Leicester Campaign for Real Ale

Category: news

  • Free Saturday Bus services!

    Free Saturday Bus services!

    Bus journeys that start or end in Leicestershire will be available for free every Saturday from the 19th October until the 30th November! This is an initiative from the Leicestershire County Council so does not include services entirely within the city.

    This includes:

    • All Arriva services except for the X6 Coventry service
    • All Centrebus services apart from the 40 orbital service
    • First bus services 13, 13W, 14, 19, 21, 22B, 74, and 54 Anstey
    • Stagecoach services 7, 11, 18, 33A/B/C, 148 and X7
    • Kinchbus services 2, 5, 11/12, and Sprint (not Skylink)
    • Novus Direct and Novus Fosse
    • CT4N service 66
    • FoxConnect Service area

    So why not use the opportunity to visit some pubs out in the wider county

  • 2025 Good Beer Guide Launch and presentation

    2025 Good Beer Guide Launch and presentation

    On 26 September, we met at the Ale Wagon to launch the 2025 Good Beer guide.

    And we took the opportunity to present landlord Steve Hoskins with a certificate to celebrate the Ale Wagon being in the guide for the 25th consecutive year.

  • New Leicestershire Drinker available

    New Leicestershire Drinker available

    The Autumn 2024 edition is available to download now and will be available in pubs shortly

    Read it here

  • Pub of the Year 2024

    Pub of the Year 2024

    Blue Boar Leicester

    The judging is complete, the scores have been verified, and we can now confirm the winners of the CAMRA Leicester Pub Of The Year:
    We split the branch into 3 categories – Urban, Suburban and Rural, as well as having an overall winner.

    In the Urban category:
    Winner – Blue Boar, Leicester Presented 18 April
    Runner-Up – Salmon, Leicester Presentation 25 April at 9:00PM

    In the Suburban category:
    Joint winners – Pharmacie Arms, Syston Presentation 9 May from 7:00PM
    Mill Hill Cask & Coffee, Enderby Presentation 16 May from 7:00PM

    In the Rural category:
    Winner – Woodmans Stroke, Rothley Presentation 2 May from 7:00PM
    Runner-Up – King’s Head, Smeeton Westerby Presentation To be arranged

    The overall winner and going through to the regional Pub Of The Year judging is:
    Blue Boar, Leicester

    Congratulations to all the pubs – presentations will be arranged in due course.

    Thanks also to those members who gave their time for pub judging – there would be no Pub Of The Year without you!

    Presentation pictures

    Richard and Jo receive their certificates for Urban pub of the year and overall pub of the year

  • Leicestershire Drinker Spring 2024 issue now available

    Leicestershire Drinker Spring 2024 issue now available

    In good pubs throughout Leicestershire. Or available online.

  • Leicestershire Drinker Winter Issue Out Now

    Leicestershire Drinker Winter Issue Out Now

    The latest issue of the popular, county-wide Leicestershire Drinker magazine is now available in pubs across the area.

    You can also read or download the magazine on your phone, tablet or computer.

    Grab your free copy for the latest news, gossip and beer-related stories now!

  • Castle re-opens under new ownership

    Castle re-opens under new ownership

    The Castle has re-opened under new ownership. Previously operated by DMU Students Union it has been bought and refurbished by the owners of the White Hart in Loughborough. 3 Hand pumps provide beers from Charnwood, Timothy Tailor and Titanic.

    The upstairs rooms have been opened to provide extra seating capacity and there is access to a garden area for drinking outside

  • West End Brewery to close

    West End Brewery to close

    West End Brewery have announced that they will be closing down at the end of the year. The final day will be on New Years Eve 2022.

    See story in the Leicester Mercury

  • Axe & Square, Countesthorpe being refurbished

    Axe & Square, Countesthorpe being refurbished

    Work has started on a £650,000 refurbishment at the pub which has been closed since July 2020.

    Star Pubs and Bars is undertaking the work along with new operator Michael Thomas, who runs three other pubs around Leicestershire: The Dovecote, in Narborrough; The Bull, in Broughton Astley; and The Lime Tree, in Whetstone.

    Read the story in the Leicester Mercury

  • Change at the Ale Stone

    Change at the Ale Stone

    The Ale stone has a familiar face as it’s new owner. Kieron Lyons has taken on the lease from Richard Thomas and will be running the Aylestone pub after a small refurb is complete.