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ETA
27-07-2010, 12:38
CAMRA, I read somewhere, has launched a scheme to get pubs to offer a discount to CAMRA members (some already do, so I'm not sure what's changed). See www.camra.org.uk/discountscheme for details. Is this:

a. A good idea to get more trade into the pubs
b. A thinly-disguised membership drive from the St Albans Kremlin
c. A genuine attempt to introduce a small perk for its members
d. All of the above?

I would like to be charitable and answer d to my own question, but what do others, especially publicans, think?

Grailhunter
27-07-2010, 12:51
I have two pubs local to me that offer discounts to CAMRA members. One offers 40p off a pint of real ale, the other 20p off a pint and 25% off the price of food.
I'm sure they will have been encouraged by the local CAMRA branch to do this basically with a view to encouraging real ale drinking non-members to sign up.
I think of ETAs' three reasons, B is the driver !

ROBCamra
27-07-2010, 13:11
The Baum gives a 40p per pint/20p per half discount to CAMRA members Sunday - Thursday.

I have to admit it was my idea and I sold the idea to Simon the landlord as a 3 month trial.

I'd seen it work very well in Nottingham, so I nicked the idea.

It was so successful that it's been running for almost 18 months now.

The increased turnover in midweek allowed the pub to up the number of handpumps from 5 to 6, so it's a winner all round in my opinion. :cheers:

Even with the discount the nearby JDW is still cheaper though.

The "new" CAMRA initiative and the posters they supplied have been totally ignored of course. :p

RogerB
27-07-2010, 13:46
Is this:

a. A good idea to get more trade into the pubs
b. A thinly-disguised membership drive from the St Albans Kremlin
c. A genuine attempt to introduce a small perk for its members
d. All of the above?


Certainly B & C although most current CAMRA members and those enticed by B are likely to be regular pub goers anyway so I doubt there will be much of an effect on A overall. Not sure if that all makes sense :confused:

Andy Ven
27-07-2010, 14:12
All of those I think. The current year's CAMRA membership virtually gives you your money back by providing £20 worth of Wetherspoon's 50p vouchers to be used (1 per customer per visit) against a purchase of a pint of real ale.

Personally, I think this is a good thing because it has boosted CAMRA membership and therefore the voice that CAMRA has. This has undoubtedly also been beneficial for Wetherspoon's but I think it has had a positive knock-on effect for the consumer as well because it has increased demand for real ale which has influenced more of Wetherspoon's competitors to stock it and has therefore increased availability and choice. I hope it continues.

trainman
27-07-2010, 14:32
I'm ashamed to say I've never been a member but have long considered enrolling if only to thank the organisation for their early work in saving real ale.
Now, as mentioned, membership is effectively free once 'spoons vouchers have been redeemed. On that point, does anyone know whether the number of vouchers doubles if signing up under the joint-membership (+partner) option?

ROBCamra
27-07-2010, 14:55
I'm ashamed to say I've never been a member but have long considered enrolling if only to thank the organisation for their early work in saving real ale.
Now, as mentioned, membership is effectively free once 'spoons vouchers have been redeemed. On that point, does anyone know whether the number of vouchers doubles if signing up under the joint-membership (+partner) option?

Sadly they don't, you just get the one set. Not surprising really as the joint membership is only an extra couple of quid.

Oggwyn Trench
27-07-2010, 20:45
I have been thinking of rejoining , if just to annoy the local branch members :D

Eddie86
27-07-2010, 22:12
We were going to offer a discount to CAMRA members, but one of the locals pointed something out. Why should a complete stranger who's never set foot in the pub before get a discount when those locals who use the pub every day (inc Christmas Day) don't get any. So instead a discount on the bedrooms which has proved extremely successful.

ptg
27-07-2010, 23:28
We have a discount card scheme in place for our locals, and I've no intention of encouraging camra members specifically as a group - don't have a dedicated jumper stand :whistle:

rpadam
27-07-2010, 23:41
We have a discount card scheme in place for our locals, and I've no intention of encouraging camra members specifically as a group - don't have a dedicated jumper stand :whistle:
I'm not really sure that this type of snide tabloid 'joke' helps encourage people to visit certain pubs (from a no doubt humourless, non-jumper wearing CAMRA member)...

ptg
27-07-2010, 23:55
It's the sense of humour of our place, and is something that comes from our regular customers, who include a number of camra members - if it's the sort of thing that offends anyone, I'd actively encourage them to stay away to be honest.

ROBCamra
28-07-2010, 09:11
We were going to offer a discount to CAMRA members, but one of the locals pointed something out. Why should a complete stranger who's never set foot in the pub before get a discount when those locals who use the pub every day (inc Christmas Day) don't get any. So instead a discount on the bedrooms which has proved extremely successful.

We have a discount card scheme in place for our locals, and I've no intention of encouraging camra members specifically as a group - don't have a dedicated jumper stand

Most of the regulars at the Baum simply joined CAMRA. Some of the very very regulars got their money back by the end of the first month.:p

Many of them had already said that as they liked real ale they should join CAMRA. The discount just made them get around to it.


We have a discount card scheme in place for our locals, and I've no intention of encouraging camra members specifically as a group - don't have a dedicated jumper stand

I'm more of a T shirt wearer and I don't even have a beard and a pair of sandals.:) I also don't attend the branch meetings as I think many of the local CAMRA crowd are :muppet::muppet:

Wittenden
29-07-2010, 00:07
I'm more of a T shirt wearer and I don't even have a beard and a pair of sandals.:) I also don't attend the branch meetings as I think many of the local CAMRA crowd are :muppet::muppet:

What, even the great Tandleman?-Shame!

Conrad
29-07-2010, 11:11
What, even the great Tandleman?-Shame!
Pfffffff, he doesn't want to link exchange with us so in a rather petulant manner I say :muppet:

and will of course embarrassedly retract that if he changes his mind one day.

ROBCamra
29-07-2010, 12:28
What, even the great Tandleman?-Shame!

The Baum is featured in the "great" Tandlemans blog today.

oldboots
30-07-2010, 19:17
since we're in beer bellies, beards and sandals mode here's (http://beerjustice.blogspot.com/2010/07/camra-bans-sandals-from-gbbf.html) an interesting story

Conrad
31-07-2010, 16:12
since we're in beer bellies, beards and sandals mode here's (http://beerjustice.blogspot.com/2010/07/camra-bans-sandals-from-gbbf.html) an interesting story
Right time to splinter and form the Campaign for Ale that is Real.

ETA
01-08-2010, 09:26
Right time to splinter and form the Campaign for Ale that is Real.

What about the Real Ale Consumers' Interest Support Movement?

Or would they ban it for being racism?

Farway
01-08-2010, 14:27
Right time to splinter and form the Campaign for Ale that is Real.

No, has to be Campaign for Real Ale in Pubs, can just see the logo on the pubs' doors now, this is a CRAP pub :D

trainman
01-08-2010, 15:27
No, has to be Campaign for Real Ale in Pubs, can just see the logo on the pubs' doors now, this is a CRAP pub :D

There exists an organisation (membership unknown) which calls itself Croydon Real Ale Preservation Society...

http://www.spbw.com/craps/

Some here may know of Pete under the username Alph_river

ROBCamra
01-08-2010, 15:28
I can just see the logo on the pubs' doors now, this is a CRAP pub :D

There's already a similar thing in place it says "This is an Enterprise Inn" :whistle:

Wittenden
01-08-2010, 23:06
There exists an organisation (membership unknown) which calls itself Croydon Real Ale Preservation Society...

http://www.spbw.com/craps/

Some here may know of Pete under the username Alph_river

So that's what has happened to Alph_River-he posted some useful comments on the other place,but gave up on it about a year ago, if my memory serves.

RogerB
02-08-2010, 09:36
So that's what has happened to Alph_River-he posted some useful comments on the other place,but gave up on it about a year ago, if my memory serves.
He turned up at one of our meet ups at the Royal Oak, Borough a couple of years back - quite a character - he even made little home made name badges for everyone with our avatars! I wonder if it's worth somehow dropping him a line through one of the web sites - he probably doesn't know we've reconvened over here.

Rex_Rattus
02-08-2010, 11:29
So that's what has happened to Alph_River-he posted some useful comments on the other place,but gave up on it about a year ago, if my memory serves.

Yes, I remember some of his postings. I think he used a depiction of Marco Polo as his avatar, but I never got round to asking him. Xanadu, where Alph the sacred river flows - visited by Marco Polo, if I remember correctly. He's the only bloke I know who managed to insert an umlaut in one of the words in one of his postings. Sorry, that does all sound a bit like gibberish!

Alesonly
02-08-2010, 11:46
Yes I remember Him at the Royal Oak meet up just looked on Bite for his latest Review postings and it looks like his still posting reviews up until 29 June 2010 last one was just over a month ago so I sent him a PM where we all are at Pubs Galore. http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/ and ask him too pop over and read some posts Etc.

ETA
02-08-2010, 11:49
. He's the only bloke I know who managed to insert an umlaut in one of the words in one of his postings.

Have just tried it but between writing and posting, the application deleted nto just the diacritic but the base letter too: as in "cordinated". Does this site only support a limited ASCII character set?

trainman
02-08-2010, 12:40
'Alph' is currently secretary (I think) of Camra's Croydon & Sutton branch, so that will presumably limit time available for pub/beer forums. Also, I don't think he was too well late last year, but he remembered me (from Royal Oak) when we met by chance at The Cricketers (Shirley Rd) a coupla months back. I'm pleased to say he seemed back in good spirits then.


he probably doesn't know we've reconvened over here.

I hope I would have mentioned PG, but can't recall for sure...

Conrad
02-08-2010, 12:47
Have just tried it but between writing and posting, the application deleted nto just the diacritic but the base letter too: as in "cordinated". Does this site only support a limited ASCII character set?
Seriously, on a Monday morning you have to ask me this? :eek:

The main site should support all characters, the forum up until 5 minutes ago was constrained to Western Latin, hopefully the change I have just made should solve that though, lets see:

coördinated

I love utf-8, sadly PHP and MySQL are not so keen.

Edit: Also just to relieve the pedant in my soul, ASCII is a limited character-set which doesn't include the diacritics, although some forms of Extended ASCII will (hence the problem).

ETA
02-08-2010, 13:00
Seriously, on a Monday morning you have to ask me this? :eek:

The main site should support all characters, the forum up until 5 minutes ago was constrained to Western Latin, hopefully the change I have just made should solve that though, lets see:

coördinated

I love utf-8, sadly PHP and MySQL are not so keen.

Edit: Also just to relieve the pedant in my soul, ASCII is a limited character-set which doesn't include the diacritics, although some forms of Extended ASCII will (hence the problem).

Many thanks, Conrad. Your pädentry and my inéxactitüde noted.

Conrad
02-08-2010, 13:19
Many thanks, Conrad. Your pädentry and my inéxactitüde noted.
Have to admit up until a couple of years ago I knew nothing on these matters as a self taught programmer, I think I am just about getting my head round it now after much reading, tis a torrid minefield when doing websites.

Going back to subject though, it sounds like it is our loss not having Alph, sounds like a bit of a character. Fingers crossed on that one.

RogerB
02-08-2010, 13:48
He does still actively review over on the other channel so I've sent him a message to try and get him to pop over and say hello! Here's hoping.

Quinno
15-08-2010, 15:15
He turned up at one of our meet ups at the Royal Oak, Borough a couple of years back - quite a character - he even made little home made name badges for everyone with our avatars! I wonder if it's worth somehow dropping him a line through one of the web sites - he probably doesn't know we've reconvened over here.

Ahhh, yes I recall. I think I still have my little avatar badge somewhere!