CAMRA — Campaign for Real Ale: Canterbury, Herne Bay and Whitstable branch — campaigning to protect beer and pubs in the Canterbury, Herne Bay and Whitstable area

CAMPAIGN FOR REAL ALE

Canterbury, Herne Bay & Whitstable branch

About our branch

Canterbury, Herne Bay & Whitstable is one of 200 local CAMRA branches, covering the three main towns in the area plus outlying villages.

As well as supporting CAMRA's national and local campaigns, the branch has an active social calendar — see the diary for details. We also hold monthly meetings to discuss CAMRA business, always at a pub in the branch area.

All members are welcome to attend social events and branch meetings.

The branch area is also home to the Kent Beer Festival.

If you are not from the Canterbury, Herne Bay & Whitstable area, find out about your local CAMRA branch by visiting CAMRA near you.

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Good Beer Guide 2008

Good Beer Guide 2008 cover picture

The Good Beer Guide is the longest running and best-selling guide to the best pubs for real ale in Britain.

Compiled by CAMRA's 82,000 dedicated volunteer members, it is the definitive source of information on where to find cask-conditioned real ale in tip-top condition. The Guide also contains a unique Breweries section, listing all the breweries — national, regional and micro — that produce cask beer, along with tasting notes compiled by CAMRA experts.

Visit the CAMRA national website to buy your copy now.

Branch Pub of the Year 2008 - The Butchers Arms, Herne

The Butchers Arms, Herne has been chosen as the Canterbury, Herne Bay and Whitstable CAMRA Pub of the Year 2008 by the local branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA). Gerry Keay, Chairman of the Canterbury, Herne Bay and Whitstable branch of CAMRA, presented the certificate to landlord, Martyn Hillier, watched by CAMRA members at a special event at the pub on Wednesday 9th April.


The Butchers Arms is situated in the historic village of Herne. It is one of the smallest freehouses in England and offers a fantastic selection of real ales. Each week, there are at least four beers available with enough variety to suit all tastes.


Customers can also buy ale to enjoy at home in whatever quantity they wish, whether that be a small bottle (3.5 pints), or a whole pin of 37 pints.


Chairman of the Canterbury, Herne Bay and Whitstable branch of CAMRA, Gerry Keay, said: “Quality of beer is the single most important factor in judging a pub for a CAMRA award. The Butchers Arms features in CAMRA’s annual Good Beer Guide, which highlights Britain’s best real ale pubs based on recommendations by local CAMRA members. Landlord, Martyn Hillier, prides himself on stocking a range of excellent quality beer and he always listens to his customers to ensure he offers the ales they want.”


The atmosphere and décor of a pub are also important criteria in the Pub of the Year award. The Butchers Arms bar features the original chopping tables, plus hooks and other implements from its days as a butchers. The bar has seating for ten and room for another 10 or so standing customers. There is no music, no TV and no machines and visitors are sure to enjoy plenty of lively banter with the loyal band of locals whenever they visit. The locals help create their own entertainment which includes a pickle contest. Martyn established this to help settle an argument between two locals about whose home grown pickles were best. Each of them brought in a jar of their produce for judging and the pickle contest has since become an annual event.


Mr Keay added: “The quality of the ale in the Butchers Arms is matched by the lively banter which flourishes in this cosy bar. It is a truly unusual pub and a worthy winner of our branch Pub of the Year award.”


Opening hours at the Butchers Arms vary but it is normally open Tuesday to Saturday lunchtimes and until 9.00pm every evening except Sunday and Monday.


The Butchers Arms will now go forward to the judging of the East Kent Pub of the Year. If successful in the East Kent round, it would then go onto to compete for the title of Kent Pub of the Year.


The Butchers Arms website can be found at www.micropub.co.uk/.

Story dated Thu 10 Apr 2008