CAMRA Nonsense

[ETA]

I was recently drinking in a very fine real ale pub in Maidstone, where the landlord informed me that he didn't want to be in GBG as he would 'have to give CAMRA members a 10% discount'. He claims this is what he has been told by a CAMRA member who showed him his membership card. Having done a few reviews for GBG myself, I am sure this is complete nonsense. I wrote to CAMRA head office to ask about this but have had no reply.

Has anyone else heard of this kind of nonsense before, or has CAMRA taken things a step too far? Maybe it's just a rogue member? Anyone from Maidstone care to comment?

[ROBCamra]

It's total bollocks.

Let's deal in a few facts.

There are circa 4500 pubs in the GBG2015.

At the latest count we have 1793 pubs giving a CAMRA discount on PuG.

Many of the ones giving a discount aren't in the GBG.

Therefore many of the ones in the GBG don't give a discount.

Somebody is lying.

Whether it's the CAMRA guy or the landlord who's making an excuse for his pub not selling good enough beer who knows.

But it's still bollocks. :evilgrin:

[gillhalfpint]

The only reason I have been given by a landlord for not wanting to be in the GBG was that the CAMRA branch started trying to tell him how they wanted things run.

They liked using his pubs for meetings - that was fine - they liked the food he put on - that was ok with him - but they started bringing friends and family to the committee meetings and still expected all the free food which was not fine with him. He fell out with them over it and didn't get back in the GBG. He is happy with that.

Agree with the above that CAMRA discount is not a given right but up to each landlord, and I have had it given in pubs not in GBG before.

[oldboots]

There are some CAMRA members who seem to believe a membership card gives them the right to a discount, and it's a fair bet that the campaign's membership would plummet if the Wetherspoons discount was removed, such is the parsimony of some.

I suspect in this case one of the dickheads did approach the landlord but certainly wouldn't be acting with any kind of official sanction, the landlord of course is talking out his fundement in saying he would have to give a discount for GBG inclusion.

Judging by the reaction when they don't get in the GBG most landlords are desperate to be in it, free publicity and all that.

I would write to the Regional Director (details on the CAMRA website or What's Bruin) or a National Executive member.

[Rex_Rattus]

To add my two penn'orth - it's definitely nonsense. As ROB says, it's either a rogue member trying his luck, or sour grapes on the part of the landlord. It really would be something if all the GBG pubs in Maidstone gave a CAMRA discount; if they didn't, then the landlord in question would surely know that and in any case it would be easy enough to get an "official" CAMRA position from the local branch.

[NickDavies]

As Gill says, a lot of landlords get annoyed when customers tell them how to run their business. And annoyed doubled and vulnerable if they play the Camra card.

As an example, which I've documented here before, This pub (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubreviews/39661/) went from a POTY to expulsion from the GBG in short order thanks to the unreasonable nature of some local branch members.

[london calling]

It amazes me how any landlord who sells real ale is not aware of the criteria for entry to the GBG.Its free advertising and you will sell more beer.A couple of my local pubs were in every year and a fair amount of people mentioned they had only come to the pub because they were in the beer guide .

[london calling]

As Gill says, a lot of landlords get annoyed when customers tell them how to run their business. And annoyed doubled and vulnerable if they play the Camra card.

As an example, which I've documented here before, This pub (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubreviews/39661/) went from a POTY to expulsion from the GBG in short order thanks to the unreasonable nature of some local branch members.
The thing is when alcohol is involve its easy for bar staff to piss off the customers and vice versa.

[rpadam]

I was recently drinking in a very fine real ale pub in Maidstone, where the landlord informed me that he didn't want to be in GBG as he would 'have to give CAMRA members a 10% discount'. He claims this is what he has been told by a CAMRA member who showed him his membership card. Having done a few reviews for GBG myself, I am sure this is complete nonsense. I wrote to CAMRA head office to ask about this but have had no reply.

Has anyone else heard of this kind of nonsense before, or has CAMRA taken things a step too far? Maybe it's just a rogue member? Anyone from Maidstone care to comment?
All sounds like a thoroughly mixed can of Chinese-whispered red herring cobblers that one bloke-down-the-pub may (or, more likely, may not) have told another bloke-down-the-pub...

Mind you, I've been into several Taylor Walker outlets asking for a 10% discount with my Camra card only to be told that there is no such offer (despite the offending staff member standing underneath one of the company's nice printed signs advertising the very thing!). Usually turns out they don't know what button to press on the till and are too embarrassed to admit it. No Taylor Walker outlet in Maidstone yet, though.

On the other hand, you can get a whole 10p off a pint with a Camra card at the Flower Pot but I'm still not really sure whether that is a joke or not.

[Wittenden]

I don't really "get" this discount business.(I'm not a CAMRA member,though could pass for one.)Do people really think that a landlord should subsidise the drinking habits of a small percentage of his customer base out of his pocket, or out of the pockets of his/hers non Camra regulars? I suppose in the case of a chain/pubco the organisation could finance this, but I'd be suprised if this was the case.
Mrs Wittenden has a small plant nursery, and we get really pissed off when asked for a discount " for two" , as it means that people expect that we should reduce our margins just for them. Of course, we might well knock a bit off for regular customers buying large orders, in the same way as a guvnor might treat a regular.

[Rex_Rattus]

I don't really "get" this discount business.(I'm not a CAMRA member,though could pass for one.)Do people really think that a landlord should subsidise the drinking habits of a small percentage of his customer base out of his pocket, or out of the pockets of his/hers non Camra regulars? I suppose in the case of a chain/pubco the organisation could finance this, but I'd be suprised if this was the case.


I guess the short answer is that a landlord doesn't have to subsidise the drinking habits of CAMRA members unless he wants to. Presumably they do it for business reasons - i.e. to generate more business. Perhaps it works - I'm not sure. My experience of CAMRA members (of which I'm one) is that the amount we drink is unaffected by any discount, and that it has only a very minimal effect, if any, on where we drink. Quality and ale choice seems to be the main driving force rather than whether there's a discount. But that's just the people I know, and possibly in some areas it is an important factor.

[london calling]

I don't like to see only Camra members getting a discount although I am one.Just reduce the price for everyone is better.The Bree Louise gives 50p off for Camra members which reduces the price of a pint from £4.30 to £3.80 so the general public are subsidising me.This is the only pub I use my card in as the beers I choose are pretty manky and I rarely finish a half.May I take this opportunity to thank Joe Public. cheers

[rpadam]

I guess the short answer is that a landlord doesn't have to subsidise the drinking habits of CAMRA members unless he wants to. Presumably they do it for business reasons - i.e. to generate more business. Perhaps it works - I'm not sure. My experience of CAMRA members (of which I'm one) is that the amount we drink is unaffected by any discount, and that it has only a very minimal effect, if any, on where we drink. Quality and ale choice seems to be the main driving force rather than whether there's a discount. But that's just the people I know, and possibly in some areas it is an important factor.
A discount for Camra members is just one of many possible marketing options (including doing nothing). Every chain or freehouse can choose their stance on this, and offer discounts - or not - as they feel fit. What would understandably annoy any publican what be some errant Camra member trying to pressure bar-staff to offer a discount where the pub (or chain) has not chosen to adopt this strategy.

NB - As far as a know from my knowledge of Camra members (in general), no branch would be remotely daft enough to take this approach as a matter of local policy.

[Quinno]

NB - As far as a know from my knowledge of Camra members (in general), no branch would be remotely daft enough to take this approach as a matter of local policy.

Agreed - assuming it's a true story then it's a random tosspost almost certainly, No way any Berks CAMRA branches would do that. We do occasionally hear of someone taking our name in vain doing similar (sadly) and we go to great lengths to reassure licensees that it's "not in our name" so to speak.

[ETA]

All those posts pretty much confirm my own thoughts. I still haven't had a reply from Deathstar - er, I mean CAMRA Head Office - but if anyone from Maidstone CAMRA wants to PM me, I'll tell you the pub concerned so you can investigate.