Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Hull & East Yorkshire Branch NEWS RELEASE

Experienced Licensee is Chosen for Seasonal Award

Issued 1st June 2007

Bernard Copley, licensee of Ye Olde White Harte in Kingston upon Hull, has been chosen to receive a recognition award for "Continuing Commitment to Quality Real Ale".

The seasonal 'Pub Mirror Awards' are currently being used to recognise those licensees in the Hull and East Yorkshire area who have demonstrated a "Continuing Commitment to Quality Real Ale" at a time when they are under great pressure to remove distinctive, tasty real ale and replace it with 'easily kept' heavily advertised, bland tasting nitro-keg beers. The award therefore, also acknowledges those licensees who practise the specialised art of cellermanship. This is because real ale requires expertise to prepare and maintain it in good condition whereas nitro-keg beer only requires connecting to a mixed-gas cylinder before selling.

Bernard became the licensee in 2004 when he took it on with his partner Fiona Moran. Together they run the popular and historic pub that is owned by Scottish Courage and tucked away down a passage of Silver Street.

Bernard is one of the most experienced licensees in the area. He was brought up in a pub from the age of 12 and his father, who was in the trade for 30 years, started teaching Bernard how to look after traditional real ale from 1958. Bernard has now been in the trade himself for 40 years and in that time he has run the Black Horse in Whitby, the Ring O Bells in Otley, the Kings Arms in Pudsey (Leeds) and the Duke of York in Skirlaugh.

Caledonian 80/-, Caledonian Deuchars IPA, Charles Wells Bombardier and Theakston's Old Peculier are the real ales that are available in Ye Olde White Harte and are kept in excellent condition by Bernard.

The 'Summer 2007' award will be presented to Bernard Copley by CAMRA Branch Chairman, Alan Canvess on Wednesday 13th June at around 8.30 pm. A large gathering of regulars and CAMRA members are expected to attend, including Gerry Moore, who nominated Bernard for the award, stating: "The beer quality is always first-class at Ye Olde White Harte".