Last updated 09:24, Saturday, 13 September 2008

NEARLY 90 Cumbrian pubs are featured in the Good Beer Guide 2009.

They are among 4,500 of the best real ale pubs in Britain, according to the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

The 36th edition of the annual Guide also celebrates the success of independent brewers.

Britain is the craft beer supremo with more breweries than at any other time since the World War Two, it claims.

Cumbria has 23 micro and independent breweries now operating and more in the pipeline.

Guide editor Roger Protz said of the Uk’s brewery boom: “Over 70 new breweries have been founded between the 2008 and 2009 editions.

“That follows 80 new breweries in 2006 and a further 80 in 2007. Britain now has more than 550 craft breweries and many of them are enjoying spectacular growth.

“The reason is simple: more and more drinkers are looking for taste and character in beer rather than the tasteless fizz offered by global brewers.”

Sadly, the news is not so bright for our pubs, with 36 closing a week, according to latest figures.

As a result, CAMRA is calling on the Government to introduce measures to prevent supermarkets selling alcohol as a loss leader and introduce minimum pricing to reduce the gap between supermarket and pub prices.

“Cheap beer in supermarkets – often sold at less than the price of bottled water – is killing the British pub”, said Mr Protz.

“People are abandoning their locals because they can buy cheap supermarket beer at a fraction of the price charged by pubs.

“One solution is for England and Wales to follow the example of the Scottish government and consider a minimum pricing policy for alcohol sold in the off-trade.”