The GBG is at its best when you’re journeying into new territory. With a bit of reading between the lines, it’s reliable in finding a gem to break the journey.
Or, more importantly ensuring that the holiday won’t be in a beer desert. Although the low risk of ale disaster these days shows how much the real ale world has moved on since the likes of the Norfolk Broads of the late 70s.
A quality read
The CAMRA volunteers, who no doubt spend hours debating who’s going in next year’s GBG, are worthy of our thanks. The good work of the merry band of pub watchers (they offer much more jollity than mere ticking) such as RetiredMartin, shows that the volunteers usually get it right within the constraints of beer standards and branch allocations.
Some CAMRA branches clearly have an excess of good beer/pubs compared to their allocated number, whereas my guess is some other areas struggle to hit their numbers.
My question to you dear reader is what’s missing from the current GBG that’s on your list of pub perfection. Of course you don’t have the limits on your selection such as changes of landlord and other stuff that might restrict a branch in its choices.
My starters for 10. Inevitably the Cooper’s in Burton, its neighbour the Devonshire and the New Inn at Pegg’s Green in Leicestershire. And then, a bit left-field, the Royal Barn in Kirkby Lonsdale, the modern tap for the local brewery.
Go on, only a bit of fun, where would you send thirsty drinkers. I might even allow keg mild as good beer.
thewickingman 
Mate of mine who holidays in Kirby L mentioned the Barn, too.
I guess there’s a difference between temporary exclusions due to licensee change (Coopers) and changes of fashion (less trad, more micros).
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Agreed. I’m just fascinated by others’ ideas of perfection, forgetting the rules. Some areas must have some crackers that they can’t include, particularly if they don’t rotate.
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Of course you never know what are the circumstances on the ground that have led to a pub being omitted. One pub I have found rewarding on several occasions, but isn’t in the 2018 edition, is the Black Horse at Clapton-in-Gordano in Somerset.
Given the general handpump-counting approach of the Cheshire branches, I don’t think any of the several good Sam Smith’s pubs in the county are in with a chance, although some have been included in the past. Even more so those in Trafford & Hulme branch like the Vine at Dunham Woodhouses.
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