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Camra leader encouraging more lady ale drinkers

Dec 4 2011 by Michael Brown, Sunday Sun

La-Toyah McDonald and Amy Webb (left) enjoy a real ale in the Newcastle Arms

TRADITIONAL boozers are almost always male-dominated, unless you count the barmaids.

And with pubs in decline, publicans could do with attracting more of the fairer sex through their doors.

However, June Scott, women’s group leader for Tyneside and Northumberland Camra says both ladies and landlords need to overcome a few misconceptions to make progress.

Almost two years ago, whilst a little tipsy from one two many ales, June challenged the “beards” at Camra to let her set up a women-only group, to see if it would encourage more of the ladies too scared to attend the bloke-heavy branch meetings to come forward.

After a slow start – where meetings consisted of just June and one other woman – the meetings have now grown to attract a regular group, from among the branches, of 300 or so female members.

The mum-of-four said: “I find talking to women that they are worried if they go to a pub they will be looked on as second class citizens because they don’t know about beer.

“But women have to have courage to be willing to ask questions.