BRANCH SOCIALS AFTER LOCKDOWN Just Look Where We’ve Been Drinking!

Following the lifting of COVID restrictions, the Dronfield Branch of CAMRA also eased their way back into organising social activities, which as always are also open to non-members, friends and family alike, with many gatherings and trips being run over the last 18 months. Many of these concentrated on visiting the pubs, clubs and bars within the Dronfield branch area including two Saturday afternoon trips out to Barlow, Millthorpe and Holmesfield by public transport. The most recent one took in a ‘meet the Brewer’ session at the Collyfobble brewery adjacent to the Peacock at Barlow with the new brewer, Ash Linnett, who held an interesting discussion on the brewery and brewing techniques (see below).

Other Dronfield based socials have taken in the Coal Aston, Dronfield main street and Dronfield Woodhouse areas usually visiting 4 to 6 pubs each trip, whilst we have enjoyed two visits to the current branch Club of the Year - Dronfield Pioneer Club - for the Sunday lunchtime carvery.

As well as local socials we have also embarked on visiting places further afield, a Nottingham trip was mainly to the many pubs and bars of Sneinton whilst we also had three separate trips to different areas of Sheffield on Friday evenings, firstly was to the numerous pubs along the Ecclesall Road going up to Banner Cross, then on another occasion it was to the Heeley pubs and the latest venture took us out to the variety of pubs in the Kelham Island district where we were joined by members from Rotherham and Sheffield.

We have also participated in the two days of the Chesterfield Branch ‘Walkabout’ event held in February and taking a trip ‘over the hill’ to Matlock visiting six very different hostelries. All of us at Dronfield & District CAMRA would like to thank all the venues that have hosted our monthly branch meetings; Blue Stoops, Coach and Horses, Gate Inn, George and Dragon, Green Dragon, Gosforth Fields Sports & Social Club, Miners Arms Hundall, Pioneer Club, Royal Oak Millthorpe, Tickled Trout and the White Swan.

Details of forthcoming Social events are listed on the branch website: www.dronfield.camra.org.uk, our Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Everybody will be made very welcome.

Peter Boitoult