Gloucestershire is split into sub-branches, which is quite unusual in Camra. The divisions are along the lines of post codes. The Cirencester Sub-Branch is GL7 & GL8, running from Cricklade to Duntisbourne Abbots to Didmarton. The Sub-Branch situation allows a more informal arrangement than the full Branch. There are few officers and no business meetings as such, although all members are more than welcome to attend the Gloucestershire branch committee meetings.

Our main role is to keep an eye on our pubs. The Branch operates a very effective constant assessment system, where all active members are asked to fill out small assessment cards whenever they visit Gloucestershire pubs. These are used to shortlist pubs for entry to the Good Beer Guide, and full surveys of these shortlisted pubs are carried out by Sub-Branch members once a year. We also carry out a prices survey once a year of all pubs in Cirencester, and occasionally campaigning events/activities occur which effect us, but mainly we are left to organise our social events as we wish.

We meet every month on the second Tuesday, and sometimes on other days as well for special events such as brewery visits or beer festivals. Our active members live in and around Cirencester, and we have found that organising transportation allows us to visit pubs, not only in our own patch, but also elsewhere in Gloucestershire and into surrounding counties. By sharing cars, each active member has only to drive every four or five events, and as we are fairly well spread about, more than one vehicle means less time spent picking people up. 

We are a very congenial mixed bunch, with ages ranging from early twenties to approaching retirement age. Our core of fourteen active members is quite small but surprisingly represents 20% of the total membership in the area. But, and here comes the point of all this, we’d love to see a few more.

We generally pick up just before 8.00 and arrive 8.30ish at the first port of call.

Although no brewery trips are listed in our published events, these tend to be arranged at shorter notice, and it would be highly unusual for four months to go by without at least one brewery trip.

If you would like to come along, please give Rob a call on

01285 851194

and we will arrange transportation. If you’re not in the part of our area near Cirencester, then we hope to see you at any of the events that you can make it to.