The popular CAMRA podcast Pubs. Pints. People. has returned to the airwaves in 2023 with an episode featuring ‘new beer resolutions’, which highlights both the impact that challenges like Dry January and New Year’s resolutions present for the industry.
The episode also dives into the Campaign’s hopes and aspirations for 2023, sitting down with Senior Campaigns Manager Ellie Hudspith to discuss the cost of living and cost of goods crisis facing many publicans up and down the country.
It shines a spotlight on both Tewksbury and Chesterfield branches - both of which have winter beer festivals fast approaching with Tewksbury Winter Ale Festival taking place from 26-28 January and the Winding Wheel Beer Festival in Chesterfield running from 3-4 February.
Talking on the subject of Dry January versus Tryanuary, celebrated beer writer Laura Hadland says on the programme: “While Dry January is a great idea to help keep alcohol consumption in check, there’s no real reason that we shouldn’t be supporting our favourite breweries and our fantastic pubs during January – whether or not you go dry.”
Gary Greenberg is also interviewed about his new book The Beer Diet: How to Drink Beer and Not Gain Weight, adding that “One really great thing about beer is that it helps with the fourth pillar of health - which is stress reduction!”
CAMRA’s Senior Campaigns Manager Ellie Hudspith comments on the beer scene in 2022 and what to expect in 2023, commenting that “Last year we had the perfect storm of the cost of business crisis for pubs and brewers and then the cost-of-living crisis for consumers, and CAMRA as a consumer organisation is unique placed to hear about that intersection and see how one affects the other.
“We’re still going to have a lot of uncertainty and pressure around inflation, the cost of goods, the cost of business – we’re even seeing everything down to the cost of cleaning equipment for pub cellars and brew kits going up by 200, 300, 400 per cent. Absolutely everything right now is very pressurised and intense, and unlikely to ease very soon.”
The full episode is now available on Spotify and Apple Podcast, and wherever you get your podcast. You can listen now by visiting https://shows.acast.com/pubspintspeople
