Branch Meeting – report attached

Summary of Mid Chilterns CAMRA Branch Meeting – 4 February 2026

1. Attendance & Administration

• Meeting held at the Grand Junction Arms, Bulbourne.
• Usual officers present; apologies from Amanda Harvell.
• Declaration: Chair employed by Tring Brewery.
• Previous minutes: no matters arising.

2. Branch Accounts

• Bank & ledger balances: £2,263.
• Debtors: £394 (2026), £240 (older).
• Winter Tapler advertising income due: £688.
• Potential total if all paid: £3,585.
• Treasurer proposed:
  • Remit £1,500 to national CAMRA.
  • Retain £500 for expected festival first-aider costs.
  • Invoice advertisers before publication and require payment upfront (decision deferred).
• Outstanding issues:
  • Crown & Sceptre (Bridens Camp) and Trekkers (Chesham) no longer advertising.

3. Membership

• +2 new members, 11 lapsed.
• Branch total: 638.
• National CAMRA: 141,767 members.

4. Brewery Liaison Reports

Mad Squirrel

• Hertford shop performing well.
• New collaboration beer: Crimson Hart (5% red IPA).
• Two new 250HL tanks installed; currently holding lager; future use for $umo.
• Supplying Craft Local pubs and Acorn Pubs.
• $umo keg now in 430 Wetherspoons.

Pope’s Yard

• Filming income increasingly important due to brewery/pubs downturn.
• Some stock of Abbey Flyer still available.

Tring Brewery

• Monthly special: Resus Red (4.2% amber).
• Raised £8,426 for The Repair Shed.
• Shop repairs ongoing after vehicle collision; temporary portakabin in use.
• Piggeries to screen Six Nations.

5. Tapler Magazine

• Winter issue well received; judges disliked cover.
• Spring issue to include articles on Greek beer, beer engines, St Albans Festival, new beer styles, Oddfellows Arms.
• Wordsearch: cask dispensing equipment.
• Expanding coverage to Leighton Buzzard Brewery.
• Front cover: Tring Brewery’s Piggeries bus taproom.
• Printing deadline: early March; payment to Instaprint needed in advance.
• New advertiser: Swan, Stewkley; enquiry sent to Lamb, Berkhamsted.

6. GBG 2027 Selection

• Survey deadline: 2 March.
• Surveyors assigned for Herts and Bucks pubs.
• Reserves listed for both counties.
• Actions: Pubs Officer to send forms; surveyors to return by 25 February.

7. Pubwatch Updates

• Reopened: Old Palace (Kings Langley), Trooper (Aldbury).
• Refurbished: Paper Mill (Apsley).
• Possible reopening: Hungry Olive (Chesham Vale).
• Closed: Lussmans at Five Bells (Berkhamsted).
• Saracen’s Head (Kings Langley) closed for refurbishment.

8. Socials

• Leighton Buzzard crawl moved to 21 February, starting at White Horse at noon.

9. Beer Festival

• Business plan approved.
• Festival committee meeting: 25 February, Full House, Hemel Hempstead.

10. AOB

• CAMRA Members’ Weekend & AGM: 17–19 April, St Albans.
• Tring’s Side Pocket for a Toad won Hertfordshire Beer of the Festival; presentation on 25 April at the Piggeries.

11. Next Meeting

• 4 March, 8pm at the Pheasant, Chesham.
• Certificate presentation to Jane for 30 years’ service.