1081. 03.01.04 LONDON SW19 � WIMBLEDON: BS; Sec, WPR, SAR, N, COB. Traditional post Christmas meeting started in the �ALEXANDRA� at 7pm but only stayed there briefly, as Southampton v Newcastle (0-3 as reported by the SAR) had overwhelmed two of the bars and there was standing room only. The SAR produced reams of pictures, constitutional papers etc. After extended discussion re whether the COB would appear, a remove was made to the �HOGSHEAD� where Robin (4.5), George Gale HBC and London Pride were had. The COB arrived late and discussed the �yster cult, which he did not understand as his newsagent had not received the training. Rick was traditionally unable to attend. Music discussed: Worst 100, 2003 top 40 and Best Musicals; the BS commented on children�s unfortunate love of �Grease�. The Sec left for Gravesend via bus to Dartford, expected to arrive after midnight.

1082. 19.01.04 LONDON SE24 � HERNE HILL: BS; WPR. Evening meeting, convened to facilitate the handover of a mobile phone. �BROCKWELL PARK TAVERN�. Shepherd Neame County. Vast and dingy, smoky and dirty. �HALF MOON�, halves of Directors. Fruitless walk direction Half Moon Lane and back to the station area to the �COMMERCIAL�, London Pride. Food was finished but members were invited to bring in a takeaway, which they did, of fish, chicken and chips from Maxy Express, to the persistent interest of other drinkers.

1083. 13.02.04 LONDON SW3 � KENSINGTON / SW1 - VICTORIA: WPR; Sec, BS, GR. First �5 Times meal of the season, convened in an area not visited by the society for 23 years. Convened for pre-meal drinks at �ADMIRAL CODRINGTON�, Mossop Street. Noisy, smoky, crowded, change in silver tray � a misplaced bit of the City. Bombadier all round. Large U.S. contingent drinking Becks (by the bucket). The SAR and N joined in a non bacchanalian capacity at �Natalie�, Milner Street, a very civilized French content, with over the top welcome to compensate for small but select helpings. WPR brave in declining �pressure� to purchase expensive wine. SAR + N declined further pubs and left, the remainder continuing to the �AUSTRALIAN� � Bass / Tetley. Antipodean cricketing theme. Full and frank discussion re Celebrity. Finding nothing nearby to inspire, members recalled the old haunt �ORANGE BREWERY� and so set out there only to find it was no longer a brewery but sold Abbott and Bombadier (off). First seats of the evening. WPR pointed out Belizean Beliken beer on shelf.

1084. 05.03.04 LONDON N1 � ISLINGTON: WPR; SAR + N, Sec, BS, EAR, Rogerio. Meeting convened to revisit N1 area and experience a Times voucher meal at Tartuf restaurant, which was however found by EAR to be defunct. Met at �ANGEL� (Wetherspoons) � Angel Ale + various fruit juices. The EAR perpetrated several moves of location to successively more desirable tables, briefly causing a schism, with the Brazilians taking a more westerly positioned table. Angel Ale off so Titanic had � a strong, dark beer which challenged Members, particularly the WPR, who was recovering from the previous night�s lavish entertainment provided by Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London. Members then moved eastwards along City Road and up Shepherdess Walk to the �WENLOCK ARMS� where jazz music was heard and East Kent Goldings, Chimera Gold and Holback were drunk. The party was lucky to purloin a table in the crowded venue thanks to Nadir. SAR + N, Sec, EAR, Rogerio departed. BS and WPR drank EKG, Chimera Gold and Adnams Best. Excellent Jazz music continued all evening. DIY lockin � patrons requested to draw the curtains themselves.

1085. 13.03.04 HERTFORDSHIRE - HERTFORD & WARE: Chair; WPR, GR, Sec, BS. Hertford: Members arrived at Hertford East station and found the first port-of-call, the Dolphin, was �dead and buried�, i.e. boarded up! So the party proceeded to �LORD HAIG�, where McMullens AK was consumed. Pub with large screen in dark, curtained area which gave the appearance of a �morning lock-in�. Real log fire and photo of Lord Haig discreetly placed between the Ladies and the Sky TV screen. Discussion of metal plates in both dead and alive patients sent to the Sec. For filing in his archives. The party then walked through the Saturday market to �OLD CROSS TAVERN�, which has a modern interior with another real fire. Unusual and good selection of beers: Welsh Rare, Swift and Luddite. Display cabinet of mint condition 1977 Jubilee Ales, although the pub was not opened following its conversion from an antiques shop until 1999. One customer struggled to read the Catholic Herald about 1cm from his face: presumably Hertford is an optician-free zone. The paper bore the following shocking news: �New Rules on Eucharist�, �No Vatican ban on girl altar servers� and �Ban on clapping at masses�! All members partook of food and it was universally declared to be of the finest quality: very hot home-made fish pies, containing many prawns, stews and chilli. �WHITE HORSE� Small, �cosy� 2-bar pub: Fullers, Honeydew and Jennings Cumberland Ale. Framed certificate on wall from �Ninkasi� club. [Further post-meeting investigation reveals that Ninkasi is an ancient goddess of beer and a modern version similar to Lara Croft is being promoted by CAMRA to encourage more women to drink real ale.] After a walk through Castle Gardens the party arrived at: �RAM INN� (or just plain �RAM�) �Sweet Chariot� limited edition, Special Reserve from McMullens. Friendly barman was keen that all members appreciate this ale. Ram�s head on wall. Remainder of ram unaccounted for. Genuine Hammond organ in evidence. �OLD BARGE� Riverside location � Sneck Lifter, Adnams and Addleston�s scrumpy cider. GR was reprimanded by the barmaid for yawning at the bar and subsequently managed a short snooze at the window seat, where the sun was shining in. He was noted not to be the only member to succumb to the warm and soporific conditions � maybe beer consumption also played its part. The party then set off along the river on an hour�s walk in an attempt to regain consciousness to Ware: �SARACEN�S HEAD� This is the first pub encountered when arriving by the tow path: McMullen�s Country Best and cider. Expectantly awaiting sunset over river even though it was only 1725. The Sec. Departed to catch next train from Ware. Walked the length of Ware High Street to the �OLD BULL�S HEAD� Exmoor �Hound Dog� and Double Chocolate Stout � that little bit �chocliater�! Old pub full of character (and characters!) Meeting closed when members walked back to the South end of Ware to catch 1925 train to Broxbourne (and Beyond!).

1086. 30.03.04 LONDON SW19 � WIMBLEDON: WPR; SAR + N, BS, GR. Convened at a location easily accessible to members for an after work drink. Sat in the smoking bar of �THE ALEXANDRA� but did not smoke. Discussion about I-Pods and other technological innovations.

1087. 17.04.04 LONDON SE25/SE20/SE19 � SOUTH NORWOOD/ANERLEY/CRYSTAL PALACE. SAR; N, Chair, BS, GR. Apologies � EAR, WPR, TBA. Communications failure � Sec. It was felt that previously unvisited postal districts should be the subject of Research. Members met at Norwood Junction Station, and, after rejecting two local venues as they were full of Crystal Palace supporters pre-match, or people who had come in to see other games on television, the party located the �WILLIAM STANLEY� (Wetherspoon), High Street. Although it too was full of football types, a quiet table was found at the back, and Spitfire, Abbot and J20 had. A plaque explained that William Stanley made a factory for �meteorological and other philosophical instruments� in the South Norwood area. The GR was then located using Mobile Telephony, and the party passed another two pubs, which were boarded up. Moving into SE20, things began to improve. Members arrived at the �MITRE�, a friendly venue in need of decoration where they sat outside in the unkempt garden in the company of a possibly inquisitive dog which urinated at the next bench. The party drank Kronenbourg and John Smiths � although London Pride and Stella pumps were seen, the barman explained that there was no demand for these in this pub � patrons preferring spirits, Guinness (the pub has an Irish theme), Fosters and Kronenbourg. Moving on to the crossroads, the party halted at the �ROBIN HOOD�, where it once again sat in the beer garden, this time more tidily kept. The BS distributed snacks, and was amused by a machine in the Gents selling Durex and Nurofen, thereby catering for differing eventualities. Tetley Ice Cold and Strongbow Cider were had. Turning left, the party approached the �ANERLEY ARMS� and partook of Samuel Smiths, cider and Hot Cross Bun and Coffee in the dark wood-panelled interior. After a walk through Crystal Palace Park to view the dinosaurs, members concluded the meeting at the �PAXTON ARMS� where Tetleys, Strongbow and J20 were had in a somewhat indifferent pub opposite Crystal Palace Station. The GR took an important call on his Mobile Phone summoning him to a Cliff Richard concert in the Albert Hall, at which point the meeting was rapidly closed and members crossed the road to the station.

1088. 26.04.04 LONDON W1 � MAYFAIR: GR, Sec. �ROCKET�, Lancashire Court. Toger beer at trendy Mayfair wine bar in small precinct off Bruton Street. �THE GUINEA�, Bruton Place. Vary traditional pub with 19th century wooden partitions, in mews off Bruton Street. Youngs St. George and diverse nuts. Neighbouring customer sporting impressively complex artificial arm. �COACH AND HORSES�, another small and very traditional pub near Berkeley Square. Deuchars, Hydes �Fine & Dandy� drunk, and award winning sausages sampled by the GR.

1089. 08.05.04 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING: Chair, Sec, BS, EAR. A poorly attended AGM at the �MARKET PORTER� by Borough Market, but good range of beers sampled, including Archers, Everards, �Golden Arrow�, �Rooster� and �Marathon Hound�. No motions passed, but discussion on improving methods of communication about Meetings. The Chair was obliged to leave early for a family Chinese meal in Stortford.

1090. 28.05.04 LONDON SW1 � WESTMINSTER: BS, Sec, Rick & Judy, PRS Phil 1, PRS Phil 2. �ADAM & EVE�, Petty France. Performance by Rick & Phil as �Tumbling Dice�. Initially low-key, but influx of lively Italian tourists livened things up, one of whom having �Happy Birthday� sang to him with the band providing back-up. Voluble U.S. landlady. Good range of beers, including �Old Mill�, �Hogshead�, �George Best� and Gushers.

1091. 15.06.04 LONDON SW1 � WESTMINSTER: Sec, GR. �ADAM & EVE� � as above, but no music this time, as �Tumbling Dice� had been banned from further performances following noise complaints at the previous event. �NORTH STAR�, Petty France; odd hybrid of traditional pub and wine bar, but decent food and beers, and interesting basement with cavernous tunnel-like back rooms. London Pride, Spitfire. �TWO CHAIRMEN�, Queen Anne�s Gate (not to be confused with the other �Two Chairmen� off Trafalgar Square. Genuine timbered traditional �local�, with large modern mural of an 18th century street scene nearby. Adnams.

1092. 20.07.04 LONDON EC1 � SMITHFIELD: Chair, SAR & N, Sec, GR, BS, SOS & Val, TBA, EAR, Rogerio, Luis, Nelson, Graciela & Iran. A well attended Meeting was opened in the downstairs bar of �YE OLDE RED COW�. The meeting moved upstairs after filling the downstairs area to the exclusion of the regulars, to whom the EAR explained the objectives of the Society before ascending the spiral staircase.

1093. 24.07.04. SURREY � KINGSTON: BS, Sec, GR, EAR. BS�s birthday celebration. �GAZEBO� � modern river front bar-restaurant. Outside seating for consumption of Sam Smith�s, Ayinger Br�u, Hefe-Weizen and baguettes. �RAM� � a more basic and traditional pub, with large garden bordering river bank. Speckled Hen, mild. Attempted sales of pirated DVDs made to Members by oriental ladies, both here and at the �Gazebo�. �HART�S BOATYARD� � pleasant and spacious converted riverside premises, further along the Thames towards Surbiton. The EAR arrived here at a leisurely pace, following earlier transactions at Hither Green, and San Miguel and Bombardier were sampled outside adjacent to the ferry crossing to Hampton. �BOATERS� � the Meeting concluded with the party retracing its steps to another riparian hostelry on the other side of Kingston Bridge � busier than the others, and with a somewhat more raffish clientele. �T.E.A.� (a beer from the Hog�s Back Brewery in Tongham) was sampled in the grounds. Noted that �Hart�s Boatyard� was the only one of the four not to give outdoor drinkers plastic glasses.

1094. 21.08.04 EAST SUSSEX / KENT: Sec, GR. The Sec. was collected by the GR at Surbiton for a leisurely drive to the Sussex coast, visiting the �WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR�, Rye Harbour. Pleasant no-nonsense waterfront pub, but very busy / understaffed. An hour�s wait for seafood lunch led to a frank exchange of views between the GR and bar staff. Shepherd Neame. The �SHIP�, Winchelsea Beach. Somewhat quieter here, most of the other clientele being Londoners staying at the adjacent caravan park. Spitfire. The meeting then headed back inland, visiting the villages of Playden, Wittersham, Stone-in-Oxney and Woodchurch, where some mid-afternoon Bishop�s Finger was sampled at the �BONNIE CRAVAT�, a characterful establishment, with benches in the form of giant books, and half life size models of silent movie stars. (Despite the pub sign showing a Scot wearing a cravat, the derivation of the name is actually a French seafaring term). The Sec. Was then returned to Gravesend, where tea was taken at Golf Links Avenue.

1095. 16.11.04 LONDON W1: Sec, GR. �TOM CRIBB�, Panton Street. Cosy small pub off Leicester Square, named after celebrated Victorian boxer who once lived over it, with attendant boxing memorabilia. Pedigree and food of quality (ordered 30 seconds before �last orders� for food at 7 p.m.) Members then moved from boxing pub to tennis one, the �HAND AND RACQUET�, Whitcombe Street, Bombadier and unusual �2 x 2� seating.

1096. 20.12.04 LONDON SW1: Chair, SAR & N, Rick, Sec, SOS & Val, COB, BS, GR, EAR, Rogerio, Nelson. A traditional Christmas gathering at �OLD SHADES�, which eventually commandeered the south-west area of the pub near the entrance. After the Chairman�s Round and customary toasts, Nelson and Rogerio were, in the presence of the Chair and Secretary, inducted to Ordinary Membership, on production of the following Manifestoes: Rogerio: �I am very grateful to be invited to become a full member of the SLBS and I swear to attend most of the meetings, and to drink beer for the rest of my life�; Nelson: �It is my pleasure to be a new Member of this Society and it is amazing for me that you have been meeting for so many years now, therefore, I am going to do my best so as to keep live this Society�. At the same time, the Chairman determined that Anth and Richard III be relegated to Lapsed Members, having not attended a Meeting during two calendar years.