We welcome a new chairman of the branch, Wanda Piontek. She was elected at our annual general meeting held in May at The Star Tavern, Belgravia.

She told us about how her love of real ale began: "My introduction to ale started with Ruddles County and the funny shaped bottles. At university I moved to the Marstons heartland and innumerable pints of Pedigree were sunk. Moving to Japan Yebisu became the drink of choice. My return to England coincided with a vast improvement to the range of ales available and I have been able to indulge my love of stout and porters".

We'd like to also thank our previous chairman Alex Langford for all his work for the branch. He'll continue to play an important role supporting the branch as our vice-chairman.

Here's an update on the latest news and information from West London branch of CAMRA. Further news can be found in the London Drinker.

Branch and other local CAMRA events

• Wednesday 14th June - Branch social. The Grapes, Shepherd Market W1J 7QQ 2pm

• Monday 19th June – Branch Pub of the Year Runner-up presentation, Victoria 10A Strathearn Place, Paddington, W2 2NH 730pm

• Saturday 24th June (2pm to 5.30pm) CAMRA London Big Birthday Bash, Penderel's Oak, High Holborn. Event celebrating the 50th anniversary of various CAMRA London branches organized by North London Branch. Charge of £5 (to cover cost of snacks being provided). For details see https://northlondon.camra.org.uk/viewnode.php?id=193695 and to book tickets see https://tckty.camra.org.uk/e/116/camra-london-50th-birthday-celebration.
• Monday 26th June - Branch social. Sanctuary House Hotel , Tothill St SW1H 9LA 2pm
• Wednesday 5th July - Branch social. King and Queen Foley St W1W 6DL 2pm. Marquis of Granby, Rathbone Street 3pm; Wheatsheaf, Rathbone Place, 4pm.
• Wednesday 12th July - Branch social. Ealing Beer Festival 7pm. The festival continues until Saturday 15th - for details and advance tickets see https://ebf.camra.org.uk.
• Monday 24th July - Branch social. Uxbridge Arms, Uxbridge St W8 7TQ 7pm, Hillgate, Hillgate Street, 8pm; Churchill Arms 9pm.
• 1 to 5 August - Great British Beer Festival - CAMRA's main national beer festival, held within the branch area at Olympia.

Branch and regional CAMRA news

• London Pubs Group continues its tours of historic pubs - for information see https://londonpubsgroup.camra.org.uk/events. Upcoming events: Saturday 17 June 2023 - Daytime Tour of Wanstead and Leyton; Wednesday 9 August 2023 - Evening Tour of Mayfair; Saturday 14 October 2023 - Daytime Tour of Chiswick Park and Turnham Green; Wednesday 6 December 2023 - Evening Tour (area TBD).
• The London Drinker is available with news about pubs and CAMRA, in print at many local pubs and online.
• The branch held its annual general meeting recently at which Wanda Piontek became the new chairman and Alex Langford became vice-chairman. All other roles were unchanged.

 Pub and brewery news

• NW1, PERSEVERANCE (Morgana Ltd (IOM), 11 Shroton Street, NW1 6UG. Reported closed early March 2023 with builders on site. Expected to reopen in some form.
• NW1, VICTORIA & ALBERT BARS (SSP), Marylebone Station, NW1 6JJ. Cask Marque reinstated.
• NW8, NEW INN (2 Allisten Road Ltd/Pataka Ltd/independent), 2 Allitsen Road, NW8 6LA. Closed, future uncertain.
• SW3, BEAUCHAMP, 43-44 Beauchamp Place, SW3 1NX. Once known as the Grove Tavern, this site reopened in early 2023 as a four-floor hospitality venue featuring a ground-floor pub, a lower-ground floor cocktail bar/club, open-plan kitchen dining on the first floor, and a second-floor coffee lounge. Keg beers only..
• SW6, BEDFORD ARMS (Craft Union Pub Co (Stonegate)), 204 Dawes Rd, SW6 7RQ. Real Ale reinstated: Fuller's London Pride and Sharp's Doom Bar.
• SW6, BUTCHER'S HOOK (Greene King/unknown/Greene King), 477 Fulham Road, SW6 1HL.Now Cask Marque accredited.
• SW6, CHELSEA LODGE (Burbage Capital Ltd/Stonegate), 562 Kings Road, SW6 2DZ. Closed, lease on the market.
• SW6, GEORGE & DRAGON (Lillie Investments Ltd/Cockpit Hotel (London) Ltd/Accor Hotels), 47 Lillie Road, SW6 1UD. No longer sells real ale.
• SW6, IMPERIAL ARMS (Heineken), 577 Kings Road, SW6 2EH. Closed, lease on the market.
• SW6, KING'S ARMS (Wellington/Wadworth), 425 New Kings Road, SW6 4RN. Now Cask Marque accredited.
• W1, RUNNING HORSE, 50 Davies St. Currently closed and boarded up May 2023.
• W1, WARWICK (Stonegate), 86 Brewer Street, W1F 9UB. Reopened as NESSA by new operator Maslow’s. Self-described as a neighbourhood bistro and bar. Above it are floors of a private members' club, 1 Warwick. Nessa prefers to use its 86 Brewer Street alternate address as this site is on the corner of two streets. Nessa is mainly for dining and has garnered some very good food reviews, but there are some seats at the bar and three draught keg beers are on offer on the drinks menu.
• WC2, ADMIRALTY (Brook Street Investments Ltd/Fuller's), 66 Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DS. Reopened in April 2023.
• WC2, SLUG & LETTUCE (Shaftesbury/Stonegate), 5 Lisle Street, WC2H 7BG. Renamed CLUBHOUSE 5., a new Stonegate brand. Reopened just before the Coronation in May 2023, this is now a large sports pub showing live across two floors, seven days a week. There are two handpumps but, of course, the draught beer offering is mainly keg.
• W2, BEER HOUSE (Network Rail/SSP), by Platforms 10 & 11, Paddington Station Concourse, W2 1HB. Cask Marque re-accredited.
• W2, DAR MARRAKESH (Stonegate/unknown/Bestplace (Ei Group)), 422 Edgware Road, W2 1EG. Closed, freehold with vacant possession being marketed by Savills, March 2023.
• W2, KUPP (Canal & River Trust/Scandinavian Restaurants Ltd), Unit 53, 5 Merchant Square, W2 1AS. Closed October 2022.
• W2, PORCHESTER (Young's/Young's), 88 Bishop's Bridge Road, W2 5AA. Real ale reinstated following refurbishment:- Young’s Original and St Austell Proper Job.
• W2, ROYAL STANDARD (Compton Properties Investments Ltd/Sigma W2 Ltd/independent), 8 Sale Place, W2 1PH. Closed, converted to Vela Brasserie modern-European menu restaurant.
• W6, PRINCE OF WALES TOWNHOUSE (Big Smoke), 73 Dalling Road, W6 0JD. No real cider.
• W11, QUIET NIGHT INN (Max Barney Pub Company/Forest Road Brewery), 60 Great Western Road, W11 1AB. No cask ales reported. Since altered to two handpumps with at least one cask ale available from Forest Road Brewery.
• W12, PHOENIX, 1078 Ariel Way, W12 7GB. Closed, lease on the market.
• W12, QUEEN ADELAIDE (Greene King), 412 Uxbridge Road, W12 0NR. Cask Marque re-accredited.
• W14, ELM (RedCat Taverns), 206 North End Road, W14 9NX. Four handpumps now offer at least two cask ales. The pub is part of the small Yellow Panda pub operation.

National CAMRA news

• The Great British Beer Festival will be at Olympia on 1 to 5th August 2023.
• More national CAMRA news and events can be found in CAMRA's online newspaper What's Brewing available at https://wb.camra.org.uk/.
• CAMRA also regularly produces a podcast 'Pubs. Pints. People' available at https://camra.org.uk/podcast/.

For the latest news check out our Facebook and Twitter pages. Also for news from CAMRA across London see London Drinker, and the London CAMRA Facebook page.

Here's an update on the latest news and information from West London branch of CAMRA. Further news can be found in the London Drinker.

Branch and other local CAMRA events

• Tuesday 25th April (7/7.30pm): Branch meeting, The Harp, Covent Garden and presentation of the West London CAMRA Pub of the Year award.
• Tuesday 9th May (2pm) Social: Montagu Pyke, WC2H 0BP
• Monday 15th May (7.30pm) Parsons Green tour: meet Duke on the Green, SW6 4XG. Followed by the Aragon House at 8.30 and White Horse at 9.30.
• Tuesday 23rd May (7.30/8pm) Branch AGM: Star Tavern (upstairs) SW1X 8HT
• Saturday 24th June (2pm to 5.30pm) CAMRA London Big Birthday Bash, Penderel's Oak, High Holborn. Event celebrating the 50th anniversary of various CAMRA London branches organized by North London Branch. Charge of £5 (to cover cost of snacks being provided). For details see https://northlondon.camra.org.uk/viewnode.php?id=193695 and to book tickets see https://tckty.camra.org.uk/e/116/camra-london-50th-birthday-celebration.

Branch and regional CAMRA news

• London Pubs Group continues its tours of historic pubs - for information see https://londonpubsgroup.camra.org.uk/events. Upcoming events: Saturday 17 June 2023 - Daytime Tour of Wanstead and Leyton; Wednesday 9 August 2023 - Evening Tour of Mayfair; Saturday 14 October 2023 - Daytime Tour of Chiswick Park and Turnham Green; Wednesday 6 December 2023 - Evening Tour (area TBD).
• The London Drinker is available with news about pubs and CAMRA, in print at many local pubs and online.

 Pub and brewery news

• The Admiralty, Trafalgar Square has now reopened following a serious fire last year.
• It has been reported that the former Queens Head, Tryon Street, Chelsea is to be taken over by chef Tom Kerridge.
• The former Masons Arms, Devonshire Street, Marylebone has reopened as the Lucky Saint.

National CAMRA news

• The Great British Beer Festival will be at Olympia on 1 to 5th August 2023.
• More national CAMRA news and events can be found in CAMRA's online newspaper What's Brewing available at https://wb.camra.org.uk/.
• CAMRA also regularly produces a podcast 'Pubs. Pints. People' available at https://camra.org.uk/podcast/.

For the latest news check out our Facebook and Twitter pages. Also for news from CAMRA across London see London Drinker, and the London CAMRA Facebook page.

Here's an update on the latest news and information from West London branch of CAMRA. Further news can be found in the London Drinker.

Branch and other local CAMRA events

• Tuesday 21st March - Lions of St James' crawl meet Red Lion, Crown Passage SW1Y 6PP at 7.30pm, Golden Lion 8.15pm, Chequers 9.00pm, Red Lion (Duke of York St) 9.45pm.
• Wednesday 22nd March (2pm) - Joint social with North London branch at the Jack Horner.
• Monday 27th March - Leisure social Union Tavern W9 2BA at 2pm
• Wednesday 5th April (2pm) Social: Carlton Tavern, NW6 5EU
• Monday 17th April (2pm) Social: Burlington Arms, W1S 2JL
• Tuesday 25th April (7/7.30pm): Branch meeting, venue to be confirmed
• Tuesday 9th May (2pm) Social: Montagu Pyke, WC2H 0BP
• Monday 15th May (7.30pm) Parsons Green tour: meet Duke on the Green, SW6 4XG. Followed by the Aragon House at 8.30 and White Horse at 9.30.
• Tuesday 23rd May (7.30/8pm) Branch AGM: Star Tavern (upstairs) SW1X 8HT

Branch and regional CAMRA news

• London Pubs Group continues its tours of historic pubs - for information see https://londonpubsgroup.camra.org.uk/events. The next one is due to be on 5 April.
• The London Drinker is available with news about pubs and CAMRA, in print at many local pubs and online.

 Pub and brewery news

• There has been a retrospective planning application to change the former Neeld Arms, 362 Harrow Road, W9 into a shop. The change of use had already gone ahead without planning permission.
• The Plough & Harrow, Hammersmith has been advertised for sale by J.D. Wetherspoon but will continue trading as a Wetherspoons until sold.
• NW1, LANDMARK, Landmark Hotel, 222 Marylebone Road, NW1 6JQ. Now the GREAT CENTRAL PUB with its own entrance within this 5-star hotel. It serves a few draught beers including Guinness at the sort of prices one would expect; and accepts walk-ins. There are bar food and pub classics food menus available. Note that before 5pm if you are non-resident, there is a minimum charge. The main hotel also has a cocktail bar, the Mirror Bar; and another drinking area in the Garden Terrace.
• SW1, COMEDY (Stonegate), 7 Oxenden Street, SW1Y 4EE. Renamed COACH HOUSE following refurb.
• SW1, GRENADIER (Metropolitan (Greene King)), 18 Wilton Row, SW1X 7NR. No longer Cask Marque accredited.
• SW3, CROWN (Stonegate/Shannon Pubs), 153 Dovehouse Street, SW3 6LB. No longer operated by Shannon Pubs - new operator unknown.
• SW6, BEDFORD ARMS (Stonegate), 204 Dawes Rd, SW6 7RQ. Converted to Craft Union format
• SW6, DURELL ARMS (Metropolitan (Greene King)), 704 Fulham Road, SW6 5SB. Real Ale reinstated - Greene King Abbot, a house bitter and a guest such as Wimbledon Copper Leaf.
• W1, BARLEY MOW (Grosvenor Estates), 82 Duke Street, W1K 6JG. Reopened by the upmarket Cubitt House chain in late 2022. Up to four cask ales are reported, and there is a select barfood menu and a restaurant upstairs, both with prices that reflect the area.
• W1, BEEHIVE, 126 Crawford Street, W1U 6BF. Closed, future uncertain.
• W11, QUIET NIGHT INN (Max Barney Pub Company/Forest Road Brewery), 60 Great Western Road, W11 1AB. Two Real Ales from Forest Road --Work and Ride.
• W12, ESCAPE BAR WEST (Stonegate), 174 Goldhawk Road, W12 8HJ. Reopened and reverted to O'DONOGHUE'S.
• W2, CORK & BOTTLE (Gresham Collective), 27 Spring Street, W2 1JA. A welcome addition to the Paddington beer scene, the BEAR is the newest pub from the Independent pub company owned by Martin Hayes and Peter Slezak - The Craft Beer Co, serving 6 Real Ales, 29 craft beers on keg and an extensive range of Belgian bottled beers and Alcohol Free Beers
• W6, GROVE (Stonegate), 83 Hammersmith Grove, W6 0NQ. Renamed GROVE TAVERN.
• W8 The Uxbridge Arms W8 just south of Notting Hill Gate, has closed temporarily and will reopen later in 2023.
• WC2, CHESHIRE CHEESE (Shepherd Neame), 5 Little Essex Street, WC2R 3LD. After a period of openings and closures, Shepherd Neame sub-leased the site to a new operator and it again reopened at the end of September 2022, operated by Blighty Pub Company. Real ale reinstated Shepherd Neame Spitfire and Whitstable Bay Pale Ale.

National CAMRA news

• The Great British Beer Festival will be at Olympia on 1 to 5th August 2023.
• The national Members Weekend, AGM and Conference is in Sheffield from 21st to 23rd April. For details see https://camra.org.uk/members-weekend-agm-conference/.
• More national CAMRA news and events can be found in CAMRA's online newspaper What's Brewing available at https://wb.camra.org.uk/.
• CAMRA also regularly produces a podcast 'Pubs. Pints. People' available at https://camra.org.uk/podcast/.

For the latest news check out our Facebook and Twitter pages. Also for news from CAMRA across London see London Drinker, and the London CAMRA Facebook page.