24th November 2011

DORCHESTER: CAMRA names Colliton Club one of its top four

The popular Colliton Club, situated opposite County Hall in Dorchester, is one of four finalists in the National Club of the Year competition run by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

The news emerged at the presentation of the framed certificate for the Wessex Regional Club of the Year - won by the Colliton Club for the sixth time in ten years.

“There are four hurdles to become CAMRA’s National Club of the Year,” said Michel Hooper-Immins, Regional CAMRA Organiser of the Club and Pub of the Year competitions.

“At the start of this year, the West Dorset CAMRA branch nominated the Colliton Club, which gives entry to the regional club of the year competition.

“In August, they won the Wessex regional title and joined clubs from 15 other CAMRA regions in the next round.

The last 16 were then grouped into fours and in the latest round, the Colliton Club beat Dartford Working Mens Club, Cheltenham Motor Club and the Kinver Constitutional Club near Dudley, to rise into the top four for the national finals.”

CAMRA’s prestigious Club of the Year competition has been running for many years.

Colliton Club Steward Neil Gatehouse was presented with a commemorative dish for reaching the finals at a recent dinner in Manchester.

The Regional Club of the Year certificate was also presented by CAMRA Regional Director John Buckley.

Colliton Club Chairman Ian Morton said: “It’s marvellous that we’ve won the regional title for the sixth time and are in the national finals.

“I sincerely commend the steward and his staff on their excellent work. Well done to Neil Gatehouse on finding six superb real ales every week and for supporting West Country breweries, especially the smaller ones and I thank CAMRA for recognising the excellence of our club.”

Steward Neil Gatehouse said: “I was astounded, but ecstatic, to hear the Colliton Club have made it into the top four clubs in the UK.

“It is wonderful to be recognised on a national level and I’m really chuffed to be named as one of the top four clubs in the whole country.

“We will go on serving real ales not usually found in this part of the UK.”

West Dorset CAMRA Chairman Dave Harris is pleased the Colliton Club has gone so far in the national competition.

He said: “It has been consistently excellent over many years and is a great help to CAMRA- in fact we hold some of our meetings there. We in West Dorset CAMRA are delighted to have such a vibrant club in our area.

“We wish the Colliton Club every success in the national competition.”

PICTURE 1: FROM left Colliton Club Chairman Ian Morton, Steward Neil Gatehouse and Deputy Steward Andy Pain with the CAMRA Regional Club of the Year certificate and the commemorative dish marking being one of four finalists in the CAMRA National Club of the Year competition

PICTURE 2: Colliton Club Steward Neil Gatehouse holds the Regional Club of the Year certificate, presented by CAMRA Regional Director John Buckley (fourth right)