Fighting for better lager, one pint at a time
sir – I see that the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) is planning to support lager (report, March 17).
It is a bit late. Several years ago in our local pub we founded Camel: the Campaign for Excellent Lager. Howard Owen Southampton
sir – If God had meant us to drink lager, He wouldn’t have given us taste buds. Keep the faith, Camra. Richard Sartin Weymouth, Dorset
sir – In 1960 I was the adjutant of a Royal Signals regiment. All members of the officers’ mess had a Watneys Red Barrel keyring (Letters, March 19), which they had to carry at all times. If you were challenged by a fellow officer and couldn’t show the keyring, drinks were on you. If you were carrying the keyring, the challenger paid.
Once, we had a regimental parade in preparation for a royal visit. After I had fallen in the officers, I reported the regiment ready for inspection to the commanding officer. As I saluted him he opened his left hand, in which a red barrel was nestling, and said: “Show”. That was an expensive lunchtime for me.
Roy Ward Petersfield, Hampshire
sir – Camra has fought the good fight for the last four decades. The job is done: we have very good breweries. However, pubs are closing fast.
We do not need beer-tickers. We need real people drinking in our pubs, laughing, talking politics and religion, teasing and arguing.
Over the last 40 years I have seen too many gastropubs and theme pubs, sports bars and bistros, with their piped music and machines. Supermarkets have packaged alcohol as a loss-leader, and local authorities have swingeing rates demands.
Hilaire Belloc tells us that “when you have lost your inns, drown your empty selves, for you will have lost the last of England”.
Chas Wright Uley Ales Ltd Dursley, Gloucestershire