| Brewery Trip report Marjorie Tait has sent in some photos taken on the 12th November brewery trip. Dated 16/11/11. |
| Two more events for the diary! Rich Gabe is arranging a brewery trip on Saturday 12th November to Botley Brewery Nr. Southampton. He is also taking names for our Branch Xmas Lunch at The Blue Raddle on 15th December (a Thursday). If you want a place at either event please contact Rich on 07771 903868 Dated 10/10/11. |
| Octoberfest success in new venue! The two day festival has now closed for this year with a record number of visitors. Over 1000 attended this year, drinking more than 3000 pints of ale and 500 pints of cider. Scott Wayland's beer Sixpenny IPA won Beer of Festival, so congratulations are due to this brewer who moved his business to Dorset a couple of years ago! The full results can be seen here. Dated 10/10/11. |
| Octoberfest selling out again! Weymouth Octoberfest opens in three days time. Tickets for both the evening sessions have sold out and the lunchtime tickets are nearly all sold. There will be 68 beers from the south west and eleven local ciders. Dated 4/10/11. |
 | Octoberfest and first Anniversary Issue of the Giant Dongle! Weymouth Octoberfest opens in three weeks time. The first anniversary issue - Issue Number 6 - of Giant Dongle is published to coincide with our festival. Read it on-line by clicking the picture. Dated 17/9/11. |
 | Our West Dorset Pub Guide continues to sell strongly.Just three months since we reprinted it over half of our stock has now been sold and outlets are regularly asking us for re-supply. Click on the image to see more information and to order your copy. Dated 15/9/11. |
| Wykefest make £8K for Julia's House. The numbers have been crunched and we've just been informed that an amazing total of £8000 will be donated to Julia's House as a result of this Years Wykefest Food and Beer festival. Many thanks to all our volunteers who make this event possible each year! Dated 20/8/11. |
| Pub News. Royal Standard gets regional award! The Royal Standard has been awarded Best Cellar Award 2011 for the south west area, from Innserve . Here's wishing them luck in national rounds!! Dated 18/8/11. |
| Pub News. Portland's George Inn gets regional award! The George Inn has just been named as the West Country Community Pub of the Year 2011 in the Publicans Morning Advertiser Awards. They are now in contention for the National Community Pub Award. Congratulations to Anthony Storey and his team. Here's wishing them luck in further rounds!! Dated 7/8/11. |
| Brewery News. DBC opens new Brewhouse. Dorset Brewing Company have completed their move to a new site. After more than ten years year-on-year growth in the heart of Weymouth this successful local brewer needed to expand. The previous site in Hope Square is being re-developed, so the brewery has moved to a site which allows immediate expansion and more flexibility for the future. The new brewhouse in Crossways, just a few miles from both Weymouth and Dorchester was formally declared open for business in June. We wish them continued success in their new home! Dated 14/7/11. |
 | Wykefest Issue of the Giant Dongle! Just in time to celebrate Wykefest on July 22nd/23rd our next issue is just published, again with sixteen pages . Read it on-line by clicking the picture. Dated 5/7/11. |
| Real Ale Take-away! Chalbury Corner Off-licence and Delicatessen in Preston, Nr Weymouth now sells real ale from the cask. Two or three ales are often available to choose from and it is served direct from the cask. Prices are competitive and this approach is a welcome return of a once much more common tradition of serving Real Ale to drink at home or at a party. Dated 2/7/11. |
| Brewery News. Hall & Woodhouse has won the Best Bitter category for the CAMRA SE and London Region. This "super region" is a huge triangle containing London and the entire South of England from Kent to Dorset - so this award has been won against tremendous competition. A presentation is planned at the Ship Inn, Weymouth later this month to present the award. Dated 2/7/11. |
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| Brewery News. Palmers Brewery - Tally Ho! wins CAMRA Winter Beer of Britain Gold Award. A presentation was held at the Three Horseshoes Burton Bradstock on 9th June. Dated 20/6/11. |
| Pub Guide Reprinted.Our pub guide has SOLD OUT and we have now commissioned a reprint. We've identified over 25 changes to pubs in the eight months since the guide was launched at Octoberfest 2010. Click on the image to see more information and to order your copy. Dated 13/6/11. |
| Pub News. The New Inn, Easton, on Portland is now selling several real ales. It is operating a discount scheme for CAMRA members - like the one at the Royal Portland Arms - where a reduced price for drinks is given on production of you CAMRA card! Dated 10/6/11. |
| Pub News. The Manor Hotel, West Bexington appears to have re-opened! Information needed on what ales are now available at this interesting location! If you get a chance to go there please let us know. Dated 10/6/11. |
 | Spring Issue of the Giant Dongle! The Spring issue is out now and has expanded to a full sixteen pages. Dated 11/4/11. |
| Pub changes - two re-open, two close!- The ever-changing pub scene continues: Royal Victoria Lodge, Portland re-opens under its more traditional name with real ales & food is also available; The Star in Weymouth re-opens with beers from Cottage brewery and others - this pub is also doing food most times apart from Sunday eve. On the down side, the Bottle Inn, Marshwood closed again recently and the Portland Roads, Portland shut its doors in February. Dated 2/4/11. |
| 2011 Brewery trips - off to a great start!- the 4th-6th March saw another group of members off to learn about brewing in Cornwall and to sample a few more beers. Marjorie Tait took the photos again. Dated 12/3/11. |
| The Ship Inn, Weymouth, re-opened after £200K renovation! Hall & Woodhouse have completed a refurbishment of their large harbourside pub. Part of the work was the re-rendering of the outside and a large ship motif has been added to the West end of the building. The upstairs quay facing windows have been enlarged giving an airy modern feel throughout. Dated 27/2/11. |
| The Spyway Inn, the popular free house in Askerswell, has been named as the Campaign for Real Ale's West Dorset Pub of the Year! The West Dorset 2011 Pub of the Year certificate was presented by CAMRA's Rich Gabe at the Dorchester Beer Festival to licensees Kevin, Tim and Vivien Wilkes. They have developed the family-run inn since 2003. Full report from Michel Hooper Immins here. Dated 7/2/11. |
| A "Dorset Double"! Small Pauls Brewery from Gillingham gained the "Beer of Festival" award at this weekend's Beerex. The "Elder Sarum" beer brewed by Paul Smith, a long time CAMRA member who has been brewing beer in his Gillingham garage for six years now. The same beer won the public vote at the Weymouth Octoberfest last year.Read more... Dated 16/2/11. |
| A "new" beer festival! Lyme Regis' Marine Theatre will be the venue for a beer festival in the town on Satuday 26th March. This is the first beer festival in the town for sometime. An earlier event - the Cobb Ale Festival originated in the 14th century, but died out after a mere 250 years! More detail... Dated 2/2/11. |
| Beerex SOLD OUT! Beerex opens at the end of NEXT WEEK, Rich Gabe now has sufficient volunteers to work all sessions. Many thanks to all of you who have given your names to help. Tickets are ALL SOLD - this is something of a record!! There will be NO tickets at the door this year due to this unexpectedly rapid take-up. Dated 24/1/11. |
 | Yet another issue [No. 3] of the Giant Dongle! A bit like the proverbial "London Buses" you wait for eight years for a Newsletter and the three come along in the space of ten weeks! Our Editor, Kevin, is aiming to link them mainly to our Beer Festivals, so there will now probably be a gap - our next festival after Beerex being Wykefest in July. Dated 24/1/11. |
| Spreading the word! The "Real West Dorset" website/blog has published an article about our new West Dorset Pub Guide - Read the article here.
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Our thanks go to Michel Hooper-Immins who contributed the article.
You can order your copy of the pub guide by clicking here. Dated 13/1/11. |
| Six weeks to Beerex! Beerex opens just SIX WEEKS after Christmas Eve, Rich Gabe needs volunteers to work all sessions - please let him have your name on 07771 903868. Tickets are selling well (Friday pm and Saturday lunchtime sessions in particular are selling quickly) Buy yours on-line. Dated 22/12/10. |
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Giant Dongle Issue 2 out!! The Christmas Issue of Giant Dongle hit the streets this week. With contributions from other members, the second issue is 50% larger and covers 12 pages. Click here to read the on-line version. Dated 17/12/10. |
| Still more Weymouth Pubs offer Real Ales! The Queens Hotel, Weymouth reopened in November with a bright disco-like theme. On a visit a week after they opened they had Sharps Doom Bar on sale. This week the Golden Lion in Weymouth had St Austell Tribute, Hardy & Hansons Rocking Rudolf and a glorious roaring wood fire. The quayside Royal Oak (below the Rendezvous) is open again in the winter - they have five ciders on offer as well as a DBC ale (Jurassic when we visited). It was lovely and warm on a very cold night, sawdust floor and free peanuts for shelling. Dated 8/12/10. |
| Fire above The Rock! A narrow escape for Weymouth's Rock Hotel as a fire breaks out in one of the flats above the pub. Here's a report from todays Echo. Dated 19/10/10. |
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Giant Dongle launched into Cyberspace! Our new branch newsletter "The Giant Dongle" was published to coincide with our Octoberfest beer festival. It has now been loaded onto the web site to allow anyone who is interested to read it. |
| The document is available as a pdf file for download or for reading online. CLICK HERE or the picture to see it. Dated 5/10/10. |
| Octoberfest closes for last time at Brewers Quay! After four more sessions of frantic activity, our well received Autumn beer and cider festival closed on Saturday night having served over 850 people some 3000 pints of beer and cider. The beer of the festival award was won by a Dorset brewer - Small Pauls of Gillingham whose "Elder Sarum" beer was voted best beer by public vote. For other results click here. |
| This was the last time that the festival will be held at Brewers Quay due to the impending redevelopment of this hundred year old building at the centre of Weymouths quayside areas. We have plans in place to move the festival to the Ocean Room within the Weymouth Pavilion complex for next year's (2011) festival. Dated 4/10/10. |
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West Dorset Pub Guide to be launched at Weymouth Octoberfest!
The third edition of CAMRA’s well received West Dorset Pub Guide will be launched at Weymouth’s Octoberfest on Friday 1st October. The fully revised guide contains details of 273 pubs and bars, together with maps and articles of interest. |
The guide will be on sale at the festival – price £4 (£3 to card carrying CAMRA members).
STOP PRESS - the guide can now be ordered on-line by clicking here or on the picture above. Dated 24/9/10. |
| Colliton Club does it again! For the third year in a row, Dorchester's Colliton Club has been chosen as the Wessex Regions Club of the Year. Chosen by local members of CAMRA as the West Dorset Club of the year, the club was then judged against other clubs in the Wessex Region (Dorset, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, the Channel Islands and parts of Wiltshire & Somerset). Read the full report from Michel Hooper Immins. Dated 20/9/10. |
Cerne Abbas - a mini festival ! All three pubs in this iconic Dorset village are joining forces to hold a beer festival on 25th September (12-8pm) when food will be available all day. You can go to the Giant Inn, the New Inn, or the Royal Oak. Overall there will be 20 ales available. Dated 23/8/10. |
Royal Standard is now a Brewpub! Rumours have abounded that this newly refurbished pub was to start brewing. This week their first beer, DT4, has been launched. It has been well received so far and will attract more customers into this small roadside pub/bistro. Dated 13/8/10. |
Octoberfest Tickets now on sale! . We expect this year to be a sell-out like the last few years. So if you really want to be there get your tickets soon! . Dated 7/8/10. |
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Wykefest food and beer festival opens 23rd July. This festival was a great success last year with great summer weather and interesting stalls and displays. This years event is set to be even better - more beers, more food stalls and entertainment and Free bus service both evenings from the town centre. All details can be found on the festival web site here. Dated 12/7/10. |
Weymouth Londis to host Jeff Evans Book Signing - 12th June. The store is now taking pre orders for signed copies of the "Good Bottled Beer Guide" priced at £12.99. Jeff will be in store between 12pm and 2pm on Saturday 12th June 2010, and is available to speak to anyone with an interest in bottled beer and to sign copies of the book. A great fathers day present?? Don't forget to check out the great range of bottled beers in store while you're there!. Dated 31/5/10. |
DOUBLE FIGURES!! ANOTHER New Brewery brings the number of real ale breweries in Dorset up to ten! - Lyme Regis Town Mill site gets a brewery! This historic site in Lyme Regis already has several exciting businesses which have now been complemented by the opening of Town Mill Brewery at Easter. The Brewery is at present working hard to keep up with demand for Cobb (3.9%ABV), their first ale. Dated 21/5/10. |
Bottle Inn, Marshwood reopens - This country pub, famous for its nettle eating contests, has opened under new management after a refurbishment. Details of past events and the current offerings can be found here. Dated 21/5/10. |
Discounted Beers for CAMRA members! - The Londis store in Westham Road Weymouth (opposite the "William Henry") carries a good range of UK and continental bottled beers. They are offering a 10% discount on these beers for CAMRA members - so take your membership cards with you when you shop! Dated 12/4/10. |
Royal Standard re-opens ! - After a three month refurbishment, the Royal Standard at Upwey re-opened at Easter under new management. Beers on offer are those from Piddle and Butcombe, with Guest Ales as well. There is also food available both as a sandwich menu and daily chalk board. We've been told there are also plans afoot to start to brew beers in-house later in the year!! Dated 12/4/10. |
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2010 Brewery trips - off to a good start - the 5th-7th March saw another group of members off to learn more about brewing and to sample a few more beers. Marjorie Tait took the incriminating photos this time. Dated 15/3/10. |
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The Market House - A new pub for Bridport - After a major re-development in this listed building, a new pub is opening this week on the site which was previously the Royal Oak. Palmers Brewery have worked for a long period with the planning authorities to ensure that all the changes made sit properly within the original buildings. |
A light and airy space welcomes the customer throughout, there is a well laid out bar area deep within opening out to a patio at the rear. At the front of the premises there is a modern dining room to one side with a "coffee table" style lounge area at the other. Dated 8/3/10. |
Beerex bounces back! - Beerex in the Corn Exchange had a very successful year. After being hit by a snowstorm in 2009, all the regular visitors were back in force - tickets sold out about two weeks before the event. The Nags Head in Lyme Regis was awarded West Dorset CAMRA's Pub of The Year award during the festival. Over 1200 people attended the four sessions, making some welcome cash for local charities. Dated 15/2/10. |
Brewery moves to Dorset ! - Wayland's Sixpenny Brewery was formerly known as Wayland's Brewery and was originally located in Addlestone, Surrey. The brewery has now relocated to the village of Sixpenny Handley in the Cranborne Chase area of Dorset. This now brings the total number of breweries in Dorset to nine! Beers are sold in pubs in Dorset, Wiltshire,Surrey, Middlesex and London. The brewery's website can be visited here. Dated 31/1/10. |
Royal Standard closes! - After 13 years running this excellent locals pub, John Lonergan has closed the doors for the last time. The pub - one of the Weymouth areas few remaining "two bar" pubs - closed on 6th January as the building has been sold. Developers are understood to be working out how to change the building so as to get the best out of it. We look forward with interest to see what becomes of this old main road hostelry. Dated 14/1/10. |
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Skittles match a draw! - The West Dorset and East Dorset branches of the Campaign for Real Ale met for a skittles match at the Colliton Club in Dorchester, several times winner of the CAMRA Wessex regional Club of the Year award. Around 40 members from both branches used both skittle alleys, but the result was a draw. The event was organised by West Dorset Social Secretary Richard Gabe, in liaison with East Dorset’s social team, led by Trevor Thwaites. Read more... Dated 20/1/10. |
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Xmas and the New Year! - All our members are asked to put dates in diaries for the following events: Xmas Plod Wed 9th Dec; Skittles with East Dorset 16th Jan. If you plan to go to the skittles please let Rich Gabe know at least a week before the event ; Beerex 5th & 6th of Feb - Volunteers please let Rich Gabe know which sessions you will work. Rich's phone number is: 07771 903868. Dated 9/12/09. |
Festivals, Festivals, Festivals ! - We've had a very good set of local festivals this year. The good news is that there are still four more before the end of the year! Have a look at our Festivals web page.. Dated 2/11/09. |
Two weeks to Octoberfest!! - Tickets are selling quicker than they did last year, with every chance of sessions being "Sold Out" during next week. The bands booked for this year are "Restless" on the Friday night and "Flakey Jake" on Saturday. The ususal range of festival foods will be available during all sessions. Book your tickets on-line by clicking the link above, or by visiting the Boot Inn, Brewers Quay or the Blue Raddle in Dorchester. Dated 18/9/09. |
Wykefest a Success for Julia's House! - The new festival at Value House, Wyke Regis looks set to become a regular fixture in the calendar. At a cheque presentation yesterday, Julia's House were presented with a cheque for a massive £3,500. Not bad for a first attempt! Many thanks to alll our volunteers who helped to make the beer and cider bar run so smoothly. More details in our previous article.... Dated 18/9/09. |
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100,000 members!! - The membership roll of the Campaign now stands at over 100,000. From a start in 1971 when four blokes in a pub decided to do something about the poor state of beer in the UK and set up the "Campaign for the Revitalisation of Ale", the campaign has grown into one of the largest consumer groups in Europe. More info.... Dated 8/8/09. |
First Wykefest Food and Beer festival - A CAMRA team worked hard over the last few weeks to provide a bar at this new festival. On the day the weather was good, which was a great relief to all. As a result the festival was a great success, with lots of the public turning up. We sold over 90% of the beer, so the charities being supported by the festival should do well. Click here for some pictures of the festival. Dated 28/7/09 |
Tuckers Maltings Beer festival trip - April 25th sees another trip to this popular event. Check with Tony for seat availability 01305 789 906. Dated 11/3/09. |
Blue Raddle wins Branch Pub of the Year 2009 ! The winner of the local branch competition for CAMRA pub of the year was announced at Dorchester Beerex, and a certificate was awarded to the landlord, Richard Townsend during the festival. Dated 10/2/09. |
Beerex Results! Palmers Tally Ho! won the publics approval as Beer Of Festival. Despite the weather real ale enthusiasts turned out in large numbers to celebrate Dorchesters 21st Beerex. Full results can be found here. Dated 8/2/09. |
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We're running the Exeter Winter Ales festival trip again! Saturday 10th January is the date for your diary. The coach will go from Portland via Weymouth and Dorchester so phone Rich Gabe on 07771 903868 to book your place. Dated 25/11/08 |
A chance to visit Piddle Brewery 3rd December! [TRIP NOW FULL]. Committee members have pulled out the stops to arrange another trip before the festive season to this new local brewery. Size of premises means numbers are limited to 18 persons. The bus will go from Portland via Weymouth and Dorchester and subsidised price will be £5. Even if you plan to travel independently Phone Rich Gabe on 07771 903868 to book your place. Get your name down early! Dated 5/11/08 |
| Introducing NBSS - CAMRAs National Beer Scoring System. Give a score each time you have a drink - let us know how pubs are doing. This national system set up by CAMRA has been available for a couple of years now, but few people from this area use it. Click the link above or in the Main Menu to use the system - it is easy to use - you need your membership number and the same password as for the HQ members access. Dated 30/10/08. |
Next brewery trip coming upl! Blindman's Brewery, Leighton Somerset on 15th November. Contact Rich Gabe on 07771 903868 to book your seat. Dated 11/10/08. |
Danish Dynamite wins Beer of Festival! Danish Master Brewer Stig Andersen's beer chosen as Beer of Festival. Full results here. Dated 4/10/08. |
Regional Success for Colliton Club! Dorchester club picks up Wessex award for 2nd Year in a row. The Colliton Club in Dorchester has won this award for the second year in a row. The award will be present ed to the club Steward, Neil Gatehouse on Wednesday as part of the local CAMRA Branch AGM. Click for more detail. Dated 7/9/08. |
Two more events 13/14 Sept! An evening BBQ at Tom Browns and Beerfest at the Gaggle of Geese. These events will give you a lot of choice for things to do this month. Saturday 13th evening will be a barbeque for members and friends at Tom Browns in Dorchester. If you plan to go, please give Jill Diggens a call (01305 862255) so she can estimate numbers. The other event is an all-day beer and cider festival on Sunday 14th alongside the traditional Goose and Poutry auction at the Gaggle of Geese, Buckland Newton. The pub has recently been aquired by Mark & Emily Hammick who have made such a success of the European at the other end of the Piddle valley. Dated 3/9/08. |
Try a Safari Lunch! A joint lunch event with Somerset CAMRA on September 27. This event will travel to three pubs on and around the Dorset /Somerset border with one course at each pub. A coach is planned from Portland, via Weymouth and Dorchester. Click here to see more details or ring Jill Diggens on 01305 862255 to book your place. Dated 27/8/08. |
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William Henry opens!! Former Hog's Head refurbished and re-opened as a second Wetherspoons. The rapid refurbishment of the former Hogs Head has taken place and the pub re-opened early in August. This is great news for the town and for local drinkers as it preserves another of Weymouths real ale pubs and will provide Wetherspoons quality and prices at both ends of the town centre. Dated 11/8/08. |
Wise Man Re-opens!! Over 2 years since a fire destroyed the pub, the Wise Man re-opened last night with a special evening for residents of West Stafford and the surrounding villages. Over 200 people turned out to welcome the return of the pub which has always been a key integral part of the village. The pub is owned by Punch Taverns and the licencees from the Poet Laureate in Poundbury (Dorchester) have also taken on this lease. Real ales on offer for the opening night were Butcombe Bitter, Wadworth 6X and Hop Back Summer Lightning. Rich Bates, a West Stafford resident and CAMRA member summed it up as being "like the return of a long lost friend". Click to see pictures over the two years. Dated 21/5/08 |
Tom Brown's Mini-Beerfest this Friday. 19th May - Beer , Music and Pies at Tom Brown's.The pub's service and ale quality is back up there with the best! DBC follow up their St Georges Day event with another one. Dated 13/5/08. |
Social Meeting on May 14th: Royal Portland Arms, Fortuneswell. Portland 8pm. All are welcome to this evening in the pub sampling ales and ciders. Dated 13/4/08. |
"A Bristol Bimble": An "ales by rail" trip report. Simon Palmer's photo report about a recent trip to Bristol by his "beer club". Dated 5/4/08. |
4/02/08. Real Ale success!! The Rock, Abbotsbury Road, Weymouth is celebrating six months of success as a Real Ale pub. A major renovation undertaken during early 2007 brought this pub straight into the 21st century. Since then it has always had three real ales on tap and provides a bright modern experience for the drinker as well as a good menu with food available most of the time. It's great to see a combination of all the things a pub-goer wants coming together to bring a pub "back from the dead"!! |
13/01/08. Exeter Winter Ales festival trip - Saturday 12th Jan. Click here to see some photos taken by Simon Palmer during the festival visit. |
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23/11/07. A chance to try a unique beer style - Friday 30th Nov. I've been told that the Queens Arms in Corton Denham will be holding an evening for the launch of a beer brewed by Justin from Moor Beer Co. in Ashcott. It is styled a "triple IPA" and this is believed to be the first time a brewer in the UK has attempted anything of this style and gravity. Corton Denham is not not strictly in Dorset although the postcode is, it's pretty much on the border. So for those living to te west of our area or those beer tickers this might be worth a visit!! |
26/10/07. Beerfest next week at Royal Oak, Dorchester. Wetherspoons say they expect to have 35 beers during the festival which runs from 1st November until the 18th November. They anticipate having a choice of 20 or so available most of this period. |
| 25/10/07. Hidden Brewery acquires Kings Arms, Thornford. Andrew Hesketh, BLO for the Hidden Brewery reports that the brewery has acquired its third pub, The Kings Arms at Thornford, near Yeovil and will be re-opening it on Saturday 3rd November following refurbishment. Gay and Michael invite all to come and sample their fine ales. For those wishing to travel by train Thornford is on the Bristol Weymouth line and has a station close to the pub. Those using the Exeter Waterloo line would need to alight at Yeovil Junction and get the Weymouth train from Yeovil Pen Mill. |
13/10/07. Regular meetings change to Wednesdays. The recent questionnaire showed more people interested in meetings on Wednesdays - so from now until the end of the year, we're moving the published meetings from Tuesdays to Wednesdays. See the updated Diary. |
12/9/07. Presentation of "Club of the Year" award to Colliton Club on 27th Sept. John Buckley, the Wessex Regional Director of CAMRA will be presenting the Regional Club of the Year Award to Neil Gatehouse the club steward on Thursday 27th September at 7.30 pm. All CAMRA members are welcome to attend. (See Michel's report below for more details). |
9/07. WEYMOUTH’s SUCCESSFUL OCTOBER BEER FESTIVAL AT BREWER’S QUAY AGAIN. Brewer’s Quay and the West Dorset branch of the Campaign for Real Ale [CAMRA] are again coming together to organise Octoberfest on the first weekend in October. |
28/8/07. A "mini beer festival" this coming weekend at Thorncombe. Thorncombe Sports & Social Club are holding a mini beer festival this coming weekend. Everybody will be more than welcome! We are situated in the farthest West of Dorset - with plenty of space for camping (hot showers, toilets etc). Live music on Friday night. See www.thorncombe-club.co.uk for how to get there.
Beers will be: St Austell's: Black Prince and Tribute; Carlsberg: Burton Ale; Exmoor: Exmoor Gold; O’Hanlon’s; Yellowhammer and Royal Oak: Fuller's London Pride. |
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12/8/07. Great British Beer Festival Trip. Simons recollections of a great day out ... |
10/8/07. AGM Venue - Palmers Brewery, Bridport - 11th September 8.00pm. Refreshment and Brewery tour after. Transport available - contact Tony to book seat - 01305 78990 |
12/6/07. GBG Deletion - Queens Hotel, Weymouth. Until recently this pub sold a selection of well kept DBC beers and was featured in the 2007 Good Beer Guide. Unfortunately the licensee reponsible for this policy has moved on and the new owners of the franchise have different business objectives. So much so that real ale in the present Queens Hotel is only occasionally available and then from a national or super-regional brewer. West Dorset Branch of CAMRA have therefore no choice but to seek to delete this pub from the 2007 GBG. |
6/5/07. A visit to Blandford Beer Festival Simon gives another report and took these photos of a visit to this weekend's Blandford Beer Festival. |
14/4/07. Maltings Festival Trip Simon Palmer took these photos of the trip to Newton Abbot Maltings festival. We had 44 members on the coach and several others travelled independently making this one of our largest visits! |
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Wise Man at West Stafford - rebuild well under way. A major fire ripped through this lovely pub 11 months ago. See out previous items here and here. |
We are pleased to see that the rebuilding is well underway and demonstrates a very sympathetic reconstruction - see pictures here. Hopefully the pub will re-open in the summer!! Dated 1/4/07 |
10/3/07. Black Bear in Wool to re-open. After being closed for refurbishment, the Black bear in Wool is due to re-open on Monday 12th March. A new management team is in place as well. The pub is a part of the Hall and Woodhouse estate - so expect Badger beers to feature! |
8/3/07. New Cider Festival. The Royal Portland Arms, Fortuneswell on Portland is holding a Cider Festival over the Easter w/e. There will also be 2-3 Real Ales available.
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1/3/07. Beerex "Beer of Festival" Results. The winning beers are listed here. |
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Blue Raddle wins Branch Pub of the Year! The winner of the local branch competition for CAMRA pub of the year was announced at Dorchester Beerex, and a certificate was awarded to the landlord, Richard Townsend during the festival. Dated 4/2/07 |
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1/11/06. Sailor's Return back to full service! The damage caused by the recent fire at the Sailor's Return has now been repaired. The pub is now fully open again! |
| 9/10/06. Weymouth Octoberfest goes from strength to strength! The Octoberfest has had another record year, with seven more beers available than last year. Well over three quarters of the beers were still available for the early part of the last session and a great atmosphere was enjoyed by all. Click here to see which beers won the Beer of the Festival. Read more from the Dorset Echo. |
9/10/06. New Hope for Wise Man at West Stafford. The future of the pub, which burned down at the beginning of May, has been unclear for several months. Now the owners of the pub, Punch Taverns, have unveiled plans to rebuild it and reopen it as a full working pub. Read More. |
29/09/06. New Inn at Shipton Gorge reopens after massive effort by locals! The New Inn at Shipton Gorge has been formally re-opened today. After a series of short speeches acknowledging the hard work and support of organisations including Pub is The Hub, Palmer's of Bridport and DEFRA, local MP Oliver Letwin presented a plaque to celebrate the reopening. Read more |
15/09/06. Digby Tap wins Wessex Region Pub of The Year award! The Digby Tap in Sherborne has been chosen as the pub which best represents CAMRA’s ideal pub in Wessex this year. It is now one of 16 pubs being put forward for the National Pub of The Year award. The Wessex Region covers Dorset, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and South Wiltshire. |
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01/08/06. AGM venue announced! This year our AGM (Sept 12th) will be held in the Queen's Hotel, Weymouth. The pub is near the station - after you come down the station steps, turn right and the Queen's is across the road in front of you. |
26/07/06. Beer Tasting event on Saturday 12 August 2006. O'Hanlons has invited CAMRA to come along to a tasting session at Majestic Wines in Dorchester at 12.30pm on Saturday 12 August 2006. Just turn up to sample these excellent ales - there is also a wide range of other bottled ales on sale. |
22/07/06. Pub Guide reprinted! Our local pub guide had sold out, but we've just had a reprint so it's now available again. |
27/06/06. Branch social postponed meeting planned for Benville locality is rescheduled to 25th July |
13/06/06. Branch visits Sherborne an evening in various pubs in this north Dorset town..Read more |
13/05/06. CAMRA Regional Meeting at Palmers Bridport seeks Fuller's agreement re Gales branding.
At the Meeting, Fullers Head Brewer, John Keeling, acknowledged that branding for beers now brewed at Chiswick should not contain misleading information. It is now expected that pumpclips etc. will be changed to reflect this agreement. |
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