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

LOCAL WHO TRANSFORMS LOCAL
GAINS SEASONAL RECOGNITION AWARD

Issued 1st November 2003

Phil Woolhead took over the Rose & Crown in Driffield in March 2002, after living and drinking in the town for around 13 years. He has gradually transformed the pub into a thriving local, attracting a mixed age group clientele. One of his first changes was to introduce a regularly changing guest beer. This proved to be so successful that another pump was soon brought into action selling a second guest beer. To reward his efforts, Phil was chosen by members of the Hull & East Yorkshire Branch of CAMRA to receive the Autumn 2003 '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.

Phil had previously been in the telecommunications industry for 27 years. He thought the pub had great potential and decided to have a go when the lease became available.

Phil joined the in-house (Unique Pub Company) 'Cask Ale Club' which supplies well known premium cask ales such as Fullers London Pride and also lesser known beers from smaller brewers on the SIBA (Small Independent Brewers Association) list.

Phil has also gained Cask Marque accreditation, the first licensee in the town to do so. He gained top marks in all the categories on two separate visits. His efforts have also gained the pub inclusion in the 2004 edition of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide. The first time that it has gained entry into the prestigious publication in its thirty-one year history.

The award was presented to Phil recently by CAMRA Branch Chairman, Alan Canvess, in front of a large gathering of the pub's regular customers and a group of CAMRA members during their Survey Trip of pubs in the area.