We are delighted to announce that the Branch will be organising a beer festival in Wantage on Friday and Saturday, the 21st and 22nd of November. This is not the first Wantage beer festival - readers with long memories may recall a charity event in the early 1980s - nor the first CAMRA event - the as-was-then Vale-of-White-Horse-Sub-Branch organised one in East Challow in the early 90s. But it is certainly the first in a long time. We are intending to provide 24 cask ales, local and from far away, light and dark, strong and meek, as well as ciders and perry. The Festival will take place in the Masonic Hall. More details on the festival web page.
(Item from November 2008)

We are delighted to hear that the Duke of Wellington, Faringdon, has reopened after a month or so of inactivity. A cask of Adnams Bitter was apparently finished within hours by thirsty locals!
(Item from September 2008)

Good news too in Longcot where the King and Queen, has reopened after five months of uncertainty. Village locals celebrated at the reopening party on August 15th. The pub currently stocks Wadworth 6X and Wells Bombardier. Home-cooked food is also back on the agenda, as is en-suite B&B for those who may have over-indulged! More details from their website.
(Item from August 2008)

The Bystander at Wootton has now emerged from its welcome refurbishment and appeared to be busy when we passed yesterday. The pub is part of the Hungry Horse chain.
(Item from August 2008)

The Fox and Hounds, Uffington, is holding its first beer festival over the August bank-holiday weekend (22nd-25th). This coincides with the popular White Horse Show on the outskirts of the village. Beer will be available by the third pint if required along with more usual measures; offerings from Banks's, Butts, Jennings, Mansfield, Marston, Ringwood, West Berks and Wychwood as well as cider are promised. There will be live music on Saturday/Monday and a hog roast on Sunday; children and dogs are most welcome!

The Plough, West Hanney, is holding the second of its pair of annual beer festivals from the 22nd-25th August - this one is celebrating beers and ciders from the West Country. Beers include a brace each from Butcombe, Cheddar, Sharps and Skinners, and offerings from Cotleigh, Hopback, RCH, Red Rock, St. Austell, Wickwar and Yeovil. Food all weekend, live music Saturday night and Monday afternoon, and all-weather awnings if it is wet!
(Items from August 2008)

The Royal Oak in Wantage has rightly retained its position as White Horse CAMRA's pub of the year. Readers with long memories will recall that the Oak was last awarded this coveted accolade back in 2006 ... rule changes from HQ meant that 2007 has been declared a non year! As all discerning drinkers in the Vale and beyond know, the Royal Oak serves a mighty fine pint; indeed it is not uncommon for there to be seven or eight different gravity-delivered cask ales to sample. Landlord Paul Hexter and his staff were presented with the Robert "Soggy" Sumner trophy at a Branch presentation on Wednesday April 23rd. Pictured here is a rather emotional Paul, splendidly dressed for the occasion.
(Item from June 2008)

The Waggon and Horses, Southmoor, is holding its annual beer festival from the 23rd-26th May. Live bands, pig roasts and barbeques throughout the weekend, and children and dogs are most welcome!

The Plough, West Hanney, is also holding one of its pair of annual beer festivals from the 23rd-26th May - this one is celebrating beers and ciders from Oxfordshire. Karaoke, live music, and hog roasts throughout the weekend, and a bouncy castle and face painting for the your at heart on Monday. And all-weather awnings if it is wet!
(Items from May 2008)

Early-May bank-holiday weekend sees the annual beer festival - or "POW-FEST" as they have it - at the Prince of Wales, Shrivenham. Festivities run from Friday (2nd May) until Monday (5th) evening. Live music, BBQ on Monday lunchtime, and 10 cask beers. Best of all, card-carrying CAMRA members get a free half pint ... and there is a "guess-the-mystery-beer" competition. Simply too tempting!
(Item from May 2008)

The Bystander at Wootton, until recently part of the Hungry Horse chain, is currently boarded up. Let's hope this is simply a refit, or even that it has been acquired by Crouch Vale ...
(Items from March 2008)

After a number of months of inactivity, the former Vale of the White Horse Branch of CAMRA has been reborn as, simply, the White Horse Branch. The Branch has an all-new committee, a new vibrancy, but the same old thirst. Please bear with us while we get to grips with how things work, and get out to meet our publicans and brewers. In the mean time, we would love to see you all at our monthly meetings - check the diary for more details.

We would like to thank all the members from the previous committee for their many years of service.