As regular Branch meeting attenders will know there has been much discussion over the past couple of years or so about how the City Centre of Manchester is supported by its local CAMRA Branches, and how consistent support is to our City Centre pubs and bars.
There has been much discussion and consultation, and lots of confusion on what cannot and can be done from a CAMRA prospective, with members of the National Executive themselves contradicting each other.
Part of this discussion has been around what is needed to set up a new CAMRA Branch, and as part of this a group of CAMRA members have come together to propose and be the founding committee of a potential City Centre Branch.
Currently the City Centre is covered by three existing Branches – North Manchester, Stockport and South Manchester, and ourselves. The formation of a City Centre Branch would have a major effect on us as a Branch and as part of the process of proposing to set up a new Branch, the prospective Branch Committee is required to consult with the affected Branches and to consider the results of that consultation in coming up with a final business plan for the consideration of our Regional Director and the CAMRA Branches
Committee.
This Consultation meeting has been set for Tuesday 12th May at 8.15 at the Waterhouse in Manchester, a pub which if the new Branch is set up we will lose as a Trafford and Hulme pub.
I need to be clear – this is a consultation, everything can change, the City Centre Branch is not a ‘done deal’, the feedback of our members and those of the other affected Branches needs to be considered before the prospective Branch put forward their final proposals for consideration. The Regional Director, Andrew, will be at the meeting to ensure it is a fair process for both sides and to hear and consider the feedback that will be expressed.
So what is your view? Are you for? Are you against? Are you for with a few minor changes? Do you think a radical third solution needs to be found? Do you believe in the Status Quo? Come along with your views for discussion and to listen to the plans and proposals from the prospective new Branch Committee.
Branch Members will shortly receive via e-mail their most recent DRAFT Business Plan for the City Centre Branch to read through prior to the meeting, as well as questions posed by your Committee to the prospective Branch Committee and their response.
Please come with an open mind and your thoughts to feed into the process – I stress again nothing is set in stone, this is a consultation…
I look forward to seeing you all on the night.
Regards,
Paul
Paul King
Trafford and Hulme CAMRA Branch Chair