Darlington CAMRA - Branch & Regional Presentations

Branch and Regional Presentations


	MAY 2009
	Quaker House is our Pub of the Year for 2009. On Sunday May 31st, a presentation was made to the Quaker House in Darlington for the branch's Pub of the Year. 'The Quaker' as it is affectionately known pipped the Country Pub of the Year winner, the Langdon Beck Hotel at Langdon Beck in Upper Teesdale to the overall award for Branch Pub of the Year. Branch Chairman Peter Everett presented Brian Dourish, left in picture, and Gary Hewitt with the award in front of a packed pub, with many of the Quaker's regulars sporting the new polo shirt. Since taking over the running of the Quaker in February from long time licensee Steve Metcalfe, Gary thanked everyone who helped out both himself and Brian along including valuable support from local breweries. Brian and Gary have managed to continue have available up to ten beers available on the bar with many beers from breweries countrywide including local ones. Langdon Beck Laps it up. Branch members at the AGM in April had the opportunity to vote for our Pubs of the Year in both Darlington itself and in the country. Branch members recently made a trip to Langdon Beck Hotel to visit their annual Spring Bank Holiday Beer Festival and sample the 25 or so real ales which were on offer. These included ones from local breweries including Allendale who recently launched a new beer "Beauty" in reference to the Area of Outstanding Beauty that is the North Pennines. Besides the festival, the visit also allowed the opportunity to present the hotel, situated high up in Upper Teesdale with the branch's Country Pub of the Year Award. Branch chairman Peter Everett presented licensee Sue Matthews, right in picture, with the award in front of a packed pub. This was the first time the Langdon Beck Hotel had won this award and Sue thanked all the staff for their help in winning the award and to customers in the form of walkers and cyclists who visit on a regular basis.
	JANUARY 2009
	Hammers Delight. Following on from the Pub of the Season for Award for Teesdale back in November last year, branch members have now selected a winner for the County Durham part of our branch based on the area around the outskirts of Darlington. The Blacksmith’s Arms at Preston-le-Skerne, a secluded country free house between Newton Aycliffe and Great Stainton, was an overwhelming choice for this inaugural award. A presentation to licensees Beverley Hayman and Brenda Whear, pictured left, by Branch Pubs Officer Pete Fenwick was made on Friday January 30th. The Blacksmith's Arms, affectionately known as "The Hammers" usually has up to three ever-changing guest beers on offer with High House Farm's Lily Brewster, Consett Alework's White Hot and Yorkshire Dales' Askrigg Ale available during the night of the presentation. Runner up in this award were the Locomotion No.1 at Heighington Station and the George and Dragon in nearby Heighington. Coming soon will be the selection for pubs in the North Yorkshire area of our branch. Click here to see the choice of pubs eligible to win this award.
	NOVEMBER 2008
	Seasonal Success. Recently, branch members over the last few months have been busy in surveying pubs in the picturesque area of Teesdale covering our branch area. And the reason ?. To award our Pub of the Season for Teesdale. There are many outlets within this scenic area eligible to win the award and our choice as overall winner was the Black Horse at Ingleton. A presentation was made by the Branch's Pubs Officer Pete Fenwick to landlord Peter Dodd, left in picture, on Thursday 6th November. The Black Horse usually has three real ales on offer with Jennings Cocker Hoop being a regular along with two guests which on our visit were Wychwood Hobgoblin and Black Sheep Ale. Runner up in the competition was the Strathmore Arms in Holwick, a previous Country Pub of the Year winner and in joint third in the award were the Langdon Beck Hotel at Langdon Beck and Bowes WMC in Bowes. The Pub of the Season award for Teesdale is the first award of this kind to pubs in our branch area. Our next Pub of the Season Award will be for a pub on the outskirts of Darlington in County Durham followed by an award to a pub in the North Yorkshire part of our branch.
	MAY 2008
	Five on the spin. Darlington Snooker Club has once again won Darlington CAMRA's branch Club of the Year. It is the fifth time the club has won the award, and it has been a great achievement in winning again after seeing an application to turn the club into apartments being overturned back in September last year. A presentation was made on Thursday 15th May by branch committee member Alan Holmes to proprietor Peter Everett during the club's Booze 'n' Cues Beer Festival. Peter thanked everyone including club members, CAMRA members and his staff who have helped him during the threat of closure. Darlington Snooker Club enters the North East Club of the Year Competition for 2008, a competition it has won since 2004. Crown's seventh heaven. Branch members have awarded The Crown at Manfield Country Pub of the Year competition for a record seventh time in a row. The Red Lion at Cotherstone, the branch's Country Community Pub of the Year was second while the Shoulder of Mutton at Kirby Hill was third in the voting. A presentation was made on Tuesday 13th May by branch Pubs Officer Pete Fenwick, left in picture, to licensees Peter and Karen Hynes. As a result The Crown enters the Yorkshire Pub of the Year competition, a competition which it won back in 2005. Number Twenty-2 is Town No 1. Awarded Branch Pub of the Year for 2008, a presentation was made on Tuesday 20th May by branch chairman Peter Everett, right in picture, to licensee Ralph Wilkinson. It was the fifth time that the pub in Coniscliffe Road has won this award and a result it enters the North East Pub of the Year competition, a competition in which it won from 1997 to 1999. The Quakerhouse in Mechanics Yard was second while the Britannia, winner of the Town Community Pub of the Year for 2008 was third in the voting.
	FEBRUARY 2008
	In the Community ... CAMRA's Community Pubs Week gave pubs in our branch area the opportunity of winning our Community Pub Awards for 2008, with the award presentations taking place during CAMRA's Community Pubs Week running from 16th to 23rd February. For the Country Community Pub Award category, last year's winner the Crown at Manfield was pipped by the Red Lion purely for the reasons submitted by landlord Richard Robinson on behalf of his regulars. These included use by clubs of the dining room in the pub during the week, and Richard himself selling raffle tickets over the bar for various events. A presentation was made to the Red Lion in Cotherstone on Saturday 16th February. The reasons for winning were well in evidence on our arrival with locals playing dominoes. Branch member and Community Pubs Committee Organiser Malcolm Dunstone presented landlord Richard Robinson, right in picture, with the Country Community Pub of the Year 2008 Award in front of a pub packed full of regulars. Richard, one of the youngest licensees thanked his regulars for making the pub what it is, described by one of the locals as "a cracking village boozer". In the Town Community Pub Award category there were 4 entries, The Britannia, Hole in the Wall, The Quakerhouse and the recently re-opened White Horse in Harrowgate Hill. Again, after the hearing the reasons for submission, the Britannia was declared the winner following up its success in the last year's competition. Branch Chairman Peter Everett presented landlady Sue Carr, right in picture, with the Town Community Pub of the Year 2008 Award. Sue thanked all her regulars and those who use the pub for their community activities such as the Spraire Lads Football Club, The Folk Club and Rotary Club. The pub itself organises events including the popular annual "Britannia Whitby Trip" which takes place in August during Whitby's Folk Week and also celebrates Burn's Night, St Patrick's Day and St George's Day with traditional food dishes. Sue and partner Terry will also be celebrating 7 years at the Britannia at the end of March. Congratulations to both the Britannia and The Red Lion on their community awards.
	DECEMBER 2007
	Party on down ... Darlington Snooker Club received its certificate for North East Club of the Year for 2007 at the recent Christmas social held there on Thursday 27th December. Regional Director Nick Whitaker, left in picture, presented proprietor Peter Everett and mother Rita the certificate and commented on the excellent hospitality of the family run business, which back in September fought off an application to turn the club into flats. Successful beer festivals plus the appearances of professional snooker stars including recently, the six times World Snooker Champion Steve Davis, made the club a worthy winner of the award for the fourth time running.
	SEPTEMBER 2007
	King's Arms wins North East Pub of the Year again !. The Kings Arms in Deptford, Sunderland has won the North East Pub of the Year competition for 2007, following on from its success in the competition last year. This makes a fourth win on the for a pub within the Sunderland & South Tyneside Branch after successes for the Robin Hood in Jarrow and Fitzgeralds in Sunderland. A presentation was made by North East Regional Director Nick Whitaker, left in picture, on 13th September to licensee Lucie Young in along with the North East CAMRA fraternity, who were present for the launch of the 2008 Good Beer Guide. The Kings Arms now goes forward into the National Pub of the Year competition and has a chance along with fifteen other pubs in the country of winning this prestigious award. Darlington CAMRA sends its very best wishes to the Kings Arms in this competition.
	AUGUST 2007
	Four on the Spin (or right on cue ??). Darlington Snooker Club has once more been right on cue when its comes to finding the CAMRA North East Club of the Year for 2007. The first floor club, situated on the corner of Northgate and Corporation Road scooped the major prize after it beat off competition from the Pelaw Grange Greyhound Stadium near Chester-le-Street. An ecstatic Peter Everett said it was a privilege to win the award again, citing the fact that many clubs in the north east are eligible to enter the competition and to be the overall winner was a great achievement. A presentation will be made in the near future, and in the meantime up to four guest ales from microbreweries both local and further a field are available in this family run establishment. At the recent branch meeting at the Blacksmith's Arms, Preston-le-Skerne Peter, pictured left, received his much awaited branch Club of the Year Award from branch committee member Ian Jackson. Another plaque for the infamous Awards Wall !. Click on the picture for a larger view
	MAY 2007
	For Twenty-2, read No 1. Branch members past and present attended the 25th birthday party of Darlington CAMRA held at the Number Twenty-2 in Coniscliffe Road on 20th May. The party also gave the opportunity to present licensee Ralph Wilkinson, left, with the Town Pub of the Year 2007 award, the Number Twenty-2 winning the Town Pub of the Year award for the first time since 2002, making it along with the Crown a "double" for the Village Brewer stable. As a result the Number Twenty-2 goes forward to take part in the North East Pub of the Year competition, a competition in which it has been a winner on several occasions. Our best wishes go to the Number Twenty-2 in this competition. Crown Delight. Branch members visited the Crown at Manfield en route to the Branch meeting at the Stanwick Arms on Wednesday 2nd May to present licensees Peter and Karen Hynes with the Branch's Pub of the Year award. Pubs officer Pete Fenwick, right in picture, presented Peter and Karen with the Pub of the Year certificate and the Crown now goes forward into the Yorkshire Pub of the Year Competition for 2007, a competition it won back in 2005 when it also held Branch of the Year. What price lightning striking twice ??.
	FEBRUARY 2007
	Community Crown Not content with winning CAMRA Pub of the Year awards in local and regional form, the Crown at Manfield has been voted best Rural Community Pub of the Year by members of Darlington CAMRA at the recent branch meeting. The Crown won its award through its involvement in the community, involvement which includes having a base for the local leek club and being a "local" sweet shop for children as Manfield has no shop in the village. Also, a couple of years ago during bad weather, the Crown acted as a refuge for residents when the village was without power for a couple of days. Darlington CAMRA Pubs Officer Pete Fenwick, right in picture, presented Peter and Karen Hynes with the certificate for Rural Community Pub of the Year. Congratulations to Peter and Karen on their "Community Crown". Peter Gets The Right One Darlington Snooker Club licensee Peter Everett has finally received his certificate for CAMRA North East Club of the Year for 2006. Peter was handed the correct certificate after being inadvertently given a 2007 North East Club of the Year by Regional Director Nick Whitaker at Darlington CAMRA's Christmas Social. Nominations for the 2007 CAMRA North East Club of the Year award will be taking place soon. What price a fourth win on the trot ??. The certificate is already assured !. Click the picture on the left to see the real thing !.
	DECEMBER 2006
	Peter Gets His Plaque At the recent Darlington CAMRA Christmas Social at Darlington Snooker Club the licensee Peter Everett, right in picture, received his certificate from North East Regional director Nick Whitaker for CAMRA North East Club of the Year for 2006 making a hat trick of wins in this competition. However, as the picture shows Nick, while making his speech realised that the certificate actually read 2007 and not 2006, hence the need to suddenly arrange the cover up !!. However, despite the inaccuracy, it was all taken in good heart and a replacement with the correct year will be presented to Peter shortly, and in the meantime, congratulations on winning the 2007 CAMRA North East Club of the Year award already !. Is someone out there with a crystal ball that knows something we don't ??. To spot the mistake click the picture on the left.
	OCTOBER 2006
	KING'S ARMS IS NORTH EAST PUB OF THE YEAR: The Kings Arms in Deptford, Sunderland has won the North East Pub of the Year competition for 2006, making a hat trick of wins in this competition for pubs within the Sunderland & South Tyneside Branch following in the footsteps of previous winners the Robin Hood in Jarrow and Fitzgeralds in Sunderland. A presentation was made by North East Regional Director Nick Whitaker, centre in picture, on 19th October to licensee Lucie Young in front of a packed house with regulars in attendance along with the North East CAMRA fraternity. The Kings Arms now goes forward into the National Pub of the Year competition and has a chance along with fifteen other pubs in the country of winning this prestigious award. Darlington CAMRA sends its very best wishes to the Kings Arms in this competition.
	JULY 2006
	CROWN IS COUNTRY CROWN: The Crown at Manfield has once again won Darlington CAMRA's Country Pub of the Year. It is the fifth time in a row that the Crown has won the award. A presentation was made to Peter and Karen Hynes, pictured left, by Branch Chairman Angus Gair at the summer social held at the Crown on 30th July. SNOOKER CLUB IS BRANCH CLUB OF THE YEAR: Darlington Snooker Club has won the Branch's Club of the Year award for 2006. Peter Everett, pictured left received his award at the July branch meeting at the Greyhound from Branch chairman Angus Gair.
	JUNE 2006
	QUAKER CELEBRATION: The Quakerhouse has been voted Darlington CAMRA's Pub of the Year for 2006. Manager Steve Metcalfe on hearing the news said, "Normal service has been resumed". It is the fifth time in seven years that the Quakerhouse has won the award and a presentation was made to Steve and Lynda by Branch Chairman Angus Gair, left in picture, on Sunday 4th June.
	FEBRUARY 2006
	SNOOKER CLUB IS NORTH EAST CLUB OF THE YEAR: Darlington Snooker Club has once again won the North East Club of the Year Competition, this time for 2005. Proprietor Peter Everett received his award, left, from Regional Director Nick Whitaker during the recent North East Regional Meeting held at the Snooker Club on 21st February 2006.
	NOVEMBER 2005
	JOHN CALLS IT A DAY: John Taylor, the man behind Binns’ “Basement Off Licence” in Darlington retired earlier this month after spending a decade in establishing an excellent range of bottled beers. From starting out with just a few dozen beers John increased the range to over 400 beers and Binns is the only department store to appear in the Good Beer Guide. Our branch presented John, pictured second left at the front, with a tankard at last week’s branch meeting at the Tap & Spile, left, and thanked him for his contribution to promoting real ale in our area. The branch wishes John a very long and happy retirement.
	SEPTEMBER 2005
	ROBIN HOOD WINS NORTH EAST PUB OF THE YEAR: Members of North East branches of CAMRA awarded the Robin Hood in Jarrow as North East Pub of the Year for 2005. Licensees Jess and Alison McConnell received their award from Regional Director Nick Whitaker during the recent North East Regional Meeting held at the Robin Hood, the Jarrow Brewery tap on 20th September. The Robin Hood is now eligible to win the National Pub of the Year award for 2005 and our best wishes go to Jess, Alison and all the staff in this competition. Also at the North East Regional Meeting, a certificate was presented to Peter Mills, Head Brewer at Jarrow Brewery for Rivet Catcher winning the North East Beer of the Year Competition at Newcastle Beer Festival. Pete Fenwick, whose original recipe Fenwick's Special became Rivet Catcher and fellow Darlington CAMRA member Ian Jackson who assisted in brewing Pete's creation were present. There was also success on a national scale with Rivet Catcher winning the Silver Medal in the Golden Ales category at the Champion Beer of Britain Competition at the Great British Beer Festival at Olympia. CROWN INN GLORY: Yorkshire members of CAMRA have awarded the Crown at Manfield as Yorkshire Pub of the Year for 2005. Licensees Peter and Karen Hynes were thrilled to bits at winning this prestigious award. Yorkshire Regional Director Mick Moss said, “The Crown was a worthy winner due to the excellent range and quality of beers on offer plus the friendly atmosphere and also the wonderful service given by Peter, Karen and all the staff”. The Crown’s award makes it the most northerly pub in the county to win the Yorkshire Pub of the Year, and adds to the local branch’s Pub of the Year award won back in Spring, thus giving the opportunity to enter the Yorkshire Pub of the Year competition. Yorkshire Regional Director Mick Moss, left in picture, presented Peter and Karen with the certificate for Yorkshire Pub of the Year. The Crown now goes forward to the CAMRA National Pub of the Year Competition and has a chance of winning the award along with 15 other pubs, and the overall winner will be declared in January 2006. Best of luck to the Crown in this competition.
	JUNE 2005
	BRITANNIA WINS BRANCH TOWN PUB OF THE YEAR: The Britannia has been voted Darlington CAMRA's Town Pub of the Year for 2005. Licensee Sue Carr was delighted to hear she had won and it is the first time the "Brit" has won the award. A presentation was made to Sue and partner Terry by Branch Chairman Ian Jackson at the Branch meeting held there on 9th June.
	APRIL 2005
	CROWN WINS BRANCH PUB OF THE YEAR: The Crown at Manfield has won Darlington CAMRA's Pub of the Year for the first time, beating the Town winner The Britannia to win the award. A presentation was made to Peter and Karen Hynes, pictured left, by Branch Chairman Ian Jackson during the Crown Beer Festival.
	JUNE 2004
	CROWN WINS COUNTRY PUB OF THE YEAR: The Crown at Manfield has won Darlington CAMRA's Pub of the Year making it a hat trick of wins in this competition. A presentation was made to Peter and Karen Hynes, pictured left, by Branch Chairman Ian Jackson during the branch meeting held at the Crown on June 9th.
	MAY 2004
	QUAKER WINS PUB OF THE YEAR: The Quaker based in Mechanics Yard has won Darlington CAMRA's Pub of the Year making it the third time it has won the third time in four years. A presentation was made to Steve Metcalfe and Lynda Harland, left, by Branch Chairman Ian Jackson on May 30th during a beer festival to celebrate Steve And Lynda's second anniversary in taking over the tenancy of the Quaker.