Me (cider in hand) with Alan Canvess (ale in hand) behind the bar.

Alan is the chairman of the Hull and East Riding branch of CAMRA, that's the Campaign for Real Ale for those you don't know! He told me how CAMRA had been set up to promote good-quality real ale and pubs on both a national and local scale.

We also spoke about how big pub companies were buying local pubs and taking the character out of them by turning them into chains which all have the same decor, same beer and same food. CAMRA are against these take-overs because they lead to brewery closures, loss of established beers, higher prices and reduced choice. They also campaign when good pubs are threatened with closure because of the impact it has on the local community.

Alan told me that he's always on hand to offer advice for publicans and those who excel in brewing, cellarmanship or simply run a good pub. They can even be rewarded by being listed publications such as the Good Beer Guide and being nominated for various awards like the Pub of the Year for their good practice.

The local branch also organises an annual beer festival which not only acts as a fund raiser, but also keeps people informed about CAMRA's work and the vast range of beers that are still available. This isn't as easy as it sounds, the question of where hold the event needs to be answered before you can even think about which ales and ciders to stock. Until recently this event was held at the Hull City Hall but after they were unable to guarantee availability, the annual festival was moved to Hull College's Horncastle Building on George Street.

Related Articles:

• Seaside FM News: Hull Real Ale & Cider Festival 2009.
• Mike Brown's Blog: Hello, hello, It's good be back!
• Mike Brown's Blog: Good Head & Big Clocks.
• Mike Brown's Blog: Bras, 69s, Bananas & Cider.

Related Links:

• CAMRA website.
• Hull and East Riding CAMRA website.