Thames Side Brewery have always been community orientated, and have recognised these are difficult times for people. In a bid to help, CAMRA members as well as general local beer drinkers, from Saturday 12th June Thames Side Brewery will be accepting CAMRA Vouchers, plus they will always have one beer available at £4 per pint. The beer will change regularly and will often include special small batch brews. This means that CAMRA members with their vouchers can buy a pint any day for £3.50. What's not to like? Let's give Andy at Thames Side our support! Picture features Andy being presented with his 2026 Branch Cider Pub of the Year Award from our very own Cider Sue.

We have been operating without a Branch Secretary for a couple of years which could not continue. Fortunately local member Andy Davies has kindly stepped into the breach. He is a busy man with heavy involvement in other volunteer led organisations. I am VERY grateful that Andy has stepped forward, and look forward to a no doubt much needed word in my shell-like from time to time!

Spike Branch Chair

Brakspear Pubco have acquired the King's Arms in Egham from Grosvenor Inns. This very much a food led pub, but does normally have two cask ales on, often including an interesting one. Fingers crossed cask ale will continue to feature. See Morning Advertiser - Brakspear acquires three Surrey pubs. for more information.

Our thanks to the 15 Branch members out of our 300+ membership who attended our 2026 AGM at Thames Side Brewery in Staines on Saturday 21st March. We were pleased to have our volunteer Regional Director Paul Saunders, and Regional Brewery guru Roy Bray participating, and grateful to Andy Hayward proprietor of Thames Side Brewery for hosting our meeting. We completed our AGM business swiftly ('at pace' as HM Government repeatedly like to say) and moved on to an excellent free buffet provided by Andy. It was also the second day of his 3rd Cider Festival, an added bonus to the several ales available, including an excellent dark mild. Only down side is that we are still running without a Branch Secretary. Organising and recording meetings is one aspect of job, but more importantly working with Chair and giving a different perspective and ideas. Please Contact Branch if you'd like to find out more without obligation, or just pop along to Meeting.

The latest edition of News & Ale is now hitting pubs in the area so look out. If you just can't wait, News & Ale Issue 157 will take you to the online version.

Amidst all the news of closures, good too see a couple reopening. Hope this trend can be repeated more locally. See Cornwall Pubs Reopening on the Guardian website for more.