North Herts CAMRA Aids and Abets Short Measure?

Hmmm, I thought all CAMRA fests had to have oversized glasses?

Yes, is the OP absolutely sure it's not a lined glass?

Hmmm. Herts. - home to some *very* strong sticklers for procedure and policy. Likelihood of festival not using oversize lined glasses just on a par with hell freezing over.

Bear in mind that the photographers always whinge when "there isn't a good head" (I tended to provide about 2/3 of a pint and tried to ensure a smile that hinted where the other 1/3 was on the face of the person in shot[1])

Bear in mind also that most of the attendees don't know diddly about how much should be in the glass - that's part of the education the festival organisers should be trying to provide in the festival while they have the attendees captive.

Wow, the media put their own spin on a story, big deal. With so much conjecture, I suggest you'd give any tabloid reporter a run for their money!

No doubt before whingeing here you spoke with the festival organisers about this image. And no doubt you were informed that it was, like much of the adverts carried in What's Brewing, done with the media interpretation of a pint of beer, or maybe even that it was in a lined glass.

And I am also sure that you have organised so many beer festivals that by now you can predict exactly how much beer you need to order to avoid either running out, or having too much left over after the doors close. Obviously it can't be anything to do with suddenly being more successful than previous years can it? But then you must be fairly local to Hitchin, and as such you are an active branch member who knows the full story already.

And that may explain why you are not brave enough to publish your real name, but still brave enough to be critical of those that do make an effort.

Steve Banfield (From North Herts)

More a criticism of the Archant Newspaper Group, which obviously used a file picture (with no trace of a line on the glass) and took great pleasure in reporting on the dry nature of last year's Festival.

And as far a pub with no beer, well that's been a longstanding source of mirth, immortalised by Slim Dusty in 1957 with versions by others ever since :-

Then in comes the swagman, all covered with flies He throws down his roll, wipes the sweat from his eyes But when he is told he says, "What's this I hear? I've trudged fifty flamin' miles to a pub with no beer!"

There's a dog on the verandah, for his master he waits But the boss is inside drinking wine with his mates He hurries for cover and he cringes in fear It's no place for a dog round a pub with no beer

Old Billy, the blacksmith, the first time in his life Has gone home cold sober to his darling wife He walks in the kitchen; she says: "You're early, Bill dear" Then he breaks down and he tells her that the pub's got no beer

So it's lonesome away from your kindred and all By the campfire at night where the wild dingos call But there's nothin' so lonesome, so dull or so drear Than to stand in the bar of a pub with no beer

Steve Banfield wrote: "Obviously it can't be anything to do with suddenly being more successful than previous years can it?"

They used to organise the festival to clash with the popular London Drinker festival, with the result that it was poorly supported (Hitchin is only a half-hour or so train ride from King's Cross and many drinkers in the area would have chosen to visit the LDF with its greater range of ale and cider). Switching it to a week earlier probably accounts for the large increase in visitors. They probably underestimated the extent of the "London Drinker effect" ;-)

TP