Cambridge & District CAMRA writes:
Although our Gala Night has been cancelled, the awards will still be made. The award winners have been informed and presentations will take place once this is all over. In the meantime we thought you’d like to know the awards and the winners, which are:
- Pub of the Year: The Live & Let Live on Mawson Road, Cambridge.
- Club of the Year: Bottisham Community Sports & Social Club.
- Cider Pub of the Year: The Plough in Shepreth.
- Dark Beer Pub of the Year: The White Lion in Sawston.
- Young Members Pub of the Year: The Blue Moon on Norfolk Street, Cambridge.
- Dog-Friendly Pub of the Year: The Mill on Mill Lane, Cambridge.
- Rural LocAle* Pub of the Year: The Oak in Castle Camps.
- City LocAle* Pub of the Year: The Lord Byron in Trumpington.
- Rural Community pub of the Year: The White Horse Inn in Swavesey.
- City Community pub of the Year: The Blue Moon on Norfolk Street, Cambridge.
- Most Improved Rural Pub: The Three Horseshoes in Stapleford.
- Most Improved City Pub: The Corner House on Newmarket Road, Cambridge.
- Real Ale Champions: Andy Pierce (The Mill, Cambridge) and the Beer Festival Team of Toft Social Club.
The shutdown of our social lives resulting from the current Covid-19 pandemic is having a major effect on brewers and cidermakers, pubs and clubs, their employees and their customers. The closure of pubs and clubs for on-sales will have a huge and long-lasting effect on them. Some of the large companies that own the pubs are doing little to help other than offering the licensees more time to pay the rent on buildings that will be earning the licensees nothing for the next few months. Sadly we fear that many licensees could go bust, leaving the pubs and the communities they serve in limbo. Local drinkers will also feel melancholy in May when they contemplate a year without the Cambridge Beer Festival on Jesus Green.
Despite the current situation we think it right to announce our 2020 Award Winners and praise those who have made the drinking scene in and around Cambridge so vibrant and enjoyable over the past year.
Despite being closed for on-sales, pubs with a suitable licence can offer off-sales. Some are also supplying meals and other services. Most local breweries are also able to supply individuals.
In order to highlight what is currently happening locally Cambridge & District CAMRA have dedicated a page on their website to it : Where to get beer during a pandemic.
CAMRA nationally has launched its Pulling Together campaign.
Our mental and physical health and that of our families, our friends and our communities is incredibly important. We urge everyone to support our NHS and follow the advice given by Public Health England. We look forward to the day when we can once again drink together.
* LocAle is locally produced real ale. Cambridge & District CAMRA defines it as real ale produced by small or medium sized breweries that are either in our branch area or are within 20 miles (straight line distance) from the pub selling it.
CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) has 190,000 members, over 5,000 of whom are in our branch area. The Cambridge & District branch covers the City of Cambridge, most of South Cambridgeshire and some of East Cambridgeshire.
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