Thank You all very much! Beer Scoring informs the Branch that those named pubs are open and serving cask conditioned Live Beer (real ale), or not, if zero scored. It also helps us to monitor the quality and consistency of the Live Beers (real ales) available, and to help us to keep What Pub as up-to-date as possible.

Cider News

No known news this month.

Plymouth CAMRA LocAle Scheme

There are currently 68 establishments listed as being accredited to the Plymouth CAMRA LocAle Scheme following the closure of the Brewery Tap, Stonehouse. These are listed on the branch website.

CAMRA Member Discount Scheme and CAMRA Voucher Scheme

There are currently 11 establishments listed as being members of the CAMRA Member Discount Scheme, after the Seymour Arms and Fareham Inn ceased selling live beers, and a further nine which are part of the CAMRA Voucher Scheme, making 20 in total. Please give these pubs your support if/when you go out!

Planning Applications

23/01287/FUL. Change of use from dance studio (Class E) to brewery and tap haus (Sui Generis) inc. creation of rear beer garden and installation of extraction system, 4 – 8 Sawrey Street, Stonehouse, Plymouth PL1 3LA. This is believed to have been submitted on behalf of Bulletproof Brewing.

Cask Marque Accreditation

There are no pubs that we are aware of having gained or lost CM accreditation recently.

Brewery News

CAMRA’s new Brewery Database – Pilgrim went live on Friday 24th March. This is where The Campaign maintains details about all known UK breweries and the beers that they brew. Up to 20 brewery-related photos can be included for each brewery, such as the brewing equipment, shop, visitor centre and tap rooms. Stannary Brewery, Tavistock, will shortly be moving to larger premises within the Pixon Trading Centre in Tavistock. Bulletproof Brewing are actively seeking a new brewing site, the premises of the former Octagon Brewery, just off Union Street in Stonehouse, subject to planning approval. They also plan to open a new Tap Room on that site, whilst maintaining their Tap Haus in Mutley. Summerskills are believed to be advertising for a new member of staff.

Beer Festival News

The Exeter Festival of Beer 2024 will take place from 1630 on Thursday 18 January until 2200 on Saturday 20 January 2024. There will be around 60 live beers plus real cider/perry and country wines available. Great British Beer Festival Winter 2024 will again take place in Burton Town Hall, Burton-Upon-Trent from 1200 on Thursday 15th February until 2200 on Saturday 17th February 2024.

Website Hit Counter

The free-to-use Visitor Hit Counter was installed on the branch website Home, Diary, Beer Festival and Drake’s Drinker Pages on Thursday 8th September 2022, with a reading of, erm, zero! We had 345 hits in September, 336 hits in October, 541 hits in November, 389 hits in December, 453 hits in January 2023, 478 in February, 442 in March, 522 in April, 619 in May, 504 in June, 498 in July, 481 in August, in 487 in September, 389 in October and 583 in November. However, there was a technical issue with the hit counter not being available for five days in October. Total 7061. We are now averaging about 500 hits a month from January to the end of August 2023!

Plymouth CAMRA would like to wish all new Publicans and Brewers all the very best in their ventures.