Hello to you all,

CAMRA Gwynedd a Mon Branch AGM At The Adelphi Vaults

Port Amlwch, Anglesey 3rd May 2025 at 1pm

Welcome: Clive welcomed everyone to the meeting, especially members who had not attended before.

Apologies: Received from, Martyn Lewis, John Hopkins and John Griffiths.

Chairman: Clive reported that during the last year Eryl, our longstanding Chairman, passed away. Glasses were raised in toast to Eryl and Lynn. Good Beer Guide entries have been submitted for 2026, surveying has taken place in most of our region.

Treasurer: Don reported that the Branch has been busy since last year’s AGM. The old bank account had been closed down after much communication between the Branch and CAMRA HQ, we agreed to open a new account with the Metro Bank. Don has undergone COBAS (CAMRA Online Branch Accounting System) training. Camra uses the COBAS system to monitor Branch accounts.

Pubs Officer: Clive continues to update Whatpub with information sent to him from members. He mentioned a member from Sheffield who has provided a large number of updates and photos. Olivers Tap House has opened in Menai Bridge. Ty Mo in Bethesda has reopened and the Bull in Bethesda has real ale. Penrhos Arms in Llanfair PG has closed. Gaerwen Arms is up for sale.

Social Secretary: Don reported that as a Branch the last year has been very busy getting together socially in numerous locations for many different reasons. Liverpool,Chester, Shrewsbury, Llandudno,Llanbedr, Anglesey, Bangor, Penygroes and more recently Torquay and Barmouth. Although some of these were for meetings and training sessions they were also social occasions. The Branch Facebook page is running steady. We are gaining followers and not losing many. With the help of Cemlyn it is hoped that this will move forward. We really need members from our Branch to post. There are a lot of followers who live a long way from our area and are looking to see how busy we are.

Campaigns Officer: Dafydd reported that he is still thinking of ways pubs can be supported during difficult times for the industry, Clive commented that pubs/clubs are always appreciative when we give out awards.

Election of Branch Committee: Nico oversaw the election of the Officers. Chairman - Clive Treasurer - Don Secretary - Nico Vice Chair - Julie Pubs Officer - Clive Social Sec - Don Minutes Sec - Julie Branch Contact - Nico Campaigns Officer - Dafydd Branch Accounts examiner - Gareth Roberts ( Chester Branch ) Membership Sec - Dafydd LocAle Co-ordinator - Nico Cider Representative - Nico Media contact/pubs protection officer - Dafydd Social Media contact - Don Pub promotions and awards coordinator - Barry Other agenda items. POTY: The Black Bull in Bangor was runner up for Gwynedd a Mon PotY, Stori in Bala was runner up for CPotY. Dates to be arranged to present these awards. North Wales Beer Tasting Panel: David Welby gave the following report - The North Wales Tasting Panel has had a successful year since its inauguration in July 2024. Thirteen Wesh beers were entered into CBOB 2025 with sufficient tastings and scores for qualification. Purple Moose Elderflower was one of 50 beers judged at CBOB Winter Beer Festival in January and gained third in class “speciality” and will go forward to CBOB competition at NEC Birmingham in August. If anyone wants to be on the tasting panel please contact Clive for further information. AOB: Assets of Community Value (ACV’s) are not applicable in Wales. This has been raised previously but nothing has moved forward. CAMRA chairman, Ash Corbett-Collins has raised this with Eluned Morgan so the Welsh Senedd are now aware of the issue. In Holyhead, the old Natwest Bank is being converted into a hospitality venue. It is thought that Catch 22 will run the restaurant side with Bragdy Cybi running the bar. Seven members attended the Members weekend AGM, in Torquay. CAMRA is trying to get cask ale recognised as part of our cultural heritage. A partition has been set up which needs to obtain 100,000 signatures by 1st October 2025 to be considered for debate in parliament. To sign the petition go to https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/716686.

Upcoming local beer festivals - 6/7th June - Rail Ale - Snowdonia Parc

6/8th July - Talyllyn Railway 12/13th September = Llanbedr Next Branch Meeting - Stori, 14th June at midday. Also presentation of runner up for Cider Pub of the Year. Next Branch Social - Black Bull, Bangor. Wednesday 18th June at 6pm. Also presentation of runner up for Pub of the Year.

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Thanks

Branch: Gwynedd A Mon

Eryl Morris – Eulogy

It is very appropriate to be giving this eulogy on 1 March – St David’s Day, as Eryl was a very proud Welshman. Eryl was born and bought up in Gwynedd in the late 1950s and 1960s. He spent much of his career as a civil servant working for many years in what was then known as the DHSS, where he became a fraud investigator.

He was a CAMRA member for 30 years, and Chair of the Gwynedd a Mon Branch for the best part of 20 years. He certainly signed a lot of Pub of the Year and other certificates over the years, which remain in pubs and bars across the two counties.

His biggest contribution to promoting real ale was helping run beer festivals. He was often visible front of house at Welsh Beer Festivals in Cardiff. However, his most significant role was as the ever present bar manager organising the Cwrw ar Cledrau Welsh Highland Railway festivals that have run for almost two decades. As last year’s festival was the last before building work at the site – it was described as it will ‘be the last of it’s kind – with Eryl’s passing that is certainly the case.

His wife Lynn was a regular attendee at our meetings, and we have sent our condolences to her and their family. Eryl will be much missed by the Branch.

Branch Notice

It is with great pleasure to announce the winners of PotY, CPotY and CotY 2025.

Pub of the Year 2025 Myrddins Tap Barmouth.

Cider Pub of the Year 2025 Myrddins Tap Barmouth.

Club of the Year 2025 Royal St Davids Golf Club.

Harlech.

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We also remind you that a social is planned for Friday 21st March at Bragdy Lleu, Penygroes. 4pm onwards.

Hi Everyone,

Camra Gwynedd A Mon Branch

Welcome nominations for,

Pub of the Year,

Cider Pub of the Year,

Club of the Year,

The PotY needs to be in The Good Beer Guide 2025.

Please send nominations to the Branch Contact, Nico Llewelyn by 26th February.

gro.armac.nomaddenywg@tcatnoc,uk

Don

CAMRA Gwynedd A Mon Branch Meeting at Ty Mawr Llanbedr

Saturday 11th January 2025 at 1.00pm

Welcome, Clive welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Branch Committee Positions ( Chair ), Nico informed the meeting that we could not wait until the AGM to elect a new Chair. Firstly Camra send information out to the Chair that is not sent to other committee members, and secondly Lynn is continuing to receive emails to Eryl from CAMRA which understandably is upsetting and she would like these to stop.

Nico proposed that Clive be nominated to take over as Chair and this was seconded by Don. Agreed by all.

This left a vacancy for the Vice Chair position. Nico proposed Don Taylor which was seconded by John Griffiths. Don agreed to take on the role which was agreed by all.

Good Beer Guide Allocations, Clive asked Don to send out a message to all members to encourage them to survey pubs they visit and put forward names of any they would like to be considered for the GBG 2026 to Branch Contact Nico Llewelyn. Voting will take place at the next meeting.

We currently have 24 allocations in the GBG. Dave Tullet (Vale of Clwyd Branch) understands that three of their allocations will transfer to us. We need to draw up a shortlist of 30 pubs, 27 for the guide (assuming we get the 3 extra), plus 3 in reserve.

North Wales Beer Festival, Nico has said he will not be organising a NWBF. There are too many barriers to organising and setting it up and it would not be feasible to run a Regional beer festival. Members expressed regret as it looked as if the rugby club would have been a good venue.

Brewery Liaison Officers, Nico reported that we currently have 8 breweries within the Gwynedd A Mon Branch. BLO’s were needed for Purple Moose and Bragdy Lleu, Don and John agreed to take on these roles.

Branch Brewery of the year 2024, Nico has confirmed a date for the presentation. It will take place on Saturday 15th February 2025, at 3pm.

A.O.B. At the last Regional Meeting Clive was approached by the Chair of Bae Ceredigion Branch to take The Slaters Arms, Corris into our Branch as it was in our area geographically. We agreed to do this. However, when this was put to members in Bae Ceredigion they were not happy to release the pub.

Don reported that there are 54 members on our Facebook but not many posts. There is a lot of activity on the Gwynedd A Mon WhatApp group and it would be good if some of this could be posted on Facebook. It was suggested that landlords are asked to post on Facebook as a way to advertise current beer availability.

Comms is still getting 60% viewings each month.

Next Branch Meeting - Saturday 15th February is at The Australia Porthmadog, 1.00pm January social- Saturday 25th - Surveying South Gwynedd Pubs, starting in Aberdyfi.

February Social - Friday 28th - Sandymount Hotel, Rhosneigr from 4pm onwards.

This is a reminder to all members, when you visit pubs, survey them. Send your findings to Nico our Branch contact. ku.gro.armac.nomaddenywg@tcatnoc

Thanks

Don