Our sincere thanks to the 828 people who attended Dudley Winter Ales on Friday. We were absolutely bowled over by your love of the event.

We expect to be open as usual on Saturday at 11:00 where admission is free. HOWEVER, we wanted to share with you that, whilst there any still many choices, stocks are limited.

Our advice to you is this: if you'd like to come (and we hope you will) we recommend you don't leave it too late.

Of course, even if we do sell out sooner than expected, Dudley has some great pubs to visit. You can find out more on these within the DWAF programme, which you'll get on arrival.

If you're planning to visit Dudley Winter Ales on Thursday, pre-sale tickets run until midnight tonight.

Similar for Friday, with pre-sales tickets on sale until midnight on Thursday. https://tckty.camra.org.uk/e/266/dudley-winter-ales-fayre-2025

Click on DWAF 2025 Beer & Cider listing for our beer and cider listings.

A Lower Gornal pub has launched a new discount offer for Campaign for Real Ale members.

The Midweek CAMRA Club operates at the Fountain Inn in Temple Street from Tuesday to Thursday.

The 10 per cent off covers all 10 cask ales that the CAMRA Good Beer Guide 2026 pub offers.

The pub run by Michael Boulton is now offering regular events including a wine and cheese tasting night on December 18 (£35 in advance) and a whisky tasting night on December 11 (also £35).

Tickets are available from the bar.

Woodsetton-based Holden's Brewery has launched a new stout in some of its pubs.

5 Black Country Stout is a seasonal beer of five per cent strength.

The brewery is also sponsoring the programme for the annual Dudley Winter Ales Fayre which returns to Dudley Town Hall from November 27 to 29.

The Organising committee is still looking for more CAMRA members to volunteer to help at the beer festival.

Find out more at https://dudley.camra.org.uk/

We've a couple of points to share...

Firstly, we'd still very much welcome offers of volunteering for Dudley Winter Ales Fayre as we're still a bit short on numbers. A smiling face and helpful hands is all that's needed and you get paid in beer too!

Read more at the bottom of our main page... https://dudley.camra.org.uk/viewnode.php?id=261624

We've also got two important meetings this week:

Monday is our monthly branch meeting in Pensnett's Pens Ale at 7pm. https://dudley.camra.org.uk/viewnode.php?id=258298

And, going back to DWAF, it's an organising meeting on Tuesday, again at 7pm, at The Brittania. https://dudley.camra.org.uk/viewnode.php?id=91282

You're warmly welcome to come along to both as we discuss the main actions of the branch and Fayre respectively (we can also provide insight to DWAF volunteering).

For more information on any of the above, drop us a line at ku.gro.armac.yeldud@retsambew.

We've released some extra pre-sale tickets for the Dudley Winter Ales Fayre.

Look to the Tckty page to purchase for the three day event starting on 27 November.

https://tckty.camra.org.uk/e/266/dudley-winter-ales-fayre-2025

We're on the lookout for volunteers for Dudley Winter Ales Fayre. You don't need any past experience and we can accommodate for any circumstances. We just need helping hands and smiling faces.

Benefits of volunteering include your own branded top, discounts with our catering supplier and the all important beer tokens too.

We never have too many volunteers so if you think you can help, then please complete this form: https://forms.office.com/r/cC83cV6i0P

For any queries, drop us a line at ku.gro.armac.yeldud@sreetnulovfawd.

Priory Hall in Dudley features on the logo for the 2025 Dudley Winter Ales Fayre.

It stands within the 19-acre Priory Park close to Dudley town centre.

We hope that many people visiting the town for the beer festival from November 27 to 29 will take the opportunity to explore the park during daylight hours.

The new Priory Park Autumn Festival on Friday, October 31, is also a great chance to find out about the history of the area.

The free event is being organised by the Friends of Priory Park and will run from 12 noon to 4pm.

A guest historian from the Clunaic Monasteries will be giving guided tours around the ruins of the Priory, which dates from 1180.

There will be an autumn trail challenge around the park which takes about 40 minutes to complete and there will be an arts and crafts hub with activities for all ages.

There will also be story telling and pumpkin carving and decorating. Sports activities - weather permitting - will also be available. Priory Park Boxing Club is next to Priory Hall. Boxing also forms part of the logo in the shape of the famous Tipton Slasher.

A planning inspector has allowed an appeal over plans to convert a Coseley pub to a convenience store.

The Dudley & South Staffordshire branch of CAMRA had lodged an objection to the original planning application for the Old Chainyard in Roseville.

Dudley Council turned down the application but owners Red Oak Taverns appealed the refusal.

Following a site visit on September 10 the inspector decided on October 3 to allow the appeal.

Red Oak is applying for costs against the council. Before the decision Red Oak had submitted a second application for permission from Dudley Council to convert the Castle Street pub to a convenience store.

A single-story side extension would be demolished and a new extension would be built to the rear.

If approved the store would be let to a retail operator.

The branch has objected on the grounds that the pub is a valuable community asset and is still viable as a pub.

It is felt that the area has lost many real ale pubs in recent years and the branch would not wish to see any further reduction.

A decision on this application has yet to be made by the council.

It is not clear whether that will be withdrawn in the light of the successful appeal.

If Red Oak goes ahead with the conversion then the Old Chainyard will close as a pub.

The branch will be seeking clarity on its future.

The 2025 Sedgley Charity Beer, Cider and Gin Festival will feature 36 real ales this year. .

It is running in First Sedgley Scout Headquarters - Jubilee Hall - off Ladies Walk from 5pm on Friday, September 26.

The Saturday opening hours are 12 noon to 11pm.

The two-day festival is organised by volunteers from the First Sedgley Scout Group. It will feature music from nine live bands. There will also be a barbecue. Entrance is £15, which includes £10 of drinks tokens and a festival glass. Proceeds go to the scout group, BBC Children in Need and local charities.

There is a new tenant at the Lamp Tavern in Dudley.

Don Hirst, who also runs the Dudley Arms at Himley has taken on the tenancy of the Batham's pub in High Street.

Work has already been carried out to refurbish the lounge and the outdoor patio area has been given a new look with fresh seating.

Refurbishment work is also underway on the cottage on the site with the plan to re-open the rooms in there for bed and breakfast.

Opening hours are 12 noon to 11pm each day with Batham's bitter and mild on sale. XXX will be available when it is sent out to the pubs in late November.

The rear function room in the old brewhouse, which is used for the Lamp Tavern Live blues club, is also available to hire.

Further improvements to the pub, which at one time was up for sale, are in the pipeline.

For those who are kindly assisting with running the Dudley Winter Ales Fayre, may we please make you aware that all meetings have been moved to The Britannia in Gornal.

Branch micropub The Ale Hub in Kingswinford - which features in the 2025 Good Beer Guide - has closed with immediate effect.

The micropub in High Street has been running for three years.

In a post on Faebook on Tuesday it was announced that the decision was due to the current economic climate.

The remaining 18-month lease on the premises is being sold for offers over £6,000.

The Ale Hub hosted many events including quizzes and live music.

Kingswinford and South Staffordshire MP Mike Wood has launched a competition to find the best pub in his constituency.

Landlords, staff and customers can nominate pubs.

The competition was launched at the Horse and Jockey in High Street Wall Heath on Friday, August 8. The pub, which has been run for 13 years by Alan and Michelle Preston, has been nominated by regular Claire Millward.

The closing date for nominations is September 15 with the winner to be announced in October.

His constituency takes in many real ale pubs in the Dudley and South Staffordshire branch area as well as some of the South Staffordshire pub in the Wolverhampton branch area.

Mr Wood said: "I'm launching the competition at a time when the hospitality sector is struggling to publicise what makes our pubs so special."

Nominations can be for pubs that do amazing work in the community, raise large amounts of money for charity, support local grassroots sports and friendly pubs with fantastic staff that offer great food and a good pint."

He hopes to visit all the nominated pubs before announcing the winner and he plans to make it an annual competition.

The launch was held to coincide with International Beer Day.

Entries will be judged not just on the number of nominations received, but also on the reasons given for why the pub deserves to win. From exceptional service and locally brewed ales to great food, fantastic staff or a warm, welcoming atmosphere, all aspects will be considered. The launch also marked a poignant anniversary — two years since the devastating fire and demolition of The Crooked House, a beloved and historic local pub. As part of the campaign,the MP hopes to raise awareness of efforts to rebuild The Crooked House and to shine a light on the importance of preserving other heritage pubs across the region.

To submit a nomination, people should complete the short nomination form, available on Mike Wood MP’s website, or by following the link here: https://www.mike4kss.com/pub-year-competition

Members of Dudley and South Staffordshire CAMRA will be visiting the Great British Beer Festival at the Birmingham National Exhibition Centre on Wednesday, August 6. . The plan is for members to meet at the festival for 2pm and stay until the evening. Members will need to make their own transport arrangements.

Contact chairman John Corser on 07931 862272 on the day to arrange where to meet up.

The Bridgnorth Beer Festival is taking place from August 28 to 30 at Bridgnorth Rugby Club, Bandon Lane.

There are no plans to run a trip, but members may wish to meet up on the Friday when the festival opens at 12 noon.

Shrewsbury Beer Festival is from September 24 to 27 and plans for a branch visit have yet to be discussed.

Sedgley's Sandsy's microbar will have a new name when it re-opens.

Owner Dean Sands has decided to concentrate on operating the premises in Dudley Street as a bar only.

The bar has operated mainly in evenings with a cafe operation in the mornings and lunchtimes.

It will be known as Sanzibar when it re-opens at the start of August.

The premises is being refurbished ahead of re-opening with plans to offer more real ales.

Opening times have yet to be announced.

Holden's Brewery in Woodsetton is offering a special price on its real ales over three days to mark its 110th anniversary.

Many of its pubs will be putting on special events from July 25 to 27.

All real ales will be £3 a pint at pubs including The Park Inn next to the brewery; The Mill, Upper Gornal; The Chapel House, Lower Gornal; The Rose and Crown, Brierley Hill; The Bell, Trysull; The Bull's Head, Sedgley and The New Inn, Coseley.

Each pub's social media pages will detail what is planned over the celebration weekend.