Minutes of the AGM held at The Victoria Hotel, Beeston on Saturday 15 June 2024, as approved by the Committee on 24 July 24 and subject to approval by the Members at the 2025 AGM.
Present: 55 Club Members; 8 members of the Committee; Allens, the Club’s administrators (a full house), and the Company Secretary.
1) Chairman’s welcome – Following apologies for absence from the Co. Sec. (3 members and 2 Committee members) and mention of a couple of house-keeping issues, the Chairman opened proceedings by reflecting on a disappointing year all round for overall pub numbers, cask ale production and, hence, unit values. All this bad news had already been conveyed to the members via the Chairman’s quarterly reports and there would be little point in repeating or summarising it here.
Bucking that trend, a couple of very recent events (at Wadworth and Greene King) may be seen as a harbinger of better times ahead, but we can only wait and see.
Member numbers were now circa 2,800 but hopefully holding firm around that point, with those departing now tending to cite personal hardship issues rather than simply ‘leaving CAMRA’, as previously.
2) Approval of minutes of 2023 AGM – These were approved and seconded from the floor.
3) Election of Committee 2024-2025 – The re-election of the three retiring Committee members was proposed and seconded from the floor, and the election of a new Committee member, Andrew Heath, was dealt with similarly.
4) Members’ questions and observations – There were no written questions and none from the floor either.
5) Approval of Accounts for ye 31 March 2024 – These were proposed and seconded from the floor – no questions.
6) Appointment of Reporting Accountants for 2024-2025 – Proposed and seconded from the floor.
7) Any other business – There being no AOB from the floor, the Chairman invited comments on the Club’s continued holding of shares in Carlsberg and, by extension, in Marston’s itself – a recent Committee meeting having suggested a divestment might be in order? A cursory debate followed, but clearly no appetite for any immediate divestment.
The Chairman then thanked the Committee, Allens, Hadfields and the Co.Sec for their diligence throughout the year, the team at ‘The Vic’ for their customary attention to the provisioning of those assembled and, lastly, Castle Rock Brewery for its overall sponsorship of the day.
Following refreshments, Simon Theakston, Chairman of Yorkshire family brewer T&R Theakston Ltd, entertained the room with a very interesting potted history of this enduringly successful company, together with his experiences elsewhere across the industry. This was followed by a well-received Q&A session. The Chairman and members thanked Simon in customary fashion.
Nick Metcalfe, Company Secretary, 16 July 2024