The Notts & District Drinker was the Branch Magazine for Nottingham CAMRA between 1983 and 1993. There are 24 editions, which begin very much in the style of Student Rag Mags of the era. As such they are a product of their time. The Notts & District Drinker came about after the Derby Branch decided to produce its own magazine in 1982, making the former name the “Notts & Derby Drinker” redundant. In 1992 this became The Nottingham Drinker

The Nottingham Branch has placed facsimile copies of the Notts & District Drinker on this Branch Website as historic documents.  These documents chart the early years of the local Branch of CAMRA, particularly the campaigning around the availability of traditional cask ales as opposed to the gas-pumped beers prevalent at that time. 

The Nottingham Branch of CAMRA has deposited an original copy of each edition with Nottinghamshire County Archives for academic research and the benefit of future generations. With a similar generosity of spirit, the Branch has funded the creation of electronic copies to the National Archives’ 600 dpi standard. These have also been deposited with the County Archives. This should protect these important pieces of local social history for posterity.

Inevitably society, and what is considered acceptable or unacceptable, has changed considerably since these magazines were written. Some content, which at the time would not have been considered problematic, could be considered offensive today. However, in making these early magazines available the Nottingham Branch of CAMRA believes that they are important historic documents and that abridging, editing or censorship of the content would significantly devalue their worth as part of the record of the County’s social history. They are reproduced warts and all. We hope you will find them an interesting read. If you do find anything offends you, we would ask that you remember they were produced 40 years ago and that you reflect on how much society and its attitudes have moved on since they were written. That is progress.

As was noted in each edition at the time, the views expressed in the Notts & District Drinker are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Nottingham Branch of CAMRA.

Note of Thanks

The original copies were kindly donated by Kevin Powell and John Westlake. Thanks also to Nigel Da Silva at Silver Creative and Ruth Imeson and her team at Nottinghamshire County Archives.

You will need Adobe Reader to view the Notts & District Drinker. The file sizes are large, and may be slow loading with some connections. The files have been optimised for the web to minimise any problems.