Celebrity chef Tom Kerridge has urged Brits to ‘stay supportive’ of the Great British pub in CAMRA’s latest Good Beer Guide.
The Michelin-starred chef and TV personality has penned the foreword for CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide 2021, which is set to be released on October 29, 2020.
Now in its 48th edition, the beer-lovers’ bible is fully revised and updated to feature recommended pubs across the United Kingdom that serve the best real ale.
Against the backdrop of a hospitality industry scarred by the COVID-19 lockdown, Kerridge has urged the country to “stay strong and stay positive” in this year’s foreword.
Writing in the annual guide, Kerridge observes: “The one thing we have all missed during lockdown is human connection and social interaction, which above all else, is everything that the Great British pub provides – a warm, happy and friendly place for people to drink and eat.”
Next month would have seen Kerridge’s Pub in the Park festival return to St Albans.
However, the food and music extravaganza has been postponed at Verulamium Park until September 2021 due to coronavirus restrictions.
The creators of Pub in the Park are currently scheduled to visit Knebworth House over the weekend of Friday, September 11 to Sunday, September 13 instead, with their new drive-in Garden Party concept featuring music from Kaiser Chiefs, Rick Astley, Scouting for Girls, Toploader, Gabrielle, Soul II Soul and a DJ set from Basement Jaxx.
Now available for pre-order, the Good Beer Guide is considered the definitive independent guidebook to quality pubs that serve real ale across the country.
Kerridge knows first hand how the trade has been affected, running the The Hand & Flowers pub in Marlow.
Since opening in 2005, The Hand & Flowers was awarded its first Michelin star in 2006, and in 2011 it became the first pub to receive two Michelin stars.
In CAMRA’s guide, Kerridge reminds readers that the Great British pub is recognised around the world as a uniquely British institution, with real ale acting as the cornerstone of that identity.
He writes: “The passion and the heart and soul that goes into brewing is equal to the top wine makers, distillers, cheese makers, bakers, artisan chocolatiers or any other craft led hospitality producer.
“It is something we should be very proud of.”
Despite their unique position, the pubs and brewing industries have been unusually hard hit this year in the wake of COVID-19, which is why St Albans-based CAMRA is calling for greater financial support for the sector.
CAMRA’s national chairman, Nik Antona, said: “Pubs may officially be ‘open’, but many are facing significantly reduced turnover and higher overhead costs due to social distancing measures.
“Others have had to make the difficult decision to stay shut until things improve – and there are some that will never reopen.
“We cannot overstate how important it is to support pubs during this difficult transition period.
“We hope people will use the Good Beer Guide to not only applaud the ‘cream of the crop’ featured, but also to visit all pubs during a time when they need it most.”
Tom Kerridge adds: “We need now more than ever to be positive and strong to enable us to drive the word home about how fantastic the Great British pub is, and most importantly, what it brings to each and every community.”
For more on CAMRA, visit https://camra.org.uk/
Pre-orders of the Good Beer Guide 2021 with a foreword by Tom Kerridge is available at https://shop1.camra.org.uk/product/the-good-beer-guide-2021/
CAMRA members can order the guide at a reduced rate of £12 plus postage and packing.
The Campaign for Real Ale is a not-for-profit consumer group with over 192,000 members that has been operating since 1971.
Its vision is to have quality real ale and thriving pubs in every community.
You can become a member and help save pubs for just £26.50 a year by visiting https://join.camra.org.uk/
For more on Pub in the Park’s drive-in Garden Party, visit https://www.driveingardenparty.com/
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