Branch News

Branch Pub of the Year 2026

ROB Pub of the Year: The Fox and Pine Oldham
Runner up, Broad Street Social, Bury.

Congratulations to Chris, Michelle and all the staff at the Fox and Pine on their 5th consecutive win of branch Pub of the Year, an amazing achievement and all the best to you going into the Greater Manchester Area competition again. Also congratulations to Jen and the staff at Broad St Social in Bury with a highly commendable runners up slot.

Rochdale POTY - The Flying Horse
2nd The Baum
3rd The Cemetery.

Oldham POTY - The Fox and Pine
Joint second place to The Puckersley, The White Hart and The Cross Keys

Bury POTY - Broad St Social
2nd Irwell Works Brewery Tap
3rd Art Picture House

Presentation dates for Award Certificates will be announced in advance in our Branch Diary.

More about AWARDS here.

Good Beer Guide 2027

The selection meeting for the branch entries into the Good Beer Guide 2027 was held on 14th February 2026. 35 pubs and clubs were selected from Rochdale Oldham and Bury. The successful pubs and clubs will get to know they are included in September when the Guide is published.

Greater Manchester Area Pub of The Year 2025

It is with pride that we announce our very own POTY, the Fox and Pine in Oldham has been crowned as the Greater Manchester Area Pub of the Year. The runners-up were Sherringtons in Wigan and B33R@33 in Horwich. Unfortunately the Fox and Pine did not win the North West Regional competition which was won by The Cumberland Arms, Alston (Cumbria).

Branch Magazine

Our Branch magazine "More Beer" is produced quarterly. The most recent issue is shown here. Click the image for the online version.

For previous issues go to the Branch Magazine page.

Greater Manchester Area Club of the Year 2025

We are extremely proud to announce that our Branch Club of the Year, Dobcross Band and Social Club, was judged to be the Greater Manchester Area Club of the Year. Furthermore, after going through to the North West Regional round, it was awarded Runner-Up! Well done to all at this vibrant and community focussed club. Presentations were held at the club in early August 2025. See full details on our Clubs page. Clubs

Social Media

Catch up on our recent activity and other pub/beer related matters & join in the conversations. Click the logos to visit our Social Media pages.

National News

CAMRA National Club of The Year 2025

A popular Good Beer Guide Club has been announced overall Winner of the annual Club of The Year competition. Read more here about The Billingham Catholic Club in Billingham (Stockton-On-Tees), County Durham.

CAMRA National Pub of The Year 2025

The coveted title has been won by the Tamworth Tap in Staffordshire, bagging an unprecedented trilogy of top titles. Since the start of CAMRA’s Pub of the Year competition in 1988, no pub has ever won the Campaign’s most prestigious award three times – until now. Read the full story here.

Help for pubs ‘short-term and short-sighted‘

Responding to the Treasury’s announcement in January 2026, of extra help for pubs in England with business rates, CAMRA chairman Ash Corbett-Collins said: “This short-term announcement is not the ‘permanently lower business rates’ that pubs were promised. While it is positive that the chancellor has listened and announced extra discounts for pubs facing the threat of closure, it is short-sighted to think that today’s statement will give publicans the certainty they need.” Read more on CAMRA What’s Brewing pages.

Farewell to the WhatPub website

The WhatPub website is no longer being maintained, and was closed down on 10th December 2025.

Users may have noticed that there has been for some while now, an option to switch to the new CAMRA website. We hope that users will familiarise themselves with it. It has some really useful functions, like scoring beers, updating pub/club information, searching for beer festivals and even creating your own “trip” such as a tour of pubs. Why not give it a go now? CAMRA National website: National CAMRA A pictorial guide to beer-scoring on mobile phones will soon be available….watch this space.

Good Beer Guide 2026

Have you got yours yet? Click the image to order one. Members should log in to secure a discount!

Fresh Ale & Handpump Hijack Campaign

For generations, a handpump on the bar has been a sign of quality. Where cask is well kept, consumers can be sure of a spotless cellar, well-trained bar staff and a commitment to offering the best of UK brewing. Now, Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) – one of the world’s largest brewery conglomerates – has resorted to misleading consumers by hijacking the handpump to serve its “Fresh Ale” product. CMBC says this is “preserving the beloved hand pull ritual that delivers the traditional theatre of serve that ale is famed for”. CAMRA believes consumers deserve better than CMBC play acting at serving cask – a product they claim to champion while closing breweries and removing cask lines from bars. Our handpump hijack campaign calls on brewers to be proud of all their whole range of beers by serving them in a way that won’t mislead their customers. Read more, including How to report Fresh Ale if you see it, on our Campaigning Locally page Campaigning locally

Good Beer Guide App

Notice of shutdown of Good Beer Guide App

Following the launch of the CAMRA website, which includes free access for members to Good Beer Guide information, the GBG app will be closed for all users. Members will have free access via the website and non-members will be able to subscribe for 99p per month. Since mid-August 2025, no new customers are able to purchase the app and when existing users’ renewals come up they will not be able to renew. The GBG app will remain functional for the next 12 months so any access will remain for existing users during the full term of their subscription.