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

A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE IS RECOGNISED WITH A CAMRA SEASONAL AWARD

Issued 13th January 2004

Tony Hill, joint-licensee of the Three John Scott’s, Lowgate, Kingston upon Hull, has been chosen by members of the Hull & East Yorkshire Branch of CAMRA to receive the Winter 2004 ‘Pub Mirror Award’ for “Continuing Commitment to Quality Real Ale”.

The seasonal 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.

Hull born Tony has been at the pub, owned by Wetherspoon’s, since it opened in July 2001. After only six months he achieved the independent Cask Marque accreditation and has retained it since. His efforts have also gained the pub inclusion in the 2004 edition of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide. The first Wetherspoon’s pub in Hull to gain entry into the prestigious publication.

Phil joined the company 10 years ago and for the first seven he trained and worked in some of their pubs in the London area. Before that he gained a wealth of experience from spells working in pubs owned by Sam Smith’s Brewery, Whitbread Brewery and Tetley’s Brewery.

Tony purchases the real ales sold at the Three John Scott’s in firkins (9 gallon casks). This helps ensure that the beer is maintained in good condition throughout its 3 or 4 day sales life. The beers that are regularly available are Courage Directors, Green King Abbott Ale, Hop Back Summer Lightning, Shepherd Neame Spitfire and Theakston’s Best Bitter. Black Sheep Best Bitter is also available most of the time. Three guest beers are sold mid-week and five at week-ends. Real Cider, Weston’s Old Rosie, is also available.

The award will be presented to Tony tonight (Tuesday 13th January) by CAMRA Branch Chairman, Alan Canvess, at around 8.00 p.m. in front of a gathering of the pub’s regular customers plus a large group of CAMRA members. Everyone is welcome to attend.