The following pub and brewery news was reported at the February 2024 Committee Meeting held in the Providence Inn, Greenbank.

Pub News

Eighteen87, formally the Morley Arms, at Laira Bridge, reopened on Saturday 17th January, and serves Sharp’s Doom Bar and Salcombe Lifesaver on cask, plus a rotating guest ale. The Royal Oak Inn, Meavy, reopened just before Christmas under a new tenant, Jo Rowe. The pub is open Mon-Thurs 1130 – 1430 and 1730 – 2300, Fri-Sat 1130 – 2300, Sun 1200 – 2200. Food is also served Mon-Sat 1130 – 1400 & 1730 – 2015, Sun 1200 – 1700. Does anyone know if the Miners Arms, Hemerdon, has reopened after their water leak? Has the pub been sold? The Plume Of Feathers Inn, Princetown, remains open on Friday (1500 – 2300), Saturday (noon – 2300) and Sunday (noon – 1800) during February, due to the ongoing kitchen refurbishment. The Jack Rabbit, Derriford, is undergoing outside refurbishment and is surrounded in scaffolding! The Brass Monkey, Royal Parade, now employs a Dynamic Pricy Policy, which means that prices increase for certain pub-held events. The Imperial Inn, Ivybridge, changed hands last October, as did the Ship Inn, Noss Mayo. Post Meeting Note:The Jack Rabbit, Derriford, will close for refurbishment from Sunday 11th February until Sunday 10th March 2024.

Beer Scoring

We have received a rolling total of 2920 (2525 last month) beer scores for 120 different pubs (120 last month), submitted by 112 members (100 last month) from 49 branches (49 last month), including 22 Plymouth branch members (22 last month). The Plymouth members submitted 2396 beer scores (2090 last month); 90 non branch members (77 last month) submitted 524 (435 last month). These members came from branches including Bath, Cardiff, Cornwall, Exeter, Leicester, Nottingham, Oxford, South Devon, Swindon and Worcester.

The period under analysis is 1st April 2023 until 31st January 2024.

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. Scores of zero should not be submitted if the pub has simply “run out of live beer today” and didn’t put a new barrel on five minutes before closing time! JD Wetherspoon pubs all serve live beer!

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. 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, and a further nine which are part of the CAMRA Voucher Scheme, making 20 in total. Please give these pubs your support 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. Granted with conditions 14/12/23.

23/01578/FUL. Change of use of ground floor of a former public house (Prince Albert), 35, Marlborough Street, Devonport, in to two flats. Awaiting decision.

Cask Marque Accreditation

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

Brewery News

CAMRA’s Brewery Database – Pilgrim 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 be moving to larger premises within the Pixon Trading Centre in Tavistock soon. Bulletproof Brewing have received planning permission (with conditions) for their new brewery and new tap room in the premises of the former Octagon Brewery, just off Union Street in Stonehouse. They also plan to open a new Tap Room on that site, whilst maintaining their Tap Haus in Mutley.

Beer Festival News

The Exeter Festival of Beer 2024 took place from Thursday 18 January until 20 January 2024. There were around 60 live beers plus real cider and perry and country wines available. Great British Beer Festival Winter 2024 will again take place in Burton Upon Trent at the Town Hall from 1200 on Thursday 15th February until 2200 on Saturday 17th February 2024. The Walkhampton Inn Ale & Cider Festival , Walkhampton, will take place from Friday 29th March until Monday 1st April. The Clovelly Bay Ale and Pie Festival 2024 Turnchapel, are holding an Ale and Pie Festival on Friday 19th April from 1800-2300 and Saturday from noon-2300. Further details to follow when known. SIBA Maltingsfest 2024 will again take place at Osbourne Park, Newton Abott, from Thursday 18th until Saturday 20th April with over 250 ales and ciders – see our website beer festival page for all details of known future beer and cider festivals. The South Devon CAMRA Sunshine Beer Festival 2024 returns to Teignmouth on Thursday 18th to Saturday 20th July 2024. The is planned for August Bank Holiday weekend, Fri 23rd to Mon 26th August 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 a total of 5,798 hits for the year 2023, averaging about 483 hits a month! In January 2024, we had 562 hits – thank you very much!

The Running Total was 7,981 on 01/02/2024.

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