Aylesbury Vale & Wycombe

1. Welcome and Thanks:

Thank you all for attending, including those who couldn't be here but contributed throughout the year. Special thanks to David Martin, who couldn't attend due to medical reasons, and Simon Collinson from Oak Taverns for speaking after the formal business.

2. Appreciation for Venue:

Huge thanks to the Riverside Club for hosting us. It's a stark reminder that function rooms in pubs are becoming rare, reflecting the challenging state of the pub industry.

3. Economic Challenges:

There are tough economic conditions facing pubs and breweries, particularly with increased staffing costs. Historic local breweries like Carlsberg's Banks's Brewery have closed, as CAMRA has documented.

4. Local Pub Situation:

We've had a relatively stable year for local pub numbers, despite long-term closures. The Derehams Inn in Loudwater is an example of a pub that, despite a passionate local campaign, remains closed and deteriorating.

5. Importance of Planning Protections:

Planning protections are crucial to prevent pubs from becoming housing. Buckinghamshire and South Oxfordshire Councils have mixed records on pub preservation, so it's vital to communicate CAMRA's position to candidates in upcoming council elections.

6. Case Studies and Successes:

The Whip Inn in Lacey Green and the Three Horseshoes in Burroughs Grove face repurposing. However, we've had successes like the Grand Assembly in Marlow and the Ash Tree in Ashendon, which reopened after villagers raised funds to buy it.

7. Support for Local Breweries:

We're fortunate to have excellent local breweries like Chiltern Brewery, Rebellion Brewery, Vale Brewery, and XT Brewery. We've also gained Brazenors Brewery in Cressex. Thanks to our Brewery Liaison officers for their hard work.

8. Volunteer and Member Contributions:

Despite a slow long-term decline in members attending in-person events, 'invisible' members contribute significantly through pub updates and beer scores. Our email engagement is high, and the recent Pub of the Year vote had an excellent turnout. Special thanks to Andrew Eastwood for maintaining the Pubzilla database and adding updated pub photographs.

9. Future Initiatives:

We're making progress on staging a Wycombe beer festival, with encouraging feedback from potential venues. This initiative could showcase local breweries and pubs while bringing real ale to a wider audience in Wycombe. Additionally, we're launching a new Branch Magazine to replace Swan Supping, thanks to Richard Palmer for his contributions.

10. Tribute to Dave Roe:

Let's give a heartfelt thanks to Dave Roe for his 27 years as editor of Swan Supping. He built it into a local institution, fostering strong relationships with members and pub users through its humorous and informative content. His work has been invaluable in communicating local news and CAMRA's objectives. We recognize his outstanding contribution with a certificate of thanks.

11. Tributes to Passed Away Members:

Let's remember local supporters who have passed away, including Bruce Seymour, a huge supporter of the King's Head and Chiltern Brewery, and John Boothman, a stalwart of the Wycombe part of the branch in the 1970s and 80s. We'll raise our glasses to those who will be sadly missed.

12. Closing and Thanks:

We should celebrate our remaining excellent pubs and breweries and the great real ale they offer. A huge thank you to all branch officials, including Simon Heap as secretary, Dave Roe as treasurer, and Elvis Evans as deputy chairman, as well as committee members and active members for their hard work.

After 27 remarkable years and 140 issues, we are sad to announce the retirement of Dave Roe as Swan Supping editor. Working alongside Bryan Spink (now sadly deceased) in the early days, Dave has established Swan Supping as a local institution - our deliverers often have copies eagerly snatched from their hands the moment they enter pubs!

As well as managing the editorial content, Dave's contribution has gone far beyond; he's managed everything from advertising and invoicing to typesetting, printer liaison, and providing a point for magazine distribution. His retirement is very well-earned.

This milestone also marks the retirement of the magazine's current format and its distinctive title. While Swan Supping itself may be irreplaceable, we're excited to announce plans for a new branch magazine.

We are now therefore seeking a new editor (or possibly joint editors) whose primary responsibility will be to coordinate articles, photos and local news. There would be some other tasks involved in producing the magazine, such as proofreading and overseeing distribution but it’s possible other members can assist with this.

Recent years have presented challenges, with both the COVID pandemic and shifts in the advertising market affecting free CAMRA branch magazines across the country. Since the pandemic we have moved the production of Swan Supping to an established commercial publisher who currently handles several other CAMRA branch magazines. The new branch magazine will be produced in a similar way, except that the publisher will also format and typeset the magazine. This will allow our branch to focus on providing editorial content.

This represents an excellent opportunity for someone with publishing experience or looking to gain it - indeed, a neighbouring branch's former magazine editor went on to secure a position in the publishing department at CAMRA HQ. If you're interested in shaping this exciting new chapter in our branch's history, please email ku.gro.armac.wva@tcatnoc.hcnarb by Sunday 1st December.

With the retirement of the Swan Supping title, we're running a competition to name our new publication.

Submit your suggestions via our Survey Monkey link below or email ku.gro.armac.wva@tcatnoc.hcnarb.

Branch Magazine Name suggestions

We hope to give a special prize (to be announced) to the winning entry and the best entries will be featured in our inaugural edition, planned for March 2025. Deadline for entries is midnight, Sunday 1st December.