Posts by: Roger Protz
Real ale champion and Kegbuster creator dies
Bill Tidy, who has died aged 89, was a comic genius who tickled the nationâs ribs for decades with such hilarious strips as the Cloggies, the Fosdyke...
Caley saviour dies aged 83
Russell Sharp, who helped save and revive the fortunes of the Caledonian brewery in Edinburgh, has died aged 83. The success of the Caley, as itâs pop...
Open letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt, MP
Dear Chancellor, Britainâs pubs and breweries are in crisis. In 2022 554 pubs closed and itâs estimated that 21 are closing every week this year. Las...
Fury over bulldozed pub
The loss of any pub saddens me. The destruction of a successful pub makes me boil with rage. The Bree Louise in Cobourg Street, North London, was just...
Beer Style of the Year: Stout
At a time when sales of such beers as IPA and golden ale seemed unstoppable it looked at first that the return of dark beer was an aberration. But it...
Searching for prized old ale
An American friend, Julie Johnson, once told me the difference between our two countries is that the US has a past but Britain has history. As she wri...
Think local, drink local
Itâs been a grim year for breweries, especially those owned by giant global producers. In short order, Heineken announced the closure of the Caledonia...
âDialling upâ pressure on pubs
A memo to Ken Murphy, the boss of Tesco: âHow many more pubs would you like to see close?â Itâs a chilling statistic: 50 pubs a month are shutting. No...
Rising costs put pubs at risk
Twin crises are endangering pubs and breweries. Pubs face escalating costs that send the price of beer rocketing and lead to a loss of customers. The...
National brewing museum to close
Britainâs brewing heritage has been dealt a savage blow by the decision of global giant Molson Coors to close the National Brewery Centre (NBC) in Bur...
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