The Good Beer Guide is the UK’s definitive guidebook to good pubs that serve real ale across the UK. Refreshed and updated for its 53rd edition, it is fully revised and features recommended pubs across the United Kingdom that serve the best real ale as well as a comprehensive listing of UK breweries. This is the complete book for beer lovers and for anyone wanting to experience the UK’s finest pubs. The Good Beer Guide is completely independent, with listings based entirely on evaluation by CAMRA members. The foreword for this year’s guide has been penned by Ed Byrne, comedian and beer lover. Famous for his #preshowpints on social media, he has posted about the various bars and breweries he has sampled around the UK prior to his shows.

The 2026 edition was launched in September 2025. There are around 60 pubs, hotels and other outlets open to the public within our branch area in the new Guide. For more information, see the GBG page at the national CAMRA website.

We are very pleased to announce that Volunteer Arms [Staggs] in Musselburgh is the CAMRA Scottish Pub of the Year 2025! We will be celebrating this and presenting Staggs with their award on Saturday 6th September at 2pm.

The Summer 2025 issue of Pints of View magazine will be appearing shortly in real ale outlets in the branch area. This issue includes articles on Kay’s Bar and Teuchters Landing, a trip to Plzeň, and the 50th anniversary of the branch.

This issue is also available as a downloadable PDF on the Pints of View Magazine page.

The winners of the 2025 CAMRA Edinburgh & SE Scotland Pub of the Year awards are as follows:

Edinburgh

• 1st Stockbridge Tap
• 2nd Jolly Judge
• 3rd Abbotsford Bar

Lothian

• 1st Staggs, Musselburgh
• 2nd Volunteer Arms, Dunbar
• 3rd Dean Tavern, Newtongrange

Borders

• 1st Rutherfords, Kelso
• 2nd Cobbles, Kelso
• 3rd Bridge Inn, Peebles

Cider Pub of the Year

• 1st Jolly Judge
• 2nd Dreadnought
• 3rd Brauhaus and Steel Coulson Southside
• 4th Lost in Leith

Every year local CAMRA members vote to select Pubs of the Year for Edinburgh, Lothian and the Borders.

To be considered, a pub must consistently sell real ale in good condition as measured by members beer scores.

Members then judge the pub on the quality of the real ale and other aspects such as the service, welcome, atmosphere, style, decor, value for money and community focus.

The overall winner for Edinburgh & SE Scotland will now be selected by a team of CAMRA judges and announced in due course.

Congratulations to all the winners!

The Winter 2024 issue of Pints of View magazine will be appearing shortly in real ale outlets in the branch area. This issue includes articles on the Cumberland Bar and Thompson's Bar and a look at some early branch newsletters from the 1970s.

This issue will also shortly be available online on Issuu or as a downloadable PDF on the Pints of View Magazine page.