Five pubs from Epping Forest included in Good Beer Guide 2022

The new edition is the 49th to be published by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), with contributors encouraging readers to support their local pubs and breweries in the aftermath of the pandemic.

The Forest Gate Inn in Bell Common, Epping, is included, along with the Victoria Tavern in Smarts Lane, Loughton.

Also listed in the new guide are the The New Inn in High Street, Roydon, and the Woodbine Inn in Honey Lane, Waltham Abbey.

The Theydon Oak in Coopersale Street, Coopersale, is the other Epping Forest pub to be included.

The guide, which surveys 4,500 pubs across the UK, is considered the definitive beer drinker’s guide to the very best pints in the most picturesque and friendly pubs.

Despite being hampered by lockdowns and restrictions in the early part of this year, thousands of independent volunteers have worked together to compile this year’s entries, helping to identify significant trends and themes locally and nationally.

CAMRA national chairman Nik Antona said: “After the struggles of the past 18 months for the industry, it is great that The Good Beer Guide figures are showing the resilience of pubs and brewers in the face of strife – a national increase in brewery numbers after they dipped last year for the first time, as well as over 500 new pub entries. This is great to see, especially coupled with the news from the Government’s latest Budget, including the announcement of a new, lower rate of duty for draught beer and cider.

“However, the industry is still vulnerable in the aftermath of Covid-19 lockdowns. Breweries still face issues around costs of goods, lack of business rate relief and silence from the Government on Small Brewers’ Relief reform. We are calling on the Government to make sure the new draught duty rate applies to containers 20L and up so that all our small and independent brewers can benefit.”

The Good Beer Guide 2022 is available to buy from https://shop1.camra.org.uk/product/the-good-beer-guide-2022/