Andy Munns
Salisbury Rugby Club has been chosen as the local Club of the Year by the Salisbury & South Wiltshire branch of the Campaign for Real Ale.
Russell Jugg, chairman of the Rugby Club, and Neil Tonge, its cellar keeper in charge of beer quality, were presented with the winner’s certificate by local CAMRA chairman Chris White and Keith Foster, the Campaign’s branch organiser of voting and judging.
“Salisbury Rugby Club scored highly on all the key criteria for making a decision”, said Keith Foster. “It was particularly noted for the selection and condition of the Hop Back ales being served, that the bar staff were friendly and helpful and the customers welcoming and happy to chat. The overall impression was of a vibrant and friendly bar. This impression was echoed when CAMRA branch members visited to present the award to the club.”
The aim of CAMRA’s Club of the Year competition is to identify and reward clubs that promote and encourage the sale of quality real ale.
CAMRA members in Salisbury and South Wiltshire are asked to nominate clubs for the award. Surveyors are then selected to judge the nominated clubs – they cannot be members of the clubs that they are inspecting.
The surveyors score the clubs in accordance with CAMRA’s Club of the Year competition procedure.
Key criteria are quality and condition of real ale, cider and perry, promotion and knowledge of real ale, cleanliness and staff hygiene, and community focus. Service and welcome, sympathy with CAMRA’s aims and overall impression and value are also taken into account.
The club achieving the highest score from surveyors is selected as branch Club of the Year.
