We're always very grateful for voluntary support for Dudley Winter Ales Fayre. If you can spare a couple of hours, please kindly complete a form for us.

Volunteers get discounts on food, free drinks and if you can work more than seven hours- and you complete the form by Monday- a very fabulous top too.

https://forms.office.com/r/mUBbEE2sY5

You may have noticed that the branch meeting minutes are no longer showing on the left menu. We've rightly been reminded that these should only be visible to members and to see them you'll need to log in view this page: Branch meeting minutes.

So, they've not gone. They're just in the right room now.

The 2025 Good Beer Guide has now been published. It features many pubs in the Dudley and South Staffordshire branch area. The allocation for the branch was reduced this year and the guide features 22 in our area of the Black Country and three in South Staffordshire.

They are: Amblecote, Red Lion; Blackheath, Britannia, Cyder & Cobb and Old Bush Revived; Brierley Hill, Rose & Crown and Vine; Dudley, Malt Shovel; Enville, Cat Inn; Kinver, Cross Inn; Kingswinford, Bridge Inn, Ale Hub and Cottage; Lower Gornal, Fountain Inn; Old Hill, Wheelie Thirsty; Rowley Regis, Britannia;Sedgley, Beacon Hotel and White Lion; Tipton, Fountain and Rising Sun; Upper Gornal, Britannia and Jolly Crispin; Wombourne, Old Bush and Wordsley, Bird in Hand, New Inn and Queen's Head.

Congratulations to all of them. The branch will be looking at beer scores for all out pubs before starting the process for the 2026 guide.

All pubs offering real ale in our area will be considered and some that have dropped out this year due to changes in licensees will have the opportunity to get back in.

A Sedgley pub is to offer real ale when it re-opens as an Indian bar and grill. The Crown in High Street has been closed since August 31.

It was sold by Marston's to Walsall-based Gurdeep Singh. The pub is expected to open as The Crown Bar and Restaurant on September 21.

It will then be offering two real ales in the bar. Ginni Singh from Willenhall will be running it. He previously ran The Tamworth Arms in Tamworth, which he sold in November.

We've got a social planned for this Saturday. Read through the diary page for more information.

Dudley Winter Ales Fayre 2024

Dudley & South Staffordshire CAMRA are pleased to confirm that Dudley Winter Ales Fayre will be taking place at Dudley’s Town Hall from Thursday 28 to Saturday 30 November.

The logo for DWAF reflects some distinctive milestones. Firstly, the creation of Dudley Metropolitan Borough from 50 years ago, where the “Dudley Bug” featuring on the original coat of arms. We also wanted to commemorate Sarah Hughes’ Snowflake, the winner of the Champion Winter Beer Of Britain 2024.

72 beers and 20 ciders will be on sale, some of which will be available on Friday and Saturday to minimise selling out the favourites too early.

Keep an eye out on social media and our website for the latest information.

You'll be pleased to hear that a Brierley Hill canalside pub is reopening on July 18 at 12 noon following a six-figure refurbishment.

The Bell in Delph Road has been closed for four years and is reopening as The Bell on the Delph after being bought by Simon Glear, of Radius Total Building Solutions, Wolverhampton, in May last year.

The pub has been converted from two rooms to one room and a darts area has been created. The pub is at the bottom of the Delph Locks on the Dudley No 1 Canal.

It will be offering four real ales on hand pump and two ciders and will also offer cobs and pies.

The pub, which will open seven days a week, has a car park to the side and a beer garden to the rear. Tracy Rodgers has been appointed to run the pub for the newly formed SSG Inns.