Village pub is dropped from Good Beer Guide for being 'too popular'

November 28, 2022

Village pub is dropped from Good Beer Guide for being ‘too popular’: Snooty CAMRA reviewers mark down award-winning family boozer because it is too busy, there were children in the bar, and they served food at LUNCHTIME

Holly Bush Inn in Makeney, Derbyshire has been left out of real ale drinkers’ bible’
It recently got a ten-out-of-ten rating from the prestigious European Bar Guide
Locals insist: ‘No one pays any real attention to what a few beer buffs have to say’

A traditional village pub has been dropped from the Good Beer Guide – for being too popular.

Snooty reviewers marked down the award-winning Holly Bush Inn – a picturesque 17th century watering hole – as they found it too busy, there were children in the bar and they served food at lunchtime.

It means that the pub in the village of Makeney near Belper, Derbyshire, won’t be in the new edition of the real ale drinkers’ ‘bible’ for the first time in ten years – despite recently getting a ten-out-of-ten rating from the prestigious European Bar Guide.

It means that the pub in the village of Makeney near Belper, Derbyshire, won’t be in the new edition of the real ale drinkers’ ‘bible’ for the first time in ten years

The pub, which boasts a traditional snug bar also has open fires – and no televisions

Landlady Alex Wilbraham said: ‘The chairman told me we weren’t included because we were too busy and that their CAMRA representatives couldn’t get served straight away.

‘Another reason was that we serve children – but there are only certain areas that children are allowed in. They also didn’t like the fact that we serve food – even though it’s only at lunchtimes.

‘We have to do that because it’s a country pub and gone are the days when you can rely on just drinkers for income. We have to have something to attract drinkers in the week.

‘It’s ridiculous that if you don’t have CAMRA members in your pub then you don’t get votes. I don’t think that’s a very fair system.’

The pub, which boasts a traditional snug bar also has open fires – and no televisions.

Alex added: ‘We’ve tried to keep it a drinkers pub and when we first took it over, women and families weren’t particularly well catered for. It used to be very male-oriented – after-work drinkers and people from certain industries but now it’s for anyone.

‘There are a lot of pubs out there and we might not be everybody’s favourite pub. But we are for a lot of people because it is a special place and it’s sad that it’s not been recognised.’

One local said: ‘It’s a fantastic watering hole – CAMRA represents just a minority – no-one pays any real attention to what a few beer buffs have to say.’

Another said: ‘It’s nonsense – this is the perfect pub like every village should have. Alex is a brilliant landlady and everyone is welcome.’

The Holly Bush Inn recently won a ten-out-of-ten rating from the prestigious European Bar Guide

CAMRA was founded in 1971 and annually publishes the ‘Good Beer Guide’, listing 4,500 of the best UK pubs, clubs and off-licences – this year is the 50th anniversary edition

CAMRA’s Regional Director for the East Midlands, Robert Hamnett-Day, said: ‘The Good Beer Guide is based entirely on personal recommendations made by local CAMRA members, which are rigorously reviewed by branches and editors.

‘Recommendations consider beer quality as well as the history and architecture of a pub and various aspects such as food, gardens, family and disabled facilities and special events.

‘We appreciate that exclusion from the guide can be frustrating. The fact of the matter is that there are only so many listings available per region, and the competition in Derby was fierce. We wish the Holly Bush Inn the very best of luck with future inclusion and will continue to support it as a branch however we can.’

CAMRA was founded in 1971 and annually publishes the ‘Good Beer Guide’, listing 4,500 of the best UK pubs, clubs and off-licences – this year is the 50th anniversary edition.

The featured establishments are voted for by the members of regional CAMRA branches – there are hundreds all over the country in sixteen regions.

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