Mansfield & Ashfield

News

News articles from within and around the branch area

  • Blue Monkey tap to open next weekend Friday 25 July 2025

    Blue Monkey Tap will open next Friday, August 1st.

    From the Blue Monkey Facebook page:

    "There will be live music, food vendors, and of course an incredible selection of beer and more. We’re inviting you, your friends and family to come and celebrate this weekend (and everyone after that!) We are SO very grateful for all of the continued support and patience with this project - we couldn’t have done it without you!!!"

    Give them a follow at https://www.facebook.com/bluemonkeybrewery

  • AGM / Committee Saturday 19 July 2025

    Our AGM was held on Sunday 13th July at the Brown Cow in Mansfield, at which many members of the committee were reappointed unopposed, but with some changes, as outlined below.

    Royce Holmes will be Branch Secretary again for 2025/26, and Andrea Gilbert-Holmes will continue as our minute-taker, with Richard Coleman remaining as Treasurer. Dick Dawson keeps the role of Social Secretary after doing a great job last year, and the award-winning Kirsten Yates remains in the roles of Website Coordinator and Magazine/Newsletter editor.

    As well as remaining as Chair, Membership Secretary and Clubs Coordinator, Karl Ransford also takes on NBSS (Beer Scoring) and GBG Submission roles. With experience in all of these areas last year, Karl is well-equipped to juggle them again.

    Retaining his Social Media role, Sean Saxton has added the role of Pub Data Coordinator – a great fit for him as he probably visits the most pubs across our branch.

    Joss Dutton added the Pub Promotions & Awards Coordinator role (including LocAle) to that of Young Members’ Contact. He also agreed to start a TikTok channel supporting Sean, hoping to attract a new audience for the branch.

    Leaving the committee are Carl Brett (formerly Vice Chair, Pub Data Coordinator, Branch Contact, NBSS Coordinator and GBG Submissions Coordinator) and Andrew Brett (formerly LocAle Coordinator) – although Andrew will continue with his Brewery Liaison Officer role for Beermats. The committee thanks them for their contributions since the branch was reformed in 2022, as well as for their ongoing activity over the last 20-plus years.

  • New Brewery based in Pinxton Thursday 10 July 2025

    The Bridges Brewing Company, based in Pinxton have contacted us to announce they are up-and-running. There is not much else to report at the moment, but well pass on details when we find out more.

  • WhatPub shuts on 25th August Monday 7 July 2025

    WhatPub will be shut down from 25 August 2025.

    The website has been asking people logging on to try the new CAMRA website instead for some time and delivers a better user experience.

    https://camra.org.uk/pubs

  • Members’ Weekend 2025 Round Up - Branch Website of the Year Wednesday 25 June 2025

    What's Brewing have published a roundup of the Members' Weekend, which can be viewed on the national website.

    The feature includes a video and transcript of the Website of the Year presentation; won this year by Mansfield and Ashfield.

    https://wb.camra.org.uk/2025/06/22/members-weekend-2025-round-up-branch-website-of-the-year

    Rob Green accepting the award on our behalf

  • Newark's magazine added to Newsletter page Friday 13 June 2025

    Beer Gutter Press - the revived branch magazine for Newark CAMRA is now linked from the Newsletter page of the website.

  • Pub of the Season Winners Monday 2 June 2025

    The votes have been counted and we're delighted to announce the Spring Pub of the Season Winners.

    The Scruffy Dog, Sutton-in-Ashfield won in the urban category and the Dixies Arms, Bagthorpe in the rural category. Congratulations to both, and all who were shortlisted this quarter.

    Presentations will be organised and dates posted on the website.

    Both winners are now shortlisted for our 2026 Pub of the Year, which will be judged in January.

    The Summer Pub of the Season shortlist will be drawn up from beer-scoring via the CAMRA website, WhatPub and GBG web app (not Untappd) from May to July and voted on in August. Full rules can be found here

    Scruffy Dog Dixies Arms

  • The Yard, Langwith announces closure Sunday 1 June 2025

  • Spring Pub of the Season voting opens Friday 23 May 2025

    Voting is open to determine the Spring pub of the Season 2025.

    The shortlist - derived from beer scoring via WhatPub, GBG webapp and national CAMRA website (not Untappd) - is:

    Urban
    Barrel Micropub, Mansfield Woodhouse
    Dandy Cock, Kirkby-in-Ashfield
    Garrison, Mansfield
    Pavilion, Mansfield
    Scruffy Dog, Sutton-in-Ashfield

    Rural
    Black Market, Warsop
    Dixies Arms, Bagthorpe
    Hilcote Arms, Hilcote
    The Yard, Langwith

    Voting closed Monday 2nd June at 12pm.

    The full rules can be found here

  • Champion Beer of Britain Category Winners Revealed Wednesday 21 May 2025

    The winners of each category in the Campion Beer of Britain have been judged and revealed at the Cambridge Beer Festival.

    The beers which scooped gold are now shortlisted to be named overall Champion Beer of Britain at the Great British Beer Festival; held at the Birmingham NEC in August.

    Read more here

  • Final Whistle, Southwell takes Nottinghamshire PotY Wednesday 14 May 2025

    The Final Whistle at Southwell took the Nottinghamshire Pub of the Year award, it was announced on Saturday. The Newark branch pub beat The Mallard, Worksop, into second place, with FireRock in Sutton in Ashfield, Horse and Jockey in Stapleford and Wheatsheaf in Bingham also in the running. Congratulations to the team on their success.

    https://newark.camra.org.uk/county-top-for-final-whistle/

  • CAMRA adds top Cask Marque ratings to website Tuesday 13 May 2025

    Drinkers can now search the CAMRA website for pubs with four and five-star Cask Marque ratings for beer quality and cellar hygiene.

    CAMRA national chairman Ash Corbett-Collins said: “There’s nothing better than a pint of top-quality cask beer in a pub. That’s why we want to make the CAMRA website the go-to place to find your next pint.

    “We’re really pleased to partner with Cask Marque so that consumers can now search for pubs with high beer quality and cellar hygiene ratings, as well as mark favourite pubs, create and share interactive trips with friends and even tag your must-try beers to plan your perfect pub visit.”

    Cask Marque executive director Paul Nunny said: “Great beer starts with great cellar practices. The beer and cellar rating helps pub-goers find establishments that prioritise quality, just like a food hygiene rating does for your dining out.

    “CAMRA’s addition of the rating to its website gives consumers more choice, helping beer lovers easily find pubs committed to quality cellar practices and the perfect pint.”

    https://cask-marque.co.uk/

  • Indie Brewery Checker Tool added to links Tuesday 13 May 2025

    https://indiebeer.uk/index.php#beerChecker

    A link has been added to the website that takes you to the Indie Beer Brewery Checker tool, where you can find out in seconds if a beer is brewed by an independent brewery or a global organisation, such as Budweiser or Carlsberg.

    The website is packed full of information to give an informed choice, when it isn't always clear where a beer has been brewed.

    See more at https://indiebeer.uk/index.php

  • Copies of Booze News scanned to website Wednesday 7 May 2025

    The Summer 1999, Spring 2001 and Summer 2001 copies of Booze News have been scanned and added to the newsletter page.

  • Keep Cask Alive Monday 5 May 2025

    A recent seven-part documentary series called ‘Keep Cask Alive’ from the ‘The Craft Beer Channel’ on YouTube has highlighted the importance of cask ale and its association with the UK. The series follows founders Jonny Garrett and Brad Evans as they travel across the UK, visiting breweries, pubs, festivals and farms to highlight the challenges and opportunities facing cask ale. The journey is part of a larger campaign to secure recognition for cask ale as Intangible Heritage under UNESCO’s framework – a status that would help preserve this tradition for generations to come.

    Signing the petition takes two minutes and can be done by scanning the larger QR code on the advertisement or by clicking here

    More information can be found on the campaigns page

Any news should be forwarded to the relevant member via the contacts page.

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