What is LocAle?
This is a scheme that has been originated by the Nottingham branch of CAMRA and Nottinghamhamshire Campaign for Better Transport. Essentially it is to encourage locally brewed ale to be available in pubs local to that brewery. This may in time encourage more pubs to put more local beer on instead of just the same old Nationals, which ultimately will mean more selection for the customer. This is a very big issue when considering climate change and the distances that beer has to be transported, sometimes hundreds of miles, usually by road from big National depots situated around the country. Especially when we have so many excellent breweries in or near most towns and cities around the country. You can watch a video featuring Castle rock brewery made by Dave Thornhill on the above link.

This scheme is completely run and sponsored by CAMRA in conjunction with The Campign for Better Transport as a campaigning issue and participating pubs do so on a voluntary basis.

We are hoping as a result of this campaign:

Customers will benefit as they will have the choice of drinking a quality local real ale

Licensees will benefit from increased trade as customers seek out their pubs to drink local beers

Licensees will also benefit from the additional publicity that the LocAle scheme will generate

The environment will benefit as these beers will have been delivered from just down the road rather than from hundreds of miles away

The local economy will benefit from the growth of the local breweries

The local community will benefit from a sense of  loyalty and pride towards local beers they can identify with

What is LocAle?
The criterion is 20 miles from the pub door to the brewery. This is a distance arrived at, and is particular to, the Nottingham branch area and has taken into account of the geographical location. In keeping with the name LocAle any beer has got to feel local, if the distance was made too big the danger is that this local feel will be lost. In other areas the local branch may feel that a lesser or greater distance may be more appropriate. For example if this scheme was set up in London the local branch may decide on a 10 mile radius or a branch in the remotes of Scotland may decide on 50 miles.

What about if a brewery is just outside the zone that you feel is local to Nottingham?
Then unfortunately they will not be acceptable to be a LocAle if over 20 miles away from the pub, The pub must be in the Nottingham area. The idea is hopefully other branches will take this scheme on and these breweries will fall into their branch area.