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Southport again & GBG prices.

In message , Steven Pampling wrote

If pubs relied solely on the custom of CAMRA members they would all go bust within a week. What's the membership/pub ratio? 1.25 members per pub?

The general public may want places that are clean, well run and where you can get a decent meal at not necessarily that the s******e back-street local in the dodgy area that may serve a decent ale.

In my experience the Good Pub Guide often has many of the same pubs as the Good Beer Guide but is a bit more critical (by omission) of the pubs where a CAMRA guide should have perhaps said 'avoid the toilets' or 'the locals don't like strangers' or 'the landlord only serves people who know his name' or 'the beer is great but only on the nights of the CAMRA socials and where the publican has been forewarned of the meeting' :)

Reply to
Alan
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I've been a CAMRA member for 20 years, but for 20 years have also regularly submitted reports to the GPG. Whilst the GBG tends to focus on real ale, the GPG takes many other factors into account. I have seldom been disappointed when visiting GPG recommended pubs. They make it clear whether the pub has real ale (and if not, I wouldn't go there) and if so whether it's well kept, and in my experience they get it pretty well spot on. And as for "mostly focuses on more up-market rural dining inns", that wouldn't explain why the splendid, basic and rustic Yew Tree in Cauldon, Staffs is considered worth the ultimate accolade of two stars. Yes, many pubs are in both guides, but only if, as well as selling well kept real ale, they are worth a visit for other reasons. Myself I always take both guides, but tend to use the GBG only if the GPG has nothing to offer in the area. Because as an overall indicator of the pub, the GPG tends to be more informative.

Brian

Reply to
BrianW

In message , BrianW wrote

As someone else has pointed out, it's CAMRA that keep the stock of the books so if Amazon are quoting long delivery dates for the GBG then surely it is the normal inefficiency of CAMRA that is to blame?

Albeit 15 years ago, I went to a CAMRA HQ open day and was somewhat disappointed to be told that the 'allow 28 days for delivery' was fairly typical . In those days next day delivery was becoming common place. I suspect things are not much better judging by the length of time a new member waits for his card to arrive through the post.

Reply to
Alan

On Fri 12 Sep08 10:22, gavin wrote in :

Gavin, you have to give these things some thought. How would you carry that around with you if you only had a PC?

Reply to
WM

Of course, I have given it thought - you need to!!! Why would I want to carry the whole of the GBG around with me? Ever heard of a new fangled device called a "printer"?

Reply to
gavin

I belive there is also newfangled stuff such as Pendrives, SD cards and Hard disks. also Wireless networking is increasingly available (in wetherspoons and many other pubs). I don't see this as a realistic objection. The real reason, IMO, is that CAMRA would lose a valuable income stream.

Reply to
Esra Sdrawkcab

That of course is a completely different argument. I wonder how much profit is derived from the GBG and whether this could be realised via online advertising?

Reply to
gavin

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