Plaque for pub where beer drinking got real
ABLUE plaque has been unveiled on a pub where the South Manchester CAMRA branch was formed.
In 1974 the South Manchester branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) was formed at the Printer’s Arm pub in Cheadle, - and now a blue plaque has been installed to commemorate the meeting.
After CAMRA was formed fifty years ago, to protest against a powerful beer industry that was taking over and closing small breweries and producing flavourless national brands, news spread to beer enthusiasts in Cheadle.
A meeting was called on January 15, 1974, at the Printer’s Arms, a Robinson’s pub, to see if there was support for starting a regional branch. Organisers were delighted when 71 people turned up and formed the South Manchester branch of CAMRA.
Neil Kellett, who was at the meeting and went on to become branch treasurer, said: “We placed an advert publicising the meeting in the local paper and wondered if anyone would turn up.
“In the event we were overjoyed with the turn out and to cope with the numbers, had to move into the garden despite the chilly weather.
“And we drank the pub dry of both Best Mild and Best Bitter!”
“Everyone was invited to contribute 10p to set up a Branch account and so we started off with £7.10 in the coffers.”
Neil went on to serve on the National Finance Committee and formed the
CAMRA Investment Club, which nowadays has 3000 members and controls £23M of funds.
The branch encompassed a wide area of what is now North Cheshire, Trafford, Manchester and Stockport.
Nowadays the Stockport & S Manchester branch still covers the core area and has 1,400 members instead of a mere handful.
In CAMRA’s Golden Anniversary year, the Branch felt it was appropriate to commemorate its formation.
After an appeal to local members, funds were raised to place a blue plaque on the wall of the pub, which is still part of the Robinson’s Brewery estate.
Current Branch Chairman, John Clarke, said “As a founder member and still active in the branch, Neil was the obvious person to unveil it - especially as he lives round the corner and is still a regular at this Robinson’s pub.
“It was also great to see a number of founder members reunited after many years.
“Their early efforts helped CAMRA create an environment where small breweries could flourish and the numbers of high quality beers now available ensures that there is something to suit everyone’s palette.”